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Michael Hartford

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“Funeral Birds” by M. Rickert

Posted on January 20, 2022

Lenore attends the funeral of Dolores, one of her home health care clients, but upon returning home discovers that Dolores has taken up residence in her apartment.

This story, from a collection of stories in the spirit of Shirley Jackson, leaves much unsaid. All of the important action – Lenore’s husband’s death, Dolores’ death, the secrets shared between Lenore and Dolores – has all taken place before the funeral, and we get only shadowy hints of the aftermath. For a ghost story it’s not particularly scary – Dolores is more of a nuisance than a terror – but it still has an uncomfortable and disquieting tone, befitting a Shirley Jackson homage.

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