Creek Bait by Richard Lutman

Summary

“Creek Bait” is a collection of fourteen stories exploring a range of genres. Each story portrays the world of characters who escape from life. Some succeed, others face heartbreak and the lucky ones find redemption. From the isolation of a husband and wife to a magician who offers a ray of hope reading these stories is a journey that is passionate, surprising and sometimes tragic.

THE BUTTERFLY LOVERS
Lover, friend or enemy, for each the attraction to a woman was different; her laughter, voice, eyes, hair, perfume mingled with the night air or the portent of a dark shape leaning from a darkened doorway.

CREEK BAIT
The film I’d always dreamed of making about a bait shop would open with the establishing shot of a flat-bottomed boat tied to a dock and herons poised on yellow stilts in the estuary.

A PRETTY HAND
Cass Franklin spent the first few days after his release from prison preparing his charcoal kilns.

THE MEDALIST
What had he done to deserve such a fate when his future had been before him and Theresa’s body waited for him, warm and desirable, in bed?

THE GREAT CAUSE
My name is Miller, Corporal Thomas W. Miller, II I’m the only one left to search and destroy.

THE MAGICIAN
Today I saw a magician die.

DE NADA
Something would happen tonight, he was sure of that.

A VIEW OF TOLEDO
When she asked him about the blueberries, several shoppers stared at him then at her, wondering at their relationship.

CROSSING THE GREAT DIVIDE
At last, he would show his wife and her therapist, Dr. Sloane, he’d had enough of being married.

THE CALF
Wes hoped the long drive through the cold December rain would be worth it.

THE BLUE LADY
Colonel Hidalgo of the Ninth Regiment wasn’t a drinking man, but today was different.

BIRTHDAY BOY
Today I’m thirty-five years old; last year I received another necktie from a distant cousin in Joplin, Missouri.

THE STARS ARE OUT IN CABLAND
Is it too much to ask to catch a glimpse of the pure, clean stars against the sky?

LAUGHTER FOR PADRE
The doctor expected The Padre at the birth of this child, the first son to Ruiz the carpenter.



My Thoughts

Ok.  I typically really love to read anthologies.  Sometimes I like to be able to read a short story in between other books.  Other times I'll just read straight through.  This one, I just read the whole book in one sitting.

Most times, I enjoy the more of the stories than not.  I regret to say that really wasn't the case here.  I didn't hate them all!  I'd say it was about 50/50.  And, they honestly didn't feel like they were all written by the same author.  I guess that threw me a little.  All in all, not all bad, but not all good! Lol!

*Note: I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.