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Book Review: Ink Stains: A Dark Fiction Anthology (Volume 3) edited by N. Apythia Morges

Ink Stains: A Dark Fiction Anthology (Volume 3) edited by N. Apythia Morges

Dark Alley Press, 2017

ISBN-13: 978-1946050014

Available: Paperback, Kindle edition

 

This is the third volume in a planned quarterly anthology of horror short stories published by Dark Alley Press.  The collection presents a variety of ghost stories, in which contemporary protagonists are stalked by ghosts from the distant or recent past, seeking solace, release or revenge.  The other Ink Stains anthologies in the series present stories about death and trust.

Volume 3 consists of 10 short stories of varying length, some written by seasoned writers and others by authors who recently entered the horror genre.  The three most interesting ghost stories were among the longest.  The greater length gave authors more time to develop characters and to add twists and turns to the plots.

New author Andrea Hansell wrote “A Visit from Elizabeth”.  A young couple, Mark and Bethany, buy a Nantucket sea captain’s house and invite former college classmates to spend a weekend.  However, Bethany is insecure and jealous of Mark’s gorgeous ex-girlfriend. Unknown to the couple, the house has a tragic history.  A sea captain built the house for his young bride, Elizabeth, then left to run the British blockade during the War of 1812.  The captain was captured and imprisoned.  Elizabeth was pregnant, and the British blockade caused famine in the island. Malnourished, Elizabeth had a stillbirth and died.  Her ghost watched her husband return, marry again, and raise a family in Elizabeth’s house. Elizabeth appears only to Bethany.  The ghost lures the frantic Bethany up to the house’s widow’s walk, where Mark is standing.  Elizabeth wants something, and will use Bethany’s jealousy to get it.

Diane Arrelle, a veteran horror author, is the author of “Misplaced”.  An elderly spinster, Miss Annamarie Place, visits an antiquated hotel in her hometown.  The room looks like it did over fifty years ago, when she was a teenager.  Annamarie has returned there because someone claiming to be her daughter called and asked to meet her.  But Annamarie has never been married or pregnant.  Could she have forgotten something so important?  Is dementia or psychosis robbing her of her memories?  When she looks into an old mirror, Annamarie hears a baby wailing, then sees the bed and walls covered in blood.  Bleeding, and in terrible pain, she relives what happened in that room.  Is this all a nightmare, or have Annamarie Place’s memories been truly misplaced?

Another new horror author, Olga Monroe, is the author of “The Amsterdam Chest”.  An English couple is renovating a Victorian mansion.  The wife, Francesca, sees the ghost of a teenage girl dressed in a black velvet dress with a corset and bone frame tapping on a large antique chest, purchased by her husband in Amsterdam.  The mansion and estate have a history of tragedy and mystery, and has passed through many owners over time. When the new owners drain a pond, they discover a headstone that has been submerged for over a century.  It has Latin inscriptions, but no name.  There are no remains.  Francesca recently lost her newborn baby.  She is still in mourning and keeps her dead baby’s clothes in the Amsterdam chest.  Only Francesca sees the ghost, and its appearances become more frequent.  At the same time Francesca becomes more nervous and apprehensive.  She is inexplicably wracked with guilt.  The ghost takes Francesca’s hand and leads her to the chest.  The ghost keeps knocking on the chest.  Its face is blurry at first, but finally becomes clear.  Who is she?  What did Francesca do?

These are the strongest stories in the anthology. Others are more predictable. Overall, the stories have well-paced, interesting plots. Fans of ghost stories should be pleased with the collection. Recommended.

 

Contains: gore

Reviewed by Robert D. Yee

Posted on September 15, 2017 by , Reply

Book Review: Death’s Sweet Echo by Len Maynard and Mick Sims

Death’s Sweet Echo by Len Maynard and Mick Sims

Tickety Boo Press Ltd., 2015

ASIN: B018YK61XM

Available: Kindle edition

Maynard and Sims present thirteen stories, reminiscent of some of the classics. The tone, atmosphere, and themes of these tales of the supernatural are unique to each story, spanning different time periods. A haunted house in an old New England town holds dark secrets; a widow is being followed by someone who claims to be her dead husband; a confused man runs through the rainy streets of London late for a life altering appointment, only to find he was too late anyway.

