As a reward for being a fan and an email subscriber to Martin Stanley’s newsletters, fans of Stanley were recently emailed a 13,500-word short story, Get Santa, which featured the his main characters, the Stanton brothers. Having been a fan of Stanley’s and the Stantons for a long while, I was excited to get a Stanton fix while still fitting it into my hectic holiday schedule.
In typical Stanton fashion, the brothers are involved in a scheme to rid some poor sap of his money. They are tipped off that a local man (who resembles Santa in appearance; thus the title) has a nice score kept in his personal safe and they decide they could better spend his money than he can, but first they need to get it their hands on it. Violence and bits of comedy ensue and, as is often the way for the Stantons, they quickly find their plans go awry. With the typical scenes of violence that arise when the Stantons are involved, this was a quick hit of a much needed trip into the underworld Stanley has created with a perfect, deft touch of his pen.
Stanley has an ear for witty dialogue between the two Stanton brothers. They play off each other with ease and are criminals with believable chemistry. With a great mix of muscles and morals, the brothers navigate the tough streets and come off as hard-ass, yet engaging and likable; a tough balance to accomplish for an author.
Don’t be thrown off by the title, this story can be enjoyed any time of the year, so if the holiday season passes you by before you find the time to read this, fret not, you will still enjoy this offering. It is a perfect introduction to both the Stantons as characters and Stanley as a writer. Follow the provided link and sign-up for Stanley’s newsletter and grab a copy of this story, dig in, and enjoy. (www.martinstanleyauthor.com)
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