Jump to ratings and reviews
Rate this book

Sticky Fingers #1

Sticky Fingers

Rate this book
Diverse, dark-humoured, and deliciously bite-sized, this compelling collection of 12 short stories by JT Lawrence include:

'Escape' -- a story about about a suicidal baby who knows he was born into the wrong life, and has to get creative to take measures correct the mistake, much to his mother¹s horror.

'The Itch' -- a story about an intense, uncontrollable, unexplainable itch that lands the protagonist in a mental institution.

'Bridge Gate' -- In this poignant and charming short story, a daughter yearns to connect with her absent father through the letters they exchange. She's not put off by his pedantic corrections of her writing, despite the slow reveal that he is less than perfect himself.

'The Unsuspecting Gold-digger' -- a woman gradually poisons her husband so that she doesn't have to break his heart.

224 pages, Kindle Edition

First published July 28, 2016

1272 people are currently reading
706 people want to read

About the author

J.T. Lawrence

144 books361 followers
Amazon bestselling, genre-hopping, kickass-female-protagonist-loving author.

Follow me here, on Amazon, or on BookBub https://www.bookbub.com/profile/jt-la...

www.jt-lawrence.com

Ratings & Reviews

What do you think?
Rate this book

Friends & Following

Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!

Community Reviews

5 stars
350 (31%)
4 stars
382 (34%)
3 stars
263 (23%)
2 stars
89 (8%)
1 star
24 (2%)
Displaying 1 - 30 of 161 reviews
Profile Image for Ceecee .
2,739 reviews2,306 followers
January 1, 2020
This is a really good collection of short stories, some are 4 star and some are 5, so rounded up. They are really well written, there’s one that’s really a bit sad, one that’s a bit yukky (The Itch), one of two jawdroppers but what I liked was that most of them have an element of humour. The one I enjoyed the most was Travelling Slacks which is a very funny exchange based on a trip advisor review. I also loved The Unexpected Gold digger which had a great twist but in all honesty I enjoyed them all. There’s one about pigeons which totally resonated since they proliferate with gay abandon and leave rather a lot of trace evidence behind on my property just as they did in the story. Sitting in the garden in the summer is a risky business. I would love to do what that couple did ☠️ 💥 💣 😂
If you like short stories there are a few gems here!
Profile Image for Michelle.
267 reviews73 followers
June 8, 2019
So here are my stream-of-consciousness-styled comments:

Bridge Gate - and just as I eased comfortably into the home stretch of the story...a rude awakening! Ha! How could you JT?
The Itch - I dare you to give in and scratch that itch...be prepared for the outcome!
The Unsuspecting Gold Digger - so he knew, didn't he?...and always seemed a step ahead...unless he orchestrated the whole thing, or part of it, anyway! Whoa, now that's twisted...
Traveling Slacks - a little gem! I wondered where on earth is this going to?... and loved the disintegration as it reached an unexpected 'anti-climactic climax'!
Something Borrowed - memory is so unreliable and selective...add trauma to the mix and it's a cocktail for disaster of all kinds...
She Did It - and she's not your average victim/suspect which invites loads of questions about that seemingly thin line between sanity/insanity... so in this "normal" world we inhabit, who is really sane?
Grey Magic - made me wonder about lots of different things including karma/auras/laws of the universe/stereotyping... but mostly about the fact that energy can never be destroyed, merely converted...
Pigeon Pair - who you gonna call? Pigeonbusters! LOL
The Little Pink Book - image of a collection of cute, sweet, cuddly names in a pink, fluffy, artsy, gingham fabric-textured little pink book that makes you go awwww! Humorous twist to follow...
Off The Hinge - this one meanders... goes off at a tangent...
Sticky Fingers - sticky fingers leave a sticky trail and eventually result in an unexpected sticky ending!
Escape - beware of deceptively cute baby faces... this little critter is on a mission to torture the adults!

A wonderful collection!
3,117 reviews6 followers
March 24, 2017
This is a collection of twelve short stories, all cleverly written and many with a twist at the end. Some of the stories are comical, and some are sad.

