Eight stars
Having discovered the writing of Trevor Wiltzen not too long ago, I was happy to read and support this local author. Wiltzen has been working hard on his Mabel Davison series, which takes a diner waitress and thrusts her into the role of an amateur sleuth. While Mabel has been trying to locate a number of missing girls, this story is a slight change of pace, turning to her two sons and an adventure they have one March afternoon. All the same, Wiltzen pulls the reader in with this short story, chilling everyone by the end, when much is revealed.
Fred and Hector enjoy Saturday mornings, with cereal and being able to laze around in their pjs. With their mother, Mabel, busy working at the diner, the responsibility falls to their cousin, Kerry, to watch over them. However, the night before, Kerry made secret plans to go see a boy at the local grocer’s, forcing Fred and Hector to put themselves to bed. With Kerry still gone, the boys decide to go look for her, sure that she’s close by and wanting to ensure their mom does not know anything’s amiss. When the boys head out, they are confronted with some trouble of their own as they begin the search. Things take an interesting turn and by the time there make it home, a new concern is on the horizon and Mabel Davison is smack in the middle of trying to solve it. Trevor Wiltzen does well to tease the reader in this piece, which is sure to connect well with the other books in the series.
While Trevor Wiltzen has not published a great deal yet, what he has produced is well worth a read. He’s got a great style and builds things up well with impactful writing that builds with each passing page, A strong narrative and decent characters keep the reader wanting to learn a little more. As with his full-length novels, this short story grips the reader and keeps them guessing throughout. With another novel on the horizon, one can hope that there will be some resolution, as this piece ended with quite the cliffhanger.
Kudos, Mr. Wiltzen, for another great piece that makes me want to read more!
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