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

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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.

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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

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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.

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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

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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.

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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

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