Uncooperative Characters

by Pete Simons

WINNER OF THE 2023 BEST INDIE BOOK AWARD FOR BEST SHORT STORY COLLECTION.
Meet a group of Uncooperative Characters in this (mostly) humorous collection of 25 quirky short stories, including a teapot private eye hired by a spoonlike femme fatale, a mystic who can only give Magic 8 Ball responses, three spies who play a deadly game of rock-paper-scissors, a serial killer who has a dispute with the story’s narrator, an author who convenes a Zoom meeting of stock characters, and more. Twenty more, to be exact.

Genres: Humor

252 pages, Paperback

Published March 29, 2022

About the author

Pete Simons is the author of "The Coyote" and "White as Snow." A graduate of Brown University and the University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School, he is an ex-finance professional who worked in the petroleum business and the agricultural industry. After retiring from finance, he joined the Teach for America program and attempted to teach high school physics, landing him in therapy with a whole new appreciation for high school professionals. He lives in Minnesota but grew up in New Jersey, which explains a lot. But to know what it explains you would have to know him. Mr. Simons evidently learned nothing whatsoever from the process of publishing two novels, since he is currently working on a soon-to-be-released selection of short stories. He is also actively searching for a new biographer.

Reviews

[Ed Crutchley · Rating 5 out of 5]

25 short stories include Pete Simons’ hilarious takes on Macbeth, Dr Who, Little Red Riding Hood, Chess, Genesis, Death, Sherlock Holmes, and plenty besides. Some of the stories are a little more serious, but they are always brilliant. This was terrific fun to read.

[Lee McCall · Rating 4 out of 5]

I wasn't entirely sure what to expect when I started reading Pete Simon's book "Uncooperative Characters." And now that I'm done, I'm still not entirely sure what it was I just read. But I know that I loved it.

This collection of mostly unrelated short stories was by turns creepy, witty, laugh-out-loud funny, darkly clever, and always entertaining, and I came to the end of the collection all too soon. While the stories are, as noted, mostly unrelated, I enjoyed how occasionally a story will unexpectedly tie into an earlier one. I'm not going to include any spoilers here, but my favorites had to be "The Queen's Gambit" and "Piglet, Prince of Denmark, WI" for their brilliant use of chess and Shakespearean references respectively.

I'm very glad Pete shared this book for me to review, and now that I've got a taste of his writing, I'll be looking to read more of his books. Thanks Pete!

[Tym · Rating 5 out of 5]

I won this as a Goodreads giveaway but that will in no way influence my review. A collection of mostly tongue-in-cheek tales based on stock or classic characters of literature everything from Fairy Tale to a group of spy friends who are sent to kill one another. Every charming tale is at least 4 stars or better and this succeeded in doing something that rarely happens in my case, I laughed out, hard. I would recommend this to anyone who has read a broad variety of books or pop culture. This book is far more intelligent than it presumes to be. I will be buying more from this author in the near future.

[Katmandu · Rating 5 out of 5]

Delicious

You know when you're eating a sandwich and you're trying to get that perfect bite? Well, each story in this collection serves a perfect bite. I was going to read just one story a day but I couldn't, finished it in two days and I know this is one I recommend anyone to read. I especially liked the one where death takes a holiday at the beach and the consequences are felt all around the world. I wish I could give it more stars.

[Sara · Rating 4 out of 5]

Odd Collection of Stories

The stories included are wide ranging. Some are funny, some make you think, some are clever and others you are glad it was a short story. Some have familiar characters. It took me awhile to figure out a few of them. I was proud to have figured it out. Others I was just as baffled at the end as in the beginning.
This was a great book to read when I just had a few minutes to spare.

[Diane R. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Uncooperative Characters is a wildly imaginative and delightfully self-aware short story collection that revels in bending and breaking narrative rules. Pete Simons leans fully into absurdity with confidence, delivering stories that are clever, playful, and often laugh-out-loud funny, while still showcasing impressive control of voice and pacing.

From a teapot private investigator navigating a spoon-shaped femme fatale, to spies settling deadly stakes through rock-paper-scissors, each story feels like a creative experiment that works. The humor is sharp but never lazy, and beneath the whimsy lies a deep understanding of storytelling itself especially evident in tales that challenge narrators, conventions, and reader expectations.

What makes this collection stand out is its consistency of imagination. Even as the characters resist their author, their worlds feel intentional and cohesive in tone. It’s rare to find a short story collection that feels both mischievous and meticulously crafted.

A well-deserved award winner, Uncooperative Characters will delight readers who enjoy metafiction, surreal humor, and stories that refuse to behave themselves.

[DAB-E · Rating 3 out of 5]

This collection of short stories is well worth reading. It is hard to pick a favorite, but the one with the time machine is definitely one of them, as is the one with James Sherlock.

Thanks Goodreads

[Callinikos of the Mountains]

This was a whimsical, literary Rhapsody, like Monty python, or Vonnegut for the American palate.