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Review | My Fence is Electric: and Other Stories by Mark Newman

Lu Reviews Books

Surprising and haunting

My Fence is Electric: and Other Stories by Mark Newman is a collection of short stories that kept me at the edge of my seat afraid to turn the page. 

My thanks to the author and Odyssey Books for the Advanced Reader’s Copy.

 

Book Details

Title: My Fence is Electric: and Other Stories by Mark Newman
Pages: 173
Publication Date: Odyssey Books (February 18, 2020)
Language: English
ASIN: B084RQP2K6

Book Description:

A housing estate is in shock following a child’s disappearance. A girl and her invisible friend go their separate ways. A father and a son bond over Post-It notes. A single father and his daughter have different approaches to the disappearance of their dog. A father finds his way to coax his agoraphobic son back out into the world.

My Fence is Electric and Other Stories is a collection of award-winning short stories looking at those moments in life that fizz with the electric intensity of change.

From the Publisher’s Blurb

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Review 

As you well know, I read mostly romance, but I was intrigued by the title and the cover of this book.

My Fence is Electric: and Other Stories by Mark Newman is a collection of short stories that kept me at the edge of my seat afraid to turn the page.

Most stories start calm and serene until events begin to take an unexpected turn. Some characters are very relatable, some situations recognizable, so it is quite a shock when the truth is revealed.

It was an uncomfortable but exciting read. I liked how the flaws of the characters were highlighted, how their weaknesses led them to extremes.

The author plays with the reader’s mind. His characters are not clearly divided into good and evil, all borders are blurred.

My Fence is Electric is a well-written and intriguing read that will haunt your mind way after you are finished.

Disclosure: I received an ARC of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

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About the Author

Mark Newman has been shortlisted for the Costa Short Story Award, highly commended in the New Writer Prose & Poetry Awards and Bristol Prize longlisted. His work has won competitions judged by Alison Moore, Tania Hershman and David Gaffney.

He has been published in Firewords Quarterly, Fiction Desk and Paper Swans. He has eight stories in the Retreat West competition anthology Inside These Tangles, Beauty Lies.

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Published by Lu Reviews Books

Bookworm, book enthusiast, book addict, Janeite. Book art, book reviews, and book-related articles. I read historical fiction, romance, and women's fiction.

22 thoughts on “Review | My Fence is Electric: and Other Stories by Mark Newman”

  2. I loved these stories! They are so intense but also very readable , beautifully descriptive with very relatable characters. The author often surprises you by pinpointing little moments or feelings that you recognise but have never put words to. A delight.

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