What Moves the Dead, by T. Kingfisher (Ursula Vernon), is a retelling of Edgar Allan Poe’s classic horror, The Fall of the House of Usher. There’s an added character or two, an explanation for Roderick and Madeline’s demise, and a few genuinely creepy scenes involving hares and mushrooms.

The beginning was the fun, the middle a bit slow, and the end a page-turner. A novella, it was a fast, enjoyable read. I will try not to think of it when I’m eating mushrooms or spaghetti.

If you’re curious about the original:

• The Fall of the House of Usher (pdf @ americanenglish.state.gov)
• PodCastle 177: The Fall of the House of Usher (Audio story reading)