Steve thought he was going for a pleasant walk in the woods. He never expected the sexual experience that would change his life.
https://books2read.com/b/baExy8
#romanticerotica #NSFW #fantasy #dryad #shortstory
#short-story — Public Fediverse posts
Live and recent posts from across the Fediverse tagged #short-story, aggregated by home.social.
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Book Review: The Fourth Man: A Jack Reacher short story by Lee Child
#ReaderCommunity #ReadingCommunity #BookCommunity #Reading #Books #BookReview #Review #Reacher #ShortStory
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Book Review: The Fourth Man: A Jack Reacher short story by Lee Child
Hi everyone! I hope you’re all well. Today is Friday, and it’s time for another review! Today, I’m sharing my review of The Fourth Man: A Jack Reacher short story by Lee Child.
Click the image to find the book!The Fourth Man was published in 2019 by Transworld Digital and is 24 pages long.
The Plot
Jack Reacher is drifting through New York when he’s tracked down by a determined FBI agent with a strange message: Australian law enforcement raided a house in Sydney and found a list of four names—three are already dead, and Reacher is the fourth.Soon, Reacher is on a plane to Sydney, digging into an old, sophisticated gang operation that blurs the line between organised crime and terrorism. As he and his temporary allies compare the four men’s histories, Reacher works through the puzzle in his usual analytical way: who were these men to each other, why are three of them dead, and what unfinished“evil” from decades earlier has resurfaced now?
Characters
Jack Reacher
Jack Reacher is exactly as series readers expect him: physically imposing, observant, and stubbornly independent. His talent for reading people and situations drives the investigation more than any forensic gadgetry.In this story, we see Reacher still drifting, still lethal, but a little more reflective. Because of the short length, though, he feels more like the familiar series persona dropped into a quick scenario than a character undergoing any meaningful development, which is understandable.
Cynthia Mitchell
Cynthia Mitchell is the FBI agent who first stops Reacher on Fifth Avenue. She’s sharp and clearly used to playing the liaison between agencies. Her role is to hook Reacher (and us) into the case, deliver the key exposition about the Sydney raid, and then hand him off to the Australians.Writing Style
Child’s style here is classic for his Reacher stories. He uses Short, clipped sentences and dialogue-driven scenes to keep the story moving, and there are lots of procedural details about agencies, consulates, old case files, and international cooperation, giving the investigation a grounded feel.As usual, Reacher’s interior monologue is focused on logic: weighing probabilities, reading body language, testing theories.
What I enjoyed most about this one is the pace. It’s a nice, quick and compelling read. The downside is that, at barely two dozen pages, there’s limited room for atmosphere, moral complexity, or a deeper exploration of the characters. The Australian setting, for example, is more lightly sketched than fully evoked; Sydney is a backdrop rather than a vivid location—but we can’t have it all and keep the pace so brisk.
Final Thoughts
Overall, The Fourth Man is a tidy, fast Jack Reacher snack: a clever hook, a neat central puzzle, and the reassuring presence of Reacher doing what he does best—asking blunt questions, spotting what others miss, and walking straight toward danger.For dedicated Reacher fans, it’s an enjoyable bonus episode and a nice curiosity in the series chronology. For casual readers, it’s a decent introduction to the character’s voice and methods, but not a standout thriller on its own.
I’m giving this one a 6/10.
Have you read The Fourth Man? What did you think?
As ever, thanks for stopping by and reading my review!
Until next time,
George
© 2026 GLT
#action #bookReview #JackReacher #LeeChild #review #shortStory -
Massage Ladies (Ashley Mangtani)
My name is Nene. My ID card says Nai, the Thai word for Mister, followed by a long boy's name my father chose from a monk's list. I will not write it here, and no Thai law will let me change it.https://sevenstorypublishing.wordpress.com/2026/10/22/massage-ladies-ashley-mangtani/
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If you follow me, you have a sense of humour. If you're reading this, you're a reader. I’ve put this story online, free, gratis and for nothing, it's a twelve minute read. If you like it, maybe you’ll be curious enough to risk 99p for one of my short story collections. Maybe you’ll be smart enough to save some money by buying a compilation. Maybe you’ll be brave enough to buy my novel. Whatever happens, I hope you enjoy ‘Vincent'. http://aarondavid.co.uk/Vincent.html #freeread #shortstory #funny #pleaseboost
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If you follow me, you have a sense of humour. If you're reading this, you're a reader. I’ve put this story online, free, gratis and for nothing, it's a twelve minute read. If you like it, maybe you’ll be curious enough to risk 99p for one of my short story collections. Maybe you’ll be smart enough to save some money by buying a compilation. Maybe you’ll be brave enough to buy my novel. Whatever happens, I hope you enjoy ‘Vincent'. http://aarondavid.co.uk/Vincent.html #freeread #shortstory #funny #pleaseboost
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So excited to see that this short story continues to move people 5 years after its publication!
store.creativeramblings.com/en-cad/produ...
