Malice and Forethought: Short Stories of Malice and Murder
5 Stars
Includes four short stories that are heavy on suspense and show that in some cases, crime does pay. Set in the world of everyday people who take action to handle their business (or who aren’t so lucky when it comes to knowing who to make deals with).
The tone is that bad things can happen to good people and not so good people. And sometimes people who are fed up decide to settle the scores on their own. It’s always interesting to see the tables turn on those who think they’ll get away with a bit of larceny.
A Hint of Malice – what happens when people get too cocky about wrecking people’s lives and forget there’s always a price to be paid.
Burned – a solid police procedural with one character reminding me of Lennie Brisco from Law & Order. In fact I could see this story being the basis for an episode.
The Marshall Sisters – two sisters and a one secret that may drive them apart or cement their bond.
The Watcher – this has a few twists that lead one to ask, who is watching the watchers? Good question! Things are never what they seem.
That’s the thing about suspense and thrillers – an event or a stranger can throw a well-ordered world out of whack. Average people who don’t expect to be caught up can suddenly be forced to make hard decisions.
That’s what makes this collection so compelling. There’s a thin line between heroes and villains and the characters featured here are often a bit of both.
Buy link: https://amzn.to/3JpXZrP