Fake

Told as a series of confessions by the people involved, the story has to do with a wire service stringer investigating a wildfire who visits a burnt shack with a dungeon that seemed to have held a woman for several years. When the story's sensation dies down, he manufactures and discovers the woman. Things get complicated when the woman shows up.
Some good characterizations, and a plot that left me guessing, even past the end. Dark and cynical, if that's your taste.

Enjoyable, short, pacy story that reminded me somewhat as if it could be an episode of some TV series, perhaps a Twilight Zone, Hitchcock Presents or similar. The twist was clever enough, but the whole premise was a little too sleazy for my tastes and the ending perhaps not as clear-cut as I'd like. 3.5 stars.

There's a frantic, almost desperate, nature to the writing that is compelling. It sets a rhythm separate from the narrative itself and compels you to continue reading. It's also a detriment as the frenetic nature of the writing appears to be in part to how raw it is. Stumbling across those errors that a spell checker just doesn't catch is off putting and always pulls me out of the page. Another reminder of the trend of many creative commons licensed materials missing comprehensive proofing and editing.

The length is it's best friend in this case. The story and it's method of delivery have great potential to become tedious against a high page count. It unfolds from the different perspectives of the main characters through what is essentially a first person confessional. It's an interesting delivery and adds to what is a fundamentally simple story. Just, in this case, fairly well told. There's the gritty, underhanded, and vengeful nestled right alongside a bit of the serendipitous.

I enjoyed this particular work and plan to move on to some of the authors other offerings in the future.