My Side of the World and Other Tales of Death - by Beka Wueste (Paperback)

Book Synopsis

Death takes the lead in this collection of eight disparate tales, exploring how the loss of loved ones affects us, how surviving close calls with death shape us, how the fear of death motivates us, and how we can be either lifted up or let down by our communities in dealing with lingering grief. The genres vary between stories, including science fiction, magical realism, and suspense.

My Life with Death: A child becomes friends with Death and later serves as Death's assistant, constantly grappling with how much her relationship with Death limits her ability to enjoy her own life.

The Patron Saint of Pianos: A 1980's homicide detective, exhausted by working on too many cartel and gang-related deaths, moves from the southern border to a quiet, one-stoplight northern town for a fresh start.

My Husband's Fathers: A marriage strained by a husband habitually using the death of his mother to dismiss anyone else's pain or trauma endures a new challenge when the couple fosters two young brothers.

The Girl Who Sold the World: Humanity faces an existential threat when an alien collective arrives at Earth to judge the worthiness of all species on the planet.

My Sister Agnes: A 1990's suburb is shaken by an unexpected death, which brings neighbors together for one summer, and forever shapes one of the families.

The Shattered Glass Girl: A teenage girl in the 1920's dies due to her father's cruel discipline, leaving her spirit bonded to the house, enabling her to have a second chance at happiness when a new family moves in.

My Side of the World: A married woman in her midlife discovers evidence that a former paramour may be dead, leading her to obsess over confirming his demise in the present, while also reexamining her past and the influence he had in shaping her present life.

The Red Lights: When a young girl has a recurring nightmare of being murdered, her grandmother convinces her that it is a factual depiction of what will happen.