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Working Stiffs
The workplace is a dangerous place. The unscrupulous are primed and ready to take advantage of the innocent and naïve. A slight indiscretion can cost the employee everything. A new position can turn a person into someone they are not. Those at the top can be toppled and those at the bottom can be crushed.
Until now, Vincent’s father has kept one side of the business a secret from his son. Vincent is about to learn the family business. On the most important day of his career, Sam’s world will unravel when he helps a woman in distress. Todd has failed in every job he's undertaken, but that changes when he backs into a drug dealer's car. Now he’s in hock with organized crime and can only get himself out from under if he works for them to pay off his debt. Kenneth Casper is ailing and so is his business empire. His shareholders circle like vultures. Casper pins all his hopes on a Peruvian shaman with a miracle cure.
Working Stiffs...Some jobs are worth killing for.
The book features My Father's Secret which won the Anthony Award for Best Short Story.
Until now, Vincent’s father has kept one side of the business a secret from his son. Vincent is about to learn the family business. On the most important day of his career, Sam’s world will unravel when he helps a woman in distress. Todd has failed in every job he's undertaken, but that changes when he backs into a drug dealer's car. Now he’s in hock with organized crime and can only get himself out from under if he works for them to pay off his debt. Kenneth Casper is ailing and so is his business empire. His shareholders circle like vultures. Casper pins all his hopes on a Peruvian shaman with a miracle cure.
Working Stiffs...Some jobs are worth killing for.
The book features My Father's Secret which won the Anthony Award for Best Short Story.
ebook
First published May 15, 2006
16 people are currently reading
87 people want to read
About the author
Simon Wood
91 books519 followersSimon Wood is a California transplant from England. He's an ex-competitive racecar driver, a licensed pilot and an occasional private investigator. He shares his world with his American wife, Julie. Their lives are dominated by a longhaired dachshund and five cats. In the last ten years, he's had over 150 stories and articles published. His stories have been included in “Best of” anthologies and he's a frequent contributor to Writer’s Digest. He's the Anthony Award winner and a Crime Writers Dagger Award finalist. He's the author of Working Stiffs, Accidents Waiting to Happen, Paying the Piper, Terminated, We All Fall Down, Deceptive Practices, The Fall Guy, Hot Seat and Did Not Finish. His latest thriller is, Saving Grace. He also writes horror under the pen name of Simon Janus. Those titles include The Scrubs and Road Rash.
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Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews
December 12, 2009
SERIES: Short story collection
RATING: 4.0
WHY: Wood really knows how to write a short story. It's rare to see what he does so well - fully developed characters, complex plots and unique twists. I'm not a short story fan, but this collection, which included 6 stories and a novella, was excellent. Oddly, the longer piece didn't work as well for me.
RATING: 4.0
WHY: Wood really knows how to write a short story. It's rare to see what he does so well - fully developed characters, complex plots and unique twists. I'm not a short story fan, but this collection, which included 6 stories and a novella, was excellent. Oddly, the longer piece didn't work as well for me.
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February 6, 2009WORKING STIFFS by Simon Wood
Review by Nickolas Cook
Crime anthologies have enjoyed a great tradition in American literature. For a genre fiction, they get a heck of a lot less grief from publishing than horror or science fiction, and don't suffer from the ghetto slap from critics. Some of crime literature's best anthologies were the old Alfred Hitchcock's Mystery. Well, Simon Wood has single handedly channeled the ghosts of that fine old series of books with his newest collection, WORKING STIFFS.
The stories are quick and mean, edited down to the bone, like the best noir fiction. His characters are believable, work-a-day (pun definitely intended) types who find themselves facing shifts in their simple lives as violence intrudes. The prose is tight, clean, and gives that sense of balance that only damn good writing can provide. Wood's humor comes through in the most peculiar ways, in dialogue and descriptive passages akin to the Mathesons, Blochs, or Hunters of old. His style will seem effortless to the reader and turn every writer green with envy. Wood's years of writing tirelessly for the short story markets can be seen in this new collection.
Each of the stories has to do with the work we do- the thing that takes up a significant portion of each of our lives. But Wood examines the idea of a job as something more than punching the clock for our daily bread. There are jobs we love and jobs we hate; jobs we never see as work, and those that grind chunks of our souls away each day. He knows this and digs under the surface of his characters to expose their worn souls and lost dreams.
