Out of Time, by Word Watchers, Reviewed.

Eleven varied stories by a group of writers initially from a writing class make up this collection. In

common with most anthologies of this type, there is a mixture of style, genre and quality, though none of the stories is poor.

There is dark fiction here, speculative, alongside some of a more literary nature. So, a good mix. I particularly enjoyed Charlotte Betts’ Absolution, which opens the offering: a moral tale with edge. Julian Dobbins’ Fire and Forget is a story of grief and hope with a strong central character. Starnav, by Mel Gerdes puts a different slant on the getting-pregnant-mother-to-the-hospital-in-time theme, and does so with some humour mingled with the tension. Chris McCormack’s Forever Offshore gives an old theme a real twist and delivers it in a style which conveys the author’s unique voice. A Good Innings from the pen of Pamela Pheasant, is a warm tale of a life well-lived, told with grace and humour. John Potter’s Eye For an Eye is an intriguing political crime tale, full of tension. I See it in Your Eyes, by Abbie Todd is a tale of loss that’s full of subtle and raw emotion: have your hankie ready. And, in Katherine Webb’s On Beedon Barrow we have a coming of age story with a difference.

So, an anthology of well-written stories for those of us who enjoy short fiction. Definitely worth a look.