I won’t describe each one but here are a sample of them:-

‘The Itch’ is a fantastic story that will have you itching! I couldn’t stop scratching as I read it, much to the amusement of my partner. I’m even itching as I write this! You will not be able to resist scratching either. It’s a clever story that deals with mental health and is quite graphic in its descriptions.

‘Travelling Slacks’ was one of my favourite stories in this collection. The story is told via the review/s of a Bed and Breakfast establishment and the response/s of the owner. It’s an amusing and very original story, and gets funnier as it moves forward.

‘Bridge Gate’ is a series of letters between a father and daughter. The father is spending time at Her Majesty’s pleasure. His letters to his daughter, who is too young to realise that’s Bridge Gate is a prison, are blunt. He is also very critical of her grammar. As the letter exchange continues, we soon see the real and caring person behind them and warm to him. I didn’t expect the ending at all. It took me completely by surprise.

‘Escape’ is about a baby hell bent on suicide. The idea of this is an unpleasant one. I wasn’t sure what to expect but it’s quite a comedic tale from an interesting viewpoint.

There are many themes in this collection; murder, mental illness, and infidelity are just a few. I’m not usually a fan of short stories. I’ve come across many that have bored me because they’ve had no substance to them. This collection is very different and enjoyable. I would recommend reading them.

Reviewed by Jodie on www.whisperingstories.com
Profile Image for Latasha.
1,358 reviews435 followers
July 23, 2019
These stories were very unique and each one different. They were good but i thought they would be darker, almost horror. i suppose they were for some of the characters in the stories! J.T. Lawrence clearly has talent and i would read or listen to more by this lady.

*i received this audio book in exchange for a honest review. this is it. *
Profile Image for Coco.V.
50k reviews129 followers
Want to read
March 4, 2020
🎁 FREE on Amazon today (3/4/2020)! 🎁
Profile Image for Jessica.
769 reviews42 followers
January 7, 2018
All my reviews can be found at: http://jessicasreadingroom.com
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Wow! I am a fan of short stories if they are well written and JT Lawrence is outstanding! Not every story was for me, but Lawrence’s writing pulls you in and you quickly get through each short story all the way up to the unexpected endings. These stories are dark, twisted, and delightful! It was perfect for me to listen to in the car during my commute to and from work. I will share a brief review of each of the twelve stories written below.

I had previously purchased this on my Kindle, but the author sent Kim and I an Audible version. Lawrence is from South Africa and I believe that the narrator is as well. Due to my hearing issues, I had to adjust to the narrator’s accent but I enjoyed the narration. She is clear and well spoken.

Bridge Gate
I enjoyed the communication via letter for father and daughter. I quickly figured out where dad was located. I enjoyed the letters as we saw Emily grow up. I wanted to know more about dad.

The Itch
This one would be a living nightmare! I had to scratch and did throughout this one! I dare you to NOT scratch while reading this one. I still scratch thinking about this story!

The Unsuspecting Gold Digger
I did not see that ending coming! OMG….. That is all I can say.

Traveling Slacks
This was my favorite of all the stories. It is a hidden gem. If you work with the public at all you will love this one! If only we could actually say what we think….

Something Borrowed

Another twist I did not see coming. There are so many emotions with this one. I thought it was going in one direction but it was a in reality a complete 180.

She Did It
Who is the victim and who is the suspect? What is going to happen next? Who is helping the detective?

Grey Magic
I enjoyed this one was different as it dealt with magic and witches. I’m hoping this was an introduction of sorts to the novel of the same name that Lawrence has written.

Pigeon Pair
This one freaked me out. Though I have never seen the movie The Birds, I kept thinking of it while listening to this one. I loved the ending!

The Little Pink Book
Being a midwife and helping to deliver babies should be a wonderful thing… shouldn’t it??? I wanted more to this story!!!

Off the Hinge
This one is a schizophrenic mess and that is the point. Can someone just get the lady some milk!?!?!

Sticky Fingers
What happens when you have ‘sticky fingers’? Let’s hope it doesn’t end the way this short story did with that surprising ending!