"Old Flames Burn the Brightest" is something MacDonald would have loved. Femme fateles can never be trusted, can they?
"My Father's Secret" could easily have been an episode of "The Sopranos", it's that good.
"A Break in the Old Routine" had me all the way to the end slap in the face.
"Parental Control" examines the desperation of the parenting gig in modern society, and just how far a father is willing to go to keep his son alive and safe. Some people have the taste for violence and learn its power.
"The Real Deal" has a nice twist ending, even if you can see it coming from a few miles away.
"Officer Down" is a peculiar revenge story that leaves the reader unsure how to feel about the protagonist; but this is yet another example of Wood's brilliant craftsmanship.
While the whole collection is great reading, the novella, "Fall Guy", is its best offering. It all starts innocuously enough with a minor fender bender misdeed, but quickly spirals out of control for the intrepid protagonist. Todd just can't seem to stay out of trouble, and the harder he tries to wriggle out of his new life of crime the worse it gets. Wood writes this tale with a sense of fun and humor, but don't let that fool you into thinking the danger isn't real. It's an examination, as the best crime fiction usually is, of the criminal mind. Todd has no direction or aptitude for the straight life, and only finds satisfaction and vigor in being a criminal. Before long he's as comfortable with his new role as a seasoned pro. The supporting characters he meets along the way are as quirky as those found in a Tarantino film. While Wood leaves plenty of ambiguity about a life of crime compared to a life of dead end jobs and weekly paychecks that don't stretch nearly far enough, he helps Todd seek redemption by tale's end. The denouement is very satisfying meat upon which to chew.
For a novice reader of Wood's work, this is an excellent place to start.
240 pages
Publisher: Blue Cubicle Press (May 15, 2006)
ISBN: 0974590045
http://www.simonwood.net/
--Nickolas Cook
Review by Nickolas Cook
Crime anthologies have enjoyed a great tradition in American literature. For a genre fiction, they get a heck of a lot less grief from publishing than horror or science fiction, and don't suffer from the ghetto slap from critics. Some of crime literature's best anthologies were the old Alfred Hitchcock's Mystery. Well, Simon Wood has single handedly channeled the ghosts of that fine old series of books with his newest collection, WORKING STIFFS.
The stories are quick and mean, edited down to the bone, like the best noir fiction. His characters are believable, work-a-day (pun definitely intended) types who find themselves facing shifts in their simple lives as violence intrudes. The prose is tight, clean, and gives that sense of balance that only damn good writing can provide. Wood's humor comes through in the most peculiar ways, in dialogue and descriptive passages akin to the Mathesons, Blochs, or Hunters of old. His style will seem effortless to the reader and turn every writer green with envy. Wood's years of writing tirelessly for the short story markets can be seen in this new collection.
Each of the stories has to do with the work we do- the thing that takes up a significant portion of each of our lives. But Wood examines the idea of a job as something more than punching the clock for our daily bread. There are jobs we love and jobs we hate; jobs we never see as work, and those that grind chunks of our souls away each day. He knows this and digs under the surface of his characters to expose their worn souls and lost dreams.
"Old Flames Burn the Brightest" is something MacDonald would have loved. Femme fateles can never be trusted, can they?
"My Father's Secret" could easily have been an episode of "The Sopranos", it's that good.
"A Break in the Old Routine" had me all the way to the end slap in the face.
"Parental Control" examines the desperation of the parenting gig in modern society, and just how far a father is willing to go to keep his son alive and safe. Some people have the taste for violence and learn its power.
"The Real Deal" has a nice twist ending, even if you can see it coming from a few miles away.
"Officer Down" is a peculiar revenge story that leaves the reader unsure how to feel about the protagonist; but this is yet another example of Wood's brilliant craftsmanship.
