Author: Alyson Faye

This is the latest horror anthology from indie press, Flame Tree. It contains 20 tales, 16 commissioned from some of the biggest hitters in the biz, e.g. C. J. Tudor, Ramsey Campbell, Laura Purcell (Silent Companions, anyone?), and Stephen Volk (remember Ghost Watch?). Another four stories were chosen from an open call out of hundreds of submissions, in what Flame Tree Press is hoping will become an ‘annual, non-themed horror anthology of entirely original stories, showcasing the very best short fiction that the genre has to offer.’

That’s a tall order. One could argue for eternity over how to define ‘the best’ of any genre, and that’s before you toss in a reader’s personal taste.

I didn’t read these stories thinking, ‘Wow, this is the best I’ve ever read.’ But I didn’t expect to, either. Some of the stories felt as if they should be longer, and other endings didn’t entirely work – well, not for me. It’s tricky wrapping up a short story and giving the reader emotional closure within 4000 words.

I like dipping in, choosing authors like Alison Littlewood (“Swanskin”) whom I personally go to first, and reading one or two in a sitting, taking a break for real life stuff, and then reading another. So, basically, I don’t read them in order. I also don’t feel I have to finish a story if it’s not working for me (total honesty here). Hey- sometimes the style doesn’t gel.

As there is no theme, each story is a plunge into the dark and the unknown, and you have to factor in different authors’ narrative styles, lingo and voices. Some readers will enjoy this. I do, but others won’t so much. It can be jarring as you move from one yarn to the next.

There is a very broad spectrum on show here of what constitutes the horror genre. For me, some of the stories skirted very close to thrillers, not full horror. For example, C.J. Tudor’s pulpy fast moving “Butterfly Island” (which is the opening story) could, to my mind have been a novella. Its ending left me dangling somewhat, as did Grady Hendrix’s, ingenious multi-point of view, “Murder Board”.

The supernatural is well represented. Sarah Lotz’s entertaining and blackly humorous “That’s the Spirit” (witty title too), stars an over-the-hill medium, Brendan.

One of my personal faves, “The Mirror House”, was written by an author new to me, Jonathan Robbins Leon. Leon’s eerie, unsettling, downright scary narrative packed in a lot of content and emotion, and he did it quite well. Leon plays with the ideas of doppelgängers, mirror people, and the secret parts of us, very effectively.

Thana Niveau gives us “Bokeh” (you will have to read the story to find out what the title means). There are fairies in this one, a young girl who is seriously unnerving, and a brilliant bloodbath of an ending. Another hit for me.

Simon Bestwick (I had the pleasure of meeting him at EdgeLit in Derby Quad last year – but I doubt he remembers me!) whose work I’ve since sought out, wrote, “We All Come Home”. It’s a quiet, slow build where the grown-up protagonist revisits his childhood woodland playground to retrieve lost memories and lost playmates. What could go wrong, you ask yourself, especially since he has his girlfriend with him to keep watch? Read it and find out. The last line really struck me in the quivering guts.

I am a huge and long-term fan of Alison Littlewood’s fiction and have reviewed and interviewed her at the Horror Tree. I was biased before I read her tale, “Swanskin” while I sat at the hairdressers with my foils in, like the queen of tinfoil. “Swanskin” is beautiful, weird, magical and horrific. It made me shiver and cry inside at the cruelty and injustice of it all. The last paragraph blew me away. Probably my top fave of the anthology – can you tell?

There were authors’ bios at the end of the anthology and an interesting introduction from editor Mark Morris. I’d have quite liked a story in here from Morris. I also would have enjoyed the authors giving us readers some background to their story, the inspiration, and why they chose that particular piece. I suppose I was after more context.

This is an entertaining, slickly written, mainstream, fun, something-for-every-horror-fan anthology. It would make a great Christmas gift.

4/5 stars

Available from Amazon.

I came across Mark Steensland earlier this year as co-author of Silver Shamrock’s, In the Scrape, which I reviewed for Horror Tree, and loved. So, when I saw his name attached to this novella, I grabbed it.

