The Liar, and other stories

'The Liar, and other stories' is the latest collection of short stories from acclaimed Northern Irish author Matthew W. McFarland. In 'The Liar', a sharply dressed man enters the foyer of a corporate bank, and walks back out with a fortune: "In the past twenty-four hours, I have convinced various people that I am a fireman, that I make my own shoes, that I am a qualified pilot, that my middle name is Wenceslas, and that I have an inoperable brain tumour. Only one of these things is true." In 'Making Headlines' a young starlet is brutally slain in the ornamental gardens of a country estate, as a high-class fundraiser is in full swing. Only her killer can shed light on the murder. "My wife of close to twenty years is slowly poisoning me, of this I am certain". In 'Toxic Love', a family falls apart as suspicions abound, in a chilling tale of mistrust and lies. In 'Ripples', a young girl flees from the police, hiding a dark secret. An old man with a strange air about him reaches out to help her - but can she trust this complete stranger? In 'The Savant', a construction worker narrowly escapes death in a tragic accident which takes the lives of his two brothers. He awakens in a hospital bed to the strains of music resounding in his ears, and the discovery of an unbelievable talent. In 'The Hospital', every parent's worst nightmare whirls around the children's ward, as a young boy with an unknown malady undergoes a multitude of medical tests. Six stories to enthral, stories which will linger in the mind of the reader long after they are finished.