While the whole collection is great reading, the novella, "Fall Guy", is its best offering. It all starts innocuously enough with a minor fender bender misdeed, but quickly spirals out of control for the intrepid protagonist. Todd just can't seem to stay out of trouble, and the harder he tries to wriggle out of his new life of crime the worse it gets. Wood writes this tale with a sense of fun and humor, but don't let that fool you into thinking the danger isn't real. It's an examination, as the best crime fiction usually is, of the criminal mind. Todd has no direction or aptitude for the straight life, and only finds satisfaction and vigor in being a criminal. Before long he's as comfortable with his new role as a seasoned pro. The supporting characters he meets along the way are as quirky as those found in a Tarantino film. While Wood leaves plenty of ambiguity about a life of crime compared to a life of dead end jobs and weekly paychecks that don't stretch nearly far enough, he helps Todd seek redemption by tale's end. The denouement is very satisfying meat upon which to chew.
For a novice reader of Wood's work, this is an excellent place to start.
240 pages
Publisher: Blue Cubicle Press (May 15, 2006)
ISBN: 0974590045
http://www.simonwood.net/
--Nickolas Cook
March 7, 2016
The workplace can be dangerous, despite any regulations enacted to keep it safe. Those dangers come from people – greedy, unscrupulous people who can make it hard on those who aren't. Hidden behind a person's disarming smile and handshake, all sorts of devious thoughts can be lurking.
Simon Wood explores this theme in WORKING STIFFS, an anthology that manages not only to keep readers on the edge of their seats, but does so with stylish and clever prose.
The collection is comprised of six short stories and a longer story called "The Fall Guy" that's basically a short novella. One that takes the reader on quite the trip.
The short stories cover different aspects of the theme. The protagonists range from people like the business owner taking drastic steps to hold onto his company in "The Real Deal" to the beat cop whose reputation is compromised when a street punk shoots him with his own weapon in "Officer Down" to average Joes placed in circumstances in which events spin out of control, such as the adman in the story "A Break in the Old Routine."
Despite Wood's propensity for wry humor (as evidenced by the delightfully bad pun of the book title), he paints a bleak picture about the dark side of human character. Even a successful crime author isn't immune to succumbing to temptation when a former object of his affections comes into the picture in "Old Flames Burn the Brightest". And the notion that, not only do nice guys finish last, but really horrible ones thrive is evident in "Parental Control".
To read the entire review, see: http://thriller-fiction.suite101.com/...
Simon Wood explores this theme in WORKING STIFFS, an anthology that manages not only to keep readers on the edge of their seats, but does so with stylish and clever prose.
The collection is comprised of six short stories and a longer story called "The Fall Guy" that's basically a short novella. One that takes the reader on quite the trip.
The short stories cover different aspects of the theme. The protagonists range from people like the business owner taking drastic steps to hold onto his company in "The Real Deal" to the beat cop whose reputation is compromised when a street punk shoots him with his own weapon in "Officer Down" to average Joes placed in circumstances in which events spin out of control, such as the adman in the story "A Break in the Old Routine."
Despite Wood's propensity for wry humor (as evidenced by the delightfully bad pun of the book title), he paints a bleak picture about the dark side of human character. Even a successful crime author isn't immune to succumbing to temptation when a former object of his affections comes into the picture in "Old Flames Burn the Brightest". And the notion that, not only do nice guys finish last, but really horrible ones thrive is evident in "Parental Control".
To read the entire review, see: http://thriller-fiction.suite101.com/...
February 24, 2015
"Simon Says There's Another Way To Increase Your Salary"
This is another dynamic collection of short stories of crime sprees which feed your imagination not only a full meal, but entices you to enjoy a huge portion of dessert, plus a couple bottles of fine wine. All set? Here we go! "OLD FLAMES BURN THE BRIGHTEST" Colin has two things in life he holds dear---his wife Julie, and his writing career. But being confronted after 10 years by a woman, Denise, whom he previously loved is likely to turn his successful life around. Oh, Simon Wood is so cunning! "A BREAK IN THE OLD ROUTINE" A new game is played by contending advertising companies; they'll go to theatrical extremes to win their prospective client's business. "PARENTAL CONTROL" While one man drives beyond the finish line, the other man falls back. Scary extreme measures of a father who makes his wayward son watch. The remaining tales are all enthralling. They are mesmerizing and often shocking. Many of the tales remind me of the saying "What wrongs you do unto others, often come back to haunt you." And ... these stories are truly haunting. So read them with the lights on. I relate these modern tales to those of the terror-driven stories of Edgar Allan Poe.
