Whether it’s a forbidden glimpse of flesh or an orgiastic feast, you will find it in the pages of Peep Show: Erotic Tales of Voyeurs and Exhibitionists. Edited by the esteemed Rachel Kramer Bussel, this collection of stories is filled with every naughty combination of lovers watching and being watched. Ms. Bussel has a knack for choosing the finest in contemporary erotica, and Peep Show is no exception. The collection includes stories by veteran erotic authors such as Susan St. Aubin, Cheyenne Blue and Donna George Storey, but there are also stories from some new voices in the genre.
In “Sleeping Beauty,” newcomer Malcolm Ross takes the reader into the fantasy of a man who likes to watch his naked wife while she sleeps. There is something both kinky and innocent in his watching and the story rings with delicious authenticity. Similarly authentic is Craig J. Sorensen’s “Ownership,” in which a young soldier who has been abstinent too long shares a bed with a virgin who won’t let him get past second base. His longing and loneliness are almost palpable as he walks the fine line between doing what he wants and doing what’s right.
The themes of voyeurism and exhibitionism are explored in a variety of fresh ways in this collection. Lolita Lopez’s “Indecent” offers a clever twist on the overdone college-coed-turned-stripper. Here, the college coed daringly strips at various spots around campus for an underground—and increasingly large—audience. In “Clean and Pretty,” Japanophile Donna George Storey’s creates a unusual club where the act of bathing becomes an art of erotic exhibitionism. Storey never fails to entertains readers with her unique perspective and elevates the peeping tom story to a mutual fantasy for sex worker and client.
Paying homage to the pinup girls of the 1950s, Angela Caperton crafts a sweet and sexy tale in “Calendar Girl.” Her protagonist discovers the power and lure of sexuality in a pinup calendar and goes a step further to become a “pinup” herself, thanks to a willing photographer. Kissa Starling gives a unique spin to the ever popular theme of sex in a movie theater in “Busted.” Instead of attempting to avoid detection, her wanton couple gets off on performing—and inspiring—another couple. The story is fun and daring and perhaps enough to inspire a few readers, despite the title.
In Peep Show Rachel Kramer Bussel has selected stories that complement and flow naturally into each other. Beyond the shared theme, many of the stories share similar imagery (costumes, glass, mirrors, light) that makes them feel like part of a whole. Likewise, the stories consistently explore the voyeuristic and exhibitionistic tendencies of people in a way that feels empowering. There truly is something for everyone here—with scenarios as varied and creative as the authors who wrote them. The anthology achieves an erotic balance between watching and being watched that lets the reader slip onto the stage or into the audience, guaranteed that the show will be exciting from both angles.
Peep Show: Tales of Voyeurs and Exhibitionists
(Cleis Press, November 2009; ISBN-10: 045122230X)
Available at: Amazon | Barnes & Noble
© 2009 Kristina Wright. All rights reserved.
