Exit Zero

Odd and surreal circumstances shape this potent and darkly funny collection from Bertino (Beautyland). In “Edna in Rain,” a woman’s exes and former crushes fall from the sky one by one while she’s out for a walk, exchanging banter with her that makes her “feel like God’s favorite sitcom.” The title story centers on Jo, an only child, who inherits her estranged father’s house, which comes with a smirking unicorn that lives in the backyard. With the aid of a zookeeper, Jo learns more about the creature, a process that also sheds light on her own life and her father’s legacy. In another delightfully bizarre entry, “Can Only Houses be Haunted?,” a married couple finds that the peaches they bought at a farm stand are possessed by the spirits of dead people. Other stories take a more charming view of horticulture, such as “Flowers and Their Meanings” and the mysterious “The Night Gardener,” the latter of which follows a lonely woman vying for a prize in a gardening contest. Each story is driven by energetic pacing, quick wit, and surprising twists. Bertino once again displays her formidable talent for the uncanny. Agent: Claudia Ballard, WME. (Apr.)