This is The Writer's Voice, new fiction from The New Yorker.

I'm Debra Triesman, fiction editor at The New Yorker.

On this episode of The Writer's Voice, we'll hear Imbala Mbueh, read her story, the

case four and against love potions, from the March 22nd, 2021 issue of the magazine.

Mbueh is the author of two novels, behold the dreamers which won the Penn Falconer Award

for fiction and how beautiful we were, which was published this month.

Now here is Imbala Mbueh.

The case four and against love potions.

You love someone, someone loves you not.

What to do besides find someone else to love, wish by the way it's not easy.

Ah my dear young friend, I'm so glad you came to me for advice.

A quack mire of this nature requires the wisest of minds to resolve.

Clearly, you recognize what the most sagacious man in this part of the country is.

As you know, there are a million and three solutions to this problem, virtually none of

which have a great success rate.

I imagine you tried at least 28 of them before coming to see me today.

Am I correct?

No.

You tried only four.

It doesn't matter.

You hear and I have the best advice for you.

Love potions.

...