FRENZY, by Joyce Carol Oates, was published in 2026 by Hogarth Press and is available in print and as an ebook.

This book is a collection of nine short stories that exemplify J.C.O.’s writing style and her distinctive ability to jolt readers with unexpected events and surprising shifts in her characters' personalities. I hadn't read any of her work before this latest collection; all the stories in it have appeared in various publications since 2020.

Critics have described her stories in various ways, using terms such as ‘psychological thriller’, ‘disturbing’, ‘engaging’, ‘dark’, and ‘gothic tinge’. As I moved from one story to the next, each seemed to reinforce that impression.

Certainly, Oates is a master of her craft. She has written prolifically over many years, receiving much acclaim and many awards, but also some negative commentary, which is par for the course for any fiction writer.

I enjoyed the writing style and the sense of immersion in the reality of the human condition and the unpredictability of personality patterns, the very things that teach us to open our eyes and minds to the truth about the world we live in. We tend to shy away from acknowledging these realities, opting instead for more pleasant modes of perception. However, being reminded of these stark, sometimes painful facts of being human deepens our understanding of human nature at its root.