After Sundown

August 3, 2020
Morris (New Fears, editor) brings together 20 horror shorts so wildly inconsistent the resulting anthology reads like two different books: one comprising beautifully written pieces that lean into the intuitive and fantastic, the other a clumsy mix of amateurish works riddled with genre clichés. The strongest tales include “Swanskin” by Alison Littlewood, a breathtaking fairy tale about swans who transform into women, told from the viewpoint of a young boy; “Bokeh” by Thana Niveau, about a single mother who frets over her daughter’s violent and fantastical flights of fancy during playtime; and “A Hotel in Germany” by Catriona Ward, about the parasitic relationship between a movie star and her assistant. Among the weakest are C.J. Tudor’s “Butterfly Island,” which relies on a macho, unconvincing narrative voice; Michael Marshall Smith’s “It Doesn’t Feel Right,” which delivers a preposterous twist ending; and “Murder Board,” a rare misfire from Grady Hendrix, which confuses rather than terrifies with one too many jumps around in time. The mix of big-name authors and newcomers is admirable, but the inconsistency of the tales and poor organization is often disorienting. Though there are gems here, many readers won’t want to put in the effort to find them.

September 1, 2020
This rich and masterful collection of horror highlights both up-and-coming and established authors in an interesting twist on the standard anthology. Four of the twenty stories come from winners of a contest designed to spotlight new authors. Morris, a prolific author on his own, has masterfully woven together these unique tales, each one varying wildly from the one before, creating a roller coaster effect for the reader. These writers are risk takers and genre benders, and each and every story delivers. In "Creeping Ivy," Laura Purcell tells the tale of a man who, after burying his wife, an avid gardener, finds his house?and his body?infested by greenery. C. J. Tudor's "Butterfly Island" takes readers to an idyllic island at the end of the world, which is inhabited by a beautiful and unexpectedly deadly species. Grady Hendrix places an old Ouija board at the center of a very complicated and dangerous situation in "Murder Board." Highly recommended for longstanding horror fans and those readers who may not think horror is for them. There is something for everyone in this one.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2020, American Library Association.)