Starred review. “McCracken transforms life’s dead ends into transformational visions.” - Publishers Weekly

09/01/2014
Loss, transition, betrayal, and grief mark the nine short stories in McCracken's (The Giant's House) new collection. These major themes are dealt with in often-quiet ways that take a reader into the souls of the characters. The title story is among the more surprising and devastating as a family's joyous escape to Paris is hit with a tragic reversal, while "The Lost & Found Department of Greater Boston" plays with hope over a span of years as a grocery store manager is accidentally linked with a missing woman. The opening story, "Property," shows off McCracken's skillful attention to the smallest detail and description to capture the mood and setting. One flaw with the production is the quick shift between stories, but Erin Yuen's reading is solid, most notably with the title piece. VERDICT Recommended for fans of modern short fiction. ["Anyone who enjoys short fiction will find pleasure and substance in McCracken's witty, world-wise collection," read the review of the Dial hc, LJ 3/15/14.]—Joyce Kessel, Villa Maria Coll., Buffalo

The slight roughness to narrator Erin Yuen's voice is well suited to this outstanding collection of nine short stories that share themes of death and loss. Yuen's vocal flexibility stretches from a whispery flow to augment the tense and creepy moments (as in "Something Amazing," about missing children) to a quick staccato to catch the rhythm of the faster-paced stories (for example, "Juliet," about a library patron). The many characters offer a platform for Yuen to create a range of distinct voices—from a toddler's lispy outrage to a grandmother's light scolding. These stories show people in some of their most unguarded moments, and Yuen's sensitive performance adds to the power of McCracken's prose. C.B.L. © AudioFile 2014, Portland, Maine