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Sting, The
A spooky Halloween tale.
A young woman is coerced to participate in a con. When things start to go wrong, are there darker, inhuman forces at work?
A young woman is coerced to participate in a con. When things start to go wrong, are there darker, inhuman forces at work?
25 pages, Kindle Edition
Published October 30, 2020
2 people want to read
About the author
D.B. Carter
8 books136 followersD. B. Carter lives with his family on the edge of a small town nestled amongst the rolling hills of rural Devon, England.
The son of two nomadic artists, he grew up in a world of creativity, studying painting techniques under his parents' tutelage. In his 20s, he went to university and followed a career in science and later commerce, running his own business for twenty years.
A lifelong bibliophile, he is firmly of the opinion that there is no such thing as too many books, only insufficient shelf space; it was his love of classical literature, of Dickens and Brontë, that led to the creation of his first novel, "The Cherries."
His philosophy is, "If we look for the good, we will find it."
The son of two nomadic artists, he grew up in a world of creativity, studying painting techniques under his parents' tutelage. In his 20s, he went to university and followed a career in science and later commerce, running his own business for twenty years.
A lifelong bibliophile, he is firmly of the opinion that there is no such thing as too many books, only insufficient shelf space; it was his love of classical literature, of Dickens and Brontë, that led to the creation of his first novel, "The Cherries."
His philosophy is, "If we look for the good, we will find it."
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Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews
April 5, 2021
Halloween isn't only about trick or treating. Here we see two small-time criminals trying to separate an allegedly old lady from her money. The situation turns out different. When Gary, her friend, doesn't appear back from the house for a felt eternity, Angel tries to look after him. There is a big surprise waiting for her. What about the old lady and what will be found in the attic? An interesting but a bit confusing story that wasn't completely plausible in my opinion. Nice, eerie and twisty though.
April 24, 2021
Nice short story with a decent, albeit telegraphed, twist. If we had maybe double the length I think I would have liked this better. It is well edited, crisp, and fast paced. Plot is interesting and the main male character immediately reminded me of Christopher Eccleston for some unknown reason. It’s a great way to spend a few minutes while you wait for doctor’s visit!
November 22, 2020
I love it when horror story is done tastefully without gore and that’s exactly what DB Carter has done with The Sting. The story was set well with the right mood for a Halloween story. The characters are believable and the spook builds up slowly as we read. While I did expect a twist at the end, I did not see it coming. I absolutely loved it. DB Carter has a unique writing style that grips a reader from the beginning to the end of the story.
October 31, 2020
Once again DB Carter has given us a story in his own unique style. This story of ghouls is a good read for Halloween or anytime. You will get so involved you'll jump if you hear a strange noise.
November 17, 2020
Angel, a young woman on the run with her boyfriend, Gary, is feeling the strain and stress of their life choices. When he tells her of a potential job that seems too good to be true, she hesitates, realizing their fleeting luck may be about to run out.
They meet with Chantel, who offers the couple a dubious deal that promises a quick payout. As Angel and Gary learn the details of what's involved, Angel's heart sinks. Will she and Gary go be able to live with with their deeds? On Halloween night, the plans are put into play--as the clock ticks away, they will soon learn if their scheme will work.
Author Carter once again weaves a tale that will keep you glued to the page to the very end. This is one short story that concludes with a finale I did not see coming! The Sting is a tale of the unexpected that will give you chills--highly recommended!
They meet with Chantel, who offers the couple a dubious deal that promises a quick payout. As Angel and Gary learn the details of what's involved, Angel's heart sinks. Will she and Gary go be able to live with with their deeds? On Halloween night, the plans are put into play--as the clock ticks away, they will soon learn if their scheme will work.
Author Carter once again weaves a tale that will keep you glued to the page to the very end. This is one short story that concludes with a finale I did not see coming! The Sting is a tale of the unexpected that will give you chills--highly recommended!
