Jessie by Susan Shultz

Jessie is the sequel to the novella The Blacksmith. This novella follows true to the format of a perfect short story read for October.

Jessie's story is a sad one that was hinted at by Shultz in The Blacksmith. Jessie was rejected and forgotten by her family only to be taken in by her husband and his heartless mother. This novella takes the idea of an evil mother in law to a whole new level. Each turn of the page leaves you asking could her life get any worse? Unfortunately the answer is yes. 

Despite the fact that this novel is depressing I thoroughly enjoyed Shultz's writing. With every twist and turn of the plot I found myself building empathetic links to Jessie. By the end I even began to cheer Jessie on to get her revenge. This is a great October read, and if you spook easily I recommend you do not read it in the dark.

Rating: 3.5 / 5