Escape
A suicidal baby. He knows he is in the wrong family and wants to correct that error. This one won’t be for everyone, but it makes you wonder just how cognitive babies really are….
Profile Image for Nthato Morakabi.
Author 4 books20 followers
July 28, 2016
As a short story writer myself, I’ve got a soft spot for anthologies. There’s something unique and expectant in short stories that novels (unless they are sequels) do not have in their endings. You know you should expect some sort of cliff hanger and JT. Lawrence, in her short stories, executes it perfectly often enough.

I think to review each story would be a bit much, so instead I’ll pick out ones that stood out for me:

Escape: This suicidal-baby short just left me traumatized. Initially I was confused by the concern of the parents; the father thinks the baby is attempting to end their life and the mother thinks he’s exaggerating. And then both agree the child has a death wish. Perhaps some clarity? Other than that, the descriptions were vivid and clear. A clever use of words, and a prompting of the question that I’m sure many have asked: how aware/cognitive are babies really?

The Itch: Eeeuuwww. I think that’s a sufficient review? No? Okay… well imagine having an itch so intense it causes you to burrow through your skull? I think my only issue is that I still don’t know what caused the itch. And I’m starting to feel an itch in my head too…

Something Borrowed: I did not see that coming. Not one bit. Such a beautiful beginning. And then I saw that one point thrown in offhandedly. But nothing is random in short stories. It’s the wriggling worm and you’re the unsuspecting fish.

Pigeon Pair: Have you watched Alfred Hitchcock’s The Birds? I find pigeons far more sinister. I got the creeps reading this.I’m convinced you will be too.

The Little Pink Book: One of my favourites. Because I honestly did not see that end coming. And so casual and sweet and unassuming. Midwife fears. Another great example of good writing.

Travelling Slacks: Fantastically written although I would never go so far with a “customer”. This short is written as the communication between a reviewer and the hotel where the person stayed. It’s funny. It’s incredulous. It’s just that good.

In terms of writing, JT Lawrence is spot on with most of her stories. I enjoyed reading through all of them; some just to figure out how they end and other’s because the writing was just that compelling. I did, however, find myself wondering if all the characters were the same as they bore the same sort of characteristics often. There was even a story where I was convinced the character was female (as most of them are) and was surprised when he wasn’t. And I’m still trying to figure out what “Off the Hinge” was all about. There was a good change up in perspective with stories like Bridge Gate (which doesn’t sound like a B&B at all haha), Travelling Slacks, and Pigeon Pair. Yet, whenever the stories were based in South Africa, I didn’t get a sense of “South Africa” in them. They still felt very “Western”.

The stories in the anthology have themes that I wouldn’t personally relate to, but that make for compelling stories nonetheless: weddings, children, marriage, infidelity (marriage and religious), child birth. At the end of it, the stories played on fears that I didn’t even think I had.

In overall this is great selection of short stories, and JT Lawrence is a fantastic writer. She draws you in, builds up the tension, and then leaves you dangling over the edge only to find the edge doesn’t exist after all. And the little covers for each story are gorgeous.
1,612 reviews32 followers
September 23, 2021
This is the first in a series labeled “Sticky Fingers”. This novel consists of 12 short stories that are considered to be dark-humored, and deliciously bite-sized, this is a compelling collection of 12 short stories. Right away as I began reading I thought of Twilight Zone – so now have I aged myself? Oh well! But the are still on Sci-Fi. Each story is unique, as with any novel you will like some parts better than others. JT Lawrence is a gifted author. This novel is another winner. This is a series of diverse, dark humored stories. Laurence has created a delicious array for your sampling. I have read several novels by Laurence and have found her to be unique, extremely well crafted.I highly recommend this novel. I gave this honest, voluntary review after being given a free copy of the book
Profile Image for Joselyn  Moreno.
865 reviews33 followers
October 29, 2017
I received this book of my own free will for an honest review.

