December 15, 2014
Morris' experience as a producer and managing partner in the entertainment world shows in this collection of short fiction. Many of the stories feature men whose concerns revolve around money and families that bring them more sorrow than joy. Brilliantly crafted, Rain Comes Down shows the points of view of a recently retired man and his stroke-impaired wife as he sidesteps the possessiveness of their beloved daughter. There are a fair number of lawyer stories, some admiring, others less so. In Miracle Worker, a lawyer who has his own flourishing practice sets out to protect a former assistant from her involvement with the scion of a powerful financial firm. Youth and families also play an important role. The Plot to Hold Hands with Elizabeth Tremblay, a hilarious tale told in first person by a teenage wisenheimer, includes the placement of a dead frog in a water fountain and a skillful use of detention in his search for romance. This first collection will be a satisfactory addition to libraries with short-fiction readers.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2014, American Library Association.)