Title: The End is Never Pretty
Author: Greg Rucka
In: Murder and Mayhem in Muskego (Jon & Ruth Jordan)
Rating Out of 5: 4 (Really good read!)
My Bookshelves: Crime, Spies
Pace: Fast
Format: Short story
Publisher: Down and Out Books
Year: 2012
You don’t even have to start reading this short story to realise that there isn’t really going to be an overly happy ending here. I mean, it’s literally called The End is Never Pretty. And then the story starts, and you continue to have that feeling that nothing is going to end well here. Which is fun, because you spend the entirety of this tale on pins and needles waiting for the other shoe to drop.
Although this is mostly in chronological order, it is kind of disjointed in its telling as well. As you read it, it becomes clear that it is more and more difficult for Nessuno to actually figure out who she is. I mean, we all have that battle at times – figuring out who we are and who we want to be. But most people aren’t doing this whilst literally pretending to be someone else. The disjointed nature of the story line works to highlight the disconnect that Nessuno is feeling more and more as her deception unfolds.
Honestly, there wasn’t really a surprising twist at the end of this story – two agents who have a moment in time together, and talking about the lines that you’ll cross to keep cover? Yeah, I kind of saw the ending coming. But I was really hoping that it wouldn’t be the case. It was just a little bit too tragic, most definitely working as a poignant end to a short story.
For all that this is a pretty damn dark story, it’s also a pretty easy read. I mean, it’s dark and twisty. Focusing on spy versus spy and the darkness of double agents, but it was still a simple read. One that I would probably enjoy reading again.
Earth and Skye 