Short but sweet who done it featuring a woman who has strong military resume and is in Vermont visiting her parents. When Cece is out biking she witnesses what look like a freak-accident. What it ends up being is a twisty tale of several people I would love to hear more about in future Bohjalian books. Quick and dirty but totally fulfilling. Listen on to learn what went on between Pete and Leo.

#chrisbohjalian #theskydivers #alibis #brilliancepublishing
#EricAltheide #SoneelaNankani #PeteSimonelli

Chris Bohjalian is an auto-read author for me and it never ceases to amaze me, the varieties of topics he covers in his writing.
I enjoyed this short story/novella by him, but it's by no means his best work. The plot line was a bit muddled--I'm not positive I followed all of it--and the ending felt anticlimactic, a bit of a letdown. No regrets, but looking forward to his latest novel, The Jackal's Mistress.

If you were unaware, Amazon regularly publishes collections of short stories penned by well known authors which are sometimes free, and typically available as Kindle or audiobooks. As a fan of Chris Bohjalian, I quickly grabbed The Skydivers on audio knowing only that this collection is titled Alibis.

It’s a little over an hour so there is not enough time for character development, but it’s a nice little themed short story. To me it was ok, but not the Bohjalian you get with a more fleshed out novel.

The Skydivers by Chris Bohjalian
You never know what to expect from this author. I have read several of his books and some I loved and some not so much. I’m still mad about the ending of The Guest Room but as somebody said, you can’t please all the people all the time. But this short story was excellent, suspenseful but a bit sad. Interesting backstory for some of the characters. Narration was very good and I especially liked the female. I will look for more of her work.

You know, sometimes you just need a quick, gripping story to sink your teeth into, and Chris Bohjalian's "The Skydivers" absolutely delivers. As a fan of his longer works like The Flight Attendant, I was curious to see how he'd handle a short story, and honestly? He totally nails it. It's a four-star ride that gives you that signature Bohjalian suspense without demanding a huge time commitment.
The setup hooked me right away: two brothers, Pete and Leo, couldn't be more different, but they're forced together by their dad's quirky inheritance—a sprawling Vermont dairy farm. Pete's an aspiring musician, wanting to keep the farm, while Leo, the aerospace engineer, just wants to sell. You can feel the tension simmering between them, and Bohjalian does a fantastic job of sketching out their personalities quickly and effectively.
Then comes the skydive, a seemingly touching gesture to scatter their father's ashes. But you just know with Bohjalian that something's going to go sideways, and boy, does it ever! That descent becomes a thrilling plunge into something much darker, a tangle of loyalty and revenge that really gets under your skin.
My only wish? I'd have loved a bit more time with Pete and Leo, to really dig into their past and understand the roots of their strained relationship. But in a short story, there's only so much room, and Bohjalian prioritizes the plot's momentum, which is undeniably excellent. The pacing is relentless, pulling you through every twist and turn. And that unexpected eyewitness? Pure genius. It adds a layer of intrigue and ensures the ending isn't just a neat little bow, leaving you with that classic Bohjalian unease that I've come to love.
"The Skydivers" is a perfect little dose of suspense. If you're looking for a quick, impactful read that still leaves you thinking, this is definitely one to pick up. Bohjalian proves he's a master of tension, no matter the length.

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC. This is a quick little thriller of an audiobook. It's part of an Amazon set of short stories. I don't want to say much to give it al away but it was a fun ride.

PHEW Ya girl got an approval from Brilliance!!!! WHAAAAT!

Thank you Brilliance Audio for the approval to read this new short. I was instantly pulled into this one and loved it!

I have said in the past that sometimes shorts are hard because you can't get to know the characters but the author does a wonderful job of giving enough backstory on the characters that the reader can understand their thoughts and actions. I loved Ceci's character and her backstory. And the ending was quite clever. Poor Pete.

The narrators were all enjoyable to listen to. The audio production brought the right amount of emotion to the story. Especially the horror for the characters in seeing the terrible incident.

This was the 4th book in the Alibis Collection. Def not my fav of these short stories but only around 50 pages so it was a quick read. I didn’t like how it ended, didn’t make too much sense to me to end it that way. I thought it started off as a good idea, just didn’t do it for me.