"Woodrell writes about violence and dark deeds . . . in compact, musical prose. . . . once you begin reading [these short stories ]you can't stop." — New York Times Daniel Woodrell is able to lend uncanny logic to harsh, even criminal behavior in this wrenching collection of stories. Desperation--both material and psychological—motivates his characters. A husband cruelly avenges the killing of his wife's pet; an injured rapist is cared for by a young girl, until she reaches her breaking point; a disturbed veteran of Iraq is murdered for his erratic behavior; an outsider's house is set on fire by an angry neighbor. There is also the tenderness and loyalty of the vulnerable in these stories—between spouses, parents and children, siblings, and comrades in arms—which brings the troubled, sorely tested cast of characters to vivid, relatable life. And, as ever, "the music coming from Woodrell's banjo cannot be confused with the sounds of any other writer" ( Atlanta Journal Constitution) in these twelve timeless Ozarkian tales of those on the fringes of society, by a "stunningly original" ( Associated Press) American master. "Woodrell has a poet's sense of how to turn a phrase." — Esquire "The lineage from Faulkner to Woodrell runs as deep and true as an Ozark stream in this book . . . His most profound and haunting work yet." — Los Angeles Times Book Review "Woodrell has a master's ability to create tension." — The New Yorker "Woodrell's spare, brutal prose, a kind of 'country noir,' captures the true essence of a rough little pocket of America's heartland that has yet to be—and may indeed never be smoothed over." — Publishers Weekly