Getaway: Secrets Follow You Everywhere by Sally Hepworth

Getaway: Secrets Follow You Everywhere Reviews

• 
  Jonetta

  1.
  Uncharted Waters by
  Sally Hepworth
  the setup…
  Every year, Ella and husband Mac take a 7-day wellness cruise on a yacht chartered in the waters of Northeast Australia. This year, however, he’s had to beg off to cover for his ailing partner and, since the trip is non refundable, Ella must go alone. She’s a little nervous about it as Mac is the social butterfly of the two and she depends on him to keep things lively. The captain does this “Speak Your Truth” game everyday to help passengers bond and Ella finds common ground with Chloe, a young oncology nurse, after the first turn. Little did she know that they’d find more to bond over in these uncharted waters.
  
  the heart of the story…
  It’s a short story so I’ll spare you too much detail. I had a feeling where the story would lead and I wasn’t wrong but there was still something fresh in how it played out. And, I liked how Ella being on her own led to some self discoveries as she ventured forth is several uncharted waters (yes, I loved the connections).
  
  the narration…
  The narrator is new to me and I enjoyed her performance. She made it feel like I was listening to Ella speak and it wasn’t just storytelling. And, I think there was a little something more in delivering the subtle messages of the story in this format.
  
  the bottom line…
  One of the things I like about short stories when they’re executed well is the succinct delivery of a particular theme or message that leaves you hanging, just a little. This one checked all of my boxes and left me smiling (a wry one at that). I had this categorized as a mystery but changed it to contemporary fiction. There’s a teeny bit of mystery but that would be misleading. I liked this one, a lot, and am looking forward to exploring the entire collection. 4 stars
  
  Posted on
  Blue Mood Café
  
  
  2.
  His Happy Place by
  Zakiya Dalila Harris
  the setup…
  Ama and her boyfriend Nathan Davis have dated exclusively for four months and things seem to be getting serious. He’s rather straight laced and she’s more free spirited but Ama likes the way he treats her, which is a nice change from her past relationships. When Nathan invites her for a weekend getaway at his upstate cabin (his happy place), she believes it means he’s ready for a commitment. Unfortunately, he’s ready for something but not what Ama was counting on.
  
  the heart of the story…
  Be forewarned that the prologue begins with the ending, which may be spoilerish for some. However, it intrigued me to learn more about how they got there. It’s a strange story with some paranormal angles, which added to the creepiness. I needed to hang in there to the end.
  
  the narration…
  The story is told from Ama’s point of view and the narrator wonderfully captured her personality and spirit, even when things started to get weird. She also elevated the creepy factor!
  
  the bottom line…
  I kind of liked the unconventional structure of this story, knowing how things end but being clueless as to what led to that place. I liked the story, especially the narration, and just wish I had a little bit more before it ended. Much was left to my imagination and I suppose that’s the point, especially in a short story. 3.5 stars
  
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  Blue Mood Café
  
  
  3.
  Stockholm by
  Catherine Steadman
  the setup…
  Olivia Cole once had a big life of her own…that is until she met her husband, Sebastian, and what started as risky and provocative fantasies, ended up with him assuming absolute control of her life following their marriage. She never saw it coming and now they’re on a trip to Stockholm to celebrate their two-year anniversary. Olivia has a getaway plan until she realizes that will not be their final destination, thwarting her plan for the moment.
  
  the heart of the story…
  Sebastian is all about mind games and Olivia had thought she was an equal partner until she wasn’t. Now she’s got to reengage to figure out how she can find her freedom when he has all the power and control. I was drawn in right away, plotting and looking for seams to open for Olivia as she used her brain to best him.
  
  the narration…
  Though she’s new to me, the narrator was outstanding as she carefully delivered a subtle and understated performance in a story that was rather dramatic. That just ratcheted up the tension, which was excellent.
  
