Book Review: REASSURING TALES: EXPANDED EDITION
Reassuring Tales: Expanded Edition T.E.D. Klein Pickman's Press (November 26, 2021) Reviewed by Brian M. Sammons I don't review a lot of books these days. Hell, I have a hard enough time reading for fun, as I edit quite a few anthologies and most of my reading goes to...
Book Review: The Workshop of Filthy Creation
The Workshop of Filthy Creation Richard Gadz Deixis Press (October 25, 2021) Reviewed by Andrew Byers What a brilliant novel. Set in Victorian London, this is the story of Maria, a strange young woman brought to the city by Professor George Hobson, who brought Maria...
Book Review: CUNNING FOLK
Cunning Folk Adam L.G. Nevill Ritual Ltd. (October 25, 2021) Reviewed by Ray Palen I go out of my way during the Halloween season to really immerse myself in as much horror as possible—both in literary and TV/film form. This year, that included rewatching the terrific...
Book Review: DON’T BREAK THE OATH
Don’t Break the Oath: Women of Horror Anthology Volume 4 Jill Girardi, Janine Pipe (editors) Kandisha Press (October 18, 2021) Reviewed by Elaine Pascale Volume four of the Women in Horror anthologies contains stories from 23 authors from around the globe. As with all...
Book Review: THE DEATH OF JANE LAWRENCE
The Death of Jane Lawrence Caitlin Starling St. Martin’s Press (October 5, 2021) Reviewed by Ray Palen Bram Stoker Award-nominated author Caitlin Starling is back with a work of Gothic Horror that will provide well-earned chills from those who dive into her latest...
Book Review: The Valancourt Book of Victorian Christmas Ghost Stories, Vol. 5
The Valancourt Book of Victorian Christmas Ghost Stories, Vol. 5 Edited by Christopher Philippo Valancourt Books, 2021 Reviewed by Mario Guslandi The long lasting tradition of telling ghost stories at Christmas is being carried on by Valancourt Books in a successful...
Book Review: THE WAITING
The Waiting Hunter Shea Silver Shamrock (September 12, 2021) Reviewed by Ray Palen Yonkers, NY resident Hunter Shea loves horror. He is not only a prolific author in the genre, but also hosts a horror podcast and refers to himself as a full-fledged horror-meister. One...
Book Review: THE STOWAWAY
The Stowaway James S. Murray and Darren Wearmouth St. Martin’s Press (September 21, 2021) Reviewed by Ray Palen Authors James S. Murray and Darren Wearmouth, who usually gift us with horrific novels that offer up various giant monsters and/or ancient creatures that...
Book Review: CRIMSON KING
Crimson King J. B. Rockwell Bizarro Pulp Press (October 29, 2021) Reviewed by Andrew Byers Crimson King starts with a simple premise that will seem very familiar: a ten-year-old boy named Casey is sent to spend the summer on his grandparents’ farm. Casey’s not a farm...
Book Review: HORSEMAN
Horseman Christina Henry Berkley (September 28, 2021) Reviewed by Ray Palen There are few literary works that can lay claim to helping create the modern tradition we know as Halloween like Washington Irving’s classic story, THE LEGEND OF SLEEPY HOLLOW. It is this work...
Book Review: STORM SHADOWS
Storm Shadows Kenneth W. Cain JournalStone Publishing (November 12, 2021) Reviewed by Andrew Byers Nita is a teenager who has just moved to a new town with her parents. In addition to dealing with all the trials and tribulations of moving to a new school, trying to...
Book Review: THIS THING BETWEEN US
This Thing Between Us Gus Moreno MCD X FSG Originals (October 12, 2021) Reviewed by Ray Palen I admit to not being familiar with the work of author Gus Moreno, and was eager to read his highly acclaimed full-length debut novel entitled THIS THING BETWEEN US. My...
Book Review: MY HEART IS A CHAINSAW
MY HEART IS A CHAINSAW Stephen Graham Jones Saga Press (August 31, 2021) Reviewed by Ray Palen In recent years, Native American author Stephen Graham Jones has really made a name for himself with a string of horror novels that offer incredibly unique characters and...
Book Review: BLUE HELL
Blue Hell Greg F. Gifune & Sandy deLuca JournalStone (March 5, 2021) Reviewed by Ray Palen Greg Gifune is a horror writer I have seen much praise for, but whom I never had the pleasure of reading. That was rectified with my opportunity to read and review his...
Book Review: IN CONTROL
In Control Kyle Wright Bizarro Pulp Press (September 24, 2021) Reviewed by Andrew Byers Katherine is most definitely NOT in control of herself in Kyle Wright’s new short novel In Control. She is a young woman in a big city, going to college, trapped in a dead-end...