Menopause Is Murder

Jo-Anne McBride is a renewable resource specialist in Vancouver, B.C.

The stories in this collection are about women who are driven to murder
due to their raging hormones. Uneven in quality, the stories range from
excellent to mediocre, with the majority falling on the above-average
side of the divide. The best include the funny “Kicking The Habit,”
the touching “Fair Lady,” and “The Last Client,” a story that
sneaks up with a sly laugh. The worst are predictable, reading like the
result of a writing-class exercise. Curiously, the most successful
stories are those that don’t take the title of the collection, but
involve other mid-life aspects such the empty-nest syndrome when
children leaving home. That said, readers who can get past the title
will be rewarded with some engaging and clever writing.