Overview

Mystery, suspense, and elements of the supernatural weave through these ten short stories. A few tales in A WICKED THING! remain unsolved, allowing the reader's imagination to draw whatever conclusion seems logical. In "TICK-TOCK, BUY A CLOCK" young James Palfrey III discovers his grandfather's old clock in an antique store and wants to buy it in spite of not having enough money to cover the purchase price. Archibald Lived, the mysterious little owner of the shop sends James away, confused and uneasy, with the clock, partially paid for, tucked under his arm. Norman Rumboldt, the jealous husband in "HEAD-OVER-HEELS" schemes (quite cleverly, in his own misguided opinion) to physically incapacitate or even murder his wife, if need be, when he finds love letters from and unknown lover in her desk drawer. The title story "A WICKED THING!" features a downtrodden meek little housewife spiraling toward the brink of insanity because of her invalid husband's never-ending mental abuse. She escapes from her dismal life into a fantasy world where the final outcome is something she never dreamed could happen. All these stories involve ordinary people driven by anger, jealousy, greed, revenge and, in some cases, curiosity. The protagonists are varied and complex. They are either meticulous planners or eager opportunists who commit ill-conceived, convoluted crimes that go awry with catastrophic and, in some cases, humorous results.