Wednesday, June 11, 2014

"SMALL PLATES" by Katherine Hall Page





   Short story collections have long been a favorite of mine. On those hectic days when there's not enough time to read it's nice to be able to pick up a book and find pleasure plus satisfaction in reading for a shorter than usual span of time. There was much pleasure and satisfaction for me in Small Plates by Katherine Hall Page.

As with characters in her popular novels about caterer/sleuth Faith Fairchild Page draws her characters well, they're fully fleshed and true to life. She's a storyteller par excellence and with this, her first short story collection, she shows she's just as able in short forms as in the long. Plus, in this collection readers are treated to return visits with their favorite character, Faith Fairchild. She is found in a variety of exciting and unexpected situations. For instance, in "Sliced" Faith is a judge on a reality TV cooking competition during which one of the contestants is murdered. And, when Faith is on vacation with her husband their peaceful sojourn is interrupted by a distraught woman pounding on their hotel room door with the explanation that she must hide from her husband. This is found in "The Body In The Dunes."

Yes, there's a great deal to enjoy in Small Plates - aptly titled because while the stories are small the pleasure is large.

- Gail Cooke 

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