2.5 Rounded up to 3 stars for Goodreads.

After finishing this bit of flash fiction I'm left with one thought: I just watched a commercial.

The short is well-written, has the tiniest bit of atmosphere, but overall leaves me desiring more. The characters are plain and unremarkable, as is the ending. I've read a few of Evans's stories, but I think this is the simplest one I've come across. His stories normally make you think, and leave you with a feeling of unease. I didn't find that here. Other than WHATEVER POSSESSED YOU, I've liked all of his other outings, yet CRY BABY left me feeling as if I'd seen an ad on TV for a product I already have in my home.

CRY BABY is free through a Dropbox download, and ends at the 41% mark. After that we're given an author bio and four pages of adverts for other tales from him and his brother, Adam Light. In a collection of other stories, this one works fine. As a standalone piece it comes off as nothing more than a marketing ploy.

In summation: The story isn't bad, it's simply brief, too brief to offer characterization or plot, like one of those sixty-second short horror films on Youtube, or a trailer for a film anthology. ( )