Red Queen Check by Elizabeth Horton-Newton

Wow, where to begin with this story? It starts off with an erotic flair as socialite Mark and his girlfriend Vayda are at a party, yet it is clear they’d rather be elsewhere. Soon, back at his place, the story takes a twist I didn’t see coming. You see, Mark is a pervert, a dangerous and scary one. What happens next is a plot that was years in the making and just as devious as you’d expect to see. The author, Ms. Horton-Newton, does such a wonderful job creating a cold and calculating word in such a short amount of time. At the end of the short story, you’re feeling as if you’ve been on a rollercoaster ride that took hours to complete. Each character, either through flashback or the main characters themselves, was expertly designed for the purpose given. Each, in just a limited space, comes to life the way great characters are supposed to. This is the final tale in the short story anthology “Crooked Tales,” and man does it end the book properly. I am so impressed with the writing style and the fluid way the words move the reader through the story, that I can only say one thing to Ms. Horton-Newton: bravo! You have won yourself a brand new fan/reader. –Jeremy Croston