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The Frenzy: Stories
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A gripping collection of propulsive, psychologically suspenseful stories by the legendary Joyce Carol Oates “who is surely on any shortlist of America’s greatest living writers” (The New York Times Magazine)
“A genius in the truest sense of the word.”—Rebecca Makkai
“One of the greatest writers among us today.”—Gillian Flynn
Frenzy (noun): a temporary madness; a violent mental or emotional agitation; intense usually wild and often disorderly compulsive or agitated activity
Joyce Carol Oates is a master of the short story and one of the legends of the form. Her collections of short fiction have twice been finalists for the Pulitzer Prize and have won numerous awards, including the O. Henry Award and the PEN/Malamud Award for Excellence in the Art of the Short Story. In The Stories, Oates plunges us into the lives of her characters at moments of crisis and confusion, when much of what they understand about themselves and those they love comes undone.
A young woman on a supposedly romantic weekend trip to Cape May, New Jersey, turns the tables on her older, married lover. A freak bicycle accident on a bridge haunts one family for decades. A girl jealous of her popular cousin discovers she is the lucky one. A widow waits at her riverside house for her dead husband's return. A young man hiking in the woods comes upon a couple in a heated, possibly violent argument—should he intervene?
Suspenseful and psychologically astute, Oates's short stories enthrall and captivate as they dissect her character's deepest fears—revealing our own in turn. "Literature is a texture of words," says Oates of her short fiction, "evoking life in the most vivid ways—psychologically, physically." These new stories blazingly evoke life at its most vivid and perilous, when fate and free will intersect, and one ominous encounter or bad choice can be the difference between an ordinary day and the point of no return.
“A genius in the truest sense of the word.”—Rebecca Makkai
“One of the greatest writers among us today.”—Gillian Flynn
Frenzy (noun): a temporary madness; a violent mental or emotional agitation; intense usually wild and often disorderly compulsive or agitated activity
Joyce Carol Oates is a master of the short story and one of the legends of the form. Her collections of short fiction have twice been finalists for the Pulitzer Prize and have won numerous awards, including the O. Henry Award and the PEN/Malamud Award for Excellence in the Art of the Short Story. In The Stories, Oates plunges us into the lives of her characters at moments of crisis and confusion, when much of what they understand about themselves and those they love comes undone.
A young woman on a supposedly romantic weekend trip to Cape May, New Jersey, turns the tables on her older, married lover. A freak bicycle accident on a bridge haunts one family for decades. A girl jealous of her popular cousin discovers she is the lucky one. A widow waits at her riverside house for her dead husband's return. A young man hiking in the woods comes upon a couple in a heated, possibly violent argument—should he intervene?
Suspenseful and psychologically astute, Oates's short stories enthrall and captivate as they dissect her character's deepest fears—revealing our own in turn. "Literature is a texture of words," says Oates of her short fiction, "evoking life in the most vivid ways—psychologically, physically." These new stories blazingly evoke life at its most vivid and perilous, when fate and free will intersect, and one ominous encounter or bad choice can be the difference between an ordinary day and the point of no return.
336 pages, Hardcover
Expected publication June 16, 2026
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7680 people want to read
About the author
Joyce Carol Oates
864 books9,764 followersJoyce Carol Oates is an American writer. Oates published her first book in 1963, and has since published 58 novels, a number of plays and novellas, and many volumes of short stories, poetry, and nonfiction. Her novels Black Water (1992), What I Lived For (1994), and Blonde (2000), and her short story collections The Wheel of Love (1970) and Lovely, Dark, Deep: Stories (2014) were each finalists for the Pulitzer Prize. She has won many awards for her writing, including the National Book Award, for her novel Them (1969), two O. Henry Awards, the National Humanities Medal, and the Jerusalem Prize (2019).
Oates taught at Princeton University from 1978 to 2014, and is the Roger S. Berlind '52 Professor Emerita in the Humanities with the Program in Creative Writing. From 2016 to 2020, she was a visiting professor at the University of California, Berkeley, where she taught short fiction in the spring semesters. She now teaches at Rutgers University, New Brunswick.
Oates was elected to the American Philosophical Society in 2016.
Pseudonyms: Rosamond Smith and Lauren Kelly.
Oates taught at Princeton University from 1978 to 2014, and is the Roger S. Berlind '52 Professor Emerita in the Humanities with the Program in Creative Writing. From 2016 to 2020, she was a visiting professor at the University of California, Berkeley, where she taught short fiction in the spring semesters. She now teaches at Rutgers University, New Brunswick.
Oates was elected to the American Philosophical Society in 2016.
Pseudonyms: Rosamond Smith and Lauren Kelly.
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Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Several shorter stories, definitely different than anything I've read. They were intriguing and interesting and weird but good. Not something I would usually read but glad I did.