The heroine, junior school teacher Janet Martlee, has run away from her home town, her parents, ex-boyfriend, and her past twelve years. She’s built a new life for herself. This new life is thrown into turmoil when Janet starts seeing a strange teen boy dressed in a hoody. (Is he real? A ghost? A memory?) Her psychiatrist urges her to return home to confront her past with all its memories and demons. So she does!

A lot is packed into this shortish—at 120 pages—horror novella. I personally felt it could have been longer with more back story and detail to make a richer, deeper read. In particular, the ex-teen boyfriend; he’s a shadowy figure whom I’d have liked to have more page time, and more interaction with Janet. The web of conspiracy and deception goes back years; it was interesting and fun and included a shuddersome Gothic finale in the crypt. Quite a lot of characters buzz through this novella, more than a few to keep track of.

Janet’s gradual realisation of her deeply screwed up her parent’s lives is well done. It crept up on me. The hospital and cemetery scene were brilliantly menacing and sinister. Gave me the chills while wondering who is telling the truth and who is lying? And who is in on it?

Coffin Shadows is a smooth, fun-paced read with lots of action, scares, and a mystery which grips. But could have done with 50 more pages for me, and the ending felt rather rushed.

4/5 stars

Available from amazon.

The standalone horror shorts series is back from Demain- and Kev Harrison’s Curfew is in the first five to be released. I received an advanced reading copy from Dean Drinkel, the man behind Demain, in exchange for a fair and honest review. 

I’ve read quite a bit of Kev Harrison’s fiction, most recently his novella, The Balance. So when I saw this new story by him was out – I grabbed it.

Curfew’s setting is one many Brit holidaymakers will recognise—the old-fashioned B&B on the coast, with the slightly odd manageress/owner hovering on the premises, glass in hand. This story comes with a strict time curfew (which actually happened to me years ago in Scotland – the door was locked and woe betide you if you were late). From there, Harrison lets the tension build for his likeable young couple, Jamie and Laura. They like karaoke (well, Laura does), staying out late, and drinking. They grab the only taxi on the RidesApp back to the creepy B&B. So far so normalish.

There are warning signs from the ancient maid (called ‘Girl’ by the owner, who glories in the wonderful moniker of Mrs Heinz). Girl knows something but isn’t telling. She references a missing/absent Mr Heinz who will be turning up late. Another guest is never seen except for his duffel bag. Mrs H sits drinking alone in a darkened front room. And so on.

From when Mrs Heinz says, ‘Past curfew,’ and ‘Sit boy!’ you know sweet, nice, fun loving Jamie and Laura are in for a rough ride. The scene that follows is seriously disturbing and had me flinching (no spoilers though in my reviews).

Harrison’s writing style is engaging, fluid and accessible. The twenty-odd pages rushed past, though I couldn’t help but re-read the ending! 

Harrison is skilled at constructing tension from the seemingly normal set up, ratcheting it till the warning sirens (to the reader anyway if not Jamie and Laura) are shrieking. I relished this in a deliciously cosy ‘I’m safe at home’ way.

My certain expectations, in regard to the story’s direction, were shattered. It’s fair to say I was surprised; Harrison took it in a totally different direction. I expect other readers will share my astonishment—I didn’t guess the outcome. 

These standalone stories are priced at a very affordable 77p, so much cheaper than my chocolate fix, and they entertain hugely. 

Treat yourself.

4/5 stars

Available from amazon.

This trio of shorts from Christopher Stanley releases on 18 September, for the price of less than a latte, 77p. I received an advanced reading copy from the publisher in exchange for a fair and honest review.

I read Stanley’s previous compilation, The Forest Is Hungry (Short Sharp Shocks! Book 16), last year and thoroughly enjoyed it. So, I grabbed Unbecoming Me out of the publisher’s hands. Here you get the pleasure of three stories, all linked by a minor character’s strange appearance. I won’t say more, but see if you spot it. 

