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Truly, Madly, Weirdly: Four Strange Tales of Love Turned Sour
285 pages, Kindle Edition
Published February 14, 2026
9 people want to read
About the author
Victoria Williamson
34 books86 followersA lifelong storyteller and daydreamer, Victoria Williamson is an author and teacher who has lived and worked in Africa, China, America and the UK.
Victoria grew up in Kirkintilloch, north Glasgow, surrounded by hills on the edge of a forest estate where many of her early ghost stories and fantasy tales were born amid the magical trees and spooky old ruined buildings.
After studying Physics at the University of Glasgow, she set out on her own real life adventures, which included teaching Maths and Science in Cameroon, training teachers in Malawi, teaching English in China and working with children with special needs in the UK.
A qualified primary school teacher with a degree in Mandarin Chinese from Yunnan University and a Master’s degree in Special Needs Education, Victoria is passionate about creating inclusive worlds in her novels where all children can see a reflection of themselves in a heroic role.
Victoria’s experiences of teaching young children in a deprived area of Glasgow, many of whom were asylum seekers, inspired her debut novel, The Fox Girl and the White Gazelle, an uplifting tale of friendship between Glasgow girl Caylin and Syrian refugee Reema.
Victoria writes fantasy, adventure, science fiction and contemporary issue novels for Middle Grade (9-12), Teen, and Young Adult readers. Many of her books have been inspired by children she has met on her travels, both abroad and in the UK. She is currently working on a Middle Grade novel exploring the issues faced by a boy with ADHD who is struggling to fit in with his new step-family, and a spooky adventure novel for Teens, centred around a cast of characters with special needs including deafness, Down Syndrome and Cerebral Palsy.
Twenty percent of her author royalties for The Fox Girl and the White Gazelle are donated to the Scottish Refugee Council.
You can find out more about Victoria's books, school visits and upcoming events on her website: www.strangelymagical.com
Victoria grew up in Kirkintilloch, north Glasgow, surrounded by hills on the edge of a forest estate where many of her early ghost stories and fantasy tales were born amid the magical trees and spooky old ruined buildings.
After studying Physics at the University of Glasgow, she set out on her own real life adventures, which included teaching Maths and Science in Cameroon, training teachers in Malawi, teaching English in China and working with children with special needs in the UK.
A qualified primary school teacher with a degree in Mandarin Chinese from Yunnan University and a Master’s degree in Special Needs Education, Victoria is passionate about creating inclusive worlds in her novels where all children can see a reflection of themselves in a heroic role.
Victoria’s experiences of teaching young children in a deprived area of Glasgow, many of whom were asylum seekers, inspired her debut novel, The Fox Girl and the White Gazelle, an uplifting tale of friendship between Glasgow girl Caylin and Syrian refugee Reema.
Victoria writes fantasy, adventure, science fiction and contemporary issue novels for Middle Grade (9-12), Teen, and Young Adult readers. Many of her books have been inspired by children she has met on her travels, both abroad and in the UK. She is currently working on a Middle Grade novel exploring the issues faced by a boy with ADHD who is struggling to fit in with his new step-family, and a spooky adventure novel for Teens, centred around a cast of characters with special needs including deafness, Down Syndrome and Cerebral Palsy.
Twenty percent of her author royalties for The Fox Girl and the White Gazelle are donated to the Scottish Refugee Council.
You can find out more about Victoria's books, school visits and upcoming events on her website: www.strangelymagical.com
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
March 10, 2026
Excellent character study of when things go wrong
I love Williamson’s short story collections, and this one is the best one yet.
The tagline says four strange tales of when love turned sour. The dark side of loving relationships is showcased in these stories, but what makes them sing are the protagonists. Characters so real and relatable that you can’t help from reading about them and thinking “There, but for the grace of God, go I.”
