Edited by Mark Morris
SYNOPSIS
Darkness Beckons is the fourth volume in the 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. A terrifying cocktail of the familiar and the new, the established and the emerging.
Previous titles in the series, all still in print are AFTER SUNDOWN (2020), BEYOND THE VEIL
(2021) and CLOSE TO MIDNIGHT (2022).
TABLE OF CONTENTS:
SAINT BARBARA by Nina Allan
HARE MOON by H.V. Patterson
UNDER COVER OF DARKNESS by Stephen Volk
DUSK by Angela Slatter
A FACE LEAVING NO TRACES by Brian Evenson
GOOD BONES by Sarah Read
FACTS CONCERNING THE DISAPPEARANCE OF THE ORLOFF SIX by Alyssa C. Greene
HE WASN’T THERE AGAIN TODAY by Peter Atkins
DODGER by Carly Holmes
FROM THE MAN-SEAT by Reggie Oliver
THE SERVICE by Ally Wilkes
THE LATE MRS. APPLEGARTH by Mark Gatiss
THE FIG TREE by Lucie McKnight Hardy
IF YOUR SOUL WERE A PITCHFORK I’D DESPISE YOU by Eric LaRocca
HEEBIE JEEBIES by Amanda Cecelia Lang
KILLING BONES by Simon Clark
IL CREPUSCOLO by Helen Marshall
REMEMBER ME by Ronald Malfi
WITCH’S CLUTCH by Simon Strantzas
CAMP NEVER by J.S. Breukelaar
REVIEW
When I read short story collections or anthologies, I tend to pick stories I like the sound of to read first rather than starting at the beginning and working my way through. To choose where to start with Darkness Beckons I read through the biographies of each of the authors and there was one that jumped out at me. Stephen Volk created the paranormal drama series Afterlife and wrote the screenplay for The Awakening, both of which I loved, so I started with his story Under Cover of Darkness.
This story really took my breath away. To begin with I was really surprised with the subject matter - it wasn't what I had been expecting at all, but despite that it was a timely topic and an effective focus on the dark side of human nature. Then out of nowhere came the gut punch - so brilliant, so clever and unexpected. I highly recommend sticking with this one to the end!
The next story I want to highlight is from a favourite horror author of mine - Ronald Malfi with the story Remember Me. It was everything I have grown to love and expect from the author. It was so atmospheric, the perfect ghost story to read on a dark autumn night, and the added bonus of a Halloween theme too.
I am a huge fan of fictionalised true crime so I really loved the story Facts Concerning The Disappearance Of The Orloff Six by Alyssa C. Greene. The story follows the cousin of one of six missing students in their late teens/early 20s. She begins work on a documentary in an attempt to address the facts of the incident, as most people had made their minds up about her cousin's guilt in the matter. A really interesting idea with so much scope - I think this would make a brilliant full-length novel or series.
Writing this from Cardiff I have to mention the Welsh author Carly Holmes and her story Dodger. Not an author I had heard of before reading this but I will definitely be following from now on. This story was so dark and could be interpreted in so many different ways, it was claustrophobic and almost uncomfortable to read. The intent was there all the way through, the tension of just waiting for something to happen and not knowing what the outcome would be - absolutely brilliant.
Overall, this was a fantastic and varied selection of horror short stories with some really unusual entries. I love the fact that there were some well-known authors in the mix which is what brought the book to my attention, but then there were some surprises from authors I don't know but I will now be looking into their backlist titles or future releases and most definitely adding several to my TBR.
Thanks to Random Things Tours - @RandomTTours and Flame Tree Press - @FlameTreePress for the opportunity to read and review.
Publisher: FLAME TREE PRESS Genre: Horror Anthology / Horror Short Stories
ISBN: 978-1787587304
Pages: 304pp
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