Corpsemouth and Other Autobiographies

Langan (The Fisherman) travels uncharted waters to explore distant shores of the weird and strange in this gripping collection of 11 eerie shorts. The subtly chilling opening story, “Kore,” in which a couple’s new house becomes a gateway for a cosmic entity at Halloween, sets the tone, pulling readers into a dark and fascinating world. In “Homemade Monsters” a boy uses a makeshift Godzilla figurine to ward off the school bully—to startling effect. The remarkable family drama “Shadow and Thirst” chronicles one boy’s tumultuous relationship with the many men who make up his father. Over the course of these masterful tales, Langan showcases his profound ability to put the intimate and the unexplainable in conversation with each other, his skill for intricate plotting, and his willingness to probe the hidden recesses of recognizable worlds. A helpful and extensive story guide gives insight into Langan’s process and will delight fans. On the weirder side of weird fiction, this collection has Langan firmly in his element. (June)