This collection of short stories was sold to help raise funds for Victim Support Scotland. VSS challenged Scottish crime writers to contribute stories focusing on the victims of crime instead of the solving of a mystery.
Be warned theses stories are not for the faint of heart. None are gratuitous, just the opposite, none are overly dramatic, but all of them expose a naked truth.
Daddy's Girl by Karen Campbell - a young single mom copes with living on her own and answering the awkward question from her daughter. "Who is my daddy?"
A sad and hopeful story of a young woman who's life fell apart after being raped.
Run, Rabbit, Run by Ray Banks - After having his home broken in, Terry Davies finds out who it was and decides on some revenge. How he reacts when the moment is upon him was a true test of his character.
Bye, Bye, Baby by Allen Guthrie - This was an incredibly sad story about a mother dealing with the death of her husband, years earlier, and now the disappearance of her son. But the story of her son is not what we expect. Excellent story.
The Best Small Country In The World by Louise Welsh - Two illegal immigrants from Poland step off the plane in Scotland. Sadly what happens next probably happens a lot, all over the world, to hopeful folks who just want a better life.
One Good Turn by Lin Anderson - a quick chilling story about a random act of kindness turning into a random act of violence. Well told, elevated my heart rate.
With Tender Violence by Stuart MacBride - Domestic violence, what a terrible emotional trap. Even with the twist it was still very compelling and sad. MacBride turned the situation around and managed to amplify everything about the situation. Telling the story traditionally would have been less meaningful because our preconceptions are hard wired. Very well done.
The Road Taken by Gillian Galbraith - A sad, touching story of a single mom coping with her past and with the death of her son. So incredibly believable was her relationship with her son.
Voices Through The Wall by Alex Gray - What is life like for the mother of a man who's killed and locked up after being declared insane?
Out of the Flesh by Christopher Brookmyre - I read only the first paragraph. The whole story was written in a phonetic English with a Scottish accent. Completely unreadable. The last thing I want is to be constantly taken out of the story because I'm trying to decipher a sentence.
Zapruder by GJ Moffat - An elderly man is suffering from PTSD after the death of his wife. God my heart racing. Excellent story.
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