MWSA Review

Although billed as historical fiction when submitted to MWSA, Bill Sheehan’s A Tail Among Tales is better characterized as an anthology of short stories for young adults. The book includes seven short stories ranging from only two pages for the story “Fake” to about 50 pages for “The Tire Baby.” Most of the stories mesh with events or personalities from the past. The author ends most stories with a brief explanation of how his fictional short story relates to a person or event from the past. I won’t spoil the surprise of who some of these people are—but you’ll recognize at least one of the names.

Review by John Cathcart (February 2023)

Author's Synopsis

The stories in this book will keep you wondering until the very last paragraph. If you think you have the plot figured out early in the story, take caution; you may be pleasantly surprised in the end. The author's notes at the end of the stories relate the stories to the real events from which they were created. Keep in mind the words of Phaedrus: "Things are not always what they seem."

Format(s) for review: Paper and Kindle

Review Genre: Fiction—Historical Fiction

Number of Pages: 158

Word Count: 35,000