Thanks to the author the publisher and Netgalley for a early release of this book
Thanks to the author the publisher and Netgalley for a early release of this book
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
A middle-aged married man plans a clandestine getaway trip with his teenage mistress where things go horribly wrong. Two cousins grow up together, with the younger girl envying the older one until a cancer diagnosis changes everything. Following a serious bicycle injury, a teenage girl experiences a significant personality change that adversely impacts the family dynamics. A woman imagines a happier alternative to the sad, dull life she leads following the tragic death of a parent. A two-time widow is psychologically abused by memories—or perhaps the ghost—of her latest late husband. An encounter with an emotionally abused woman while hiking in the Redwoods haunts a man for the rest of his life and even beyond the grave. A woman copes with the unexpected death of her husband while her own leukemia affliction slowly progresses. A mentally vulnerable woman rescues her abusive, estranged husband from a Buddhist monastery only to find out how things have changed. Two women form an unlikely friendship as they try to cope with the recent deaths of their husbands.
So go the plotlines of the nine stories comprising The Frenzy, a short fiction collection by prolific author Joyce Carol Oates. A common theme connecting all the tales is women who find themselves in perilous situations, resulting either from the loss of a loved one, involvement in an abusive relationship, a debilitating medical condition, or through social isolation. The interesting stylistic twist that Oates adopts throughout the compilation is her focus on the psychological makeup of her protagonists (and sometimes the antagonists), which created a level of depth and insight that might otherwise be missing from standard “women in peril” narratives. While the writing in each of these stories was strong, some were far more compelling and affecting than others. For me, three of the longest stories (“The Bicycle Accident”, “Refuge”, “Night Fishing at Antibes”) were the best developed and most interesting ones, while the title tale (“The Frenzy”) also stood out. These are not stories that will leave you in a cheerful mood, but it is an easy book to recommend based on the quality of the prose alone.
So go the plotlines of the nine stories comprising The Frenzy, a short fiction collection by prolific author Joyce Carol Oates. A common theme connecting all the tales is women who find themselves in perilous situations, resulting either from the loss of a loved one, involvement in an abusive relationship, a debilitating medical condition, or through social isolation. The interesting stylistic twist that Oates adopts throughout the compilation is her focus on the psychological makeup of her protagonists (and sometimes the antagonists), which created a level of depth and insight that might otherwise be missing from standard “women in peril” narratives. While the writing in each of these stories was strong, some were far more compelling and affecting than others. For me, three of the longest stories (“The Bicycle Accident”, “Refuge”, “Night Fishing at Antibes”) were the best developed and most interesting ones, while the title tale (“The Frenzy”) also stood out. These are not stories that will leave you in a cheerful mood, but it is an easy book to recommend based on the quality of the prose alone.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Although she's passed the 80 year mark, Joyce Carol Oates has not slowed down. I've mentioned in earlier opinions how much I admire her energy in approach to writing fiction, writing as if she was aiming for recognition not enjoying her past reputation. Somehow she manages to find ways in which to examine the human condition in original and meaty prose. These stories reminded me of those I read over 50 years ago, upon first discovering her and her take on the world, but now she's had much more life experience to draw from. And she uses it to incredible advantage. If the stories in this collection had a recurring theme, it could be found in the Me Too movement. Even the widows visited by their ghostly partners from beyond the shade have had questionable relationships, and their reunions are not all pleasant. Several of them made me laugh out loud, but she's deadly serious about her subject.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
I received an advanced reader copy of this book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review on my Goodreads page. This collection of short stories—originally published separately in various venues—will be released on June 16, 2026.
The Frenzy fully earns its title. Each story arrives with its own sense of unease, suspense, and emotional intensity, populated by vividly drawn characters and sharply rendered settings. There is no wasted space here; Oates moves quickly and deliberately, pulling the reader into moments that feel both intimate and unsettling. Even when a story unfolds quietly, there is always an undercurrent of tension humming just beneath the surface. I, of course, enjoyed some stories more than others, with The Bicycle Accident being my favorite!
Joyce Carol Oates is, of course, a master of psychological complexity, and that strength is on full display throughout this collection. Each story carries her unmistakable touch—an awareness of human fragility, obsession, and moral uncertainty—that makes the act of reading feel slightly dangerous in the best possible way. You sense early on that something is off, and the pleasure lies in following that feeling all the way to each story’s conclusion.
Fans of short fiction and longtime admirers of Joyce Carol Oates will absolutely want to add The Frenzy to their collections when it releases this summer. It’s a compelling, often haunting set of stories that lingers well after the final page.
The Frenzy fully earns its title. Each story arrives with its own sense of unease, suspense, and emotional intensity, populated by vividly drawn characters and sharply rendered settings. There is no wasted space here; Oates moves quickly and deliberately, pulling the reader into moments that feel both intimate and unsettling. Even when a story unfolds quietly, there is always an undercurrent of tension humming just beneath the surface. I, of course, enjoyed some stories more than others, with The Bicycle Accident being my favorite!
