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** I received an ARC for an honest review **
Description
From some of the biggest names in horror comes an Advent calendar of short holiday horror stories perfect for the darkest nights of the year.
Edited by award-winning author and anthologist Lindy Ryan and with contributions from masters of horror like Josh Malerman, Eric LaRocca, and Clay McLeod Chapman, this horrific anthology will chill you to the bone.
Summary
One of my favourite recent reads was The Darkest Night, a Yuletide horror anthology edited by Lindy Ryan.
Review
In The Darkest Night, Ryan collects some of the great horror authors in this anthology in the tradition of midwinter Yuletide ghost tales and darker fiction. This is a fascinating collection of wintry tales that include a vast range from the monstrous, ghost tales, dark fantasy, cosmic and weird horror, folk horror to the dark interpretations of commercialised holiday season.
The authors of this anthology spin some wonderfully dark tales and all perfectly executed with Ryan proving another master author and editor in this anthology.
A selection of my particular favourite stories included:
- ‘The Mouthless Body in the Lake’ by Gwendolyn Kriste
- ‘Cold As Ice’ by Tim Waggoner
- ‘The Vermin Moon’ by Hailey Piper
- ‘The Body of Leonora James’ by Stephanie M Wytovich
- ‘Feast of Gray’ by Lindy Ryan & Christopher Brooks
- ‘I Hope this Finds you Well’ by Eric LaRocca
- ‘The Buried Child’ by M. Ricket
- ‘Father’s Last Christmas’ by Lee Murray
- ‘Wintry Blue’ by Christopher Golden & Tim Lebon
- ‘Nice’ by Nat Cassidy
- ‘Threads of Epiphany’ Sara Tantlinger
- ‘Ghosted’ by Mercedes M. Yardley
Conclusion
A highly recommended anthology that that encompasses many traditional Yuletide themes and many dark tales of common dread turned sinister in the winter holiday season. Perfect for fans of all horror subgenres to curl up by the fire on a midwinter night.
** This is my personal opinion and does not reflect any judging decisions **
Leanbh Pearson 