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Nightjar: Stories
Not yet published
Expected 7 Jul 26From the award-winning author of the national bestseller Idaho comes a stunning collection of stories that explore how unexpected intuitions forever alter the lives of ordinary people.
Five years after moving into the isolated house in rural Oregon where her husband lived as a child, the protagonist of “Victor’s Room” begins to doubt her husband’s account of his family’s past. In “Round Lake,” a young woman’s plans to meet a lover in Tokyo are upended when she learns a startling truth about her mother’s death. In “Owl,” winner of an O. Henry Award, a fur trapper reckons with the dreadful origins of his marriage after his wife is brutally injured by four adolescent boys.
Haunting and psychologically provocative, and set against the vivid backdrop of the Pacific Northwest, Nightjar illuminates the secret, instinctive knowledge that lies just under the surface of our awareness.
Five years after moving into the isolated house in rural Oregon where her husband lived as a child, the protagonist of “Victor’s Room” begins to doubt her husband’s account of his family’s past. In “Round Lake,” a young woman’s plans to meet a lover in Tokyo are upended when she learns a startling truth about her mother’s death. In “Owl,” winner of an O. Henry Award, a fur trapper reckons with the dreadful origins of his marriage after his wife is brutally injured by four adolescent boys.
Haunting and psychologically provocative, and set against the vivid backdrop of the Pacific Northwest, Nightjar illuminates the secret, instinctive knowledge that lies just under the surface of our awareness.
- GenresShort StoriesFiction
Kindle Edition
Expected publication July 7, 2026
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257 people want to read
About the author
Emily Ruskovich
7 books596 followersEmily Ruskovich grew up in the mountains of northern Idaho. She graduated from the University of Montana and received an MA in English from the University of New Brunswick and an MFA from the Iowa Writers’ Workshop. She was the 2011–2012 James C. McCreight Fiction Fellow at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Her fiction has appeared in Zoetrope, One Story, and The Virginia Quarterly Review. She was a 2015 winner of the O. Henry Award for her story “Owl.”
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Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews
March 8, 2026
I enjoyed reading Ruskovich’s novel, Idaho, in 2018, so was excited to see she had a story collection set for publication. I was even more excited when I discovered this collection is made up of only 5 longer stories. I love a meaty short story.
These stories are mostly set in the Pacific Northwest, and nature or the wilderness plays a role in all of them. They’re contain a mix of the historical, realistic, and fantastical. Running throughout is a sense of wonder about the natural world, which I loved. Many characters are struggling with primary relationships, whether with a spouse or a child/parent, and finding communication difficult. Some characters are confused but trying to rely on intuition to puzzle out their lives. There isn’t a dud in this collection, just five strong stories with memorable characters that will stick with you.
Thank you to NetGalley and Random House for allowing me to read an ARC of this title.
These stories are mostly set in the Pacific Northwest, and nature or the wilderness plays a role in all of them. They’re contain a mix of the historical, realistic, and fantastical. Running throughout is a sense of wonder about the natural world, which I loved. Many characters are struggling with primary relationships, whether with a spouse or a child/parent, and finding communication difficult. Some characters are confused but trying to rely on intuition to puzzle out their lives. There isn’t a dud in this collection, just five strong stories with memorable characters that will stick with you.
Thank you to NetGalley and Random House for allowing me to read an ARC of this title.
February 8, 2026
Thanks to NetGalley and Penguin Random House for providing an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Nightjar is a thoughtfully written short story collection that explores themes of secrecy, emotional distance, and hidden truths. The writing is polished and reflective, with a strong opening—“Victor’s Room” stands out for its emotional depth and character focus. While many stories are engaging, some feel less defined, and a few endings do not fully live up to their promising beginnings. Overall, this is a solid collection with clear strengths, though greater emotional intensity in certain stories could have elevated the experience.
