Flush of Shadows [Mass Market Paperback]

Kate Wilhelm (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: May 1, 1996

"SUSPENSEFUL GEMS . . . Nothing is as it first seems in these stories. They unfold at a spellbinding pace."
--The Seattle Times
"CHARLIE AND CONSTANCE ARE A WONDERFULLY REAL COUPLE. . . . [These stories] are marked by Wilhelm's magic as a tale-spinner and her ability to make us care deeply about her characters."
--Minneapolis Star-Tribune
In five riveting short novels, those gentle seekers after justice, Constance Leidl and Charlie Meiklejohn, resolve haunting conundrums in which the cheerful face of American life no longer quite conceals underlying evil.
From the suburban Northeast to a beautiful hidden valley in the Rockies, from a luxury resort in Florida to Constance and Charlie's own backyard, Kate Wilhelm takes us on a chilling expedition through realms of psychological unease where even angels might fear to tread. Readers with a taste for the mysterious, the unusual, the unexplained, or the truth will find this collection sublime.
"PROVOCATIVE AND RIVETING. . . Wilhelm knows what readers like."
--Booklist

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

These five imaginative novellas (two not previously published) starring those mellow and affectionate retirees, arson investigator Charlie Meiklejohn and psychologist Constance Leidl, prove this husband-and-wife team's skills haven't rusted at all. Introduced in The Hamlet Trap (1987) and stars of five novels, the couple, who live in the country 200 miles from New York, offer Wilhelm the opportunity to demonstrate her talent in both the SF and mystery genres. Two of these stories originally appeared in Isaac Asimov's Science Fiction Magazine: "With Thimbles, with Forks, and Hope" finds Charlie and Constance outwitting an otherworldly force; in "The Gorgon Field," a Mexican shaman seems to be controlling the mind of an 80-year-old tycoon. Seen here for the first time, "Torch Song" is a devilishly twisty story in which a paroled arsonist sent to prison 13 years ago by Charlie seems to be bent on framing him for a series of recent fires. Like her sleuthing, witty pair, the prolific Wilhelm shows no signs of a flagging imagination.
Copyright 1995 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From Booklist

After writing more than 30 mysteries and science fiction novels, Wilhelm knows what readers like. Witness her popular stories featuring the unusual husband-and-wife detecting duo of Constance Leidl, a psychologist-author, and Charlie Meiklejohn, a retired arson investigator. Her latest book is a collection of five Constance and Charlie novellas, some previously published, some completely new. In the tradition of Nick and Nora Charles, Constance and Charlie lead a comfortable life, interrupted only by the odd case that comes their way now and again--and the cases are odd, most of them featuring some dark psychological trappings that lend an eerie, otherworldly ambience. Included in the book are a bizarre story about a woman who uses her mind to guide humans into dangerous and deathly situations; a tragic, spooky tale about a young mind reader with a Bible-thumping evangelist as a mentor; and the saga of a sadly misguided arsonist who can't be stopped, even by Constance and Charlie. A provocative and riveting set of stories that belongs in all good mystery collections. Emily Melton --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Mass Market Paperback
• Publisher: Fawcett (May 1, 1996)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0449224341
• ISBN-13: 978-0449224342
• Product Dimensions: 6.8 x 4.1 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,326,449 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Born in 1928, Kate Wilhelm the author of more than thirty novels including Where Late the Sweet Bird Sang and The Unbidden Truth. Her work has been adapted for TV and film and translated into twenty languages. She has been awarded the Prix Apollo, Kurd Lasswitz, Hugo, Nebula, and Locus Awards. In 2003, she was inducted into the Science Fiction Hall of Fame. Her short fiction appeared in landmark anthologies such as Again Dangerous Visions, Orbit, The Penguin Book of Modern Fantasy by Women, and The Norton Book of Science Fiction. A cofounder of the Clarion Writers' Workhops, she continues to host monthly writing workshops in Eugene, Oregon.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Stretches the point, but the characters are likeable . . ., April 10, 2002

By 

Maureen "Unitarian Universalist Minister, Lif... (Hendersonville, New Caledonia) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: A Flush of Shadows: Five Short Novels (Hardcover)

and the mysteries are intriguing. If you like your mystery novellas with a touch of the occult, give this book a try. The plots are sufficiently dissimilar that you don't get tired reading five different stories . . . and the length of the novella allows for much more "meat" than the short story. Wilhelm, as always, is a skillful and intelligent writer.