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Home For The Weekend
From Award Winning and Best Selling Author Duncan Whitehead, comes a short story with a twist and shocking ending.
Ashley has to work late. There is a serial killer on the loose who has abducted and murdered women driving alone. Her husband and children are waiting for her, and all she wants to be is home for the weekend. A short but thrilling and entertaining quick read from the author of the acclaimed GORDONSTON LADIES DOG WALKING CLUB Trilogy.
From the Author
A short story with a twist. This book is part psychological thriller part mystery. Driving at night, alone, along unfamiliar roads gave me the idea for this story. A what if scenario if you like. Told from two POVs (or is it one?) the ending is a shocker.
If you don't enjoy the book then please mail me your reading device so I can smash it to bits and save you doing it yourself. If you do enjoy it, then please consider leaving a review. I read them all ( the good ones) and often print them out and frame them. If you want to write a bad review please be aware I WILL NOT frame your review.
Ashley has to work late. There is a serial killer on the loose who has abducted and murdered women driving alone. Her husband and children are waiting for her, and all she wants to be is home for the weekend. A short but thrilling and entertaining quick read from the author of the acclaimed GORDONSTON LADIES DOG WALKING CLUB Trilogy.
From the Author
A short story with a twist. This book is part psychological thriller part mystery. Driving at night, alone, along unfamiliar roads gave me the idea for this story. A what if scenario if you like. Told from two POVs (or is it one?) the ending is a shocker.
If you don't enjoy the book then please mail me your reading device so I can smash it to bits and save you doing it yourself. If you do enjoy it, then please consider leaving a review. I read them all ( the good ones) and often print them out and frame them. If you want to write a bad review please be aware I WILL NOT frame your review.
13 pages, Kindle Edition
First published August 15, 2015
5 people are currently reading
44 people want to read
About the author
Duncan Whitehead
23 books316 followersAward-winning writer Duncan Whitehead was born in England and is the author of the best-selling and award-winning GORDONSTON LADIES DOG WALKING CLUB Trilogy. The series, inspired by the quirky characters and eeriness in the real-life Savannah neighborhood in which he once lived, is a humorous mystery that boasts an assortment of characters and plot twists. The first book in this series won the 2013 Reader's Favorite Book Award for Comedy.
He has also written over 2,000 spoof and comedy news articles under various aliases for a variety of websites both in the US and the UK. Duncan now resides in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, and has written further novels, including the four-book FOREST PINES MYSTERY SERIES and a stand-alone comedy, THE RELUCTANT JESUS, which won the 2014 Reader's Favorite Book Award for Comedy.
The final and fourth book in the FOREST PINES SERIES was released in December 2023, written after a four-year hiatus from writing. He is the author of the parody A COZY MYSTERY…WITH ZOMBIES!, which was released in January 2024. He has recently completed his next book, a comedy and parody entitled MURDER, SHE HOPED, and has commenced work on his next comedy/mystery, THE MYSTERIOUS AFFAIR AT FLETCHER'S END.
Duncan is well known for his charity work and kindness to animals, children, and old people. His charity, 'Habitat for Hotties,' where he finds housing for retired Hooter's waitresses, was recently voted the least likely charity anyone would ever donate to. He has donated several organs to puppies and kittens and, to help save the planet does not leave a carbon footprint, as he only wears slippers. In February 2040, he invented time travel and now spends much of his time in either the future (where he has won the lottery an astonishing 117 times) or the present day. Attempts to return to 1985 and write The Harry Potter series of books have thus far failed.
He has also written over 2,000 spoof and comedy news articles under various aliases for a variety of websites both in the US and the UK. Duncan now resides in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, and has written further novels, including the four-book FOREST PINES MYSTERY SERIES and a stand-alone comedy, THE RELUCTANT JESUS, which won the 2014 Reader's Favorite Book Award for Comedy.
