Either the twist makes a story or sinks it. In this case, it sunk it for me because the twist with no buildup to why it would happen just is irksome. A journalist is asking a cop about a murder in Chandler, AZ. The cop doesn't want to tell about a unsolved murder but eventually gives the journalist the details. How the cops determined due to the GPS on an iphone (fairly new in 2009) that the perpetrator had to be on a bus. Except he wasn't when they got there. His phone was though.
SPOILER: So it turns out the journalist is the perp. Now why would he murder a fourteen year old girl and why would he introduce himself to cops that worked on the crime. The writing is good, the setup is fine, atmosphere great, but that twist gave me wrist burn.
6 comments:
Patti, I can see why "Public Transportation" wouldn't work with that twist. I think Lee Child is better at writing novels than short stories.
Oh, sorry to hear that, Patti. You're right about the twist in a story, though. Either it works or it doesn't.
It does sound like something I would find to be stupid.
Reading the Lily King book you recommended, and nearly done with it. I did like the story When in the Dordogne." Also readin Graham Swift's ENGLAND AND OTHER STORIES, mostly short and nothing that jumps out so far. And nearly done at last with William Brittain's THE MAN WHO SOLVED MYSTERIES, which is good if you don't want murders, but rather clever stories solved by an older high school science teacher, Mr. Leonard Strang. Fun collection.
Up next - SMALL FELONIES 2 by Bill Pronzini.
I am on jury duty this week and was there all day yesterday, so no chance at getting a post up. I have to go back Friday. Odds are I will get released and not have to be on a trial, but who knows? So I hope I will be able to do a short story post next week.
I agree a twist in a story can make or break it. Sometimes I get to where it seems like there should be a twist and it just fizzles out.
Novels can be ruined by twists too. The one I remember immediately was THE POET by Michael Connelly. There was a twist, then another one. Fine. But the third absurd twist just killed the book for me.
I love a mystery that does not include a murder. But they are rare.
That jury duty thing is a pain when you have to come back again and again. In my case, I will never be on a jury because my son is a prosecutor so why don't they note that in the records. They act like I am trying to get away with something.
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