Bes ti ar y (bes' che er e) n. a medieval book combining descriptions of real or mythical animals with fables designed to teach a lesson.

Told in the medieval form of the bestiary, this is the story of a contemporary American woman tormented by a pack of Doberman pinschers that invade her home. The dogs alternate between being brutal attack animals and loyal companions. The story spirals to a harrowing climax as the dogs' torment forces her to take irrevocable action.

Praise for Rebecca Brown–

"A snarling attack on the fairytale form. A good girl's fears of inadequacy materialize as a pack of vicious dogs. –Publishers Weekly

"I read everything Rebecca Brown writes, watch for her books and hunt down her short stories. She is simply one of the best contemporary lesbian writers around. - Dorothy Allison

"A strange and wonderful first-person voice emerges from the stories of Rebecca Brown, who strips her language of convention to lay bare the ferocious rituals of love and need. –The New York Times

"Using unsentimental language that slices, pries and exposes layers of emotion and sexuality as a scalpel does a body, Brown veers into the uncharted territory." - The San Francisco Chronicle

"A dry, witty, graceful–if savage–gift." –Mary Gaitskill