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Keepsakes
A hoarder is forced to come to terms with the disappearance of her husband by finding something, anything to throw away.
- GenresShort StoriesFiction
5 pages, Kindle Edition
First published February 1, 2013
9 people are currently reading
185 people want to read
About the author
James Renner
22 books1,059 followersJames Renner is an award-winning journalist and author of True Crime Addict, the definitive book on the Maura Murray disappearance. Renner is also a novelist, having written The Man from Primrose Lane and other works of scifi and fantasy. He currently hosts the podcast, The Philosophy of Crime.
In 2019, he founded The Porchlight Project a nonprofit that raises money for new DNA testing and genetic genealogy for Ohio cold cases. In May, 2020, James Zastawnik was arrested for the murder of Barbara Blatnik, thanks to the work of genealogists funded by the Porchlight Project.
In 2019, he founded The Porchlight Project a nonprofit that raises money for new DNA testing and genetic genealogy for Ohio cold cases. In May, 2020, James Zastawnik was arrested for the murder of Barbara Blatnik, thanks to the work of genealogists funded by the Porchlight Project.
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Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews
June 26, 2020
since i don't get to work at the bookstore anymore (wahhh), i miss out on the joy of coming across titles by chance; all the little secret gems. now i am just like the rest of you - only aware of the big blockbuster releases and completely ignorant of all the little tricky titles that used to sneak into the store in single copies; piggybacking the dan browns and hoping to go unnoticed and be allowed to stay on the shelves.
but i would always notice.
and usually i would rescue them, to live in my house with me, because i like little secret tricky gems.
and i found myself wondering the other day if this guy had written anything else, and how would i ever know without working in the bookstore? i loved his genre-smashing The Man from Primrose Lane, and i figured it was time for him to have a new book out.
AND DO YOU KNOW WHAT??
he has all this free stuff available digitally! okay, some of it is free, some of it is a whopping 99 cents. this one is free.
and it is just a tiny little character-piece about a hoarder, to which i can sort of relate although i insist it is not hoarding if it is only books causing the clutter. then it is a "collection." and you might say that is "denial" and i would say you are "douchey." but i am not going to lie and say that this story and this character don't have chilling familiarity for me. her words could be my own, in places. i will be a full-fledged hoarder soon enough.
regardless of my fear of my probable future, i really loved this story. and i am going to go back onto my nook and get all the other ones, because there is all this content!! and it is like finding the little secret gems on the TOPPS cart. only...more futuristic.
come to my blog!
but i would always notice.
and usually i would rescue them, to live in my house with me, because i like little secret tricky gems.
and i found myself wondering the other day if this guy had written anything else, and how would i ever know without working in the bookstore? i loved his genre-smashing The Man from Primrose Lane, and i figured it was time for him to have a new book out.
AND DO YOU KNOW WHAT??
he has all this free stuff available digitally! okay, some of it is free, some of it is a whopping 99 cents. this one is free.
and it is just a tiny little character-piece about a hoarder, to which i can sort of relate although i insist it is not hoarding if it is only books causing the clutter. then it is a "collection." and you might say that is "denial" and i would say you are "douchey." but i am not going to lie and say that this story and this character don't have chilling familiarity for me. her words could be my own, in places. i will be a full-fledged hoarder soon enough.
regardless of my fear of my probable future, i really loved this story. and i am going to go back onto my nook and get all the other ones, because there is all this content!! and it is like finding the little secret gems on the TOPPS cart. only...more futuristic.
come to my blog!
July 19, 2013
Well, that escalated quickly....
An interesting little character description. Renner has a great writing style. A little disturbing for me because I am like this with art supplies or things I plan to use in my art - you know at some point- and also with books. Other than that though I am Miss. Streamline, I promise. And now I'm going to go sit in my corner and read. Yeah, I'll get rid of those books I hated, at some point, I will.
Shhhhh....
An interesting little character description. Renner has a great writing style. A little disturbing for me because I am like this with art supplies or things I plan to use in my art - you know at some point- and also with books. Other than that though I am Miss. Streamline, I promise. And now I'm going to go sit in my corner and read. Yeah, I'll get rid of those books I hated, at some point, I will.
Shhhhh....