November 14, 2020
I usually shy away from the horror genre, but in the spirit of Halloween I decided to give DB Carter's short story, The Sting, a go. I'm happy I did. While I admit I was on the edge of my seat while reading, I couldn't stop turning the pages. I was expecting a surprise, as it is a ghoulish story but there was more than one twist and they were definitely not what I expected. DB Carter crafted an original, classic horror tale in the form of a short story. In keeping with the title, you were drawn into The Sting and left reeling by the outcome. I applaud DB Carter for being able to connect with his audience, regardless of the genre or length of his story. He has a gift for drawing memorable characters and an enticing story arc. I would definitely recommend this short story for your TBR list!
December 27, 2020
A Brilliant short read
I’ve read this three times now, it’s that good, mostly in my lunchbreak. It’s a great 30-40 min read that helpfully transports and carries the reader through D B Carter’s skilfully crafted tale.
For those familiar with Carter’s other words, this also contains his hallmark traits, i.e. well developed characters, wonderful scene setting and pacey narrative, this despite the compressed page count.
Carter also shows his skill in adapting to a different genre, the darker side of spooky, chilling tales, I enjoyed this change very much. Afterall a well written piece in any genre is a great read imho.
Will I read it again? Heck yes.
I’ve read this three times now, it’s that good, mostly in my lunchbreak. It’s a great 30-40 min read that helpfully transports and carries the reader through D B Carter’s skilfully crafted tale.
For those familiar with Carter’s other words, this also contains his hallmark traits, i.e. well developed characters, wonderful scene setting and pacey narrative, this despite the compressed page count.
Carter also shows his skill in adapting to a different genre, the darker side of spooky, chilling tales, I enjoyed this change very much. Afterall a well written piece in any genre is a great read imho.
Will I read it again? Heck yes.
May 16, 2021
A quick read which I happily devoured in a single sitting, 'The Sting' is a great little horror story that is full of surprises.
The first three quarters of the tale are atmospheric and full of suspense, and could quite frankly have led to a variety of very different endings.
The ending Carter gives us though is as satisfying as it is unexpected.
Some readers might have wanted more length and detail here, but I'm a big fan of short stories and this is an excellent short story done very well.
The first three quarters of the tale are atmospheric and full of suspense, and could quite frankly have led to a variety of very different endings.
The ending Carter gives us though is as satisfying as it is unexpected.
Some readers might have wanted more length and detail here, but I'm a big fan of short stories and this is an excellent short story done very well.
January 6, 2024
Have you ever read an Author and felt an immediate connection?
Well that's D.B. Carter for me.
Something about his writing style screams Victorian: you know it's British, you will feel in your bones the nostalgia, the old school charm, the beauty of exquisite prose. This one has mythical creatures, a bit of gore. It's fantastical, it's scary but it's still endearing and hopeful. A master storyteller at work. If you have 30 minutes today and you love horror and great writing, give this a go.
Well that's D.B. Carter for me.
Something about his writing style screams Victorian: you know it's British, you will feel in your bones the nostalgia, the old school charm, the beauty of exquisite prose. This one has mythical creatures, a bit of gore. It's fantastical, it's scary but it's still endearing and hopeful. A master storyteller at work. If you have 30 minutes today and you love horror and great writing, give this a go.
November 2, 2020
Loved this short story! It draws you in right from the beginning with a central heroine you can identify with, root for and believe in.
Great use of authentic detail keeps the multiple twists and turns believable.
A page-turner by a great author.
Great use of authentic detail keeps the multiple twists and turns believable.
A page-turner by a great author.
December 28, 2020
What a great Halloween Story!
I loved this short story. Very well written; I could visualize every scene as though I was watching a movie. The story is very creative and intriguing, and, it gave me plenty of goosebumps. I loved the ending, too! Well done, DB Carter.
I loved this short story. Very well written; I could visualize every scene as though I was watching a movie. The story is very creative and intriguing, and, it gave me plenty of goosebumps. I loved the ending, too! Well done, DB Carter.
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews