Sweet and Deadly & A Secret Rage, by Charlaine Harris

These two novellas read like the early attempts of an aspiring writer that have been rejected and shelved until later success has made them publishable. The Harris trademark strong female protagonists are present, with good character development, but plot and dialogue needed a lot of work, especially in the first story. Lack of technology places both stories firmly in the past, with typewriters and fax machines dominating, while computers and mobile phones are notable by their absence. This is only an issue because the tales are written as though contemporary, which they undoubtedly originally were. They would have benefited from an update, not necessarily to the present but so they were more firmly placed in the past, with some necessary explanation or bridging of time for a modern audience. Cashing in is all very well, but it is a cheat on readers not to invest some time and energy in rewrites and editing of inferior material.