Only If We're Caught

by Theressa Slind

This sensational debut collection of short stories takes readers on a tour of the astonishment inside the ordinary, the quotidian. Meet the happy wunderkind inside the sad elderly lover, the vulnerable teenager inside the high-powered lawyer, the loving father inside the vampire. Vampire?

In these stories, no narrator is too far-fetched, because every voice is in some way our own. We unravel a mystery with a mortician troubled by the ghosts of his clients, stumble along a gravel road with a too-young pregnant woman searching for a lost girl, watch a feminist falling in love with the office Romeo, are charmed by a robotic humanoid with a penchant for merlot and sedition…
Whether the subject is betrayal, disappointment, grief, love or longing, these stories will entertain you with zippy word-craft and sly humour, and seduce you with tenderness. Theressa Slind takes us on an exhilarating ride through the many chambers of the complicated, messed up, resilient human heart.

“A stellar collection of stories–funny, poignant, wide-ranging and wise. Only If
We’re Caught will catch your heart.”
—Yann Martel, author of Life of Pi and The High Mountains of Portugal

Theressa Slind’s writing is perceptive, thoughtful, smart, funny and beautiful. In this collection, she finds the extraordinary everywhere—in her language, in the relationships she so beautifully explores, and in the luminous landscape of the everyday.
— Alice Kuipers, author of Life on the Refrigerator Door and Me and Me

Genres: Short Stories

222 pages, Paperback

Published September 30, 2021

About the author

Theressa Slind is a writer and librarian based in Saskatoon, Canada. Only If We’re Caught is her first book and has been shortlisted for three Saskatchewan Book Awards, including Book of the Year.

Reviews

[Melanie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This collection made me fall in love with short stories again. Theressa Slind's writing is all things. It's clever and thoughtful and funny and gorgeous all at the same time. Her stories are all so well crafted and when I reached the end I was aching for more. It was just absolutely sublime.

[Daniel Kukwa · Rating 4 out of 5]

On the surface this is a very odd book: a series of stories that feel like typical slices of Canadiana...only with an under-current of strangeness and supernatural elements that leave the reader feeling askew. But the mood and style are addictive, and slowly creates a unique atmosphere. Something slightly different that punches well above its weight.

[Sherry · Rating 5 out of 5]

I originally borrowed this book from the library. I enjoyed it so much that I purchased a copy. I like to reread good short stories and recently retrieved it from my bookshelf. Still 5 stars from me.

I like short stories and this collection was the best I have read in quite some time. Excellent!

[Gabrielo · Rating 4 out of 5]

I want to re-read this, and perhaps I'll bump my review to a 5. A few of the stories I got to the end and was like, "Whaaaaat?" But that'l kind of reaction is often wrter-erroyBut that was made up for by the others. A superior read, very well told, worth the price of admission. She is a delightful writer

[Ren · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a phenomenal collection of short fiction that I knew would be, but wasn't perapared for. There's an undertone to some of these stories that I'm endeared to, and the characters all feel so full and real, this is one that I'm going to be highly recommending, and even went out and purchased a copy to pass along to my sister.

[Ann Wynter · Rating 5 out of 5]

A wonderful set of short stories that is beautifully written and has some very cool dark ideas.

[Craig Silliphant · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the best books I've read this year!

[Joan Soggie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thought-provoking and enjoyable, this collection of short stories is full of surprises. I hope to meet some of the characters in Ms. Slind’s future work!

[Brett · Rating 5 out of 5]

So many of these stories are absolutely absurd and unsettling, in a sort of mundane way. A totally trip. I love this collection.

[Christine · Rating 5 out of 5]

A friend from Saskatchewan gave me this wonderful book of short stories by a debit author. Each one was thought provoking and beautifully written.

[Rick Book · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a wonderful collection, with stories full of surprising twists and turns and a fascinating cast of quirky characters. Slind is a mischievous trickster of a writer. This is a book to read again and again.