The first short, “Devil’s Reach”, begins with a particularly creepy, unnerving scene in the café. Never has a passage of children playing been so weirdly portrayed. John, the father/husband, is on a ferry ride. He’s fleeing his wife, taking his baby with him. Or is he? Within the hidden spaces of the ferry, John tries to hide. No one is a reliable character. And quickly his day becomes a nightmare controlled by forces he cannot combat. This tale has a haunted supernatural feel to it, where nothing is as it seems.

In the second short, “Hell’s Teeth”, the setting is an ordinary school filled with ordinary kids, including the class bully, Evie, and the bullied girl, Daisy. It’s a familiar set-up, and we’ve all known someone like Daisy. ‘Goldfish-bowl glasses and haphazard fringe’ … how those words tugged at my memories of my own school days. Teeth feature prominently in this story—losing them. So does the tooth fairy fantasy. There are cringey moments which made me shudder. If you’re at all teeth-phobic, then consider yourself warned—this might not be the tale for you. But Stanley’s account of a victim taking revenge too far is strong and thought-provoking. How far should a child push back? What is the appropriate amount of punishment? What if your actions come back to bite you? (Excuse the pun.)

The third short, “Unbecoming Me”, is my favourite. But I’m biased; I discovered it’s set in the environs of my old uni, the University of Birmingham, where the author, Stanley, also studied. He references old student buildings and hangouts that I remember well. (‘bars of Selly Oak and Five ways’; Muirhead Towers with ‘windows like a bad case of acne’; Yes—just how I remember it.) The story’s opening line—’The first time I was born…’—hooked me. I had to read on. The young student (a twin who survived whilst his sister did not) falls in love and longs for reciprocation. His longing enters the fantasy realm and the supernatural. I don’t want to say more as it will spoil the fun.

Stanley’s sharp prose captured moments with clarity and easy style. It made for a great read.

4/5 stars

Available from amazon.

Robyn Crowe is widowed and in desperate need of peace and space, so her sister offers her the rental of their renovated, ancient, cottage on the coast for the summer. So far, so ideal- on the surface, but very soon the warning signs build up.

There is strange activity with the crows, especially one, large bird who stalks then attacks Robyn, witchy dolls/hag stones etc are found on the premises (never a good sign) and in the village, a local woman, who befriends Robyn, gives her more information on the horrific history of the two local hags who used to live in the cottage centuries before and their grisly fate.

So we’re nicely set up for witchy histories, hauntings, terror, and all sorts of supernatural goings on.

This Cavendish nicely delivers, reminding me very much of an American author I read in the 1980’s and 1990’s, Barbara Michaels (wonder if Catherine C has ever read hers?) – and I did/do enjoy all of Michaels’ and this sort of genre.

However, much as I wanted to really invest in the characters, and go with the flow, this novella from the Silver Shamrock indie publishing press, didn’t quite hit all my readerly buttons or draw me in. There were long sections of explanation, when I wanted something to happen, and repetition, where I wanted something new to happen.

I felt that the characters were going in circles with some of the dialogue exchanges, and it had been said before. 

The crow scenes were effectively done, and suitably unnerving, and for me, more scary than when the witch made an appearance. (But I do have a mild big bird phobia going on too!)

There was a twist towards the end of the book, which I won’t share, which was well done and made me pause to rethink what I’d previously read.

The events leading up to the ending didn’t entirely convince nor what happened to Robyn, (again don’t want to give away anything). I also thought the novella could have done with a few more pages to enrich and elucidate the final plot threads.

This is a fun, quick paced, rich in location, and history, supernatural read with magic galore.

3/5 stars.

(I received an e-arc of this novella from Silver Shamrock and Horror Tree in exchange for a fair and honest review.)

Available from amazon.

This is another cracker from Silver Shamrock, and my first introduction to the work of both Southard and Canon who sharing the writing reins. (I was fortunate enough to interview them both about that, amongst other writerly matters, for a separate article to be posted on Horrortree.com).

Slaves to Gravity has an original, unique storyline. It starts off as a family drama with the protagonist, Charlie, recovering in hospital, going home paralysed in a wheelchair after a horrific accident. On the majorly plus side, her supportive husband, Marcus adores her. 

