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Murder in Montague Falls: Noir-Inspired Novellas by Russ Colchamiro, Sawney Hatton & Patrick Thomas
WHITE HOT THRILLS! PITCH BLACK DEEDS!
3 TALES OF TEENS TACKLING THEIR DARKEST RITES OF PASSAGE
Acclaimed storytellers Russ Colchamiro, Sawney Hatton, and Patrick Thomas each present an original novella brimming with enough danger, intrigue, and murder to get readers’ blood pounding and hearts racing.
In Colchamiro’s RED INK, a paperboy with an overactive imagination witnesses a brutal killing on his route—or has he taken his fantasy spy games a step too far?
In Hatton’s THE DEVIL’S DELINQUENTS, a trio of teenage misfits in pursuit of success, power, and revenge practice amateurish occult rituals... with deadly consequences.
In Thomas’s A MANY SPLENDID THING, a sultry high school teacher enrolls one of her students to get rid of her husband. But will the young man really graduate to murder?
3 TALES OF TEENS TACKLING THEIR DARKEST RITES OF PASSAGE
Acclaimed storytellers Russ Colchamiro, Sawney Hatton, and Patrick Thomas each present an original novella brimming with enough danger, intrigue, and murder to get readers’ blood pounding and hearts racing.
In Colchamiro’s RED INK, a paperboy with an overactive imagination witnesses a brutal killing on his route—or has he taken his fantasy spy games a step too far?
In Hatton’s THE DEVIL’S DELINQUENTS, a trio of teenage misfits in pursuit of success, power, and revenge practice amateurish occult rituals... with deadly consequences.
In Thomas’s A MANY SPLENDID THING, a sultry high school teacher enrolls one of her students to get rid of her husband. But will the young man really graduate to murder?
- GenresAnthologies
252 pages, Kindle Edition
Published October 1, 2019
About the author
Russ Colchamiro
39 books264 followersRUSS COLCHAMIRO is the author of Crackle and Fire, Fractured Lives, Hot Ash, Blunt Force Rising, and Trigger Point, the first five books in the sci-fi thriller series featuring his hardboiled intergalactic private detective Angela Hardwicke. He is also the author of the rollicking space adventure, Crossline, the zany sci-fi backpacking series Finders Keepers, Genius de Milo, and Astropalooza, editor of the sci-fi mystery anthology, Love, Murder & Mayhem, and contributing author for his newest project, Murder in Montague Falls, a noir novella collection, all with Crazy 8 Press.
Russ has contributed to several other anthologies including Tales of the Crimson Keep, Pangaea, They Keep Killing Glenn, Altered States of the Union, Thrilling Adventure Yarns, Brave New Girls vols. 3&4, Camelot 13, TV Gods 2, and Footprints in the Stars.
He is now writing the fifth book in the Angela Hardwicke series.
In addition, Russ hosts the Rockin' Rollercoaster podcast, where he interviews various Sci-Fi, mystery, crime, thriller, and horror authors.
Russ lives in New Jersey with his wife and their twin ninjas.
For more on Russ’s works, visit www.russcolchamiro.com, and follow him on Facebook, Blue Sky, YouTube and Instagram @AuthorDudeRuss.
Russ has contributed to several other anthologies including Tales of the Crimson Keep, Pangaea, They Keep Killing Glenn, Altered States of the Union, Thrilling Adventure Yarns, Brave New Girls vols. 3&4, Camelot 13, TV Gods 2, and Footprints in the Stars.
He is now writing the fifth book in the Angela Hardwicke series.
In addition, Russ hosts the Rockin' Rollercoaster podcast, where he interviews various Sci-Fi, mystery, crime, thriller, and horror authors.
Russ lives in New Jersey with his wife and their twin ninjas.
For more on Russ’s works, visit www.russcolchamiro.com, and follow him on Facebook, Blue Sky, YouTube and Instagram @AuthorDudeRuss.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 34 reviews
December 16, 2019
This book is a collection of three novellas set in a town by the name of, you guessed it right, Montague Falls. Each novella is written by different authors and elements in it, but are connected by the single element of murder.
Red Ink by Russ Colchamiro is the story of a paper boy called Isaac. He discovers that a murder has been committed on his route. When the authorities involved pays no attention to Isaac’s input about the case, he decides to take matters into his own hands. But do we really know what Isaac is up to or what really happened?
The Devil’s Delinquents by Sawney Hatton features three teenagers and satanic rituals. The three teenagers find each other due to common situations and experiences. Derry and Cal almost immediately feel a pull towards Nat. But they are up to no good as they are on the hunt for revenge and they plan on using satanic rituals to get it. Do they know what they are doing or are they way in over their heads?
A Many Splendid Thing by Patrick Thomas is about a forbidden relationship. Like most of us, Jethro is a teenager who is infatuated with a teacher. Only, in this case it is reciprocated by Ms. Carmine. The excitement of a forbidden romance catches up with them soon enough as there’s a murder to be accounted for.
Read the full review on Bookish Indulgences with b00k r3vi3ws
Red Ink by Russ Colchamiro is the story of a paper boy called Isaac. He discovers that a murder has been committed on his route. When the authorities involved pays no attention to Isaac’s input about the case, he decides to take matters into his own hands. But do we really know what Isaac is up to or what really happened?
The Devil’s Delinquents by Sawney Hatton features three teenagers and satanic rituals. The three teenagers find each other due to common situations and experiences. Derry and Cal almost immediately feel a pull towards Nat. But they are up to no good as they are on the hunt for revenge and they plan on using satanic rituals to get it. Do they know what they are doing or are they way in over their heads?
A Many Splendid Thing by Patrick Thomas is about a forbidden relationship. Like most of us, Jethro is a teenager who is infatuated with a teacher. Only, in this case it is reciprocated by Ms. Carmine. The excitement of a forbidden romance catches up with them soon enough as there’s a murder to be accounted for.
Read the full review on Bookish Indulgences with b00k r3vi3ws
November 20, 2019
I liked this collection of short stories. There is definitely a lot of murder and mayhem happening in Montague Falls. Of the three stories my favorite is Red Ink by Russ Colchamiro.
I enjoy a good "spy" story. Isaac is an enjoyable character. I at his age was pretending to be a "spy" as well. Or is Isaac an actual spy. I guess you will just have to pick up a copy of this book to find out the truth. Not that I blame Isaac for spying on his neighbors as some of them are very suspicious.
When it came to the other two stories, I liked them but was just not as engaged in the other characters as much as I did Isaac in Red Ink. In The Devil's Delinquents, the teens get more than they bargained for when they pursue an occult ritual.
Than there is A Many Splendid Thing. This story is a thriller with a plot twist ending. Which made this story really good. It just would have been better had I been able to connect on a deeper level with the characters.
Overall, this is still an enjoyable anthology of short stories worth checking out.
I enjoy a good "spy" story. Isaac is an enjoyable character. I at his age was pretending to be a "spy" as well. Or is Isaac an actual spy. I guess you will just have to pick up a copy of this book to find out the truth. Not that I blame Isaac for spying on his neighbors as some of them are very suspicious.
When it came to the other two stories, I liked them but was just not as engaged in the other characters as much as I did Isaac in Red Ink. In The Devil's Delinquents, the teens get more than they bargained for when they pursue an occult ritual.
Than there is A Many Splendid Thing. This story is a thriller with a plot twist ending. Which made this story really good. It just would have been better had I been able to connect on a deeper level with the characters.
Overall, this is still an enjoyable anthology of short stories worth checking out.
July 18, 2020
The first story is fun, about a paperboy who may or may not have stumbled upon a murder. Set in the 1980’s, there’s lots of cool pop culture references. It’s impossible not to feel for the main character, 14 year old Issac. I’d give it 3/5.
The second story was the standout for me. Great characters with great character arcs, effortless writing, and an exciting climax. This dark story has it all. Set in the 1990’s about three teenagers sliding fast along a dark path. 5/5.
The third story has a familiar ring, or should I say, two rings. Set in the 1950’s, it has a student obsessed with his teacher. It brought nothing new to someone else’s story and wasn’t for me. 2/5.
I received a free copy in exchange for an honest review.
The second story was the standout for me. Great characters with great character arcs, effortless writing, and an exciting climax. This dark story has it all. Set in the 1990’s about three teenagers sliding fast along a dark path. 5/5.
The third story has a familiar ring, or should I say, two rings. Set in the 1950’s, it has a student obsessed with his teacher. It brought nothing new to someone else’s story and wasn’t for me. 2/5.
I received a free copy in exchange for an honest review.
October 28, 2019
This is a collection of three different novellas, and though I am not going to review them individually, I will say that each chilling tale of murder and mayhem brings its own unique flavor to the book! I appreciated each author’s style and enjoyed all three stories for different reasons.
This collection is intense, suspenseful, and highly entertaining. I happily recommend Murder in Montague Falls, and can honestly say, this is a fantastic book to curl up with this Halloween!
This collection is intense, suspenseful, and highly entertaining. I happily recommend Murder in Montague Falls, and can honestly say, this is a fantastic book to curl up with this Halloween!
October 31, 2019
This is a collection of three novellas based in the small town of Montague Falls. The first story is about Issac, a paperboy that has a creative imagination. He discovers a body on a resident’s floor and when the police don’t believe him he investigates on his own.
You then have three teenagers, Derry, Cal and Nat. They practice a satanic ritual to get back on those that bully them and have unexpected results.
And finally we have Jethro and Mrs. Carmine. Jethro is in love with his hot teacher and Mrs. Carmine seems to love him too but there is a little problem called a husband in the middle of them.
