I was pleasantly surprised by two things:
- My ability to keep this going as a bi-weekly thing three posts in a row without forgetting.
- This short story.
The following info is from Skeleton Crew as a whole, not just the short story in question:
Author: Stephen King
Publisher: Hodder and Stoughton
Release Date: 22/03/2010
Genre: Horror
Pages: Story page count unknown as part of larger collection
My Chosen Format: Kindle
My Rating for ‘Mrs Todd’s Shortcut’: 5 out of 5
Other reviews from Skeleton Crew:
Review
This short offering from King’s Skeleton Crew focuses on two main narrators (a couple of old men telling the story as if it were a chat to each other). This style is pretty damn awesome and the words used are the slang and pronunciation the guys would be using in a real conversation (Sanwhich instead of sandwich etc …) It was quite a nice touch that gave the story a very real, very charming feel.
I wouldn’t say this story is a horror. It’s more a tall-tale that actually happened with a bit of supernatural elements thrown in there.
The sole focus is on Homer (the main narrator of the two old guys) and his friendship with Mrs Ophelia Todd. He recounts the addiction she had to finding shortcuts and how she can seemingly fold space and time to shave a handful of miles of a road trip.
Her shortcuts take them to some dark and strange places and never leave the road tripper the way they were when they embarked.
All in all, it’s a pretty good story and, despite there not being much action (all action that there is being told in a passive way) I didn’t want it to end. I could have listened to Homer yammering on and on until I was as old as he was.
So far this is one of my favourite short stories that I’ve come across. It may not be everyone’s cup of tea. If it isn’t yours; pass me the cup and I’ll drink it.
Swords & Spectres 
This story is really underrated, so it’s really cool to see you highlighting it. It’s a different kind of King story, for sure, but one of his strongest in terms of style and construction.
LikeLiked by 2 people
It was just such a pleasure to read. Wish it could have gone on for far longer 😊 just had a certain charm about it.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Huh, sounds promising indeed! Maybe I’ll give it a try 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
Certainly one of the more enjoyable, less over the top stories from the collection.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I think I need to re-read Skeleton Crew. I read a handful of these stories but then I think I got to Survivor Type (I didn’t read them in order) and just sort of had to stop. This sounds like a good one that I missed.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I am currently reading an ARC short story collection so won’t be going to Skeleton Crew until after short stoty fever has stopped gripping me.
I’m oddly looking forward to survivor type having heard people say how grim it is.
LikeLiked by 1 person
As King describes his own horror- sometimes it’s psychological- sometimes it’s just plain gross. Survivor Type is both.
LikeLiked by 1 person
When I get back into my short story posts I may skip ahead to Survivor Type.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I am looking forward to seeing what you think of it though! I haven’t read it in so long (a good 15 years at least) but it stays with me to this day.
LikeLiked by 1 person