Celebrated crime writer Lawrence Block has assembled a beguiling volume of stories, all taking inspiration from the paintings of American realist painter Edward Hopper. Each story begins with a short introduction to the contributor and a full-color reproduction of the specific Hopper painting. The stories create vibrant, compelling worlds from Hopper's on-canvas work, each one a peek into complex human relationships.
While Stephen King's "The Music Room"--as twisted a tale as any in the volume, with kidnapping and murder on offer--may be the most high-profile piece in the collection, it's definitely not the only good one. Many of the stories have a strongly feminist stance, perhaps intentionally and ironically at cross purpose with the original painting or the artist himself. Megan Abbott's "Girlie Show" is told from the perspective of Pauline, who poses nude for her painter husband. She overhears him talking about the burlesque show with an embarrassed, hushed reverence and realizes that what he's painting may not quite match her own body. The ensuing visit to the theater where the girlie show takes place leads Pauline to an empowering moment, which is depicted in the Hopper painting.
Other entries in this collection are more fantastical, less tethered to reality. Craig Ferguson's "Taking Care of Business" uses Hopper's South Truro Church as the backdrop for a bit of a ghost story, itself anchored by the church, its congregants and a preacher's fondness for marijuana.
In Sunlight or in Shadow shows off exceptional talent with 17 superb short stories based on superlative Hopper paintings, all inspired pairings of artist and writers. --Rob LeFebvre