The final and fourth book in the FOREST PINES SERIES was released in December 2023, written after a four-year hiatus from writing. He is the author of the parody A COZY MYSTERY…WITH ZOMBIES!, which was released in January 2024. He has recently completed his next book, a comedy and parody entitled MURDER, SHE HOPED, and has commenced work on his next comedy/mystery, THE MYSTERIOUS AFFAIR AT FLETCHER'S END.
Duncan is well known for his charity work and kindness to animals, children, and old people. His charity, 'Habitat for Hotties,' where he finds housing for retired Hooter's waitresses, was recently voted the least likely charity anyone would ever donate to. He has donated several organs to puppies and kittens and, to help save the planet does not leave a carbon footprint, as he only wears slippers. In February 2040, he invented time travel and now spends much of his time in either the future (where he has won the lottery an astonishing 117 times) or the present day. Attempts to return to 1985 and write The Harry Potter series of books have thus far failed.
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Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews
August 18, 2015
This is a very short story, the eBook being 22 pages, not quite even a novella. For a short story there is a lot packed into it and the author has done a pretty good job of balancing it well.
Ashley has to work late. There is a serial killer on the loose who has abducted and murdered women driving alone. Her husband and children are waiting for her, and all she wants to be is home for the weekend.
When I first started reading the book I got a bit confused, each chapter I eventually worked out is spoken from a different person's perspective, but at the front of the book I had to read two early chapters more than once as it was not clear it was another voice and it was making no sense that the one person was saying conflicting things. That threw me a bit and stopped the reading flow. I bet I won't be the only one confused by those two back to back.
It's too hard to share synopsis except to say that a woman is being followed late at night and there is a known abductor, serial killer at large in the area. You don't want to be female and driving alone late at night basically. It's not going to end well. I love a bad serial killer so was hoping to get a lot more of the dark stuff.
As the points of view flicked back and forth it started to get more interesting, but again I was thinking the voices needed to be a bit more defined from each other. However, by the end pages of the book as the first twist is thrown in the book starts to make more sense, so you need to hang in there. The twists are good considering it's a very short story.
I guessed the very ending before it was announced and felt it was a great note to end on, cleverly imparted to the reader but would have liked to have seen maybe 5-10 more pages to really stretch the end scenes and make it more thrilling and dramatic. That would have upped this for me to a 4 star read. Especially as I felt the strongest character was in play at this point, and more of this character would have given this book that true darker edge that great psychological thrillers do.
I read a LOT of psychological thrillers, including the best sellers, so it's a bit unfair to compare to those full length books from well known novelists. I do think with a bit of polishing on some of the issues I mentioned in my review that this author could write a novella length book in this genre and I would be very happy to read it. I did enjoy this short story, I whizzed through it in no time the speed that I read.
All up this was a likeable read, it didn't set off fireworks or anything but if you are looking for a quick short story to freshen the reading palate between big reads, this could do the job. This one gets 3 paw prints from Booklover Catlady.
For more of my reviews: https://www.facebook.com/BookloverCat...
I received a copy of this story from the author in exchange for a fair and honest review, many thanks Duncan for sharing your story with me.
Ashley has to work late. There is a serial killer on the loose who has abducted and murdered women driving alone. Her husband and children are waiting for her, and all she wants to be is home for the weekend.
When I first started reading the book I got a bit confused, each chapter I eventually worked out is spoken from a different person's perspective, but at the front of the book I had to read two early chapters more than once as it was not clear it was another voice and it was making no sense that the one person was saying conflicting things. That threw me a bit and stopped the reading flow. I bet I won't be the only one confused by those two back to back.
It's too hard to share synopsis except to say that a woman is being followed late at night and there is a known abductor, serial killer at large in the area. You don't want to be female and driving alone late at night basically. It's not going to end well. I love a bad serial killer so was hoping to get a lot more of the dark stuff.
As the points of view flicked back and forth it started to get more interesting, but again I was thinking the voices needed to be a bit more defined from each other. However, by the end pages of the book as the first twist is thrown in the book starts to make more sense, so you need to hang in there. The twists are good considering it's a very short story.
