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Double-take Tales [Kindle Edition]

Donna Brown (Author)
4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (10 customer reviews) |
Digital List Price: $0.99 What's this?
Kindle Price: $0.99 includes free wireless delivery via Amazon Whispernet

Book Description

Publication Date: October 1, 2011
Three dark, sardonic short stories that will have you expecting the unexpected:

In "Poison," a psychologically abused wife discovers that her husband's nut allergy may be the solution to all her problems.

In "Round Trip," a five pound note passes through desperate hands, greedy hands and tired hands before coming full circle…accompanied by a big surprise.

In "Ç'est La Vie," the police bungle a murder investigation under the watchful eye of someone uncomfortably close to the killing.

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Product Details

  • File Size: 98 KB
  • Print Length: 21 pages
  • Simultaneous Device Usage: Unlimited
  • Sold by: Amazon Digital Services
  • Language: English
  • ASIN: B006HTHAW4
  • Text-to-Speech: Enabled
  • Lending: Enabled
  • Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #245,034 Paid in Kindle Store (See Top 100 Paid in Kindle Store)

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Customer Reviews

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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
6 of 6 people found the following review helpful
Format:Kindle Edition|Amazon Verified Purchase
I was totally impressed by how quickly the characters absorbed me into their stories. Following a £5 note through the lives of various interesting people was a fun and quick ride in the tale Round Trip. Round Trip somewhat reminded me of one of my favorite movies, Slackers. The story Poison threw me into the mind of a disappointed wife, a twisted character who becomes more sympathetic as the story progresses. I was intrigued with how well I came to understand her treachery. C'est la vie involves a troubled character who is following a suspenseful murder investigation, and ends with a nice twist. I'm a big fan of twists. I'm definitely on the lookout for more books from this talented author! Great read!
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4 of 4 people found the following review helpful
Format:Kindle Edition
I have not really read any published short stories, and when I came across Donna's Double-take Tales the title intrigued me enough to check it out. I have to now say that I was missing out on an important part of written fiction by ignoring short stories. After reading Donna's three shorts, I've realized that these are really different than the full-length novels or even the shorter novellas. The space available to each story does not grant the author too much time to develop characters, or a back story. But a good short story can overcome these restrictions and make us care for what happens in the story as well as the characters.

This is what Donna is able to achieve with each of her stories in this book. The book consists of three unrelated stories each of which is tied off with a common theme. That theme is the double-take which the stories require from the readers. We start off believing something about the stories or the characters and by the end, those beliefs are turned on their heads and we are left with the thought, "What just happened? Did I read the conclusion right?" I had to in fact go back and read the stories a second time to see how the new conclusion affected the stories. This makes the book extremely enjoyable as we get to read almost completely different takes on the stories a second time. I have to commend the author at being able to achieve this. I was definitely not able to think up the conclusion of the stories, and the double-take was an amazing way for each of the stories to end.

The first story of the book follows the journey of an everyday object which travels from person to person. The author is able to bring each of the persons who are touched by the object to life for the very brief moment when the object is with them. Their hopes and aspirations, dreams and troubles are all laid bare. I always thought that this was not possible with the few words the author uses, I stand corrected and enlightened.

The second story revolves around a married housewife who seems stuck in a boring, even loveless marriage. The story of her plan to get out of this situation and the actual facts of how this happens are magnificently crafted. I could imagine her plight and her pain, but could not really come to grips with her actions. The ending left me in two minds, where I did not really like her, but was amazed at the turn of events for her. As usual, I had to go back and read the story again to truly appreciate the craft of the author.

The third story is a doozy. It is about a murder investigation being followed by someone who is closely linked to the event. The detached yet expectant way in which the person follows the investigation was brilliantly described. The ending of this story left me confused at first. But I was shocked when it actually sank in. Wow! This is all I can say.

If you want to read three terrifically crafted short stories which will make you keep coming back, get this book! My only complaint is that I wanted to read more stories by the author but had to be satisfied with JUST three. I really hope that she gets her next book out sooner. I just can't wait too long.
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4 of 4 people found the following review helpful
Must-read shorts February 4, 2012
Format:Kindle Edition
I think I've made it pretty clear that I have a hard time reviewing short stories. People forget that short stories are a prestigious format with contributions from masters of writing. So when people say they're going to write a short story, it would be best to remember the bar is set very high. So I usually don't take short stories because of that and they're hard for me to review. When I was invited to read Double-take tales, I was curious. I'm glad I'm curious. These stories fit the bill. The conflict and resolution is interesting, entertaining, and well-written. If you enjoy short stories that draw you in and leave you going, "Ohhh! That was good." then you will want to read these.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
Top trio
I really enjoyed reading this trio of dark stories with wry humour and some unexpected twists.

First up is Round Trip, in which an unassuming little £5 note passes... Read more
Published 2 months ago by Vixie UK
Visceral but twisted collection of shorts
The title is apt - these stories will make you do a double take. They are well written and intricate while still being short enough to leave details to the reader's imagination. Read more
Published 3 months ago by Kelly Hitchcock
3 tales, three experiences, all a must read!
When I picked up 'Double Take Tales' by Donna Brown I walked into it a bit worried because it was a collection of short stories. Read more
Published 3 months ago by CabinGoddess
Elegantly Crafted Stories with Great Dialogue
Three stories make up this collection, but they pack a punch. Elegantly crafted, carefully structured, they are also filled with dialogue that resonates true. Read more
Published 3 months ago by Frederick Lee Brooke
Thrilling and Fun Read
The three short stories contained in Doubl-take Tales take the reader for a wild ride of suspense, mystery, and intrigue. Read more
Published 4 months ago by Anastasia Pergakis
Quirky, dark and amusing tales with a nice twist...
This collection of stories by Donna Brown is delightfully dark and contains fascinating characters with stories that feel off in all of the right (and wrong) ways. Read more
Published 4 months ago by J. C. Andrijeski
Nice collection of stories
Donna Brown does a nice job with these twisted little vignettes. C'est La Vie was definitely my favorite of the three. Read more
Published 4 months ago by S. M. Johnson
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More About the Author

› Visit Amazon's Donna Brown Page
Donna Brown
Donna is a long time book reviewer and has devoured books from an early age. She writes short stories as and when inspiration hits and is married to fantasy author David M. Brown (Fezariu's Epiphany).

Donna has lived in many different areas of the UK over the last 31 years but has remained in Yorkshire for the past decade. She ardently disputes the misnomer that 'It's grim up north'. You can find Donna on Google+, Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and Goodreads, or visit her blogs: Book Bags and Cat Naps and The Indie Exchange.

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