Kriss Morton - In the Loft of the Cabin Goddess

When I picked up 'Double Take Tales' by Donna Brown I walked into it a bit worried because it was a collection of short stories. Historically short stories emerged during a barrage of of 19th-century magazine publishing. Beginning with Chekhov, the short story soon became one of the great 20th-century art forms influencing one of my favorite women writers, Virginia Wolf. The short story needs to grab you and keep you on your toes from the first to the last word and have the staying power to keep you thinking about the characters and their messages. In the era where people spend less and less time consuming media, where people express their affection in 140-characters or less instead of a perfume scented love letter, the short story has a large role to play with emerging and established authors alike. 'Double Take Tales' is a great introduction for this rising author.

I was completely caught off guard with the depth of message presented in these three tales. Each one had one thing in common, the double-take at the end. Though each one had a completely different message within it's pages, they flowed from one to the next. It was the perfect amount of stories any more would be unbalanced. Donna Brown's haunting and rich style of writing allowed them to meld together in a commonality. From the travels of a five pound note, to the accidental poisoning of a husband and the murder of a former friend, by the end you are left full and satisfied with no room for dessert.

I am giving this collection of shorts a full five stars and I cannot wait to see what is next for Mrs. B. Her literary prowess is going to be a fun and exciting ride to watch within the independent publishing scene.