Mapping the Interior by Stephen Graham Jones

 

This "brilliant" (NYT) and Bram Stoker Award-winning novella opens with twelve-year-old Junior wide-eyed at his father's surprise visit to the family home late one night and increasingly desperate to make him part of their family again. The only problem, of course, is that Dad drowned eight years ago. When it's revealed that the cost of new life is far too high a price, Junior fiercely protects his mom and younger brother Dino, battling generational trauma and societal inequity alongside the supernatural. 

Walking through his own house at night, a young boy thinks he sees another person stepping through a doorway. The figure reminds him of his long-dead father, who drowned mysteriously before his family left the reservation. When he follows it, he discovers his house is bigger and deeper than he ever knew.

The house is the kind of wrong place where you can lose yourself and find things you'd rather not have. Over the course of a few nights, the boy tries to map out his house in an effort that puts his younger brother in the worst danger, and puts him in the position to save them . . . at a terrible cost.

"You can leave the reservation, but your income level will still land you in a reservation house, won't it?"

After the death of his father, Junior, his little brother Dino, and their mom have left the reservation. They've moved into a small rented modular home. 

Junior is a sleepwalker, and Dino has some learning disabilities that attract bullies, but Junior protects him as best he can.

"I was twelve the first time I saw my dead father cross from the kitchen doorway to the hall that led back to the utility room."

Mapping the Interior is a coming-of-age tale with a touch of grief and a generous serving of terror. When Junior first spots what he believes is his dead father, he takes it as a favorable sign of healing for his family. I was emotionally invested in that hope as well. I read this novella in one sitting because there was no way I was going to be able to function without knowing how Junior's dad died and whether this manifestation was good or evil. After racing through to the end, I was sorry that it was over. That's how much I was enjoying it. 

My thanks to Tor Nightfire for the paperback.

About the author

Get a copy

Monster Bones edited by Stephanie Ellis and Noel Osualdini

 

Since time immemorial, humans have feared monsters. Whether they be real or imagined, stories of their existence have been told and retold, becoming either legend or urban myth.

Within the pages of Monster Bones are to be found the horrors that haunt the evil spirit, the revenant, the occult—creatures of different cultures who know no borders—as well as the monster made within ourselves. The rusalka who lurks in the water, the ghûl lurking in the graveyard, the cannibal skeleton, the geung-si, the anchimayen... the human. These are the monsters who seek to feed on us, suck the marrow from light and life.

But you can arm yourself against them, read their stories and learn from those who have gone before. You never know, it might save you one day. So, crack the spine, turn the page and dig in to Monster Bones...

Including stories and poems by Gwendolyn Kiste, David Wellington, Ben Monroe, Lisa Morton, Stephanie M. Wytovich, Maxwell I. Gold, Theresa Matsuura, Cindy O’Quinn, F. Paul Wilson, Stephanie Ellis, Joe R Lansdale, Kasey Jo Lansdale and Keith Lansdale, Eugen Bacon, Linda D. Addison, Lucy Taylor and Ai Jiang.

Published as a paperback and ebook

Features no fewer than 10 pieces of commissioned artwork from the award winning Luke Spooner.

A portion of the proceeds will be donated to the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI).

Monster Bones contains a smorgasbord of stories, poems, and artwork that serve up a satisfying meal for any horror lover's appetite. Some have been previously published, but all were new to me. I did wonder why “The Companion” seemed so familiar to me even though I am positive I never read it before. Then I realized it had been turned into one of my favorite episodes of Creepshow a few years back. It was a treat to read it here.

There are familiar monsters including vampires and ghouls, and more unusual but no less deadly beings that I had never heard of such as the rusalka, a terrifying creature of Slavic folklore.

Gorgeous artwork and a slew of monsters from around the globe make this a fun and freaky read.

My thanks to Cemetery Dance Publications for the e-ARC

Get a copy

Urban Legends: Three New Tales of Terror (Dark Tide 20)

 

Dark Tide 20 takes you on a terrifying journey through some of the most unsettling myths and folklore, where terror lurks in the shadows and urban legends come alive in the most horrific ways. Prepare for twists, fear, and truths you may not want to know.

“Knock on Wood” by Leigh Kenny: If he knocks, it’s too late. He’s already inside. 

The house on Hawthorne Avenue has an unfortunate past. The adults think it's just bad luck. The kids believe it's something worse. Sometimes truth is scarier than legend.

“Nesting” by Dan Franklin: Amanda can’t shake the idea that her newborn baby isn’t hers…and maybe isn’t a baby at all.

Not even one full day postpartum, and Amanda can’t shake the certainty that the baby isn’t hers. The charts say he is, the nurses and doctor all agree, but in her heart she can’t help but know better. His hair is wrong. He doesn’t quite smell right…and he has a tooth.

“Poltergeist Password” by Nick Roberts: “Have you heard of Poltergeist Password?

A reporter presents the unedited transcript of the final episode of the Broadcasts from the Grave podcast in which three hosts test an urban legend known as “Poltergeist Password.” Whether it’s real or an elaborate hoax, three people remain missing. You be the judge. 

Urban Legends contains a trio of chilling tales from three authors who understood the assignment to bring on the scares.

First up, Knock on Wood by Leigh Kenny revisits the childhood fear of monsters in the closet. It begins in an asylum, which holds a man accused of killing his family. But did he really do it or is Mr. Upside Down to blame? When a new family moves into the murder house, they will find the answer. This is one to read in the light of day, especially if you live in a house with wood that creaks or pipes that knock. For reasons unknown to me, my freezer sometimes makes a knocking noise and I about jumped out of my skin when it happened while reading this story. 

 Maybe poor Amanda is just overly stressed out in Nesting by Dan Franklin.  There is nothing I love more in horror than creepy kids. Lets face it, kids are scary anyway. But is there a Changeling?  Amanda has always wanted to be a mother. It's what she dreamed of from the time she was a little girl. All she ever wanted was a baby. Now at last, she has one. But is it really hers? Things get creepy from the moment she is dropped off alone at the hospital door to give birth, and a pervasive sense of unease turns to all-out terror once she brings her baby home.

