Lost and Lonely, by Brian James Freeman

Five tales of loss, sadness, and the depths of humanity are brought forth in this latest collection from Brian James Freeman. One brand new story and four previously released make up Lost and Lonely, to which Cemetery Dance sent me an advanced copy to read and review for the Horror Drive-In.


Contained within we find Losing Everything Defines You, where a man's recordings are played for us, in which he doesn't know if he was indeed the killer of his wife and son. If it wasn't him, then who? But if it was him, why can he not recall anything, and why haven't the police arrested him? In Loving Roger, Patty only wants her man for herself, and won't let anyone else have him. Even if that means drastic measures beyond what she thought she was capable of. How the Wind Lies takes us to a simpler time, back in the days of the colonies. Life and those who inhabit it aren't always what they seem though, especially when the buffalo start to die with two holes in their sides. Perfect Little Snowflakes brings about what happens to those caught up in young love, and when things go down a different path, how one young woman aims to keep it all to herself. But who is actually real? Finally, in The Plague of Sadness, a 911 operator receives the worst call she could ever imagine, and it impacts her far more than she could have thought. Beware the water that boils.


Five stories, five different realms of life, all colliding to bring us a wonderful collection. I only wish there were more stories, as Brian has always been a great short story talent. Overall I would give this collection a B+.

Currently available for pre-order through Cemetery Dance.