I guessed the very ending before it was announced and felt it was a great note to end on, cleverly imparted to the reader but would have liked to have seen maybe 5-10 more pages to really stretch the end scenes and make it more thrilling and dramatic. That would have upped this for me to a 4 star read. Especially as I felt the strongest character was in play at this point, and more of this character would have given this book that true darker edge that great psychological thrillers do.
I read a LOT of psychological thrillers, including the best sellers, so it's a bit unfair to compare to those full length books from well known novelists. I do think with a bit of polishing on some of the issues I mentioned in my review that this author could write a novella length book in this genre and I would be very happy to read it. I did enjoy this short story, I whizzed through it in no time the speed that I read.
All up this was a likeable read, it didn't set off fireworks or anything but if you are looking for a quick short story to freshen the reading palate between big reads, this could do the job. This one gets 3 paw prints from Booklover Catlady.
For more of my reviews: https://www.facebook.com/BookloverCat...
I received a copy of this story from the author in exchange for a fair and honest review, many thanks Duncan for sharing your story with me.
September 29, 2015
What you think you know, you truly don't!
September 15, 2015
I loved this short story!
In the second half, I found myself holding my breath and had to stop myself from reading too fast and maybe missing something!
Ashley, married to Tom and with two small children, has to work late.
On the long drive home she notices she is being followed by a white van......mindful of a serial killer on the loose in her area she tries to lose the van, but instead loses cell phone coverage.
I will definitely be reading your other works Duncan.
Thank you to the author Duncan Whitehead for a free e-copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
In the second half, I found myself holding my breath and had to stop myself from reading too fast and maybe missing something!
Ashley, married to Tom and with two small children, has to work late.
On the long drive home she notices she is being followed by a white van......mindful of a serial killer on the loose in her area she tries to lose the van, but instead loses cell phone coverage.
I will definitely be reading your other works Duncan.
Thank you to the author Duncan Whitehead for a free e-copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
August 21, 2015
REVIEW: HOME FOR THE WEEKEND by Duncan Whitehead
This short story, a psychological thriller, proves both that suspense can be commenced, ratcheted tautly, and released with a shocker, in a shorter piece as well as in a novel; and that a story doesn't need to be outright horror to terrify. Reading this took only a few minutes, yet I still have goosebumps and my insides are still all shook up. 12 stars for this one--it's exceptional!
.
This short story, a psychological thriller, proves both that suspense can be commenced, ratcheted tautly, and released with a shocker, in a shorter piece as well as in a novel; and that a story doesn't need to be outright horror to terrify. Reading this took only a few minutes, yet I still have goosebumps and my insides are still all shook up. 12 stars for this one--it's exceptional!
.
August 17, 2015
This is a very quick read that offered up quite a bit about the characters in the short work. Without giving anything away, I did enjoy the back-and-forth between the two voices. The end had a good twist that I wasn't expecting, but the final lines I thought fell flat. I was left with too many unanswered questions (ie. why, how, when), so I can only give it 3 starts. The writing was mostly okay - felt a little rushed at a few points. All said and done, it's not much longer than a single chapter in a novel, so it's worth checking out. I do wonder if the idea could be expanded into a full novel or at least a novella. That might help to tie up some of the loose ends.
For the author - there are quite a few formatting issues on the Kindle, some obvious. I'd recommend you review and considering uploading a new file for a more professional look. Just my opinion though, as all books have errors - I'm sure mine included.
For the author - there are quite a few formatting issues on the Kindle, some obvious. I'd recommend you review and considering uploading a new file for a more professional look. Just my opinion though, as all books have errors - I'm sure mine included.
October 26, 2017
** This is a Kindle 30 Minute Read **
Wow, new author and I had completely forgotten that I had downloaded this short story. I'm so glad that I found this hidden in the bowels of my Kindle because it was a corker of a quick read.
The author had you thinking and totally entranced with the style of two different viewpoints he uses, and he has down to a fine art his use of heightened anxiety inducing tension.
It was one of those short stories where I didn't work out the ending prior. Whatever you do, don't think you have the perfect life.
