Survivor's Guilt and Other Stories

There are a lot of dead bodies in this book and people who get away with it. In a way this is alluded to in the title. It is not just about people who survived Katrina, some of the stories are also about survivors who appear to survive the crimes they have committed.

I enjoyed this volume of stories because the stories are murder mysteries in reverse. We get to see the 'why' of the murder and in some cases feel quite sympathetic towards the murderer. Also the murderer doesn't always get caught.

This volume of stories muddies the waters with twists and turns and the unexpected. They are quite dark stories and subversive too and I thoroughly enjoyed them. This is a really good book.

A man desperately waits for rescue after the devastation of Katrina, but what really happened to his wife? A woman basks in the delight of new love only to discover she might be living with a serial killer and so she takes familiar steps to protect herself. A woman tries to protect her father's literary legacy and in so doing hides the darkness of her past.

In most of his mysteries Greg Herren gives us murder mysteries without ethical conflict. The murderers are bad and deserve to be caught and we cheer as Chance, Venus, Scotty and his men, track down those who try to hide their crimes, but in this volume Greg Herren serves up stories that are deliciously dark and twisted and we hope for the loop holes that will see the crimes hidden and murderers escaping justice.

If you like to teeter on the brink of falling into darkness, if you like twists and turns or if you like to cheer the bad guys now and again then this one is for you!

Reviewed by Ije Books

Greg Herren writes wonderful gay male murder mysteries featuring fun detectives. The Scotty Bradley Mysteries in particular hold a warm place in my heart. Herren bridges the gap between sexy and sane so beautifully...My Brother's Keeper (a Chanse MacLeod mystery short) and Don't Look Down really shone bright int this solid crime anthology.

Reviewed by Philip Bahr

Cleverly written stories of murder, perfect for dipping in and out, rather than reading in a single go...

The set-ups are impressive and the twists are satisfying. Keep this collection at your bedside or anywhere you would pick up your e-reader for a short break into something creepy and fun.

Reviewed by Alex deMorra

Most of the stories start off with a fairly simple scene setting premise. Then, like a drop of ink in water, what was perfectly clear takes on a pervading murkiness with sinister tendrils swirling through the story. I got my love of short stories by reading Roald Dahl and it’s also probably why I like them darker and with a twist. It’s definitely what I liked about most of the stories in this anthology.

I’ve taken my time in reading them because they’re all by the same author, and I’ve enjoyed nearly all of them. The characters of each story are given a strong presence with concise writing. There is a nice mix of stories with a twist, some that are just dark, some with an aspect of horror, those where you’re in the mind of the spectator and those that have an intense pathos about them.

Many of the stories have gay characters but their sexual orientation seems more about representation than the focus of the story. My favourites were “The Email Always Pings Twice”, “Keeper of the Flame” and “An Arrow for Sebastian”.

Reviewed by Joc Adamson

...Greg Herren writes a gripping short story. Not all writers can capture and hold the reader’s attention in only a few thousand words. Herren is a master of the craft. If the first two stories in the book don’t push you back on your heels you don’t have a pulse. It’s rare to read an anthology where every single story grabs and holds your attention. It doesn’t hurt that a lot of the tales are set in post Katrina New Orleans. It’s a perfect setting for the cold-blooded mercenaries among us. Lots of places to hide the bodies.

I was impressed by the richly developed characters and Herren’s ability to shock and surprise me with clever twists and many “I didn’t see that coming” moments. It’s not a spoiler to say there will be dead bodies in every story you read. Yes, there is survivor’s guilt as the title implies. There are also revenge filled lovers and one entertaining story called Housecleaning which is a study of a mother’s love…for murder.

Don’t be put off by the beefcake on the cover. There are stories featuring gay men but there are het couples as well. A main character’s sexual orientation is of less importance than how effective he is at hiding the bodies. I loved this book. I loved the murder and mayhem and clever crafting of so many memorable tales.

5 Glorious stars.

Reviewed by Eh Stevens