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In this collection of short stories, Rosemary Mairs has shown an incredible talent of exploring a wide range of characters and writing styles. In ‘Bad Boy Blade� we are in the head of Norman the dog as he watches his owner’s antics in horror, whilst in ‘In Her Sleep� we follow the literal outburst of Patricia the traffic warden as she emits an endless monologue of thoughts to the reader with a fabulous twist at the story’s end. It’s this extensive range of writing styles that drew my interest with most stories drawing the reader in within the first few paragraphs. Rosemary describes the opening scenes in a succinct style so that we are immediately in the heart of the story with a clear understanding of the character(s) and corresponding plot line.

The short story, Miss Win, which is the book’s namesake is the highlight of the book. A Romanian turns up in the lives of Win and her cousin, Elsa, with dire consequences. The characterization of the three main characters is spot on and the storyline develops in such a way that leaves the reader in shock at the end. Plot twists and deception are at the heart of every story but work better in some more than others. I loved the twists in Miss Win, Scar and The Spare Room but struggled to follow the plots in some others such as Rev Ricky, Waiting and Memory Tap.

Rosemary is meticulous in her exploration of different characters and events. She adeptly explores such topics as adultery, crime, murder, addiction, jealousy and mental health with a variation of characters that we learn to love or hate. Her style is fast paced which works well in this short story format. An easy book to pick up and read but hard to put down. I look forward with interest as to where Rosemary’s writing takes her next.