Invasion of Privacy
and Other Short Stories
Now available on: Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and SmashWords
Invasion of Privacy and Other Short Stories is a collection of ten stories by Jim Liston.
Product Details
- File Size: 218 KB
- Print Length: 75 pages
- Publisher: JRob Publishing (August 2, 2013)
- Sold by: Amazon Digital Services, Inc.
- Language: English
- ASIN: B00EBATCTU
- Lending: Enabled
- Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #51,837 Paid in Kindle Store
- #1 in Literature & Fiction > Anthologies & Literature Collections > Short Stories
- #2 in Literature & Fiction > Anthologies & Literature Collections > Horror
- #20 in Mystery, Thriller & Suspense > Crime Fiction > Vigilante Justice
- #17 in Kindle Store > Kindle eBooks > Literature & Fiction > Anthologies & Literature Collections > Drama & Plays
Someone could be watching you, right now, as you sit at your computer.
You think you’re alone and you expect to have a certain amount of privacy, but there’s a good chance your computer isn’t safe. It’s one of the easiest things for a hacker to do. They can turn your webcam on, without you knowing, and watch everything you do.
Jim and his team of computer hackers are searching for a killer. They know they’re invading your privacy and it’s illegal, but they don’t care. If you have nothing to hide don’t worry, they’ll move on soon enough.
You should buy this book to find out how they’re doing it.
Invasion of Privacy is a short fiction murder mystery that will have you on the edge of your seat. It’s a decent-sized novella and an interesting angle on a modern if questionable method of detection, without delving into forensics nor taking the computereze technobabble to ridiculous lengths. The rest of the stories in the anthology are flash fiction, short enough to read while waiting in line or at the doctor’s office, powerful enough to stick with you the next day.They are a combination of true crime, drama, and other flash fiction adventures.
Reviewed by Jack Magnus for Readers’ Favorite
This remarkable collection of tales and vignettes grab you and don’t let go until the end. Some are reminiscent of Rod Serling’s Twilight Zone; a mix of horror, fantasy and the absurd. Others, like Invasion of Privacy, are engrossing short story adventures spiced with a bit of mystery. They all share a few attributes: amazing characters whom you quickly come to know and care about, and story-lines that catch you up in the action with the first few words. Jim Liston’s stories are great reading and highly entertaining.
Amazon Reader Reviews
“Read each story on your cell phone as you commute and you’ll emerge from your trip with a smile on your face. I absolutely loved The Doctor’s Pet Fly, and the last story, Ronnie and the Smoke Bomb, exposed the writer’s sensitivity and ability to capture in few words and with well chosen dialog the essence of the character, something that is so difficult to achieve.”
“This short story collection is a heady mix of the macabre, the absurd, the horrific–they somehow remind you of the 1960s-era `The Twilight Zone’ or the more bizarre episodes of the ‘Ray Bradbury Theater’.
“Each of the short stories had its own fascination and attraction. I have to say, that I enjoyed each of them, even that I have never read stories like them before. Some of them I had to smile. Particular the second story “The Tourist Attraction”. Until the end, I didn’t know what was coming. Brilliantly written, as all the stories are. A very brilliant and enjoyable collection. The stories are still going round my head.”
The other stories included are:
The Tourist Attraction
I’m sick of it. Every day there’s a group of them tourists, standing by my fence watching us, pointing and whispering. I don’t know what started it, but I’ll be damned if I’m gonna put up with it much longer.
A Novel Murder
“I’m going to kill her today,” he said, “I’ve had her tied up in the basement for three days; it’s time to end it.”
The Doctor’s Pet Fly
A fly only lives for about a month. It seems like a waste of time to train a fly and then have it die after only a month. Maybe he’s found a way to keep them alive longer. He is a doctor, after all.
The Show
Rita looked around at the crowd of smiling, excited faces, concentrating on every detail to commit it to memory; she didn’t want to forget any of it. She shouldn’t have worried; she would remember this for the rest of her life.
