Title: Stirring the SheetsAuthor: Chad Lutzke
First Published: April 13, 2018
Publisher: Self-Published
Pages: 99
Genre: Horror, Short Stories
Format: Ebook
Source: Kindle Unlimited
Rating:
Synopsis:
An elderly funeral home worker, struggling with the loss of his wife, finds an unnatural attraction to a corpse at work resembling his late bride in her younger years.
A story of desperation, loneliness, and letting go.
Buy the Book: AmazonReview
Stirring the Sheets was shockingly good, and more tenderhearted than I could have expected. The novella follows Emmett, an aging mortician grieving the loss of his wife of 49 years. Emmett’s desperation and loneliness are keenly felt, driving him to the darkest depths of his grief. He shies away from outside help, wallowing in his sadness. The story is an emotional heavyweight, exploring themes of love, grief, and moving on. The narrative doesn’t shy away from darker themes and handles them with sensitivity.
I’ve considered making a career switch to being a mortician and I enjoyed the way that the embalming process was covered with enough detail but was not overdone or gross. This is my first book by Chad Lutzke and it won’t be my last, I was so impressed with how he used the horror genre to explore grief in a beautiful way.
Quote
“Don’t live the life you’ve got left like you’re the one who’s dead.”
Content Warnings
View Spoiler »About the Author
About Chad Lutzke
Chad lives in Battle Creek, MI. with his wife and children. For over two decades, he has been a contributor to several different outlets in the independent music and film scene, offering articles, reviews, and artwork. He has written for Famous Monsters of Filmland, Rue Morgue, Cemetery Dance, and Scream magazine. He’s had a few dozen short stories published. He is known for his heartfelt approach to the dark side of humanity with books such as OF FOSTER HOMES & FLIES, WALLFLOWER, STIRRING THE SHEETS, SKULLFACE BOY, THE SAME DEEP WATER AS YOU, THE PALE WHITE, and THE NEON OWL. Lutzke’s work has been praised by Jack Ketchum, Joe R. Lansdale, Stephen Graham Jones, James Newman, Elizabeth Massie, Tim Waggoner, Richard Chizmar and his own mother.
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