Mystery, suspense, and elements of the supernatural weave
through these ten short stories. A few tales in A WICKED THING! remain
unsolved, allowing the reader's imagination to draw whatever conclusion
seems logical.
In "TICK-TOCK, BUY A CLOCK" young James Palfrey III discovers his
grandfather's old clock in an antique store and wants to buy it in spite
of not having enough money to cover the purchase price. Archibald Lived, the
mysterious little owner of the shop sends James away, confused and uneasy, with
the clock, partially paid for, tucked under his arm.
Norman Rumboldt, the jealous husband in "HEAD-OVER-HEELS"
schemes (quite cleverly, in his own misguided opinion) to physically incapacitate
or even murder his wife, if need be, when he finds love letters from and unknown
lover in her desk drawer.
The title story "A WICKED THING!" features a downtrodden
meek little housewife spiraling toward the brink of insanity because of her
invalid husband's never-ending mental abuse. She escapes from her dismal
life into a fantasy world where the final outcome is something she never dreamed
could happen.
All these stories involve ordinary people driven by anger,
jealousy, greed, revenge and, in some cases, curiosity. The protagonists are
varied and complex. They are either meticulous planners or eager opportunists
who commit ill-conceived, convoluted crimes that go awry with catastrophic and,
in some cases, humorous results.