Carl and Tabitha
Carl hated his boss and was determined to find a way to get even with him.
Tag, You’re It!
We looked across the valley at a breathtaking scene of red lakes and forests of blue and orange that were alive with activity.
Before They Come Back
Running his claw-like hand along my spine while making an odd whistling noise that I surmised to be their way of communicating, I began to realize they were preparing to cut me open.
Justin’s Love
When Justin first saw Lucille, it was love at first sight. He knew that she was perfect for him. All of his friends and co-workers were envious; she was beautiful.
Ronnie and the Smoke Bomb
I didn’t tell Ronnie the police had found him sitting on the curb near the car, crying. They said he was sitting there mumbling, “It’s only a smoke bomb.”
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Thanks,
Jim Liston
Book Reviews
Five star book review by Jack Magnus for Readers’ Favorite
Invasion of Privacy and Other Short Stories is a collection of Jim Liston’s tales and vignettes. The title story, Invasion of Privacy, is about Jim Gotweb, a computer geek who has a little computer store which he runs with his wife until she’s stabbed and left for dead by a robber. Jim got a look at the robber as he was leaving the store; a man with a spider tattoo on his face. Devastated and bereft, Jim decides that he’s going to find the man even if the police can’t, or won’t.
He refreshes his rusty programming skills and sets up a program that allows him to spy on people via their webcams. His program soon has him quite busy with an amazing number of homes to watch, and he’s even helped out some victims of abuse and other crimes as a result of his surveillance. He’s getting pretty stretched for time, however, and decides to look for an employee to handle the counter trade. Roger, a young geek, is soon working the counter and helping him with his program. Just as Jim despairs of ever finding his wife’s murderer, things start to happen.
Invasion of Privacy and Other Short Stories is a remarkable collection of short stories that grab you and don’t let go until the end. Some are reminiscent of Rod Serling’s Twilight Zone; a mix of horror, fantasy and the absurd. Others, like Invasion of Privacy, are engrossing adventures spiced with a bit of mystery. They all share a few attributes: amazing characters whom you quickly come to know and care about, and story-lines that catch you up in the action with the first few words. Jim Liston’s stories are great reading and highly entertaining.
Amazon Reviews:
5 out of 5 stars A brilliant collection of short stories August 13, 2013
By Gisela H. Sedlmayer
Format:Kindle Edition
Each of the stories had its own fascination and attraction. I have to say, that I enjoyed each of them, even that I have never read stories like them before. Some of them I had to smile. Particular the second story “The Tourist Attraction”. Until the end, I didn’t know what was coming. Brilliantly written, as all the stories are.
A very brilliant and enjoyable collection. The stories are still going round my head.
Very good, Jim Liston. Oh yes, they deserve 5 stars.
5 out of 5 stars Engaging, well crafted, and enjoyable,
By Lidia LoPinto, Author (New York) Format:Kindle Edition|Amazon Verified Purchase
The short story is a particularly difficult but rewarding art form that I appreciate as a writer of novels, and this anthology did not disappoint me. Short stories require an economy of words that is so relevant to today’s fast moving Internet world and so they are back and if you love hearing interesting and clever stories, this is the book for you!
Read each story on your cell phone as you commute and you’ll emerge from your trip with a smile on your face. I absolutely loved The Doctor’s Pet Fly, and the last story, Ronnie and the Smoke Bomb, exposed the writer’s sensitivity and ability to capture in few words and with well chosen dialog the essence of the character, something that is so difficult to achieve.
The first story, Invasion of Privacy, was longer and could be a TV episode. Totally satisfying and the use of the first person narrative was very effective. The device of using computers to invade privacy and simply the geek mentality reminded me a bit of Stieg Larsson’s work and I found the story very engaging. These stories are snapshots of the human condition, and they make you think days after reading them.
A well crafted set of short stories that is true to the tradition of short fiction, and I give it five stars. I hope to see more from the author Jim Liston on Kindle.
