Loss, ordinary and extraordinary, and mundane or less mundane loneliness of small town life, arranged in the trappings of a postmodern ghost story. There's never any suggestion of such ghosts being anything more than metaphysical, psychological, ephemeral, but the sensation of haunting persists. It seems to tear itself apart and reroute via switch-backs a few times, which gives the impression that we're slowly moving closer to something we'll never reach, which isn't entirely to its advantage, but nonetheless fits reasonably into the general tone. Not exactly the book I was expecting from Darnielle, but I don't really get my hopes up with songwriter-novels anyway, so this was actually pleasantly other, in that sense. I should read his prior novel, Wolf in a White Van, evidently.