In “Shrink Wrap”, the pressures of being the perfect mother and partner prove too much for Marie. She makes a doormat of herself for her family to keep their love, sure that she can imagine the family unit into happiness. I could relate to her character and I desperately wanted her to confront the people in her life and their controlling behavior. There is a lovely dream like quality to the story, where you don’t know how reliable anything is, that added greatly to the tale.
Lilac and Old Lace tells the story of Scott, and his twin sister, Fiona. Unhappy with his life, Scott retreats into a rich life of cultured imagination without doing anything to make that life a reality. Instead, he is consumed with anger directed to all those around him. No gratitude for what he has or empathy for the sufferings of others. Again, I could relate to Scott and his frustrations. The author writes characters so well. Putting the reader into their shoes so you can understand their point of view, while at the same time seeing the problems with it.
In The Picture of Happiness, recently divorced Saul pursues the path of least resistance in life. How easy it is to make a doormat of yourself because it is too hard to stand up to others who want their way much more than you want yours.
In the final story, The Model Partner, fifty something Moira thinks she’s finally found her chance at love. Like the other stories, this one plays with the theme of desire for a certain idea over reality, and people who allow others to subjugate their will, but it plays with the ideas in a fun way.
Characters are always the highlight of Williamson’s work, and they shine in this collection. The horror, when it inevitably arrives, is all the more tragic after you’ve spent some time with these peoples and shared in their hopes and fears.
I love Williamson’s short story collections, and this one is the best one yet.
The tagline says four strange tales of when love turned sour. The dark side of loving relationships is showcased in these stories, but what makes them sing are the protagonists. Characters so real and relatable that you can’t help from reading about them and thinking “There, but for the grace of God, go I.”
In “Shrink Wrap”, the pressures of being the perfect mother and partner prove too much for Marie. She makes a doormat of herself for her family to keep their love, sure that she can imagine the family unit into happiness. I could relate to her character and I desperately wanted her to confront the people in her life and their controlling behavior. There is a lovely dream like quality to the story, where you don’t know how reliable anything is, that added greatly to the tale.
Lilac and Old Lace tells the story of Scott, and his twin sister, Fiona. Unhappy with his life, Scott retreats into a rich life of cultured imagination without doing anything to make that life a reality. Instead, he is consumed with anger directed to all those around him. No gratitude for what he has or empathy for the sufferings of others. Again, I could relate to Scott and his frustrations. The author writes characters so well. Putting the reader into their shoes so you can understand their point of view, while at the same time seeing the problems with it.
In The Picture of Happiness, recently divorced Saul pursues the path of least resistance in life. How easy it is to make a doormat of yourself because it is too hard to stand up to others who want their way much more than you want yours.
In the final story, The Model Partner, fifty something Moira thinks she’s finally found her chance at love. Like the other stories, this one plays with the theme of desire for a certain idea over reality, and people who allow others to subjugate their will, but it plays with the ideas in a fun way.
Characters are always the highlight of Williamson’s work, and they shine in this collection. The horror, when it inevitably arrives, is all the more tragic after you’ve spent some time with these peoples and shared in their hopes and fears.
February 18, 2026
This was one of the most disappointing books I've read this year thus far. There was so much telling over showing, which resulted in heavy hitting scenes feeling more like a light slap. The characters were unlikable at best and enraging at worst, most wallowing in their own self-pity so much that I was wishing they would die so I wouldn't have to read them whine for another page. On top of all of this, because there were fewer stories they were much longer and it felt like they dragged on, to the point where I was skimming the last story just to get it over with.
What makes all of this harder to accept is that Victoria Williamson has written some genuinely traumatizing horror before, and this just does not hit nearly as hard. Give it a read if you like, but I would recommend Chilling Childlore and Eerie Exhibits before this.
What makes all of this harder to accept is that Victoria Williamson has written some genuinely traumatizing horror before, and this just does not hit nearly as hard. Give it a read if you like, but I would recommend Chilling Childlore and Eerie Exhibits before this.
