This is the second book in the Aberrations Series, a collection of ten new, short stories to tease and tickle.

How would you feel if you came face to face with a contract killer? I did, and it formed the basis for my title story .

But then, most, if not all of my yarns have a foundation in something I’ve heard, read or personally experienced.

I’ve kept a diary, for example, but have not had as macabre an experience as the old man in my tale, Dear Diary .

One might wonder, for example, whether, given the chance, the leopard might ever change its spots? Read my take on it and find out for yourself. This story was based on an actual event involving my wife, when she was just six years old. Her mother was so appalled by what happened, she refused to ever speak about it, or hear about it for the rest of her life.

I am not, and have never been a Gigolo, but decided to have our hero from Book 1 meet his comeuppance in Book 2 when he meets a Courtesan, who tumbles his well-kept secret. It’s all there for you to appreciate.

In this second Book in the series, I’ve also looked at taxidermy, car crime and conditions under which an innocent journalist might be tortured and imprisoned in Vietnam? All based on personal experience, or else events I’ve read about in the press which struck me as being worthy of a view to be expressed in a short story .

These are just a few tasters of a collection of tales I hope you’ll enjoy reading as much as I’ve enjoyed writing them.

Andrew Segal