#books #fiction #shortstory #writingcommunity
What Will Happen Next? A Short... -
Twelve minutes until his last breath.
Sea Glass, Original free science fiction by M. Pax.
Read More: https://www.mpaxauthor.com/sea-glass-a-science-fiction-short-story/
#shortfiction #shortstory #free #sciencefiction #scifi #writingcommunity #writing -
Night Eater
by Louise WelshCurrently on BBC Sounds: An ambitious young librarian journeys deep into the Bavarian forest in search of ancient folk tales, & encounters a mysterious “wise woman”
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CW: gay M/s fiction
All his hesitation had vanished.
As expected of him, he licked one shoe and then the other conscientiously. Saliva dripped from his mouth, but he did not dare to swallow; his tongue remained in constant contact with the smooth leather. When the man lifted the tip of his foot, the boy hastened to tuck his head under the shoe and thoroughly lick the sole. The guest seemed satisfied when he withdrew his foot. He praised Ben at length for how well he kept his wards under control. He said he was happy to buy the boy at the agreed price.
"I'm delighted!" said your guardian, reaching out his hand to his guest. "I'm sure you'll get a lot of pleasure out of it." The guest accepted the offer. You realised that you would soon be working alone in the kitchen. Ben and the guest took out their smartphones and transferred control of Number 403 from the seller to the buyer. It took only a few seconds, and then the kitchen boy was under the authority of a new master.
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"Sophia's not going to like this," Reggie warned.
Sophia walked into the room. "Ahem - you were saying?"
Jacob responded enthusiastically, "We heard you were going to try a trip in the rover, so Reggie and I would like to accompany you."
"For the record, Sophia, I did not consent to this yet," Reggie quickly adds.
"I appreciate the sentiment, guys, but it's just going to be quick trip around the block. I don't need a babysitter."
Jacob smirked. "Who said anything about 'babysitter'. We'd be your escorts!"
"I don't need an escort, either."
"Honor guard?"
Sophia crossed her arms, "No."
Jacob persisted. "Offensive line?"
Sophia threw a glance at Reggie.Reggie shrugged, "He did just walk into that one. It'd be a crime to not respond to it."
Jacob looked at Reggie and then back to Sophia, confused. "What?"
#MicroFiction #FlashFiction #TootFic #ShortStory #SciFi #ScienceFiction
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Creation Of A School Shooter?
Excerpt: ……It has only been two days and already everyone knows why Angelo left. Their attention turns to me. “What happened to the fat baby? Did he cry?” I ignore them. That only makes it worse. “Are you going to leave now? Are you going to cry? Are you a fat baby, or are you just a baby fatty?” And there it is – the nickname that sticks. I am no longer called by my name. I am no longer called by any other names. I am only called by one. As I alone leave for the day, in […]https://shortstoryscribe.wordpress.com/2026/10/22/creation-of-a-school-shooter-2/
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What if the internet just stopped and your whole family had to look at each other? The Earth Stood Still is a short story about one dead phone screen and a grandma who knew it all along. 8 minute read on Medium.
@writingcommunity #ShortStory #Fiction #DigitalDetox #SocialMedia
https://alexandragrant8229.medium.com/the-earth-stood-still-a6034d65a415 -
Sea Glass
Original free science fiction by M. Pax
What hope looks like...
https://mpaxauthor.substack.com/p/sea-glass?r=40xifa&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=true
#free #shortstory #shortfiction #writing #writingcommunity #scifi #sciencefition #readingcommunity -
If you follow me, you have a sense of humour. If you're reading this, you're a reader. I’ve put this story online, free, gratis and for nothing, it's a twelve minute read. If you like it, maybe you’ll be curious enough to risk 99p for one of my short story collections. Maybe you’ll be smart enough to save some money by buying a compilation. Maybe you’ll be brave enough to buy my novel. Whatever happens, I hope you enjoy ‘Vincent'. http://aarondavid.co.uk/Vincent.html #freeread #shortstory #funny #pleaseboost
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If you follow me, you have a sense of humour. If you're reading this, you're a reader. I’ve put this story online, free, gratis and for nothing, it's a twelve minute read. If you like it, maybe you’ll be curious enough to risk 99p for one of my short story collections. Maybe you’ll be smart enough to save some money by buying a compilation. Maybe you’ll be brave enough to buy my novel. Whatever happens, I hope you enjoy ‘Vincent'. http://aarondavid.co.uk/Vincent.html #freeread #shortstory #funny #pleaseboost
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13 𝘿𝒂𝙮𝒔 𝒐𝙛 𝙃𝒂𝙡𝒍𝙤𝒘𝙚𝒆𝙣: "𝑻𝙝𝒆 𝑳𝙞𝒃𝙧𝒂𝙧𝒚 𝒐𝙛 𝘽𝒂𝙗𝒆𝙡" 𝒃𝙮 𝙅𝒐𝙧𝒈𝙚 𝙇𝒖𝙞𝒔 𝑩𝙤𝒓𝙜𝒆𝙨 -
2026 Theme: Bibliographic Horror - Corrupt Collections
1941, Argentina#review #halloween #horror #horrorstory #13DaysOfHalloween #books #bookreviews #bookworm #readreadread #shortstory #frictionalreading #bookhorror #reading #words #language #thelibraryofbabel #babel #jorgeluisborges #philosophy #allegory #labyrinth
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BCS #469 ebook out early today at @WeightlessBooks & Kindle Store and for subscribers, w stories of control and resistance by Claire Jia-Wen and @jonolfert.bsky.social (set in his Churchlands world), cover art by Bruce Brenneise.
(Buying BCS ebooks or an ebook subscription at Weightless Books gets you BCS stories a week early and helps us pay our authors and First Readers. Thank you!)
https://weightlessbooks.com/fiction/beneath-ceaseless-skies-issue-469/
https://www.amazon.com/Beneath-Ceaseless-Skies-Issue-469-ebook/dp/B0HNCCSC13/
#fantasy #sff #shortstory #litmag #ebook -
Marketing scams aimed at writers via email are rampant. Here’s the latest list of scammers: Sophie praise <[email protected]> Britime in <[email protected]> #bookmarketingscam #author #writing #amwriting #writer #writerslife #indieauthor #amediting #fiction #authors #shortstory #booksky
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Marketing scams aimed at writers via email are rampant. Here’s the latest list of scammers: Sophie praise <[email protected]> Britime in <[email protected]> #bookmarketingscam #author #writing #amwriting #writer #writerslife #indieauthor #amediting #fiction #authors #shortstory #booksky
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redial
The wind keeps howling, dragging the laden branches of the old olive trees to the ground. As it huffs and puffs, it mops away the rain streaks, further west, farther and farther still. -
Steve thought he was going for a pleasant walk in the woods. He never expected the sexual experience that would change his life.
https://www.inkitt.com/stories/1384840
#romanticerotica #NSFW #fantasy #dryad #shortstory -
I have written 31 horror short stories. Usually each October I have great fun, for 31 days, promoting one of my horror short stories for free each day. I usually give away tens of thousands of the Kindle ebooks to lead up to Halloween. It’s one of my most enjoyable activities of the Halloween season.
Until 2026.
Let me take a step back to explain the context.