March 19, 2026
A collection of 4 short stories about relationships that take a bit of a left turn. This leans much more into horror than thriller, which isn’t usually my lane. But after how much I enjoyed this, I might need to start making room for more of it.
What stood out most was how each story begins in an ordinary, familiar place before quietly tipping into something far darker.
In the first story, Shrink Wrap, a mothers love for her family turns her need to keep them safe and healthy to the extreme.
The second story, Lilac and Old Lace, will make you question if Scott’s imagination gets the better of him or if something far more unsettling is actually happening.
The Picture of Happiness is a quietly heartbreaking portrait of Saul, a man choosing the easiest path every time. It’s a sharp look at how quickly you can end up sidelining yourself when other people’s wants feel louder than your own.
In the final story, The Model Partner, Moira, now in her fifties, believes she’s finally stumbled into her shot at love. Like the others, it leans into the pull of chasing an ideal over what’s real, and the ease with which people hand over control, but this time there’s a lighter, almost playful edge to it.
The theme running through each story demonstrates how obsession can slowly take control and ultimately lead to a meltdown that you dont see coming and that can have extreme consequences.
Many thanks to the publisher Silver Thistle Press for reaching out and sending me a physical copy of this book to review and share my thoughts.
What stood out most was how each story begins in an ordinary, familiar place before quietly tipping into something far darker.
In the first story, Shrink Wrap, a mothers love for her family turns her need to keep them safe and healthy to the extreme.
The second story, Lilac and Old Lace, will make you question if Scott’s imagination gets the better of him or if something far more unsettling is actually happening.
The Picture of Happiness is a quietly heartbreaking portrait of Saul, a man choosing the easiest path every time. It’s a sharp look at how quickly you can end up sidelining yourself when other people’s wants feel louder than your own.
In the final story, The Model Partner, Moira, now in her fifties, believes she’s finally stumbled into her shot at love. Like the others, it leans into the pull of chasing an ideal over what’s real, and the ease with which people hand over control, but this time there’s a lighter, almost playful edge to it.
The theme running through each story demonstrates how obsession can slowly take control and ultimately lead to a meltdown that you dont see coming and that can have extreme consequences.
Many thanks to the publisher Silver Thistle Press for reaching out and sending me a physical copy of this book to review and share my thoughts.
March 3, 2026
I really enjoyed this collection of horror tales. Well-written, with great characters, as I expected from the author. I had some sympathy for Marie, the protagonist from the first story, with her awful relationship with her daughter from her first marriage, who desperately tries to have a perfect second family. While the story’s end was not a surprise, I thoroughly enjoyed the journey. And yes, it made me look twice at my propensity for using cling film! I loved the creepy dress in story in number two, Lilac and Old Lace. Again, there were aspects of the main character I could relate to (to a point) and I really liked the dark turn the story took. The Picture of Happiness, story number three, was an entertaining read, and my favourite of all was the final story, The Model Partner. Partly because I love the premise but also because I loved how it unfolded. For me, the stories’ themes are around the dangers of obsession and control (or lack of). All in all, a very enjoyable read.
March 4, 2026
A collection of 4 stories about love turning sour. These are longer stories than the author's other works, and I do prefer the shorter ones from this author. Having said that, these are still enjoyable, the extra details in the characters lives were a pleasure to read compared to the shorter ones. The spookiness and atmospheric horror going ons were not lost on the characters lives, I liked how the character POV of each story was just them being caught up in supernatural events outside of their control, that they have no idea what was going on and were trying to figure it out to save themselves.
March 4, 2026
Four strange tales of love turned sour.
Happy families, plastic preservation, a hauntingly beautiful dress, suffocation, obsession, acceptance. nightmares, model behaviour and macabre miniatures.
I really enjoyed these beautifully written unnerving short stories about tainted love.
Happy families, plastic preservation, a hauntingly beautiful dress, suffocation, obsession, acceptance. nightmares, model behaviour and macabre miniatures.
I really enjoyed these beautifully written unnerving short stories about tainted love.
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews