Five years after moving into the isolated house in rural Oregon where her husband lived as a child, the protagonist of 'Victor’s Room' begins to doubt her husband’s account of his family’s past. In 'Round Lake,' a young woman’s plans to meet a lover in Tokyo are upended when she learns a startling truth about her mother’s death. Set against the vivid backdrop of the Pacific Northwest, Nightjar explores the secret, instinctive knowledge that lies just under the surface of our awareness.
Distinctly eerie and beautifully written ... Each story is a quietly propulsive mystery ... Ruskovich excels at supplying particular character details that immediately give everyone in the story texture and dimension.
In this exquisitely tailored collection of five stories, Ruskovich plumbs the depths of mystery, memory, and the quiet grief of intimacy ... A strange, pleasurable embodiment of mysteries layered one on top of the other ... A portal to a haunting, liminal Pacific Northwest.
Ruskovich (Idaho) explores the implications of mysteries and lies in this potent collection of five stories ... Throughout, Ruskovich blends urgent pacing with lush wooded scenery and intimate psychological details. It’s a marvel.