This is a great collection of short stories that had me engrossed and rushing to see what was going to happen next. It was dark and creepy and the perfect read for Halloween. I liked all the stories so well that I will be looking into all of the authors other works. Make sure to get a copy for yourself.
I received a complimentary copy of this book. I voluntarily chose to read and post an honest review.
You then have three teenagers, Derry, Cal and Nat. They practice a satanic ritual to get back on those that bully them and have unexpected results.
And finally we have Jethro and Mrs. Carmine. Jethro is in love with his hot teacher and Mrs. Carmine seems to love him too but there is a little problem called a husband in the middle of them.
This is a great collection of short stories that had me engrossed and rushing to see what was going to happen next. It was dark and creepy and the perfect read for Halloween. I liked all the stories so well that I will be looking into all of the authors other works. Make sure to get a copy for yourself.
I received a complimentary copy of this book. I voluntarily chose to read and post an honest review.
October 10, 2019
You're essentially getting three books for the price of one with this novel. Each novella is the perfect length that I could plow through one each evening before bed.
While the three all share the same setting, they are not connected beyond dealing with murder. We have an espionage thriller, a look at Satanic rituals, and a tale of what happens when "hot for teacher" turns deadly. I'd have to say the final one was my favorite, but all three were engaging and kept my interest from start to finish.
I definitely recommend this book as a good way to enjoy three well-written and unique thrillers in bite sized packages.
Thank you to PICT for a chance to read and review this book.
While the three all share the same setting, they are not connected beyond dealing with murder. We have an espionage thriller, a look at Satanic rituals, and a tale of what happens when "hot for teacher" turns deadly. I'd have to say the final one was my favorite, but all three were engaging and kept my interest from start to finish.
I definitely recommend this book as a good way to enjoy three well-written and unique thrillers in bite sized packages.
Thank you to PICT for a chance to read and review this book.
July 22, 2020
The three-part novella series, Murder in Montague Falls, explores the concept of murder in a small town. Three authors, Russ Colchamiro, Sawney Hatton, and Patrick Thomas, capture three generations of secrets, gaphic violence, psychological terror, and murder in the small town of Montague Falls.
The stories are unrelated to each other. Two stories are told from the criminals' perspective and one from an amateur detective's.
No characters make appearances between the three works. One references another story in one line, but that's it. Somehow that elevates the stories to an even more sinister level. There is no suggestion that one story influences another or that the characters are destined to take a violent path. Instead it suggests that violent natures exist in anybody and that murder can occur randomly in any time and under any circumstance.
"Red Ink" by Russ Colchamiro- This story captures a youthful excitement in having an overactive imagination and shows what happens when, uh oh, those youthful fantasies turn out to be true.
Isaac Fuller, a young newspaper deliverer, finds some excitement in his tedious part-time job by pretending he's a young secret agent. He imagines that his neighbors are Communist spies and he is on their trail. (It is the '80's after all). Tension mounts between Isaac's reality and fantasy when he sees a dead body inside one of the houses and what appears to be a murderer standing over the body. Suddenly, his once wild imagination may not be so wild after all.
This novella captures that energy that is found in those kid adventures like The Goonies or The Monster Squad where it is up to the kids to face some nasty villains and save their world. It's no coincidence that "Red Ink" is set in the 1980's when those adventure films were popular.
There are also some Hitchcockian moments that hearken back to earlier more adult adventures. There is some suspense when the body is removed, the suspect provides an alibi, and no one believes Isaac's crazy story. Some psychological background is provided with the death of Isaac's baby sister and his determination to protect others. Above all, the most suspenseful passage is when Isaac learns that not only are his spy fantasies real, but he is alone with the murderer. He quickly learns that reality is a lot bloodier and more painful than his dreams.
"The Devil's Delinquents" by Sawney Hatton-If "Red Ink" is a tribute to the kid adventure films of the '80's, then Sawney Hatton's "The Devil's Delinquents" is a tribute to the '90's psychological horror films and the Goth culture which led to a lot of Generation Xers feeling like misfits and outcasts from society.
Three of those misfits are Derry Rhodes, Cal Virgil, and Natalie Glantz. Derry and Cal are in an alternative band that sing songs invoking Satan. However, these two are just pretenders compared to Natalie. She calls herself a dark witch, holds rituals, and claims to have a dead fetus of her child by Satan kept in a jar. When Ntalie gets the duo involved in her ritual, she demands a sacrifice..blood sacrifice.
I would say that the trio are stereotypes,but that's the point. They are almost comical in their Satanic worship that they study from movies, metal music, and books. It's all based on the appearances that they see and they are basically dumb pathetic kids playing dress up.
They want to solicit Satan's help as a way out of their pathetic sad lives and obtain fame, attractiveness, and acceptance that they don't have at home. They are misfits that will commit even the darkest deeds to get that notice and acceptance.
There is a darkness that was so prevalent in '90's culture of suspicion, horror, and psychological thrill that this novella captures.
In a twist that is almost worthy of Quentin Tarantino, the violence is carried out in a way that is deliberately over the top. In a moment of being careful what one wishes for, one of the characters does get their fame and acceptance in the most horrific way possible.
"A Many Splendid Tthing" by Patrick Thomas-The final novella, "A Many Splendid Thing" is more of a tribute to an older genre than the previous novellas. While the book is described as noir, this story is the one with the strongest claim to the genre. "A Many Splendid Thing" hearkens back to the noir films like Double Indemnity and The Postman Always Rings Twice in which a sexy femme fatale entices a poor shmo to commit murder. Then after the murder happens, the two conspire against each other.
In this variation, the poor shmo is high school senior, Jethro. He doesn't have much luck with the ladies or anyone else for that matter until he captures the interest of Rosa Carmine, his Science teacher, the aforementioned femme fatale. Rosa provides Jethro with some ,ahem, hand's on tutoring before she confesses that she is being abused by her husband and needs one little favor from her boy toy.
While all the stories are great, this is by far the best of the three because of the almost old school glamor that in which it pays tribute. Even setting the story in the 1950's reveals those Old Hollywood sensibilities that "A Many Splendid Thing" acknowledges. While violence is present and bloody, it's not as important as the aftereffects and how it resonates with the characters.
Once the violent act is committed, the novella becomes a tug of war as Jethro and Rosa turn on each other very quickly and vie to outsmart each other. The ending is brilliant and clever as both parties have one final gambit to play, even beyond death.
Murder in Montague Falls is an excellent book that honors different genres in the author's unique styles. The three works reveal the worst and the darkest that exist inside those cute little houses around those slow moving streets. It reminds us that just because everybody seems to know everybody does not necessarily mean that they aren't hiding a knife behind their friendly greeting.
July 21, 2020
These three slick, dark, well-written novellas, by three different authors, are a nice antidote to any sentimental recollection one might have about the joys of being a teenager.
The first is a story about a troubled boy engrossed in an improbable fantasy world that becomes tangled in the mirror of an equally improbable real world. The second tells a chilling tale of three youngsters throwing themselves into Satanism. The third draws its violent action from a desperately misplaced and dangerous affair between a teacher and a pupil.
All are based in the same town, which neatly ties the three novellas into a single volume, although the action of the three stories is unrelated, occurs in different time periods, and the town itself doesn’t feature in any significant way as a unifying “character” across the three stories. I’d have liked it if it had done – I felt that closer collaboration in this project by the three authors could have allowed more capital to be drawn from the one-town-three-stories device.
This is a side-grumble however, because actually the stories hang well together and do have a coherence that makes the reading experience an intense and unified one. What ties them together is the deeper preoccupation about adolescence that broods through all of them. Adolescence isn’t generally a fun time, fraught as it generally is with unmanageable yearnings, anxiety and disfiguring pimples. These stories capture well that adolescent universe in which the possibilities of the adult world suddenly gape open, alluring, contemptible and terrifying in equal measure; in which friends are all important and one’s whole identity pivots on precarious social networks whose group imperatives can overwhelm. To shine these tensions through the prism of 'noir' or 'horror” is appropriate – both are genres that tap into the residual adolescent in all of us – and the outcome is a memorable splash of darkness."
The first is a story about a troubled boy engrossed in an improbable fantasy world that becomes tangled in the mirror of an equally improbable real world. The second tells a chilling tale of three youngsters throwing themselves into Satanism. The third draws its violent action from a desperately misplaced and dangerous affair between a teacher and a pupil.
All are based in the same town, which neatly ties the three novellas into a single volume, although the action of the three stories is unrelated, occurs in different time periods, and the town itself doesn’t feature in any significant way as a unifying “character” across the three stories. I’d have liked it if it had done – I felt that closer collaboration in this project by the three authors could have allowed more capital to be drawn from the one-town-three-stories device.
This is a side-grumble however, because actually the stories hang well together and do have a coherence that makes the reading experience an intense and unified one. What ties them together is the deeper preoccupation about adolescence that broods through all of them. Adolescence isn’t generally a fun time, fraught as it generally is with unmanageable yearnings, anxiety and disfiguring pimples. These stories capture well that adolescent universe in which the possibilities of the adult world suddenly gape open, alluring, contemptible and terrifying in equal measure; in which friends are all important and one’s whole identity pivots on precarious social networks whose group imperatives can overwhelm. To shine these tensions through the prism of 'noir' or 'horror” is appropriate – both are genres that tap into the residual adolescent in all of us – and the outcome is a memorable splash of darkness."
November 10, 2020
Three individual stories that take place in a small town, Montague Falls. Murder and mayhem
takes place at different times in history. All involve troubled teenagers that act out in their own ways. Be ready for very dark subject matter. Be ready for surprises. Be ready to be sick. Be ready to be repulsed. Be ready to be angry. Be ready to be entertained!
