THE RIGHT THING TO DO

5 stars out of 5

This short story lays the foundation for Jonathan Kellerman's upcoming book, The Murderer's Daughter, set for release in mid-August 2015. Although I've been vocal about not being a fan of the so-called "prequels," I caved in this time simply because it's written by an author at the Top 3 of my favorites list.

At just 47 pages it took only half an hour or so to read, and I'm happy to say it's excellent. The story stands alone, but - as I'm sure is the intent - the ending left me wondering what will happen next.  No doubt I'll forget everything I read by the time I get the full book on my Kindle Fire, though (one of the reasons I avoid prequels), so I'll write a quick review that I can use to refresh my memory before I dive into the real thing.

The story begins in 1965 (put in my perspective, at that time our son would have been two years old and I was a stay-at-home mom), when a young man named Malcolm Bluestone takes a break between finishing a Harvard degree and starting law school to visit his older brother Steve in California. The two are far enough apart in age that they've never been close, but Malcolm admires Steve and his free-wheeling lifestyle as a movie "star."

So far, Malcolm has walked the more conventional path favored by his elderly parents - Jewish immigrants who fled Germany to escape the wrath of Hitler's regime - but he's also harbored a desire to veer off course and create his own walkway. While visiting his brother's movie set and witnessing an incident that shocks him to the core, he makes the decision to do exactly that: After all, it's the right thing to do.

The Right Thing to Do (short story, Kindle Single) by Jonathan Kellerman (Ballantine Books, July 2015); 47 pp.