Suspicions: 25 Dark and Disturbing Stories [Paperback]

Elizabeth Engstrom (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: February 1, 2002

Twenty-five dark and haunting stories from Elizabeth Engstrom's archives.

You'll find mystery, horror, erotica, science fiction, fantasy and humor, side by side with moving human drama and cautionary, moral tales. In this volume, you'll view the world through her dark and edgy lens, distorting your vision and ever so gently nicking your heart.

These stories are not for the faint of heart, the squeamish, or the prudish. Engstrom reaches deep, and pulls forth some harsh realities. If you want light entertainment, you'll find some of that here. But for the most part, sit back and get ready for a ride that will take you to places within yourself that you never knew existed.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Elizabeth Engstrom (Lizzie Borden, etc.) has selected 25 stories most previously published from her 20-year writing career and gathered them up in Suspicions, a spooky collection of tales inspired by the author's questions and theories about death, sex, government, technology, family and the unknown. The characters, places and even genres vary widely: while "Fates Entwined" leans toward erotica, for example, "Rivering" is a fantastical tale of a woman who fishes for souls, and "Romana" reveals a basic love triangle with a paranormal twist.
Copyright 2002 Cahners Business Information, Inc.

From Booklist

Engstrom claims she is suspicious by nature, and she has something to say about seemingly everything: sex, death, the unknown, friends, family--everything. She presents these 25 stories categorically by object of suspicion, beginning with the "Unknown." They cover quite a bit of territory--physically from a judgment train to the river Styx and emotionally from horror to simple happiness--and, often touched by a strange muse, run the affective gamut from pure fluff to thought-provoking inspiration. One of the most memorable ones, "Music Ascending," concerns someone who creates experiences with carefully mixed cocktails of sound, and who has been asked to give his customer the experience of death, so that the customer can live to tell about it; it is a request that, though seeming innocent enough, contains implicit yet unforeseen temptations. Altogether, these stories make up a hefty, genre-crossing pie, spiced with images capable of snagging the imagination for at least some small, suspicious time. Regina Schroeder
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 352 pages
• Publisher: TripleTree Publishing (February 1, 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0966627296
• ISBN-13: 978-0966627299
• Product Dimensions: 8.4 x 5.5 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.1 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,738,805 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Elizabeth (Liz) Engstrom grew up in Park Ridge, Illinois (a Chicago suburb where she lived with her father) and Kaysville, Utah (north of Salt Lake City, where she lived with her mother). After graduating from high school in Illinois, she ventured west in a serious search for acceptable weather, eventually settling in Honolulu. She attended college and worked as an advertising copywriter.

After eight years on Oahu, she moved to Maui, found a business partner and opened an advertising agency. One husband, two children and five years later, she sold the agency to her partner and had enough seed money to try her hand at full time fiction writing, her lifelong dream. With the help of her mentor, science fiction great Theodore Sturgeon, When Darkness Loves Us was published.

Engstrom moved to Eugene, Oregon in 1986, where she lives with her husband Al Cratty, the legendary muskie fisherman, and their Duck Tolling Retriever, Jook. Liz holds a BA in English Literature and Creative Writing and a Master of Arts in Applied Theology, both from Marylhurst University. A recluse at heart, she still emerges into public occasionally to speak at a writers conference, or to teach a class on various aspects of writing the novel, essay, article or short story. An avid knitter and gardener, she is on faculty at the University of Phoenix and is always working on the next book. Learn more at www.elizabethengstrom.com.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Suspicious Minds, October 3, 2003

By 

James Beach (Longview, WA - USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Suspicions: 25 Dark and Disturbing Stories (Paperback)

I have been reading Elizabeth's work since coming across a story which affected me very much in the early 1990's, and have continued to be impressed by it. She writes a lot of different types of stories - horror, fantasy, erotica, sci-fi - you name it! The one thing that is consistant is the strong characterization and the emotional content in everything she writes. This collection is a great example of that. There were stories that disturbed, aroused, and most of all made me think. I am a somewhat questioning, sometimes cynical person and some of the issues she brings up in this book forced me to look at myself. I would recommend this to every fan of strong, intelligent fiction.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Unclassifiably Good, October 24, 2002

By 

Bookseller "pbtad" (Pittsburgh, PA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: Suspicions: 25 Dark and Disturbing Stories (Paperback)

I came across this book purely by chance and, am I ever glad that I did, because I would have no idea where to look for such a book in a bookstore. The collection of stories encompasses every type of tale you can think of: horror, humor, science fiction, mystery, romance, and the list goes on.

Each story explores one of the author's suspicions about the way the universe really works and what motivates the people in it. It has been several days since I finished reading the book and I amazed by the number of different stories I can clearly remember from the book. So many of them brought up 'suspicions' that come back to me at unexpected times throughout the day.

I may not know exactly how to classify the subject of this book, but I do know that it well worth reading. The variety and superb writing talents of Ms. Engstrom guarantees that the suspicious raised by the stories will stick with you long after you finish.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Surprised by What Suspiciously Drives Me, June 20, 2002

By 

Kathryn Mattingly (Portland, Oregon) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Suspicions: 25 Dark and Disturbing Stories (Paperback)

I have learned a lot about what drives me from Engstrom's stories, and I predict that should you choose to read this collection of uncommon fiction, you will be surprised at what you learn about yourself. Everyone gets what they deserve in Liz's fantasy world, centering around suspicions about everything from death to the unknown. I am amazed at how well Ms. Engstrom has defined the needs of a man verses the needs of a woman in her often arousing, and just as often humorous erotic tales surrounding suspicions about sex. In general, her stories will overstimulate your psyche and probe your intellect with their pushing the limits scenerios and psychological suspense. And you may be surprised by what suspiciously drives you in the end. This is a great read, not for the faint of heart.