In a run-down neighborhood in an unnamed city, people live and die in "the Obscure." Whether anyone remembers the real name of the derelict establishment is a mystery. In this six-story building, most who occupy the rooms are long-term residents, though some stay for as little as an hour.
The patronage is an eclectic group: musicians, writers, addicts, hookers, lonely people, poor people, rich people, once-well-off people, and those who have reason to hide from their former lives or to escape the demands of a disapproving and punishing society. As shabby as the Obscure is, as long as its walls keep out the wind and the rain, it remains a shelter, a hideaway, and a home for the many bewildered souls.
Hotel Obscure is a collection of seventeen short stories that all take place in or around the "the Obscure." While the stories stand alone, they are to be read in order. Some characters appear in multiple stories, and sometimes, a story will continue in an unexpected way.
The Obscure is life. It is death. In the blink of an eye, it may appear supernatural. It is a place we all visit ... whether metaphorically or physically, at least once in our time on Earth.
REVIEW from NY Times best-selling author Jonathan Maberry: "Absolutely riveting. Lisette Brodey spins magic with HOTEL OBSCURE. Each story gives us a peek into the life of a collection of disparate characters. It's the kind of storytelling that would appeal to Tom Waits, Charles Bukowski, or Leonard Cohen. It would also make one heck of a good anthology TV series. Brava!"
NOTE FROM THE AUTHOR: I write characters as I hear them speak to me. Some of these stories contain non-gratuitous expletives and sexual references. If this is not to your liking, please don't read this book. Thank you.