Here We Go Again - Short Story Collection

By: Leigh Michaels, Sparkle Abbey, Kari Lee Townsend, Ann Reavis, Barbara Witek, Anita Clenney
Publisher: The Story Vault
Publication Date: February 2014
ASIN: B00IM7EUU4
Reviewed by: Deb Fowler
Review Date: March 1, 2014

Ann Reavis claims that it is in poor taste to start a tale with such lines as "It was a dark and stormy night." Perhaps, but then again Edward Bulwer-Lytton was a successful novelist as is Ann and the other writers who have penned short stories in this anthology. Leigh Michaels, Sparkle Abbey, Kari Lee Townsend/Harmon, Barbara Witek, Ann Reavis, and Anita Clenney are hoping that you'll join them on a dark and stormy night when that rain falls in torrents to read their little snippets. Of course these little snippets could easily be expanded and in some instances, appear to let the reader in on what will happen next in series. Call them teasers as you will, but that's exactly what some of them appear to be.

It was a dark, but not so stormy couple of nights ago when I began to read these tales. Of course I was fascinated by the different styles and dearth of characters I either met for the first time or was going to revisit. There were familiar characters such as the cats Dante and Morty, but new critters like the "milksop heiress." No the heiress probably will never be a major character, but Dorinda did add a bit of spice to Leigh Michael's "Shadows of Love." Kari Lee Townsend's Morty was Mitch's nemesis and Reavis's Dante was off on yet another adventure. Then there was Barbara Witek's Maddie McClintock, a no nonsense veterinarian who was more into critters than relationships.

No anthology would be complete without a vampire and Anita Clenny obliges. Or was that a demon? You'll find out. Of course Sparkle Abbey, pet therapist cannot be left out of the mix. There's this little problem of "Phil's untimely death" and a missing dog named Shadow. A beagle to be exact. Well, this is the short of it and that's good enough for most people. I really enjoyed sitting up in bed on a dark and not stormy night to read the fabulous Here We go Again - Short Story Collection, a collection of short stories by all our favorite cozy mystery writers.

Quill says: If you love a good yarn (or six), you're sure to adore this marvelously delightful anthology from some of the best cozy mystery authors around!