Duffy, Steve - These And Other Mysteries

Rich assortment of stories from the reliable Duffy, who seems to have found a haven in Sarob.

Volunteer mourners assemble periodically for unloved deceased, those without family, friends. In “Dead Center Of Manchester” one of those forgotten souls apparently had a worrisome past. Of which the more curious mourners dig into, areas sinister.

Jake found the TV in a skip. A perfectly good telly. At home, he and Angie join the hordes of glazed viewers. Free entertainment! Not quite. For in “Screen Burn” Angie is mesmerized by the static. Or something behind the static.

Pursuing a spree killing, the investigating officer is urged to consult a quirky academic. Paranormal type. As a team, they do not gel; worse, he is dismissive and skeptical of her arcane method, the religious inferences. “Stations”, she reminds him, are what the killer was checking off.

The two surviving adult siblings arrive to sort the shocking clutter of their deceased brother’s home. The house holds memories, unpleasant ones, along with childhood fears. “Last Rites At Saltstrand” moves from confirmed anxieties to unsettling surprises to the lingering echo of grandfather’s warning.

“Three Deals With The Supreme Being”. Go ahead. Three requests. God may, or may not listen. Or merely dispatch an angel. What is absolute life or death for you? Better make it good.