April 3, 2013
Love the ending! After reading this I definitely see that I have hoarding tendencies, but come on, as soon as you throw something away that you've had since childhood and never look at, you need it within a weeks time! Okay, that was half joke and all truth. I am happy to report that you can see all of my floors and the tops of my tables. I do understand the desire and the rationality, or irrationality rather, involved in hoarding. I could relate to what she was feeling. I do however have "the red room". It's the one room I've dedicated to toss things in and close the door. It is a small room but it would be nice to get to my sewing machine! I like to think of it as a big closet.
Fun short read!
Makes me want to go clean now.
Fun short read!
Makes me want to go clean now.
May 28, 2013
Some people love their things. If you've seen the television show Hoarders you know these people often have serious psychological problems. But what that show often fails to translate to the tv audience are the foul odors that accompany these homes filled with trash. James Renner did not let this one little detail drop. This is an amusing short story not to be missed.
February 15, 2013
I picked this up free on Smashwords, sold on the synopsis. I had guessed what was going to happen at the end of the story but it was still very entertaining to watch the events unfold.
This was just a very short story but very unusual in the way it was written.
I will be looking for more from this writer! :)
This was just a very short story but very unusual in the way it was written.
I will be looking for more from this writer! :)
July 22, 2013
This was a free Nook book. I didn't realize it was a short story and spent more time trying to figure out why only a few pages downloaded than what time it took to read it.
I watch Hoarders when I need a kick in the pants to clean and toss.
If you don't have A&E and can't watch Hoarders, read this book.
I watch Hoarders when I need a kick in the pants to clean and toss.
If you don't have A&E and can't watch Hoarders, read this book.
March 27, 2013
This was an extremely short story but was highly entertaining. I can picture a discussion just like this with me as a hoarder. Quilting fabric and books would be the first place to start looking for my husbands body under. :) I look forward to more from this author!
December 30, 2016
I'm a big fan of Renner's 'The Man from Primrose Lane' so grabbed this short story when I saw it free on Amazon and enjoyed it enormously. Well written, brief and entertaining, it's reminiscent of Roald Dahl's short fiction and has a lovely twist at the end.
April 25, 2013
Wow!
I loved this short story! Downloaded for free from Goodreads!
Although there isn't a physical description of the main character I can pretty easily picture her in my mind.
Great, just great!
I loved this short story! Downloaded for free from Goodreads!
Although there isn't a physical description of the main character I can pretty easily picture her in my mind.
Great, just great!
June 16, 2013
Poor kitty. Poor Howard. Maybe if he had used some tools he wouldn't be in that situation!
So she really got rid of TWO things that day!
So she really got rid of TWO things that day!
February 12, 2014
Very short and quick read but good writing and neat little story!
August 12, 2015
I loved her reaction (or lack thereof) on finding Harold's body buried under all that crap.
October 16, 2016
Picked up this short freebie. I loved True Crime Addict and am off to order more of his books.
Your mind is a rather disturbed place, James. I love it.
Your mind is a rather disturbed place, James. I love it.
July 27, 2017
Ick factor of 6 and predictable. But nice short story to clear your head. There are better hoarder stories out there though.
May 6, 2013
Fun quick read! I wouldn't be surprised if this really happened!
June 7, 2017
For the hoader in all of us! lol
December 30, 2018
This was a short but really interesting read. If you have a couple of minutes I would recommend it. It's Free. ;)
May 31, 2025
A good short story that had me as frustrated as I was intrigued. Predictable but I think that’s because I’m crazy.
August 28, 2023
Great Short Story
Incredibly short story, but couldn't have been anything else. I would say this is definitely worth the five or so minutes it'll take to finish.
I was very prepared to leave this story three stars. It's an interesting insight into the mind of a hoarder, revealing the deeper reasons for their condition. I felt it necessary to add a fourth star at the very end. I did not see that twist coming and it very much succeeded in adding some excitement to this morsel of a story.
Incredibly short story, but couldn't have been anything else. I would say this is definitely worth the five or so minutes it'll take to finish.
I was very prepared to leave this story three stars. It's an interesting insight into the mind of a hoarder, revealing the deeper reasons for their condition. I felt it necessary to add a fourth star at the very end. I did not see that twist coming and it very much succeeded in adding some excitement to this morsel of a story.
July 7, 2016
Very entertaining story and well worth a buck if that is the only way you can read it. Now go find your glue.
Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews