In a Bear's Eye

In 24 brief, impressionistic tales, Murphy delivers an emotional wallop. The title story concerns a widow and her young son attempting to carry on after the suicide of the husband and father, and finding a watchful bear's presence near their house more protective than menacing. Pan, pan, pan, one of the longer stories, is named for the urgency call emitted by a plane that crashes near a lake where a family of three along with the brother-in-law is vacationing.