Review: MIssissippi Mayhem at its finest
Rating: 4 out of 5
Date: 11 3, 2012
Set in the same community as Ms Preston's short story, "Yard Sale" but involving a different (VERY different) collection of the citizenry, "Laid to Rest" is a fun example of what sometimes happens to those "champagne dreams and caviar wishes."Darlene Higginbottom has read enough celebrity magazines to know that she's not only destined for stardom, but that she's willing to whatever is necessary to escape rural Clayburn and head out west. In fact, she's certain that as soon as her feet touch the sacred ground of Hollywood that numerous producers and studio executives will fall to fighting in the street to become the first to sign her to a lucrative contract. That's why, not to put to fine a point on it, she's willing to "put out" to "get out." Destiny after all, needs a nudge here and there. If that means accepting portraits of dead presidents from the local politicians in exchange for her companionship and... uhm, "favors," well, there are worse ways to raise money for a bus ticket, aren't there?I didn't find this particular story quite as much fun as "Yard Sale," but it is written in the same style and pace and wound up being very enjoyable in its own right. My wife and I are quickly becoming big fans of Patricia Ann Preston's work and if these two tales are an example of what we can expect, she's going to have a long and successful career indeed.