The Video

by Colum Dain

You notice a video on Youtube called Murder, I Like. A live video. A video with your daughter in. What would you do?

Leo sits back for his relaxing morning commute from Brighton to London. Yet this quickly turns into the most ridiculous and frustrating journey he’s ever made, as he has to decide if the video is a college prank or if it’s for real.

If it’s genuine Leo must get a grip, be decisive and act now – before it’s too late.

This unique story will have you both laughing and screaming, with its clever play with characters. It also shines an intriguing light on the use of technology within society.

If you like psychological thrillers like The Woman in the Window then you’ll love this.

Read the story now to discover the truly shocking twist!

33 pages, ebook

Published May 20, 2020

About the author

Colum is an author of thriller and humorous fiction. He has two thriller short story collections currently available to pre-order and is completing his debut novel.

You can discover more about Colum here:
Website: www.ColumDain.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ColumDainOff...
Twitter: https://twitter.com/ColumDain
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCnXa...

Reviews

[Maureen · Rating 3 out of 5]

*3.5 stars*

A very short but entertaining story, set on a commuter train on its way into London that actually had my heart pounding towards the end. It highlights the role that technology plays in society, (not always in a good way) and it certainly makes you think!

[Bridgett · Rating 2 out of 5]

Meh. This reminded me of a far less interesting version of the film, Untraceable. Leo, the protagonist, was a moron, and the conclusion was vapid.

Not a fan.

[Javier · Rating 3 out of 5]

Short story that could be construed as a wake up call to today's society when social media is so present in our lives and the number of likes and followers seem to be some people's preferred rating system.

I thought the setting of the story (a train ride during morning commute) was spot on and it was very well portrayed as most people will be able to identify themselves in that situation or with some of the commuters there.

The premise was interesting as well as frightful but the resolution felt a bit rushed and I would have like to read a bit more about the aftermath of the video, as it poses a surprising reaction from Leo. I’m not sure I would have been so understanding with Lucy.

I know this is fiction but sadly I think that if this was a real life situation the outcome would be the same.

Thanks to Netgalley and BooksGoSocial for providing an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

[Laura · Rating 3 out of 5]

Short story highlighting how quickly people may "like" threats of violence on social media.

[ABBOTT JOHN · Rating 5 out of 5]

Starts as a beautifully written, wry account of the joys of the Brighton to London commute and then heads into much darker territory with a mirror held up to the casual cruelty of social media and the lack of empathy our screen-based lives are fostering.

Really enjoyed this story

[Chris Johnson · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved it.

I’d probably not react the same way as Leo did at the end though.

[SaM · Rating 4 out of 5]

Just finished reading this short story. What I liked about it the most was:

1. The detailed description of the setting, it felt like I was on the train with the characters myself

2. How relatable everything was, such as the morning commute, which any one of us could experience on a daily basis. The story flowed well and delved into so many issues we face today in our everyday lives

3. The twist (which I will not spoil) had me almost biting my nails wanting to find out the outcome of the story

However, I felt the ending was a bit rushed and it did not quite satisfy me. I realize most authors leave the ending to the reader's imagination but I would have liked a bit more detail (hence the 4 stars).

At any rate, I enjoyed the time reading it on my kindle, it was very easy to find and download with the link from book funnel. I look forward to reading more of this author's work in the future.

[Bookish Devil · Rating 4 out of 5]

A byte-sized psychological thriller with an unexpected twist. A much needed wake up call for today’s society.

The story starts off on a light note and proceeds to chug forward in that tone for the most part. What would otherwise be a typical day of commute for Leo, turns out to be an absolute nightmare when he comes across a live stream of his daughter. Even as he struggles to grapple the reality of what hit him, he is forced to get into action before things take a turn for the worse.

Every single character seems to have been pulled out from real-life and it’s fair to say that the author has done a wonderful job of depicting how the present-day society functions. Leo’s thought process, point of view, and attitude will make you think, laugh, cry, ruminate, and contemplate the various aspects of life. You can’t help but agree with the arguments and statements he makes. It’s not a sanctimonious talk either. In fact, he is truly repentant for the vicious cycle of monotonous life he is living. He has a great sense of humor and you’d develop an instant liking for him.

The twist, in the end, is sure to leave you dumbfounded. It’s not something that you can get over with easily. It will compel you to retrospect/review the role you play in society. A difficult pill to digest that's for sure.

ARC received from Reedsy

[Tony Parsons · Rating 5 out of 5]

A passenger got on just as the train was pulling out.
London, England. Victoria station. Leo (husband/father, middle mgmt., commuter) exists off the transit.
France. Lucy’s (17, daughter/sister, drama student) Murder, I Like video is showing on Leo’s cellphone.
Susan (Emma’s BFF, commuter) informs Leo this is live, it’s happening right now.
Leo needed to call the police & Emma (mother/mother). Lucy had been kidnaped.

I do not receive any type of compensation for reading & reviewing free books from publishers & authors. Therefore, I am under no obligation to write a positive review, only an honest one.

An awesome book cover, great font & writing style. A very professionally written psychological thriller (short story) book. It was extremely easy for me to read/follow from start/finish & never a dull moment. There were no grammar/typo errors, nor any repetitive or out of line sequence sentences. Lots of exciting scenarios, with several twists/turns & a great description list of unique characters, settings, facts etc. to keep track of. This could also make another great psychological thriller movie, or better yet a mini TV series. There is no doubt in my mind this is an extremely easy rating of 5 stars.

Thank you for the free author; BooksFunnel; Amazon Digital Services LLC.; book.
Tony Parsons MSW (Washburn)

[Momma Says: To Read or Not to Read · Rating 3 out of 5]

There have been quite a few books lately about social media, and if it isn't the focus, it plays a significant part of the story. The Video is one more in the list, and it is a bit different than the others that I've read. I'll skip the details on that so I don't spoil anything. Instead, I'll just talk about the things that did and didn't work for me. First, Leo's commute. Colum Dain does a great job of detailing the setting that I felt like I was sitting right there with the many colorful characters hopping on for their own commute. Then we have the video and the turmoil that followed. Leo's sense of helplessness comes through loud and clear, and as a parent, I couldn't help but think about what I would do in Leo's situation. Finally. we have the ending, which is part great and part not so great. I liked where the story went, but I felt like more time could've been spent on the tension of the story - maybe another page or two - something, I just felt like it needed something more. The twist was pretty good, but it could've been so much more with just a little more detail from the night. All in all, the book was interesting, and I did finish, but the ending was a little bit disappointing.

[Billie · Rating 5 out of 5]

You notice a video on Youtube called Murder, I Like. A live video. A video with your daughter in. What would you do?
Leo sits back for relaxing morning commute from Brighton to London, an hour-long journey to let the mind be free. Yet this trip quickly turns into the most ridiculous and frustrating journey he’s ever made, as he has to decide if the video is a college prank or if it’s for real.
If it’s genuine Leo must get a grip, be decisive and act now – before it’s too late!
This unique story will have you both laughing and screaming, with its clever play between characters. It also shines an intriguing light on the use of technology within society, which will make you stop and think.

This is a brilliant read.
Wonderful well written plot and story line that had me engaged from the start.
Love the well fleshed out characters and found them believeable.
Great suspense and action with wonderful world building.
Can't wait to read what the author brings out next.
Recommend reading.

[Elouise · Rating 5 out of 5]

The man is going to work on the train as he does every Monday when things go wrong. The train ride starts out quite normally, passengers who are always on that particular train, riding in that particular car are nodding brief good mornings to each other and doing their usual things during the ride. Suddenly Susan tries to get him to pay attention to a video on the phone. It is his daughter, Lucy, sitting slumped over and not moving in her own train seat. Lucy is on her way to France with some college friends. Suddenly a man wearing a black balaclava takes Lucy's phone and makes a horrible threat. If the video on the phone gets over a thousand likes, then Lucy dies. That starts the man to worry and panic. Then, as the likes move upwards, ...

[Deborah · Rating 4 out of 5]

No one notices that technology is slowly changing; although they have arranged their lives into a simple pattern of living. That is until their daughter is kidnaped and is uploaded on the internet where everyone can see her, the more that watch the closer she comes to death.
Yes, I thought I had seen and read this scenario before but this author put a new slant on an old story. I really recommend reading this author's novel. I am now purchasing the next two books!

[Sue Blanchard · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thankyou to NetGalley, BooksGoSocial and the author, Colum Dain, for the opportunity to read a digital copy of Murder, I Like in exchange for an honest and unbiased opinion.
Such a good quick read. Certainly makes you think twice about social media.

[Debbie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow!! A commentary on our addiction to social media today, an observation of our annoyance when our routine is disrupted and a question if we consider the consequences of our online actions. Great short story.

[Candy Robosky · Rating 3 out of 5]

Short story about how social media has changed what we value and how we interact. It was okay. Did not care for ending but it was very descriptive up until the end of the train ride when it suddenly rushes to the finish line.

[Deborah · Rating 2 out of 5]

Very short modern commentary

Written in a distracted choppy style to match the main characters morning commute this is a commentary on modern tech connected society more than a full story.

[Anuradha · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a great short story ! Mr. Dain crafts his story at a steady pace.. I love his choice of words to describe the setting of the story. And the end is a double twist. Which I loved. A thoroughly enjoyable read. 👍👍

[Kelly-Marie Pollock · Rating 3 out of 5]

An interesting take on our societies reliance and addiction to social media platforms and how likes on a video or selfie are more important than real life.
Pacing felt slightly off, slow at the start then ban, finished.

[Becky · Rating 4 out of 5]

A short thriller. Very descriptive. I felt claustrophobic on that busy train. Yet all alone with my technology, too. I felt Leo's pain. Is the video real? Is his daughter in danger? What to do?

[Carmen Santiago · Rating 3 out of 5]

📱

[Charissa · Rating 3 out of 5]

A somewhat spooky realization in today’s world of social media. Reinforces the importance of security and what can happen behind a keyboard. Real fear, real crime, and a possibly deadly turnout.

[Toni McKee · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great quick read. Highlighted how easy it is to be sucked into something on the internet. Read everything before you push the like button. Really scary.