Book Review – Peek by Paul Beckman

By Taylor Eaton

Peek, by Paul Beckman, is a dark, quick read, filled with twisted characters and jarringly original storytelling. This collection of flash fiction stories keeps the reader on their toes—a trademark in the art of flash fiction—but these stories do so beautifully.

The pieces are tightly constructed and are polished off with effective twists that you’ll never see coming. Take for instance the opening (and titular) piece of the collection, Peek. Intrigue grasps the reader from the first few words, growing as the story builds. Rarely is one able to guess where the story is going until they find themselves at the end of it—this is what gripping flash fiction should be.

When picking up Peek, get ready for a look inside the subconscious of a unique cast of characters. Not only will they become endeared to you in such a short amount of words, but they’ll make you start to wonder if you’re really not all that different from them. Beckman gives you a peek, not only into the lives of fictional characters, but into the quirks of the universally damaged side of human nature.

The stories in this collection are delightfully dark, making the reader long for more once the book has been set down. Beckman, with his original and off-beat story concepts, keeps the reader guessing as to what the next piece might hold. While the stories are short, they are powerfully packed with subjects that will make you pause, think, and re-read.

While the reader should be warned that sex and mature subjects are handled throughout Peek, they are done so artfully and for the purpose of the story. Touchy subjects are never used as a gimmick or for shock value but are examined and considered thoughtfully throughout the collection.

A surprising, but welcome, aspect of the collection was the reoccurrence of a handful of characters and storylines throughout the book. As the stories progress, you find yourself wondering more and more about what parts of Mirsky and Elaine’s twisted lives you’ll encounter next. This offers the best of both the flash fiction and novel worlds: short, snappy stories that allow the reader to invest themselves in the lives of these characters.

If you find yourself in need of a book to read in short bursts – on the train or on your lunch break—you’ll love Peek. The stories, while quick, will leave you pondering them the rest of the day. Whether new to flash fiction, or a fan of the genre, this book is an enjoyable, fast read.

Purchase Peek on Amazon.