Editor: John F. D. Taff
Authors: Caroline Kepnes, Ramsey Campbell, Priya Sharma, Livia Llewellyn, Stephen Graham Jones, Chesya Burke, Alma Katsu, John F. D. Taff, Gemma Files, Josh Malerman, Usman T. Malik, John Langan
Genre: Horror
Published: May 10, 2022 by Tor Nightfire
I recieved a copy for review from the publisher through NetGalley.
I liked this collection of Novelettes from some of the top names in horror and thrillers today. All the stories were well written with really interesting concepts. I was left thinking that I wished they would have gone further or were shorter. I think the title was a bit misleading. The stories could have been darker to be considered "darkest horror". Like most collections I enjoyed some stories more than others. There were a couple stand out stories that I think really delivered. I will give some of my thoughts on the individual stories. Overall, I think this is an approachable collection that a lot of readers would enjoy.
The Attentionist by Caroline Kepnes: A coming-of-age story following teen sisters that are desperate for attention from boys, but what will they do when the attention comes from a creepy stalker. This story was genuinely creepy in the last half, but could have been taken farther. If I didn't find boy crazy teen girls so annoying this story would have gotten a higher rating. 3 stars
A Life in Nightmares by Ramsey Campbell: This story is mix of nightmares throughout a person's life. The nightmares were all great, but I was left thinking the story was too long without any section breaks. A section break between different times in the person's life could have made it easier to consume. 3 stars
Papa Eye by Priya Sharma: The new doctor on an island discovers the unique workings of the island. This a nice quiet horror story, but needed a bit more going on for the page length. 3 stars
Volcano by Livia Llewellyn: I quite liked this cosmic horror story following a college student who lands a new job reupholstering the dorms furniture that leads to a strange discovery in the connecting tunnels that run under campus. This story was dark and claustrophobic with interesting characters. 4 stars
All the Things He Called Memories by Stephen Graham Jones: A man is in Covid lockdown with his scientist wife who is doing an experiment on fear. This story was so well written and creepy. The tension and fear keep getting greater as the story goes on. This was a stand out story in the collection. 5 stars
Trinity River's Blues by Chesya Burke: A woman with the ability to see the dead and is friends with a dead jazz musician. This was an interesting story of possession. I loved the use of music in this story. 3 stars
The Familiar's Assistant by Alma Katsu: A great story about someone aspiring to be the familiar to a vampire. A twisted dark tale with the most intriguing of characters. 4 stars
Swim in the Blood of a Curious Dream by John F. D. Taff: A father and son story with a lot of heart. Shows what a father would be willing to do to save his son. I loved this story. 5 stars
The Sanguintalist by Gemma Files: A woman can see the last moment's of a person's life through their blood. A woman solving crimes with a special power seems more of an urban fantasy thing than horror, but it was an interesting story. 3 stars
Mrs. Addison's Nest by Josh Malerman: A group of trouble making boys encounter an supernaturally evil teacher in detention. This story could have been taken farther to make it more impactful. I liked the foolhardy ragtag group of protagonists. 3 stars
Challawa by Usman T. Malik: An amazing folk horror story involving Challawa a monster legend from India and Pakistan. Great scary monster story with a fantastic setting. 5 stars
Enough for Hunger and Enough for Hate by John Langan: A woman confronts the expected killer of her missing brother leads to surprising realizations. There were sections that went on for too long, but the great storytelling won me over. 4 stars
Overall Rating: 3.75 stars
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