Not every story is good, or even scary, but the ones that are scary good will haunt readers long after closing the book, and...
“What scares you?” So begins Maberry’s introduction to this anthology of poetry and short stories by 22 authors, all members of the Horror Writers Association.
To answer this question, the anthology addresses a wide range of fears. Almost every story features a female protagonist, and Brenna Yovanoff’s “The Doomsday Glass,” Rachel Tafoya’s “The Invisible Girl,” and Kendare Blake’s “Chlorine-Damaged Hair, and Other Pool Hazards” speak to current fears about the vulnerability of young women and the sometimes-horrific repercussions of body shaming in a patriarchal society. For readers seeking more traditional ghost stories with a hint of melancholy, Rachel Caine’s “Corazón Oscuro,” Ilsa J. Bick’s “Bearwalker,” and Josh Malerman’s “Danny”—a few highlights of the anthology—employ restless, malevolent spirits. And for old-school horror fans, Steve Rasnic’s “The Boyfriend” and Christopher Golden’s “What Happens When the Heart Just Stops” contain nightmarish monsters, both literal and figurative, while R.L. Stine’s “The Old Radio” and Tim Waggoner’s “The Whisper-Whisper Men” are reminiscent of Twilight Zone episodes. The relevancy and scope of the themes presented are noteworthy and give the anthology broad appeal. However, the relative lack of diversity among main characters is both discouraging and outdated, depressingly representative of the current state of horror writing.
Not every story is good, or even scary, but the ones that are scary good will haunt readers long after closing the book, and at a whopping 498 pages, most readers will surely find something grisly to enjoy. (Anthology/horror. 13 & up)Pub Date: Aug. 30, 2016
ISBN: 978-1-4814-5070-6
Page Count: 512
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Review Posted Online: May 13, 2016
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 1, 2016
A treat for mystery readers who enjoy being kept in suspense.
Everyone believes that Salil Singh killed his girlfriend, Andrea Bell, five years ago—except Pippa Fitz-Amobi.
Pip has known and liked Sal since childhood; he’d supported her when she was being bullied in middle school. For her senior capstone project, Pip researches the disappearance of former Fairview High student Andie, last seen on April 18, 2014, by her younger sister, Becca. The original investigation concluded with most of the evidence pointing to Sal, who was found dead in the woods, apparently by suicide. Andie’s body was never recovered, and Sal was assumed by most to be guilty of abduction and murder. Unable to ignore the gaps in the case, Pip sets out to prove Sal’s innocence, beginning with interviewing his younger brother, Ravi. With his help, Pip digs deeper, unveiling unsavory facts about Andie and the real reason Sal’s friends couldn’t provide him with an alibi. But someone is watching, and Pip may be in more danger than she realizes. Pip’s sleuthing is both impressive and accessible. Online articles about the case and interview transcripts are provided throughout, and Pip’s capstone logs offer insights into her thought processes as new evidence and suspects arise. Jackson’s debut is well-executed and surprises readers with a connective web of interesting characters and motives. Pip and Andie are white, and Sal is of Indian descent.
A treat for mystery readers who enjoy being kept in suspense. (Mystery. 14-18)Pub Date: Feb. 4, 2020
ISBN: 978-1-9848-9636-0
Page Count: 400
Publisher: Delacorte
Review Posted Online: Oct. 27, 2019
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Dec. 1, 2019
A descriptive and atmospheric paranormal social thriller that could be a bit tighter.
After a Nigerian British girl goes off to an exclusive boarding school that seems to prey on less-privileged students, she discovers there might be some truth behind an urban legend.
Ife Adebola joins the Urban Achievers scholarship program at pricey, high-pressure Nithercott School, arriving shortly after a student called Leon mysteriously disappeared. Gossip says he’s a victim of the glowing-eyed Changing Man who targets the lonely, leaving them changed. Ife doesn’t believe in the myth, but amid the stresses of Nithercott’s competitive, privileged, majority-white environment, where she is constantly reminded of her state school background, she does miss her friends and family. When Malika, a fellow Black scholarship student, disappears and then returns, acting strangely devoid of personality, Ife worries the Changing Man is real—and that she’s next. Ife joins forces with classmate Bijal and Benny, Leon’s younger brother, to uncover the truth about who the Changing Man is and what he wants. Culminating in a detailed, gory, and extended climactic battle, this verbose thriller tempts readers with a nefarious mystery involving racial and class-based violence but never quite lives up to its potential and peters out thematically by its explosive finale. However, this debut offers highly visually evocative and eerie descriptions of characters and events and will appeal to fans of creature horror, social commentary, and dark academia.
A descriptive and atmospheric paranormal social thriller that could be a bit tighter. (Thriller. 14-18)Pub Date: Sept. 26, 2023
ISBN: 9781250868138
Page Count: 384
Publisher: Feiwel & Friends
Review Posted Online: June 8, 2023
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 1, 2023
BOOK REVIEW
© Copyright 2025 Kirkus Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.
Follow
Popular in this Genre
We can’t wait for you to join Kirkus!
It’s free and takes less than 10 seconds!
Already have an account? Log in.
OR
Sign in with GoogleTrouble signing in? Retrieve credentials.
Welcome Back!
OR
Sign in with GoogleTrouble signing in? Retrieve credentials.
