Hi everyone! I know, I know...it's been a long time but hopefully I'm back to stay!

Today I'm reviewing a book I just read: Shades of Grey by Michael Cargill


This is a collection of 3 short stories. All of them very different from each other but all dark and with the same themes of death and violence. The first story, "Shades of Grey" is about a man (John) who works for a British government agency and who has made a career out of violence and killing. In the story he finds himself on the receiving end of some of his own tricks of the trade. This story I wanted to know more about. How did John end up tied in the interrogation chair? What happens to him after the end of this short story?

The second story, "There and Back Again" is about a young British soldier (James) fighting in France during the second World War. The realities of war seem to take a while to sink in for him. This was my least favorite of the 3 stories.

The third story, "Down the Rabbit Hole" is about a young boy with a mean, abusive father. He also has a plush bunny who begins to talk to him and has creative ways of solving the boy's problems. This was by far my favorite of the 3 stories.

This set of short stories was well-written and left me wanting to know more about the characters. I really enjoyed the stories and didn't want them to end so soon! I look forward to reading more from this author.

***I received this book at no charge through the Goodreads.com Shut Up & Read, Read It and Reap program.***