Last but not least is Poltergeist Password by Nick Roberts, about the mystery of three missing persons who were never seen again after their final podcast. At first it seems like a silly bit of fun. They decide to live broadcast themselves taking part in the legend of Poltergeist Password, a ritual that is alleged to summon poltergeists to manifest. What could go wrong? Was it all an elaborate hoax? A reporter presents the full transcript of that final terrifying night, and I felt like I witnessed it live.

5 out of 5 stars

My thanks to Crystal Lake Publishing.

Get a copy

Our Last Wild Days by Anna Bailey

The Labasques aren’t like other families.

Living in a shack out in the swamps, they made do by hunting down alligators and other animals. To the good people of Jacknife, Louisiana, they are troublemakers and outcasts, the kind of people you wouldn’t want in your community.

So, when Cutter Labasque is found face down in the muddy swamp, no one seems to care, not even her two brothers. The only person who questions the official verdict of suicide is Cutter’s childhood friend, Loyal May, who has just returned home to care for her mother. When she left town at eighteen years old, she betrayed Cutter. Now with a ragtag group from the local paper where she works, Loyal goes in search of answers, uncovering a web of deceit and corruption that implicates those in town. It may be too late to apologize to Cutter, but Loyal has restitution in mind.

Weaving through the swamps and bayous of rural Louisiana, Our Last Wild Days is an atmospheric, smoldering suspense about our darker impulses—and how to set things right.

A reporter returns to her childhood home in Jacknife, Louisiana, to care for her mother. Word around town is that she's gone crazy. People like to gossip in Jacknife, and they all have their opinions, but not many are interested in talking when a body is found face down in the swamp. Most chalk it up to a girl who lived a rough life and died the way that she lived. 

"Some people go through life like broken bones that haven't been properly set, never really getting better, just slowly racking up damage for later down the line."

Our Last Wild Days pulls the reader deep into the mosquito-infested swampland of Louisiana, where hunting alligators or choking on fumes from the factory can mean the difference between a meager existence and starvation. Evocative prose, intriguing characters, and intense situations kept me glued to the pages. 

5 out of 5 stars

My thanks to Atria Books

Available for pre-order

 

The Staircase in the Woods by Chuck Wendig

 A group of friends investigates the mystery of a strange staircase in the woods in this mesmerizing horror novel from the New York Times bestselling author of The Book of Accidents.

Five high school friends are bonded by an oath to protect one another no matter what.

Then, on a camping trip in the middle of the forest, they find something a mysterious staircase to nowhere.

One friend walks up—and never comes back down. Then the staircase disappears.

Twenty years later, the staircase has reappeared. Now the group returns to find the lost boy—and what lies beyond the staircase in the woods. . . .

This gorgeous cover and the description pulled me in. I was so excited to read this book, having loved the author's previous works, especially Book of Accidents.

Years ago, five high school friends went to party in the woods and only four returned. Now, years later, those remaining four have drifted apart, but are called back together when an email from one of them says he is dying.

All of these characters are both more and less than they seem. Those who appear weak have a hidden strength. Those who appear to have it all together don't. Secrets and past traumas are revealed.

I was prepared to love all over this book! Unfortunately, even though it reminded me a great deal of that tv show "Channel Zero" specifically the seasons of No End House, and Butcher's Block with the staircase in the woods I struggled to stay interested. I didn't like any of the characters, although I did have some empathy for Owen who is dealing with OCD among other things. As many times as they invoked their commitment to stay together and support each other the characters did not appear to like each other any more than I liked them. After what felt like a very long read, the ending, when it finally arrived, left me unsatisfied. You may enjoy it more than I did, but it was just not for me.

2.5 out of 5 stars

My thanks to Del Rey for the e-ARC

Get a copy

About the author

The Ghost Woods by C.J. Cooke

In the midst of the woods stands a house called Lichen Hall.

This place is shrouded in folklore—old stories of ghosts, of witches, of a child who was not quite a child.

Now the woods are creeping closer, and something has been unleashed.

Pearl Gorham arrives in 1965, one of a string of young women sent to Lichen Hall to give birth. And she soon suspects the proprietors are hiding something.

Then she meets the mysterious mother and young boy who live in the grounds—and together they begin to unpick the secrets of this place.

As the truth comes to the surface and the darkness moves in, Pearl must rethink everything she knew—and risk what she holds most dear.

 

Ghost Woods is told from two points of view, on two timelines that eventually converge since they are less than a decade apart, from 1959 to the mid-1960s.

It begins with a folk tale of a girl who fell asleep in the wood where the trees were so old that their trunks had whitened, and awoke pregnant with a child that wasn't human. It is on the grounds of these Ghost Woods that later become Lichen Hall, owned by a couple surrounded by rumors of a dead son they stole from the morgue, where Mabel is sent to give birth.

Mabel is a young woman who believes ghosts live under her skin. She is shocked to be told that she is pregnant since she has never been with any man. She has never been away from home, and it is unfortunate that Lichen Hall is her first experience. 

A few years later Pearl is also sent to this home. She had been a nurse but lost her job when she got pregnant in the days when it was considered shameful to be pregnant outside of marriage. The home is in a state of disrepair, with mold and mushrooms growing in much of the house. Mrs. Whitlock, the owner of the house is sometimes pleasant and other times cruel, giving an unsettling feeling of never knowing what to expect.

I loved the majority of this book. I had a lot of sympathy for both Mabel and Pearl and I loved to hate the mean girls who were there when Mabel first arrived. If I had any issue, it would just be one line concerning female anatomy that I am certain every nurse and hopefully all women will know was mis-stated. Situations grow more ominous as the pregnancies progress in this historical gothic horror. The pacing gathers speed as the timelines converge, and the sense of imminent danger for all of the remaining women in the home is constant. 

4 out of 5 stars

My thanks to Berkley Publishing for the e-ARC.

Get a copy

About the author

What Swallows the Light: Alien Horror Novellas

Three stories. One terrifying we are not alone!