I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book from Hidden Gems.
takes place at different times in history. All involve troubled teenagers that act out in their own ways. Be ready for very dark subject matter. Be ready for surprises. Be ready to be sick. Be ready to be repulsed. Be ready to be angry. Be ready to be entertained!
I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book from Hidden Gems.
June 8, 2024
I got this book at a convention where one of the author's was selling this book. I was pleasantly surprised. The book is 3 novellas all set in the same town. I would say I liked the first story best but the other two were also entertaining. Glad I could support local authors.
Read
November 21, 2020Please see blog for [K]'s review:
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July 18, 2020
Murder in Montague Falls
Noir-Inspired Novellas by Russ Colchamiro, Sawney Hatton and Patrick Thomas
This was another book sent to me by Blackthorn Book Tours. I must say, the team over there has a knack for finding entertaining reading material. This book is a collection of novellas, three of them to be exact. We have murder, mystery, money, Satan worship, the classic love triangle, sex, drugs…they have everything in these three novellas.
Let’s talk about each novella before I get into the ratings.
The first story is called Red Ink. This was written by Russ Colchamiro. It involves an average fourteen-year-old boy with a wild imagination named Isaac Fuller. Isaac fancies himself as some sort of super spy. Yet in the mundane reality of his real day to day life, little Isaac is just a neighborhood paperboy. He likes the job, riding around town and getting to know his customers as he delivers their newspapers every day.
Unfortunately, one day while delivering the paper to his neighbor, Mrs. Gagne, he sees something very strange, unusual. He thinks he’s witnessed the tail end of a crime and Mrs. Gagne winds up missing. He shares this information with his life-long friend Dani, who says, in her most friendly and loving way possible, maybe he should just go to the police and let them handle it. Poor Isaac has a crush on Dani and has for what feels to him like forever, so when she seems to doubt his “special spy agent prowess”, it is a huge slam to his ego.
Soon a precarious triangle begins to form between Isaac, his suspect and the police as suspicious things around the neighborhood start to happen.
Will the truth be revealed before someone else goes missing? Will Isaac get to prove his skills to himself and Dani before something bad happens to him?
I really enjoyed this story immensely. It was a fantastic read and I tore right through it. The text has such an excellent and natural flow it is easy to read and follow. I loved the story idea, very interesting with a number of tense moments. The Isaac character is only fourteen but he has a kind of simple maturity that makes it seem like he should be older. That little edge on Isaac rounds out the tale perfectly.
I rated this story a 4/5.
The second story is a wild one. It’s called The Devil’s Delinquents and written by Sawney Hatton. Okay so here we go:
Meet Cal Virgil. A smaller build of a kid, he’s a young teen from Van Buren High School. He is not considered popular (if his classmates consider him at all) and the poor thing, like so many others, suffers from horrible teen acne. Isn’t puberty just grand? He’s also somewhat mean spirited and slightly emotionally void.
Now meet Derry Rhodes. Derry is a fellow young teen at Van Buren and is Cal’s best buddy. Derry is a larger kid than Cal. He has black hair and seems to have more of a conscience and moral code than Cal. Plus, Derry has a soft spot in his heart for his Mama. So, we know he can feel love and compassion. Cal? Not so sure.
These two friends are interested in devil worship, conjuring dark forces, that kind of thing. They try and try, yet they are repeatedly unsuccessful.
Then they meet Natalie Glantz, a Junior classman transferred from what is referred to as “a special school”. She totally rocks the gothic look; black hair, thick black eyeliner, deep red lipstick, pale skin and tops it all off with a black pirate patch over one eye. Needless to say, she doesn’t look like every other teen at Van Buren. She’s viewed as the creepy girl at school, she’s very cold and emotionally detached (especially from her parents) and even claims she can communicate with spirits and demons from the other side.
This is EXACTLY what Cal and Derry think they need.
Together the three of them do everything in their power to try to conjure dark forces. But nothing is ever what it seems when dealing with the devil. Soon the boys find out that there is more to conjuring than they thought. Questions start to arise and a tiny little love triangle begins to develop that could have a devastating impact on the trio’s whole plan. Now they have to figure out what to do, where to do it and most importantly, who to trust.
I found this story to be an excellent example of truly disturbing horror and gore. We run the gamut of horrifying bits and pieces. Child death and mutilation, Satanic worship, all kind of violence on all levels and murder and gore galore. Be ready for some shock and awe as you tear through the darkness of this tantalizing tale.
I rated this story 4.5/5.
The last story, A Many Splendid Thing, reminds me of so many true crime cases I’ve seen over the years.
A young man named Jethro find a dead body. (You gotta love a dead body so early in the story, especially the first page.) Of course, being the one that reported the crime, this puts him on the radar of the police as a suspect. If that isn’t bad enough, the troubled teen is struggling at home with an abusive and angry drunk of a father who can’t seem to get over being abandoned by his wife a while back. Jethro just hates her. Dad, he just drinks.
But Jethro does have a place of rescue. His teacher Mrs. Carmine. He’s totally in love with her (ya know, hot for teacher…) but then again, so is every other guy in the school. Jethro feels almost blessed when she asks him to help her home with groceries.
Most of Jethro’s days at school are spent being as quiet and unseen as possible. Yet the three school bullies, Pete, Dean and Stumpy, are constantly antagonizing him every time they see him. But Mrs. Carmine usually takes Jethro’s side and runs to his aid. Of course, this makes him feel like she has a thing for him, which only intensifies his emotions towards her.
Eventually things progress between Mrs. Carmine and Jethro and they spend a wild weekend together while her husband is out of town. Then she starts telling Jethro things about her marriage and how she wants out and they can’t be together unless she doesn’t have a husband anymore…and all these thoughts and feelings start pouring into poor, young Jethro’s head and heart.
Thus, begins the game of cat and mouse between Jethro and his new love where she will stop at nothing to get what she wants and accomplishing her goals. And apparently, she’s outsourcing the job of getting rid of her husband.
So, who will accept? Who will decline? Who will survive and who comes out on top?
This story was by far my favorite. It’s the best story in the book. It has a fantastic ending and for me, was the most well written out of all. I was on the edge of my seat, reading as fast as I could just to find out what happened next when I turned the page.
I rated this story 5/5.
The average rating between the three stories is 4.5/5. This is a very good rating. I have to say that this is definitely a must read for horror lovers. Each story is independent of the others and they are all very entertaining to get to experience in your mind as you read.
RATINGS
4.5/5 Stars
ABOUT THE THREE AUTHORS
Russ Colchamiro
Russ Colchamiro is the author of the rollicking time travel/space adventure, Crossline, the SF/F backpacking comedy series Finders Keepers: The Definitive Edition, Genius de Milo, and Astropalooza, editor of the SF mystery anthology Love, Murder & Mayhem, and co-author of the noir anthology Murder in Montague Falls, all with Crazy 8 Press.
He is now finalizing Crackle and Fire, the first in a new scifi mystery series featuring his intergalactic private eye, Angela Hardwicke, set for publication September 2020.
Russ lives in New Jersey with his wife, two ninjas, and crazy dog Simon, who may in fact be an alien himself. Russ has also contributed to several other anthologies, including Tales of the Crimson Keep, Pangaea, Altered States of the Union, Camelot 13, TV Gods 2, They Keep Killing Glenn, Thrilling Adventure Yarns, Camelot 13, Badass Moms, and Brave New Girls.
Russ is repped by The Zack Compnay.
For more on and Russ’s books, you can visit www.russcolchamiro.com, follow him on Twitter @AuthorDudeRuss, and ‘like’ his Facebook author page www.facebook.com/RussColchamiroAuthor.
Sawney Hatton
Sawney Hatton is an author, editor, and screenwriter. Other incarnations of Sawney have produced marketing videos, attended all-night film festivals, and played the banjo and sousaphone (not at the same time). He loves a good day trip into the unknown.
To learn more about Sawney, visit his website at SawneyHatton.com
Patrick Thomas
Patrick Thomas writes the beloved fantasy humor series Murphy's Lore, and wrote the graphic novel Case of the Moon Maniac and the steampunk themed As The Gears Turn. His short stories have been featured in over fifty anthologies and more than three dozen print magazines.
A number of his books were part of the props department of the CSI television show and one was even thrown at a suspect. Fairy With A Gun was optioned by Laurence Fishburne's Cinema Gypsy Productions. Act of Contrition, a story featuring his Soul For Hire hitman is in development for a short film by Top Men Productions.
Drop by www.patthomas.net to learn more.
Brought to you by The Horror Report
and Blackthorn Book Tours
Noir-Inspired Novellas by Russ Colchamiro, Sawney Hatton and Patrick Thomas
This was another book sent to me by Blackthorn Book Tours. I must say, the team over there has a knack for finding entertaining reading material. This book is a collection of novellas, three of them to be exact. We have murder, mystery, money, Satan worship, the classic love triangle, sex, drugs…they have everything in these three novellas.
Let’s talk about each novella before I get into the ratings.
The first story is called Red Ink. This was written by Russ Colchamiro. It involves an average fourteen-year-old boy with a wild imagination named Isaac Fuller. Isaac fancies himself as some sort of super spy. Yet in the mundane reality of his real day to day life, little Isaac is just a neighborhood paperboy. He likes the job, riding around town and getting to know his customers as he delivers their newspapers every day.
