Hilda's Big Day Out: A Short Story

A short story about a tough little dog, and three bonus stories.HILDA'S BIG DAY OUT was commissioned by the Sunday Mail as its seasonal short story. It's a tale of violence, abduction, and pilchards, told from the perspective of a Dandie Dinmont terrier called Hilda, who's whisked away from a deserted Edinburgh beach by a skinny stranger on New Year's Day.(word 2640; 10/11 Kindle pages)Also included are three bonus storiesYOUR MOTHER SHOULD KNOW was commissioned as part of Nigel Bird and Chris Rhatigan's PULP INK anthology. It's the story of Southern teen from a repressed background who has issues with her mother and a boyfriend she wants to impress. Unfortunately, her attempt to impress him doesn't work out as planned.(word 1370; 5/6 Kindle pages)BYE BYE BABY was commissioned by Victim Support Scotland for their EVERY CRIME HAS A VICTIM anthology. The story's narrated by Mrs Wilson, whose young son, Bruce, has disappeared without trace. She's grief-stricken and angry and a little drunk, but there's something deeper and more heartbreaking than initially meets the eye of the detectives who pay her a visit. This is the original story that spawned the author's Top Ten Kindle novella of the same name.(word 2670; 10/11 Kindle pages)CALL ME, I'M DYING was commissioned by Busted Flush Press for A HELL OF A AN ANTHOLOGY OF FEMALE NOIR, edited by Megan Abbott. A couple having a meal on their wedding anniversary are not what they seem. An unusual phone call helps reveal the truth, but is it too late? (word 3680; 15 Kindle pages)Total word 10360; 41 Kindle pages.Praise for Allan Guthrie's TWO-WAY SPLIT"Seek him out and buy his book." Ian Rankin, creator of Inspector John Rebus and author of THE COMPLAINTS"Excellent." George Pelecanos, author of THE CUT"In the tradition of Irvine Welsh and Ian Rankin, Allan Guthrie chronicles life in the underbelly of Edinburgh with dazzling grace. TWO-WAY SPLIT is a hard-edged, fast-paced noir thriller with outstanding dialogue and plenty of unforgettable bad guys. It's Scottish crime fiction with a unique American hard-boiled twist." Jason Starr, author of THE PACK"With razor-sharp characterisation and an evocative sense of place, the novel's pace never the supremely damaged characters that Guthrie conjures up are seldom let off the hook, and stew throughout in their fetid juices. Dark and splendid." The Guardian"...a memorable and stunning and pitch-perfect debut and one you should grab forthwith. I can't remember a first novel this good in a long, long time." Mystery ScenePraise for the novella BYE BYE BABY, a Top Ten Kindle Bestseller"The approach is so fresh that it makes the whole thing feel like the first time I've read a police story" Do Some Damage"A story that moves quickly, in short chapters of crisp prose, with plenty of plot turns to hold the attention, and characters you can love and others you can hate... Like Guthrie's full-length novels, Bye Bye Baby is sly, noir as all hell (more noir than some, actually), and it just might bring a tear of pity to your eyes. It's a police procedural filled with incident and back story, and man, what an ending." Detectives Beyond Borders "...a dark, clever, funny and sad story which races along to reach a smart conclusion. A tough and lovely slice of the hard side of life." You Would Say That, Wouldn't You?About the Guthrie is an award-winning Scottish crime writer.