Love & Murder

Great Bargain, Wonderful Short Story Collection

This is a wonderful collection of short stories covering a wide range of human behaviors from love and happiness to murder and despair. This is a great bargain and opportunity to enjoy Mrs. Bartlett’s short stories. I would definitely recommend this collection as it really does have something for everyone. I will give a brief summary of each story and then my review of each below.

Abused: A Daughter's Story: The story from the oldest daughter point of view. The father is an alcoholic and abusive to the mother and with each child born the abuse gets worse. The oldest daughter tells her story of how she grows up to resent her father and sometimes her mother for allowing the father to keep returning to their lives.

This is a very emotional story, I couldn’t help but feel for the children of this family. I wanted to help the oldest child. She was never really allowed a childhood of her own as she helps to take care of her siblings. I was rooting for her to succeed in spite of her upbringing. I was near tears a few times at the hardship the children faced on a daily basis. I was glad the story had a mostly happy ending.

Cold Case: Psychic Jeff Resnick is investigating the disappearance of a four-year-old boy. Jeff has to overcome all the emotions of the other involved in his investing, ie the hope and fears of the mother and the doubt from the psychologist.

This is a very suspenseful and dramatic short story of a child abduction case. This is a very well told story even though it is short. It gave me goosebumps as I was reading it. I did not envy Jeff as he endured the emotions and visions as he received of what really happened on the day the little boy disappeared. As a mother, this story reminded me of all my fears when my daughter was little.

An Unconditional Love: A single mom of a special-needs child learns about sacrifice and the true meaning of love.

This is a very sweet story, about how a single mother has to overcome her guilt and fears and put her child needs first to make a better life for the child. I can relate somewhat having raised my daughter on my own. However, I did not have the added stress of a birth defect and difficult medical care. I really loved reading this story, the mother put all her hurt and pain in the past and moves forward to make both her daughter and her life better. I was glad the story had a happy ending.

We're So Sorry, Uncle Albert: Mandy Nichols and family find out that the very miserly Uncle Albert, that has forever been mooching off the whole family, is actually a very wealthy man. Learning how wealthy Uncle Albert causes a lot of drama in the family.

This is a dark story about greed and misery. This short tells how greed can pull a family apart and how showing someone a little happiness can be a reward. Well sort of. I enjoyed this story. This story is on the short side but is well developed. I was very surprised at the story’s climax.

Love Heals: Being single on Valentine’s Day can be very lonely. This is exactly how Diana felt. She just recently broke up with her boyfriend. Diana, a nurse, had witnessed what true love between two people really looked like. This is the type of love she longed for.a

This is a very sweet short story about loneliness, friendship, loss, and love. It is a quick read, I read it in one sitting, but it is still a well-developed story. I could certainly relate to Diana have spent a few Valentine’s Days alone in my life.

Prisoner of Love: Rhonda dreams of marriage and kids, but age 35 she fears this won’t happen. She decides to take out an ad in the personals. The person who responds seems to be the perfect man but is he really?

This a wonderful short story. I can identify with Rhonda that being over a certain age and single can sometimes be lonely. Rhonda is so afraid this is her last opportunity to love and children that she refuses to listen to her sister’s warnings or even her own fears that this isn’t the man for her. I was really happy with the outcome of the story.

Blue Christmas: Judi Straub is feeling a little depressed since her family has their own plans and she will be all alone. Judi wins a vacation for Christmas which she hopes will be the begin of a less lonely life.

This is a very sweet story. You can’t help but want Judi to find someone that she can love and that will love her back. Her family loves her but only someone in their family they don’t take her feelings into consideration. I was really pulling for her and Harry. I was surprised at how the story ended but happy Judi found out the truth.

I was given a copy of this book in hopes I would submit a review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.