Suffocating Skies by John

Working Thanksgiving was supposed to be an escape for Carrie Richardson—a shift at Sinclair Pharmaceuticals meant avoiding her abusive boyfriend. But when the sky darkens and the office goes silent, escape becomes a trap. Whispers slither through the air, colleagues freeze in eerie trances, and something hungry moves unseen in the halls. As reality unravels and terror closes in, Carrie must uncover the truth hidden within Sinclair’s walls—before it suffocates her.

We Were Who We Were by Gage

Sometimes it looks like an accident, until you discover who is really pulling the strings.

When Tess visits the man who killed her brother in a drunk driving accident, she discovers the facts were not as they appeared to be, and someone else may have been involved. Her investigation brings her down a path of horror, lies, secrets, and a mysterious figure who haunted her brother for years.

Dark Matter Dreams by Andrew Van

An alien vessel powered by dreams. A human nightmare on board.

For millennia, the Grays have visited earth, seeing humans as simple and safe. They were wrong.

Aboard their living, star-spanning vessel, a forgotten horror awakens. Born of primal fear, stalking humanity since the dawn of time. Watching and waiting. Hungry to twist our desires against us.

As reality warps and crew members succumb, researcher Jin'qua-33 must forge an unlikely alliance with those he once abducted. Because there is something worse in the darkness than the aliens looking down. There is an unrelenting nightmare that will fill the cosmos with screams.

Proudly represented by Crystal Lake Publishing—Where Stories Come Alive!

Dark Tide 19 : What Swallows The Light contains 3 out of this world Novellas.

I usually stay away from stories about aliens and outer space but the thought of alien "horror" was intriguing and I'm glad I gave it a chance.

First up is Suffocating Skies by John Durgin

It's Thanksgiving day and a group of disgruntled coworkers have been ordered to work a shift at Sinclair Pharmaceuticals. The janitor is the first to see it out the window. Something dark and deadly has arrived to claim what should never have been hidden there in the first place. This will be a holiday they remember for the rest of their lives, however short that may be! This was a suspenseful and gory read.

Next is We Were Who We Were by Gage Greenwood

As Tess confronts the man who killed her brother in a drunk driving accident, she recalls their childhood together and the way he changed after the night of the mysterious blue light that he so wanted her to see. He was never the same after that, and her grief and guilt haunts her. Sometimes the truth is best left buried. This was my favorite novella in the book. It's dark and terrifying.

Dark Matter Dreams by Andrew Van Wey was more Sci Fi  than horror, and although it is a well written story I am just not the target audience for this type. 

My thanks to Crystal Lake Publishing for the e-ARC

Get a copy

 

When the Wolf Comes Home by Nat Cassidy

 One night, Jess, a struggling actress, finds a five-year-old runaway hiding in the bushes outside her apartment. After a violent, bloody encounter with the boy's father, she and the boy find themselves running for their lives.

As they attempt to evade the boy's increasingly desperate father, horrifying incidents of butchery follow them. At first, Jess thinks she understands what they're up against, but she's about to learn there's more to these surreal and grisly events than she could've ever imagined.

And that when the wolf finally comes home, none will be spared.

Jess is a struggling actress working a thankless graveyard shift job while hoping her next audition pays off. I liked her a lot. She has been through some emotional family turmoil, but hasn't let it change her goals. She doesn't have much in the way of friend or family support, but she just keeps on keeping on. 

Her plans are interrupted when she hears a whimpering in the bushes outside of her apartment complex. What follows is a night of murderous mayhem that has her and a strange little boy embarking on a road trip that leaves a slew of mutilated bodies in their wake.

If the title or cover has you expecting just another werewolf story, you are in for a shock.

At some time or other, you will have heard or read the positive affirmation that if you can dream it you can be it.

Well, what if what you dream or see is terrifying? What if you don't want to be it, or be part of it, or bring it into reality? Not so positive now is it? What if everything you fear becomes reality?

That's all I will say about the plot so as not to spoil anything for you. I went into this blind, and for maximum enjoyment so should you.

Part survival horror, part secret government agency, a bit of humor and loads of gore made this a fun, even if over the top crazy read.

My thanks to Tor Nightfire for the e-ARC

Get a copy

About the author

Monsters Monsters Monsters Monsters Edited by Xtina Marie

 

HellBound Books pays loving homage to the spine-tingling 70’s kids’ anthology Monsters, Monsters, Monsters, without which they would not be around today to delight horror fans with these 17 deliciously gruesome tales.

Dig into this slew of unique, terrifying monsters—each one hand-picked for your deplorably horrific delight.

Vampires, genetically engineered animal-people, giant spiders, ghouls—and more than a handful of the absolutely worst monsters of them all: the human variety—are brought to you by some of the biggest and best horror names in the indie world today!

Featuring monstrous stories by Jeff Strand, P. Mattern, Gerri R. Gray, Ksenia Murray, Cayce Osborne, Mark Wheaton, Richard Clive, Tom Vandermolen, Chris Preston, Jeff Oliver, Scotty Milder, Carson Demmans, Jane Nightshade, Douglas Ford, Alexander C. Bailey, Ricki Whatley, and Krissy Eliot, this is a collection not to be passed by!

This monster-sized anthology holds a mix of the creepy, humorous, and satirical. 

In a few of my favorites...

A bride learns her husband's secret on their wedding day and it's not just about the women in his past.

A boy develops a long-lasting relationship with a spider.

A Halloween party in a hospital with deadly costumes.

A boy loses his mask after trick or treating at the attractive new neighbor's house.

A runaway hitches a ride with unusual circus performers.

While I can not say I loved every story, I can say that whether you are looking for a scare or a giggle there is something here for you.

3 out of 5 stars

My thanks to Hellbound Books Publishing.

Get a copy

Scurry by Seann Barbour

Catty Hammond isn't like other girls; she can talk to roaches.

It's not a gift she ever wanted or asked for, but ever since she was a child, it's marked her as different. And in the suburb of Hilly Green, different is just about the worst thing a person can be. After a lifetime as a social pariah—culminating a bloody and terrifying encounter with a deranged murderer—Catty left suburbia and never looked back.

A decade has passed since then, but now a call from her sick mother brings Catty home. Not much has changed in Hilly the houses are still beautiful, the lawns are still immaculate, the people still smile and gossip and quietly judge their neighbors...

