Jan Burke 18

18

Jan Burke

Pocket, Jan 2004, $7.50, 480 pp.

ISBN 0743480511

Anyone who has not read a novel by the spectacular Jan Burke should try 18, an anthology of short stories that convey the wide range of her amazing talent. She writes contemporary, historical, and paranormal with the narrator being of either gender, and is comfortable in first or third person. The commonality is that each story is well written and fascinating.

Fans of Bones will want to read "Devotion" which showcases some of the same characters. After Detective Frank Harriman finds the murdered body of Victor Toller and learns his son is missing, he calls Ben Sheridan and asks him to do a search with his two SAR dogs Bingle and Bool.

The very popular Irene Kelly stars in "A Fine Set of Teeth". Irene and her husband Frank give musician Buzz Sullivan a lift to his music gig. They stay to hear the performance only to be awakened early the next morning to find out the lead singer has been killed.

In "MEA CULPA' a crippled young boy finds ways of protecting himself from his abusive step-father. However, when he discovers that the man is going to kill his mother, he must find a way to stop him. This intriguing story has a feel of Charles Dickens Victorian England even though it takes place in the United States.

Vampire lovers will want to read "The Haunting of Carrick Hollow", an atmospheric tale that is quite scary while ghost lovers will find "The Abbey Ghosts" actually enthralling.

The above is just a sample to whet the appetite. Readers will find themselves totally immersed in each and every story.

Harriet Klausner