Nightjar is a thoughtfully written short story collection that explores themes of secrecy, emotional distance, and hidden truths. The writing is polished and reflective, with a strong opening—“Victor’s Room” stands out for its emotional depth and character focus. While many stories are engaging, some feel less defined, and a few endings do not fully live up to their promising beginnings. Overall, this is a solid collection with clear strengths, though greater emotional intensity in certain stories could have elevated the experience.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Not having read anything previously by the author, Emily Ruskovich, I must say that I was truly enchanted by her short story collection, Nightjar. Each story demonstrated Ruskovich’s strong mastery of the short story form. All five stories delved into lives of those who resided in the Pacific Northwest.
In “Victor’s Room,” Rebecca moves to her husband’s childhood home in the country to raise their daughters. What begins as a domestic transition slowly becomes something more unsettling. As Rebecca lives among the artifacts of her husband’s past, she starts noticing small inconsistencies in the stories he has told her. What I loved about this story is that Ms. Ruskovich carefully left clues for the reader to discover that something isn’t quite right about the husband. I felt Rebecca’s concerns building throughout the story.
“Owl,” which won an O. Henry Award, follows a man who is caring for his wife Jane after she is shot by four local boys who insist they believed she was an owl. This story left me just as unsettled as Victor’s Room had. The thought processes of Jane’s husband were spot on as he slowly unraveled what the heck was going on with his wife. Truly gut wrenching.
In “Round Lake,” Jade was raised by her uncle after her mother drowned when she was young. When her uncle reveals that a key part of her memory is incorrect, she begins to question how her past has shaped her life. Round Lake made me think of the things in my life that may have been false or misunderstood that have developed the person I am now and the person I’ll never be.
“Petty Creek Road” centers on Will and his brother Butch. Butch arrived at Will’s home one day and stayed for twenty-three years, helping raise Will’s son Cal. I will admit, of all of the stories, this was the one I liked the least. I just could not stay interested in their journey.
The title story, “Nightjar,” reflects on how even magical discoveries can lose their wonder over time. I thought about all the material things that I have bought over my lifetime, many that were just fads and soon were forgotten, many of them eventually trashed. I enjoyed how the young girl’s familiarity began to erode the magical moments that began her discovery.
After finishing this collection, I added the author’s first novel, Idaho, to my TBR list. Regarding Nightjar, I believe the strongest stories are the first three, though I’m not throwing any shade on the last two, as the final story completely enchanted me. The emotional insights and the quiet atmosphere make Nightjar a compelling and thought-provoking read and I recommend you give it a read.
An E-ARC of Nightjar by Emily Ruskovich was provided by NetGalley and Random House in exchange for my honest review. I also would like to thank Erica Hernandez of Penguin Random House for sharing this wonderful book with me.
In “Victor’s Room,” Rebecca moves to her husband’s childhood home in the country to raise their daughters. What begins as a domestic transition slowly becomes something more unsettling. As Rebecca lives among the artifacts of her husband’s past, she starts noticing small inconsistencies in the stories he has told her. What I loved about this story is that Ms. Ruskovich carefully left clues for the reader to discover that something isn’t quite right about the husband. I felt Rebecca’s concerns building throughout the story.
“Owl,” which won an O. Henry Award, follows a man who is caring for his wife Jane after she is shot by four local boys who insist they believed she was an owl. This story left me just as unsettled as Victor’s Room had. The thought processes of Jane’s husband were spot on as he slowly unraveled what the heck was going on with his wife. Truly gut wrenching.
In “Round Lake,” Jade was raised by her uncle after her mother drowned when she was young. When her uncle reveals that a key part of her memory is incorrect, she begins to question how her past has shaped her life. Round Lake made me think of the things in my life that may have been false or misunderstood that have developed the person I am now and the person I’ll never be.
“Petty Creek Road” centers on Will and his brother Butch. Butch arrived at Will’s home one day and stayed for twenty-three years, helping raise Will’s son Cal. I will admit, of all of the stories, this was the one I liked the least. I just could not stay interested in their journey.
The title story, “Nightjar,” reflects on how even magical discoveries can lose their wonder over time. I thought about all the material things that I have bought over my lifetime, many that were just fads and soon were forgotten, many of them eventually trashed. I enjoyed how the young girl’s familiarity began to erode the magical moments that began her discovery.
After finishing this collection, I added the author’s first novel, Idaho, to my TBR list. Regarding Nightjar, I believe the strongest stories are the first three, though I’m not throwing any shade on the last two, as the final story completely enchanted me. The emotional insights and the quiet atmosphere make Nightjar a compelling and thought-provoking read and I recommend you give it a read.
An E-ARC of Nightjar by Emily Ruskovich was provided by NetGalley and Random House in exchange for my honest review. I also would like to thank Erica Hernandez of Penguin Random House for sharing this wonderful book with me.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
A strong collection of short stories, most feel like they could occur at almost anytime, anywhere. Ruskovich has the art of the short story down, with each of these stories feeling fleshed out, no matter the length of the tale.
Victor's Room: Rebecca marries her college professor, and after a few happy years of marriage in their town, Rebecca agrees to move to her husband's childhood home in the country, leaving her job in the city behind to raise their children. But as the memories her husband has from his childhood suffocate her new life, she begins to pick apart flaws in his memories. Did the dog die here or on the highway, is it buried in the backyard, did his brother Victor die in their childhood bedroom? As Rebecca unravels the truth behind her husband's lies, she must decide what the future holds for her and their two daughters.
Owl: When a man's wife (Jane) gets shot, he begins to take care of her and the cats that she feeds every day. He reminisces on how they met while trying to figure out what to do about the four young local boys involved in her shooting. He begins to wonder what precipitated the incident, while the boys continue to claim that they thought she was an owl.
Round Lake: Jade was raised by her uncle after her mother drowned when she was young. She begins talking on the phone each night to a man she knows who moved to Tokyo, and memories of her mother surface. She finds herself falling in love, perhaps not with the man himself, but with the memories he brings up in her and the man she imagines he is. When her uncle informs her that her memory of her mother's death is inaccurate, Jade begins to wonder how she could have clouded her memory like this and begins to consider how her past and memories of her mother have been shaping her future.
Petty Creek Road: Will's brother Butch came to Will's house one day and ended up staying twenty-three years and helped Will to raise his son, Cal. Neither man married, so when Butch dies in an accident, Will is overcome by his grief and realizes how much he owes to his brother. When his son quits his job to move back home with his father, the two must work to face the issues in their relationship with each other without Butch there to bridge the gap.
Nightjar: A story about how even the wonderous magical occurrences can become commonplace and lose their meaning. Tess discovers something magical on her family's land and shares the secret with her younger brother Rory. She lets the secret consume her summer, and even after school returns, she revisits the spot. As time passes, Tess begins to wonder what exactly makes something magic, and at what point one begins to take it for granted.
Thank you to NetGalley for an eARC of this collection.
Victor's Room: Rebecca marries her college professor, and after a few happy years of marriage in their town, Rebecca agrees to move to her husband's childhood home in the country, leaving her job in the city behind to raise their children. But as the memories her husband has from his childhood suffocate her new life, she begins to pick apart flaws in his memories. Did the dog die here or on the highway, is it buried in the backyard, did his brother Victor die in their childhood bedroom? As Rebecca unravels the truth behind her husband's lies, she must decide what the future holds for her and their two daughters.
Owl: When a man's wife (Jane) gets shot, he begins to take care of her and the cats that she feeds every day. He reminisces on how they met while trying to figure out what to do about the four young local boys involved in her shooting. He begins to wonder what precipitated the incident, while the boys continue to claim that they thought she was an owl.
Round Lake: Jade was raised by her uncle after her mother drowned when she was young. She begins talking on the phone each night to a man she knows who moved to Tokyo, and memories of her mother surface. She finds herself falling in love, perhaps not with the man himself, but with the memories he brings up in her and the man she imagines he is. When her uncle informs her that her memory of her mother's death is inaccurate, Jade begins to wonder how she could have clouded her memory like this and begins to consider how her past and memories of her mother have been shaping her future.
Petty Creek Road: Will's brother Butch came to Will's house one day and ended up staying twenty-three years and helped Will to raise his son, Cal. Neither man married, so when Butch dies in an accident, Will is overcome by his grief and realizes how much he owes to his brother. When his son quits his job to move back home with his father, the two must work to face the issues in their relationship with each other without Butch there to bridge the gap.
Nightjar: A story about how even the wonderous magical occurrences can become commonplace and lose their meaning. Tess discovers something magical on her family's land and shares the secret with her younger brother Rory. She lets the secret consume her summer, and even after school returns, she revisits the spot. As time passes, Tess begins to wonder what exactly makes something magic, and at what point one begins to take it for granted.
Thank you to NetGalley for an eARC of this collection.
February 16, 2026
Thank you NetGalley and Penguin Random House for the ARC!
Carrying you through different times and spaces of the American pacific northwest, the stories of Nightjar are in turns eerie, subtle, languid, inevitable, and contemplative - or all at once. They each seat themselves in the mind of the narrator, peeking through their eyes and sifting through their thoughts as they unravel a truth; the false motive of a loved one, a misremembered tragedy, a misplaced purpose or fixation. Ruskovich's writing expertly expressed those secret feelings we all have, the doubts and lies and memories swirling in our minds as we navigate relationships, family, trauma. The stories' narrators ranged from children to old men, but they all carried the same sense of introspection. I found myself struck many times by her ability to put words to experiences I had as a child, or memory tricks my mind had played on me, or the nuances of strained relationships.
She is very stingy with dialogue, but often to poignant effect. She relies heavily on description and inner monologue, sketching out the webs of a place, a person, a mind - and then all of a sudden the conflict appears as if it had been there from the beginning, though you thought you were just reading preamble.
Altogether, this collection of stories was beautiful and thought-provoking, and at times too methodical for my taste. I enjoyed the touches here and there of magical realism, though sometimes I felt Ruskovich relied too heavily on the narrators' intuition to advance the plots. Given that the stated theme of the collection involves this, I can forgive it.
When he was in the room with her, she loved him, she laughed with him, his presence was exhilarating and wonderful. But then he left and often she felt a sick and sinking feeling. As if the truth of him had accidentally been left behind, hovering there before her.
Carrying you through different times and spaces of the American pacific northwest, the stories of Nightjar are in turns eerie, subtle, languid, inevitable, and contemplative - or all at once. They each seat themselves in the mind of the narrator, peeking through their eyes and sifting through their thoughts as they unravel a truth; the false motive of a loved one, a misremembered tragedy, a misplaced purpose or fixation. Ruskovich's writing expertly expressed those secret feelings we all have, the doubts and lies and memories swirling in our minds as we navigate relationships, family, trauma. The stories' narrators ranged from children to old men, but they all carried the same sense of introspection. I found myself struck many times by her ability to put words to experiences I had as a child, or memory tricks my mind had played on me, or the nuances of strained relationships.
He had never lied in his life. And where had it come from, this terrible lie that served only to ruin him? He was aware that he was undoing the best thing he'd ever done in his life and that he'd never be able to get it back, he'd never now be able to say the truth and be believed.
She is very stingy with dialogue, but often to poignant effect. She relies heavily on description and inner monologue, sketching out the webs of a place, a person, a mind - and then all of a sudden the conflict appears as if it had been there from the beginning, though you thought you were just reading preamble.
Altogether, this collection of stories was beautiful and thought-provoking, and at times too methodical for my taste. I enjoyed the touches here and there of magical realism, though sometimes I felt Ruskovich relied too heavily on the narrators' intuition to advance the plots. Given that the stated theme of the collection involves this, I can forgive it.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Nightjar was a beautiful collection of introspective stories that have a loose throughline of secrets and lies. While starting stronger than it ends, all of these stories leave the reader with a lot to reflect on.
A woman made to raise her family in her husband's childhood home, even though details about his past aren't adding up. A man caring after his wife after a horrific accident, but the mystery of the accident tugs at him. A father and his son grapple with the death of the father's brother, their lives crashing back together for better or for worse. A girl discovers a strange bucket that can "take pictures". Each story, on the surface, seems to fall somewhere between strange and sad, but there is so much more under the surface. Many hold a quiet humor, some unintentionally hit you right in the heart, most make you put the book down to consider further, ending in thought provoking ways.
I admit, I picked this up almost immediately after finishing a disappointing short story collection, so it may be that my praise comes from that direct comparison, but I can't help but find this did almost everything better than The History of Sound did. It was shorter, only five stories, but each packed a punch in its own unique way. "Twist" might be too sensational of a term, but most of the stories (in the beginning) had some sort of reveal that caught me off guard in a positive way that didn't feel gimmicky.
The first few stories were stronger in my opinion, but the collection as a whole was very good. The characters were all so real and interesting, written in a way that reminds you of everyone's rich, introspective lives. The author did a fantastic job with this collection, I only wish there were more stories here, I couldn't get enough.
A woman made to raise her family in her husband's childhood home, even though details about his past aren't adding up. A man caring after his wife after a horrific accident, but the mystery of the accident tugs at him. A father and his son grapple with the death of the father's brother, their lives crashing back together for better or for worse. A girl discovers a strange bucket that can "take pictures". Each story, on the surface, seems to fall somewhere between strange and sad, but there is so much more under the surface. Many hold a quiet humor, some unintentionally hit you right in the heart, most make you put the book down to consider further, ending in thought provoking ways.
I admit, I picked this up almost immediately after finishing a disappointing short story collection, so it may be that my praise comes from that direct comparison, but I can't help but find this did almost everything better than The History of Sound did. It was shorter, only five stories, but each packed a punch in its own unique way. "Twist" might be too sensational of a term, but most of the stories (in the beginning) had some sort of reveal that caught me off guard in a positive way that didn't feel gimmicky.
The first few stories were stronger in my opinion, but the collection as a whole was very good. The characters were all so real and interesting, written in a way that reminds you of everyone's rich, introspective lives. The author did a fantastic job with this collection, I only wish there were more stories here, I couldn't get enough.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
In "Nightjar", author Emily Ruskovich has compiled five short stories that span a number of different time periods, themes, and characters, but are all simultaneously poignant and unsettling.
The first and longest of the stories is "Victor's Room", where a young wife looks back on her marriage to her husband as she settles into his childhood home with their children, attempting to piece together his childhood that includes the loss of his brother Victor. In "Owl", a husband nurses his wife back to health after she's accidentally shot by children on an unexpected journey into the woods at night - but with what intention? In "Round Lake", a young woman comes to terms with the truth of how she lost her mother as a child, all while her long-distance relationship with a boy in Japan changes. In "Petty Creek Road", a father deals with the loss of his brother who served as the singular emotional connection to his own son. And in "Nightjar", a young girl stumbles across a window into a brand new world - but comes to see it as both a joy and a burden.
Underlying each of these is the setting in the Pacific Northwest, frequently in the wilderness and forests. And while each of the characters and plots are different, they focus on the complex and varied relationships we have with others, especially across family members and partners. I loved the beautiful and insightful writing, and just how vividly Ruskovich was able to craft these characters and their backstories in such a limited time, and how much depth she brought to even the briefest stories. Each of these stories was thought-provoking and at times jarring, blending elements of historical fiction, fantasy, and contemporary fiction.
Very much a recommend read with this collection is published July 2026!
The first and longest of the stories is "Victor's Room", where a young wife looks back on her marriage to her husband as she settles into his childhood home with their children, attempting to piece together his childhood that includes the loss of his brother Victor. In "Owl", a husband nurses his wife back to health after she's accidentally shot by children on an unexpected journey into the woods at night - but with what intention? In "Round Lake", a young woman comes to terms with the truth of how she lost her mother as a child, all while her long-distance relationship with a boy in Japan changes. In "Petty Creek Road", a father deals with the loss of his brother who served as the singular emotional connection to his own son. And in "Nightjar", a young girl stumbles across a window into a brand new world - but comes to see it as both a joy and a burden.
Underlying each of these is the setting in the Pacific Northwest, frequently in the wilderness and forests. And while each of the characters and plots are different, they focus on the complex and varied relationships we have with others, especially across family members and partners. I loved the beautiful and insightful writing, and just how vividly Ruskovich was able to craft these characters and their backstories in such a limited time, and how much depth she brought to even the briefest stories. Each of these stories was thought-provoking and at times jarring, blending elements of historical fiction, fantasy, and contemporary fiction.
Very much a recommend read with this collection is published July 2026!
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Nightjar: Stories
Emily Ruskovich
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
ARC, Pub: July 7, 2026
Nightjar is a compelling collection of five short stores that take place in the rural Northwestern US. A similar thread runs through them all highlighting how intuition and insight affect and influence us.
In “Victor’s Room” a woman moved with her husband five years earlier into his childhood home at his request and ultimately realizes that his stories from his years growing up in that home and his family’s past simply do not match with what she has learned about the house. In “Owl” a husband cares for his wife after she was severely injured by four adolescent boys and begins to wonder about and the accident. In “Petty Creek Road”, after the death of the father’s brother (the son’s uncle) both men must learn if they can be a family without him.
While these are my three favorites, the others are equally as haunting and unique. All have interesting characters and the stories will leave the reader with plenty to think about. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Special thanks to #EmilyRuskovich #NetGalley #RandomHouse for this ARC. Publication date: July 7,2026
#EmptyNestReader #Nightjar #EmilyRuskovich #hauntingfiction #readalittlelearnalittlelivealittle #bookstagram #bookstagrammer #bookstagramalabama #bookstagrammichigan #bookreviews #bookreviewer #bookrecommendations #ebooks #NetGalley
Emily Ruskovich
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
ARC, Pub: July 7, 2026
Nightjar is a compelling collection of five short stores that take place in the rural Northwestern US. A similar thread runs through them all highlighting how intuition and insight affect and influence us.
In “Victor’s Room” a woman moved with her husband five years earlier into his childhood home at his request and ultimately realizes that his stories from his years growing up in that home and his family’s past simply do not match with what she has learned about the house. In “Owl” a husband cares for his wife after she was severely injured by four adolescent boys and begins to wonder about and the accident. In “Petty Creek Road”, after the death of the father’s brother (the son’s uncle) both men must learn if they can be a family without him.
While these are my three favorites, the others are equally as haunting and unique. All have interesting characters and the stories will leave the reader with plenty to think about. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Special thanks to #EmilyRuskovich #NetGalley #RandomHouse for this ARC. Publication date: July 7,2026
#EmptyNestReader #Nightjar #EmilyRuskovich #hauntingfiction #readalittlelearnalittlelivealittle #bookstagram #bookstagrammer #bookstagramalabama #bookstagrammichigan #bookreviews #bookreviewer #bookrecommendations #ebooks #NetGalley
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Thanks to Netgalley and Randomhouse for the ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.
"Nightjar" is a collection of stories that dives into themes like secrets, lies, and the things we sometimes hide from those we care about. The writing is really nice and gets you thinking. As I read, I found a lot of the stories engaging, but there were times when I wished for a bit more intensity to really make them hit home. The first story, "Victor’s Room," really caught my attention; it does a great job of showing a woman's struggle with her husband's childhood secrets. The collection kicks off strong, mixing sadness with a touch of humor that gets you pondering. Still, some stories felt a bit unclear, and I felt the endings didn’t quite live up to the strong starts. The writing overall is impressive, and I can see the effort put into each piece. I enjoyed the collection and it definitely has its strong points, but I found myself hoping for more powerful emotional moments that could have upped the experience. Overall, I appreciate the insights offered and am glad I took the time to read these stories, as they almost lived up to what I had hoped for.
"Nightjar" is a collection of stories that dives into themes like secrets, lies, and the things we sometimes hide from those we care about. The writing is really nice and gets you thinking. As I read, I found a lot of the stories engaging, but there were times when I wished for a bit more intensity to really make them hit home. The first story, "Victor’s Room," really caught my attention; it does a great job of showing a woman's struggle with her husband's childhood secrets. The collection kicks off strong, mixing sadness with a touch of humor that gets you pondering. Still, some stories felt a bit unclear, and I felt the endings didn’t quite live up to the strong starts. The writing overall is impressive, and I can see the effort put into each piece. I enjoyed the collection and it definitely has its strong points, but I found myself hoping for more powerful emotional moments that could have upped the experience. Overall, I appreciate the insights offered and am glad I took the time to read these stories, as they almost lived up to what I had hoped for.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
This was a beautifully crafted collection of short stories—easily one of the strongest collections I’ve read in recent years! Nightjar thoughtfully explores the many dimensions of grief, guiding readers through deeply emotional journeys as its characters grapple with the loss of trust, truth, innocence, and childhood.
While I found the earlier stories slightly more compelling than the later ones, each piece carried its own distinct emotional weight. The deliberate vagueness throughout each narrative created a haunting, atmospheric quality that enhanced the collection’s overall tone. That sense of ambiguity felt purposeful and well suited for the themes explored.
I greatly admire Emily Ruskovich’s writing and I look forward to reading whatever she publishes in the future!
Thank you to NetGalley and Random House for providing me with an ARC of this collection in exchange for an honest review!
While I found the earlier stories slightly more compelling than the later ones, each piece carried its own distinct emotional weight. The deliberate vagueness throughout each narrative created a haunting, atmospheric quality that enhanced the collection’s overall tone. That sense of ambiguity felt purposeful and well suited for the themes explored.
I greatly admire Emily Ruskovich’s writing and I look forward to reading whatever she publishes in the future!
Thank you to NetGalley and Random House for providing me with an ARC of this collection in exchange for an honest review!
February 28, 2026
4.5. Such an excellent collection. The influence of Alice Munro was palpable. Sped through the first story hand to my mouth — I haven’t experienced a story so alive and generous in a while. I had almost lost faith in the short story ecosystem because of works published in prestigious publications and/or receiving prestigious awards that are truly Not All That. Ugh that Jin Auh had a hand in this collection so much sense! The stories are haunting and tender and incredibly sensitive. A woman finds out her husband has lied to her about almost everything. A man loses his brother and has to see in his nephew all that he has lost. A woman revisits her imagined reality of her mother’s death. Ruskovich uses genre framing a lot (e.g. mystery) to drive the story. I’ve becoming mistrusting of narratives recently, but the complicated backdrops behind the premises are untangled with such deftness that I can just relax and trust that the writer will bring me somewhere good.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Nightjar
By Emily Ruskovich
This is a book of short stories – five of them to be exact. I am not usually a fan of short stories as they often feel incomplete. But these are different. Somehow the author manages to make each story feel like a full-length book. And each story makes the reader continue to mull over its meaning long after it is over.
With most short story collections, some stories are good, maybe one or two are great – and at least one does not grab you. In this collection, I did have one story that didn't grab me – but the rest more than made up for it.
Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for this ARC.
By Emily Ruskovich
This is a book of short stories – five of them to be exact. I am not usually a fan of short stories as they often feel incomplete. But these are different. Somehow the author manages to make each story feel like a full-length book. And each story makes the reader continue to mull over its meaning long after it is over.
