J. T Lawrence

They stride over the broken paving of the sidewalk, stepping over tree roots and potholes. Susman trips over the nub of a tree stump, and De Villiers catches her hand without thinking. She regains her balance and snatches it back. "Sorry," he says. She thanks him in an annoyed way, and plunges her hands back into her pockets and they keep walking. Pigeons, pecking at the stale breadcrumbs near an overflowing rubbish bin, look up at them and scatter....

Perfect for fans of Gillian Flynn and Roald Dahl, these stories are guaranteed to get under your skin. Diverse, dark-humored, and deliciously bite-sized: JT Lawrence doesn't disappoint with this brand new collection of unsettling short stories, including: BrightSide Is the director of this post-apocalyptic orphanage really a wizard? And where is he taking the children? Cold Breath A man knows he deserves to be haunted for what he has done; he just...

Betty arrives at work slippery with sweat. She has no option but to run to her grind at Propag8 now that the taxi drivers are trying to kill her. She bought an electric car, but they keep trying to booby-trap it. Every time she puts her thumb on the ignition switch, she closes her eyes and waits for the explosion. Every time the car starts without blowing up, she knows it's just a matter of time. That she has bought one more day. That they are watching...

A mother becomes suspicious of her daughter's pre-school teacher. Is Teacher Dalton who she appears to be, or is something more sinister afoot? 'Astrid' is part of the 'Sticky Fingers 2' short story collection: diverse, dark-humored, and deliciously bite-sized. Fans of Roald Dahl and Gillian Flynn will love these unsettling stories with a twist in the tale. Click now to start reading.

My suspicion kindled. "You young people. You're doing that Bird Box challenge, aren't you?" She frowned. "Bird Box?" "When you blindfold yourself, and then do something stupid. Tell me the truth," I said, gesturing at Comet. "Did you do this blindfolded?" The groomer shook her head, her stubborn silence adding fuel to my fury. She glanced at the dog as if he would back her up in some way, but I could tell he was beginning to get the idea. He was...

When the phone rings, Robin knows it is De Villiers. He's one of the few people who have her number. She also knows that someone has died. "Who is it?" she asks him. "Who died?" "We're not sure if she's dead." "Okay," she says. What she means is: You'll see. "Perfect case for you," says the captain. He makes it sound as if she enjoys learning about missing women. As if she'll jump at the chance to drive into the savage city that took everything...

The couple's au pair seemed too good to be true. Perfect for fans of Gillian Flynn and Roald Dahl, these stories are guaranteed to get under your skin. *** "Lawrence makes every word count, telling each story with elegance and emotional punch." - Patsy Hennessey "Each story is masterfully constructed ... Humorous, touching, creepy, but most of all entertaining, this collection is superb." - Tracy Michelle Anderson If you're a fan of Roald Dahl or...

The last thing I remember is Lorin's scream as my roadster smashes into the guardrails and flips into the air. There was Lorin's terrible wail, and then being silently airborne. Then there was nothing. Later, some bright lights shone through-hospital ceilings I guess-and doctors' terse commands. I piece together the clues I overhear. The crash, the rocks, the fire. Agony like I've never experienced before burns my every organ and bone. Pipes and palpations....

A feminist re-telling of the classic Cinderella tale ... with a perfect JT Lawrence twist. *** "Lawrence makes every word count, telling each story with elegance and emotional punch." - Patsy Hennessey "Each story is masterfully constructed ... Humorous, touching, creepy, but most of all entertaining, this collection is superb." - Tracy Michelle Anderson *** If you're a fan of Roald Dahl or Shirley Jackson, you'll love this compelling short story...

We pulled into a makeshift parking lot in the middle of a huge herd of sheep. There were two or three cars, but not a cave or another person in sight. We watched the sheep for a while, not sure what to do, when we saw people walk past us, making their way up the hill. That's when we realized that we would be working hard for our little bit of fertility magic: We had to hike to get to the cave. I don't know what I was expecting. Perhaps something...