Thirteen Confessions: Stories

by David Corbett

Thirteen beautifully wrought tales of crime, passion, and people on the brink of disaster Marybeth met Jamie at the Horn & Whistle, a neighborhood pub warm enough to keep out the chill on a bleak January day. Over a pint of stout, he won her heart with bad jokes and cynical Irish charm. Two years later, she loves him more than ever, but she can see that he’s bracing for a fall. When everything collapses, when Jamie’s job disappears and the house is foreclosed on and Marybeth feels death creeping into her bones, it’s up to her to save them both—even if it means doing something that will tear them apart forever. “Stray,” along with the twelve additional short stories in this exquisite collection, showcases author David Corbett’s unparalleled ability to build a life in just a few pages, and then shatter it in a single sentence. From the first confession to the thirteenth, these stories cut deep—and show no mercy.  

248 pages, Kindle Edition

Published May 17, 2016

About the author

David Corbett is the author of seven novels: The Devil’s Redhead (nominated for the Anthony and Barry Awards for Best First Novel) Done for a Dime (a New York Times Notable Book and nominated for the Macavity Award for Best Novel), Blood of Paradise (nominated for numerous awards, including the Edgar), Do They Know I’m Running (Spinetingler Award, Best Novel—Rising Star Category 2011), The Mercy of the Night, The Long-Lost Love Letters of Doc Holliday (nominated for the Lefty Award for Best Historical Mystery), and The Truth Against the World (June, 2023).

David’s short fiction and poetry have appeared in numerous magazines and anthologies, with two stories selected for Best American Mystery Stories.

In 2012, Mysterious Press/Open Road Media re-issued his four novels plus a story collection, Thirteen Confessions, in ebook format.

In January 2013 Penguin published his textbook on the craft of characterization, The Art of Character (“A writer’s bible that will lead to your character’s soul.” —Elizabeth Brundage). he followed this up with The Compass of Character (Writers Digest Books).

He has taught creative writing at the UCLA Extension Writers’ Project, Chuck Pahalniuk’s Litreactor, 826 Valencia, The Grotto in San Francisco, Book Passage, and at writing conference across the country. He is also a monthly contributor to Writer Unboxed, an award-winning blog dedicated to the craft and business of fiction.

Before becoming a novelist, David spent fifteen years as an investigator for the San Francisco private detective agency Palladino & Sutherland, working on such high-profile civil and criminal litigations as The DeLorean Case, the Peoples Temple Trial, the Lincoln Savings & Loan Scandal, the Cotton Club Murder Case, the Michael Jackson child molestation investigation and a RICO action brought by the Teamsters against members of organized crime.

Reviews

[Hugues Dufour · Rating 5 out of 5]

After devouring "The Art of Character" by David Corbett, I thought I would try out some of his celebrated fiction. What better way to dip into his universe than via a collection of his short stories? Inspired by Kafka's "Eleven Sons", the title story doesn't disappoint, and neither do the twelve other tales included here—these short stories pack more emotion, intensity, and drama than anything I've read recently. Once you start, you can't put it down—every one of these dark tales is downright compelling. Strongly recommended.

[Bene Vogt · Rating 3 out of 5]

As somebody who has read 4 novels and a novels by the author, I think I can say with some authority that the short story doesn’t necessarily serves his strengths, which are character work and not necessarily the twist endings that the subgenre almost automatically requires.