Wow, new author and I had completely forgotten that I had downloaded this short story. I'm so glad that I found this hidden in the bowels of my Kindle because it was a corker of a quick read.
The author had you thinking and totally entranced with the style of two different viewpoints he uses, and he has down to a fine art his use of heightened anxiety inducing tension.
It was one of those short stories where I didn't work out the ending prior. Whatever you do, don't think you have the perfect life.
May 14, 2017
Ashley Banks has been blissfully married to her college sweetheart Tom for the past five years and they have two beautiful boys together - four-year-old Lou and eight-month-old Evan. Although she generally loves her work as an attorney, having to occasionally work such long hours can be terribly annoying. Especially when she just wants to get home to her family at a reasonable time for the weekend.
Such is Ashley's predicament on this particular weekend. A colleague has just emailed her a copy of a contract for one of the firm's more influential clients and has requested that she read it over. Ashley is frustrated of course, but she reluctantly stays late anyway, and then sends them her thoughts and impressions of the contract.
Ashley may be annoyed by her current situation, but she also cannot help but worry about when she will be able to go home and see her family. According to local law enforcement, there is a serial killer on the loose who has apparently abducted and murdered several women. While it seems as if their perpetrator primarily targets women who are driving at night - and presumably heading home - the police warn that people still must remain alert at all times.
However, Ashley knows that her husband and children are waiting for her. So she must find a way to quell the twinges of fear fluttering through her heart and drive home to see her family. All she wants is to be home with them for the weekend.
According to the author's note, the idea for this particular story came from Mr. Whitehead's journey along several unfamiliar roads. He was driving alone at night, when a "what if" scenario suddenly popped into his mind. The possible multiple points-of-view add some extraordinary twists to the plot.
To be perfectly honest, I really enjoyed reading this story; it only took me about ten minutes to read. It did take me several seconds to follow the switching points-of-view, but once I did I became intrigued by the story. I would give this book an A!
Such is Ashley's predicament on this particular weekend. A colleague has just emailed her a copy of a contract for one of the firm's more influential clients and has requested that she read it over. Ashley is frustrated of course, but she reluctantly stays late anyway, and then sends them her thoughts and impressions of the contract.
Ashley may be annoyed by her current situation, but she also cannot help but worry about when she will be able to go home and see her family. According to local law enforcement, there is a serial killer on the loose who has apparently abducted and murdered several women. While it seems as if their perpetrator primarily targets women who are driving at night - and presumably heading home - the police warn that people still must remain alert at all times.
However, Ashley knows that her husband and children are waiting for her. So she must find a way to quell the twinges of fear fluttering through her heart and drive home to see her family. All she wants is to be home with them for the weekend.
According to the author's note, the idea for this particular story came from Mr. Whitehead's journey along several unfamiliar roads. He was driving alone at night, when a "what if" scenario suddenly popped into his mind. The possible multiple points-of-view add some extraordinary twists to the plot.
To be perfectly honest, I really enjoyed reading this story; it only took me about ten minutes to read. It did take me several seconds to follow the switching points-of-view, but once I did I became intrigued by the story. I would give this book an A!
April 15, 2019
Great story line......OMG ended too quick!
Where in the world...... im still hanging on......breathtaking!! Sure will be enjoying more by this author, a mind like his will never be a waste.
Where in the world...... im still hanging on......breathtaking!! Sure will be enjoying more by this author, a mind like his will never be a waste.
September 10, 2017
Twist or twisted?
I really enjoyed this. The ending was not expected and I liked the fact is was short read for a quick break.
I really enjoyed this. The ending was not expected and I liked the fact is was short read for a quick break.
September 26, 2017
Good story
Suspenseful and scary. Kept me rivetted right up to the end. But I am still wondering about the white van...
Suspenseful and scary. Kept me rivetted right up to the end. But I am still wondering about the white van...
June 27, 2018
Home for the Weekend
A short thriller with a twist at the end. Written from two different women's perspectives the story alternates between their realities. Well done!
A short thriller with a twist at the end. Written from two different women's perspectives the story alternates between their realities. Well done!
