House of Secrets: Every Room Holds a Story

ANTHOLOGY: Like The Twilight Zone of years past, this audiobook will leave listeners thinking about these stories long after the book is complete. Some of these 26 stories will force readers to reevaluate their perception of a situation. Secrets are everywhere and can sometimes harm others; sometimes they harm self; but rarely do they harm none. Each story has a tie to Ohio: they expose its imperfections and flaws, yet they also show strength and the power of relationships and dreams. A few in detail: In “Home”, listeners learn what really matters, as the protagonist makes peace with her past, knowing she is dying of lymphoma. In “The Evil Twin”, a simple soda and an autopsy help catch a killer. In “Just a Touch” a young teen finds her strength and her voice to combat evil. In “Redemption”, a ‘Christian’ woman finds herself making incorrect assumptions, and then acting on them in a harmful way. In “Leakproof”, two astronauts are both in love with the same woman, and one stoops to sabotage and murder. And in “Such Secrets as Starfish Keep”, an alien being imparts wisdom and knowledge to a receptive human who shows kindness and humanity to a new friend. There is beauty and power and wisdom in this audiobook!

In an impressive feat of writing skill, most of these stories feel complete, despite their brevity. Two or three seem to end abruptly, but most end at a reasonable place. These stories are all about people being people. There are secrets exposed and sacrifices are sometimes made; however, a few stories don’t end with ‘sweetness and light’ conclusions. Nevertheless, these stories will resonate with many readers/listeners, sometimes in profound and hopeful ways.

The short stories in this audiobook actually earned a 5.0 rating, but lost half a point due to a break in the recording and a sentence repeated twice. Overlooking that, the narrators do a fine job of conveying the heart and essence of each story to the listener.

Carey Sullivan