Decorum at the Deathbed

By: Josh Malerman

Narrated by: Hillary Huber

Length: 1 hr and 13 mins

Publisher's summary

With her husband barely clinging to life at home, Becka has taken to jogging. Running helps clear her head and her heart. But it's not until she discovers a free-standing confessional booth deep in the woods that she begins to clear her conscience.

As the days pass, and as her husband's condition worsens, Becka returns to the booth, finding it hard to stay away.

But what draws her there? Is it the clean feeling of confession? Or is it what might be listening on the other side of the grate?

Decorum at the Deathbed is the newest tale of psychological terror from Josh Malerman, New York Times best selling author of Bird Box and Malorie.

©2020 Josh Malerman (P)2020 Audible Originals, LLC.

Yikes.

I think we have the origin story of "Other Mommy"! A short story with a lasting impact.

Short but deep, dark & real!

With a side of a sad view at the growing loss of real love in today's society & a look at what today's love resembles. The trained sociopathy of avoiding "catching feels" like the disease that Lauren Oliver's distopian Delirium society believes it to be. Also, a look at the accompanying crisis of conscience.

"What bliss,
What bliss is this,
what bliss is this void now furnished like a booth"
Decorum at the Deathbed by Josh Malerman

"Damn her, lewd minx! Oh, damn her, damn her!
Come, go with me apart. I will withdraw
To furnish me with some swift means of death
For the fair devil. Now art thou my lieutenant."
Othello by William Shakespeare

"Ah, Death, the spectre which sate at all feasts! How often, Monos, did we lose ourselves in speculations upon its nature! How mysteriously did it act as a check to human bliss, saying unto it "thus far and no further!" That earnest mutual love, my own Monos, which burned within our bosoms- how vainly did we flatter ourselves, feeling happy in its first upspringing, that our happiness would strengthen with its strength! Alas! as it grew, so grew in our hearts the dread of that evil hour which was hurrying to separate us forever! Thus, in time, it became painful to love. Hate would have been mercy then...
death-producing, a distinct intimation that knowledge was not meet for man in the infant condition of his soul. And these men, the poets, living and perishing amid the scorn of the "utilitarians"- or rough pedants, who arrogated to themselves a title which could have been properly applied only to the scorned- these men, the poets, ponder piningly, yet not unwisely, upon the ancient days when our wants were not more simple than our enjoyments were keen- days when mirth was a word unknown, so solemnly deep-toned was happiness- holy, august and blissful days, when blue rivers ran undammed, between hills unhewn, into far forest solitudes, primeval, odorous, and unexplored."
The Colloquy of Monos and Una by Edgar Allan Poe

Hmmm

Fascinating. I wish this was longer so it would explain everything. But it is a very creepy mystery all the same.

Very well written and read

I am so pleasantly surprised to have stumbled on this short story. I really enjoyed it..

Definitely interesting

A good little story, fast paced and disconcerting. I enjoyed the way it felt more and more frantic as the story progressed.

Wordy and Dull

I didn’t care for this one. Wordy and somewhat dull. A woman who is a sociopath runs in the woods and finds a booth and is driven to confess. Can’t get back the time wasted on this.

Nice performance, story original but left wanting

The story was definitely an original interesting tale of a psychopath and I was riveted for most of it but the ending was a bit flat. I liked it and I recommend it but it’s not my kind of short story. I thought the end was about to explode, instead it left me wanting something more clever. Narration very good.

really bad

was a stupid storyline. only redeeming factor it was short. would have stopped it but was driving.

anti climatic

loved the narrator, story went great until the end. The end was a huge let down.

hated the wife

I get it's the point but something more coulda been at the end she sucked