The Juniper Tree and Other Blue Rose Stories

Stoker winner Straub pays a deliciously macabre visit to the universe of his expansive Blue Rose trilogy (Koko, Mystery, The Throat). In attics ("Blue Rose"), movie theaters ("The Juniper Tree"), sickrooms ("Bunny Is Good Bread"), and the jungles of Vietnam ("The Ghost Village"), a touch of the supernatural heightens the horror of purely human cruelty that turns innocents into victims and warps victims into monsters. Though newcomers will find the collection easily accessible, Blue Rose fans will especially enjoy the further exploration of familiar characters and their horribly formative childhood years. Readers of dark fiction will not want to miss this chilling addition to Straub's extensive bibliography. (Aug.)