The Trick by Douglas Ford

 

In his follow-up to Little Lugosi (A Love Story), Douglas Ford reveals a new trick up his sleeve: an occult odyssey of weird magic, dark fate, and macabre use of human skin. When Adam attends a magic show, he has no idea that he will leave with something inked into his hand, a tattoo with origins that extend back thousands of years, as well as a destiny in a swamp on the borderland of Vissaria County. Behold the chains of the ink!

Adam is an unhappily married man who along with his wife attends what is supposed to be a comedy show. Instead what they see is a mediocre magician. Suddenly Adam finds himself coerced onto the stage for one hell of a grand finale trick and his life will never be the same.

This was my second trip to Vissaria County and I must say it is still not a nice place to visit nor would I want to live there. Reading about it is a different matter entirely and is quite entertaining as long as it can be done from the safety of my cozy recliner, where the weird goings on and supernatural horror can't hurt me. Unfortunately for Adam and those who wish to help him, no such safety is guaranteed. The Trick is a fast-paced journey into the occult.

4 out of 5 stars

My thanks to Douglas Ford.

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About the author

Cold, Black, & Infinite by Todd Keisling

 

Down here in the dark lies a vast and twisted landscape where the wicked, wistful, and profane coalesce. This is where the lonely and lost face their demons, where anxious paranoias are made manifest, and where mundane evil wears a human face. For readers, the sixteen stories found within Cold, Black, & Infinite serve as a harrowing glimpse into the nightmarish imagination of
Todd Keisling, Bram Stoker Award-nominated author of Devil’s Creek and Scanlines.

Visit a town where the residents are slowly being replaced by mannequins in “We’ve All Gone to the Magic Show.” Go for a drive and discover your favorite radio host is still transmitting from beyond the grave in “Midnight in the Southland.” Laugh at Karen’s misfortune when she learns necromancy isn’t the best way to raise a child in “Afterbirth.” And uncover the true motivation behind one man’s historical betrayal in “Gethsemane.”

Featuring three previously unpublished stories and an introduction by Bram Stoker Award-winner John Langan, Cold, Black, & Infinite establishes Keisling as a leading voice in contemporary indie horror.

Cast your doubts aside and take the plunge. Touch the abyss. It’s waiting.

I loved Devil's Creek by this author so I was super excited to see this collection.

These short stories are not all that diminutive in size. They are long enough to pack sufficient meat on their bones to make a filling and gory meal.

There were a couple of holiday horrors that I especially enjoyed. If you ever watch those Hallmark Christmas romance movies and think how much better they would be if only everyone would get their brains bashed in or that holiday shopping would be less boring if zombies came to the mall, these may be your favorites too.

Some of these stories may be too disturbing for some readers but if you like your fiction very dark this is for you.

My thanks to Cemetery Dance

4 out of 5 stars

About the author

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The New Mother by Nora Murphy

 

Isolated. Lonely. Tired. It's hard being The New Mother. Sometimes it's murder.

Nothing is simple about being a new mom alone in a new house, especially when your baby is collicky. Natalie Fanning loves her son unconditionally, but being a mother was not all she wanted to be.

Enter Paul, the neighbor.

Paul provides the lifeline she needs in what feels like the most desperate of times. When Paul is helping with Oliver, calmed by his reassuring, steady presence, Nat feels like she can finally rest.

But Paul wants something in return. It’s no coincidence that he has befriended Nat—she is the perfect pawn for his own plan. Will Nat wake up in time to see it?

 

Natalie Fanning has just been released with baby Oliver. Maternity leave is not going as well as she hoped. Her husband is about to return to work, She's ok with that because she feels he is no help anyway. Baby Oliver only wants her. It's pretty clear early on that Natalie is suffering from postpartum depression. She doesn't realize it, and worse, nobody who could be of any help to her notices it. 

Unfortunately for Natalie, there is a neighbor who sees the signs. He knows she is vulnerable and he plans to use her for his own nefarious plot. He's no stranger to using women, whether it's to support his lifestyle or to meet his other needs, but his plan for Natalie is much worse than he's done to others.

This is a book that every mom can relate to. Those first few days home from the hospital, the pain, the exhaustion, the fear of making a mistake, the weight of knowing you are entirely responsible for another life, the unsolicited advice. The author paints a realistic picture that brought those memories to life for me. I had a lot of sympathy for Natalie, but not so much for her husband who was too wrapped up in his hurt feelings to notice that his wife needed help until it was almost too late. I think this is a book that will appeal more to those with children than without. It definitely has me nodding and agreeing and feeling seen. Loads of suspense made this a fun read.

4 out of 5 stars

My thanks to Minotaur Books

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About the author

Mother: Tales of Love and Terror Edited by Christi Nogle and Willow Becker

 

Mothers protect, nurture, love, and adore...but what if they are more than just their title? In these 33 stories and poems, we examine what motherhood is and explore mothers of all kinds. With over 300 pages of horror, dark fantasy, science fiction, and poetry, we introduce the motivations and compulsions that make up a mother—both good and evil. Whether they are robot mothers, evil stepmothers, or sociopathic mothers-to-be, these stories will illuminate what's really going on inside of that woman we think we know so well...Mother.

 Has there ever been such a paradox as a mother? A woman who gives of herself until she has nothing left, and then gives some more.

Unfortunately, not everyone is cut out for motherhood, and some you will meet in this book have nothing to give but ugliness, evil and violence.

Powerful stories, poems and illustrations with the theme of motherhood fill these pages. Motherless children and childless mothers abound. But you won't find any Carol Brady or June Cleavers here. Mothers in these stories give life, take life, and ruin lives. There is ugliness and violence in these stories of the bonds of motherhood and of severing those ties. Fathers don't play much of a role in these tales, but occasionally an unusual father results in an exceptionally special child or even a litter of them. Some of my favorite stories involved very strange children.

If you are a fan of dark and weird fiction this anthology is for you. 

4 out of 5 stars

My thanks to Weird Little Worlds

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Contents

“The Sire,” by Steven Rasnic Tem
“Last Leaf of an Ursine Tree,” by Hailey Piper
“Of a Thousand Arms and More,” by Ai Jiang
“Passed,” by Elizabeth R. McClellan
“Mother Made Cake,” by Nicoletta Giuseffi
“Puerperium,” by Donyae Coles
“Pelican,” by Gemma Files
“Fracture,” by Mercedes M. Yardley
“When Auntie’s Due,” by Sarah Read
“Vé’otsé’e (Warpath Woman),” by Shane Hawk
“Stone’s Blood,” by Nick Bouchard
“Shields,” by Christina Sng
“The Bone Child,” by Ryan Cole
“The Wives of Tromisle,” by Dan Coxon
“Duties Terrible and Dear,” by John Langan
“Worry Dolly,” by Nadia Bulkin
“(sub)Maternal Instincts,” by K.M. Veohongs
“720º,” by Steve Toase“Number ONE,” by Frances Lu-Pai Ippolito
“Here in the Cellar,” by R. Leigh Hennig
“She’s Untouchable,” by Renee Cronley
“Lida’s Beach,” by Stephanie Nelson
“Instruments of Bone and the Flesh Songs They Create,” by Nikki R. Leigh
“Transformative Love,” by Tehnuka
“The Withering Depths,” by Todd Powell
“Waiting for Mother,” by Brian Evenson
“Unchild,” by Jonathan Louis Duckworth
“Take Care,” by S.P. Miskowski
“Mother Trucker,” by Wailana Kalama
“The Last Sin,” by Gabino Iglesias
“Jacob’s Mother,” by Katie McIvor