Strange Horizons, January 6, 2014

“The Serial Killer’s Astronaut Daughter” by Damien Angelica Walters

Reviewed by Jamie Lackey

Damien Angelica Walters’ “The Serial Killer’s Astronaut Daughter” follows an astronaut after a reporter reveals that her absent father is a convicted serial killer. After learning of her existence, her father reaches out to her in a series of emails and offers to tell her (and only her) details about crimes he hasn’t yet confessed. In the media circus that follows, she has to decide if she’ll speak up or remain silent, but neither choice offers much promise for her future. The prose is a bit exposition-heavy for my taste, but Walters captures a strong voice, and the protagonist is a compelling character in an interesting situation. The feminism in the piece is overt, but genuine and thought-provoking.

Jamie Lackey lives in Pittsburgh with her husband and their cat. Her Kickstarter-funded short story collection, One Revolution, is available on Amazon.com. Find her online at www.jamielackey.com.