5 out of 5 stars Earned a place in my “keeper” file!,
By MartyH “Marquita Herald, Author” (Hawaii) – Amazon Verified Purchase
What a wonderful collection of stories! As a voracious reader, I regularly purge my digital book collection to make room for new works, but this book has captured a place in my “keeper” file because it is clearly worth rereading from time to time. The opening story was fascinating and I agree with other readers who related it to an episode one might see on a TV mystery show. In fact I could easily see this expanded even further into made for TV movie. Two things in particular I want to compliment the author on, and that is how he managed to craft such rich characters with so few words, and on presenting the reader with such an interesting mixture of story lines – nothing predictable here from beginning to end.
5 out of 5 stars A Definite Must Read For Horror Fans! August 30, 2013
By
Rose Wynters –
Amazon Verified Purchase
I couldn’t resist buying this… It reminds me of the book version of The Twilight Zone or even the Tales from the Crypt shows for those of us old enough to remember those lol. I found this to be a perfect Friday read, well written and very enjoyable. I love the variety, and the size was just perfect.
5 out of 5 stars Great characters and great read. August 26, 2013
By
Jasonk11 –
This collection of short stories intrigued me and actually has led me to search for more, since I spend most of my time reading novels. Liston does an excellent job of creating memorable characters in very few pages. Invasion of Privacy, the longest of the stories, was my favorite- although all of them have something woven into the story that keeps you turning the page- hence the 5 star review.
(No spoilers ahead) In the title story, Jim Gotweb owns a computer store and after a service call heads back to his shop where he works with his wife. On the way in he sees a man with a spider tattoo on his face exiting his store with a laptop under his arm. Inside, he finds his wife stabbed to death and the search is on for his wife’s killer. What I enjoyed most in this story were the characters who join Jim on his quest. Roger, a 16 year old computer whiz, is compelling, believable and fun. Melanie is the star of the show. From when you first meet her and learn her occupation and background story to the final scene, she leaves you wanting more. When I finished the story, I thought that this would make a great tv show- they can continue working together as computer-whiz Robin Hood types. And if not a tv series, maybe Liston will write another episode featuring the three.
All together, Liston has the talent to get you hooked from the beginning creating compelling characters and vivid scenes. Not all the stories are action mysteries like Invasion-think of it like a Twilight Zone marathon- you never know what’s coming next but you don’t dare change the channel.
4 out of 5 stars – Still thinking about these stories the next day August 6, 2013
By J. Gunnar Grey –Amazon Verified Purchase
A surprisingly good collection of stories for 99 cents. The title story is a decent-sized novella and an interesting angle on a modern if questionable method of detection, without delving into forensics nor taking the computereze technobabble to ridiculous lengths. The others are flash fiction, short enough to read while waiting in line or at the doctor’s office, powerful enough to stick with me the next day.
“Carl and Tabitha” is downright brilliant. Others gave me that wonderful creepy feeling that I know what’s coming, including “The Tourist Attraction,” “The Show,” and “Tag, You’re It!” Still others leave me thinking and feeling with the characters, including “Ronnie and the Smoke Bomb” and “The Doctor’s Pet Fly.” All in all, I enjoyed them, even if another round of proofreading wouldn’t hurt.
4 out of 5 stars – Intense collection of short reads. You know just what you are getting yourself in for
By B. TOYAH (UK) –
The main story begins with when his wife gets stabbed, and as she’s dying..says ever so faintly with dying breath ‘I’m sorry … I love you.” This really is extremely intense and so emotional.
BIG BROTHER IS WATCHING YOU:
He then sets out to try and catch the killer himself….and eventually does manage.
The short stories that follow after this one are still so intense, quite amusing a few of them. But Ronnie and the smoke bomb was extremely upsetting, because quite often this one is based on reality.
Even though I found the stories hard to read, I really did enjoy them and I would recommend. Thank you Jim for an awesome collection of short reads and will look forward to reading more of your stories
All of the stories really do keep you hanging on the edge of your seat, they are so cleverly written, you just want more.
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