...and the serial killer Catty narrowly escaped from all those years ago is still there, watching her.

He has his own gifts. He has his own pride.

And he has no intention of letting the Roach Girl slip through his fingers once more.

 

Catty Hammond grew up as an outcast in her perfect little neighborhood. Bullied in school and belittled by her mother. Her only companions were the roaches she felt an affinity with. It wasn't until high school that she finally found a small group of human friends who didn't look down on her, as they too were considered the freaks and unwelcome weirdos. 

As the prospect of college approaches, the friends plan one last childish adventure before they go their separate ways into adulthood. It will be the last thing they ever do together, not because of their educational goals, but because Catty is the only survivor that night from an attack by a serial killer.

Years later, when Catty returns to her childhood home at the demand of her ailing mother, who needs someone to take care of her, the killer has still never been caught. 

I was already captivated by this book long before the college years approached. I love a good coming of age tale and I was rooting for Catty to find her way in a world that is not kind to people who don't fit the mold. Adding a serial killer, and seeing how life turned out for Catty and one of her bullies as adults, was the icing on the cake of this well-written plot.

5 out of 5 stars

My thanks to Seann Barbour

Get a copy

Nerve Endings by Kealan Patrick Burke

 

From the Bram Stoker Award-winning author of THE TURTLE BOY, KIN, and SOUR CANDY, comes a collection of eleven stories designed to shred your nerves.

You can tell yourself that sound you heard outside the house on Halloween night was nothing. You can pretend you didn’t see that awful thing in the middle of the road while you were jogging. You can even ignore the old man sitting in the yard who claims he must keep watch on a door that nobody else can see. And you can act like you don’t know what lurks in that long-forgotten pool hidden away behind your neighborhood.

But true horror cannot be ignored.

From the nightmare of addiction and the throes of grief-induced insanity, to an app designed to cure your phobias, and a musician who can cast you into hell by simply playing a song, herein you’ll find a menagerie of malevolent tales to chill the blood and expose the kind of terrors that will strip away your comfort and drag their splintered nails along your NERVE ENDINGS.

Featuring an introduction and story notes by the author.

This is a creepy collection, and aptly titled since these dark and distressing stories fried my nerves. In the best ways of course. Some of my favorites were :

Distinguishing Features- After a breakup, a man suffers a series of bizarre experiences that he hopes are merely an elaborate hoax. This was a tense and chilling tale.

The Second Hand- A man recounts the summer of 1989 when his childhood friend disappeared. What feels almost like a charming coming of age tale set in my favorite decade, turns terrifying.

Attaboy- This story is heavy with grief, regret, loss and loneliness. Maybe a touch of the Tell-Tale Heart too.

Reclamation- The day in the life of a hard working housekeeper takes a deadly turn.

I used to live here- On a cold winter day in 1981 an act of kindness proves the old saying that no good deed goes unpunished.

The App- in which a woman tries to cure herself of anxiety and crippling fears by way of a helpful app on her phone. We've all seen them. Free or low cost apps that promise weight loss, relaxation, or a better night's sleep. Maybe you've wondered what there is to lose by giving it a try. Here's the answer.

Let The Dark Do The Rest-It's an hour before midnight on Halloween and a man spends a terrifying evening alone while waiting for his wife to come home. What's really out there waiting for us all in the dark?

All the stories were excellent! These are just the ones that stick in my mind the most.

 There is nothing I enjoy more than a well-crafted horror story, except for an entire collection full of them, and that is what I found here in Nerve Endings.

5 out of 5 stars

Get a copy

About the author

A Graveside Gallery: Tales of Ghosts and Dark Matters by Eric J. Guignard

From hauntings and oblivion to monsters, murder, and anthropomorphism, A Graveside Gallery: Tales of Ghosts and Dark Matters, by award-winning author Eric J. Guignard, explores the literary odd and macabre that reside in the vast shadows of our existence.

In "A Kingdom of Skulls and Marigolds," a gay Hispanic teen in 1950s Los Angeles, mourning the loss of a friend, has a chance to make amends during Day of the Dead.

In "Bummin' to the Beat of the Road," a Beat-era youth leaves home to travel the land, only to find madness, murder, and the teeth of a new generation.

In "The Ascending Lights of Yu Lan," an embittered sailor in 1917's San Francisco Wharf encounters an immigrant from China who offers peace from ghosts.

In "Perchance to Dream in Voices of a Fiend," an intimate epilogue is suggested to the famous novel Frankenstein, offering a more hopeful closure to the characters' lives.

...and fifteen masterful others.

Visit Eric J. Guignard's second collection and behold that which is captivating, startling, and darkly enriching.

 A Graveside Gallery holds an eclectic mix of stories including historical horror, supernatural creatures, ghosts and more in this broad-ranging collection.

It kicks off with a good old fashioned ghost story before moving on to the darker and more macabre tales.  In a few of my favorites, a man tries to make his way home in a self-driving car, A murderer has a strange encounter when he hitches a ride after killing his parents, and an early morning phone call shatters a woman's very existence. Two friends take an unfortunate shortcut on their road trip to purchase antiques. A blind man is suddenly plagued with the miracle of sight, A fortune teller stops for gas at a run-down tourist attraction, and a church full of serpent handlers are introduced to a new kind of snake to worship.

There is something for everyone in this collection whether you are in the mood for a futuristic tale, modern horror, or a trip into the past. A Graveside Gallery offers up a smorgasbord of unnerving and unsettling tales that belong on every horror lover's shelf.

My thanks to Eric Guignard

Get a copy

About the author

The Night Birds by Christopher Golden

 Charlie Book and Ruby Cahill have history. After their love ended in heartbreak years ago, they never expected to see each other again.

Now, as part of his work for the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, Book lives aboard the Christabel, a 19th century freighter half-sunken off the shore of Galveston. Over many years, a massive forest of mangrove trees has grown up through the deck of the ship, creating a startlingly beautiful enigma Book calls the Floating Forest. As a powerful storm churns through the Gulf, he intends to sleep on board as usual.

But when he arrives at the dock, he’s stunned to find Ruby there waiting for him. And she’s not alone. With her are a mysterious woman and her infant child, asking Book to hide them safely aboard the Christabel while they're on the run. Only it isn’t the police who are after them, it’s a coven of witches the woman, Mae, has fled, stealing away the helpless infant for whom the coven had hideous plans…or so Mae claims.

It’s lunacy and Book wants nothing to do with it. But after the way he and Ruby ended things, and the unspoken pain between them, he can’t refuse. Yet even as he brings them out to the ruined ship and its floating forest, there are shadowed figures looming back in Galveston, waiting out the storm. And despite the worsening wind and rain, the night birds are flying, scouring the coastline for their prey.

The Night Birds is a supernatural thriller set in a raging storm on a half-sunken 19th-century freighter. Top that for atmosphere! 

Ruby is home alone when a strange woman carrying a baby practically bursts through her door with an incredible story and a plea for help. She finds it all beyond belief until she is confronted with the terrifying proof.

Charlie is preparing to ride out the storm alone when Ruby shows up. He has not seen or spoken to her since their painful break-up, but even though she won't answer his questions he doesn't turn her away when she needs a place to hide. Hide from what, you ask? The coven that wants to sacrifice the baby so that the Ur-witch (the original witch who is the reason stories of witchcraft are told) can be permanently resurrected.

I love folklore and folk horror so resurrecting some old world legends in the modern day was a hit with me. True love, fractured family bonds, partial revelations and broken hearts ratcheted up the tension in between the terror and kept me engaged with the characters.

My thanks to St. Martin's Press for the e-ARC.

About the author

Get a copy

Senseless by Ronald Malfi

What do you see...?

When the mutilated body of a young woman is discovered in the desert on the outskirts of Los Angeles, the detective assigned to the case can't deny the similarities between this murder and one that occurred a year prior. Media outlets are quick to surmise this is the work of a budding serial killer, but Detective Bill Renney is struggling with an altogether different a secret that keeps him tethered to the husband of the first victim.

What do you hear...?

Maureen Park, newly engaged to Hollywood producer Greg Dawson, finds her engagement party crashed by the arrival of Landon, Greg’s son. A darkly unsettling young man, Landon invades Maureen’s new existence, and the longer he stays, the more convinced she becomes that he may have something to do with the recent murder in the high desert.

What do you feel...?

Toby Kampen, the self-proclaimed Human Fly, begins an obsession over a woman who is unlike anyone he has ever met. A woman with rattlesnake teeth and a penchant for biting. A woman who has trapped him in her spell. A woman who may or may not be completely human. 

In Ronald Malfi's brand-new thriller, these three storylines converge to create a tapestry of deceit, distrust, and unapologetic horror. A brand-new novel of dark suspense set in the City of Angels, as only “horror’s Faulkner” can tell it.

I have been a Malfi fan for years. This is the sixth book I have read by this author, but it is also the first that I didn't love. This was just an ok read for me.

There is a lot going on here. There's the cop who is called to the scene of a mutilated body, hacked up in much the same way as a previous case that he thought was solved. There's the newly engaged writer who is meeting her future creepy stepson for the first time, and there is the man who considers himself a human fly, who thinks he has met a vampire and hopes she will turn him. Each of these back stories had an intriguing premise on their own but somehow just didn't work for me when put together.

It's more of a mystery/crime than the horror I was expecting. I enjoyed the parts about Toby (the fly guy) more than the rest. I would recommend this more for readers who like detective/crime novels than horror. This is more a case of it's not you, it's me. I tend to avoid books that are more about the investigation than the victims. 

3 out of 5 stars

My thanks to Titan Books

Get a copy

About the author

 

What Fresh Hell Is This? Dark Tales by Del Howison

 Step into the twisted mind of Del Howison with this unflinching collection of dark tales. What Fresh Hell Is This? brings together stories from across Howison's prolific career, each one exploring the eerie and the macabre, examining humanity's deepest fears and desires. Drawing on his rich life experiences—from being baptized in a river and attending a private Christian college to his ownership of the famed Horror bookstore Dark Delicacies—Howison crafts tales that delve into the darkest corners of the human soul.

These tales push boundaries, blending the supernatural with psychological terror, and invite readers into worlds where the unimaginable becomes real. From paranormal happenings to supernatural horrors, Howison’s storytelling prowess ensures that these stories will stay with you long after you turn the last page.

Proudly represented by Crystal Lake Publishing—Where Stories Come Alive!

Del Howison is a master storyteller who presents here seventeen short stories to delight and disturb horror fans with originality and shocking twists.

In just a few of my favorites, a father anxiously awaits the birth of his child, even as his wife carries out her revenge, a school bully learns how it feels to be helpless, and a siren's song calls young men to the sea.

Monsters, both supernatural and human, medical experiments gone horribly wrong, and even something as simple as a shopping trip to enjoy the feel of merchandise and hope to afford it someday can and does end in horror.

I enjoyed all of these expertly crafted stories, especially when I was tricked into thinking I knew who or what the monster was and then knocked off my feet at the reveal. They are fresh, freaky, and frightful. I loved every minute of it.

5 out of 5 stars.

My thanks to Crystal Lake Publishing.

Get a copy

More books by Del Howison

Table of Contents:

• The Lost Herd

• The Last Great Monster

• The Resurrection of Father

• Vast Expanse of Nothing

• The Tingler

• Alley Oops

• Black is the Color of My True Love's Hair

• Lucky Crate 156594

• Liminality

• For Mother

• The Witch Pool

• A Flicker of Bright Light

• The Humps in the Field

• Chains of Love

• The Necrosis Factor

• Called to the Sea

• Papa's Arms

Exploring Dark Short Fiction #7: A Primer to Gemma Files

Named "One of the genre's most original and innovative voices" (L.A. Review of Books) and "An expert at terrifying prose" (LitReactor), Canadian author Gemma Files has been penning gritty and macabre fiction since 1993, earning industry awards and critical acclaim from sources such as National Public Radio, Publishers Weekly, and The National Post. Files imbues her cross-genre work with layers like dark heartbreak upon horror, built over the vignettes of life we may find ourselves in, but for one slight turn of reality.

