The White Matt Micheli Things can change fast in Texas, especially the weather.
Uninvited and unwelcomed, Dan’s estranged mother Margo shows up at his doorstep moments before a freak snowstorm hits their small Texas town. The arctic storm comes fast and hard, trapping Dan and his wife, their teen daughter, and her boyfriend inside with the malicious old woman who seems hell-bent on destroying everything her son and daughter-in-law have built together. Long-buried family secrets are exhumed, causing tensions to flare and tempers to erupt. As things spiral out of control and anger consumes the household, inside is Hell. But outside in the snow there is something far more sinister. Something full of rage. Something violent. And that something has a taste for blood.
An unexpected guest shows up on Dan’s doorstep. Turns out it’s his estranged mother Margo, and he is not impressed. The woman spreads misery everywhere she goes. Before anyone can really settle in, a wicked snowstorm blows in. Now they have no power, no water, and no firewood. Dan and Andre will have to venture out for these supplies. Being trapped inside with a mother you resent is bad enough, but things get much worse when the guys step out into the White.
Just a few pages in and I wanted to slap Margo, so bravo to Micheli for capturing everything that is an awful mother. For a short story, I thought the author did a great job with the characters. You feel the family dysfunction, tension, and how the couple loathes Margo. I felt so bad for Dan and Lilly for having to deal with this rude and condescending woman. Those of us with monster-in-laws know her type so well.
When the guy’s head into the White for supplies, the story goes off the rails. It gets dark and gruesome, which I was not expecting. I couldn’t imagine making the judgment call that Lilly did. Ouch! Overall, a great story. I loved the wintry setting, especially being in an area that gets hammered with lake-effect snow. I felt for all the characters which isn’t always manageable in a short story. Much darker feelings for Margo though. HA! The gore introduced towards the end was the icing on the cake for me. I enjoyed the book and was very drawn to the story. I would definitely read more from Micheli!
Indie Book Addict Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Click the cover to grab your copy.
About the Author
Matt Micheli is a writer out of New Braunfels, TX, author of 'The White' (D&T Publishing). He has several fiction and non-fiction pieces featured in various magazines and anthologies and is a multi-contributor to This is Horror. A loving husband and father to a daughter and Husky dogs, he spends his days dabbling in domestication and his nights in Tequila, always searching for the next great story. 'The White' will be followed by his second novella 'Scratched' to be released in March of 2023 and his third titled 'Two Minutes with the Devil' which is scheduled for release in June of 2023 by D&T Publishing.
Look for his interview series 'NEW BLOOD: The Rebirth of Indie Horror' at The Horror Tree where he has candid conversations with folks making a splash in the indie horror writing world. Nothing is off limits.
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