Of course what follows are some of the best-crafted, spontaneously shared short stories in contemporary literature. …Amazon Hall of Fame reviewer
Long before he became a prize-winning editor, Ludden made an honest living as a roving reporter, including time spent walking that semi-tropical outdoor insane asylum known as the Sunshine State, compiling a notebook full of sublime weirdness -- some of it laugh-out-loud funny, some of it tragic, some otherworldly. What happens to a scribe -- what they see and feel -- is the reality that gives the book its gritty punch. …posted on Amazon
'Tales from the morgue' turns real experiences into Raymond Chandler-esque snapshots. They are slices of life for sure -- hard-boiled slices that feel real because they are real. …posted on Amazon
The kind of storyteller you want to grab a beer with, and just sit there and listen to his tales. …posted on Amazon
I love fiction but Ludden's accounts of reality allowed me to feel like I was right there beside him. …posted on Amazon
Won't take long to read this book because of Ludden's fast-paced style and the raw drama of the stories themselves. A great little book with gut-wrenching stories that will move and inspire. Very well done. …posted on Amazon
Don't bury this book. Keep it out. Believe me, folks see the title and can't resist. Next thing you know. …posted on Amazon
What makes the book compelling is that Ludden unwinds each true-life narrative as a novelist would, with a richness that would not have existed in their original newspaper iterations. Not surprisingly, each story benefits from a you-are-there realism, with the characters, situations, and resolutions vividly rendered. The tales are short, but the pleasure of reading each one is lasting. …posted on Amazon