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Box of Lies
Discover a place where men and women are forced to march for their daily bread, the end of the world doesn't guarantee a way out and every tiny decision that you make could influence the future in giant ways.
From Maine author Mark LaFlamme, 27 disturbing tales that question the world around us, each more unsettling than the last.
A professor discovers that we all may be works of fiction. A freak storm leaves half the population speaking gibberish and the grandest secrets of them all may await in the grave.
"LaFlamme is like a graffiti artist sliding around a corner in the dark with his collar turned up, a few bold strokes and he's moved on--but the territory of your mind has been tagged with his distinctive images."
-Linda Bulger, Amazon
Table for One
Pepper
The Bender Argument
Dove
Dead Things
Confessional
Knick Knack
Feast of Friends
The Neighborhood
The Whole Shebang
Find a Penny
Artifact
The Village Store at the End of the World
Honey
Wish You Were Here
Bone Lake
Box of Lies
Daddy
Out There
Gibberish
Our House
Forever
Bobby
Legend
Dual A Love Story
Fingerdance
The End
From Maine author Mark LaFlamme, 27 disturbing tales that question the world around us, each more unsettling than the last.
A professor discovers that we all may be works of fiction. A freak storm leaves half the population speaking gibberish and the grandest secrets of them all may await in the grave.
"LaFlamme is like a graffiti artist sliding around a corner in the dark with his collar turned up, a few bold strokes and he's moved on--but the territory of your mind has been tagged with his distinctive images."
-Linda Bulger, Amazon
Table for One
Pepper
The Bender Argument
Dove
Dead Things
Confessional
Knick Knack
Feast of Friends
The Neighborhood
The Whole Shebang
Find a Penny
Artifact
The Village Store at the End of the World
Honey
Wish You Were Here
Bone Lake
Box of Lies
Daddy
Out There
Gibberish
Our House
Forever
Bobby
Legend
Dual A Love Story
Fingerdance
The End
388 pages, Paperback
First published October 10, 2010
About the author
Mark Laflamme
11 books29 followersMark is a crime reporter and columnist at the Sun Journal in Lewiston, Maine. He is also the author of the new collection "Box of Lies" and the novels "Dirt: An American Campaign," "The Pink Room," "Vegetation," and "Asterisk: Red Sox 2086."
Mark stays up until dawn and sleeps until noon. He takes Halloween off each year and rides a dual sport motorcycle. He proposed to his wife, Corey, in a pumpkin patch and then whisked her off to Salem, Mass. for a honeymoon.
Shockingly, he is still married.
Visit his website
Find Mark on Facebook
Kindle Books
Mark stays up until dawn and sleeps until noon. He takes Halloween off each year and rides a dual sport motorcycle. He proposed to his wife, Corey, in a pumpkin patch and then whisked her off to Salem, Mass. for a honeymoon.
Shockingly, he is still married.
Visit his website
Find Mark on Facebook
Kindle Books
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Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews
November 1, 2015
Wow. What a tremendously even collection of macabre ditties that deliver at almost every turn. Get this now as an ebook for 3 bucks!!!! It's worth every penny. I am going to write a real review but until I do add this to your TBR pile. This collection needs more attention and more accolades.
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March 20, 2022How do you understand thé short story Box of Liés?
February 8, 2011
This is going into my collection of top short stories! I'd never heard of Mark LaFlamme before this book but after finishing this gem, I know he's going to be an author I read more of! I loved reading the author's thoughts on his short stories but I would have liked it better if these blurbs were either at the beginning or end of each story or at the beginning of the book.
My favorites:
Table for One: Simple, disturbing, with a premise that gets into your head and won't let go.
Pepper: I found this one entertaining and thought-provoking and an interesting commentary on man kind. I didn't really find it thrilling or scary though.
The Bender Argument: An interesting take on The Matrix come to life.
Confessional: Bleak, dismal, and depressing. Yet....you can't really argue with it and it's an interesting concept.
