Review: I Love This Anthology
Rating: 5 out of 5
Date: 07 4, 2011
There . . . that's all I need to say.One thing I am very pleased about the Kindle revolution is that it is revitalizing the short story and the short story anthology. This series of tales from P.N. Elrod are all previously published and she has gone back and polished and tinkered with each until it shines (I like the one she refers to as the "Director's Cut.") So, be confident, you are NOT getting sloppy first drafts. You are getting well-written and well-edited stories.Elrod's voice shines brightest in the Jack Fleming stories. She creates a world of a vampire detective in 1937 Chicago who often does "favors" for a boss named Gordy. Against the backdrop of mob-run Chicago, Jack Fleming tries to use his unique abilities to do the right thing, with often harrowing (and sometimes amusing) consequences. I like that Fleming has weaknesses. He can vanish and slip through walls, but a crack on the head with a wooden rifle stock nearly kills him. He is not so powerful that there is no suspense in the stories.The stories have a nice noir style where the mayhem is overlaid with a touch of glamour. There is plenty of death and destruction, but not a lot of blood and gore. Sort of like a 1950s detective movie, the violence is more implied than graphic. The restraint and refreshing lack of in-your-face splatter makes this book (just like the name implies) a perfect lunchtime companion.Check it out! You won't regret it.