Book Review: BLEEDTHROUGH AND OTHER SMALL HORRORS

by | Dec 6, 2024 | Book Reviews, Reviews, The Horror Review News | 0 comments

Bleedthrough and Other Small Horrors
Scarlett R. Algee
Cold War Radio Press (May 26, 2020)
Reviewed by Carson Buckingham

I must admit that this is my first foray into flash fiction, and with Scarlett Algee’s Bleedthrough and Other Small Horrors, I regret that I am this late to the table. This collection of 30 little packages of creepiness could easily be used as a countdown to Halloween or an advent calendar of horror, though I don’t think I’d be disciplined enough to only read one per day.

The collection addresses humanity and monstrosity, and when it comes to humanity in many of these stories, I’m all for the monsters.  Unfailingly,  I have found that humans are some of the worst monsters there are, and you will find that true here, as well.

I can honestly say that I enjoyed all these stories, but here are my favorites:

  1. ALL the stories involving Delphine, the ghoul at a local cemetery. As ghastly as she is, Ms. Algee managed to paint Delphine as a sympathetic character that I ended up loving. She appears in “The Tomb Wife,” “A Kiss of Flesh” (though I might have reversed the order of these two), “The Sepulchre Bride,” and “Gravechild.” I would enjoy reading an entire novel featuring Delphine. She is the best-developed character in the book.

 

  1. “And Drown Melancholy”—After a drunken fall into a pond, a woman is afflicted with an unusual disease that is, apparently, going around. Masterfully done.

 

  1. “Little Reaper”—Everything is eventual. Everything changes guard, sooner or later.

 

  1. “Hattie’s Ghosts”—A teen gets more than she bargained for when trying to steal a pumpkin.

 

  1. “Flycatcher”—horrific story about visiting a former classmate. Too bad she forgot the Raid.

 

  1. “Seeing Shadows”—A young boy can see discorporation.

 

  1. “Bleedthrough”—A bit reminiscent of Total Recall, in which someone can experience whenever/whatever they want via a simulator. But Shelley doesn’t leave her experiences in the simulator. A subtle and brilliant cautionary tale about trusting technology too much.

 

  1. “Patient 49”—appalling and heartbreaking.

 

  1. “Bone Deep”—kids and their growth spurts.

Scarlett Algee’s style of writing is as far from ‘in your face’ as it can get, but that by no means that it doesn’t pack a wallop, because it does. Subtle, sensitive, tightly-written tiny stories made me feel things deeply after reading them. I didn’t think that was possible, being the old,  jaded horror author that I am. This book was like a breath of fresh air for me…or a newly-dug grave—depending upon how you view it.

You’ll want a copy of this, and also of her chapbook entitled, And Cast It From You—a tale of an old shed that hasn’t been cleaned in decades and what Kris finds there. Really scary!

5 out of  5 stars.

 

About Carson Buckingham

Professionally, Carson Buckingham has made her way in life doing all manner of things, most of which involve arson. She is currently employed as a freelance writer on a work release program. In her spare time, she studies forensics, in hopes of applying her new knowledge to eluding the authorities more effectively the next time. She is originally from Connecticut, but now resides in Kentucky—and Connecticut is glad to be rid of her.

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