See How They Die

About the Book

Death is sometimes about control; those who have it, those who have lost it, and those who never had it. Set in the period from 1930 - 1950, these stories encompass the four categories of death-- murder, suicide, accidental, and death from natural causes. Death by Murder A cunning grandmother has all the control. A newborn is powerless. The daughter is oblivious of her mother's misdeeds. The curiosity of a small animal uncovers the treachery. Death by Suicide A young boy pushed to the brink makes the ultimate cry for help when he loses his control to sadistic classmates. Death by Accident A young man meets his death when his control is wrenched from him in a train accident as he seeks to better his life during the Depression Years. Death by Natural Causes A deceased old woman floats above her funeral as an unsettled spirit telling tales about the mourners. These stories describe the demise of four unrelated individuals. From the devastation of prairie farms in the Depression, to a child's visible imperfection, to the disposability of innocents and our inevitable end, all are tales of vulnerable people at extraordinary moments in their lives.

About the Author

Helen McCourt Mentek was born in Orillia, Ontario, Canada. She is the mother of three adult children. She lives with her husband in Windsor, Ontario. See How They Die is her second book of short stories. Ripples on a Puddle was published in 2004.