This short story grips you from the first flash of lightning. It begins in a lonely Oregon diner, rain pounding outside, and ends with the revelation that the frightened waitress, Linda, isn’t who she seems. She’s Jo Jordan, a wanted criminal tangled in a past of violence, betrayal, and survival. The tension builds fast. What starts as a quiet night at a retro café turns into a deadly standoff, where trust collapses and hidden truths crawl into the light. It’s short, sharp, and intense. Every page hums with unease.

Reading this, I felt caught in Jo’s turmoil. She’s dangerous but relatable. The writing doesn’t beg for sympathy, but it gives her enough raw honesty that I couldn’t help but feel torn. I liked how Ana Cortes layered Jo’s history through quick flashes of memory rather than long explanations. It kept the story moving and my nerves tight. The dialogue felt real, too. Short, clipped, sometimes almost choking on itself, just like real fear does. The violence hit hard but wasn’t overdone. The only thing that tripped me up was how fast it all happened.

What stuck with me most was the quiet sadness under the action. This isn’t just a story about crime. It’s about running, from others, from guilt, from yourself. I felt the rain, the loneliness, the weight of being hunted. The author writes with a movie-like rhythm, but she sneaks in emotion between the bullets. It made me think about how far someone might go just to start over, and how the past has a way of finding you, no matter where you hide.

I’d recommend A Dark Night in Oregon to readers who love fast-paced thrillers with a human edge. It’s perfect for anyone who likes stories that twist crime and emotion together. It’s dark but not hopeless. If you want something that makes your pulse race and your chest ache a little too, this one’s worth your time.

Pages: 10 | ASIN : B0FBW4292Y