Unfortunately, one day while delivering the paper to his neighbor, Mrs. Gagne, he sees something very strange, unusual. He thinks he’s witnessed the tail end of a crime and Mrs. Gagne winds up missing. He shares this information with his life-long friend Dani, who says, in her most friendly and loving way possible, maybe he should just go to the police and let them handle it. Poor Isaac has a crush on Dani and has for what feels to him like forever, so when she seems to doubt his “special spy agent prowess”, it is a huge slam to his ego.
Soon a precarious triangle begins to form between Isaac, his suspect and the police as suspicious things around the neighborhood start to happen.
Will the truth be revealed before someone else goes missing? Will Isaac get to prove his skills to himself and Dani before something bad happens to him?
I really enjoyed this story immensely. It was a fantastic read and I tore right through it. The text has such an excellent and natural flow it is easy to read and follow. I loved the story idea, very interesting with a number of tense moments. The Isaac character is only fourteen but he has a kind of simple maturity that makes it seem like he should be older. That little edge on Isaac rounds out the tale perfectly.
I rated this story a 4/5.
The second story is a wild one. It’s called The Devil’s Delinquents and written by Sawney Hatton. Okay so here we go:
Meet Cal Virgil. A smaller build of a kid, he’s a young teen from Van Buren High School. He is not considered popular (if his classmates consider him at all) and the poor thing, like so many others, suffers from horrible teen acne. Isn’t puberty just grand? He’s also somewhat mean spirited and slightly emotionally void.
Now meet Derry Rhodes. Derry is a fellow young teen at Van Buren and is Cal’s best buddy. Derry is a larger kid than Cal. He has black hair and seems to have more of a conscience and moral code than Cal. Plus, Derry has a soft spot in his heart for his Mama. So, we know he can feel love and compassion. Cal? Not so sure.
These two friends are interested in devil worship, conjuring dark forces, that kind of thing. They try and try, yet they are repeatedly unsuccessful.
Then they meet Natalie Glantz, a Junior classman transferred from what is referred to as “a special school”. She totally rocks the gothic look; black hair, thick black eyeliner, deep red lipstick, pale skin and tops it all off with a black pirate patch over one eye. Needless to say, she doesn’t look like every other teen at Van Buren. She’s viewed as the creepy girl at school, she’s very cold and emotionally detached (especially from her parents) and even claims she can communicate with spirits and demons from the other side.
This is EXACTLY what Cal and Derry think they need.
Together the three of them do everything in their power to try to conjure dark forces. But nothing is ever what it seems when dealing with the devil. Soon the boys find out that there is more to conjuring than they thought. Questions start to arise and a tiny little love triangle begins to develop that could have a devastating impact on the trio’s whole plan. Now they have to figure out what to do, where to do it and most importantly, who to trust.
I found this story to be an excellent example of truly disturbing horror and gore. We run the gamut of horrifying bits and pieces. Child death and mutilation, Satanic worship, all kind of violence on all levels and murder and gore galore. Be ready for some shock and awe as you tear through the darkness of this tantalizing tale.
I rated this story 4.5/5.
The last story, A Many Splendid Thing, reminds me of so many true crime cases I’ve seen over the years.
A young man named Jethro find a dead body. (You gotta love a dead body so early in the story, especially the first page.) Of course, being the one that reported the crime, this puts him on the radar of the police as a suspect. If that isn’t bad enough, the troubled teen is struggling at home with an abusive and angry drunk of a father who can’t seem to get over being abandoned by his wife a while back. Jethro just hates her. Dad, he just drinks.
But Jethro does have a place of rescue. His teacher Mrs. Carmine. He’s totally in love with her (ya know, hot for teacher…) but then again, so is every other guy in the school. Jethro feels almost blessed when she asks him to help her home with groceries.
Most of Jethro’s days at school are spent being as quiet and unseen as possible. Yet the three school bullies, Pete, Dean and Stumpy, are constantly antagonizing him every time they see him. But Mrs. Carmine usually takes Jethro’s side and runs to his aid. Of course, this makes him feel like she has a thing for him, which only intensifies his emotions towards her.
Eventually things progress between Mrs. Carmine and Jethro and they spend a wild weekend together while her husband is out of town. Then she starts telling Jethro things about her marriage and how she wants out and they can’t be together unless she doesn’t have a husband anymore…and all these thoughts and feelings start pouring into poor, young Jethro’s head and heart.
Thus, begins the game of cat and mouse between Jethro and his new love where she will stop at nothing to get what she wants and accomplishing her goals. And apparently, she’s outsourcing the job of getting rid of her husband.
So, who will accept? Who will decline? Who will survive and who comes out on top?
This story was by far my favorite. It’s the best story in the book. It has a fantastic ending and for me, was the most well written out of all. I was on the edge of my seat, reading as fast as I could just to find out what happened next when I turned the page.
I rated this story 5/5.
The average rating between the three stories is 4.5/5. This is a very good rating. I have to say that this is definitely a must read for horror lovers. Each story is independent of the others and they are all very entertaining to get to experience in your mind as you read.
RATINGS
4.5/5 Stars
ABOUT THE THREE AUTHORS
Russ Colchamiro
Russ Colchamiro is the author of the rollicking time travel/space adventure, Crossline, the SF/F backpacking comedy series Finders Keepers: The Definitive Edition, Genius de Milo, and Astropalooza, editor of the SF mystery anthology Love, Murder & Mayhem, and co-author of the noir anthology Murder in Montague Falls, all with Crazy 8 Press.
He is now finalizing Crackle and Fire, the first in a new scifi mystery series featuring his intergalactic private eye, Angela Hardwicke, set for publication September 2020.
Russ lives in New Jersey with his wife, two ninjas, and crazy dog Simon, who may in fact be an alien himself. Russ has also contributed to several other anthologies, including Tales of the Crimson Keep, Pangaea, Altered States of the Union, Camelot 13, TV Gods 2, They Keep Killing Glenn, Thrilling Adventure Yarns, Camelot 13, Badass Moms, and Brave New Girls.
Russ is repped by The Zack Compnay.
For more on and Russ’s books, you can visit www.russcolchamiro.com, follow him on Twitter @AuthorDudeRuss, and ‘like’ his Facebook author page www.facebook.com/RussColchamiroAuthor.
Sawney Hatton
Sawney Hatton is an author, editor, and screenwriter. Other incarnations of Sawney have produced marketing videos, attended all-night film festivals, and played the banjo and sousaphone (not at the same time). He loves a good day trip into the unknown.
To learn more about Sawney, visit his website at SawneyHatton.com
Patrick Thomas
Patrick Thomas writes the beloved fantasy humor series Murphy's Lore, and wrote the graphic novel Case of the Moon Maniac and the steampunk themed As The Gears Turn. His short stories have been featured in over fifty anthologies and more than three dozen print magazines.
A number of his books were part of the props department of the CSI television show and one was even thrown at a suspect. Fairy With A Gun was optioned by Laurence Fishburne's Cinema Gypsy Productions. Act of Contrition, a story featuring his Soul For Hire hitman is in development for a short film by Top Men Productions.
Drop by www.patthomas.net to learn more.
Brought to you by The Horror Report
and Blackthorn Book Tours
October 22, 2019
I received this book in exchange for an honest review. I have given Murder in Montague Falls: Noir-Inspired Novellas by Russ Colchamiro, Sawney Hatton and Patrick Thomas four out of five stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
I was very excited to be a part of this blog tour as this book of novellas has given me all the spooky feels I needed just in time for Halloween!
The first book in the series is called Red Ink, which is about a fourteen year old paperboy called Isaac. Whilst on his paper delivery round, one of his regular customers, Ms Gagne, hasn’t paid him on time. With his overactive imagination Isaac becomes very suspicious about this and decides to investigate which is when he discovers a body on the floor of Ms Gagne’s house! Isaac tries to get help from the police but they’re hardly interested in what Isaac has to tell them as they don’t believe him in the slightest. This is when Isaac decides to take matters into his own hands and from there,the mystery starts to unfold… It was a very fast-paced mysterious, crime investigating novella which kept me on the edge of my seat throughout the whole story. I really enjoyed the use of the descriptive, detailed writing as it helped me picture the setting clearly. I thoroughly enjoyed this page turning story and the characters the author created.
The second book, The Devil’s Delinquents, is a very creepy, satanic story filled with gore and bloodiness. This story follows two teenage boys called Derry and Cal, who befriend a girl called Nat. The boys are soon to find out that Nat is involved with heinous Satanic rituals, which she then manages to draw the boys in to join her with these acts due to their tragic similarities; from being bullied at school to their sad home lives. The unexpected twists and turns throughout the book were fantastic! I liked how this story referred back to the first story Red Ink and I also enjoyed the descriptive detailed writing style used by the author, just like the first book, this story kept me on the edge of seat too. I thought that the ending to this story was quite rushed, although it is a short story I wish it hadn’t rushed the events, twists and turns that happened as it started to feel quite unrealistic.
The third book A Many Splendid Thing was like no other book I have read before. It was a clever, conniving and manipulative psychological thriller. This book follows a student called Jethro and a science teacher called Mrs Carmine. Jethro gets bullied a lot at school and has a poor relationship with his separated parents which you learn quite a lot about in this story. Mrs Carmine is Jethro’s somewhat escape and soon they find their feelings for one another start to grow. I felt very suspicious towards Mrs Carmine’s character especially once you find Jethro’s infatuation for Mrs Carmine to be “mutual”. Scheming and manipulation were two huge factors of this story, which made me quite angry at times from the naivety of Jethro and the cunningness of Mrs Carmine. Some of the crimes the characters commit in this story simply horrified me and I found myself squinting and making funny faces at the scenes that I started to read over. I really didn’t see the plot twist coming towards the end and my mouth was agape from the events that started to unravel!