  the bottom line…
  I am wild about the ending, which delivered the irony I was hoping for. This was a gem, my favorite in the series so far. Well done, Olivia. 4 stars
  
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  Blue Mood Café
  
  
  4.
  Belle Mer by
  Luanne Rice
  the setup…
  Clea McAllister has returned to Belle Mer, her ancestral home in Newport, Rhode Island, one of the jewels of the town. However, she was denied her rightful inheritance by a conniving estate lawyer who took advantage of her grandmother in her final years. He’s renting the property out and that’s the only way Clea can now see her family’s home again as she booked it through her assistant.
  
  the heart of the story…
  Clea hasn’t given up her fight to reclaim Belle Mer and is further encouraged when she finds Mary and John still working there. Mary’s been the housekeeper for over thirty years along with her brother John the gardener and groundskeeper for just as long. There was a creepiness to just about everything and I felt unease as Clea tried to reach out to the lawyer and explored the home. It wasn’t anything I could put my finger on but…
  
  the narration…
  I’m sure it was the talent of the narrator that brewed that eeriness and unease! She was very, very good and it was powerfully subtle. I didn’t hear it coming.
  
  the bottom line…
  The beauty of a well written short story is that everything develops quickly but without you feeling things are moving too swiftly. I loved my visit to Belle Mer and the ending that made me smirk. 4 stars
  
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  Blue Mood Café
  
  
  5.
  Catch Her in a Lie by
  Jess Lourey
  the setup…
  Minneapolis Detectives Evangeline (Van) Reed and Harry Steinbeck are on their way to Costa Rica to track Patty who is on the same flight with her daughter, Gwen, as they are going for a vacation. She’s suspected of killing her husband but they need to catch her in a lie in order to make an arrest.
  
  the heart of the story…
  On the surface, this just seemed like a run of the mill investigation…until I learned more about Van who was recently banished to the Cold Case Unit. She’s got “unusual” skills that put everything a little sideways. Harry’s a bit mysterious, too, because he’s tough to figure out. I got hooked so fast.
  
  the narration…
  I loved how the narrator gave absolutely nothing away. She told the story as if everything being said was so normal, which made this even more intriguing. It just worked.
  
  the bottom line…
  “Okay. I want a series featuring these two. Please?” That was my immediate reaction at the end of this story and sometimes wishes come true. After a little digging, I found a book scheduled for release next September, representing the first in a series starring Reed & Steinbeck. Do you need me to say more about the power of this story? 4 stars
  
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  Blue Mood Café
  
  
  6.
  Shell Game by
  Rumaan Alam
  the setup…
  Mark and Rachel are married with two children and they decide to vacation on the Cape with her abrasive twin brother Geoff, his wife Sasha and their two small children. Rachel and Geoff have their own method of communication that Mark and Sasha just accept as a “twin thing.”
  
  the heart of the story…
  The story is told from Mark’s point of view as he privately observes everything going on around him but particularly some of the disturbing comments made by Geoff that he finds racist. It’s clear that he has a low opinion of his brother-in-law but is reluctant to discuss the issue with Rachel. And, by the way, some of his own personal observations are equally troublesome for different reasons.
  
  the narration…
  I enjoyed the tone and style of the narrator, especially as he didn’t have much to sink into because of Mark’s rambling thoughts. I’d listen to anything he chooses to narrate.
  
  the bottom line…
  Huh? The point of the story just escapes me, though I’m left with some strong opinions about Mark and Geoff. There’s a distinct family dynamic that appears to seriously differ from what they look like to anyone on the outside. Maybe that’s the point but it eluded me. The author has serious skills but I think I may find him more enjoyable in a full length story. 2.5 stars
  
  Posted on
  Blue Mood Café
  
  (Thanks to Brilliance Audio for my complimentary copy. All opinions are my own.)
• 
  Allison Hawkins

  A collection of 6 short stories, some by authors I’ve read before but others were new. All of the stories were very different but I’ll rank them:
  