This is another dynamic collection of short stories of crime sprees which feed your imagination not only a full meal, but entices you to enjoy a huge portion of dessert, plus a couple bottles of fine wine. All set? Here we go! "OLD FLAMES BURN THE BRIGHTEST" Colin has two things in life he holds dear---his wife Julie, and his writing career. But being confronted after 10 years by a woman, Denise, whom he previously loved is likely to turn his successful life around. Oh, Simon Wood is so cunning! "A BREAK IN THE OLD ROUTINE" A new game is played by contending advertising companies; they'll go to theatrical extremes to win their prospective client's business. "PARENTAL CONTROL" While one man drives beyond the finish line, the other man falls back. Scary extreme measures of a father who makes his wayward son watch. The remaining tales are all enthralling. They are mesmerizing and often shocking. Many of the tales remind me of the saying "What wrongs you do unto others, often come back to haunt you." And ... these stories are truly haunting. So read them with the lights on. I relate these modern tales to those of the terror-driven stories of Edgar Allan Poe.
March 1, 2010
On average each of us spends 200 of 365 days a year earning an income. That leaves 165 days a year to what most of us would actually consider living. In the Anthony Award winning anthology Working Stiffs, talented author Simon Wood examines the darker side of those 200 days in a collection where nefarious employees and murderous entrepreneurs make their living, well, making a killing. From Old Flames Burn The Brightest where a bestselling crime author takes researching his novels a bit too seriously, to the morally challenged protagonist of the novella length The Fall Guy who gets more than he bargained for after a fender bender with a murderous gangster, Wood shines a harsh revealing light not only on our tyrannical bosses and backstabbing co-workers, but also ourselves and our own deep, dark work-a-day secrets.
April 17, 2015
I took a chance on this book of short stories, probably only attracted to the cover whilst browsing iAuthor because two of my favourite bands are Stiff Little Fingers and The Stiffs. I'm so glad I did, because each story is extremely well written and imaginatively conceived. Gritty crime, but without the usual stereotypes that can plague this genre. Perfectly paced, interesting characters and the odd turn of phrase that makes you stop just to re-read it. Very enjoyable.
September 22, 2007
WORKING STIFFS by Simon Wood
RATING: 4.5/B+
GENRE/PUB DATE/# OF PGS: Mystery, 2006, 236 pgs
TIME/PLACE -- Various -- short stories
COMMENTS: Stories all based on the workplace, devious & suspenseful twists.
RATING: 4.5/B+
GENRE/PUB DATE/# OF PGS: Mystery, 2006, 236 pgs
TIME/PLACE -- Various -- short stories
COMMENTS: Stories all based on the workplace, devious & suspenseful twists.
January 11, 2011
Working Stiffs is an excellent collection of short stories. I grew up reading Alfred Hitchcocks short stories and Simon's Working Stiffs are on the list with AH. This collection is an addictive read. You can't stop with one short story...
December 29, 2013
A collection of short stories with one longer story (also published as a stand along book), I don't normally enjoy short stories, but thought this was a great collection, well written with some black humour in, and realistic characters. Will be looking to read more from this author
February 28, 2010
Wood is the real deal--twisting plots and well-drawn characters that keep you guessing and turning pages.
February 10, 2016
I really liked these short stories with a twist. The first story was my favourite.
July 13, 2016
Read the short story Parental Controls in this collection.
June 28, 2011
Working Stiffs is made up of many stories. In some, the male characters are really gullible, falling for "I'm so scared. Take me to a hotel" bit. What kind of bosh is that?
In Old Flames Burn the Brightest, Colin is an author of crime books and happily married to Julie when Denise reenters his life and her intentions are clear. His intentions, however, are not the same as hers. She tells him her husband abuses her and wants his help in protecting her. - a little on the lame side but with the benefit of no added fluff - 3 stars
In My Father's Secret , Without Vincent knowing why he and his reticent father watch with binoculars a house across the street. His father knows what they're up to but Vincent sure doesn't and his father isn't about to tell him. All Vincent knows is that they are watching for someone they refer to as "Spectacles." - I was intrigued to discover what was going to take place. The end was somewhat predictable. - 3 stars
In A Break in the Old Routine , Sam gets scammed by an attractive woman he has just met and his laptop is missing with the proposal he was going to bring before a prospective client. This reader could tell right away the laptop would come into play in this story. - 2 stars
in Parental Control , Preston isn't beyond using a handgun in dealing with child discipline. Just ask his neighbor Mike. - What could have been a decent story, I give a 2-star to. It wasn't wrapped up well. Nothing was questioned in Preston's way of handling the discipline tactics of his son.
