I do like a good anthology which is probably why I liked this one. I bought it at Book Fair Australia in 2024. I wanted to support some friends who had short stories in it, and also the editors, because what is an anthology without great editors. That last clause is not a question, but a statement. I’m considering my groaning bookshelves and am wondering which books need to find a new home, the ones my mind instantly draws towards as ones to keep are the anthologies. This could be interesting, I have a lot of anthologies.
I’m going to quote from the Foreword in order to explain what you might find in this book.
But after decades of stories being told about new families moving in to haunted houses, can there ever be an unexpected ending? Can an alternate point of view give old ideas a new lease on life? Can monsters be understood? Can shifting shadow reveal new depths of darkness?
And there you have it. How can the horror genre have a twist when authors have been writing horror since the year dot? This book is a good way to find out. I’m not going to detail each story, I never do with anthologies. I’ll just give you a paragraph on some of them. That doesn’t mean that the others are not worthy, just that I shouldn’t spend too many words in one article.
Chuck McKenzie invokes good old British comedy with his little treasure, ‘The Dark Man, By Referral’. And in order to understand this comment you’ll need to have seen The Goodies or heard I’m Sorry I’ll Read That Again. Both of them have not really aged after several decades and McKenzie’s story weaves that in so nicely.
Raymond Gates, you, sir, are one to watch. I really loved what you did with Nullarbor. You totally kept me guessing until the last paragraph. I can’t tell my readers any more because that’d be spoilers. That’s the problem with short stories, there’s not much to write about, but they really hit the spot.
Narrelle M. Harris invokes the rule of three in such a beautiful way. I enjoyed how she mentioned fairy tales to explain three in such a brief way. Harris has such a way with words.
And the last I’m talking about today is Annie McCann. She unpacked her love of Indonesian myths and legends by bringing us to Pelabuhan Ratu in Java. I love the casual way we have some Indonesian practices explained to us. McCann has recently published her first book, I have yet to buy it.
Anyway, this book is a really good read, I definitely recommend it. I wouldn’t look at the front cover, it’s really gorgeous. That’s what a heart is meant to look like, thanks Claire L. Smith.