A Stitch of Madness

By: A. J. Brown

Narrated by: John Malone

Length: 2 hrs and 53 mins

Publisher's summary

Madness: extremely foolish behavior.

Imprisoned for the murder of his best friend, Johnny Cleary sets out to tell what happened on the day Bobby "Buster" Lennon died, but are the words he writes true or does the deception run deeper?

Madness: the state of being mentally ill, especially severely.

There is something wrong with Irene. Momma's dead and a ragdoll speaks to her in a voice that is hauntingly familiar. And what about the stitches, the very things that just might hold Irene together?

Madness: a state of frenzied or chaotic activity.

After an odd stranger pays Robert Wallenger a visit, his world begins to unravel and the past comes rushing back, along with a sickly sweet scent.

There is madness in everyone. For most, the madness never surfaces. For others, all it takes is one thing, big or small, for them to spiral out of control.

©2016 Stitched Smile Publications (P)2016 Stitched Smile Publications

The Divide Between Madness & the Supernatural...

A J Brown’s A Stitch of Madness is a set of 3 stories where each of the main characters walks the divide between madness and the supernatural and you are left to decide which is which. Each story is unique in its own right and Brown has done a fantastic job with both plot and characterization. He creates characters that attach you to the story and his storytelling is smooth and conversational, drawing you in. I love his work and these three stories are fine examples of what Brown is capable of. I will admit that in his final story, I was disappointed at first with the outcome. I won’t get into spoilers here, but I will say that I had to think about the story’s ending for a while before I could give an honest review. As a reader, I have a tendency to make the main characters the “good” guys in the story. It’s just a natural habit that I have (as do most, I suspect). So when the main character turns out to be a not-so-great guy, you tend to expect him to get his just deserts or to feel some remorse, etc. I walked away from this story feeling a little robbed there at first. In a way, the character does get his just deserts just not on paper (you are left with the feeling that ‘ol Luke isn’t done with Robert just yet, lol). So in that I am satisfied. My point is that Brown does an excellent job of creating realistic characters. Everyday people are flawed and Robert is certainly no exception to this. By taking that view, Brown provides a unique ending that I did not see coming and in that regard, I respect him for taking a different approach than other writers would have. What’s left of Robert’s life doesn’t sound like it will be pleasant and in that, he gets exactly what he deserves in my opinion. Overall, A Stitch of Madness is a great read/listen and if you haven’t read any of Brown’s work, this collection is a good way to get started.

John Malone’s narration is another hit out of the park and his voice adds much to Brown’s characterization. He has a tendency to make the people feel real and the fictional world around him a tangible one. Great job!

Good short stories

I enjoyed all the little stories in this book. Twisted and dark . It was well written and thought out and told great. I would recommend this book to all horror fans