A Murder of Crows

by S.E. White

Crows caw to awaken the village of Slippery Slope to the first official thaw of the new year, and as the pale snow melts, it reveals the body of a little girl who has been missing for three months. Not even a mile down the road, her paisley print scarf flutters around the neck of Old Mayor Crickshaw's scarecrow. Through the haunting voice of a communal narrator, the story of Slippery Slope is uncovered. Children are not allowed to play outside until they reach a certain age. Mysterious deaths have been occurring in the village for over fifty years. Most villagers seem unaffected by the deaths. A black congregation of crows pervades the story in the same way that words flock and squawk on the page and in our imaginations. It is important to note that a group of crows is also known as a "murder of crows," an image which is felt on many levels throughout the narrative. The story of Slippery Slope is more of a mystery than a murder mystery, exploring the consequences of mob truth and how people will cling desperately to a constructed ideal rather than stare a horrible truth in the face.

192 pages, Kindle Edition

First published November 4, 2010

About the author

S.E. White has a Master of Fine Arts from Purdue University. She has worked as a freelance writer and met many fascinating people.