Overall I really enjoyed these three noir-inspired dark novellas. They were all page-turning, mysterious and thrilling. I liked how each novella was different from one another. Also, I thought the novellas were the perfect length to sit through in one/two sittings (depending on the availability and time you have).
I was very excited to be a part of this blog tour as this book of novellas has given me all the spooky feels I needed just in time for Halloween!
The first book in the series is called Red Ink, which is about a fourteen year old paperboy called Isaac. Whilst on his paper delivery round, one of his regular customers, Ms Gagne, hasn’t paid him on time. With his overactive imagination Isaac becomes very suspicious about this and decides to investigate which is when he discovers a body on the floor of Ms Gagne’s house! Isaac tries to get help from the police but they’re hardly interested in what Isaac has to tell them as they don’t believe him in the slightest. This is when Isaac decides to take matters into his own hands and from there,the mystery starts to unfold… It was a very fast-paced mysterious, crime investigating novella which kept me on the edge of my seat throughout the whole story. I really enjoyed the use of the descriptive, detailed writing as it helped me picture the setting clearly. I thoroughly enjoyed this page turning story and the characters the author created.
The second book, The Devil’s Delinquents, is a very creepy, satanic story filled with gore and bloodiness. This story follows two teenage boys called Derry and Cal, who befriend a girl called Nat. The boys are soon to find out that Nat is involved with heinous Satanic rituals, which she then manages to draw the boys in to join her with these acts due to their tragic similarities; from being bullied at school to their sad home lives. The unexpected twists and turns throughout the book were fantastic! I liked how this story referred back to the first story Red Ink and I also enjoyed the descriptive detailed writing style used by the author, just like the first book, this story kept me on the edge of seat too. I thought that the ending to this story was quite rushed, although it is a short story I wish it hadn’t rushed the events, twists and turns that happened as it started to feel quite unrealistic.
The third book A Many Splendid Thing was like no other book I have read before. It was a clever, conniving and manipulative psychological thriller. This book follows a student called Jethro and a science teacher called Mrs Carmine. Jethro gets bullied a lot at school and has a poor relationship with his separated parents which you learn quite a lot about in this story. Mrs Carmine is Jethro’s somewhat escape and soon they find their feelings for one another start to grow. I felt very suspicious towards Mrs Carmine’s character especially once you find Jethro’s infatuation for Mrs Carmine to be “mutual”. Scheming and manipulation were two huge factors of this story, which made me quite angry at times from the naivety of Jethro and the cunningness of Mrs Carmine. Some of the crimes the characters commit in this story simply horrified me and I found myself squinting and making funny faces at the scenes that I started to read over. I really didn’t see the plot twist coming towards the end and my mouth was agape from the events that started to unravel!
Overall I really enjoyed these three noir-inspired dark novellas. They were all page-turning, mysterious and thrilling. I liked how each novella was different from one another. Also, I thought the novellas were the perfect length to sit through in one/two sittings (depending on the availability and time you have).
December 8, 2019
Take a walk on the darker side with this 3-for-1 noir-themed book. Each novella takes place in Montague Falls, creating a comfort level with the setting as you read from one to the next. RED INK was a great start to the book and really hit home with the intrigue and overactive imagination of a teen boy, Isaac. His investigation into the murder helps him discover the harsher, darker side of what being a spy entails. THE DEVIL's DELINQUENTS takes the book down to a whole new level of noir by introducing a trio of teens who dabble with the occult. Nat's charismatic personality (despite her Satanic darkness), draws in two boys on the downside edge of trouble. Together, they begin a plan of bloodshed to fulfill their dark desires. It moves fast when the action amps up with an ending that leaves you saying, "Whoa!". The third story, A MANY SPLENDID THING, pulls us back up out of the depths of evil with a story that we have often seen plastered in the news - a student-teacher relationship. The pace of the short story is exceptionally strong and sends you reeling with each twist. The manipulation and actual plans that come to be and the lines that the pair crosses is actually frightful. Love (or lust?!) is a powerful driving force that clearly doesn't put limits on what people will do.
I received a copy of the book for reviewing purposes. All opinions are my own.
I received a copy of the book for reviewing purposes. All opinions are my own.
April 22, 2024
I couldn’t even get more than a few pages into the third story. I just found the whole thing sort of boring. I kept hoping it would get better after one of the authors pitched it to me at Monster Mania. He said the second story was inspired by the West Memphis 3. That’s a bit of a stretch. But I got to the point where I dreaded picking it up.
June 23, 2020
Short story collections are a good way to discover new writers, but sometimes they can be a little hard to enjoy, you find yourself wanting to know more and wishing that the stories would go on for longer. Murder In Montague Falls manages to sidestep this by giving readers three novella's instead of shorter stories, and it works so well because of that. None of the stories in this collection would have worked half as well if they'd have been shorter in length, and use the space given over to them incredibly well.
'Red Ink' is the first story in the book, and follows Isaac, a young teen lost in the world of imagination. His story opens by tricking the readers into thinking that this is going to be some kind of spy tale, but it soon transpires that Isaac is just a normal kid, spending half his time in a make believe world. His false world is soon shattered, however, when he discovers one of the women on his paper route has been murdered.
Isaac and his friend tries to investigate, and discovers that they've simply made a mistake. It turns out the woman has gone away on holiday, and her brother is taking care of the house whilst she's gone. But is it really that simple? Isaac is convinced that there's more going on than meets the eye and is determined to find out what's really going on.
Isaac's story, despite being about murder, is probably the nicest of the bunch in the terms of gore and darker themes. It's the kind of story that can appeal to a younger reader, and people close to Isaac's age will definitely be able to enjoy it. In a few ways it feels like it would be home in a series like The Famous Five. The story doesn't get too complex because of this, yet still manages to have some surprising depth when you learn the traumatic backstory that spurs Isaac on. It's a surprisingly touching moment, and one that brought some genuine tears to my eyes.
'Red Ink' works well as a stand alone story, but it would really work as the first story in a series. I'd love to read more about Isaac and Dani hanging out together and solving crimes in Montague Falls.
'The Devil's Delinquents' by Sawney Hatton is a little harder for me to talk about, be cause it's my least favourite story in the collection. Not because it's not good, because it's an interesting story that's well written, but because of the dark turn the story takes at the end.
The story follows two teens, Cal and Derry, outcasts and delinquents. They're unpopular, hate the in crowd, and are constantly in trouble with their teachers. One day they meet Natalie, who they take an instant liking to her. She's just like them, into devil worship, causing trouble, and doing whatever she wants. Natalie is a delinquent on a whole other level than Cal and Derry, however, and starts to lead the two of them astray.
Natalie convinces the two of them that she's managed to summon demons, and can use black magic to make their lives better. Telling the two of them that they can get whatever they want if they perform a human sacrifice the three of them prepare a murder.
Now, this is a spoiler for the story, so if you want to go in blind skip to the next paragraph. The three teens decide to target one of Cal's neighbours, Tony, a mentally disabled man. In what's an incredibly upsetting scene the three of them lure him into the house, get him drunk, and stab him in the chest. This doesn't kill him though, and the injured Tony tries desperately to get home to his dad, but is killed by the three attackers. They then go on to mutilate his body, cutting out his heart. This was one of the hardest things that I've read, and I was crying by the end of the scene. It was just so brutal and sadistic that it went too far for me.
'The Devil's Delinquents' might not be to everyone's liking because of the above mentioned moment, but it is still an interesting story that deals with peer pressure, and how two people get led down a path to murder by a clearly disturbed, yet charming individual.
'Many A Splendid Thing' was a story that I felt I knew when it first began. It centres on Jethro, a teen who's fallen for his beautiful science teacher, Mrs Carmine. Jethro comes from a troubled home, his mother left his father for another man, resulting in his father descending into drink. His mother meanwhile, is so wrapped up in her new boyfriend that she actively hates her son. When Mrs Carmine shows Jethro some affection he latches onto her, and their relationship quickly becomes sexual. Things take a turn for the murderous when Mrs Carmine tells Jethro that her husband is a brutal man, and asks Jethro to help her escape him by killing him for her.
This was how I expected the story to go, but thanks to some unexpected twists and turns (and more murders) along the way the story managed to take an old trope and put a fresh spin onto events. The story has a lot of ups and downs, and I was never one hundred percent sure how events were going to play out.
Murder in Montague Falls was definitely a mixed collection, and despite the three stories being set within the town of Montague Falls and all being about murder, and each story feels very different and distinct from each other. A varied and interesting collection that is sure to entertain.
'Red Ink' is the first story in the book, and follows Isaac, a young teen lost in the world of imagination. His story opens by tricking the readers into thinking that this is going to be some kind of spy tale, but it soon transpires that Isaac is just a normal kid, spending half his time in a make believe world. His false world is soon shattered, however, when he discovers one of the women on his paper route has been murdered.
Isaac and his friend tries to investigate, and discovers that they've simply made a mistake. It turns out the woman has gone away on holiday, and her brother is taking care of the house whilst she's gone. But is it really that simple? Isaac is convinced that there's more going on than meets the eye and is determined to find out what's really going on.
Isaac's story, despite being about murder, is probably the nicest of the bunch in the terms of gore and darker themes. It's the kind of story that can appeal to a younger reader, and people close to Isaac's age will definitely be able to enjoy it. In a few ways it feels like it would be home in a series like The Famous Five. The story doesn't get too complex because of this, yet still manages to have some surprising depth when you learn the traumatic backstory that spurs Isaac on. It's a surprisingly touching moment, and one that brought some genuine tears to my eyes.
