Review – The Walk Home: And Other Tales of Suspense by David Breitenbeck

Trying to prove you’re a big girl and can walk yourself home has some serious consequences, as does murder!

A little rain never hurt anyone, right? So what if a politician philanders on the side? Who’s to know – other than the lady he spends his days with? Did something in the hall just go bump? Oh, the vase is on the floor. Right, the dog died. Must not have put that vase back properly, that’s all….

These are the queries and conundrums that face the various parties in this collection of short stories. Filled with suspense, thrills, chills, and murder, it is often a matter of who wants what and who intends to do what. Do they get away with it? What if they do? Who can stop them?

Can they be stopped at all?

The Story

Kathy is going to kill her older sister. Get dragged out of her nice, comfortable routine to a bar, where her extroverted sister manages to snag a guy and ride off with him while drunk. Now Kathy’s keys are stuck in her car and she can either call her dad to come pick her up or walk home on her own as evening falls. Yeah, right: like that’s even a choice! Her old man keeps bugging her about settling down and finding a white knight. But she’s a modern woman who can take care of herself.

At least until she’s out in the woods, lost, with no cell reception and a storm moving in. The shadows keep shifting – was that a noise on her back trail? No, nothing there. She’s being silly…

...wait. Didn’t she glimpse a news report about a serial killer being on the loose before she left the bar?

In another story, Walden Thurgud has to run an errand again for his hypochondriac wife. Whatever happened to the lovely woman he married? She seems to have turned into a complete harpy, nagging him for this, that, and would he please not do the opposite of what she told him? What is he trying to do, kill her?

At this point, Walden’s certainly starting to wish he didn’t have to deal with her. Maybe he’ll come home and find her dead. But you know what they say about wishes and taking care….

Then there is Faye, who receives bad news from her lover: he is ending their relationship. If he doesn’t do it now, then the press may find out about the two of them as he climbs the political ladder. She doesn’t want to hurt him like that, does she? The scandal would end his career at once or make it extremely difficult to come back. Of course she’ll let him go! Well, then, it’s time for them to break up – isn’t it?

These and four other tales round out the collection in a thrill ride that will leave one curled up with a flashlight, listening for every wrong step or creak in the floorboards. After all, dead men tell no tales….

Or do they?

The Characters

Due to the nature of the stories and the theme of the anthology, whether the characters are likable or despicable depends on if they are the victim or the perpetrator. Even then, though, things are not always what they seem at first glance. In every case the characters are well drawn and believable, giving a reader lots to loathe or like and a great deal to fear as they follow the protagonists, wondering if they will succeed or fail. The ensemble casts are realistic as well, making each story a perfect microcosm of terror, suspense, and darkness.

The World

Any one of these stories would work well as an episode of suspense and a few would look great in black and white film. They are set in the modern era all the way back to at least the 1960s, if only in tone in the latter case, as it is never specified in certain installments just when a tale is set. It makes it easy to picture the scene as one wishes so one can sit back and shiver in perfect comfort.

Politics

None, not even in the tale with the politician.

Content Warning

There are murders and descriptions of murders planned, but none go beyond a PG-13 rating.

Who is it for?

Murder mystery and noir enthusiasts will definitely enjoy this collection, as will those who like a good thrill with some chills added to it. Not every story has a happy ending, but each one keeps a reader guessing, so mystery lovers will have fun trying to guess how each installment concludes before it does. Those who love suspense and want fiction that will give them a dark, foreboding atmosphere will have a great time with this anthology. Anyone who wants quick reads that they can pick up and put down as needed or at whim will find this volume fits their needs perfectly, and those who like puzzles will enjoy putting the pieces together to figure out what is going on. The romance in one story will certainly make romance readers happy as well!

Why buy it?

If you need something to keep you up at night, why not try The Walk Home: And Other Tales of Suspense? You may find it suits your needs perfectly on a stormy night. Just hope that the lights stay on while you read it!