Dark Moon Books and editor Eric J. Guignard bring you this introduction to her work, the seventh in a series of primers exploring modern masters of literary dark short fiction. Herein is a chance to discover-or learn more of-the evocative voice of Gemma Files, as beautifully illustrated by artist Michelle Prebich. 

Sometimes it pays to judge a book by its cover. For me, this is one of those times.

From the dazzling cover to the mesmerizing illustrations, and every story in between, this is a captivating read for anyone like me who relishes dark fiction.

Story notes, an interview, and a bibliography to make it easier to find the author's other works make this book a delight.

As for the stories themselves, they are filled to the brim with evocative prose and foreboding atmosphere. Because I especially love folklore my favorite tales involved werewolves, a writing exercise that accidentally creates a tulpa, and fairies that are nothing like Tinkerbell.

My thanks to Dark Moon Books

Get a copy

Included within these pages are:

• Six short stories, one written exclusively for this book

• Author interview

• Biography and bibliography

• Academic commentary by Michael Arnzen, PhD (former humanities chair and professor of the year, Seton Hill University)

• … and more!

Enter this doorway to the vast and fantastic: Get to know Gemma Files.

220 pages, Paperback

Published February 4, 2025

 

Bloodstains by Gaslight Red Lagoe

It’s 1997, senior year, and aspiring astronomy student, Reese, has her eyes set on the stars. The only thing holding her back is her jealous boyfriend, Michael, whose increasingly manipulative and abusive behavior cannot be tolerated any longer. 

However, moments before Reese gathers the courage to break up with him, Michael is in a tragic accident. There are no rational explanations that can make sense of the changes Reese sees in him, but it is clear Michael is becoming something inhuman—something impossible. Intoxicated with unbridled power, he sinks his teeth into her jugular and traps Reese in a life of inescapable horror.

Bloodstains by Gaslight takes an uncomfortable look at intimate partner violence, exploring the monsters of humanity through the lens of a vampire tale.

 

The year is 1997 and high school student Reese has big plans for what she wants to do with her life. First on the list is breaking up with her abusive boyfriend, Michael. She has wanted to end the relationship for some time now, but he always manipulates her into one more chance. This time, she has had enough and no amount of pleading or threatening will make her stay. 

But then it happens. The horrible accident that nearly takes his life. She feels compelled to help him through his recovery. She worries what people will think if she turns her back on him now. His recovery is remarkably quick, and suddenly he is stronger, more aggressive, and more dangerous than before. Is there any chance for escape?

I feel like if you took away the vampires, almost every woman in the world has a story like this somewhere in her past. Reese knows she deserves to be treated better, but Michael isn't just her first love, he has been her best and only friend. It's hard to walk away from that. Especially when you have hidden the dark parts of his personality, to the point that even your own mother might not take your side.

How fitting to combine domestic violence with vampires, since abusers share many of the same traits. After all, they drain us, don't they? They drain us of energy, time, emotion, friends, trust, and sometimes blood. If we don't escape they feed off us until there is nothing left of who we used to be or who we would have been.

4 out of 5 stars

My Thanks to Brigids Gate Press for the e-ARC.

Get a copy

About the author

 

Of Foster Homes and Flies by Chad Lutzke

 

Denny is a 12-year-old neglected boy who's been studying all year for the upcoming spelling bee. But when his alcoholic mother dies in her sleep, he suddenly faces foster care. To ensure he still competes in the school event, he hides his mother's death for one week so he can have a chance at something he so desperately needs. Something to be proud of. Something his dad would have been proud of: A win.

A heartfelt and tragic coming-of-age tale in the setting of a hot New Orleans summer.

I took a quick break from reading ARCs to finally crack open a book that has been waiting in my Kindle for years. If you know me, you know that's a rare occasion. I needed to pick a quick read that wouldn't let me down. I'm glad this is the one I chose.

12 year old Denny lives with his abusive, alcoholic mother. He pretty much has to fend for himself other than the occasional pop-tarts she leaves on the table for him in an unspoken acknowledgment of the guilt she feels for what she's done. Maybe that's not as much effort as she puts into the eggs she cooks for her dog but that's really not the dog's fault so Denny isn't jealous. 

In spite of his wretched home life, Denny has one thing he's looking forward to. He's been preparing for the school spelling bee and he is more than ready to win. He has spent the year regretting his decision not to enter last time and he won't let anything stop him this year. But with one week to go until the spelling bee, his mother drinks herself to death, leaving him with visions of foster homes, and being carted off to who knows where, should anyone find out. So he does what he has to in order to compete. He keeps her death a secret for the week.

This was a heartbreaking, bittersweet, coming of age tale. While Denny is in a hopeless situation, cast adrift in circumstances he will have no control over, he clings to the one thing he wants most, something to be proud of. Will he get his chance? I really wanted him to. The author has a talent for creating characters that are impossible not to connect with.

5 out of 5 stars

Get a copy

About the author

The Night Crew by Brad Ricks

Vampires, vengeance, and a quest for survival—The Night Crew is a heart-pounding supernatural thriller that will keep you on the edge of your seat.

After the brutal murder of his wife, Michael White is thrust into a world of unimaginable horrors. With no help from the local authorities, he embarks on a personal investigation that uncovers a chilling truth—vampires are real.

When he confronts his wife’s killer, he discovers the true nature of the monster who tore apart his life—a bloodthirsty vampire who has already claimed countless victims. On the brink of becoming the undead himself, Michael is saved by a team of vampire hunters known as The Night Crew. They offer him a chance at revenge and a shot at redemption.

Teaming up with these skilled hunters, Michael must navigate a dark, dangerous world filled with vampires and other supernatural creatures. But the road to vengeance is fraught with peril, and Michael’s humanity is at risk as he battles to destroy the creature that killed his wife.

Will Michael be able to seek vengeance against the vampire that shattered his life while retaining his own humanity, or will he succumb to the darkness that threatens to consume him?

Proudly represented by Crystal Lake Publishing—Where Stories Come Alive!

