Book Review: ATMOSPHERIC DISTURBANCES

by | Jan 31, 2025 | Book Reviews, Reviews, The Horror Review News | 0 comments

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Atmospheric Disturbances
Helen Grant
Swan River Press (2024)
Reviewed by Mario Guslandi

I won’t conceal the fact that Helen Grant is one of my favourite authors of dark fiction, so much so that in the past I even read (and reviewed) one of her novels, which represents a notable exception to my personal rule to stick to short fiction to maintain my suspension of disbelief. The present book is in fact a collection of short stories ( thirteen, to be precise, of which only one is previously unpublished).

For those who like gothic and ghostly fiction this volume is a true feast.

I won’t comment all the stories ( which are ALL good) but I will mention only my own favourites.

“Mrs Velderkaust’s Lease” is an excellent,dark tale featuring a a widow with kids renting a new house where the family is supposed to happily stay, except during some specific days.

“Gold” is dark fantasy at its best, a very original and entertaining story, and “The Wynd” is an atmospheric tale where a dishonest man gets trapped forever inside a solitary church.

The grim “The Valley of Achor”depicts the unlucky fate of a researcher probing the secrets of an ancient crain lost in the middle of a Scottish glen ,while in the splendid “The Edge of the World” a lonely man trying in vain to convince his lover to leave her husband is swept up by the overwhelming power of nature.

“Friday,” the only original tale in the volume, is an enchanting, very enjoyable piece of noir revolving around a husband’s disappearance.

The title story “Atmospheric Disturbances” is a truly apocalyptic tale ,full of angst, where the only human survivor is a loner living on a small island.

If you like spooky, elegantly written fiction I cannot recommend enough this collection.

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