Joyce Carol Oates is, of course, a master of psychological complexity, and that strength is on full display throughout this collection. Each story carries her unmistakable touch—an awareness of human fragility, obsession, and moral uncertainty—that makes the act of reading feel slightly dangerous in the best possible way. You sense early on that something is off, and the pleasure lies in following that feeling all the way to each story’s conclusion.
Fans of short fiction and longtime admirers of Joyce Carol Oates will absolutely want to add The Frenzy to their collections when it releases this summer. It’s a compelling, often haunting set of stories that lingers well after the final page.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Short story collections don't always work for me, but I figured if anyone could sway me it would be the queen of the short story, JCO.
Joyce Carol Oates is truly a master of her craft - her writing is sophisticated, lyrical and transportive, and her stories stick with you long after you're finished.
Overall, this collection examines grief, loss, fate, the human condition, and the line between life and death. While not all of the stories were my favorite, most of them made me think about life in a different way. A few standouts were: The Redwoods, The Bicycle Incident, and Night Fishing at Antibes.
I've really enjoyed my time with this collection and will definitely be going back to more of her works in the future!
Joyce Carol Oates is truly a master of her craft - her writing is sophisticated, lyrical and transportive, and her stories stick with you long after you're finished.
Overall, this collection examines grief, loss, fate, the human condition, and the line between life and death. While not all of the stories were my favorite, most of them made me think about life in a different way. A few standouts were: The Redwoods, The Bicycle Incident, and Night Fishing at Antibes.
I've really enjoyed my time with this collection and will definitely be going back to more of her works in the future!
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Got to read this book before release via Netgalley. A collection of short stories centered mostly around wives and daughters dealing with the darkest parts of grieving and family. Some stories stuck with me while others fell on the wayside, "The Bicycling Accident" stood out particularly. While reading this, I was stuck on how difficult it would be to get into the headspace to write so candidly and empathize so thoroughly with some of these character's stories. Invokes a lot of emotion, the characters' experiences and feelings are palpable. A sense of anticipation is weaved into every story and keeps it engaging.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Joyce Carol Oates is a master class in the short story form. These stories slip into moments of crisis and unease, where lives quietly fracture and nothing is as simple as it first appears. They’re psychologically sharp, often unsettling, and deeply human, capturing how a single choice or encounter can alter everything. Oates makes the ordinary feel dangerous, and the effect lingers long after the last page.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Hogarth for providing an eARC prior to publication in exchange for an honest review.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Hogarth for providing an eARC prior to publication in exchange for an honest review.
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
I was fortunate enough to receive an ARC from the publisher to review, and, boy, was this an absolute pleasure to read.
Oates is true to form in this short story collection, and many of her frequent themes are present, including the heartbreak and loss of self of widowhood, the suffocating nature of codependence, and sense of powerlessness that sickness can bring. As an avid reader of Oates, it was more than welcome to see a master of their craft present a collection that does not hold back in quality or intensity.
Oates is true to form in this short story collection, and many of her frequent themes are present, including the heartbreak and loss of self of widowhood, the suffocating nature of codependence, and sense of powerlessness that sickness can bring. As an avid reader of Oates, it was more than welcome to see a master of their craft present a collection that does not hold back in quality or intensity.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
The Frenzy is a perfect title! While I enjoyed the collection, several stories definitely lived up to the name and left my head spinning. That is the classic Joyce Carol Oates style, though—unsettling, and intentionally elusive.
I’d definitely recommend this, but with a warning: don’t expect to understand every twist or get the closure you want by the final page. It’s a wild, uncomfortable ride!
#TheFrenzy #NetGalley
I’d definitely recommend this, but with a warning: don’t expect to understand every twist or get the closure you want by the final page. It’s a wild, uncomfortable ride!
#TheFrenzy #NetGalley
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
ARC for review. To be published June 16, 2026.
4 stars
I love JCO. A new collection of nine short stories from this prolific master. Even though they aren’t the best things she’s ever written they are still very good; she’s still so consistent. The standout for me was the haunting “The Bicycle Accident.”
4 stars
I love JCO. A new collection of nine short stories from this prolific master. Even though they aren’t the best things she’s ever written they are still very good; she’s still so consistent. The standout for me was the haunting “The Bicycle Accident.”
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
The Frenzy is a collection of short stories from bestselling author Joyce Carol Oates, and let me just tell you that the title lives up to the description! This is classic JCO writing at her best. You can read my full review here: https://thereadingwife.com/the-frenzy/
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Definitely Joyce Carol Oates! Love her style, but these short stories were not comparable to her novels for me. 4/10.
Thank you very much to NetGalley and Random House for the advanced reader’s copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.
Thank you very much to NetGalley and Random House for the advanced reader’s copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.
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Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
I had a bit of a hard time getting into these stories at first. But the writing style is very unique, you can immediately tell it's Joyce Carol Oates. Some stories are interesting and make you feel or think, especially the ones about emotions and difficult choices, but others feel confusing. I liked some of them, but not all. Still, the ideas are strong and the vibes is memorable. Iit's okay, but not my favorite.
Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews