Book Rating: ★★★★☆ (4 / 5 stars)
Money isn’t everything, but unfortunately for a few unlucky souls, it costs them everything. A group of unsuspecting individuals soon become entwined in a mystery revolving around $100K of cash, and with each turn, this cash leads them down the path of wrong. Can any of them escape the lust and greed of wealth? Or will it cause them to meet untimely demises?
In a set of three short stories that are woven together through one common thread, we see how greed leads to death, destruction, and heartbreak. The stories reminded me of Pulp Fiction, and similar stories, where a common factor links multiple individuals together.
David Arrowsmith is without a doubt a skilled writer, able to paint the picture of Nevada clearly in our minds and heart. The tension is high in the air, the money lust aplenty, and sadness a clear trickle in the air. The imagery is the type you might see when reading a book for an English class, but all in the right ways.
Of all three stories, my favorite was the middle; this one had the most direct storyline that linked the start and finish, with the chance to really get to know the characters more than the rest. These two bank robbers are the focal point, and from here the stories branch out. Without this middle one, the other two stories don’t quite make as much sense, which I feel like was done masterfully and on purpose.
It did take a bit for me to get into this short book (and by that I mean it took me 30 minutes to really start it rather than getting sucked in right away). In addition, the stories are dark, filled with violence and murder, so they are not for the feint of heart.
Definitely a fascinating read though, with a vital message: greed isn’t always worth it.
What’s it about?
In these three dark and brooding short stories, set in and around the US state of Nevada, a cast of disparate characters struggle with greed and temptation, and the cursed lure of easy money… an old man goes in search of his son in the aftermath of a terrible storm, a couple down on their luck make a life-changing discovery and an ex-cop has one last impossible decision to make…
E.S. Barrison 