Jack did not know that his life would change in a blink. An ordinary day transformed into a mysterious one when a man in “..a Panama hat and light flannels” handed him an envelope and told him to hand it over to a tall man “…wearing a blue pin-stripe suit with a red carnation.” His innate attraction towards mystery got the better of him. Jack carried out the instructions and passed on the envelope to the man who matched the strange man’s description. After the incident, he could not find his red scarf anywhere. And, the next day, the newspaper reported that a dead body was found with a red scarf stuffed into its pocket. What transpired next gave Jack many sleepless nights, panicked thoughts, and a shocking revelation. The Crimson Scarf and Other Stories by Elliot Stanton is a collection of seventeen such riveting short stories.

There is no ordinary or predictable story in The Crimson Scarf and Other Stories. The characters appear normal until they shock you with their actions. Some stories put the fear of Karma in its reader’s heart; whereas, a few marvel at the disturbing actions of its characters. Although a majority of characters are vengeful, you would not find even two of them going through a foreseeable consequence. The exceptional development of each story combined with an edge-gripping suspense leaves readers turning the pages in anticipation. An occasional paranormal twist is another clever move of the author. For the readers who are drawn towards mysterious plots and wish for a quick dose of thriller, The Crimson Scarf and Other Stories by Elliot Stanton is the most apt choice. I highly recommend this book to all my readers.