KATHERINE BLACK REVIEW

This is the best modern horror anthology I’ve read, certainly in the last 25 years. It provides a brilliant time machine to the 1980s when I guess the author was a boy. His nostalgia for the time and his settling place was beautiful, and he got to the heart of how a lad thinks and feels. I loved all of his young characters but especially the autistic kid. I work with these children every school day and he got it so right. This author understands all of his people.  

This is a collection of horror stories that are nostalgic and haunting. The writing is solid and well crafted, with excellent tension and terror.

The book is of its time and has imaginative twists that keep readers guessing. What came out of the mine? The vivid descriptions make this book scream, and the pacing is perfect. The terror feels visceral and the action is immediate. The atmospheric settings take you to a decade that feels so familiar. It was a good time to be young.

The book has psychological depth and classic horror tropes. The collection is well chosen for diversity, so none of the stories feel the same. And the prose is sharp and explores the darkest corners of human vulnerability and fear.

Anthologies are always a hard sell. But this is by far one of the better ones I’ve read. Perfect for busy people to dib in and out of, and ideal for commuters … but don’t scream on the train, eh. That would be so uncool.

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