The Best Horror of the Year. Volume 6

SUMMATION 2013

First, here are some numbers: There are twenty-three stories and one poem included this year. They were chosen from magazines, webzines, anthologies, single author collections, chapbooks, and a newspaper. Five of the stories were originally published by Black Static. Twelve of the stories are by writers living in England, Ireland, and Wales — the first time that’s ever happened. In addition, there are two stories written by writers living in Canada and eight by writers living in the United States.

Three pieces are more than 10,000 words, the longest is 15,800 words. The shortest is 1,100 words.

The authors of the one poem and ten of the stories have never appeared in previous volumes of my year’s bests. Eighteen stories are by men. Five stories and the poem are by women.

There are always a few novellas that I wish I could have taken but were just too long. Here are the ones from 2013: Nina Allan’s “Vivian Guppy and the Brighton Belle” from Rustblind and Silverbright; Norman Partridge’s “The Mummy’s Heart” from Halloween; “Black Helicopters” by Caitlín R. Kiernan, published as a hardcover chapbook included with the limited edition of Kiernan’s collection The Ape’s Wife; “Mother of Stone” by John Langan from his collection The Wide, Carnivorous Sky; and Laird Barron’s “Termination Dust” from Tales of Jack the Ripper.

The Horror Writers Association chose a historic hotel in the haunted city of New Orleans to announce the winners of the 2012 Bram Stoker Awards® June 15, 2013. The presentations were made at a banquet held as the highlight of the Bram Stoker Awards Weekend, which, in 2012, incorporated the World Horror Convention. The winners:

Superior Achievement in a Novel: The Drowning Girl by Caitlín R. Kiernan (Roc); Superior Achievement in a First Novel: Life Rage by L. L. Soares (Nightscape Press); Superior Achievement in a Young Adult Novel: Flesh & Bone by Jonathan Maberry (Simon & Schuster); Superior Achievement in a Graphic Novel: Witch Hunts: A Graphic History of the Burning Times by Rocky Wood and Lisa Morton (McFarland and Co., Inc.); Superior Achievement in Long Fiction: The Blue Heron by Gene O’Neill (Dark Regions Press); Superior Achievement in Short Fiction: “Magdala Amygdala” by Lucy Snyder (Dark Faith: Invocations, Apex Book Company); Superior Achievement in a Screenplay: The Cabin in the Woods by Joss Whedon and Drew Goddard (Mutant Enemy Productions, Lionsgate); Superior Achievement in an Anthology: Shadow Show edited by Mort Castle and Sam Weller (HarperCollins); Superior Achievement in a Fiction Collection: (tie) New Moon on the Water by Mort Castle (Dark Regions Press) Black Dahlia and White Rose: Stories by Joyce Carol Oates (Ecco Press); Superior Achievement in Non Fiction: Trick or Treat: A History of Halloween by Lisa Morton (Reaktion Books); Superior Achievement in a Poetry Collection: Vampires, Zombies & Wanton Souls by Marge Simon (Elektrik Milk Bath Press).

The Shirley Jackson Award, recognizing the legacy of Jackson’s writing, and with permission of her estate, was established for outstanding achievement in the literature of psychological suspense, horror, and the dark fantastic. The awards were announced at Readercon 23, July 14, 2013, held in Burlington, Massachusetts. Jurors were Laird Barron, Ellen Datlow, Chesya Burke, Jack Haringa, and Graham Sleight.

The winners for the best work in 2012: Novel: Edge, Koji Suzuki (Vertical, Inc.) Novella: Sky, Kaaron Warren (Through Splintered Walls, Twelfth Planet Press); Novelette: “Reeling for the Empire,” Karen Russell (Tin House, Winter 2012); Short Story: “A Natural History of Autumn,” Jeffrey Ford (Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction, July/August 2012); Single-Author Collection: Crackpot Palace, Jeffrey Ford (William Morrow); Edited Anthology: Exotic Gothic 4: Postscripts #28/29, edited by Danel Olson (PS Publishing).

The World Fantasy Awards were presented November 3, 2013, at a banquet held during the World Fantasy Convention in Brighton, England. The Lifetime Achievement recipients, Susan Cooper and Tanith Lee, were previously announced. Brian Aldiss and William F. Nolan were given special awards.

Winners for the best work in 2012: Novel: Alif the Unseen by G. Willow Wilson (Grove; Corvus); Novella: Let Maps to Others, K. J. Parker (Subterranean Summer ’12); Short Story: “The Telling,” Gregory Norman Bossert (Beneath Ceaseless Skies 11/29/12); Anthology: Postscripts #28/#29: Exotic Gothic 4, Danel Olson, ed. (PS Publishing); Collection: Where Furnaces Burn, Joel Lane (PS Publishing); Artist: Vincent Chong; Special Award: Professional: Lucia Graves for the translation of The Prisoner of Heaven (Weidenfeld & Nicholson; Harper) by Carlos Ruiz Zafon; Special Award: Non-Professional: S. T. Joshi for Unutterable Horror: A History of Supernatural Fiction, Volumes 1 & 2 (PS Publishing).

London Falling by Paul Cornell (Tor UK 2012/Tor/Forge 2013) is an engrossing dark urban fantasy/police procedural about strange doings in contemporary London. After two undercover cops participate in the increasingly strange end game of a criminal gang and its leader, they’re assigned to a special squad looking into a series of impossible and grisly slayings.

Blood Oranges by Kathleen Tierney aka Caitlín R. Kiernan (Roc) is a breezy and bloody romp about a young junky who fancies herself a monster killer and finds herself in the unlucky (and unique) position of being bitten by a werewolf and a vampire.

Red Moon by Benjamin Percy (Grand Central Publishing) is a werewolf novel that’s not about werewolves. It’s a political mash-up of terrorism and recent United States history. Often werewolves are partly used as metaphors for the “beast within” but, in most novels about them, this is not the “main event”—unfortunately, in Red Moon, the werewolf is all metaphor. In fact, the big bad master werewolf is barely in the book and is dispatched as if he’s just more fodder for destruction.

American Elsewhere by Robert Jackson Bennett (Orbit) is one of my favorite novels of the year. When a burned out, divorced former cop inherits the house she didn’t know her mother (dead many years from suicide) owned in a town no one has ever heard of called Wink, Mona Bright decides to check it out, hoping to learn more about the mother she barely remembers. As the story rolls on, it expertly blends elements of science fiction, dark fantasy, and horror, all folded into the primary mystery of this Bradburyesque town.

The Shining Girls by Lauren Beukes (Mulholland Books) is a riveting thriller about a time-tripping serial killer and his only survivor. The novel provides a portrait of Chicago throughout the decades from the 1929 depression on. A mysterious house gives agency to an evil sadist who we see begins by torturing animals and moves to snuffing out young women who he has visited as children in the past, chosen for their promise.

Kill City Blues by Richard Kadrey (HarperCollins) is the fifth of the author’s Sandman Slim novels, about a Nephilim (half man-half angel) who has died, been resurrected, and traveled to Hell and back — more than once. Down and dirty urban dark fantasy with enough murder, mayhem, and gore to satisfy readers looking for adventure, and complicated moral/ theological issues to please readers looking for a bit more. James Stark (aka Sandman Slim), is living in Los Angeles minding his own business when, as always, trouble comes a calling. Someone wants to hire him to find a missing weapon and won’t take no for an answer.

Mayhem by Sarah Pinborough (Jo Fletcher Books) brings Victorian London to life in this supernatural police procedural about a brutal serial killer active during the same period as Jack the Ripper. This one dismembers and takes the heads of his victims. A pitiful male Cassandra “sees” the future, but is unable to persuade anyone to take him seriously, and a detective prone to roaming the streets of London (and partaking of opium) may be the only ones who can stop the murderer.

Murder as a Fine Art by David Morrell (Mulholland Books) is the perfect complement to Pinborough’s novel. It too takes place in London, is about a serial killer, and has a character enamored of (or rather, addicted to) opium — in this case based on the historical figure Thomas de Quincy, who, in addition to writing the infamous Confessions of an Opium Eater, also wrote crime essays, including “On Murder Considered as One of the Fine Arts.” This latter article seems to be inspiring a spate of vicious mass murders similar to a series that took place years earlier.

Accidents Happen by Louise Millar (Emily Bestler Books) is about a woman traumatized by the death of her parents in a car accident the day of her wedding, and then the murder of her husband just a few years later. Fleeing London, she takes refuge in Oxford and in the world of statistics, driving herself crazy and screwing up her son. Then she meets a Scottish professor at Oxford University who believes he can help her. Unfortunately his “cure” is almost as bad as her sickness, plus she and her son are being stalked by a nutter. Although the first half is suspenseful and creepy, the second half devolves into unconvincing territory.

Six-Gun Tarot by R. S. Belcher (Tor) is a rousing first novel taking place in the weird wild west of 1869 cattle town Golgotha, Nevada. A seemingly unkillable sheriff and his half-Indian deputy are responsible for keeping the citizenry — a mixture of Christians, Mormons, Chinese immigrants, and rough-and-tumble silver miners — safe from bad stuff happening in town (and apparently it happens with regularity). The book is an entertaining mishmash of godly infighting to control Earth, featuring Lovecraftian Elder gods vs. the Judeo Christian Gods vs. the Goddess. Title and chapter heads heralding the tarot are misleading, as the plot makes no use of it.

The Darkling by R. B. Chesterton aka Carolyn Haines (Pegasus Books) is a southern gothic taking place in 1974, about an amnesiac teenage girl discovered wandering the streets and taken in by a family in Coden, Alabama. The live-in tutor, only a few years older than the newcomer, is immediately suspicious of the young woman, not to mention fearful of being displaced from her own secure niche within this happy, loving family. Of course, the mysterious teenager seduces her way into the family and things go badly for everyone. Alas, the prologue kills any surprise before the book actually begins.

Night Film by Marisha Pessl (Random House) is, if possible, both a page-turner and a slow burn of a novel in one of my favorite subgenres: film horror. Scott McGrath is an investigative reporter intrigued by the mysterious, reclusive underground filmmaker Stanislas Cordova, whose movies are disturbing, horrifying, addictive, and often difficult to track down. There have always been dark rumors swirling about the director’s working methods and when McGrath gets too close, he’s set up — leaving his reputation and career shot to Hell. But he’s sucked back into the world of Cordova when the director’s twenty-four-year-old daughter falls to her death in a derelict building. Fuelled by anger and bent on vengeance, McGrath sets out to prove that Cordova is responsible for his daughter’s death. I particularly love the visionary weirdness reminiscent of John Fowles’ great novel, The Magus.