In The Real Deal , Kenneth along with his daughter Meg Travel to Peru to receive what he hopes is a miracle cure from a shaman. Kenneth has a backup plan in case this doesn't work for him. His daughter has a plan as well. - 3 stars
- An officer has been shot with his own gun in Officer Down . Even though he had a Kevlar vest on, he feels as though his life has been taken from him. He wants his gun back but that's not all he wants. - This one definitely lacks a satisfying ending. I expected there to be an element which the final character didn't see coming but the ending... well, just ended. - 2 stars
The Fall Guy - Uninsured driver Todd backed into a Porsche with his old Honda Accord. Instead of leaving contact information in front of those who witnessed the accident, he leaves a note under the windshield wiper: "People think I'm leaving you my contact and insurance details. I'm not. Sorry" and drives away to a job that he despises.
Todd's indiscretion was discovered and now it's payback time in the form of odd jobs, that if discovered, will get him in trouble in a different way than if he doesn't do as told. It doesn't take much for him to uncover some nasty stuff and he's in way over his head. He thinks he may be out from under one man's thumb only to be indebted to someone else who wants more "favors." - 2 stars
In Old Flames Burn the Brightest, Colin is an author of crime books and happily married to Julie when Denise reenters his life and her intentions are clear. His intentions, however, are not the same as hers. She tells him her husband abuses her and wants his help in protecting her. - a little on the lame side but with the benefit of no added fluff - 3 stars
In My Father's Secret , Without Vincent knowing why he and his reticent father watch with binoculars a house across the street. His father knows what they're up to but Vincent sure doesn't and his father isn't about to tell him. All Vincent knows is that they are watching for someone they refer to as "Spectacles." - I was intrigued to discover what was going to take place. The end was somewhat predictable. - 3 stars
In A Break in the Old Routine , Sam gets scammed by an attractive woman he has just met and his laptop is missing with the proposal he was going to bring before a prospective client. This reader could tell right away the laptop would come into play in this story. - 2 stars
in Parental Control , Preston isn't beyond using a handgun in dealing with child discipline. Just ask his neighbor Mike. - What could have been a decent story, I give a 2-star to. It wasn't wrapped up well. Nothing was questioned in Preston's way of handling the discipline tactics of his son.
In The Real Deal , Kenneth along with his daughter Meg Travel to Peru to receive what he hopes is a miracle cure from a shaman. Kenneth has a backup plan in case this doesn't work for him. His daughter has a plan as well. - 3 stars
- An officer has been shot with his own gun in Officer Down . Even though he had a Kevlar vest on, he feels as though his life has been taken from him. He wants his gun back but that's not all he wants. - This one definitely lacks a satisfying ending. I expected there to be an element which the final character didn't see coming but the ending... well, just ended. - 2 stars
The Fall Guy - Uninsured driver Todd backed into a Porsche with his old Honda Accord. Instead of leaving contact information in front of those who witnessed the accident, he leaves a note under the windshield wiper: "People think I'm leaving you my contact and insurance details. I'm not. Sorry" and drives away to a job that he despises.
Todd's indiscretion was discovered and now it's payback time in the form of odd jobs, that if discovered, will get him in trouble in a different way than if he doesn't do as told. It doesn't take much for him to uncover some nasty stuff and he's in way over his head. He thinks he may be out from under one man's thumb only to be indebted to someone else who wants more "favors." - 2 stars
April 27, 2012
Good book, fun, light, quick read. No real depth though, emotionally or intellectually.
March 7, 2013
I have read 2 other of Simon Wood;s books that I enjoyed much more then
this one.....this one was almost to much constance violence for me...a
bit to dark. Sorry it only got 3 stars.
this one.....this one was almost to much constance violence for me...a
bit to dark. Sorry it only got 3 stars.
Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews