I received a request via email to review Unsavory Delicacies by Russell Brooks. He said he found my blog and saw that I reviewed books for authors. I was not compensated for this review in anyway and was honored that he contacted me. I appreciate the opportunity to help an author. It's because of their talent that my desire to read is so great!
I'm not a fan of short stories because I always yearn for more of the story to complete it. However, these stories were well written and didn’t leave me searching for more than were given. They did make me not want them to end. Mr. Brooks is a great storyteller...
In To The Last Bite we're introduced to a food critic who makes a living providing negative reviews on every restaurant he visits. His readers yearn for his negativistic reviews salivating for more of them. Periodically he painfully drops a positive review but it's the negative reviews that keep his business afloat. One day he visits a French restaurant where the meal is delightful and the owner is familiar. He provides a savory review and his pallet is not the same thereafter. The food that he ate at the restaurant never leaves his tongue and thoughts of the owner never do either.
The chef from the restaurant shows up at his home unexpectedly to offer him another meal shifting this story into an unfamiliar and creepy place.
In Crem Brûlée we are introduced to a young beautiful vivacious woman who uses her assets to acquire the things she desires. Just as she leaves a dinner with her most recent conquest she hears shots ring out killing him. Thrust into a whirlwind of danger, Monique finds that her looks won't help her out of this situation. The story makes twists and turns quickly with a surprise ending.
In the final story, Shashlyk and Morozhenoe, Ridley Fox goes undercover posing as an inspector looking for bad meat. Unbeknownst to Ridley and his cohorts, they are being watched by the Russian mafia. He contacts Dobbs but isn't sure if they can hold out until his arrival. As the secrets unfold Ridley finds a few that surprise him.
Together these three short stories make up three tales focusing on revenge. They were well written, clear and understandable. The author painted clear, vivid pictures allowing the reader to get lost in each story...