Knick Knack: This one scared me more than even I knew. The other day I saw a group of children coming toward me and I had to stop myself from turning tail and running in the opposite direction as fast as I could.
Feast of Friends: One of my very favorites. Loved loved loved the ending!
The Neighborhood: A great story with a "Gift of the Magi" twist at the end.
Find a Penny: Loved the premises of the story and the way it was explored.
The Village Store at the End of the World: An end of the world story...or is it?
Box of Lies: Conspiracy theories...with a new twist.
Our House: An interesting twist on the haunted house concept.
Forever: I can't say much about it without ruining the ending.
My favorites:
Table for One: Simple, disturbing, with a premise that gets into your head and won't let go.
Pepper: I found this one entertaining and thought-provoking and an interesting commentary on man kind. I didn't really find it thrilling or scary though.
The Bender Argument: An interesting take on The Matrix come to life.
Confessional: Bleak, dismal, and depressing. Yet....you can't really argue with it and it's an interesting concept.
Knick Knack: This one scared me more than even I knew. The other day I saw a group of children coming toward me and I had to stop myself from turning tail and running in the opposite direction as fast as I could.
Feast of Friends: One of my very favorites. Loved loved loved the ending!
The Neighborhood: A great story with a "Gift of the Magi" twist at the end.
Find a Penny: Loved the premises of the story and the way it was explored.
The Village Store at the End of the World: An end of the world story...or is it?
Box of Lies: Conspiracy theories...with a new twist.
Our House: An interesting twist on the haunted house concept.
Forever: I can't say much about it without ruining the ending.
June 15, 2015
I give this book of short stories 5 stars, not necessarily because I loved all of the stories, but because they are really well written and completely sucked me in. I found the writing reminded me of Stephen King except instead of being scary these stories were extremely disturbing. A few of the stories I found I could not wait until they were over but at the same time I could not stop reading them or skip to the next story because I just had to know how it turned out. This is not the kind of book I typically read, however, I am glad that I was lured by they reviews and I stepped out of my comfort zone for this one.
January 1, 2013
One of my favorite short collections ever. I really like this author.
The stories run the gambit of genres -- from horror and dark fiction to dystopian future and science fiction -- but all deal with the theme of loss. The characterization is varied and full. I'd love to read some flash fiction from Mr. Laflamme.
My favorite stories: The Bender Argument, Knick Knack, Feast of Friends, The Neighborhood, The Village Store at the End of the World, Forever, Our House, Gibberish, Legend.
4.5 stars. Highly recommended. Very comfortable read. Reminded me of watching old black and white Twilight Zone episodes when I was a kid.
The stories run the gambit of genres -- from horror and dark fiction to dystopian future and science fiction -- but all deal with the theme of loss. The characterization is varied and full. I'd love to read some flash fiction from Mr. Laflamme.
My favorite stories: The Bender Argument, Knick Knack, Feast of Friends, The Neighborhood, The Village Store at the End of the World, Forever, Our House, Gibberish, Legend.
4.5 stars. Highly recommended. Very comfortable read. Reminded me of watching old black and white Twilight Zone episodes when I was a kid.
August 16, 2012
To be honest I rated this before I had read 3 of the longer stories toward the back of the book. I had put the book aside and forgotten about it. After reading the last stories, I found those were my favorites, and though I am not changing my rating, I thought this was overall a very good book. I have since recommended it to a friend of mine.
I received the book for free through Goodreads First Reads.
I received the book for free through Goodreads First Reads.
February 20, 2011
This book is full of strong characters and frightening images. Prepare to be enthralled by a ghost horse, an icy lake man, and a little girl who wants a dog. Plan to be held hostage by this book; it's not going to let you go.
November 9, 2012
Some of the stories were riveting and compelling, where I couldn't stop reading until the end. Others were dry and a little boring, dragging on until I couldn't turn another page. Definitely recommend the read though!
April 24, 2011
Dark, sometimes a little twisted, but the stories were each very enjoyable to read. I think I enjoyed reading the afterward by the author the most.
May 22, 2012
Not my style.
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews