Not What You Thought? And Other Surprises by P.A. Ruddock
I love short stories, there is nothing better than to have a
good short to entertain you during a commute or lunch break. No need to
remember what was going on, or missing your stop as you were just so engrossed
in a thriller. This book certainly entertained me. I can see mister Ruddock took
great glee in what is an inspiration to many writers; fictionally murder the
people that have gotten on your bad side. There are some excellent
contributions from the five guest writers and the overall standard of writing
is high. A variety of styles and subjects are used and the changes in pace work
well. With such a mix of themes it was obvious that I would like some stories
better than others. There is a common thread with many of the stories having a
twist at the end. This mostly works well, but sometimes it is a twist too far. Life behind bars was for me a highlight
and a low point at the same time. It is a powerful tale about arriving at
prison after sentencing and I don’t think the twist was appropriate. I would
recommend this book as it is a fine collection of shorts and the proceeds are
going to the ‘Forget-Me-Not’ charity for homeless ex-servicemen and those
affected by PTSD. Do good and have a great read at the same time; what more do
you want!
