Published by Dell, Random House - Ballantine Genres: Novella, short story
Format: ARC, eBook
Spin a Black Yarn is a collection of five novellas/short stories. I found this to be an enjoyable and thought provoking mixed bag of stories.
“Half the House Is Haunted”– an older sister, eight-year-old sister Stephanie tries to convince/show her six-year-old brother Robbie that the house is haunted. Well, maybe not the whole house, maybe just half the house is haunted.
“Argyle” – a dying man confesses to crimes he never committed. To be a fly on the wall, during this confession.
“The Jupiter Drop” – a tourist takes a trip to outer space while taking readers on a journey into his past and the guilt he carries.
“Doug and Judy Buy the House Washer – a couple buys the latest washer. They like to impress, and this new washer will do just that, or will it? They are the ultimate consumers, after all. Be careful what you wash when you have dirty laundry.
“Egorov,” a man kills a young man who was a triplet, and his brothers seek revenge.
I am hit or miss with short story collections. They tend to be a mixed bag with those I think are great and those that miss the mark. This was an overall enjoyable collection that fans of Josh Malerman will enjoy. As with his other books, this collection showcased his creativity, originality, and dark subject matter.
I also liked that I could read a novella, put this down and come back to it when I was ready for another. Overall, an enjoyable and thought provoking read.
Thank you to Random House Publishing Group – Ballantine, Del Rey and NetGalley who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All the thoughts and opinions are my own.