'Red Ink' works well as a stand alone story, but it would really work as the first story in a series. I'd love to read more about Isaac and Dani hanging out together and solving crimes in Montague Falls.
'The Devil's Delinquents' by Sawney Hatton is a little harder for me to talk about, be cause it's my least favourite story in the collection. Not because it's not good, because it's an interesting story that's well written, but because of the dark turn the story takes at the end.
The story follows two teens, Cal and Derry, outcasts and delinquents. They're unpopular, hate the in crowd, and are constantly in trouble with their teachers. One day they meet Natalie, who they take an instant liking to her. She's just like them, into devil worship, causing trouble, and doing whatever she wants. Natalie is a delinquent on a whole other level than Cal and Derry, however, and starts to lead the two of them astray.
Natalie convinces the two of them that she's managed to summon demons, and can use black magic to make their lives better. Telling the two of them that they can get whatever they want if they perform a human sacrifice the three of them prepare a murder.
Now, this is a spoiler for the story, so if you want to go in blind skip to the next paragraph. The three teens decide to target one of Cal's neighbours, Tony, a mentally disabled man. In what's an incredibly upsetting scene the three of them lure him into the house, get him drunk, and stab him in the chest. This doesn't kill him though, and the injured Tony tries desperately to get home to his dad, but is killed by the three attackers. They then go on to mutilate his body, cutting out his heart. This was one of the hardest things that I've read, and I was crying by the end of the scene. It was just so brutal and sadistic that it went too far for me.
'The Devil's Delinquents' might not be to everyone's liking because of the above mentioned moment, but it is still an interesting story that deals with peer pressure, and how two people get led down a path to murder by a clearly disturbed, yet charming individual.
'Many A Splendid Thing' was a story that I felt I knew when it first began. It centres on Jethro, a teen who's fallen for his beautiful science teacher, Mrs Carmine. Jethro comes from a troubled home, his mother left his father for another man, resulting in his father descending into drink. His mother meanwhile, is so wrapped up in her new boyfriend that she actively hates her son. When Mrs Carmine shows Jethro some affection he latches onto her, and their relationship quickly becomes sexual. Things take a turn for the murderous when Mrs Carmine tells Jethro that her husband is a brutal man, and asks Jethro to help her escape him by killing him for her.
This was how I expected the story to go, but thanks to some unexpected twists and turns (and more murders) along the way the story managed to take an old trope and put a fresh spin onto events. The story has a lot of ups and downs, and I was never one hundred percent sure how events were going to play out.
Murder in Montague Falls was definitely a mixed collection, and despite the three stories being set within the town of Montague Falls and all being about murder, and each story feels very different and distinct from each other. A varied and interesting collection that is sure to entertain.
July 13, 2025
Full Disclosure: Goodreads Giveaway Winner
This book is a collection of three shorter stories (novellas). The first and third fall squarely into Noir territory, and are the better for it. Yes, the stories are about kids... but they are NOT kids stories, and I would definitely hesitate to offer them to younger teens, but they are vey enjoyable.
I was honestly disappointed to come to the end of Red Ink. Yes, the story was over, but I really could have continued reading Isaac's further adventures. Isaac is a kid... he's a paperboy, and placing the story in the pre-cell phone era really works; he also has a secret (inner) life as a key asset, undercover spy for The Agency. IRL, Isaac has a customer who is a bit behind in paying, and while trying to collect, he peeks in a window and sees her lying on the floor. But, is this real... like, really real? Or is it a figment of his very active imagination? He has to convince his best friend, Dani, and the cops.... and = well, that's not easy. Read it.... if you like noir, you'll appreciate it.
A Many Splendid Thing is also, solidly in the Noir genre, but it's definitely darker. If you are at denizen of TCM's Noir Alley the basic plot of a femme fatale will be familiar, but with a high school twist. Jethro is in high school, with a crap home life - his Mom left he and his Dad for a lowlife, and his Dad has crawled in a bottle to become a semi-functional alcoholic. Oh, and he majorly crushing on his science teacher. Mrs. Carmine is abused by her husband, and being sexually harassed (bordering on assaulted) by the Principal... and she has eyes for Jethro (ok, eww... I am totally against any teacher student romance, but this serves the plot).
And then there's The Devil's Delinquents.... this is definitely dark, but not a Noir darkness - it's more like a plot of Criminal Minds... like seriously psychologically twisted dark. It's not a bad story, but I don't like it as well as the other two (but make no mistake, I am a total CM fan), and I don't think it belongs in a Noir collection. Derry & Cal are low level Goths... mostly in it for the alcohol. Then they meet Natalie who is serious... about something... and pretty.... and into something much more serious than Goth culture - worshipping Satan (or is she?). Being teenaged boys, they are easily led down the path, with a ring through their noses (or nether parts).
Had the Delinquents been as good as the others, and actually Noir, this collection would have been 4 stars, easy.
This book is a collection of three shorter stories (novellas). The first and third fall squarely into Noir territory, and are the better for it. Yes, the stories are about kids... but they are NOT kids stories, and I would definitely hesitate to offer them to younger teens, but they are vey enjoyable.
I was honestly disappointed to come to the end of Red Ink. Yes, the story was over, but I really could have continued reading Isaac's further adventures. Isaac is a kid... he's a paperboy, and placing the story in the pre-cell phone era really works; he also has a secret (inner) life as a key asset, undercover spy for The Agency. IRL, Isaac has a customer who is a bit behind in paying, and while trying to collect, he peeks in a window and sees her lying on the floor. But, is this real... like, really real? Or is it a figment of his very active imagination? He has to convince his best friend, Dani, and the cops.... and = well, that's not easy. Read it.... if you like noir, you'll appreciate it.
A Many Splendid Thing is also, solidly in the Noir genre, but it's definitely darker. If you are at denizen of TCM's Noir Alley the basic plot of a femme fatale will be familiar, but with a high school twist. Jethro is in high school, with a crap home life - his Mom left he and his Dad for a lowlife, and his Dad has crawled in a bottle to become a semi-functional alcoholic. Oh, and he majorly crushing on his science teacher. Mrs. Carmine is abused by her husband, and being sexually harassed (bordering on assaulted) by the Principal... and she has eyes for Jethro (ok, eww... I am totally against any teacher student romance, but this serves the plot).
And then there's The Devil's Delinquents.... this is definitely dark, but not a Noir darkness - it's more like a plot of Criminal Minds... like seriously psychologically twisted dark. It's not a bad story, but I don't like it as well as the other two (but make no mistake, I am a total CM fan), and I don't think it belongs in a Noir collection. Derry & Cal are low level Goths... mostly in it for the alcohol. Then they meet Natalie who is serious... about something... and pretty.... and into something much more serious than Goth culture - worshipping Satan (or is she?). Being teenaged boys, they are easily led down the path, with a ring through their noses (or nether parts).
Had the Delinquents been as good as the others, and actually Noir, this collection would have been 4 stars, easy.
July 20, 2020
Three stories, three authors, three moments in time, one town. All about grim deeds and all about teenagers.
This neat formula works well in this tightly written collection. The writing perfectly captures its themes of growing up and coming to understand the world at the edge of the darkest of fantasies and the darkest of realities.
In the first story, a paperboy fantasizes about becoming a spy and assassin, and ends up encountering the real thing. In the second, three youngsters, led (as tends to be the way) by the most damaged of them, explore the possibilities of negotiating with Satan. In the third, a pupil falls for his teacher, and is murderously manipulated by her.
All of the stories have moments where fantasy and reality merge and the distinction between them is uncertain. Different moralities and obligations and sets of rules interweave. The reality of deeds, the awfulness of what is going on, what is being risked, cannot quite be comprehended. The steps from waking boredom into nightmare are tempting, uncertain, contingent. This was beautifully captured and reflects the adolescent consciousness: that moment when so much of the brain is fully developed, acute, intense, but the frontal lobes – the control panel of adult personality, charged with emotional expression, problem solving, judgment, sexual behaviors, understanding of consequences – is still incomplete and subject to massive swings and changes. No wonder adolescents are so dangerous! No wonder so many lives get broken in that transition! Coming from my own preoccupations – thinking so much recently about prison reform and how we treat offenders, particularly those who go to prison young – I could not help seeing in this clever collection a kind of commentary on youthful criminality, in all its excitement, danger and tragedy.
But enough of this! The authors did not ask me to think of these things. The authors wrote three intriguing stories, all of which roam playfully through the noir and horror territory, taking little detours into their familiar locations and looking around with one eye raised askance, the other twinkling.
Well done these stories. I enjoyed them.
This review was written as part of a Blackthorn Book Tour, but is a verified purchase review and the views are my own
This neat formula works well in this tightly written collection. The writing perfectly captures its themes of growing up and coming to understand the world at the edge of the darkest of fantasies and the darkest of realities.
In the first story, a paperboy fantasizes about becoming a spy and assassin, and ends up encountering the real thing. In the second, three youngsters, led (as tends to be the way) by the most damaged of them, explore the possibilities of negotiating with Satan. In the third, a pupil falls for his teacher, and is murderously manipulated by her.
All of the stories have moments where fantasy and reality merge and the distinction between them is uncertain. Different moralities and obligations and sets of rules interweave. The reality of deeds, the awfulness of what is going on, what is being risked, cannot quite be comprehended. The steps from waking boredom into nightmare are tempting, uncertain, contingent. This was beautifully captured and reflects the adolescent consciousness: that moment when so much of the brain is fully developed, acute, intense, but the frontal lobes – the control panel of adult personality, charged with emotional expression, problem solving, judgment, sexual behaviors, understanding of consequences – is still incomplete and subject to massive swings and changes. No wonder adolescents are so dangerous! No wonder so many lives get broken in that transition! Coming from my own preoccupations – thinking so much recently about prison reform and how we treat offenders, particularly those who go to prison young – I could not help seeing in this clever collection a kind of commentary on youthful criminality, in all its excitement, danger and tragedy.
