Title: The Vine: Succession Assistance
Author: Timothy Pugh
Publisher: XlibrisUS
ISBN: 979-8369466032
Pages: 48
Genre: Medical Thrillers / 90-Minute Mystery, Thriller & Suspense / Short Reads / Conspiracies
Reviewer: Anthony Avina
Pacific Book Review
A question so many people must face when someone they love and care for starts to get older is how the people they love heading into old age are going to be treated in their final years. Having to decide whether to seek a facility or home to put one’s loved ones in or if they can be taken care of by family is a difficult and heartbreaking decision in itself and having to deal with the loss that follows soon after is an emotional rollercoaster that cannot be avoided.
That decision takes on a whole new meaning in author Timothy Pugh’s “The Vine: Succession Assistance.” The story follows a journalism and business student at Dartmouth, who after publishing a scathing article on the use of elderly care facilities, is invited by a wealthy and exclusive senior facility known as The Vine, a century-old facility that has become known for its secrecy, to work for them. A place of wealth and care, Patrick becomes immersed in his new role, discovering the dark secrets buried at the heart of the facility.
Filled with rich character dynamics and a fast-paced narrative, the story does a remarkable job of building suspense very early on. The author utilizes imagery perfectly in this story, giving readers an idea of the ways in which this facility looks and exudes the atmosphere of wealth and privilege while also underscoring this with a secretive, dark undertone that keeps the reader questioning every single one of the supporting characters in this story. The shifting perspective of characters, from protagonist Patrick and his girlfriend Liv’s investigations to the powerful elite who hold the core of the facility’s ideals up in secret, keeps the reader invested every step of the way through this short yet powerful read.
Readers who enjoy fiction short stories, especially those that utilize medical thrillers, conspiracies, and suspenseful mysteries will thoroughly enjoy this story. The exploration of how those with wealth and power will conduct business in the shadows and the power and ordinary people can find themselves changed and on different paths when faced with the alluring power of that wealth made this such a compelling short story, and the hidden manipulations and haunting realities behind The Vine will stay with readers long after the story ends.
