VAMPIRES IN THE LEMON GROVE Stories

Eerie, arresting, chilling, inventive . . . all are apt descriptions of Karen Russell's collection of engaging short stories. Each of the eight macabre tales transports the listener into a realm of fantasy horror, communicated so subtly and with such prosaic pacing that when the shocking truths become apparent, the listener is already lulled into acceptance. Each performer conveys a warm precision and firm grasp of the author's dark vision. Russell's bold, imaginative creations include captive Japanese girls who transmute into human silkworms, aging vampires who revel in the delectable Italian lemons that slake their thirst for blood, and 11 horses who wake up to find they’re reincarnated as past U.S. presidents. The adept full cast eases the listener into the magic of each starkly divergent landscape. A.W. Winner of AudioFile Earphones Award © AudioFile 2013, Portland, Maine [Published: FEBRUARY 2013]