This had SUCH potential, but then it just fizzled at the end. ( )

The Warning by Sophie Hannah is a 2015 Witness Impulse Publication. I was provided a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review by the publisher and Edelweiss.

The Warning is a suspenseful novella that might give you a little something to chew on. For a short story, I thought the author did an excellent job of creating a dark and atmospheric situation that had me feeling a little jumpy and uneasy.

One part of me was sure I knew which direction the story would take, while another part of me couldn't decide who to believe or who could be trusted.

A stranger steps in and saves the day for Chloe and her daughter. Now, Chloe wants to show her gratitude by bringing the man a gift. On the surface this seems like human nature at it's best. But, looking up a total stranger could have dire consequences, especially when Chloe is given a strong warning to stay clear of Tom.

Each character is suspect, each could have his or her own agenda, or they could be totally innocent and only trying to be helpful. You will have to decide for yourself, if you can, who you should trust… or not.

A menacing, sinister, thought provoking story that will have you questioning your own paranoia and ability to decipher who to trust in your everyday dealings with friends or strangers.

I thought the book touched on some interesting themes, by drawing the characters in such a way as to represent one extreme or another, suggesting a calm, reasonable approach might be what works best in the long run. I definitely thought about the story for a while after having finished it.

Simply taking the story at face value is allowed, but I picked up on a few finer points hidden in there too. Although the story ended in a surprising way, there were several alternate endings that could have taken it's place.

Over all this is a clever little short story worth an hour or so of your time. 4 stars ( )

Chloe is a single mom, and on the day of her daughter's audition for a musical, she's unknowingly left the sheet music in her car, in a garage that's too far away to retrieve in time for the audition. Tom Rigbey (aka an errant knight) comes to her rescue on his speedy steed (aka his bicycle) and retrieves the sheet music just in the nick of time. When Chloe tracks Tom down and provides him with a "thank you" gift, she receives a strange warning from one of Tom's coworkers. Chloe doesn't pay heed to the warning so her best friend pulls in a police officer to launch a friendly investigation into Tom. Should Chloe listen to these warnings or follow her heart?

The Warning is a very quick read at under 100 pages. Ms. Hannah has provided the reader with a thriller that pulls the reader in from page one. I found most of the action in The Warning to be plausible and realistic, except for the notion of "love at first sight." (Is it possible to be attracted to someone at first sight? Yes! Is it possible to fall in love with someone that you know absolutely nothing about? I don't think so.) Personal prejudices aside, if you're looking for a quick and thrilling read with romantic overtones, then grab a copy of The Warning. ( )