Creepy, magical and often hilarious, I loved reading these Gothic all-American fairy tales that have lingered with me. Carpenter’s stories each stand on their own, but weave together to create a larger story of the town of Whistlestop and all its quirky characters, both human and supernatural. Sometimes the magic in these stories dances lightly, but other times pulls the reader into murkier territory where you suddenly realize you’re dealing something both real and terrifying. Fans of Neil Gaiman will love Julie Carpenter and I can’t wait for her next release.