I really liked it a lot, this 12 stories are so interesnting and creppy on their own, they were so light at the beginning and then they will scalate little by little until the end you will think like omg that just like really happened?

liked them a lot, everyone should hear them for halloween.
Profile Image for Angelique Pacheco.
43 reviews2 followers
July 28, 2016
I’ve so been looking forward to the release of this book! The cover says it nicely, “deliciously bite-sized.” And indeed it is. I am a huge fan of short stories and this collection is one of the best that I’ve read. Sometimes after a story, I would just put the book down and stare into space for a while just to make it last a little longer. I liked that there are stories to everyone’s taste. From a little intrigue and suspense to disturbing the book offers something for everyone. At times I was a little afraid of Janita. She seems to know a little too much about mental conditions and psychological disorders. Well played. I won’t mess with you in the future. I highly recommend this book especially if you are going through a busy spell and don’t have too much time to read, this is a great way to get a quick read in.
Profile Image for Sue Wallace .
7,398 reviews139 followers
August 3, 2016
Sticky Fingers By Jt Laurence is 12 short stories.
Diverse, dark-humoured, and deliciously bite-sized, this compelling collection of 12 short stories by JT Lawrence include:
12 short story's. Some were really good. Enjoyable and some were so so.
Devoured in less than 24 hours.
Recommended.
5* from me.
Thanks to the author for the arc.
#tbconfb.
Profile Image for Melissa Delport.
Author 64 books318 followers
December 20, 2018
I really enjoyed this anthology. The stories are dark and deliciously bite-sized as promised. Most are creepy AF, but every one leaves you wondering. I had to pause after each story to process!
Profile Image for Elize van Heerden.
349 reviews4 followers
December 20, 2017
I received an ARC from the author in exchange for an honest review.

I am not usually a fan of short stories, I crave depth and like to emerge myself in the story, but J.T. Lawrence has shown me that you can still do this with short stories. There wasn’t one where I felt underwhelmed, each one of them left me satisfied, there was one or two that I would LOVE a full novel.

Definitely recommending this to anyone who loves short stories, and even to those who like me would like to get started on short stories.

Also would like to mention how stunning each story cover is

SECOND REVIEW:
Would recommend the audiobook as well, the narrator was brilliant

Full review on my blog http://bashfulreader.blogspot.co.za/2...
Profile Image for Nick Masters.
359 reviews8 followers
September 8, 2016
It feels like I have discovered something great. That I have been allowed to witness the creative mind of someone who is, let's just say, extremely creative.

Thoroughly enjoyed this collection. A great mix of fun, twisted, darkly humorous stories intermingled with some great twists and unexpected story lines.
It had me intrigued throughout, sometimes laughing, sometimes cringing, and sometimes even wanting to cry (did I just say that). Oh yes, and sometimes itching.

I have mentioned it before, but I am really amazed about how well JT Lawrence rights a short story. The ability to intrigue and elicit emotions from readers in so few pages is incredible.

Can't wait to read more from Lawrence
Profile Image for Christine Bernard.
Author 11 books45 followers
September 23, 2016
I hate reading short stories. So even though I am a fan of this author, I opened this book with great trepidation. I read the first story - and loved it. I read the next - and loved it. Soon I had read all 12 stories and I loved each and every one of them. The words came alive and danced on the page and I was more than happy to dance along with them. I almost gave this 4 out of 5 - because my only complaint was that I wanted MORE from each story. But, I came into this knowing that I was reading short stories... So I couldn't complain.

However... I AM going to make a list of my favourite stories and beg the author to create a full novel out of them. In fact, J.T. Lawrence, would it be too much of a bother to just go ahead and create all twelve?
Profile Image for Ashleigh Giannoccaro.
Author 52 books516 followers
June 30, 2016
12 Short stories I wish could have more of! No really, I wish I could dive into a full length novel for each of these.

Fantastic writing, unique plots and all wound up in a bite sized reads that can be squeezed into little snippets of stolen reading time. This is my first read from auth J.T.Lawrence but I have since gone off to investigate and buy some others.

My full review will posted on or closer to release day.