But enough of this! The authors did not ask me to think of these things. The authors wrote three intriguing stories, all of which roam playfully through the noir and horror territory, taking little detours into their familiar locations and looking around with one eye raised askance, the other twinkling.
Well done these stories. I enjoyed them.
This review was written as part of a Blackthorn Book Tour, but is a verified purchase review and the views are my own
July 12, 2021
This one has been on my reading pile for quite some time, getting shuffled back down to the bottom every time something else caught my eye. It finally got to the top and, I have to say, I owe the writers an apology for letting this fine trio of noir novellas sit so long. They were truly a dark treat. A spy thriller, a horror story, and a classic noir complete with an alluring femme fatale - all featuring teenaged protagonists.
In Russ Colchamiro's Red Ink we get to meet 14-year old Isaac Fuller, a paper boy in the mid 1980s. The commie threat is at an all time high, movies like Star Trek III, Police Academy, and Gremlins are in the theaters, and a strange new disease called AIDS is spreading fast. It's prime fuel for a kid with an active imagination... And Isaac Fuller has a very active imagination. After he stumbles across the scene of a murder he begins to doubt what he saw. He's pretty sure he saw it. He thinks he did. Probably. Finally, when others doubt what he says, he decides he has to prove it for himself.
The Devil's Delinquents by Shawney Hatton takes place ten years later during Halloween 1994. Two teenage misfits, Derry and Cal, meet a girl named Natalie Glantz. Where the boys are into smoking pot and doing nothing except listening to Death Metal music and talking big talk, Natalie is completely into the imagery of satanic ritual. She gives the boys the motivation to actually DO something... With deadly results.
Finally, A Many Splendid Thing by Patrick Thomas takes us back to 1955. Studebakers, Uncle Miltie, and green stamps. Jethro's home-life has gone down the toilet since his mom ran off with another guy and his dad crawled into the bottle. Still, he isn't prepared for the body he finds at the beginning of this story, unrecognizable after weeks in the water and stinking something fierce. He just wants to get up the courage to ask out his secret crush, Jenny. Things take an unexpected turn when Jethro finds himself in a Double Indemnity scenario with the delicious science teacher Mrs. Carmine... It seems like one big cliche unfolding as expected, but not so fast - there are a few twists that may take you by surprise!
These three novellas are on the darker side of noir. Not for the easily offended. There is some adult language and a bit of graphic violence. I would say rated R (mainly for F - bombs).
A good batch of stories.
In Russ Colchamiro's Red Ink we get to meet 14-year old Isaac Fuller, a paper boy in the mid 1980s. The commie threat is at an all time high, movies like Star Trek III, Police Academy, and Gremlins are in the theaters, and a strange new disease called AIDS is spreading fast. It's prime fuel for a kid with an active imagination... And Isaac Fuller has a very active imagination. After he stumbles across the scene of a murder he begins to doubt what he saw. He's pretty sure he saw it. He thinks he did. Probably. Finally, when others doubt what he says, he decides he has to prove it for himself.
The Devil's Delinquents by Shawney Hatton takes place ten years later during Halloween 1994. Two teenage misfits, Derry and Cal, meet a girl named Natalie Glantz. Where the boys are into smoking pot and doing nothing except listening to Death Metal music and talking big talk, Natalie is completely into the imagery of satanic ritual. She gives the boys the motivation to actually DO something... With deadly results.
Finally, A Many Splendid Thing by Patrick Thomas takes us back to 1955. Studebakers, Uncle Miltie, and green stamps. Jethro's home-life has gone down the toilet since his mom ran off with another guy and his dad crawled into the bottle. Still, he isn't prepared for the body he finds at the beginning of this story, unrecognizable after weeks in the water and stinking something fierce. He just wants to get up the courage to ask out his secret crush, Jenny. Things take an unexpected turn when Jethro finds himself in a Double Indemnity scenario with the delicious science teacher Mrs. Carmine... It seems like one big cliche unfolding as expected, but not so fast - there are a few twists that may take you by surprise!
These three novellas are on the darker side of noir. Not for the easily offended. There is some adult language and a bit of graphic violence. I would say rated R (mainly for F - bombs).
A good batch of stories.
May 7, 2020
Murder in Montague Falls is a horror anthology featuring three short stories that take place in the town of Montague Falls. The first story is Red Ink by Russ Colchamiro. It tells the story of Isaac Fuller, a 14 year old neighborhood paperboy who has a vivid imagination. Though he is only a high school student, Isaac fantasizes that he is a spy who is helping President Reagan in the fight against the Soviets. One day, while Isaac is collecting money on his paper route, he witnesses a murder. . . or did he. Even Isaac is a bit uncertain if he really saw a dead body or if his overactive imagination made his think he saw a murder victim. He decides to investigate the situation more in depth in hopes of finding out the truth.
The second story was The Devil's Delinquents by Sawney Hatton. This is the story of two stoner high schools friends, Derry and Cal, who are more interested in heavy metal music and the occult than in schoolwork. When a new girl Natalie Glantz shows up in detention hall, the boys are instantly intrigued by her Goth style and her devil may care attitude. When it turns out that Natalie is a practicing Satanist, the boys decide they want to be a part of Natalie's dark rituals. What is this trio willing to do in order to achieve their goals of success, power, and revenge.?
This final tale was A Many Splendid Thing by Patrick Thomas. This is the story of high school student, Jethro, who finds himself entangled with his science teacher, the beautiful Mrs. Carmine. Jethro is frequently bullied, so he is surprised when his teacher takes a special interest in him. Unfortunately, she tries to convince him that he needs to kill her husband. Will Jethro kill for this sultry femme fatale?
These three stories can all be categorized as coming of age tales as these young adults work through what they want their identity to be. There is plenty of self doubt as our characters navigate a through the world and make decisions concerning the events going on around them. I enjoyed reading all three stories and found them light and fun. I especially liked the throw back feel and sense of nostalgia while reading these stories.
The second story was The Devil's Delinquents by Sawney Hatton. This is the story of two stoner high schools friends, Derry and Cal, who are more interested in heavy metal music and the occult than in schoolwork. When a new girl Natalie Glantz shows up in detention hall, the boys are instantly intrigued by her Goth style and her devil may care attitude. When it turns out that Natalie is a practicing Satanist, the boys decide they want to be a part of Natalie's dark rituals. What is this trio willing to do in order to achieve their goals of success, power, and revenge.?
This final tale was A Many Splendid Thing by Patrick Thomas. This is the story of high school student, Jethro, who finds himself entangled with his science teacher, the beautiful Mrs. Carmine. Jethro is frequently bullied, so he is surprised when his teacher takes a special interest in him. Unfortunately, she tries to convince him that he needs to kill her husband. Will Jethro kill for this sultry femme fatale?
These three stories can all be categorized as coming of age tales as these young adults work through what they want their identity to be. There is plenty of self doubt as our characters navigate a through the world and make decisions concerning the events going on around them. I enjoyed reading all three stories and found them light and fun. I especially liked the throw back feel and sense of nostalgia while reading these stories.
July 14, 2020
Red Ink by Russ Colchamiro - 3 stars
I really enjoyed this novella, we follow Isaac who imagines himself as a spy and ends up in a spot of bother. Isaac is a really interesting character to follow as we see that even though he is only 14 years old he has dealt with so much and hasn't properly dealt with that. Unfortunately due to this he lashes out at the people he cares about.
Dani, Isaac's best friend was a really great character. You can really tell she cares so much about Iaasc and only wants what is best for him. I really enjoyed the atmosphere created in this book, it was quite tense and kept me really intrigued throughout this story. This was a really solid novella.
The Devil Deliquents by Sawney Hatton - 4 stars
I wasn't really sure what I was getting into when I started this novella but boy I got a hell of a lot. We follow two main characters Cal and Derry who are you typical bad teenagers smoking weed, drinking etc. They meet a new girl and end up doing some pretty horrible stuff in the name of Satan.
This was a really dark story full of blood, gore and pretty horrible stuff. Our main characters are not likable at all but I could see exactly how they got wrapped up in all of the satanic craziness that was Natalie.
Natalie has had some traumatic things happen to her and turns towards the Devil to worship which leads to her being a little bit on the psychopath spectrum. She seems to have more emotions which was really interesting to follow with.
This story ended up being very gruesome which I actually really enjoyed and kept me on the edge of my feet. I'll definitely be looking out for more by this author.
A many splendid thing by Patrick Thomas - 5 stars
This story was more of a psychological thriller which I really loved. This is all about our main character who falls in love and has an affair with his science teacher. This was really twisty and turny that had me on the edge of my seat flipping the page wanting to know what's happening.
Although I did guess the final twist due to see this in previous stories i still really enjoyed this thriller novella and would definitely recommend it.
Overall thoughts
So there you have it my three reviews of the novellas in Murder in Montague Falls. This was definitely a fun and quick read which I would definitely recommend to horror and thriller fans!
I really enjoyed this novella, we follow Isaac who imagines himself as a spy and ends up in a spot of bother. Isaac is a really interesting character to follow as we see that even though he is only 14 years old he has dealt with so much and hasn't properly dealt with that. Unfortunately due to this he lashes out at the people he cares about.
Dani, Isaac's best friend was a really great character. You can really tell she cares so much about Iaasc and only wants what is best for him. I really enjoyed the atmosphere created in this book, it was quite tense and kept me really intrigued throughout this story. This was a really solid novella.