A few stories stand out. “Another Bite of the Cherry” opens with the frustrated thoughts of an Egyptian girl trapped and immobile in her sarcophagus. who, along with her parents, had been taken and mummified by someone who usurped the position of Pharaoh. The story fast forwards to post-war England. Lizzie Stirling, an out of work actress, has to settle with a job she was once too proud to take, in a nude revue on the small stage. She’s been offered another bite of the cherry, being able to work on the stage again. She makes a few friends, including the leading man of the club’s shows. This friendship turns into more, much more.

“I’m Here” is set after the Great Depression. Poor William Burton lost all of his investment. He reluctantly accepts an invitation to a Christmas party, with a gift he is less than proud of because he has very little disposable income. There are drinks, a lavish meal, and party games, which William dislikes. Then, there are the looks his former love bestows upon her husband, an opportunist who grabbed her up at William’s most difficult time. William, however, finds this all to be an illusion, in a most upsetting way.

In “Sweet Decay of Youth”, Daniel doesn’t want his small group of college friends to abandon him, and he does what he can to ensure his place amongst them. In “Silver”, Maria talks of the silver people in the lake at the Drysdale Clinic, a mental health facility. Her father doesn’t believe her at first, but after the groundskeeper is attacked and the assault is blamed on Maria, things start to fall into place. In the tale called “Guilt Casts Long Shadows”, Martin is wracked with guilt, and he finds out what happens when he doesn’t make proper amends.

Maynard and Sims are true masters of the short horror story. You would be missing out if you skipped over this collection, especially if you like classic horror. They don’t rely on blood and gore to drive their tales. Don’t get me wrong– I love a good, bloody short story myself– but sometimes I like to pick up something that leaves more to the imagination. There really is something appealing to leaving the brain to do some of the heavy lifting, and this book allows for that. Recommended.

Reviewed by Lizzy Walker


Posted on October 18, 2016 by , Reply

Book Review: They Say A Girl Died Here Once by Sarah Pinborough

They Say A Girl Died Here Once by Sarah Pinborough
Earthling Publications, October 2016
ISBN-13: 978-0996211833
Available: $35 signed & numbered hardcover; $400 lettered edition

It’s time once again for Earthling Publications’ Halloween present to horror readers. For the past 11 years, Paul Miller has given the gift that keeps on frightening; not once has he chosen a story, or author, that has disappointed. Every year, Earthling offers something different– a new twist on the classics, or a story that delves into a dark corner of the genre’s history.

This time, he has chosen author Sarah Pinborough, who has penned novels in various genres but always seems to return to horror, where she originally staked her claim, through a number of paperbacks from the defunct Leisure line, as one of those “writers to watch.”

With the success of Mayhem and The Forgotten Gods trilogy, she proved she wasn’t a flash in the pan. She is a master of thriller writing. Her ability to create a dark, horror-infused atmosphere lifts every one of her novels into a realm few writers have reached. Last year’s Death House pushed her into the ranks of the horror-writing elite, and should have swept the awards.

Now she’s back, with They Say A Girl Died Here Once, a ghost story that is as much a psychological thriller and a mystery as it is a horror novel. This disturbing family drama centers on teenage Anna and her family: her mother, little sister, and grandmother. While the tale of a family moving into a house with a dark past is a common trope, Pinborough sidesteps the expected, and delivers a new take on haunting, dark, family secrets.

Anna and her family have moved into a new town to escape the “thing” that happened to her back home: an incident that has fractured all her relationships, as well as her own sanity. She attempts to fit in with the teens she meets, and to participate in the normal activities of high school. Anna’s mother works odd hours, so Anna is also tasked with taking care of her grandmother, Evelyn, who is in the advanced stages of dementia. Evelyn’s behavior becomes increasingly erratic. She begins wandering the house, often winding up at the basement door, and speaking phrases that make little sense. The discovery of what has happened, both in the house and in the town, makes Anna curious enough to delve into the mystery, as she attempts to decipher the words of what has been speaking through her grandmother. What ensues pushes the tale down a new avenue in ghost stories. Each relationship Pinborough weaves is tenuous at best, from the creepy handyman who courts Anna’s mother, to the rebellious friend, to the other teens bent on finding out what the “thing” is in her past.

In lesser hands, They Say A Girl Died Here Once could have been just another ghost story. With her exquisite writing, Sarah Pinborough molds it into something special and unexpected. Her deft hand in creating atmosphere as a character is on display here, along with the individual characters who drag the reader into the depths of her nightmarish visions.

With this author, and Earthling as the publisher, this novel is very much recommended. The only downside is the limited print run, so pick it up quickly.

Reviewed by David Simms


Posted on September 21, 2016 by , Reply
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