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Interviews | July 4, 2009

Jill Owens: IMG Powells.com Interview: Luis Alberto Urrea



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The Museum of Dr. Moses: Tales of Mystery and Suspense

by Joyce Carol Oates

The Museum of Dr. Moses: Tales of Mystery and Suspense Cover

Synopses & Reviews

Publisher Comments:

In "The Man Who Fought Roland LaStarza" a woman's world is upended when she learns the brutal truth about a family friend's death — and what her father is capable of. Meanwhile, a businessman desperate to find his missing two-year-old grandson in "Suicide Watch" must determine whether the horrifying tale his junky son tells him about the boy's whereabouts is a confession or a sick test. In "Valentine, July Heat Wave" a man prepares a gruesome surprise for the wife determined to leave him. And the children of a BTK-style serial killer struggle to decode the patterns behind their father's seemingly random bad acts, as well as their own, in "Bad Habits."

In these and other stories, Joyce Carol Oates explores with bloodcurdling insight the ties that bind — or worse. The Museum of Dr. Moses is another chilling masterpiece from "one of the great artistic forces of our time" (The Nation).

Review:

"The words 'gothic' and 'macabre' rather than 'mystery' and 'suspense' might better describe the 10 beautifully told stories in this superb collection from the prolific Oates (The Female of the Species). In the startling opening tale, 'Hi! Howya Doin!,' an overly friendly jogger encounters someone with a less rosy outlook on life. In the horrifying 'Valentine, July Heat Wave,' an estranged wife finds a very unpleasant surprise in the home she once shared with her academic husband. In the haunting 'Feral,' a near-death experience transforms a much-loved only child into something wild and unknowable. The title story concerns a horrific exhibit in the home of an aging coroner in upstate New York (whose behavior is even more troubling). The book's best story, 'The Man Who Fought Roland LaStarza,' about an aging boxer in a bout that will make or end his career, happens to be the least gruesome. Powerful narratives, a singular imagination and exquisite prose make this a collection to relish." Publishers Weekly (Starred Review) (Copyright Reed Business Information, Inc.)

Review:

"Of all the literary writers who dip their toes in the dark waters of crime fiction, few do so with the credibility and acumen of Joyce Carol Oates. The focus of 'The Museum of Dr. Moses,' her latest collection of mystery stories, is on relationships. Whether they are between man and woman, parent and child or simply between strangers, Oates uses these relationships to generate the tension and conflict... Washington Post Book Review (read the entire Washington Post review)

Review:

"It's almost customary, when reviewing [Oates], to get off a crack at her prodigious output. But the care and intellect she applies to all of her projects, even what is theoretically 'just' genre fare, are anything but jokes. These stories sizzle, and turning pages only fans the flames." Booklist

Review:

"Like a musician gently turning up the volume on a single note until the listener has a hard time imagining it not there, Oates is a master of suspense. She fearlessly layers and repeats phrases." Cleveland Plain Dealer

Review:

"Anyone moved by Oates' classic tales of contemporary malevolence...will find much here to keep the ghoulish fires burning....Prolific as she is, can we just get over the usual comments about her productivity (usually delivered by critics with a mocking tone)? Can't we just stop and marvel at her inventiveness?" Los Angeles Times

Synopsis:

In these stories, bestselling author Oates explores with bloodcurdling insight the ties that bind — or worse.

About the Author

Joyce Carol Oates is the recipient of the PEN/ Malamud Award for Excellence in Short Fiction and the winner of the National Book Award. Among her major works are We Were the Mulvaneys, Blonde, and The Falls. She lives in New Jersey.

Table of Contents

Contents

Hi! Howya Doin!   1

Suicide Watch         7

The Man Who Fought Roland LaStarza 25

Valentine, July Heat Wave     85

Bad Habits              98

Feral        120

The Hunter             146

The Twins: A Mystery          165

Stripping 182The Museum of Dr. Moses    185

Product Details

ISBN:
9780151015313
Subtitle:
Tales of Mystery and Suspense
Author:
Oates, Joyce Carol
Publisher:
Otto Penzler Books
Subject:
Mystery & Detective - General
Subject:
Mystery & Detective - Short Stories
Subject:
FIC022050
Copyright:
Edition Description:
Trade Cloth
Publication Date:
August 2007
Binding:
Hardcover
Grade Level:
General/trade
Language:
English
Pages:
229
Dimensions:
8.54x6.06x.92 in. .84 lbs.

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