Souvenir and three more not-quite-straightforward tales

A collection of four extraordinary stories, not one of which travels a predictable route.

On a weekend jaunt with her parents, a 15-year-old girl shoplifts from the wrong souvenir shop. The consequences aren’t immediate, but a disconcerted Frankie Spitz soon discovers how overpowering an unexpected punishment can be.

Marleen lives an isolated existence except for work and her best friend. “Little Sister” follows a day in Marleen’s life, as revelations surface and things that seemed obvious at the start begin to blur.

A glimmer appears in the center of a boy’s bedroom, not quite a ghost, not quite ANYthing that Tommy can name. Except that he knows it’s a girl, and that she’s trying her best to communicate with him. In “Catching Lisette”, Tommy chases explanations for his phantom visitor, never anticipating the beguiling answers to his questions.

The fourth tale in this 22,000-word collection is “Photo Finish.” Rosalie Turner’s about to field the biggest curveball life’s ever thrown at her! Mysterious strangers are showing up in her photographs; are the reasons for this rooted in her past? In the Bad Thing that Rosalie never meant to do 19 years before? Or is there a simpler explanation? Rosalie, along with her daughter Jenna, tries to massage clarity out of an enigma, and ends up exploring not only her past, but also her present life. Events conspire to overtake her speculations, though, and Rosalie ends up understanding all too much.

A fabulous read with well-drawn characters and plots. These are four thrilling stories!