Cheaters and Other Stories by Dean Albarelli

From the Publisher

In the title story, a private investigator reluctantly takes on a domestic case that unexpectedly revisits a painful episode from his past. "Honeymoon" is narrated by a young I.R.A. terrorist who finds, on the eve of his wedding, that he's uncertain about both his political and personal commitments. The drug-abusing journalist in "Winterlude," still reeling from an unraveled marriage, becomes entangled with an attractive but troubled shoplifter. Their mutual downward spiral finally takes them to the depths of a violent revenge pact. And in "Grace," a story of mythic resonance, a young husband wrestles an impossible weight of secret guilt after his wife is brutally raped while he's sleeping with another woman. Time and again, Dean Albarelli searingly limns the twin bugaboos of guilt and responsibility, reminding us that ours is a world in which, as a character reflects in the title story, "compromise will be part of anything [we ever know] in the way of happiness."

Publishers Weekly

Taking on a wide range of characters and circumstances, Albarelli's debut collection of nine short stories offers some compelling and original tales alongside others that are predictable and ordinary. The two stories that open the volume are among the best: the first, "Winterlude," tells of a drug-abusing journalist who takes up with a manipulative college student seeking to enlist him in her plans for revenge against her mother. The second, "Honeymoon," is about a young Irishman whose involvement with terrorism threatens to undermine his approaching marriage. Again showcasing Albarelli's range is "The Orthodox Brother," in which a young Jewish woman must come to terms with her identity while staying with her strictly observant sibling and his family. Other stories, however, are pro-forma excursions into the territory of adultery and middle-class dissatisfaction. A professor has a crush on a student in "Infatuated." "O Sole Mio" is a thin tale about family tensions; "Grace," about a man whose wife is sexually assaulted while he is with another woman, subjects its dark topic to an awkward sentimentality. These lesser stories are schematic; the characters' predicaments unfold without reference to a larger social world. Albarelli is at his best when he fleshes out a context in which his themes of honesty and deception acquire resonance and meaning. (Aug.)

Library Journal

Albarelli has received the much-coveted Michener Fellowship for his works, and one can readily see why after reading this compilation. Sometimes witty, sometimes haunting, and often full of surprises, these works leave a permanent imprint on the reader. "Winterlude" realistically portrays what can happen to someone entering into the wrong kind of relationship and ends with a very surprising plot twist. The title story delves deep into the psyches of men and women trying to be faithful to each other. As protagonist Brendan relates, "What he needed was the energy and idealism of his younger self-a flawless husband and father." In this very impressive collection, characters make enormous decisions that either save or ruin their lives. Well recommended for public libraries.-Vicki J. Cecil, Hartford City P.L., Ind.

Gary Krist

"Alberalli is something of a rareity (in that he) has managed to sidestep his contemparies overly ironic view of the world. In other words, he's not afraid to write about things that matter. I've been waiting for this book ever since I read my first Alberalli story....(He) treats us to a...sophisticated kind of storytelling...(and) writes with a mature appreciation for emotional subtleties." -- Hudson Review

Joan Wickersham

"These are stories...written with tremendous energy...admirable range...Alberaaalli is a patient writer who fully explores the consequences of each of his choices...(and) gives each story a satisfying heft."

Product Details

• Table of Contents

Table of Contents