Paul, a widower haunted by the ghosts of his wife and unborn son in “The Grief Frequency,” sums up Burke’s subtle approach thus: “The dead can be among the living; the living, among the dead.” In 14 dark fantasies collected here, Burke (Currency of Souls
) creates characters whose angst opens them up to uncanny incidents and ghostly encounters that seem an extension of their own spiritual malaise. “Empathy” tells of a journalist so distraught over a brutal terrorist execution that his nightmares begin erupting graphically into daily reality. In “Mr. Goodnight,” a young boy’s terrifying encounter with a malignant entity leaves him distrusting even his closest loved ones. Though plot takes a backseat to mood and atmosphere in some stories, Burke shows skill at imagining expressive supernatural experiences appropriate for his well-developed characters and their agitated emotions. (Feb.)
