Review: Revisiting the What-the-Hell-Did-I-Just-Read Moment

I'm game to reading fiction that pushes boundaries and makes a little queasy. So when Jess C. Scott asked if I would review her new short story anthology, Owned, I did so out of both convenience (she caught me at a good time) and the promise of something startling. I've read plenty in crime fiction that's disturbing, but I can't remember the last time I'd had a true "what the hell did I just read?" moment. (Although Plastic Soldiers will always hold the read-it-once-and-crawl-into-a-ball award.)

 

Owned had me revisiting that moment by the end of the first of its six stories. Each tries to work in some measure of shock factor by showcasing humanity at its worst. And I do mean worst.

 

Scott redeems readers' shock with satisfying acts of revenge and some creative storytelling elements. For example, one story is an e-mail conversation going back and forth.

 

The one-two punch of the shock-kill formula will work well for those prepared for Scott's brand of crime fiction. Just know that some passages will require an open mind. Owned reminded me to give a kick to my comfort zone as a reader and take a chance on something unusual.

 

As of this writing, Owned is available for free at Smashwords.

 

It's also available on Amazon for the Kindle for 99 cents.