Novel(la) Pairings-Chapter Three

A novella is that sweet spot that rests between a short novel or a long short story.  Think of it as a tasting menu, or better still, an appetizer.

When done well, as the ones I am sharing with you in this special summer series are, they can keep you company just long enough for a good walk and give you a sense of as yet unexplored authors.

These are all on audio which only amplifies the experience.  Get what I did there…

YARD WORK - David Koepp

RATING: 8/10

The Judge never thought he’d outlive his beloved wife.  That wasn’t the plan.  But you know what they say about the best laid plans…

Desperate to escape the home they built together, with reminders of her in every nook and cranny, he retreats to his remote cabin.  Thinking it’s the perfect place for an old man to find peace and solitude.  He thought wrong.

Turns out mother nature has left something for him.  A plant like nothing he has ever seen before.  A plant with barbs and tendrils that have snaked deep into the ground.  The Judge starts to wonder how long before it finds its way under his skin.

Narrated by Kevin Bacon (who should narrate all books from now on!)

DECORUM AT THE DEATHBED – Josh Malerman

RATING: 8/10

With her husband clinging to life back at home, Becca has taken up jogging.  Running helps clear her head and strengthens her for the burden that awaits her upon her return.

On one of her runs she discovers a free-standing confessional booth deep in the woods and begins to bare her soul. If you know this author’s works you may have an inkling that the conscience she is cleansing is rather dark.

One is left to wonder; is she seeking to exercise or exorcise?

Narrated by Hilary Huber