The Tree Stand

Atkinson (Massacre on the Merrimac) captures desperation and dejection in small-town New England in this strong, economical collection. In the title story, New Hampshire building contractor Joseph Goodreault has fallen on hard times. Business is slow, and his wife wants a divorce. Their house is unfinished, and he puts it up for sale and starts working on it, keeping to the exterior because the interior contains too many memories. Making matters worse, his real estate agent urges him to drop the asking price. In “Lowell Boulevard” young firefighters Glenn and Gage bear witness to death, suicide, and destruction. After Gage suffers a possible career-ending injury, Glenn marvels uneasily at his own luck. “Hi-Pine Acres” follows a woman named Katherine whose family farm is now bisected by a highway. Her adult son, Frank, lives there, too, but he doesn’t work or help with expenses or seem to care about anything (Atkinson describes him as a “big, shambling, unhappy looking fellow”). Though the depressed mood makes the collection feel a bit one-note, it’s a note that Atkinson hits perfectly as his skillfully depicted characters deal with realistic problems. This will surely appeal to fans of hardscrabble fiction. (Oct.)