Saturday, February 15, 2025

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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About the author

 

Tuesday, February 11, 2025

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

Thursday, February 6, 2025

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

 

Wednesday, February 5, 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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About the author