With most short story collections, some stories are good, maybe one or two are great – and at least one does not grab you. In this collection, I did have one story that didn't grab me – but the rest more than made up for it.
Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for this ARC.
February 10, 2026
There are feelings rendered so purely, so uniquely & compellingly, inside each story that Ruskovich draws out with incredible purpose. You can feel her pull to tell stories. A pull that manifests as intensely likable narration, moving from moments of mishandled ambiguity and dramatization to the last (titular) story, which is a small miracle. A revelatory finale. I want to frame it in its own little book, but maybe it’s best for it to exist here, surrounded by the ups & downs, the satisfaction & displeasure its neighbors effuse. Appreciated this immensely.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
I'm not always a fan of short stories but these were fascinating. My favorite was the first, "Victor's Room" as it details the meeting of Rebecca and Grant who meet on the first day of Whitman College in 1971. When he wants to buy the house where his brother died, she's hesitant but agrees to live there for five years. But then she discovers some odd things and wonders if he ever lived there at all. The other stories have similar--sometimes creepy--storylines and I raced through it!
Thanks to NetGalley for this ARC!
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
I am not sure how this book got so many glowing reviews. It was just Ok and missed on so many levels. Some stories were too long, one jumped around too much in time and one ended abruptly with no satisfying resolution. It seemed as each story ended the next one became a bit more convoluted until the final story, which was the most bizarre of all, needing a total suspension of disbelief to even get through it. 3 stars because of the strength of the first story. Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for giving me an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Beautiful writing—the kind that makes other writers a little jealous. It’s that good.
I don’t usually reach for short story collections, but I’m really glad I did here. Victor’s Room is the clear standout for me, but every story carries this lingering, atmospheric tension. There’s a quiet throughline of long-buried secrets rising back to the surface, and the way that reveal is handled feels both subtle and deeply unsettling.
Some stories resonated more than others, but the craftsmanship never wavers. A haunting, beautifully written collection that completely won me over.
I don’t usually reach for short story collections, but I’m really glad I did here. Victor’s Room is the clear standout for me, but every story carries this lingering, atmospheric tension. There’s a quiet throughline of long-buried secrets rising back to the surface, and the way that reveal is handled feels both subtle and deeply unsettling.
Some stories resonated more than others, but the craftsmanship never wavers. A haunting, beautifully written collection that completely won me over.
March 3, 2026
Simply divine. This is everything I look for in a short story collection and more. The writing is so so good and each story is atmospheric and haunting. There is a cohesiveness in the setting and the subtle horror of the mundane that hangs over every character. I really appreciate how grounded these stories are even as they brush against the uncanny The first story, Victor's Room will be with me forever. Emily Ruskovich you have bewitched me!
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
This book has a very beautiful and descriptive writing. The author is good at creating mood and vibes. I liked some stories, especially the first one, but unfortunately, I didn't enjoy all of them. Some stories sometimes felt too slow and too long for me, and a few endings weren't really satisfying. This book isn't bad at all, but it was just a mixed experience for me. You may enjoy it more than I did.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Stories of human longing and betrayal, hope, loss, and sometimes reconciliation. The story, Nightjar, is magical. Occasionally, the stories seemed long, but I found myself still thinking about them days later. They aren't the kind of stories you read and immediately forget about. Ms. Ruskovich is a fine, poetic writer. Thanks to Netgalley for allowing me to read and review Nightjar: Stories.
January 25, 2026
So happy to have another Emily Ruskovich book on my shelf! NIGHTJAR is a fantastic collection. Loved each story—“Victor’s Room” especially.
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March 22, 2026Netgalley and Random House
A strong start with the first story. Great place-based writing, careful and considered characterization. Insight. It's very good.
A strong start with the first story. Great place-based writing, careful and considered characterization. Insight. It's very good.
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