  1. Catch her in a lie (🌟🌟🌟🌟)
  2. Stockholm (🌟🌟🌟🌟)
  3. His happy place (🌟🌟🌟.5)
  4. Unchartered waters (🌟🌟🌟)
  5. Belle Mer (🌟🌟)
  6. Shell Game (honestly no stars… what even was that)
  
  For the most part I enjoyed the stories. Definitely want to check out books by some of the authors now!
• 
  Trisha

  I reviewed each of these stories individually, on each of their goodreads pages, but I read this book as a whole over the span of 2 days. This is a really great mix of stories, easy to fall right in to each one ad just get swept away with the quick story and tense plots. I loved the characters and, as I listened to each story back to back, I thought they went really well together - all except that last odd story. It was my least favorite. I definitely look forward to reading more of these short story compilations from Audible.
• 
  Tressa

  I was so excited for these stories. I thought it would be a really fun way to read "out of" summer and into the fall reading season. Maybe I'm just not cut out for short stories. I liked a couple of them more than others and just wanted more from them! I did enjoy testing out some new authors and found a couple that I will definitely be adding to my TBR list!
• 
  Gail (Neuroknitter)

  2.5⭐️ Some were better than others. One was just out in left field odd. Some were just meh. My favorites were Jess Lourey’s and Catherine Steadman’s stories and I plan to read more from each of them.
• 
  Corinne Carson

  This series of short stories are available to all Amazon Prime members. I haven’t really read a whole lot of short stories, but most of the short stories in this series were by authors I have read before, so I thought I would give it a shot. Some of them were better than others but in all cases, I wanted a little bit more than the stories had to offer. I guess I’m not much of a short story type of person. It was still fun to read though.
• 
  Jess Ross-Steltz

  🎧🛁 𝚁𝚎𝚟𝚒𝚎𝚠 🛁🎧
  Getaway - Amazon Original Short Stories
  By Sally Hepworth, Zakiya Dalila Harris, Catherine Steadman, Luanne Rice, Jess Lourey, and Ruman Alam
  
  Uncharted Waters by Sally Hepworth - 8/10
  Really loved where this story went and the setting it was in! I was very intrigued by the charter these people were taking and what’s asked of them while there. However, I felt like the twist was revealed a little too early, and kept me antsy for the end which fell flat for me.
  
  His Happy Place by Zakiya Dalila Harris - 9/10
  Loved this one, loved the voice and tone of the MC and listening to her narrate this story. I wish the ending had a little more context! But overall really great.
  
  Stockholm by Catherine Steadman - 8/10
  Interesting concept here and loved that the “getaway” wasn’t your standard tropical trip. I kinda knew from the get what was gonna happen, but I adored the ending!
  
  Belle Mer by Luanne Rice - 7/10
  I felt like I wanted this one to be just a tad bit longer. Maybe even novella length, perhaps? I just felt like I knew very little about the main character. I did like the ending though!
  
  Catch Her in a Lie by Jess Lourey - 9/10
  REALLY liked the dynamics in this one! A bit of cat and mouse. I love the women Lourey rights, and overall love all her books, so it’s no surprise it was one of my favorites in this collection!
  
  Shell Game by Rumaan Alam - 7.5/10
  What I love about Rumaan Alam is the atmospheric way he writes, and that definitely comes across in this short story. However, I don’t think the complex characters he writes lend themselves to short stories - I need to know more. I would love to see this expanded on in a longer format.
  
