Mysteries from the Keys: a collection of short stories ISBN: 9781927899397 Cavern of Dreams Publishing, Library and Archives Canada Cataloging and Publication written by Mary M. Cushnie Mansour.
Story #1. Minnie’s way – an old, sightless woman with a stray cat and old, ‘comfortable dog reliving memories while a ‘day helper’ comes to visit, but again leaves to buy groceries. 2. The Storm – a violent storm, a telephone call is received, mysterious and frightening. Discovers it was only a dream. Another call comes in. She answers and discovers it is a repeat of the Dram. 3. We can Smile Again – a story of 2 most unusual young girls as they gradually grow and mature in their macabre artistic pursuits. 4. Closing the Cottage – a new tale of a now 19-year-old girl who is being left alone for several days in a lakeside home quite removed from a town of any size. The protagonist is purported to be a young woman recovered from a “nervous breakdown”. The plot details her regression into a return of psychological disturbance and proceeds to describe an episode, but with no definite closure. 5. Return to the Cottage – an episode based on follow-up material about the same setting and some of the same, with addition of new, strange individuals and still with no closure. 6. Flowers for the attic – another short bizarre vignette. 7. The Witness – charming tale with a house cat the protagonist 8. The Coffin – another tale ‘on the darker side’ somewhat softened by its poignancy. 9. Angelique – another dark tale – death of a loved one, another chance, gypsies and a not unexpected ending. 10. Master Arpeggio – an unusual fantasy centered on a cat 13. Rodney – a kidnapped child ends as a cold case to be solved in the next story__14. Rodney’s Return – same characters with a few additions and like the other stories, leaves much for the reader to determine with respect to closure.
Discussion: Recently, a number of books have been offered with the Florida Keys as a setting for their plot. Amusingly, this reviewer selected the book without properly determining the message provided by the title. Mysteries from the Keys is just as presented – a collection of stories ‘on the dark side’ written with the typewriter pictured. They do not have anything to do with the Florida Keys, but should have appeal for readers who particularly enjoy this type of story.
4* For readers who enjoy ‘tales on the dark side’.