July 30, 2018
Very short
Short but easy to get involved with the characters. Excellent writing with a very strong plot. The conclusion was very unexpected.
Short but easy to get involved with the characters. Excellent writing with a very strong plot. The conclusion was very unexpected.
September 5, 2015
There's not much that you can criticise about this short story. It does exactly what it sets out to do. There is a twist. It's creepy, but not overly so. The characters are well defined considering the length of the tale and the writing is terse and to the point.
Something that I really enjoyed was the format that it was presented in. Two parallel stories running alongside each other. It made it interesting and a page turner. The author has managed to fit a lot of information into a short space.
I am one of those annoying people that can work out the twist. But I must mention that even if you do guess the twist I don't believe that it would ruin the experience. There is great tension and suspense in the rendering of the tale.
With hindsight, it was a little like watching a magician when you, yourself, know magic. If it's good, then it is still entertaining. And it was; Mr. Whitehead is a good magician. There was some great misdirection.
I believe that this could easily become something more epic. Many longer novels have their origins in the shorter story. It would certainly be interesting to see how that could work. Perhaps back generate the whole thing? It certainly has enough spice.
This was certainly a side step from the satirical novel I last read, The Reluctant Jesus, which I loved (great concept).
Home for the Weekend was a great read.
My only wish is that it was longer, hence the 4 stars instead of 5.
Something that I really enjoyed was the format that it was presented in. Two parallel stories running alongside each other. It made it interesting and a page turner. The author has managed to fit a lot of information into a short space.
I am one of those annoying people that can work out the twist. But I must mention that even if you do guess the twist I don't believe that it would ruin the experience. There is great tension and suspense in the rendering of the tale.
With hindsight, it was a little like watching a magician when you, yourself, know magic. If it's good, then it is still entertaining. And it was; Mr. Whitehead is a good magician. There was some great misdirection.
I believe that this could easily become something more epic. Many longer novels have their origins in the shorter story. It would certainly be interesting to see how that could work. Perhaps back generate the whole thing? It certainly has enough spice.
This was certainly a side step from the satirical novel I last read, The Reluctant Jesus, which I loved (great concept).
Home for the Weekend was a great read.
My only wish is that it was longer, hence the 4 stars instead of 5.
August 19, 2015
I loved the surprises
Home for the Weekend was a surprising thriller. I thought Ashley was the woman in the box after she stopped her car. I definitely thought the van driver was the serial killer. But once Ashley made it home to Tom, I realized that there was a another woman in the box. But the big surprise was that the box was in Ashley's house & Tom was the serial killer. I wish this was a longer story.
Home for the Weekend was a surprising thriller. I thought Ashley was the woman in the box after she stopped her car. I definitely thought the van driver was the serial killer. But once Ashley made it home to Tom, I realized that there was a another woman in the box. But the big surprise was that the box was in Ashley's house & Tom was the serial killer. I wish this was a longer story.
August 18, 2015
Scary!
A fast moving, compelling story that will keep you on the edge of your seat! The author seduces you with the character's perfect life, beautiful home, perfect children. As terror lurches in the background, you know something has happened, your heart beats faster- and then BOOM! A completely unexpected ending!
A fast moving, compelling story that will keep you on the edge of your seat! The author seduces you with the character's perfect life, beautiful home, perfect children. As terror lurches in the background, you know something has happened, your heart beats faster- and then BOOM! A completely unexpected ending!
September 19, 2015
The best of Whitehead's short stories so far. There is a serial killer on the loose who targets young women alone. The story is told from the point of view of Ashley who is rushing home to be with her family. The ending is a true surprise, unlike the other two I have read. Bravo Mr. Whitehead.
August 20, 2015
Wow!
This was a pretty good read. I liked the flash back and the what if scenario. But to think it all happened because of a courtesy smile between two drivers. Wow mental note.
This was a pretty good read. I liked the flash back and the what if scenario. But to think it all happened because of a courtesy smile between two drivers. Wow mental note.
April 4, 2016
A gripping story. Really liked it!
Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews