If you ever awaken in a closed bookstore surrounded by slumbering stories, don’t be alarmed you’re only lost among stacks of dreams. Head for Mysteries & Thrillers. Avoid the pitfalls of the Romance section and the jug handles of History. If you stray into Nonfiction avert your eyes. Wander amidst the rows looking for breadcrumbs. Trust me they will be there.

Middle shelf, second from the floor, seven volumes in: there it is. The title will read Far From Fine by Poppy Snow-McCarthy or Hello Snaggletooth by Deval Paris or even Bitter Fortune Cookies by The Right Reverend Lemon Cruikshank. Regardless of the title grab it. This anthology of flash fiction is the perfect summer read, the ideal companion on rainy afternoons, the hottest read of 13 CE, recommended by Anna Julia Cooper’s book club, on the Old Amsterdam bestseller list for eight straight weeks. This the one you’ve been looking for.