Tag: Short Stories

Posted in Book Reviews, Novels, Short Story Collections

REVIEW: Unloaded: Crime Writers Writing Without Guns by Various Authors

Posted on by elishasbookreview

img_4950

*No Spoilers*

From best sellers and writing legends to the brightest stars of the next generation of crime writers, the twenty-five authors here have taken pen in hand to say enough is enough. Gun violence has got to stop and this is our way of speaking out – by showing that gun violence can be removed from the narrative, and maybe from our lives.

It’s not anti-gun, it’s pro-sanity. And above anything else, these are thrilling crime stories that will surprise and shock, thrill and chill – all without a gun in sight.

Notable Short Stories:
The Old Man and the Motorized Wheelchair by Joe R. Lansdale-This story of a retired detective who has Sherlock Holmes-like capabilities made for a fascinating read.

The Starry Night by Grant Jerkins- This story exposes how insecure the children’s ward in the hospital can be. Especially when it’s busy, and you have clowns and people in and out visiting loved ones. Gave me the major creeps.

The Business of Death by Eric Beetner- A funeral home director who’s fallen on hard times might make unethical choices if it means some illegitimate money to fix up the parlor. I liked this story, this one is one of the more memorable stories out of the bunch.

The Final Encore of Moody Joe Shaw by Thomas Pluck- I felt this novel to be so sad and heartwarming at the same time. A man who is an outcast and misfit, finding comfort in an elderly lady’s company. The ending will have you reaching for your tissues!

Mysterious Ways by J.L. Abramo- I enjoy a good private eye story, no matter if it’s modern day or 1920s Same Spade. This novel follows a PI as he investigates the assault of the daughter of the man who hired him. A father’s love can make a man make immoral decisions.

Now, I’m not saying all of the other stories in this collection are bad, I’m just listing my favorites. The more memorable ones to me are the ones where I looked at the table of contents and instantly recall the story by the title.

I thought this short story collection was worth the read for the stories I mentioned earlier in my review. However, I thought several of the stories didn’t belong because there was no murder or mystery involved.

I would recommend this collection to lovers of short stories, mysteries, and for supporters of gun control/gun regulations.

More Short Stories HERE!

Advertisement
Posted in Audiobooks, Book Reviews, Novels

REVIEW: Benedict Cumberbatch Reads Sherlock Holmes’ Rediscovered Railway Mysteries: Four Original Short Stories by John Taylor

Posted on by elishasbookreview

91WsIHoY6jL._SR500,500_

*No Spoilers*

In a drawer in his bureau, Dr. Watson keeps a locked cedarwood chest – a ‘box of secrets’. It contains an archive of notes referring to some of Holmes’ cases that, for one reason or another, never saw the light of day. Now, for the first time, Watson has decided to reveal the truth to the world… In these four thrilling stories, Holmes experiments with the science of ballistics; locate some missing gold bullion; investigates the theft of a large amount of money and solves the baffling mystery of the Stovey murder.

Inspired by Arthur Conan Doyle’s original Sherlock Holmes stories, John Taylor has written four more mysteries featuring the world’s greatest detective. Read by acclaimed actor Benedict Cumberbatch, these new adventures share all the suspense of the original tales.

img_4952

I originally discovered this audiobook in an Audible Ad. I am a fan of Benedict Cumberbatch and his portrayal of the famous fictional detective, Sherlock Holmes. So I was lucky my library had it available and I was able to listen to it for free.

I could tell that the author was a huge fan of Author Conan Doyle’s original works. These felt like they were written with love and care.

My favorite story is the story about the missing gold bullion. I felt this case was the easiest to follow and understand Sherlock’s logic. Sometimes, I felt like I know who the bad guy is and how he pulled this off! However, as always, Sherlock adds a twist and makes the crime even more clever.

Benedict Cumberbatch’s narration was awesome and entertaining to listen to. He gave each suspect their own unique voice so it made it easy to follow along. His narration made me want to go back and rewatch his Sherlock Holmes run on the BBC.

Overall, this audiobook was a nice discovery, and I enjoyed listening to all of the stories. I would highly recommend this for lovers of Sherlock Holmes, Benedict Cumberbatch, and classic mystery novels.