Cardiff, by the Sea: Four Novellas of Suspense

Joyce Carol Oates presents four distinct novellas in Cardiff, by the Sea, exploring the psychological fractures of women facing immediate and historical threats. The collection opens with an academic in Pennsylvania who inherits a house in Cardiff, Maine, from a stranger, only to confront a terrifying trauma from her past. This narrative establishes the book’s focus on inherited guilt and domestic unease. The subsequent stories shift settings and tones while maintaining suspense. A lonely pubescent girl finds protection in a feral cat against aggressive males. A shy college sophomore discovers she is pregnant, leading to a dangerous dynamic with a professor who takes her under his wing. Finally, a woman married into a tragic family hears the voice of her predecessor, investigates a befouled well, and feels drawn to a garage that claimed two lives. These tales draw on gothic traditions, using isolated houses and haunted spaces to manifest internal dread. Oates, identified as the grand mistress of ghoulishness by Publishers Weekly, utilizes sharp psychological insight rather than supernatural spectacle. The book suits readers who appreciate intelligent, chilling suspense and character-driven horror. It may not appeal to those seeking traditional jump scares or fast-paced action. The novellas are organized to build a cumulative sense of dread, ending on specific moments of realization rather than resolution.