A set of four novellas set in Grant's fictional town of Oxrun Station. Atmospheric and spooky, and well written, with some odd situations that are more novel than a lot of horror fiction. ( )

My quest to read everything about Oxrun Station, the worst place to live in the US, maybe the world.

Another fine outing for Mr. Grant. This time instead of a novel it is four longer stories set a decade apart in Oxrun Station: 1940, 1950, 1960, 1970, and each dealing with a different season of the year. Each story is slightly linked to the others and there is a framing story for the whole lot. There is also a little reference to other Oxrun Station goings on but it is not necessary to read any other OS novels to get in on it here.

I would say the first (snakes) and third (motorcycle gangs) story were the least effective for me just because the type of menace wasn't quite up to snuff for me, but 1950 and 1970 were outstanding for me. I find the motorcycle gang particularly dated since most Harley riders these days have to transition to a walker once they get off the bike. The other two stories were still good and all four plots were sufficiently different from each other (and the other Oxrun canon) that you won't get bored.

Typical of Grant is a gradual buildup of menace as things go along with maybe one or two dramatic events early on in the story but otherwise just a slow build of disturbing details as the story goes on. Grant has strong endings and this is no exception here. ( )

Now I remember why I liked Grant so much. This is the book I read 25 years ago. I had a vague recollection of one story going by hours through the scenes. So, 6:45, then 7:10, and so on.

It's the third story in this collection, and I think I enjoyed it more this time around than I did back then.

Grant seems to work better in a shorter format. Each of these novellas could easily have been full-length novels in his hands, and they would have lost so much of their impact. Finally, after the obligatory 750-word opening that focuses (usually) on the weather or (less often) on a setting, Grant got right down to business with each of these stories. Stuff actually happened.

And they were, for the most part, really good stories.

My faith is somewhat restored in the author, but the next one is back to novel-length, so we'll see if he returns to form. ( )