The Dog Husband

by Rose McDonagh

On a small Scottish island, a woman believes that her dead husband has come back to her as a dog. In the suburbs of a city, a judge is haunted by the shade of a man he has recently sent to prison. On a remote caravan site, a group of strangers prepare for the end of the world.

These stories uncover the uncanny and the mysterious within everyday life. Moving from Scottish towns and cities to wild highland landscapes, The Dog Husband explores the boggy ground between reason and unreason, playing with questions of superstition, faith, madness and desire.

Praise for The Dog Husband

Rose McDonagh’s spellbinding debut collection is full of vulnerable creatures often forced into dangerous proximity in transient spaces. Meanwhile, the non-human world presses down upon them, with some spine-tingling supernatural elements and a rich supporting cast of wildlife adding depth and tension to the cool, clear, compelling prose. A book of haunting power by a startling new talent. Recommended.
—David Swann, author of Season of Bright Sorrow

A stunning debut from a hugely talented writer. Each story in this collection is utterly brilliant, moving, funny, beautifully poetic, and deeply eerie.
—Devika Ponnambalam, author of I Am Not Your Eve

Genres: Short Stories

186 pages, Kindle Edition

Published August 30, 2022

Reviews

[Douglas · Rating 5 out of 5]

‘The Dog Husband’ is a wonderful debut collection of stories from Rose McDonagh. I read them and sometimes the tension, the sense that something was seriously wrong and about to explode, was so carefully maintained that I was on the edge of my seat. The writing is so good, too – so clever and so clear and so sharp. In ‘Verdict’ I was so gripped I could not put the book down, literally could not put it down; the story leaves you hanging and unsure about the reality of what has been told; so many of these stories play within that space: the unreal versus the real. McDonagh’s characters are so well drawn and rounded and this makes what they see/feel/experience so visceral even when what we are witnessing might be nothing more than an hallucination. I loved ‘Pipistrelle’ which is a fictional introduction to a book of that name and (as with so many of these stories) there is so much in it that it could be more than it is – a novel even! I understand that McDonagh is currently working on a novel. I, for one, can’t wait because on the strength of this collection of stories the novel will be brilliant.

[Christopher Walker · Rating 4 out of 5]

An atmospheric collection of short stories - the sense of something being inexplicably wrong is common throughout. Some stories don't have the traditional beginning-middle-end structure that many readers will like - you might find yourself wanting more in a few cases. 'Pipistrelle', an introduction to a book that doesn't exist, is a personal favourite.

[Sam Tapp · Rating 5 out of 5]

Spotted this on a recent trip to Edinburgh in a small indie bookstore that had it in their “New Favourite Fiction” display, and I must say its inclusion was warranted!
The eeriness of the stories meant the entire read was on the edge of my seat and every one held me wholly captive until its end. The Mute Swan leads from the front and was a personal favourite, setting the tone of the book perfectly, but the rest are by no means found wanting.

[Clare · Rating 4 out of 5]

A collection of beautifully written stories with a strong sense of unease. I was left wanting more from some of them - sometimes frustratedly so - but I think that was a deliberate ploy. Often just a reflection of how absorbing the story was.

[Nichole Beauchamp · Rating 3 out of 5]

Found many of the endings unsatisfying. Loved Verdict, The caravan site and The Owlets.