A Sliver of Darkness by C.J. Tudor

 

The debut short story collection from the acclaimed author of The Chalk Man, featuring ten bone-chilling and mind-bending tales

Timeslips. Doomsday scenarios. Killer butterflies. C. J. Tudor's novels are widely acclaimed for their dark, twisty suspense plots, but with A Sliver of Darkness, she pulls us even further into her dizzying imagination.
In Final Course, the world has descended into darkness, but a group of old friends make time for one last dinner party. In Runaway Blues, thwarted love, revenge, and something very nasty stowed in a hat box converge. In Gloria, a strange girl at a service station endears herself to a cold-hearted killer, but can a leopard really change its spots? And in I'm Not Ted, a case of mistaken identity has unforeseen, fatal consequences.

Riveting and explosively original, A Sliver of Darkness is C. J. Tudor at her most wicked and uninhibited.

It's no secret that I have been a fan of C.J. Tudor ever since The Chalk Man was released. I also have a great love for, and addiction to short horror stories.  I had high expectations for A Sliver Of Darkness, and I was not disappointed.

I was hooked from the first story, End of the Liner which incidentally is how I've always pictured a Disney Cruise. (sorry not sorry) Much like reality, this suspenseful little story is all about your own perception of good and bad.

The subsequent stories kept up the pace and maybe even gained momentum. I also enjoyed the author's introduction to each story which told how these tales came to be.

Normally at this point, I would tell you a bit about my favorites in the book but I enjoyed them all. If you are looking for a shivery, chilling, thought-provoking, good time check out this collection.

My thanks to Random House Publishing Group -Ballantine Books

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About the author

Sebastian by P.D. Cacek

 

The son of a world-renowned photographer, Morgan Riley is familiar with his mother’s creative eccentricities. Having been the subject of one of her photographic series, he knows all too well how focused she can become with a new project. So he’s not overly concerned when his mother shows him her newest series that spotlights a small, featureless white plastic manikin the size of a two-year-old child that his mother has named Sebastian. However, as Morgan watches his mother’s obsession with the manikin grow, he begins to question her sanity and fear for her safety…

Morgan has always had a complicated relationship with his famous photographer mom. There is love there, but there is also the camera, always present and intruding on personal events and what should have been private moments.

Now suddenly, there is Sebastian, the manikin his mother claims is just for a series of photos but has become another intrusive presence in Morgan's life.

This was more of a psychological/family drama than the actual horror I was expecting.  Not to say it wasn't a good story although it did move a little slowly in the middle. It kind of bothered me every time the word manikin was used since it was specifically mentioned that it had been purchased at a children's clothing store that was going out of business, and to me that would be a mannequin which is what department stores use to display clothing and not a manikin which is what you get from a medical supply company to practice CPR and such. But that could just be my OCD kicking in. 

Anyway, it was a decent story in which an obsession leads to an unexpected outcome, but there are no scares involved.

3 out of 5 stars

I received an advance copy for review.

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Close to Midnight Edited by Mark Morris

 

An exceptional third book in the horror anthology series which Publishers Weekly highlighted as “Beautifully written pieces that lean into the intuitive and fantastic.”

Close to Midnight is the third volume in an annual, non-themed horror series of entirely original stories, showcasing the very best short fiction that the genre has to offer, and edited by Mark Morris. This new anthology contains 20 original horror stories, 16 of which have been commissioned from some of the top names in the genre, and 4 of which have been selected from the 100s of stories sent to Flame Tree during a 2-week open submissions window.

This is the first time I have had a chance to sit down and read since before we moved to our new home. I'm so glad I picked this anthology to start with. I'm going to keep this short and sweet because we are still getting settled in here.

           This book contains stories by some of my favorite writers as well as some authors I was not familiar with. There are tales of the strange and spooky, darkly humorous stories, a bit of body horror, and even a thriller about revenge thrown in for good measure.

You will read about an easy cure for whatever ails you, A woman who just wants a break from her heavy load of responsibilities, A son caring for his father as the end of his life quickly approaches, bizarre neighbors, a remarkably affordable and effective home security system, and more. A few of the endings were more vague than I'd like but that is my only complaint.

Close to Midnight is an entertaining read for anyone who enjoys short horror stories.

4 out of 5 stars

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My thanks to Flame Tree Press.

Ghosts of Gannaway by Stuart R. West

 

Evil lives deep within the mines of Gannaway.

Born of hate, it preys on the miners, feeds off their superstitions. It gathers strength from the dead and drives the living insane. And it has survived for decades.

It's up to one man to put an end to the evil and lay the ghosts of Gannaway to rest, but can he allay his own fears and conquer his own demons long enough to get the job done?

Horror is and has always been my favorite genre, closely followed by historical fiction, particularly set in or around the Great Depression. Stuart R. West combines them both in Ghosts of Gannaway. Two great tastes that taste great together if you will.

Told on two timelines, this historical horror is set in a small mining town, where in the 1930s you could basically work in the mine or go hungry. Not that Gannaway paid well, greedy selfish man that he was. Tommy, the well respected boss of the mine wants safer working conditions for his crew, but there is more to fear than gas explosions or cave ins. There is the curse of the yellow eyed fever to contend with. Not all will believe in it but Tommy's wife Claire discovers the origin and hopes to put an end to it. The second timeline is in the late 60's when a scientist comes to test samples for pollution and contaminants. The mine is supposed to have been shut down by then, but something strange is still going on deep in the earth.

There are some genuine scares in this book, and I believe the dangers not only of mining but of attempting to start a union in those days was accurately portrayed. Another main attraction for me was the fierce love that Claire and Tommy share. Claire was portrayed as such a strong woman in a time when women's opinions did not count for much she was not afraid to speak up when she needed to. 

I loved these characters so much.

The ending was beyond perfect, I wouldn't change a thing!

If you are looking for a great story, not just scares but horror with some heart and soul this is it.

5 out of 5 stars

My thanks to Grinning Skull Press.

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