As
a reward for being a fan and an email subscriber to Martin Stanley’s newsletters,
fans of Stanley were recently emailed a 13,500-word short story, Get Santa,
which featured the his main characters, the Stanton brothers. Having been a fan
of Stanley’s and the Stantons for a long while, I was excited to get a Stanton
fix while still fitting it into my hectic holiday schedule.
In
typical Stanton fashion, the brothers are involved in a scheme to rid some poor
sap of his money. They are tipped off that a local man (who resembles Santa in
appearance; thus the title) has a nice
score kept in his personal safe and they decide they could better spend his money
than he can, but first they need to get it their hands on it. Violence and bits
of comedy ensue and, as is often the way for the Stantons, they quickly find
their plans go awry. With the typical scenes of violence that arise when the
Stantons are involved, this was a quick hit of a much needed trip into the
underworld Stanley has created with a perfect, deft touch of his pen.
Stanley
has an ear for witty dialogue between the two Stanton brothers. They play off
each other with ease and are criminals with believable chemistry. With a great
mix of muscles and morals, the brothers navigate the tough streets and come off
as hard-ass, yet engaging and likable; a tough balance to accomplish for an
author.
Don’t
be thrown off by the title, this story can be enjoyed any time of the year, so
if the holiday season passes you by before you find the time to read this, fret
not, you will still enjoy this offering. It is a perfect introduction to both
the Stantons as characters and Stanley as a writer. Follow the provided link
and sign-up for Stanley’s newsletter and grab a copy of this story, dig in, and
enjoy. (www.martinstanleyauthor.com)
Recommended
