About the Book:
Fate: Tales of History, Mystery and Magic
If you had a crystal ball to predict what lay ahead, would you be tempted to use it? Or would you leave the future to the turn of Fate?
Tales of Variety. Tales of History, Mystery and Magic – some comprising just one of these popular fiction genres, others, a mild mixture of all three.Perhaps you prefer historical fiction rather than a story about magic or fantasy? Maybe you enjoy exploring new themes or prefer sticking to the familiar? Historical fiction can often inform, imparting knowledge of the past, of its events and its people. Stories of mystery exercise the ‘little grey cells’ as Poirot would say, while fantasy and magic create new worlds and awed wonder.
Whatever result, this is where anthologies come into their own, and where short stories are often appreciated as enjoyable, entertaining, quick or easy reads shown through the eyes of a variety of extraordinary characters and situations. In this instance: an Anglo-Saxon woman facing the consequence of conquest, the pursuit of alchemy, the concern of a mother for her daughter, the shifting of time, the necessity of hidden identity, souls who will linger as ghosts, a warning from the supernatural, the necessity for (justifiable?) revenge. All mingled with the rekindling of romance through a mutual quest, and the preparations for a Cotswold village celebration. (Along with a good tip if illicitly snaffling cakes.
The binding theme? Destiny... Kismet... FATE!Published 2025 ✧ Marian L. Thrope ✧ Taw River Press ✧ KU Loan
Review:
Set in Norfolk in 1953, Marian L. Thrope's "One Black Dog" is the third entry in the Fate: Tales of History, Mystery, and Magic anthology. Written in the first person, Thorpe's rendering of Mr. Reynolds offers a narrative that feels familiar and lived-in—something more akin to memory than invention.
Anchored in Norfolk's local history, the "One Black Dog" makes use of both the bombing of St. Mary's in Snettisham in 1915 and the North Sea Flood of 1953. Thrope's clever framing of these details lend a delightful note of authenticity to the story, illustrating the regional memory of her chosen setting and reinforcing the story's familiar tone.
Black Shuck, the spectral black dog of East Anglian legend, reflects an element of local folklore. His appearances are brief and atmospheric, materializing as an unexplained and possibly unknowable force. His true nature is left open-ended, present enough to shape the mood without demanding a fixed interpretation.
Recognition of the regional culture is further emphasized by Thorpe's inclusion of The Dun Cow, an inn that replaced a centuries-old public house at the southern edge of Dersingham. The detail deepens the setting and draws lines to a past that lingers just below the surface of the present.
"One Black Dog" is a thoughtfully crafted piece, one where the interplay between history and folklore feels seamless rather than imposed. Immersive and resonant.