  Avg rating: 8/10 bubble baths for the series!🫧🛁📚
• 
  Cyndy

  I read all six of the shorts in the Getaway collection. Uncharted by Sally Hepworth was an interesting but somewhat anticlimactic story of a married woman on vacation without her husband of ten years. His Happy Place by Zakiya Dalila Harris is a somewhat creepy story about a couple on a weekend getaway at a remote cabin. Stockholm by Catherine Steadman is an interesting story about an anniversary trip for a couple of doctors, one of which is a bit of a control freak. Belle Mer by Luanne Rice was one of my favorites of the collection. Belle Mer is a story of inheritance, unscrupulous lawyers, and "family". Catch Her in a Lie by Jess Lourey was another favorite in the collection. This story is about three different types of cops and also what a mother will do for her child. Shell Game by Rumaan Alam left me somewhat confused. It's about a brother and sister (twins), their spouses, and children on a vacation together. What happens when you find out something distressing about your spouse's twin, do you say something to your spouse or let it go?
• 
  Alexis

  I’m not usually a short story reader, but I love Catherine Steadman, plus it was free for prime members, so I figured why not? Some were good, some were not, overall not bad, but not one I’d re-read. Star ratings per story:
  
  1. Uncharted Waters ⭐️⭐️⭐️.5/5 - pretty good, but not super thriller-y
  2. His Happy Place ⭐️⭐️.5/5 - ok, I guess; felt rushed
  3. Stockholm ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5 - the best one; wish it were longer
  4. Belle Mer ⭐️⭐️⭐️/5 - not bad; a lot was included for a short story, which made it feel rushed
  5. Catch Her in a Lie ⭐️⭐️.5/5 - gave away the ending really early on, made it less interesting to me
  6. She’ll Game ⭐️/5 - what was that? I’d give it no stars, if that were possible
• 
  Stephanie

  3 stars as a whole might be generous for me. Maybe I'm not cut out for short stories, but I feel like they fell flat. I did enjoy a couple, but the others left me wanting more (which I guess is a good thing?) or struggling to understand what the point was. 🤔
  
  I am loving that this was a great way to experience new (to me) authors, and they were all super quick, easy reads.
  
  I didn't know much about the Collection going into them, but I will say I was a tiny bit disappointed that they weren't somehow linked. Clearly I don't read short stories often. 😬
• 
  Chrissann Nickel

  I was intrigued by this new collection of short stories compiled by Audible of some authors I recognize and whose work I have enjoyed in the past.
  
  The first three stories were entertaining, the next two completely ridiculous, and the last one boring/confusing. I enjoyed it as first, then just got through the rest. Not sure if I’d recommend it.
• 
  Kieran

  2.5
  I liked His Happy Place and Shell Game. The rest were average to bad thriller/mysteries that lacked in both mystery and twists.
• 
  Beth

  A solid 3.5, 3.75 stars until the final story which brought it down overall unfortunately.
• 
  Rach

  Mostly mediocre stories, poorly read.
• 
  Lavenderlimes

  Average of 3 stars, some stories outshined others.
• 
  Dan

  A fun collection of stories that are psychological thrillers. Each book features a unique narrative in a destination setting.
  
  Ranked from strongest to weakest:
  
  1. Belle Mer - Far and away the strongest of the six. Truly embodies the vibe of a thriller, from start to finish, in an abbreviated format. Twists and reveals abound. Delicious ending.
  
  2. Stockholm - Second-best. Excellent use of setting and scenery to create a foreboding tone. Scariest read of the six. Less ambiguity could have made this a five.
  
  3. Shell Game - This author manages to use two narrative elements that I despise (stream of consciousness and existentialism) and create a compelling tale. His subtlety is sublime.
  
  4. Catch Her In A Lie - While still a four, issues compete with strengths here. Strong description, but one story that really needed more exposition to feel “complete.” However, the reveal of the killer was handled adeptly.
  
  5. Uncharted Waters - Plot and narrative are interesting, but a bit too all over the place. Not a fan of ambiguous endings.
  
  6. His Happy Place - Easily the weakest. The overkill on race is super heavy-handed. The MC’s blackness is constantly thrown at us to that point that it becomes off-putting. Bizarre writing; even more questionable conclusion. What’s with the voices? And the fire? Too much goes unsaid/unexplained.