The stories in this collection are rich with eccentric, comical characters and unpredictable plots. In The Dancing Lady of Pleasant Valley, uptight neighbors in a wealthy suburb are shocked to find a beautiful woman clad only in a flimsy nightgown, dancing and singing under their windows after midnight. In Two Handfuls of Aardvark Dung, a hapless husband and wife are rescued from suicide by Noah who agrees to lessen their financial difficulties by giving them ancient droppings from the animals on his ark, which they can sell on eBay. Anyone who hates going to the dentist will relate to Giving Up the Ghost, which is about a haunted barber chair, and music lovers will no doubt be intrigued by the Mouse Who Liked Mozart. In The Cemetery Lady, The Bridge and Brandon McCarthy: Book Lover, the main characters struggle with loneliness, loss, and confusion. Most of these stories are told in the first person, drawing the reader into an intriguing intimacy with the narrators, making it easy to suspend ones disbelief and provide companionship for those long sleepless nights.