To my surprise, the narrative switches gear, which the reader must buy into when Charlie discovers she can defy gravity and fly. If you can fly along with that leap, then you are in for a terrific, exciting, fast-paced ride. Charlie, with her new-found powers, soars skyward and there under the clouds she meets up with a group of land-disabled night-time sky-flyers known as ‘volitants’.

Up in the sky the rules are different. Charlie learns there are hideous dangers above the clouds and back on earth, lurking in the shadows (like creatures that secretively change shape). The foreshadowing is genuinely scary and goosebumpy. I will never view a changing room in a clothes shop the same way again! 

So, as you might gather, the novel morphs into magic realism/fantasy before its finale reveal which then streamlines into sci-fi/post-apocalyptic scenarios. That’s a lot of canvas and landscape to fit into 130 or so pages, and the pace is relentless, as are the fast and furious action scenes.

More than one terrific twist took me by surprise. Charlie’s character grew as a fighter and leader on a helluva of a journey of discovery.

For me, I would have liked more world building and back story, as there is an awful lot going on in this novel. There was much to take in. Also the ending felt a little abrupt, leaving me wondering if a sequel would follow. (A question I asked the authors in my interview).

4/5 stars.

A fast paced, entertaining, thought-provoking read with brevity, allowing for one massively adrenaline soaked sitting.

Available from amazon.

I’ve read Ruschelle Dillon’s dark fiction over the last couple of years, and enjoyed her often wacky, quirky take on tropes and the whole genre. Once or twice we’ve had our fiction published in the same anthology. Yes, she does reviews for the Horror Tree, and she also interviews writers.

So, having got that bit out of the way, and being above board about our writing acquaintanceship, I was more than happy to read her latest, this novella from indie American publisher, Black Bed Sheet Books.

The blurb was enticing: a family moves into a house, the oh-so-normal mum and dad, (Marc and Claire) and their two kids. They are hoping to build a more solid base in this old red brick with a basement than provided by their past string of short-term rentals. 

The story is told in shortish pacy chapters which crack along, and it’s heavy on dialogue. This is an accessible read, and one easy to get into.

Of course, the very first chapter which opens with the words, ‘I was born of bloodshed’, tips us off that all will not be a sunny walk in the park. There is something else, or someone else, sharing the house, living in the basement, whose history and evil heart are entwined with the foundation. And there is a lot of history, none of it good, attached to this particular house.

Familial relationships are evocatively and swiftly established. Olivia (Livy- the teen) is particularly likeable, shrewd, and feisty. She is the one who first realises something is not quite right about the shadows in the basement. Claire is a doting mum to Livy and three-year-old Jasper. Marc, though an absentee working-away dad, also seems a doting family man. Or is he?

Every few chapters, Dillon inserts a flashback, revealing another piece of The Stain’s history. The first time this happened it threw me off as it took me away from the current day narrative, but I quickly adjusted; the information gave perspective to what was lurking in the bowels of the house or, the ‘root cellar’ as Dillon called it. Never have I known anything good to happen in a fictional ‘root cellar’.

A third of the way in, there is a switch in the way we perceive the dad, Marc. The layers of his marriage to Claire deepen and darken. I won’t give away more than that, but it’s a fun ride.

Throw in the possible paedo neighbour who lurks on the sidelines, and uncle Travis—a work colleague who hangs around the family, and the human drama ramps up. Meanwhile, Livy becomes increasingly sucked into the web of tricks and games the inhabitant in the basement is playing.

There is a terrible tragedy which I didn’t see coming—it took my breath away. Dillon plays with our assumptions very effectively throughout the book. It certainly surprised me which way Dillon took the narrative.

The ending has a few more contortions to put the reader through before the final devastating paragraphs. 

This is an entertaining, fast read, which took me on a rollercoaster ride – a blend of horror and thriller with family drama. It’s rather different from Dillon’s previous fiction and not what I was expecting to read, but that’s not an issue, just a comment. 

The cover is pretty cool too.

4/5 stars.

Black Bed Sheet Books, amazon.co.uk, amazon.com.