The Devil Deliquents by Sawney Hatton - 4 stars
I wasn't really sure what I was getting into when I started this novella but boy I got a hell of a lot. We follow two main characters Cal and Derry who are you typical bad teenagers smoking weed, drinking etc. They meet a new girl and end up doing some pretty horrible stuff in the name of Satan.
This was a really dark story full of blood, gore and pretty horrible stuff. Our main characters are not likable at all but I could see exactly how they got wrapped up in all of the satanic craziness that was Natalie.
Natalie has had some traumatic things happen to her and turns towards the Devil to worship which leads to her being a little bit on the psychopath spectrum. She seems to have more emotions which was really interesting to follow with.
This story ended up being very gruesome which I actually really enjoyed and kept me on the edge of my feet. I'll definitely be looking out for more by this author.
A many splendid thing by Patrick Thomas - 5 stars
This story was more of a psychological thriller which I really loved. This is all about our main character who falls in love and has an affair with his science teacher. This was really twisty and turny that had me on the edge of my seat flipping the page wanting to know what's happening.
Although I did guess the final twist due to see this in previous stories i still really enjoyed this thriller novella and would definitely recommend it.
Overall thoughts
So there you have it my three reviews of the novellas in Murder in Montague Falls. This was definitely a fun and quick read which I would definitely recommend to horror and thriller fans!
May 1, 2024
i met russ colchamiro at the new jersey horror con and film festival, i believe 2 weeks ago now, and i absolutely loved his enthusiasm when talking about this book. i knew immediately i had to get it, so i did. he even signed my copy for me!
this was great. i really enjoyed every one of these stories. some parts had me with my jaw hanging loose. each of these writers have a flow to them that makes it super easy to read and process what’s going on, and that’s something i need, especially now with the stress of graduating high school. not once was i ever bored reading this and it has become a new favorite of mine!
(sorry if this review sucks, still getting the hang of writing them, especially serious ones and not one-liners or jokes)
this was great. i really enjoyed every one of these stories. some parts had me with my jaw hanging loose. each of these writers have a flow to them that makes it super easy to read and process what’s going on, and that’s something i need, especially now with the stress of graduating high school. not once was i ever bored reading this and it has become a new favorite of mine!
(sorry if this review sucks, still getting the hang of writing them, especially serious ones and not one-liners or jokes)
August 27, 2026
3.5 ⭐
This is an anthology of 3 novellas.
Red Ink by Russ Colchamiro - 4 ⭐
I loved this one! A kid pretends to play spy while on his paper route and actually finds himself in the middle of a murder. I really enjoyed the blurred line of his spy game.
The Devil's Delinquents by Sawney Hatton - 4 ⭐
I liked how satanism was portrayed in this one. One angry teenager brought 2 teenage boys into her rituals. The story went about as I expected up until the end. It jumps ahead with an epilogue type section that finishes the story and ties up loose ends well.
A Many Splendid Thing by Patrick Thomas - 2 ⭐
Unfortunately, this one didn't work for me. A teacher seduces a student to do her dirty work. It felt very predictable.
This is an anthology of 3 novellas.
Red Ink by Russ Colchamiro - 4 ⭐
I loved this one! A kid pretends to play spy while on his paper route and actually finds himself in the middle of a murder. I really enjoyed the blurred line of his spy game.
The Devil's Delinquents by Sawney Hatton - 4 ⭐
I liked how satanism was portrayed in this one. One angry teenager brought 2 teenage boys into her rituals. The story went about as I expected up until the end. It jumps ahead with an epilogue type section that finishes the story and ties up loose ends well.
A Many Splendid Thing by Patrick Thomas - 2 ⭐
Unfortunately, this one didn't work for me. A teacher seduces a student to do her dirty work. It felt very predictable.
August 22, 2025
If you are a teenager between the ages of 14 and 17, then this book is for you ie. the writings are like that of teenagers writing about crime.
Mostly uninteresting, ineffectual writing. Not very dark.
Not very deep, and not intriguing for this devout crime-story reader.
I couldn't finish any of the stories, out of sheer dissatisfaction and exasperation.
It's listed as noir. That listing couldn't be anymore wrong.
Mostly uninteresting, ineffectual writing. Not very dark.
Not very deep, and not intriguing for this devout crime-story reader.
I couldn't finish any of the stories, out of sheer dissatisfaction and exasperation.
It's listed as noir. That listing couldn't be anymore wrong.
August 10, 2026
Though the stories here are not bad, I just felt this was too much YA for me. A lot of kids stuff, smoking weed etc etc. I wish just one of these stories had an adult as the main character. None of them had this.
I can't fault the author for this as this is just not my preference. I'm not a YA reader and probably never will be. But these stories are still pretty good so kudos to the author for some good writing.
I can't fault the author for this as this is just not my preference. I'm not a YA reader and probably never will be. But these stories are still pretty good so kudos to the author for some good writing.
July 20, 2020
Good summer read.
A collection of three noir-inspired novellas, set in the same town, each written by a different author.
Each novella has a different narrative, that’s a plus.
Personally, my favourite was the first one: “Red Ink” by Russ Colchamiro.
You might find that you’ll prefer one of the other novellas. They are all a good read.
A collection of three noir-inspired novellas, set in the same town, each written by a different author.
Each novella has a different narrative, that’s a plus.
Personally, my favourite was the first one: “Red Ink” by Russ Colchamiro.
You might find that you’ll prefer one of the other novellas. They are all a good read.
May 8, 2020
I received a free copy of this box set via booksprout and I’m voluntarily leaving a review. The authors did a great job at writing a good set of short stories.
The story lines caught my attention at the very beginning and kept me interested throughout the entire book.
I loved the characters.
The story lines caught my attention at the very beginning and kept me interested throughout the entire book.
I loved the characters.
December 11, 2025
I wasn’t a big fan of the last stories plot but all 3 stories are great and full of mystery. I think the second story was my favorite.
December 14, 2025
Boi ts not tuff at all ts pmo me off icl Sybau your bitch ass up
June 12, 2020
This collection consists of three novellas and, as the title suggestions, they all concern murder in the (hopefully) fictional town of Montague Falls. I don't have much experience with noir fiction but these novellas were a great introduction to the genre.
Russ Colchamiro's Red Ink is the story of Isaac Fuller, who likes to pretend he's a spy on his paper route. When he encounters what he believes to be a genuine murder, he takes matters into his own hands to gather evidence against the killer. Red Ink was my favourite novella in the collection. I spent a lot of my childhood riding my bike around the streets playing pretend and Red Ink perfectly encapsulates the nostalgia of those summers - with added murder, of course. At no point is it made clear whether Isaac actually did witness a murder or not until we reach the very end. As his attempts to catch his suspect in the act become more and more outlandish, the true danger is revealed.
Sawney Hatton's The Devil's Delinquents left me cringing in horror and disgust (in a good way!). It follows Cal and Derry, two teenage outcasts, as they befriend Natalie, who worships Satan. At first, it appears as though the Devil-worshipping is only normal, edgy teenager stuff, but as the novella progresses the lines between accidents and otherworldly influences begin to blur. The most intriguing character is Natalie; her initially superficial reasons for invoking Satan quickly become tragic as the two boys get to know her. Similarly, the boys participate for their own reasons: Derry wants to appear cool, while Cal only goes along so as not to appear weak.
Finally, Patrick Thomas's A Many Splendid Thing was an excellent example of manipulation told through the eyes of Jethro, a high schooler, as his wildest dreams come true: the hottest teacher in school, Mrs Carmine, takes a special interest in him. The clues Patrick Thomas leaves throughout the beginning of the story, such as Jethro's malicious mother and his borderline catatonic father, weave together perfectly to create a target for manipulation.
Each novella in this collection took a unique look at the topic of murder, investigating the motives, the characters, and the situations that could lead someone to kill another person. Each was fantastically written and enjoyable to read.
Russ Colchamiro's Red Ink is the story of Isaac Fuller, who likes to pretend he's a spy on his paper route. When he encounters what he believes to be a genuine murder, he takes matters into his own hands to gather evidence against the killer. Red Ink was my favourite novella in the collection. I spent a lot of my childhood riding my bike around the streets playing pretend and Red Ink perfectly encapsulates the nostalgia of those summers - with added murder, of course. At no point is it made clear whether Isaac actually did witness a murder or not until we reach the very end. As his attempts to catch his suspect in the act become more and more outlandish, the true danger is revealed.
Sawney Hatton's The Devil's Delinquents left me cringing in horror and disgust (in a good way!). It follows Cal and Derry, two teenage outcasts, as they befriend Natalie, who worships Satan. At first, it appears as though the Devil-worshipping is only normal, edgy teenager stuff, but as the novella progresses the lines between accidents and otherworldly influences begin to blur. The most intriguing character is Natalie; her initially superficial reasons for invoking Satan quickly become tragic as the two boys get to know her. Similarly, the boys participate for their own reasons: Derry wants to appear cool, while Cal only goes along so as not to appear weak.
Finally, Patrick Thomas's A Many Splendid Thing was an excellent example of manipulation told through the eyes of Jethro, a high schooler, as his wildest dreams come true: the hottest teacher in school, Mrs Carmine, takes a special interest in him. The clues Patrick Thomas leaves throughout the beginning of the story, such as Jethro's malicious mother and his borderline catatonic father, weave together perfectly to create a target for manipulation.
Each novella in this collection took a unique look at the topic of murder, investigating the motives, the characters, and the situations that could lead someone to kill another person. Each was fantastically written and enjoyable to read.
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