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Lawrence Block
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Headaches and Bad Dreams (A Story From the Dark Side) Kindle Edition

by Lawrence Block (Author) Format: Kindle Edition
3.6 out of 5 stars 17 ratings
All I can remember about the origin of “Headaches and Bad Dreams” is that I was on a train when I got the idea for it. It seems to me I was on my way home from Connecticut, though I couldn’t tell you what I was doing there. Whatever it was, my wife was there doing it with me, and this idea came to me in a sentence or two and I recounted it to her in a sentence or two. “There’s this psychic,” I said, and she heard me out, and said it sounded good to her.
I wrote the story at the request of Elaine Koster, who was running Dutton and New American Library at the time, and who wanted a kick-ass anthology in celebration of NAL’s 50th anniversary in 1998. She decided to call it The Best of the Best, which strikes me in retrospect as strikingly presumptuous, because all the stories were to be written for the collection, and who could say ahead of time that they’d even be competent, let alone the best of anything?
Best, schmest. I think this one came out pretty well, and I hope you enjoy it.
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  1. Print length
    30 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Publication date
    July 8, 2011
  4. File size
    295 KB
  5. Page Flip
    Enabled
  6. Word Wise
    Enabled
  7. Enhanced typesetting
    Enabled
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Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B005BY442K
  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Lawrence Block (July 8, 2011)
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ July 8, 2011
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • File size ‏ : ‎ 295 KB
  • Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
  • Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Not Enabled
  • Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 30 pages
  • Customer Reviews:
    3.6 out of 5 stars 17 ratings

About the author

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Lawrence Block

Lawrence Block

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Lawrence Block has been writing crime, mystery, and suspense fiction for more than half a century. He has published more than 100 books, and no end of short stories.

LB is best known for his series characters, including Matthew Scudder, Bernie Rhodenbarr, Evan Tanner, and Keller. LB has also published under pseudonyms including Jill Emerson, John Warren Wells, Lesley Evans, and Anne Campbell Clarke.

His monthly instructional column ran in Writer’s Digest for 14 years and led to a series of books for writers. He has also written television and film screenplays. Several of LB’s books have been filmed, including A Walk Among the Tombstones.

LB is a Grand Master of Mystery Writers of America. He has won multiple Edgar and Shamus awards, the Japanese Maltese Falcon award, the Nero Wolfe and Philip Marlowe awards, a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Private Eye Writers of America, and the Diamond Dagger for Life Achievement from the Crime Writers Association of the UK, been proclaimed a Grand Maitre du Roman Noir, and has been awarded the Société 813 trophy.

Customer reviews

3.6 out of 5 stars
17 global ratings

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Top reviews from the United States

  • Dave Wilde
    4.0 out of 5 stars of course it's good
    Reviewed in the United States on June 23, 2013
    Verified Purchase
    Wouldn't have expected anything less than a good story from Lawrence Block. He's written I don't know how many dozens of books. A little slow at first. It turns out to be a good tale about a psychic who helps the police solve crimes.
    One person found this helpful
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  • Kevin Tipple
    5.0 out of 5 stars Short Story time in "Headaches and Bad Dreams" by Lawrence Block
    Reviewed in the United States on July 4, 2013
    Verified Purchase
    Previously published in the anthology titled The Best of the Best" in 1998, the short story Headaches and Bad Dreams features two frequent plot elements familiar to any reader: murder and psychics. What author Lawrence Block does with these two common elements makes this short story far different than most.

    Sylvia Belgrave is a psychic. Not one of those fake celebrity psychics one sees on television that has plenty of money. She is the real deal and charges her clients low prices because she wants to help people. Her desire to help as well as a need to rid of her severe headaches and bad dreams leads her to contact the local police because she may be able to help with the case of a missing little girl.

    This is not a simple and straightforward tale. Deftly weaved into Headaches and Bad Dreams is a backstory worthy of a novel as well as multiple current day storylines. The result is a complicated tale that may very well surprise you with its outcome.

    Material was picked up during the author's recent free book promotion.

    Kevin R. Tipple ©2013
    One person found this helpful
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  • tom barclay
    4.0 out of 5 stars Block never disappoints.
    Reviewed in the United States on May 22, 2015
    Verified Purchase
    Want to learn to write intriguing fiction? Read Mr. Block. Study his structure, his set-ups, his characters, his dialog, his plots. Learn from the master, and have fun while you do.
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  • EmanEkaf
    4.0 out of 5 stars Good short story
    Reviewed in the United States on July 13, 2013
    Verified Purchase
    I have enjoyed everything I've ever read of Block's. This one has some amusing turns of phrases. I enjoyed it.
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  • Mary B
    5.0 out of 5 stars Another twist in the tale
    Reviewed in the United States on August 13, 2013
    Verified Purchase
    Mr. Block's short stories are such complete little pieces of intrigue, you can never put them down until you are at the end of it. If you like suspense, crime noir, he does not disappoint.
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  • B. R. Paschen
    4.0 out of 5 stars Good one
    Reviewed in the United States on December 4, 2018
    Verified Purchase
    Nice and creepy
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  • John J Tuite
    5.0 out of 5 stars Fabulous Read
    Reviewed in the United States on May 31, 2017
    Verified Purchase
    This is a wonderfully written story! I love how it deals with issues that can and do happen. The ending was awesome!
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  • Sunny Mae
    4.0 out of 5 stars Unexpected Ending ...
    Reviewed in the United States on January 17, 2016
    This was a good story but I really liked Sylvia. Now I feel bad because she turned out to be a bad person and murderer, ergo the reason for 4 stars. But I guess story lines are sometimes disappointing. I also wish it had been just a tad longer. Thank you!
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