Michael White returns home from work one night to a real-life nightmare.

He sees his wife through the window lying in a pool of blood. He thinks she must have hit her head, but then he sees it. Someone feeding on her. He tries to fight it off, but its superhuman strength makes that impossible.

Wracked with grief, and harassed by a cop who wants to blame him for the murder he vows to hunt down the killer, but he is not prepared for what he finds.

This was an action-packed, suspenseful, and blood-soaked read. The fast pace and heart-pounding search for the killer had me on the edge of my seat and was equaled only by my fear of what would happen once he was found. This is a book that straddles the line between horror and action thriller while fitting snugly into both categories.

My thanks to Crystal Lake Publishing for the e-ARC.

Get a copy

 

NORO by William F. Gray

 As a blizzard hits their rural Wyoming homes, Jonah Miller and his neighbor Con think the worst thing they have to worry about is being trapped and isolated with their dogs.

Then Con’s German Shepherd gets out in the middle of the storm after a mysterious meteor crashes out in the woods, forcing Jonah and Con to learn that there’s far more to fear than the cold and the snow piling up outside their doors...

John Carpenter’s THE THING meets CUJO and THE TROOP in NORO, a horror novella about two men’s fight for survival against an alien parasite searching for its perfect host.

Jonah and Con are neighbors and an approximation of friends. Con is a younger, affable man. Jonah is an older curmudgeonly type who lives alone with his dog Noro, and the guilt of what happened to his wife. He thinks he needs no help preparing for the storm, but this is his first winter at the cabin.

There's more to worry about than being snowbound when a meteor crashes in the woods. Con and his dog are the first ones on the scene, and unfortunately for them, the meteor has carried something alien and deadly to earth.

I loved the interaction between Jonah and Con. Even though Jonah seems to sometimes resent that his younger friend knows more than he does, when it really counts Jonah steps up to help. This was a perfect read for a cold winter's day. It's an adrenaline-fueled sci-fi horror that the author has also managed to pack with loss, grief, sacrifice, and gruesome body horror. I don't know how such a vast amount of sorrow and apprehension fit into 132 pages. 

5 out of 5 stars

My thanks to Cemetery Dance Publications for the e-ARC 

Available for pre-order

The Poorly Made and Other Things by Sam Rebelein

 There’s something wrong in Renfield County.

It’s in the water, the soil, the wood. But worst of all, it’s in the minds of the residents, slowly driving them mad. When Lawrence Renfield massacred his family and drew The Giant in his farmhouse with their blood, no one imagined the repercussions. At the very least, the bloodstained wood should have been set aflame, not chopped down and repurposed as furniture, décor, and heirlooms across the county. But that’s exactly what happened. Now regular people—like you and me—are sitting on… eating with… admiring… the cursed wood and reaping the consequences.

These are their stories.

In “My Name Is Ellie” a young girl uncovers disturbing secrets hiding in the walls of her beloved grandmother’s home. An unassuming box, built with reclaimed wood, connects a grieving widower with his late wife’s lingering spirit in “Hector Brim.” In “Detour” a father, desperate to return home, finds himself trapped in a dizzying maze, haunted by stories of lurking monsters that live off the remains of weary travelers.

Playing with the uncanny to explore themes of loneliness and grief, Sam Rebelein returns upstate to unravel the mysteries of Renfield. But regardless of what started the trouble, there’s one thing of which we can be for those living here, the nightmare is far from over.

The Poorly Made is anything but! This is an outstanding collection of wicked tales connected by the evil that seeped into the wood, water, and land of Renfield County and spread through the country in the form of blood-stained souvenirs.

At the start of the book and in between each story is a frantic series of emails from a woman who is desperate to connect with her brother to share what she has learned about Renfield and its connection to their mother's death. These emails provide insight into the dark history of Renfield and the far-reaching consequences suffered by those who have come in contact with it. They also help to create a sense of urgency because for goodness sake why doesn't he answer her?

As for the stories themselves, they bring the tangible fear of finding yourself on a road that never ends, body horror, cannibalism, lost souls, and more. They are dark, disturbing, and imaginative. The writing is impeccable. This is the first time in a while that I have felt truly lost in a book as if the vivid descriptions made the real world disappear.

5 out of 5 stars.

My thanks to William Morrow for the e-ARC

About the author

Available for Pre-order

Listen to Your Sister by Neena Viel

Twenty-five year old Calla Williams is struggling since becoming guardian to her brother, Jamie. Calla is overwhelmed and tired of being the one who makes sacrifices to keep the family together. Jamie, full of good-natured sixteen-year-old recklessness, is usually off fighting for what matters to him or getting into mischief, often at the same time. Dre, their brother, promised he would help raise Jamie–but now the ink is dry on the paperwork and in classic middle-child fashion, he’s off doing his own thing. And through it all, The Nightmare never stops haunting Calla: recurring images of her brothers dying that she is powerless to stop.

When Jamie’s actions at a protest spiral out of control, the siblings must go on the run. Taking refuge in a remote cabin that looks like it belongs on a slasher movie poster rather than an AirBNB, the siblings now face a new threat where their lives–and reality–hang in the balance. Their sister always warned them about her nightmares. They really should have listened.

 

Calla, Dre, and Jamie are siblings without parents. Their father is deceased and their mother may as well be dead since she is less than useless. Calla has taken custody of teenage Jamie, with promises of help and support from middle sibling Dre, but that never did amount to much more than empty words.

"To raise a child was to guard them. To raise a child was to let them find their own path."

 Jamie has always been a handful, and Calla is plagued with nightmares and visions of both brothers deaths. It's been a struggle all along to keep Jaimie out of serious trouble and she prays to whatever is willing to listen, to keep him safe. She is exhausted, and resentful, yet fiercely loyal in her love for her brothers but she is pushed beyond her breaking point. How can she protect them both at the same time? She is only one woman. Isn't she?

I can't say much else about the plot without spoiling it for you. So I will just say it's an original, imaginative, humorous yet horrifying debut novel. 

"He'd knocked over a guest book, or possibly the Necronomicon because the last guests of this cabin were probably the undead skeletons in the basement."

