Various (Editor: Beech, Mark) - Bitter Distillations

Assorted decoctions, vile cordials, the sweet aperitif before the hand clutches for the throat.
“The Blissful Tinctures,” by Jonathan Wood, opens in a trench in the Great War. Patrick serves King and Country, nudged to enlist, it appears, by his parents, whose decadent habits flower in his absence.
Arguments and snide barbs are exchanged between the upper trays and the self-effacing lot. Between the crustless cucumber sandwiches, the perfectly crafted canapés, the expensive cold cuts, and the neglected fruits. Of course, there are stray human types in Rose Biggins’ “The Tartest Flavours,” but who would be interested in that lot? I mean, really!
They resembled angels. They possessed wings, though their bodies were supple and naked, unlike messengers of the Divine. The pair tended the garden, as well as the bees. Marla refers to them as “The Poison Girls.” Marla even accepts the jar of honey they leave her.
It was an open air museum, out in rural Tennessee. Actually it was closer to an homage, or open air art installation. (Think Himley Hall model village or Gwynedd, North Wales). Castoff bits and shards, repurposed, fashioned into a peaceful environment. Alas, “The Jeweled Necropolis” slowly boils to an intoxicating aroma, only to dissipate unexpectantly. I wonder if the writer is holding back for a novel?
The same cessation in “The Garden Of Dr. Montorio.” Characters grow, a mystery deepens, suspense tightens – then – quitting time. At least, a secondary character has the good grace to echo the reader’s frustration. Still, come on!
More satisfying, “Not To Be Taken,” by Kathleen Jennings, surveys the collector. Two collectors, actually. One hoards vintage poison bottles, vials, ampules, as well as the lethal contents. The other collects a more dangerous game. This is a dark remembrance of predators and potions, and how important it can be to make friends with the neighbors.