The Fabric of Tombstones by B F Jones

26 connected flash fiction stories make up this collection by French author, B F Jones.

Because of the nature of flash, I won’t give summaries of the stories for fear of spoiling them. I can say that the central theme is death, which the characters encounter in one way or another in each story. Despite this macabre thread, some of the stories are humorous, others moving, and many contain a shock twist at the end that might leave the reader gasping, or chuckling (as in my case).

The stories are further interconnected by being based in or around the same town, with some stories referencing characters or events from previous tales. This is a nice touch, and makes the collection more cohesive.

Jones has a distinctive voice, and at times the rhythms of her fiction read like a prose poem. I was pleasantly surprised to discover that English was not her first language. I am full of admiration for anyone who writes in a language other than their native tongue, especially when they are as accomplished as Jones.

Because of the length of the stories, I read them quickly and, no criticism of the author, I found the repetition of unnamed protagonists and twist endings a little wearing. However, it is not the fault of the author, more the problem of binge reading her fine work.

I award The Fabric of Tombstones…

The Fabric of Tombstones is available for $1.07 ebook and $11.27 print book on Amazon.

I received a free copy in exchange for an honest review.