This is a remarkable story of family, love, dysfunction, and grief. It is alternately hilarious, frightening, and heart rending. If you are in the mood for something wild and weird this is it.

My thanks to St. Martin's Griffin for the invitation to read an early e-copy.

Get a copy

The Apartment by Kevin Bachar

An unholy being is unleashed in the terrifying novel From the EMMY-award-winning producer and screenwriter of the LIONSGATE horror film THE INHABITANT. What if the horrors of the past seeped into the present? THE APARTMENT is a place where every hallway, door, and staircase leads to madness. And where a serial killer by the name of THE HARVESTER has decided to stalk their victims.

Benjamin and his girlfriend Katherine move to New York City. Instead of stylish Manhattan, or hip Brooklyn, the couple end up on Roosevelt Island, a spit of land in the middle of the East River.

It's secluded and steeped in sordid history. The place was once known as the ‘Island of the Damned’ when it was home to a prison, a smallpox hospital, and a mysterious building where strange experiments occurred.

Katherine starts to feel isolated and is tormented by terrifying dreams. She also notices changes in her boyfriend, subtle things and some not so subtle, like how he now eats with his left hand. Even his voice sounds different to Katherine, but is all this in her mind, or has Benjamin become host to a horrifying entity from the past?

When Kat was a child, she had a gift of seeing more than physical sight. She could converse with her dead grandmother, see a harbinger of doom, and her father was not above taking advantage of her ability to cheat at cards.

Now, as a grown woman, this ability has left her. She leads a reclusive life, working at home and rarely venturing out due to health reasons.

Her safe and simple life is upended when she agrees to move to New York City to be with her boyfriend, where he has found them a lovely apartment in a building that used to be an asylum.

The dark past of this, and other buildings on the island make this a dangerous place for someone with Kat's sensitivities. Murders coincide with her arrival and she is no longer sure she can trust her boyfriend. Written in such a way that I was also unsure who to trust, the author was able to weave a suspenseful and unnerving tale.

A touch of reality adds to the spine-tingling quality of this novel. Roosevelt Island does exist and was home to a prison, an insane asylum where patients were treated with torture and abuse, and a smallpox hospital where many died. It's not out of the realm of possibility to think that such a place is haunted.

4 out of 5 stars.

My thanks to Kevin Bachar for the e-copy

Get a copy

About the author

A Light on the Bayou by C. S. Magnuson

 Lola Davis—formerly Achelois Brightwood—is startled when someone from her past locates her to deliver news of her father's passing, a man she hasn't spoken to in twenty years.

Cypress Cove, the rambling house on the banks of the Texas bayou, is now hers, and Lola is being summoned to claim it.

But she no longer remembers anything about it or the town of Oleander. As if it's been erased from her memory...

Lola soon realizes that Oleander harbors a dark secret, one told in horrific images displayed in The Gallery plagues, war, mutilations...torture...

But just what do those secrets have to do with Lola's presence at Cypress Cove, and to what extent was Lola herself a participant?

Lola made it out of Oleander once. Will she be so lucky a second time?

Lola Davis doesn't remember much about her childhood. Still, she has carried the trauma of losing her mother and being sent away by her father, never to see him alive again. It's been 20 years since she had any contact with him when she gets the phone call that he has died.

She and her husband make the long trip to Cyprus Cove, the house she hated as a child, to settle her father's affairs. The townspeople speak highly of her father, almost as if they were his adoring fans. They have strange customs and a cult-like philosophy that would have sent me packing immediately. The longer Lola stays the harder it is to get out. She never felt she belonged there but the town does not want her to leave.

Secrets are revealed slowly on two timelines. There is the present day and flashbacks to 20 years ago as Lola tries to piece her memories together. I was never sure whether or not to trust what Lola was experiencing due to her drug addiction.  I didn't care for the husband at all, who seemed an odd combination of naive and manipulative.

I loved the atmosphere! The rickety dock, the oppressive heat, and the pervasive sense of wrongness that carried through the whole length of the book hooked me right away. They say you can't go home again, but in horror, that should be changed to: you shouldn't go home again if you managed to escape the first time. I recommend this book for any reader who enjoys evil little towns where outsiders are never safe.

4 out of 5 stars

My thanks to Horrorsmith Publishing.

Get a copy

Our Winter Monster by Dennis A Mahoney

 

For the last year, Holly and Brian have been out of sync. Neither can forget what happened that one winter evening; neither can forgive what’s happened since. Tonight, Holly and Brian race toward Pinebuck, New York, trying to outrun a blizzard on their way to the ski village getaway they hope will save their relationship. But soon they lose control of the car—and then of themselves.

Now Sheriff Kendra Book is getting calls about a couple in trouble—along with reports of a brutal and mysterious creature rampaging through town, leaving a trail of crushed cars, wrecked buildings, and mangled bodies in the snow.

To Kendra, who lost another couple to the snow just seven weeks ago, the danger feels personal. But not as personal as it feels to Holly and Brian, who are starting to see the past, the present, and themselves in a monstrous new light . . .

Holly and Brian are a couple on the rocks. Things have never been the same between them ever since "The Bad Date" occurred. It takes quite a while until we are allowed to know what happened on that particular date that changed their happy relationship into a shell of what it used to be. All we know is that there are some serious cracks in their bond, and they are headed on a getaway to a small sky village in hopes of mending their relationship, or maybe just calling it quits altogether.

Unfortunately, the weather has other plans for them. After losing control of the car in a blizzard they also lose each other. They are separated in the storm but they are not alone. There is something monstrous with them.

I loved the first part of this book.  After a while, it got repetitive with so much running, hiding, escaping, and leaving cell phone messages for each other over and over. Still, I mostly enjoyed this bitterly cold tale.

The monster itself was somewhat unexpected. It was an interesting take, although never fully explained, but I guess horror doesn't need to make perfect sense and would be boring if it did. The back-and-forth bickering between the couple, and the fear of speaking what they truly meant felt realistic and will probably be uncomfortably familiar to anyone who ever spent time in a crumbling relationship.

4 out of 5 stars.

My thanks to Hell's Hundred.

Get a copy

Visit the author's website