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Marketing scams aimed at writers via email are rampant. Here’s the latest list of scammers: Mostech <[email protected]> Jjone Roseline <[email protected]> #bookmarketingscam #author #writing #amwriting #writer #writerslife #indieauthor #amediting #fiction #authors #shortstory #booksky
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Marketing scams aimed at writers via email are rampant. Here’s the latest list of scammers: Mostech <[email protected]> Jjone Roseline <[email protected]> #bookmarketingscam #author #writing #amwriting #writer #writerslife #indieauthor #amediting #fiction #authors #shortstory #booksky
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Marketing scams aimed at writers via email are rampant. Here’s the latest list of scammers:
[email protected]
Sophie praise [email protected]
#bookmarketingscam #author #writing #amwriting #writer #writerslife #indieauthor #amediting #fiction #authors #shortstory #booksky -
Marketing scams aimed at writers via email are rampant. Here’s the latest list of scammers:
[email protected]
Sophie praise [email protected]
#bookmarketingscam #author #writing #amwriting #writer #writerslife #indieauthor #amediting #fiction #authors #shortstory #booksky -
Marketing scams aimed at writers via email are rampant. Here’s the latest list of scammers:
I'm Malik [email protected]
Sophie praise [email protected]
#bookmarketingscam #author #writing #amwriting #writer #writerslife #indieauthor #amediting #fiction #authors #shortstory #booksky -
13 𝘿𝒂𝙮𝒔 𝒐𝙛 𝙃𝒂𝙡𝒍𝙤𝒘𝙚𝒆𝙣: "𝑻𝙝𝒆 𝑪𝙞𝒑𝙝𝒆𝙧" 𝒃𝙮 𝑲𝙖𝒕𝙝𝒆 𝑲𝙤𝒋𝙖 -
2026 Theme: Bibliographic Horror
1991, USA#review #halloween #horror #horrorstory #13DaysOfHalloween #books #bookreviews #bookworm #readreadread #shortstory #frictionalreading #bookhorror #reading #words #language #kathekoja #thecipher #bodyhorror #arthorror
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If you follow me, you have a sense of humour. If you're reading this, you're a reader. I’ve put this story online, free, gratis and for nothing, it's a twelve minute read. If you like it, maybe you’ll be curious enough to risk 99p for one of my short story collections. Maybe you’ll be smart enough to save some money by buying a compilation. Maybe you’ll be brave enough to buy my novel. Whatever happens, I hope you enjoy ‘Vincent'. http://aarondavid.co.uk/Vincent.html #freeread #shortstory #funny #pleaseboost
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If you follow me, you have a sense of humour. If you're reading this, you're a reader. I’ve put this story online, free, gratis and for nothing, it's a twelve minute read. If you like it, maybe you’ll be curious enough to risk 99p for one of my short story collections. Maybe you’ll be smart enough to save some money by buying a compilation. Maybe you’ll be brave enough to buy my novel. Whatever happens, I hope you enjoy ‘Vincent'. http://aarondavid.co.uk/Vincent.html #freeread #shortstory #funny #pleaseboost
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Marketing scams aimed at writers via email are rampant. Here’s the latest list of scammers: Sophie praise <[email protected]> Britime in <[email protected]> #bookmarketingscam #author #writing #amwriting #writer #writerslife #indieauthor #amediting #fiction #authors #shortstory #booksky
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Marketing scams aimed at writers via email are rampant. Here’s the latest list of scammers: [email protected] Dennis Ortega <[email protected]> #bookmarketingscam #author #writing #amwriting #writer #writerslife #indieauthor #amediting #fiction #authors #shortstory #booksky
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Marketing scams aimed at writers via email are rampant. Here’s the latest list of scammers: Lanex Bright <[email protected]> Jessica <[email protected]> #bookmarketingscam #author #writing #amwriting #writer #writerslife #indieauthor #amediting #fiction #authors #shortstory #booksky
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After a week off from writing to let my brain reset, I'm switching from one of the five works-in-progress I've got going to another.
Try to keep up. -
UPDATED List of Book Marketing Scammers
#bookmarketingscam #writingcommunity #author #writing #amwriting #writer #writerslife #indieauthor #shortstory #authors #amediting #fiction #booksky
inventingrealityediting.com/2...
List of Book Marketing Scammer... -
My Latest Newsletter Is Out: "Layer Imagery with Symbolic Meaning" and More!
#author #writing #amwriting #writer #writerslife #indieauthor #amediting #fiction #authors #shortstory #booksky
inventingrealityediting.com/2026/10/20/t...
Layer Imagery with Symbolic Me... -
Marketing scams aimed at writers via email are rampant. Here’s the latest list of scammers: Cynthia <[email protected]> [email protected] #bookmarketingscam #author #writing #amwriting #writer #writerslife #indieauthor #amediting #fiction #authors #shortstory #booksky
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Marketing scams aimed at writers via email are rampant. Here’s the latest list of scammers: Daniel Chris <[email protected]> [email protected] #bookmarketingscam #author #writing #amwriting #writer #writerslife #indieauthor #amediting #fiction #authors #shortstory #booksky
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Live in BCS #468: "Islands in the Styx" by James Morrow.
"“In eras gone by, I have been the dread Egyptian deity Set,” said Pluto, “the baleful Sumerian goddess Ereshkigal, and the malign Persian spirit Agra Mainyu, and now I have become the canny Ruler of the Underworld you see before you. Hell’s advent will transform me into a very different sort of sovereign: the endlessly malevolent Satan, the infinitely iniquitous Devil!”"
https://beneath-ceaseless-skies.com/stories/islands-in-the-styx/
#fantasy #sff #shortstory
