Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #725399 in Books
• Published on: 2008-02-14
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Hardcover
• 276 pages

Synopsis
People and places are never what they seem. In "Strangers Waiting", her first collection of short stories, acclaimed award-winning crime writer Sally Spedding explores that theme to powerful and unnerving effect. Alice Duff in "Blackthorn Days", will lure you into her parallel world, while "Downtime" reveals a macabre future for those who dare grow too old. In "Reserve Du Chasse", the Mullers unwittingly stumble into a part of rural France still bitter from the last war. The author, referred to as a 'latter-day Du Maurier,' delves into the darkest parts of the human psyche, the landscape we inhabit and that Other Dimension beyond the earth we know. Read, and you won't know whom to trust, or where to choose to plant your dreams...Award-winning crime mystery writer, Sally Spedding was born Wales and trained in sculpture at Manchester and St. Martin's, London. Winning the Nottingham Festival's International Short Story competition was her first writing success. She has since carved a particular niche with her novels "Wringland", "A Night With no Stars", "Prey Silence" and "Come and be Killed" (2007) all published by Allison & Busby.

Customer Reviews

A compelling collection of short stories that delve deeper into the dark themes explored in the author's previous novels
This is a wonderful collection of dark, haunting short stories that will delight fans of Spedding's previous 5 novels. The author uses the short story format to great effect, exploring all the themes that her regular readers have enjoyed to date.

She revisits tales of the lives of the drovers, herding their animals from Wales to England and she also explores further the dark side of French society that awaits the hundred of Brits who leave these shores in search of a better life on the continent. Her dark take on the fate awaiting our ageing population is also examined to great effect.

Her writing is not only dark and menacing, it is also laced with a wry sense of humour and it serves not only to underline the themes from her previous novels, but also to hint at what awaits in her future writing.

An eclectic mix
I was hoping to enjoy this crime mystery novel and wasn't disappointed. It is filled with short stories that are mysterious, alluring, enchanting.

Dechets sets the tone for the book, luring the reader in and leaving you longing for more, which are then delivered in a succession of several delightful stories. Strangers Waiting was full on scary, heart in my mouth, edge of my seat, full of suspense type of scary. Minstrel Boy left me with an aftertaste of sadness. I became so engrossed in Sword Lillies that I was somewhat snappish when interrupted while reading. Reserve de Chasse, was eerie enough to have me fighting the urge to look over my shoulder. Blackthorn days, is extremely clever and thoroughly satisfying. Downtime was very plausible and all the more frightening because of that. Mares perfectly depicts the lure of herd mentality. Clan was the perfect finish to this eclectic mix.

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