I came across a few short stories on Amazon last year and loved them. Amazon has commissioned a series of original short stories by prominent writers. These stories are categorised by genre and are only available as digital books on Amazon or as audiobooks on Audible.  

If you have a subscription to Kindle Unlimited, then you can read most of these for free. The narrators on Audible are often celebrities, so that’s something you might consider when choosing which format to get.

The stories are short but impactful. They take you on a journey and make you see the world differently. 

This year, since I’ve committed to reading (listening to) the Wheel of Time series, I haven’t been in the frame of mind to read any other significant book. These short stories have been an excellent palette cleanser.

Each collection has at least six stories. I am not sure how many I will read, but I’ll update each collection as I go.

The Hush Collection

Hush is a collection of six stories, ranging from political mysteries to psychological thrillers, in which deception can be a matter of life and death. 

Let her Be by Lisa Unger:  

Will takes us through his emotional rollercoaster of life since his girlfriend left him and his subsequent suicide attempt. But her new life as he sees it on social media might not be as picture-perfect as she portrays it. When a common friend confesses a secret, we get to know who’s behind the perfect Instagram posts.

Show me your crooked teeth 

The nose you were born with 

The birthmark you had removed 

Your childhood scars 

I want to see all your beautiful ugly 

Shed the mask you wear for everyone else and 

Show me 

The Gift by Alison Gaylin: 

Lyla and Nolan are famous. When their child goes missing, they try every possible lead to find her, including hiring a psychic. But the first visit itself brings back memories for Layla that she doesn’t want to remember. I felt there were a few plot holes, but it was interesting to see the drama unfold.

When you apologize that much, there’s something you aren’t saying.

Treasure by Oyinkan Braithwaite: 

In the perfect world of Instagram, Treasure is the envy of her followers. Her beauty, glamour, and expensive tastes are much loved. Then a fan falls in love with her image and will do anything to meet her. What happens when they come face-to-face, with each other and with reality?

Because I am living the life they want to live.

Buried by Jeffery Deaver: 

This will make the 90s kids reminisce about good old journalism. When an old fashioned reporter gets killed in the middle of an investigative report, his younger counterpart takes it upon her to find out the mysterious person behind the disappearances of 2 people. There’s not a big reveal of the killer because that doesn’t seem to be the focus of the story…just the camaraderie of colleagues

The blow to the head, the drugs, being trapped underground? Jasper Coyle knew exactly what was happening to him. He read the papers, he watched the news

Slow Burner by Laura Lippman:

Liz reminisces about her married life with her husband Phil after finding a burner phone in his pocket. She had promised to never spy on him again, but the temptation was strong. We read text messages between Phil and the woman he’s trying to woo. When he suggests they meet, things take an unexpected turn.

To teenagers, the gods are like adults, taking themselves much too seriously, demanding respect they have not earned, changing the rules as it suits them while torturing the puny mortals in their care. Gods are hypocrites and bullies.

Snowflakes by Ruth Ware:

It starts off as a Robinson Crusoe meets Doomsday kind of a story. A family lives by themselves on an island, apparently to escape the brutal war that is waging on the mainland. But, instead of focussing on their need for food, their father becomes more worried about building a wall around them. That’s when things start to crack and we are let into the reason for the seclusion.

There was a war, but it was between Father and the rest of the world.

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