** Receiving a copy of this book from the author has not in anyway affected my rating, I will in fact be buying a copy as it is that good.
Profile Image for Michelle Hillyard.
11 reviews
October 1, 2016
Loved the book. A fantastic collection of short stories that transported me into different people. Some laughs, some true gasps.
If there's one thing JT gets, it's creating a world through her stories that a reader can be absorbed into, whether that world is a relationship, a moment in time or a character's head.
Profile Image for Lucinda.
598 reviews12 followers
September 10, 2017
Some really good short stories that stay with you & make you think
Profile Image for Lisa.
1,473 reviews20 followers
January 1, 2021
3.5 stars
A really enjoyable short story collection; quirky, dramatic & engaging.
Profile Image for Steven Ramirez.
Author 14 books178 followers
April 11, 2018
Every once in a while, you come across a collection of short stories that are, well, magical. And I had the good fortune to experience a great deal of magic in Sticky Fingers by JT Lawrence. First of all, let me just say, I never knew South Africans could be so damn funny. Come to think of it, I’ve only ever met one South African, and she was sweet. And, okay, kind of funny. Moving on.

These stories range from the macabre to the flat-out hilarious. My favorite was “Off the Hinge.” I never realized it was so difficult to secure a pint of milk for your tea. Maybe that’s why I always take mine black. On the other hand, considering the narrator’s predicament, perhaps milk is the least of her worries.

If you like stories that disturb rather than horrify, then get this collection. Each one reminded me of a modern, well-made Twilight Zone episode featuring great actors. And if you’ve ever had a chance to catch the original television episodes, you’ll know I’m setting a high bar.
Profile Image for Rebecca Kenyon.
226 reviews7 followers
June 16, 2020
I havent read a collection of short stories since high school and it was a refreshing change. This book (available on kindle unlimited) has 12 unique short stories, some were darker than others and most had a big twist.

These were my favourites of the twelve: The Unsuspecting Gold Digger, The Little Pink Book, Sticky Fingers and Escape

I believe this was the first book I’ve read by a South African author. I would definitely be interested in more of her short stories and full length books.
Profile Image for Anna Stroud.
19 reviews46 followers
Read
March 26, 2017
What I love about these stories, especially in the titular “Sticky Fingers” about a kleptomaniac housewife, is that the characters are ordinary people doing strange, illegal, magical, or uncanny things. Parents wage war on pigeons; babies try to kick the bucket; housewives walk on the dark side.


Read my review of Sticky Fingers by JT Lawrence: http://bit.ly/2o5QUTO
Profile Image for Zoe Hall.
292 reviews8 followers
December 26, 2018
This was such a great read and I’m glad I’ll be ending my reading challenge with this collection of stories. Fantastically written and an enthralling read...I kept turning the pages to see what the next twist would be.
Profile Image for Pat Stanford.
Author 4 books28 followers
July 21, 2020
Excellent short story collection

I've been looking for short stories that are well done. I've read so many authors who don't understand that shorts are harder to do that novels because they must tell a story fully with less words than a full length book. This author not only understands that, but excells at it. Looking forward to the entire series.
Profile Image for Jennifer.
225 reviews
September 4, 2018
This is a terrific collection of short stories! Well written and interesting. Each one is different and some made me giggle while others kept me up late, thinking about my life choices.
Profile Image for Marlys.
1,504 reviews10 followers
April 10, 2019
I was given this audio book by the author and I am voluntarily reviewing it. This is a great series of short stories. I enjoyed it.
Profile Image for Judi Fruen.
97 reviews
March 14, 2020
Some hit better than others, but overall enjoyable, and I will be buying more by this author!
Profile Image for Kimberly.
222 reviews7 followers
January 30, 2019
Delicious! Like a box of truffles, I nibbled on these stories slowly. Each one is very short and clever.
1,440 reviews1 follower
July 17, 2024
This was just alright for me. With the exception of a couple entries, I didn't really care much for the short stories listed in this collection. I was looking for a few more "wow" moments and the stories really didn't deliver for me.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 161 reviews

Can't find what you're looking for?

Get help and learn more about the design.