Akino, Matsuri. Pet shop of horrors. Tokyopop. 192p

Kliatt, Jan, 2005 by George Galuschak

AKINO, Matsuri. Pet shop of horrors. (Vol. 8.) Tokyopop. 192p. illus, c2004. 1591825059. SA $9.99. SA

Pet Shop of Horrors." Volume 8 continues the adventures of Count D, the proprietor of a pet shop in Chinatown that offers a number of exotic animals for sale. How exotic? Well, this volume features a mermaid, a nine-tailed fox, and a race of bunny rabbits that live on the Moon. Seekers flock to Chinatown in search of the pet of their dreams, and Count D is, as always, the perfect host. Too bad the same can't be said about Detective Orcot, the tough-as-nails homicide detective who believes Count D responsible for a rash of unsolved murders in the area. Instead of arresting the Count, Detective Orcot drops by his shop a lot, and he and the Count have formed a strange, inexplicable relationship that is one of the hidden jokes of this manga. In the first story Count D and Detective Orcot, on vacation together, meet an old sailor who has been hunting a mermaid for 50 years. In the second story, the Count sells a bickering family that can't agree on anything a pet they all love: it has a different appearance for each family member.

Pet Shop of Horrors: Volume 8 is a fine addition to a well-written horror manga series. There are basically two types of stories: 1) the customer ignores the Count's instructions for his or her pet's care, and disaster ensues; 2) the pet extricates its hapless master from some terrible jam. The stories usually feature some sort of surprise or plot twist, and thus are not predictable. Unfortunately, bad language (including the F-bomb) makes this unsuitable for younger readers. Recommended for libraries with manga collections that cater to older readers. George Galuschak, YA Libn., Montvale P.L., Montvale, NJ

S--Recommended for senior high school students.

A--Recommended for advanced students and adults. This code will help librarians and teachers working in high schools where there are honors and advanced placement students. This also will help extend KLIATT's usefulness in public libraries.