THE WISHING POOL AND OTHER STORIES

Jasmin Walker and William DeMeritt deftly capture the nuances of these short stories, a mix of horror, suspense, and science fiction focusing on racism, abuse, and sexism. An introduction by the author, who is known for Black horror and Afrofuturism, helps illuminate the works. In "The Haint in the Window," DeMeritt introduces a haint (ghost) who upsets everything in a bookstore, keeping the owner, and listeners, on edge until the disturbing climax. Walker's emotive standout is "The Night Shift," in which 13-year-old Shona is helping her mother clean rooms at Memphis's Lorraine Motel, the motel where Martin Luther King was assassinated in 1968. Then, in 1969, Shona has a life-altering encounter with Dr. King through the powers of a magical stone. Audio enriches these exceptional stories. S.G.B. © AudioFile 2023, Portland, Maine [Published: JUNE 2023]