It began with a dog-eared paperback gothic given her by "Ma" Barker. "When I saw your name in the blurb, I knew I had to get it for you," the allegedly psychic Kate Barker told Amelie Symes.
Amelie found the old book did—amazingly—feature a heroine who was her fictional namesake.
"I believe you were meant to have it, Amelie," Ma Barker said. "After all, it's not as if your name is as common as mine. Spooky...."
Mr. O'Keefe returns to BTAP with "Outback Gothic."
Next: Kieran Shea's "The Takedown Heart."
The BEAT to a PULP: Round One anthology is now available at Amazon.