Harm and Hammer: A Short Story

by Joseph D'Agnese

( "Harm and Hammer" is a short story. It is also available in the author's 10-story collection, Daggyland #1 .)

This unsettling short story first appeared in Alfred Hitchcock's Mystery Magazine .

Once upon a time, Callie had a high-paying job in a glamorous city, where everyone knew her name. Her real name. Now she's just another nobody living in the middle of nowhere, trying to stave off boredom.

Welcome to witness protection, Callie.

But one day, Callie falls in love with a most unusual musical instrument, and embarks upon an obsession that she hopes will chase away her guilt.

Every time she plays, she comes one step closer to forgiving herself--and one step closer to hell.

A tale of redemption lost.

44 pages, Kindle Edition

First published March 21, 2015

About the author

Joseph D’Agnese is an award-winning journalist whose work has appeared in the New York Times, the Wall Street Journal, and other national publications. His work has twice appeared in Best American Science Writing (HarperCollins). His children's picture book, BLOCKHEAD: THE LIFE OF FIBONACCI, was chosen as an honor book for the Mathical Book Prize—the first-ever prize for math-themed children's books. His crime fiction has been selected by guest editor/author James Patterson for inclusion in the prestigious anthology, Best American Mystery Stories 2015, D'Agnese lives in North Carolina.