Review: Fifty-Two Stitches

Strange Publications, 2009
ISBN: 0982026625
Available: Trade paperback

Fifty-Two Stitches is a short (about 150 pages) anthology of flash fiction. The stories come at readers fast and furiously, and are potentially forgettable. Flash fiction is very hard to write and too often flash stories depend on see-through twists or (groan) puns. The stories here are no exception. There are some gems, and even more good writing, but much of it is strangled by dependency on clichés and character shorthand, although there could be interesting writing and twists. The length of the stories, too, lends to the feeling of them blurring together into one halting whole.

Fifty-Two Stitches will sate the needs of classic and ″monsters popping out of the shadows″ horror fans. I’d be able to recommend it more highly if there was a less expensive digital version available, or if there were more gems in the mix.
Contains: Sex, violence, gore, language
Reviewed by: Michele Lee