Full Dark, No Stars

Full Dark, No Stars is a collection of four long stories centered on the capacity for violence within ordinary people. In 1922, a Nebraska farmer convinces his son to assist in the murder of his wife to prevent the sale of their land, triggering a sequence of psychological and physical decay. Big Driver follows a mystery writer who seeks meticulous, bloody retribution against a stranger who assaulted her. Fair Extension depicts a dying man who makes a supernatural pact to transfer his misfortune to a lifelong friend. Finally, A Good Marriage details a woman’s discovery that her husband of twenty-seven years is a prolific serial killer.

Readers of dark suspense and crime fiction choose this book to observe how sudden choices dismantle domestic life. It appeals to those who prefer character-driven horror over supernatural monsters, focusing instead on the mechanics of guilt, revenge, and hidden identities. The reader finishes these stories with a clinical understanding of how common individuals justify extreme acts under pressure. It provides a stark look at the secrets kept between spouses and neighbors, leaving the reader with a sense of the fragility of the social contract.