Strip Mauled (2009) is the second fantasy anthology in the Supernatural Suburbia series, following
Witch Way to the Mall. It contains twenty original stories, an introduction and an afterword.
Leader of the Pack by Esther M. Friesner is an introduction to this work. Although not really fiction, it does set the stage for what follows. Prepare yourself for a few puns and lots of fun.
Howl! by Jody Lynn Nye exposes a Customs agent to lycanthropy.
Special Needs by K. D. Wentworth introduces a Cub Scout den to a new -- and unexpected -- member.
Fish Story by Tracy S. Morris confronts a writer and her werewolf friend with a water hazard.
Blame It on the Moonlight by Tim Waggoner depicts the meeting of a werewolf and a new woman in the neighborhood.
Imaginary Fiend by Lucienne Diver divulges the case of the cop and an invisible creature.
Neighborhood Bark-B-Q by Daniel M. Hoyt recounts the weird experiences that happen to a computer programmer at a new job.
That Time of Month by Laura J, Underwood examines some difficulties of living next door to country werewolves.
Pack Intern by Berry Kercheval tells of a novice witch getting a job with mall security.
Support Your Local Werewolf by Karen Everson involves a teenage werewolf in an abduction.
Isn't That Special by Esther M. Friesner presents a suburban control freak with a werewolf problem.
Prowling for Love by Linda L. Donahue takes an unmarried werewolf to a furry convention.
Lighter Than Were by Robert Hoyt considers the costs and advantages of technology.
Enforcement Claws by Steven Piziks provokes the chairperson of the Home Owners Association with alternative points of view.
Where-Wolf by Selina Rosen changes the attitude of a teenager manning a suicide hotline.
Overnight Moon by David D, Levine puts a teenage witch into a strange role.
Wolfy Ladies by Dave Freer considers the case of a missing magician and shape-shifter.
Frijoles for Fenris by Kevin Andrew Murphy explains the aftereffects of magic beans within a werewolf fraternity.
The Case of the Driving Poodle by Sarah A. Hoyt illustrates the frustrations of an assistant to a psychic investigator searching for a missing man.
Meet the Harrys by Robin Wayne Bailey discloses the secrets of the Harry family.
The Creature in Your Neighborhood by Jim C. Hines is probably the last episode of the popular TV show Imaginationville. What! You never saw it?
About the Editor by Esther M. Friesner is a plug for the creator of this series.
These stories -- like The Chicks in Chainmail series -- has a large overlap in the authors. Twelve of these authors also appeared in the previous volume. And a third Hoyt is present in this work with a little tale of mall maintenance and werewolves.
If you are a werewolf -- or would like to be -- then study this book. You probably never knew all the problems you could have in addition to getting a little furry around the full moon. Read and enjoy!
Recommended for Friesner fans and for anyone who enjoys tales of preternatural creatures, suburban intrigue, and furry humor.
-Arthur W. Jordin