The Burn Palace by Stephen Dobyns (Blue Rider Press) opens strongly with the disappearance of a newborn baby and the scalping of a middle-aged man. These incidents and other frightening occurrences are making the residents of the town of Brewster jittery. There are hints of the supernatural throughout: a young boy works on developing his skills in telekinesis; local coyotes don’t behave the way coyotes should; large, goat-like two-legged footprints are discovered; and a family man seemingly transforms into a rabid animal. Over the course of the novel, the sense of unease created by the non-supernatural behavior of the humans in town takes precedence over the otherworldly, but this shift doesn’t decrease the suspense. Dobyns has delved in the dark with two excellent previous novels, specifically in The Two Deaths of Senora Puccini and The Church of Dead Girls.

N0S4A2 by Joe Hill (William Morrow) is rich in characterization and a terrifically satisfying read. We follow Vic through a magical girlhood during which she discovers an impossible bridge to the past where she can find lost objects. Unfortunately, she’s also noticed by an evil piece of work named Charlie Manx and his sadistic lunatic sidekick named Bing who kidnap children and take them to Christmasland in a vintage Rolls Royce nicknamed The Wraith. The encounter reverberates through the rest of Vic’s troubled life.

Dust Devil on a Quiet Street by Richard Bowes (Lethe Press) is a fictional memoir beautifully incorporating fourteen previously published (I originally published five) fantasy and dark fantasy stories of the ghosts — figurative and literal — that haunt us all throughout our lives. Bowes’ book is a fascinating look at life in Boston and New York in the decades leading up to 9/11, an event that changed Manhattan — and the world — forever. The Village Sang to the Sea: A Memoir of Magic by Bruce McAllister (Aeon Press Books) is another successful incorporation of eight previously published stories into a coming-of-age story, this one about a young American boy moving with his family to a small village in Italy.

Stephen King returned to the world of The Shining with Doctor Sleep (Scribner), a sequel starring the grown-up Danny Torrance. He also published the relatively short supernatural/crime/coming-of-age novel Joyland (Hard Case Crime) about a twenty-one-year-old who works at the eponymous amusement park the summer of 1973. Neil Gaiman’s The Ocean at the End of the Lane (William Morrow), his first adult novel since Anansi Boys, is a dark magical fairy tale. We are Here by Michael Marshall (Orion) is about two couples encountering strangers who want … something from them. Deeply Odd by Dean Koontz (Bantam) is the sixth volume in the Odd series. What Happens in the Darkness by Monica O’Rourke (Sinister Grin) has a twelve-year-old girl struggling for survival in a mostly destroyed Manhattan. Parasite by Mira Grant (Orbit) is a near-future medical thriller about genetically engineered tapeworms. The Year of the Ladybird by Graham Joyce (Gollancz) is a ghost story about a young man who takes a summer job at a seaside resort in 1976, the year of a great ladybird (ladybug in the United States) invasion plus great social upheaval in England. A Necessary End by Sarah Pinborough and F. Paul Wilson (Shadowridge Press) is about a plague of flies that spreads a fatal auto-immune disease throughout the world and the aftermath. The Asylum by John Harwood (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt) is a gothic about a woman who awakens in a private asylum with no memory of the past weeks. When she can’t prove who she is, she’s held prisoner. The Gospel of Z by the prolific Stephen Graham Jones (Samhain) takes a dangerous trip into the past, ten years after zombies destroyed the world. Anno Dracula: Johnny Alucard 1976–1991 by Kim Newman (Titan Books) is the newest novel in Newman’s Anno Dracula series, this time with a new younger vampire who moves to Manhattan in the 1980s and wreaks havoc. Kitty Rocks the House by Carrie Vaughn (Tor) is the eleventh in this urban fantasy series about the eponymous werewolf named Kitty. The Wolves of Midwinter by Anne Rice (Knopf) is a werewolf novel, the second in the Wolf Gift Chronicles series. The Abominable by Dan Simmons (Little, Brown) is about the 1924 Mt. Everest recovery expedition to bring back the corpse of an earlier climber. Island 731 by Jeremy Robinson (St. Martin’s Press/ Dunne) is a horror/thriller inspired by The Island of Doctor Moreau. Long Black Coffin by Tim Curran (Dark Fuse) is about a deadly car. The Heavens Rise by Christopher Rice (Gallery Books) takes place in New Orleans, where a wealthy family has finds a well with strange powers on their property. Days after the daughter and a schoolmate are immersed in the water, she and her family are presumed dead and the boy jumps from a high rise, surviving in a comatose state. It becomes apparent that despite his coma, he can psychically cause devastation in the physical world. The Accursed by Joyce Carol Oates (Ecco) is an account of a local curse in Princeton, New Jersey, 1905–1906, provided by an obnoxious amateur historian. The Least of My Scars by Stephen Graham Jones (Broken River Books) is a snappy, edgy (always with Jones), weird little novel about a deranged serial killer. The Tale of Raw Head & Bloody Bones by Jack Wolff (Penguin) is about a demented young man studying medicine in London in 1751. Rivers by Michael Farris Smith (Simon & Schuster) is about a man who has lost everything to a series of southern hurricanes and, who when migrating north, encounters a dangerous preacher and his congregation. The Ruining by Anna Collomore (Razorbill) is a young adult novel inspired by Charlotte Perkins Gilman’s “The Yellow Wallpaper.” Daddy Love by Joyce Carol Oates (Grove Atlantic/Mysterious Press) is about child abduction and abuse when a young boy is kidnapped by a sadistic, part-time reverend. Gun Machine by Warren Ellis (Mulholland Books) is a bizarre crime novel about a detective who comes upon a cache of guns all connected to unsolved crimes. The One I Left Behind by Jennifer McMahon (William Morrow) is about a middle-aged woman forced to confront the past when her mother, who had been abducted by a serial killer twenty-five years earlier, shows up alive. Evil and the Mask by Fuminori Nakamura (Soho Crime) is about a child educated by his wealthy, enigmatic father to create as much destruction and unhappiness in the world around him as a single person can. Only the Thunder Knows by Gord Rollo (Journalstone) is about Burke and Hare, the infamous grave robbers and murderers flourishing in late 1820s Scotland, and the possible accomplices who egged them on, for reasons of their own. Sister Mine by Nalo Hopkinson (Grand Central) is a dark fantasy about formerly conjoined twins faced with the mystery surrounding their birth. The ’Geisters by David Nickel (CZP) is about a young woman haunted by the imaginary friend/poltergeist she thought she’d gotten under control as a child. Malediction by Lisa Morton (Evil Jester Press) is about a teenage girl who arrives in Los Angeles determined to use her psychic abilities to destroy everything in her path and the only two residents that might be able to stop her.

First novels: Bait by J. Kent Messum (Plume) is an ugly little book about six junkies who are strangers and find themselves on an island with no heroin. They’re forced to swim to another island for their next fix. Are there sharks? Of course there are sharks. The Golem and the Jinn by Helen Wecker (HarperCollins) is about the relationship of two magical creatures that mysteriously appear in the New York of 1899. Splintered by A. G. Howard (Abrams/Amulet) is a young adult dark retelling of Alice in Wonderland. Rage Against the Dying by Becky Masterman (Minotaur) is about a former FBI agent drawn back into one of her unsolved cases involving a sexual predator. The Black Fire Concerto by Mike Allen (Haunted Stars) is the author/editor’s first novel. A young harpist residing on a river boat infested by ghouls is drawn into a fight to save the world by using her music as magic — dark and light. Stoker’s Manuscript by Royce Prouty’s (Putnam) is about a manuscript and handwriting expert lured back to his native Rumania to authenticate the original draft of Stoker’s Dracula. Longtime Lovecraft expert S. T. Joshi’s first novel, The Assaults of Chaos: A Novel About H. P. Lovecraft (Hippocampus Press), celebrates Lovecraft’s life and his work. The Year of the Storm by John Mantooth (Berkley) is about a young boy searching for his mother and sister after they disappeared in a violent storm. Harrowgate by Kate Maruyama (47 North) is about a man faced with increasingly bizarre behavior in his wife after the birth of their son.

It’s important to recognize the work of the talented artists working in the field of fantastic fiction, both dark and light. The following artists created art that I thought especially noteworthy during 2013: Teresa Tunaley, Dominic Black, Dave Senecal, Yuri Kabisher, Tara Bush, Kinuko Y. Craft, David Gentry, Vincent Sammy, Tessa Chuddy, Soufiane Idrassi, Carlos Araujo, Saber Core, Sarah Emerson, Rasa Dilyte, Athine Saloniti, Brigitte-Fredensborg, Akura Pare, Linda Saboe, Nick Gucker, Ben Baldwin, John Kaaine, Mike Dominic, Eric Lacombe, Anja Millen, Kate Harrison, Lynette Watters, Stephen Upham, Melissa Gannon, Azathoth, Tais Teng, Joachim Luetke, Sam Dawson, Mikio Murakami, Richard Wagner, Tom Brown, Ed Binkley, Miles Tittle, Stephen J. Clark, Reggie Oliver, Danielle Serra, George Cotronis, Oliver Wetter, Richard Wagner, Erin Wells, Edward Miller, David Ho, Ashley Mackenzie, Szymon Siwak, David Rix, Keith Miller, Louise Boyd, Lauren Rogers, Amandine van Ray, Katerina Apostolakou, Johannes Amm, Pauline De Hoe, Martin Wydooghe, Richard Anderson, Jon Foster, Greg Ruth, Chris Buzelli, Red Nose Studio, Victo Ngai, John Jude Palencar, John Picacio, Robert Hunt, Gregory Manchess, Anna and Elena Balbusso, Goni Montes, Karla Ortiz, Nicolas Delort, Pascal Campion, Sam Wolfe Connelly, Erik Mohr, Harry Morris, and Justin Aerni.

The British Fantasy Society’s Journal is a quarterly perk of membership in the British Fantasy Society and was edited in late 2012 throughout 2013 by Cavan Scott, Stuart Douglas, Guy Adams, and Ian Hunter. The Journal includes fiction, poetry, regular columns, and nonfiction articles. There were strong stories during 2013 by Clare Le May, Aliya Whiteley, and Joel Lord.

Ghosts & Scholars M.R. James Newsletter, edited by Rosemary Pardoe, continues to be published periodically. Two issues came out in 2013, and they included news of the field, articles, reviews, a letter column, and some original fiction. There were notable stories by Chico Kidd, Jane Jakeman, and Peter Bell.

The Friends of Arthur Machen is a society whose stated intention is to “encourage a wider recognition of Machen’s work, foster familiarity with his work, and provide a focus for critical debate.” Members receive the twice yearly newsletter, Machenalia, edited by Gwilym Games, and the twice yearly journal, Faunus, edited by James Machin, which has Machen-related material in it.

The Silent Companion, edited by António Monteiro, is an annual fiction magazine that comes as part of the subscription price to A Ghostly Company, an informal literary society devoted to the ghost story in all its forms. The group produces a quarterly, non fiction newsletter containing articles, letters, and book reviews. The fiction magazine featured seven stories, the strongest by Mark Nicholls and Christopher Harman.

The Green Book: Writings on Irish Gothic Supernatural and Fantastic Literature, edited by Brian J. Showers, debuted with two issues and is a welcome addition to the realm of accessible nonfiction about supernatural horror. These issues include essays about the plays of Conor McPherson, Le Fanu’s use of the oral tradition in his works, Lord Dunsany’s connections to the Irish Arts and Crafts movement, and plenty of other interesting material, including book reviews.

Black Static, edited by Andy Cox, is one of the best horror magazines in looks and content and is well-worth your money for its fiction, book, television, and movie reviews. My favorite stories in 2013 were by Drew Rhys White, Jacob A. Boyd, Tim Casson, James Cooper, Steven J. Dines, Jason Gould, Andrew Hook, V. H. Leslie, Ray Cluley, Nina Allan, Joel Lane, Ilan Lerman, and Steve Rasnic Tem. Stories by Priya Sharma, Ray Cluley, Tim Casson, Steve Rasnic Tem, and Stephen Bacon are reprinted herein.

Shadows & Tall Trees, edited by Michael Kelly, brought out one issue in 2013 and will move to an annual anthology in print and ebook format in 2014. The eight supernatural stories were all good, but those that stood out for me were by Lynda E. Rucker, Daniel Mills, Ray Cluley, D. P. Watt, and Richard Gavin. There was also a brief essay about Charlotte Perkins Gilman’s story “The Yellow Wallpaper.”

Supernatural Tales, edited by David Longhorn, continues its excellent run as a digest-sized journal from England. Three issues were published in 2013, with notable stories by Christopher Harmon, Chloe N. Clark, Iain Rowen, Sam Dawson, Sean Logan, John Llewellyn Probert, Jane Jakeman, Stephen Goldsmith, and Michael Chislett. The Jakeman is reprinted herein.

Not One of Us, edited by John Benson, is published twice a year and contains stories and poetry. In 2013 there were notable stories and poetry by Mat Joiner, Patricia Russo, and Adrienne J. Odasso. In addition, Benson puts out an annual “one-off” on a specific theme. The theme for 2013 was Lost and Lonely and there was good fiction and poetry by Patricia Russo and K. S. Hardy.

Nightmare: Horror and Dark Fantasy, edited by John Joseph Adams, is one of only a handful of webzines dedicated to publishing horror fiction, articles on horror, and art. It had a good year in 2013 with notable stories by Tanith Lee, Marc Laidlaw, David Tallerman, Carrie Vaughn, Brit Mandelo, Brooke Bolander, Jennifer Giesbrecht, Alison Littlewood, C. S. McMullen, Sam J. Miller, Tamsyn Muir, Linda Nagata, Norman Partridge, David J. Schow, Lynda E. Rucker, and Jeff VanderMeer. The Rucker and Nagata are reprinted herein.

Innsmouth Magazine, edited by Paula R. Stiles and Silvia Moreno-Garcia, moved into print November 2013 with issue #14. During the year, there were notable stories by Steve Toase and E. Catherine Tobler. The Toase story is reprinted herein.

Primeval: A Journal of the Uncanny, edited by G. Winston Hyatt, debuted in the fall and plans to be publish in print semi-annually. The magazine is dedicated to “examining the convergence of contemporary anxiety and ancient impulse.” The first issue had reprints by Harlan Ellison and Saki and a loosely structured, experimental new story by Laird Barron; plus essays and an odd screed by Adam Rose, “Artistic Director of Antibody Corporation, a non-profit organization specializing in mind-body and occult research.” It also featured an interview with Jack Ketchum. The issue is interesting but with no real focus. It’ll be interesting to see if it finds a large enough audience to stay afloat.

The Dark, a new bi-monthly webzine of dark fantasy and strange fiction edited by Jack Fisher and Sean Wallace, debuted in October and managed to get out a second issue before the end of the year. The two issues had notable fiction by Angela Slatter, Nnedi Okorafor, and E. Catherine Tobler.

Midnight Echo is the magazine of the Australian Horror Writers Association. The ninth issue, edited by G. N. Braun, focused on myths and legends, with non fiction and fiction. Issue 10 was edited by Craig Bezant. There was notable horror by James A. Moore, Kristin Dearborn, and Amanda J. Spedding.

Cemetery Dance, edited by Richard Chizmar, has been around for twenty-five years and has featured lots of fiction, interviews, and reviews over the years. In 2013, two issues were published with notable stories by Kealan Patrick Burke, Brian James Freeman, Kaaron Warren, P. D. Cacek, Robert Dunbar, and a collaboration by Jack Ketchum and Lucky McKee.

Lovecraft E-zine, edited by Mike Davis, is the online portal for everything Lovecraftian, from regularly publishing new fiction and criticism, holding video interviews (I’ve been on a number of times) and podcasts, a page with Lovecraftian movies available for free on YouTube, and a blog. During 2013, there were notable stories by Samantha Henderson and a good collaboration by David Conyers and John Goodrich.

Dark Moon Digest, edited by Stan Swanson, is a quarterly, which, in addition to regular issues, also published a special YA issue in 2013. There were notable stories by Steve Scott, Joe McKinney, and P. B. Kane.

Three-Lobed Burning Eye, edited by Andrew S. Fuller, has been publishing dark and weird fiction since 1999 and is currently trying to bring out two issues a year. There was a notable story by Lawrence Conquest in #23, but #24 was published too late for me to cover it.

Postscripts to Darkness, edited by Sean Moreland, calls itself an anthology, but, with interviews and a twice yearly schedule, it seems more like a magazine. One notable story by Ralph Robert Moore.

Shock Totem, edited by K. Allen Wood, had two issues out in 2013 with notable fiction by P. K. Gardner and M. Bennardo.

The Horror Zine, edited by Jeani Rector, is a monthly e-zine that has been publishing fiction, poetry, art, small press book reviews, and independent film reviews since 2009. There was an excellent poem by Joe R. Lansdale published on the site in 2013.

Aurealis, edited by Dirk Strasser, Stephen Higgins, and Michael Pryor, is one of only a few long-running Australian genre magazines. It went to a monthly online schedule in 2011. During 2013, there was strong horror by James Bradley, Jason Franks, O. J. Cade, and C. S. McMullen.

On Spec is Canada’s premiere genre magazine and has been published quarterly by the Copper Pig Writers’ Society, a revolving committee of volunteers, for a very long time. They always publish an interesting mix of sf/f/h fiction and poetry with good, dark stories in 2013 by J. D. DeLuzio, Kevin Cockle, Tyrell Johnson, and David Gordon Buresh. There are also profiles and nonfiction articles.

The Journal of Unlikely Entomology, edited by Bernie Mojzes and A. C. Wise, is self-described as “an online magazine of fiction that delves into the world of things that creep and crawl and explores the limits of what it means to be human.” The Journal publishes biannually in May and November with an additional roving mini-issue some time during the year. In 2013, that special issue was The Journal of Unlikely Architecture (#6), which was weirder than dark. The art is always topnotch, the fiction a mixed bag, with stories told from the point of view of insects usually less successfully than those not. There were notable dark stories by Nicole Cipri, Maria Dahvana Headley, Nghi Vo, and Nicole Belte.

Electric Velocipede, edited by John Klima, announced that it would cease publication with its twenty-seventh issue, published December 2013. That issue and the previous one had strong dark fiction by Jamie Killen, Sam J. Miller, Lisa L. Hannett, and Brooke Juliet Wonders.

Bourbon Penn, edited by Erik Secker, is published out of Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, and has some interesting fiction of different types. In 2013, there were notable dark stories by Sean Doolittle, Rebecca Schwarz, Jessica Hilt, and Will Kaufman. Kzine, edited by Graeme Hurry, is published three times a year and includes horror, sf, fantasy, and crime fiction. There were notable stories in 2013 by Donald McCarthy, Nicole Tanquary, and Gregory Marlow.

Mythic Delirium, edited by Mike Allen, has been featuring notable sf/f/h prose and poetry since 1998. Although Allen started moving the magazine to online publication in 2013, he continued to publish a separate print issue through 2013. Throughout the year, there was notable dark poetry by Bonnie Jo Stufflebeam, S. Brackett Robertson, Alexandra Seidel, Liz Bourke, Georgina Bruce, C. S. Cooney, and Jennifer Crow.

Apex Magazine is a monthly science fiction, fantasy, horror webzine edited by Lynn M. Thomas that had notable dark fiction and poetry by Emily Jiang, Tang Fei, Sarah Monette, Shira Lipkin, and Rachel Swirsky and two very good non-horror stories by E. Lily Yu and Maria Dahvana Headley.

Ideomancer is a quarterly webzine edited by Leah Bobet that publishes a mix of sf/f/f. There were good, dark stories in 2013 by Sunny Moraine and Michael Matheson.

The BFS Journal is edited by Sarah Newton, Stuart Douglas, and Ian Hunter and available to all members of the British Fantasy Society for free. There were notable stories by Clare Le May, Aliya Whiteley, and Joel Lord.

Albedo One, edited by Frank Ludlow, David Murphy, and Robert Neilson, is the only genre magazine I’m aware of that’s published in Ireland. It runs sf, fantasy, and horror and regularly includes interviews and book reviews. There were two issues published in 2013 with notable dark stories by Kevin Brown and David Siddall.

Crimewave: Hurts, edited by Andy Cox, has been missed. Issue #12, out late in 2013, was the first issue of this excellent crime/mystery magazine published in three years. The stories are rarely horror, but they’re usually dark and always readable. My favorites in the new issue are by Steven J. Dines, James Cooper, Melanie Tem, Stephen Bacon, Joel Lane, Tim Lees, and Antony Mann.

Shimmer, edited by E. Catherine Tobler, had two issues out in 2013 with notable stories by Cate Gardner, Dennis Y. Ginoza, William Jablonsky, Alex Dally MacFarlane, Sunny Moraine, and Christie Yant.

Interzone, edited by Andy Cox, is the sf/f sister to Black Static, but occasionally some quite dark pieces slip into Interzone. During 2013, there were notable dark stories by Greg Kurzawa, Damien Walters Grintalis, and Melanie Tem.

The Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction, edited by Gordon Van Gelder, is a bi-monthly magazine that publishes sf/f/h in addition to columns, book and movie reviews, and a cartoon. During 2013, there was notable dark fiction by David Gerrold, Joe Haldeman, M. K. Hobson, Ken Liu, Bruce McAllister, Chen Qiufan (translated by Ken Liu), Michael Reaves, Dale Bailey, Harry Campion, Albert E. Cowdrey, Brendon Dubois, and KJ Kabza. The Kabza is reprinted herein.

Asimov’s Science Fiction Magazine is a monthly magazine edited by Sheila Williams and, in addition to sf/f (and the occasional horror story), also includes columns and reviews. During 2013, there were notable dark stories by Gregory Frost, Garrett Ashley, Jack Dann, Nancy Kress, Kit Reed, and Leah Thomas.

Black Candies: See Through is the 2013 edition of an annual “literary horror” journal published by So Say We All Press. Many of the stories are interesting but only a few are dark. The best of those were by Adrian Van Young, C. A. Schaefer, and Julia Evans.

Phantom Drift: A Journal of New Fabulism, edited by David Memmott, Martha Bayliss, Leslie What, and Matt Schumacher, is an annual published in the fall. The 2013 issue has excellent dark fiction and poetry by Zoltán Komor, Julia Patt, and Jeannine Hall Gailey. The Gailey is reprinted herein.

McSweeney’s Quarterly Concern, edited by Will Georgantas, often has darker material within its pages.

Issue 45: Hitchcock and Bradbury Fist Fight in Heaven was especially rich with classic reprints by Ray Bradbury, Roald Dahl, and Frederic Brown and new dark stories by Brian Evenson and China Miéville.

Chilling Tales: In Words, Alas, Drown I, edited by Michael Kelly (Edge), is the second volume of new, non-theme horror stories in what I hope will be a series. There are some excellent stories among the twenty, including those by David Nickle, Sandra Kasturi, Catherine MacLeod, Ian Rogers, Derek Künsken, Helen Marshall, Simon Strantzas, Daniel LeMoal, and Michael Matheson. The Künsken is reprinted herein.

Dark World: Ghost Stories, edited by Timothy Parker Russell (Tartarus Press), has fourteen stories, all but one original to the anthology. There are notable stories by Steve Rasnic Tem, Anna Taborska, Jason A. Wyckoff, Mark J. Saxton, John Gaskin, Rhys Hughes, and Reggie Oliver. The book is a fundraiser for the Amala Children’s Home in the Tamil Nadu region of India. For more information on the project, visit www.amalatrust.org.

The Grimscribe’s Puppets, edited by Joseph S. Pulver, Sr. (Miskatonic River Press), is a tribute to weird fiction writer Thomas Ligotti with twenty-two stories, all but one published for the first time. Most of the contributors do an admirable job using Ligotti’s dense, visionary, strange work to create their own weird fictions. There were notable stories by Livia Llewellyn, John Langan, Gemma Files, Jeffrey Thomas, Paul G. Tremblay, Nicole Cushing, Richard Gavin, Michael Griffin, Michael Kelly, Joel Lane, and Kaaron Warren.

Deep Cuts: 19 Tales of Mayhem, Menace, and Misery, edited by Angel Leigh McCoy, E. S. Magill, and Chris Marrs (Evil Jester Press), is a an anthology created to celebrate women horror writers and was funded by Kickstarter. It features nineteen stories (all but three original) by both men and women, and each story is introduced by a woman writer who influenced the contributor. There are notable stories by R. S. Belcher, Samael Gyre, Michael Haynes, Sandra M. Odell, Stephen Woodworth, Colleen Anderson, James Chambers, and Scathe meic Boerh.

Exotic Gothic 5 Volumes I and II, edited by Danel Olson (PS Publishing), has doubled its size to twenty-six stories, split between two volumes. There are notable stories by Nick Antosca, Kola Boof, Terry Dowling, Lucy Taylor, Reggie Oliver, Sheri Holman, Deborah Noyes, John Llewellyn Probert, and Anna Taborska.

Dead North: Canadian Zombie Fiction, edited by Silvia Moreno-Garcia (Exile Editions), is, as is evident from the title, a zombie anthology — a good one. There are five reprints and fifteen new stories, with excellent originals by Rhea Rose, Jamie Mason, Sèphera Girón, Tyler Keevil, and Simon Strantzas. The Strantzas is reprinted herein.

Turn Down the Lights, edited by Richard Chizmar (Cemetery Dance Publications), celebrates twenty-five years of Cemetery Dance Magazine with ten entertaining stories (all new but for the Ed Gorman) by Stephen King, Clive Barker, Peter Straub, and six other writers who have appeared in the long-running horror magazine.

Shadow Masters: An Anthology from The Horror Zine, edited by Jeani Rector (Imajin Books), presents thirty-seven previously unpublished stories. The more interesting ones are by Chris Castle, Simon Clark, Elizabeth Massie, and Yvonne Navarro. The Clark is reprinted herein.

Arcane II, edited by Nathan Shumate (Cold Fusion Media), is an un-themed anthology showcasing twenty-one stories of dark fantasy, horror, and weird fiction. There are notable stories by Harry Markov, Patrick S. McGinnity, Craig Pay, Priya Sharma, Anna Sykora, Nicole M. Taylor, Steve Toase, Andrew Bourelle, and Eric Dimbleby.

Undead & Unbound: Unexpected Tales from Beyond the Grave, edited by Brian M. Sammons and David Conyers (Chaosium, Inc), presents nineteen stories about people who return from the grave. There are notable stories by Gary McMahon, Robert Neilson, David Dunwoody, and Mercedes M. Yardley.

Tales of Jack the Ripper, edited by Ross E. Lockhart (Word Horde), is the first book out from this new California publisher and marks the 125th anniversary of one of the most famous serial killers of all time. Most of the nineteen stories and poems are original to the anthology, and the most interesting ones are by T. E. Grau, Laird Barron, Orrin Grey, Joseph S. Pulver, Jr., and E. Catherine Tobler.

Fearie Tales: Stories of the Grimm and Gruesome, edited by Stephen Jones and illustrated by Alan Lee (Jo Fletcher Books), takes the retold fairy tale sub genre, already claimed and used exquisitely in fantasy and dark fantasy fiction, deep into horror territory. Each of the fifteen stories has a précis of the original story and a black-and-white illustration by Lee.

There are notable stories by Ramsey Campbell, Peter Crowther, Brian Hodge, Tanith Lee, John Ajvide Lindqvist, Brian Lumley, Garth Nix, Reggie Oliver, Angela Slatter, Robert Shearman, and Michael Marshall Smith.

A Killer Among Demons, edited by Craig Bezant (Dark Prints Press), has ten new stories mixing crime and horror. The strongest are by Angela Slatter, Chris Large, William Meikle, and S. J. Dawson.

Second City Scares: A Horror Express Anthology, edited by Marc Shemmans (Horror Express Publications), features twelve horror stories that take place in Birmingham, England, including two by members of the editor’s family. There are notable stories by Mike Chinn, Joel Lane, John Howard, and David A. Sutton.

Vampires Don’t Sparkle, edited by Michael West (Seventh Star Press), has fifteen anti-Twilight vampire stories, all but three new. The strongest are by Lucy A. Snyder, Maurice Broaddus, and Douglas F. Warrick.

Gay City 5 Ghosts in Gaslight, Monsters in Steam, edited by Vincent Kovar and Evan J. Peterson (A Minor Arcana Press Incantation), is an interesting anthology of gay and lesbian horror. The title is misleading — few, if any of the thirty-seven stories, poems, and graphic novel are steampunk. There’s notable work by Ocean Vuong, Steve Berman, Gregory L. Norris, and Anthony Rella.

Anatomy of Death: In Five Sleazy Pieces, edited by Mark West (Hersham Horror Books), is an original anthology intended to provide a taste of the old lurid horror of the ’70s. It does, for better or worse, and while some of the stories are entertaining, most don’t stay with the reader longer than it takes to read them. There are notable stories by Stephen Bacon and John Llewellyn Probert, plus one by Stephen Volk that rivals the movie The Human Centipede for repulsiveness.

The Haunted Mansion Project Year Two, presented by Rain Graves and edited by Loren Rhoades (Damnation Books), is the end result of a writers retreat attended by seventeen horror writers in the fall of 2012. It includes essays, poems, and stories inspired by the weekend. The strongest stories and poems are by Weston Ochse, Sèphera Girón, Rain Graves, and Dan Weidman.

The Book of the Dead, edited by Jared Shurin (Jurassic London in partnership with the Egypt Exploration Society), has nineteen stories about mummies. The best are by Maria Dahvana Headley and Maurice Broaddus.

Eulogies II: Tales from the Cellar, edited by Christopher Jones, Nanci Kalanta, and Tony Tremblay (HW Press), contains thirty-two stories, with proceeds going to Tom and Michelle Piccirilli. There were strong stories by Michael Boatman, Gary McMahon, Gary A. Braunbeck, Eric J. Guignard, Malcolm Laughton, Thad Linson, and Monica O’Rourke.

Halloween: Magic, Mystery, and the Macabre, edited by Paula Guran (Prime Books), is a varied mix of seventeen original (and one reprint) stories about Halloween. All of the stories are readable, most are dark, a few are dark enough to consider horror. The strongest stories are by Brian Hodge, A. C. Wise, Lawrence C. Connolly, Maria V. Snyder, Stephen Graham Jones, Laird Barron, and Laure Bickle. There’s also a very fine horror novella by Norman Partridge.

The Burning Circus: BFS Horror 1, edited by Johnny Mains, is one of two special anthologies intended for members of the British Fantasy Society. The other is Unexpected Journeys, a fantasy anthology edited by Juliet E. McKenna. The Burning Circus is short, with no apparent theme, despite the title and includes eight stories, one a reprint. Ramsey Campbell provides the introduction. The strongest stories were by Stephen Volk, Adam Nevill, Lynda E. Rucker, and Angela Slatter.

The Mountains of Madness, edited by Robert M. Price (Dullahan Press), is an entertaining theme anthology of twelve stories centering and/or inspired by the H. P. Lovecraft’s novella of the same title. Some notable stories by Stephen Mark Rainey, Edward Morris, and Brian M. Sammons.

Bad Seeds: Evil Progeny, edited by Steve Berman (Prime), has twenty-seven horror stories about really nasty kids. With reprints by Stephen King, Peter Straub, Cassandra Clare, Holly Black, Joe R. Lansdale, and others. The best of the five originals is by Joel D. Lane.

Shadows Edge, edited by Simon Strantzas (Gray Friar Press), takes as its theme the edges between nightmare and reality, and although individually each story is quite good, unfortunately, as a group of fifteen, they seem awfully desolate/static. The standouts are those by Richard Gavin, Gary McMahon, Lisa Hannett, Simon Strantzas, Peter Bell, R. B. Russell, and John Langan.

Impossible Monsters, edited by Kasey Lansdale (Subterranean Press), is an entertaining anthology of twelve (all but one new) stories about new monsters. The meatiest stories are Chet Williamson’s tour de force that will make anyone who stays in hotel rooms totally paranoid and Joe R. Lansdale’s new adventures about supernatural sleuth Dana Roberts.

There were two volumes in the Terror Tales anthology series, edited by Paul Finch (Gray Friar Press): Terror Tales of the Seaside has fourteen horror stories taking place in the seaside towns of England. All but two stories are new. The strongest were by Gary Fry, Paul Kane, Reggie Oliver, Sam Stone, and Stephen Volk. Terror Tales of London features thirteen stories, ten published for the first time. The best were by Barbara Roden, Mark Morris, Nina Allan, Adam Nevill, and Rosalie Parker. The Allan is reprinted herein.

Barbers & Beauties, edited by Michael Knost and Nancy Eden Siegel (Hummingbird House Press), is a clever concoction. Created as a double book, with one half dubbed Beautyshop Quartet, consisting of four original stories by women, and the other half dubbed Barbershop Quartet, consisting of four original stories by men. The stories all take place within either a barbershop or beautyshop. The strongest stories are by Lee Thomas, Tim Lebbon, and Rhodi Hawks.

Weirder Shadows over Innsmouth, edited by Stephen Jones (Fedogan & Bremer), is the third in a trilogy of anthologies inspired by the H. P. Lovecraft novella The Shadow over Innsmouth. The volume contains a poem by Lovecraft, sixteen reprints by various writers, and seven originals, including notable work by Conrad Williams, Michael Marshall Smith, Angela Slatter, and Brian Hodge. The Hodge is reprinted herein.

Psycho-Mania, edited by Stephen Jones (Robinson), features thirty-four stories, a little more than half of them new, with interstitial material by John Llewellyn Probert pulling the anthology together (so that all the stories are seen as “case histories” of patients in Crowsmoor asylum for the criminally insane), and an introduction by Robert Bloch (a previously unpublished essay). While all the originals are good, the strongest are by Brian Hodge, Robert Shearman, Rio Youers, Michael Marshall, and Kim Newman. The Shearman and Newman are reprinted herein.

Zombies: Shambling through the Ages, edited by Steve Berman (Prime), has more than thirty zombie stories, eight of them reprints, all taking place from pre-history through the early twentieth century. There are notable originals by Paul M. Berger, Samantha Henderson, Carrie Laben, Livia Llewellyn, L. Lark, and Aimee Payne.

Appalachian Undead, edited by Eugene Johnson and Jason Sizemore (Apex Publications), features twenty all new zombie stories. There are notable ones by Maurice Broaddus, Michael Paul Gonzalez, Paul Moore, Steve Rasnic Tem, and a good collaboration by John Skipp and Dori Miller. Mountain Dead, edited by Jason Sizemore and Eugene Johnson (Apex Publications), is a chapbook extension of the anthology (ebook only) with four more zombie stories.

Zippered Flesh 2: More Tales of Body Enhancement Gone Bad!, edited by Weldon Burges (Smart Rhino), has twenty-two stories, all but three new. The best are by Shaun Meeks, Lisa Mannetti, Christine Morgan, and Michael Bailey.

Space Eldritch II: The Haunted Stars, edited by Nathan Shumate (Gold Fusion Media), is an all original anthology of eleven Locraftian space operas.

For the Night is Dark, edited by Ross Warren (Crystal Lake Publishing), has twenty original stories about fear of the dark, and the best stories are by Ray Cluley, Benedict J. Jones, and Carole Johnstone. One story is by publisher Joe Mynhardt, something I’ve never before encountered. Sometimes editors include their own stories — in the case of big name author-editors, occasionally they are required by their publisher to include their own stories for marketing purposes—because they’re a big name. I personally think it’s a lousy idea because it means there’s no editorial choice at play and that’s one of the most crucial jobs of editing an anthology. There’s no excuse for a non-name to do so. But for the publisher to force his editor to include that publisher’s story? That’s a conflict of interest.

Ill at Ease II (Penman Press, no editor) is a short anthology of seven stories, following up from the 2011 three-writer chapbook Ill at Ease. The most interesting stories this time around are by Mark West and Robert Mammone.

Mister October: An Anthology in Memory of Rick Hautala volumes I and II (Journalstone Publishing) is an all-reprint anthology with 100 percent of the profits going to the Hautala family. Rick Hautala, a well-known figure in horror circles, died suddenly in March 2013. Some of the contributors include Peter Straub, Neil Gaiman, Sarah Langan, F. Paul Wilson, Sarah Pinborough, Joe Lansdale, Elizabeth Massie, and other prominent names in horror.

His Red Eyes, Again, edited by Julia Kruk and Tracy Lee (CreateSpace), celebrates the fortieth anniversary of The Dracula Society with thirteen stories, twelve by members. The best stories are by Chris Priestley and Laura Miller.

Chiral Mad 2, edited by Michael Bailey (CreateSpace), is a mix of twenty-eight new and reprinted psychological horror stories. The best of the originals are by Emily B. Cataneo, James Chambers, Patrick O’Neill, Andrew Hook, and Usman T. Malik.

The Tenth Black Book of Horror, edited by Charles Black (Mortbury Press), has fifteen stories, the strongest by Andrea Janes. This volume in the series is a bit too pulpy for my taste.

Hauntings, edited by Ellen Datlow (Tachyon Publications), is a reprint anthology of twenty-four stories of ghosts and other types of hauntings originally published between 1983 and 2012. Included are stories by Neil Gaiman, Peter Straub, Connie Willis, Lucius Shepard, Joyce Carol Oates, and nineteen other writers.

The Transfiguration of Mister Punch by D.P. Watt, Charles Schneider, and Cate Gardner (Egaeus Press) is an anthology of three works commissioned (by publisher Mark Beech) to reinvent the Punch and Judy mythos. The first by Charles Schneider is a fictitious essay interspersed with macabre vignettes about the history and various aspects of the show. The second grouping, by D. P. Watt, has stories within stories, all very dark. And the third is a disturbing novella by Cate Gardner in which Punch and Judy and another character start out in Hell. The book is profusely illustrated (with drawings and black-and-white photographs) throughout.

Limbus, Inc., edited by Anne C. Petty (Journalstone), is a shared world anthology about an employment agency that uses sketchy methods of hiring employees for unique jobs that might not be survivable. Contributions by Jonathan Maberry, Joseph Nassise, Benjamin Kane Ethridge, Brett J. Talley, and Anne C. Petty.

Suffered from the Night: Queering Stoker’s Dracula, edited by Steve Berman (Lethe Press), is an anthology of fourteen new stories, but unfortunately the narrow focus (in contrast to a broader one of “vampires” or the editor’s Where Thy Dark Eye Glances: Queering Edgar Allan Poe—see mention below — which would be/is more successful because it’s not concentrated on one work by Poe) limits the variety and imagination of most of the contributors. Few do more than adding a gay character or changing one of the character’s sexual preferences. Notable exceptions are the stories by Laird Barron, David Shaw, Livia Llewellyn, Seth Cadin, Traci Castleberry, and editor Steve Berman.

Dark Fusions: Where Monsters Lurk!, edited by Lois H. Gresh (PS Publishing), is an entertaining all original anthology of eighteen supernatural, sf/horror, dark fantasy, and horror stories, many containing monsters. The most interesting are by Cody Goodfellow, Nicholas Kaufmann, Nancy Kilpatrick, Lisa Morton, Norman Prentiss, David Sakmyster, Darrell Schweitzer, and Ann K. Schwader.

In Four Summoner’s Tales by Kelly Armstrong, Christopher Golden, David Liss, and Jonathan Maberry (Gallery Books), each contributor takes a crack at the premise: what if the dead could be summoned from their graves.

Dueling Minds, edited by Brian James Freeman (CD), is #10 in the publisher’s signature series. Six stories, two original, with jacket art by Alan M. Clark, and interior illustrations throughout by Erin S. Wells. There, a notable story by Gerard Houarner

All-American Horror of the 21st Century: The First Decade: 2000–2010, edited by Mort Castle (Wicker Park Press), is a volume of thirty stories by American writers dealing with “uniquely American” themes and written in an “equally unique style.” Two of the stories were actually published in the late Nineties. And while I’ve always appreciated editors using a few unknowns in anthologies, it seems counter to the spirit of the showcase that this volume intends to be because several writers are missing — influential and flat-out brilliant new horror writers who started publishing in the late ought’s and are currently flowering during this second decade of the twenty-first century.

ISF 2012 Annual Anthology, edited by Roberto Mendes and Ricardo Loureiro (International Speculative Fiction in association with Hipper Tiger Books and IndieBookLauncher.com), is the first anthology of science fiction, fantasy, and horror published by this international organization promoting speculative fiction from around the world. The stores are all reprints from various magazines and the organization’s webzine.

Weird Detectives: Recent Investigations, edited by Paula Guran (Prime), features twenty-three dark reprints published between 2004 and 2011 by writers such as Neil Gaiman, Charlaine Harris, Jim Butcher, Joe R. Lansdale, Ilsa J. Bick, and many others.

After Death…, edited by Eric J. Guignard (Dark Moon), has thirty-four original stories about death, some but not all dark. The more interesting ones are by Lisa Morton, Joe McKinney, and Ray Cluley. After the End: Recent Apocalypses, edited by Paula Guran (Prime), presents twenty previously published dark, mostly sf tales of what might happen after the world as we know it ends — for whatever reason.

In Heaven, Everything is Fine: Fiction Inspired by David Lynch (Eraserhead Press) features thirty-nine intriguing original and reprinted (nine of the latter) stories, vignettes, and dreamscapes. Most of the pieces are surreal and very effective. Some don’t work at all. A few are laced with horror. The original dark pieces I liked the best are by Edward Morris, Cody Goodfellow, Jeffrey Thomas, Matthew Revert, Andrew Wade Adams, and Garrett Cook.

Where Thy Dark Eye Glances: Queering Edgar Allan Poe, edited by Steve Berman (Lethe Press), presents twenty-six fantasy, dark fantasy, and horror stories and poems about or influenced by Poe, all involving gay or lesbian relationships. There are notable pieces by John Mantooth, Richard Bowes, Ray Cluley, Ed Madden, Tansy Rayner Roberts, and Cory Skerry.

End of the Road, edited by Jonathan Oliver (Solaris), mixes sf/f/h in fifteen new stories about travel along the road. There are notable horror stories by Jay Caselberg, Helen Marshall, Paul Meloy, Benjanun Sriduangkaew, S. L. Grey, and Adam Nevill.

Rustblind and Silverbright, edited by David Rix (Eibonvale), is a terrific anthology comprised of twenty-three stories and one poem about railways. Several of the stories treat the theme obliquely, to marvelous effect. Although not all the stories held my interest, most did, and some were excellent, including those by Andrew Coulthard, Christopher Harman, Andrew Hook, John Howard, Joel Lane, Danny Rhodes, Steve Rasnic Tem, Aliya Whiteley, and Charles Wilkinson. There’s also a notable poem by Gavin Salisbury and a brilliant novella by Nina Allan. In addition, the interstitial material by editor David Rix is consistently fascinating.

One Small Step: An Anthology of Discoveries, edited by Tehani Wessely (Fablecroft Publishing), features sixteen original stories by Australian women on the theme of exploration and discovery. There are notable dark stories by Kathleen Jennings and the collaborative teams of Joanne Anderton and Rabia Gale and Lisa L. Hannett and Angela Slatter.

Shades of Blue & Gray, edited by Steve Berman (Prime), has twenty-two original and reprinted fantasy and dark fantasy (with a bit of horror) stories about American Civil War ghosts. Of the fifteen new stories, there were notable dark stories by Ed Kurtz, Chaz Brenchley, Melissa Scott, Laird Barron, Christopher Cevasco, and Cindy Potts.

Rags & Bones, edited by Melissa Marr and Tim Pratt (Little, Brown), has twelve new stories inspired by classic tales of various types ranging from “The Monkey’s Paw” and “Carmilla” to “Sleeping Beauty,” The Man Who Would Be King, and The Awakening. The strongest of the dark tales are by Holly Black, Gene Wolfe, and Kami Garcia.

Horror Without Victims, edited by D. F. Lewis (Megazanthus Press), is an interesting all-original anthology with twenty-five stories: some horror, some just weird. And despite the title, there are indeed occasional victims. With notable dark stories by DeAnna Knipling, Katie Jones, Gary McMahon, David Murphy, John Travis, Charles Wilkinson, and L. R. Bonehill.

Shadows of the New Sun, edited by J. E. Mooney and Bill Fawcett (Tor), features eighteen original stories in honor of the great sf/fantasist (including one by Wolfe himself). There are notable dark stories by Neil Gaiman and Nancy Kress.

Beyond Rue Morgue: Further Tales of Edgar Allan Poe’s 1st Detective, edited by Paul Kane and Charles Prepolec (Titan), features eight new stories, the original “Murder in the Rue Morgue” by Poe, plus a reprint by Clive Barker. There are notable stories by Lisa Tuttle, Stephen Volk, Elizabeth Massie, and Joe R. Lansdale.

Red Spectres: Russian Gothic Tales from the Twentieth Century, selected and translated by Muireann Maguire (The Overlook Press/Ardis), features eleven stories, all but two translated from Russian into English for the first time — subtlety creepy and weird.

Queen Victoria’s Book of Spells: An Anthology of Gaslamp Fantasy, edited by Ellen Datlow and Terri Windling (Tor Books), is a mixture of fantasy and dark fantasy with the darkest stories by Kaaron Warren, Veronica Schanoes, Maureen F. McHugh, Leanna Renee Hieber, and Dale Bailey. The Bailey is reprinted herein.

By Faerie Light, edited by Scott Gable, Caroline Dombrowski, and Dora Wang (Broken Eye Books), is a charming anthology of dark fantasy tales about faeries. A few stories, such as the fine one by Andrew Penn Romine, verge on horror.

The Farthest Shore: An Anthology of Fantasy Fiction from the Philippines, edited by Dean Francis Alfar and Joseph Frederic F. Nacino (the University of the Philippines Press), showcases twelve stories of fantasy and dark fantasy. The volume is also an homage to the third book in Ursula K. Le Guin’s Earthsea trilogy, which is set on a fantastical world made of islands, as is the Philippines.

Sorcery & Sanctity: A Homage to Arthur Machen (Hieroglyphic Press) is a tribute featuring twenty stories inspired by Machen’s writing from different periods of his life. Most of the stories are more weird than horrific but would likely appeal to connoisseurs of Machen.

Encounters with Enoch Coffin, by W. H. Pugmire and Jeffrey Thomas (Dark Regions Press), has twelve stories (six by each author) that follow an artist on his quest to paint, illustrate, or create in pottery sights that no one has ever seen before — Lovecraftian and weird.

Horror: Filipino Fiction for Young Adults, edited by Dean Alfar and KennethYu (University of Philippines Press), has fourteen stories. Unfortunately, as an adult, I find most horror anthologies and single-author collections aimed at kids not very creepy. This is no exception but still, there are a couple of notable darker stories by Renelaine Bontol-Pfister and Fidelis Tan.

Memoryville Blues, edited by Peter Crowther and Nick Gevers (PS), is volume 30/31 of the PS Publishing anthology series and has some excellent horror among its twenty-five offerings. The best were by Alastair Reynolds, James Cooper, Lynda E. Rucker, John Grant, Peter Hardy, and a collaboration by Allen Ashley and Douglas Thompson.

The Year’s Best Dark Fantasy & Horror 2013, edited by Paula Guran (Prime), features thirty-five stories and novellas of dark fantasy and horror. One story overlapped with my own The Best Horror of the Year Volume Five. The Mammoth Book of Best New Horror 24, edited by Stephen Jones (Robinson), features twenty-two reprints published during 2012. There was one overlap with my Volume Five, two with Guran’s.

Wilde Stories 2013: The Year’s Best Gay Speculative Fiction, edited by Steve Berman (Lethe Press), reprinted twelve mixed-genre stories originally published in diverse publications such as Strange Horizons, Shadows and Tall Trees, Subterranean, and several anthologies.

Imaginarium 2013: The Best Canadian Speculative Fiction Writing, edited by Sandra Kasturi and Samantha Beiko (Chizine Publications), is the second in this series showcasing sf/f/h first published in 2012. This year’s volume includes thirty-six stories and poetry by Canadians such as Gemma Files, Angela Slatter and Lisa Hannett (a collaboration allowing Aussie Slatter into the anthology), Helen Marshall, Ian Rogers, and Silvia Moreno-Garcia.

The Best of Philippine Speculative Fiction 2005–2010, edited by Dean Francis Alfar and Nikki Alfar (The University of Philippines Press), is an important addition to world genre literature, presenting thirty science fiction, fantasy, and horror stories selected from the first five years annual Philippine Speculative Fiction anthologies.

There is a triumvirate of American male, dark fiction writers who have sprung up within the past several years and been creating brilliant work: Laird Barron, John Langan, and Nathan Ballingrud. All three have new collections out in 2013.

North American Lake Monsters by Nathan Ballingrud (Small Beer Press) is the author’s first collection. Some of the nine stories are almost mainstream, I guess you could say mainstream in sensibility, but there’s always a touch of the weird in them. Since publishing his first story in SciFiction in 2003, I’ve been astounded by his range. There’s one original story is a knockout, and it’s reprinted herein.

The Wide, Carnivorous Sky and Other Monstrous Geographies by John Langan (Hippocampus Press) is the author’s second collection of marvel-ously creepy short fiction. Langan especially shines at the novelette and novella length, and almost everything in the new book is those lengths. Eight were originally published between 2008 and 2010, one on the author’s blog. “Mother of Stone,” the one original, is an excellent novella. It features an introduction by Jeffrey Ford and an afterword by Laird Barron.

The Beautiful Thing That Awaits Us All by Laird Barron (Night Shade) was published a few months later than scheduled because it was caught in the sale of Night Shade’s assets to Skyhorse. It’s Barron’s third collection and has eight stories originally published between 2010 and 2012, plus one new one. Barron’s writing might be described as an amalgam of Lovecraftian themes and paranoia with the language and characterizations of tough men laid low (sometimes by women) of Lucius Shepard. Critics talk about Thomas Ligotti as an inheritor of Lovecraft’s mantel, and that might be, but Barron at his best has pushed cosmic horror through to the twenty-first century. It has an introduction by Norman Partridge. The original story is reprinted herein.

EverythingYou Need by Michael Marshall Smith (Earthling Publications) is a welcome new collection of seventeen stories by one of the contemporary masters of the form. Smith’s range is extraordinary, roaming equally smoothly among horror, dark fantasy, science fiction, and mainstream. There are three new stories, one of them mainstream and heartbreaking.

The Moment of Panic by Steve Duffy (PS Publications) is a the author’s fourth collection and has twelve stories and novelettes, five of them new. The novelette “The A-Z” is particularly good as the weirdness creeps up on the reader, but all are enjoyable.

Like Light for Flies by Lee Thomas (Lethe Press) is a fine, second collection by Thomas. In it are twelve stories, three new, one of those three a powerful novella about a South Florida government work camp built during the depression affected by a hurricane in 1935. The reprints were originally published in a variety of anthologies and magazines. Sarah Langan provides an introduction. The title story is reprinted herein.

The Ape’s Wife and Other Stories by Caitlín R. Kiernan (Subterranean Press) is Kiernan’s twelfth collection, containing stories written between 2001 and 2012 (plus Black Helicopters, an ambitious and dense new sf/ horror novella hardcover chapbook, included with the limited edition). She’s one of the few contemporary writers of dark fiction today writing science fiction/horror with a Lovecraftian tinge to it. Her writing continues to get better and better.

Holes for Faces by Ramsey Campbell (Dark Regions Press) contains fourteen stories published between 2005 and 2013 by this master of the short story. Campbell is great at conveying a creeping dread in the vulnerable, whether children or the elderly, something he does quite powerfully in the two stories first published in 2013.

There were two prose collections by British author Mark Valentine published in 2013: Herald of the Hidden and Other Stories (Tartarus Press) features ten entertaining dark fantasy stories (two new) about the occult detective Ralph Tyler, plus six early stories by the author. Seventeen Stories (The Swan River Press) includes both weird and darkly supernatural tales, two published in 2013, one of those appearing in the collection for the first time. There’s no overlap between the two volumes.

Monsters in the Heart by Stephen Volk (Gray Friar Press) is the author’s powerful second collection, with fifteen stories, all published since 2006 and two of them new. It contains story notes.

The Sea Change & Other Stories by Helen Grant (The Swan River Press) is the first collection of a very talented author of four novels. The stories were originally published between 2005 and 2012.

The Condemned by Simon Bestwick (Gray Friar Press) has six novelettes and novellas, two of them reprints. Grim, powerful, hard-edged, well-written.

Paul Kane had two new collections out in 2013: Ghosts (Spectral Press) with sixteen supernatural stories — four first published in 2013, one poem, and a script written for the short film Wind Chimes. Nancy Kilpatrick wrote the introduction. Also, The Spaces Between (Dark Moon Books) with eight longer stories, three published for the first time. It has an introduction by Kelley Armstrong.

The Moon Will Look Strange by Lynda E. Rucker (Karōshi Books) is the debut collection of a writer who amply demonstrates her chops with eleven stories (three published for the first time). It contains an introduction by Steve Rasnic Tem and an author’s note, discussing some of the stories.

Elegies & Requiems by Colin Insole (Side Real Press) is an excellent collection of ghostly stories and weird, dark tales and novellas. Traditional but fresh in feel. Nine of the eighteen stories are new.

Remorseless: Tales of Cruelty by Thomas Tessier (Sinister Grin Press) is the second collection by an author better known for his novels than his short fiction. This volume, with cover art by Alan M. Clark, features fifteen stories published between 1998 and 2011 in various magazines, anthologies, and websites.

Five Autobiographies and a Fiction by Lucius Shepard (Subterranean Press) showcases six powerful horror novellas by a writer utterly at home in any genre (not to mention mainstream), five of which have some autobiographical elements in them.

For Those Who Dream Monsters by Anna Taborska (Mortbury Press) is a debut collection with eighteen stories, two new. Included in the book is the powerful “Little Pig,” which was reprinted in The Best Horror of the Year Volume Four. It has black-and-white illustrations throughout by Reggie Oliver.

Bone Whispers by Tim Waggoner (Post Mortem Press) has eighteen stories, all reprints, published between 2007 and 2012.

The Tears of Isis by James Dorr (Perpetual Motion Publishing Machine) brings together sixteen stories and a poem published between 1992 and 2012. It also includes one new story.

Looking Back in Darkness by Kathryn Ptacek (Wildside Press) is a retrospective of nineteen fantasy and horror stories originally published between 1987 and 2012.

Ten Minute Stories / Day and Night Stories by Algernon Blackwood (Stark House Press) are two short story collections of hauntings, strange nature tales, weird events, and dark fantasy by one of the major writers of supernatural fiction in the twentieth century. It includes a new introduction by Mike Ashley, plus a rare early story, “The Farmhouse on the Hill,” originally published in an Australian newspaper back in 1907.

The Heaven Tree & Other Stories by Christopher Harman (Sarob Press) is a short but excellent introduction to this writer’s supernatural tales. It includes reprints of five recent stories plus two new novelettes.

The Bohemians of Sesqua Valley by W. H. Pugmire (Miskatonic Books) collects six novelettes (one reprint) paying homage to H. P. Lovecraft about the haunted valley in the Pacific Northwest.

Where You Live by Gary McMahon (Crystal Lake Publishing) is a revised edition of the one hundred copy signed, limited hardcover published as It Knows Where You Live in 2012 by Gray Friar Press. Three stories have been deleted, but five new stories have been added to this trade paperback edition.

Worse Things Than Spiders by Samantha Lee (Shadow Publishing) is the author’s first collection of dark fiction. Included are thirteen stories and an introduction by David A. Sutton.

Shades of Nothingness by Gary Fry (PS Publishing) has seventeen stories, twelve published between 2008 and 2012, and five of them — all pretty grim — appearing for the first time.

From the Dusklands: Dark Fiction from the Pen of Aaron Gudmunson (Hazardous Press) is a debut collection featuring ten pieces of fiction, two reprinted essays, and one new novella.

In a Season of Dead Winter by Mark Fuller Dillon (Smashwords) is an interesting collection of seven stories, most published for the first time. Several of the stories are open to interpretation as to whether anything supernatural occurs or if all the events are in the minds of the protagonists.

Rose of Sharon and Other Stories by Gary A. Braunbeck (Creative Guy Publishing) is available as an e-book only. The twenty-nine stories provide a good overview of the author’s work. Three of them are new.

Your Place is in the Shadows by Charlie Williams (Gibbous Moon) is a very good collection of six edgy dark crime stories, available only for Kindle. One story is new.

The Dragonfly and the Siren: A Collection by Jay Wilburn and T. Fox Dunham (Hazardous Press) has eleven stories, six by Dunham, five by Wilburn, all but two (by Dunham) published for the first time.

Dark Renaissance Books is a new publishing venture by Joe Morey, intended to produce beautiful, limited edition, illustrated hardcover books. Three of the first books are prose collections and the fourth is a poetry collection (see under “Poetry” for this last): Worship the Night by Jeffrey Thomas (Dark Renaissance Books) has eight stories, two new. It has black-and-white interior illustrations by Erin Wells. The Universal and Other Terrors by Tony Richards (Dark Renaissance Books) has twelve stories, five of them new. The best of these is the title story, a nicely wrought sf/horror tale. William Meikle’s entertaining Sherlock Holmes: The Quality of Mercy and Other Stories has ten Holmesian adventures, six of them new. The book is a treat for those fans who don’t mind supernatural outcomes for the character. Frontispiece and interior illustrations are by M. Wayne Miller.

Twisted Fairy Tales by Maura McHugh (Barron’s) is a gorgeous package of twenty dark, retold fairy and folk tales illustrated by Jane Laurie. Included are some adult and/or grisly takes on “Snow White,” “The Red Shoes,” “Rapunzel,” and seventeen others. McHugh had a second book out from Barron’s, this one Twisted Myths, with many of the stories sporting more feminist and positive outcomes for the characters. The stories were inspired by Greece and Norse myths and legends from Asia, Africa, and the Americas. Again, it is beautifully illustrated by Jane Laurie.

Their Hand Is at Your Throats by John Shire (Invocations Press) is an interesting collection of ten Lovecraftian stories, six originally published in small press journals between 1997 and 2007, four appearing for the first time. The new stories are surprisingly good, mostly rising above pastiche.

Three Miles Past by Stephen Graham Jones (Nightscape Press) is a powerful and disturbing three-story collection (two are new novelettes) that leaves the reader wanting more. Jones provides extensive story notes with each story.

Darkscapes by Anne-Sylvia Salzberg translated from the French by William Charlton (Tartarus Press) features fifteen weird and usually darkly fantastic tales, most appearing in English for the first time. Although some of the stories are overly oblique, most of them are effective.

Staring into the Abyss by Richard Thomas (Kraken Press) is the author’s second collection — made up of twenty reprints — most of which pack a surprisingly powerful punch at very short length.

Dead Clown Barbecue by Jeff Strand (Dark Regions Press) features twenty-nine stories, including seven new ones.

Fresh Cut Tales by Kenneth W. Cain (Distressed Press) is the second collection by the author and has sixteen stories, half of them appearing for the first time.

Unfortunately, I only got hold of Let the Old Dreams Die and Other Stories, John Ajvide Lindquist’s 2012 horror collection (Quercus) in 2013. The eleven stories were translated from the Swedish by Marlaine Delargy and includes a story that might be considered a tangential sequel to his brilliant vampire novel, Let the Right One In. There’s also an afterword about the Swedish and US film versions of his novel (he enjoyed both very much) stating that the implied ending of both versions don’t reflect his intent at all.

How to Die Well by Bill Breedlove (Bad Moon Books) features twenty effective humorous horror stories.

The Tightening Spiral by Tara Fox Hall (Hazardous Press) has nineteen stories, some new and some reprints.

Dead Reflections by Carol Weekes (Journalstone) contains a short novel, five short stories, and two poems.

Cravings by Joan VanderPutten (Necon E-Books) is a ten-story reprint collection.

David A. Riley had two new collections out in 2013: His Own Mad Demons (Hazardous Press), with five stories published between 2007 and 2010; and The Lurkers in the Abyss and Other Tales of Terror (Shadow Publishing), a more substantial collection with seventeen stories, the first published in 1974 and one appearing for the first time in this volume. The introduction to the latter is written by David Sutton.

Tricks, Mischief and Mayhem by Daniel I. Russell (Crystal Lake Publishing) has twenty-two stories, almost half published for the first time in 2013.

Bible Stories for Secular Humanists by S. P. Somtow (Diplodocus Press) features nine reprinted stories and an essay that was originally published in Iniquities Magazine.

Lovecraft’s Pillow and Other Strange Stories by Kenneth W. Faig, Jr. (Hippocampus Press), who is best-known as a Lovecraftian scholar, but this is a collection of his fiction, mostly stories previously published in the Esoteric Order of Dagon (EOD) and Necronomicon amateur press associations between 1977 and 2006.

Black Tea and Other Stories by Samuel Marolla (Mezzotints) is a minicollection of three dark tales published for the first time in English. The stories are translated from the Italian by Andrew Tanzi, and Gene O’Neil supplies an introduction.

Absinthe & Arsenic: Tales of Victorian Horror by Raven Dane (Telos) has sixteen mostly supernatural tales, of which all but a couple are new.

The Whispering Horror by Eddy C. Bertin (Shadow Publishing) has fourteen mostly Lovecraftian horror stories originally published between 1968 and 2013. One is new to the collection.

Not to Be Taken at Bed-Time & Other Strange Tales by Rosa Mulholland (Sarob Press) contains seven of what are considered this Victorian writer’s best supernatural and weird stories. This is the first time they’re collected in one volume. It features an introduction by Richard Dalby.

Bleeding Shadows by Joe R. Lansdale (Subterranean Press) is a big, beautiful, 150,000-word collection of thirty stories, novellas, and poems in all the genres Lansdale excels: crime, dark fantasy, and horror. It contains story notes.

Across the Event Horizon by Mercurio D. Rivera (Newcon Press) is an excellent showcase for this relatively new author of science fiction, who is not afraid of delving into the dark aspects of future behavior. The thirteen stories within were originally published in Interzone, Black Static, Asimov’s Science Fiction Magazine, Electric Velocipede, Sybil’s Garage, and some anthologies. Some of the stories are sf/horror.

Steve Rasnic Tem had two impressive mixed-genre collections out in 2013: Onion Songs (Chomu Press) is a retrospective of this prolific short story writer’s career, with forty-two stories of varying lengths, including several new short-shorts. As always with Tem, this is a mix of existential horror about relationships, weird fictions, and disturbing meditations.

And Celestial Inventories (CZP) with twenty-two stories from obscure venues, plus one new story. Several stories from this latter collection were reprinted in the Year’s Best Fantasy and Horror. Kabu Kabu by Nnedi Okorafor (Prime) is the author’s first collection and features twenty-two stories, several published for the first time, a few of them dark.

Caution: Contains Small Parts by Australian Kirstyn McDermott (Twelve Planets) is volume 9 of the Twelve Planets series of short collections. It has four original stories and novellas by the award-winning writer, a couple of them horror.

Nina Allan had two collections out in 2013: Stardust: The Ruby Castle Stories (PS Showcase 11), containing a mix of six horror and mainstream stories and novellas and one poem (all but one new) and Microcosmos (Newcon Press), containing five reprints and two originals by this up-and-coming British writer.

Jewels in the Dust by Peter Crowther (Subterranean Press) collects thirteen fantasy and dark fantasy stories by the British author.

Ghost Stories and Mysteries by Ernest Favenc, edited by James Doig, (Borgo Press) collects thirty-one gothic and supernatural stories by a prolific but now almost forgotten Australian journalist and non fiction writer. The stories span the period 1875–1907 and are reprinted for the first time since their original publications.

Revenge by Yoko Ogawa (Picador), translated from the Japanese by Stephen Snyder, is an intertwined series of eleven weird, sometimes dark stories, all but three published in English for the first time.

Simulacrum and Other Possible Realities by Jason V. Brock (Hippocampus Press) contains sixteen stories and thirteen poems of sf/f/dark fantasy and horror.

The Bride Price by Cat Sparks (Ticonderoga Publications) features thirteen sf/f and dark fantasy stories by this Australian writer — three of the stories won awards and two appear for the first time.

Everything is a Graveyard by Jason Fischer (Ticonderoga Publications) has fourteen sf/f/dark fantasy stories published since 2008. Three of the stores are new.

This Strange Way of Dying by Silvia Moreno-Garcia (Exile Editions) is the first collection by a Mexican-Canadian who is probably better known within horror for her editorship of Innsmouth Free Press. The fifteen stories (four, first published in 2013) are science fiction, fantasy, and horror. A few of them, rather than hinting at something inconclusive beyond the “ending,” simply trail off. But others are quite effective, and my favorite of the originals is a well-told zombie story.

Plow the Bones by Douglas F. Warrick (Apex Publications) is Book 01 of Apex Voices, a new series of collections to be published several times a year. The idea is to introduce mostly newer voices to the reading public. Warrick is an excellent choice — his work includes science fiction, horror, and just plain weird stories. Four of the fourteen appear for the first time (and one was in a vampire anthology earlier this year). Gary A. Braunbeck supplies an introduction.

13 Conjurations by Jonathan Thomas (Hippocampus Press) is the author’s third collection and all but four of the stories are new. Some of the stories are Lovecraftian, others about weird occurrences.

Of Eggs and Elephants by Darren Speegle (Gallows Press) is a fine third collection of sixteen stories, with four originals, including the powerfully weird eponymous novella.

In Search Of and Others by Will Ludwigsen (Lethe Press) has some excellent dark stories among the fifteen in his second collection. Six appear for the first time and there is an introduction by Jeffrey Ford.

The Girlfriend Game by Nick Antosca (Word Riot) collects twelve dark tales by a writer who won the Shirley Jackson Award for his short novel, Midnight Picnic.

The Bone Chime Song and Other Stories by Joanne An-derton (Fablecroft) is an excellent debut collection of science fiction and horror, often with the two mixed. A few appear for the first time.

Flowers of the Sea by Reggie Oliver (Tartarus press) includes sixteen weird and often dark stories and novellas, including three published for the first time. As always, Oliver’s experiences and enthusiasms shine through this excellent collection. The introduction is by Michael Dirda.

What the Doctor Ordered by Michael Blumlein (Centipede Press) is a beautiful looking collection illustrated throughout by Brian McCarty. Of the fifteen stories, two are new, a few are dark. There’s an introduction by Rudy Rucker.

An Emporium of Automata by D. P. Watt (Eibonvale Press) is an expanded version of the author’s first, hard to find collection. In this edition, there are twenty strange tales.

Rumbullion by Molly Tanzer (Egaeus Press) is the second collection by this up-and-coming writer. Included are seven stories, one a new novella.

Tell My Sorrows to the Stones by Christopher Golden (CZP) brings together twelve stories in different genres. All but two were published in anthologies. The other two have appeared online.

Written by Daylight by John Howard (The Swan River Press) is a beautiful little hardcover volume of eleven weird, sometimes dark stories originally published between 2003 and 2013.

Defeated Dogs by Quentin S. Crisp (Eibonvale Press) is the author’s fifth collection of weird and dark fiction. Of the ten stories, four appear for the first time.

Growing Pains by Ian Whates (PS Publishing) is the author’s debut collection, containing nine science fiction and dark fantasy/horror stories, two published for the first time.

Psychedelia Gothique by Dale Sproule (Arctic Mage) is an overview of the author’s short fiction published between 1984–2013. Five of the stories appear for the first time.

They Might be Demons: A Collection of Flash Fiction Bizarro by Max Booth III (Dark Moon) is filled with strange, often dark (and sometime funny) short-shorts.

Vampires in the Lemon Grove by Karen Russell (Knopf) is the excellent second collection by a writer embraced by the literary despite her fantasy/horror writing. Among the eight stories in the new collection are the very dark title story and “Reeling for the Empire.”

The Inner City by Karen Heuler (CZP), the author’s second collection, has fifteen weird, sometimes dark stories, one published for the first time.

The Miniature Wife and Other Stories by Manuel Gonzalez (Riverhead Books) is an interesting fantasy and dark fantasy-tinged debut collection.

The Story So Far by Kit Reed (Wesleyan University Press) is a great overview of Reed’s short fiction, with a selection of thirty-five of her stories published between 1959 and 2013. Prescient, vicious, funny, creepy — she’s written everything during her (so-far) fifty-five-plus year long career. The Oblivion Room by Christopher Conlon (Evil Jester Press) is a fine collection of four stories and one novella, all published for the first time.

Masquerade by Marija Elektra Rodriquez (Huntress Ink) has twenty-eight erotic horror stories and vignettes (most vignettes). Three appear for the first time. Unseen Moon by Eliza Victoria (CreateSpace) is a five-story collection with one new story by this award-winning Filipino writer.

Mouths to Speak, Voices to Sing by Kenneth Yu (self-published) is the first collection of a Filipino writer, showcasing fifteen stories originally published in a variety of genre magazines, webzines, and anthologies.

Antiquities and Tangibles and Other Stories by Tim Pratt (The Merry Blacksmith Press) is the third collection of the Hugo Award-winning author. There are twenty-three science fiction, fantasy, and dark fantasy stories here, including three new ones.

Before and Afterlives: Stories by Christopher Barzak (Lethe Press) has seventeen fantasy/dark fantasy, gothic, and ghostly stories. One is original.

Rabbit Pie and Other Tales of Intrigue by Brian Clemens (PS Publishing) collects fifteen oddball stories by a writer best known for his screen and television work, particularly for writing the pilot and most of the scripts for The Avengers television series.

The Year of Ancient Ghosts by Kim Wilkins (Ticonderoga Publications) presents five fantasy and dark fantasy novellas by the multi award — winning Australian. Two of the novellas are new, one a horrific story about a vengeful ghost’s incursion into the contemporary world.

The Man Who Noticed Everything by Adrian Van Young (Black Lawrence Press) is the author’s first collection and has seven stories, five new. Although none of the stories is actually horror, most of them dwell on the fringes of the dark and might appeal to horror readers.

If Angels Fight by Richard Bowes (Fairwood Press) showcases a dozen stories written over twenty-five years, all originally published in anthologies, magazines, and webzines. Some of them are very dark indeed. Two new pieces of flash fiction are included.

The Tenth of December by George Saunders (Random House) has ten stories, and while generally considered a mainstream writer, Saunders’s work — usually satire — slops over into the fantastical (and to the dark) enough to be of interest to aficionados of the dark. (His 2009 story, “The Red Bow” was chosen by me for The Year’s Best Fantasy and Horror: Seventeenth Annual Collection).

Goblin Fruit, a quarterly webzine edited by Amal El-Mohtar, Jessica P. Wick, Caitlyn Paxson, Oliver Hunter, and Dmitri Zagidulin remains the best publisher of fantasy and dark fantasy poetry, consistently publishing varied, quality material. Some of the darkest poems in 2013 were by Laura Lee Washburn, Jennifer Jerome, Bonnie Jo Stufflebeam, Samantha Hen derson, Liz Bourke, Mike Allen, Yumi Dineen Shiromi, Shweta Narayan, C. S. E. Cooney, and Andy Humphrey. The fall issue, in addition to its usual great line up of poetry, featured an interview and series of poems by Mike Allen.

Star*Line, edited by F. J. Bergmann, is the bi-monthly journal of the Science Fiction Poetry Association and publishes science fiction, fantasy, and horror poetry. During 2013, it published notable dark poems by Ann K. Schwader, Wade German, and Ian Hunter.

Paper Crow (no editor listed) is meant to be bi-annual, but only had one issue out in 2013. There were notable dark poems by Bruce Boston and Jill Crammond.

Dreams of Fear: Poems of Terror and the Supernatural, edited by S. T. Joshi and Steven J. Mariconda (Hippocampus Press), is, according to the publisher, the first comprehensive historical anthology of weird, horrific, and supernatural poetry in more than fifty years. The survey begins with The Odyssey and ends with contemporary weird poets Richard L. Tierney, Bruce Boston, W. H. Pugmire, and Ann K. Schwader.

The Sex Lives of Monsters by Helen Marshall (Kelp Queen Press) is the prose writer and poet’s strong second collection, the first of which won Canada’s Aurora Award. Much of Marshall’s poetry uses fairy tale, myth, and urban legends. Six of the seventeen poems are new.

Letting Out the Demons and Other Poems by Terrie Leigh Relf (Elektrik Milk Bath Press) has forty poems, most brief, some published for the first time.

Death Poems by Thomas Ligotti (Bad Moon Books) is the first collection of poetry by the author of much strange, dark prose. Nine of the almost fifty poems have never before been published.

The First Bite of the Apple by Jennifer Crow (Elektrik Milk Bath Press) is an excellent collection of dark fantasy/ horror poetry. Many of the poems use fairy-tale motifs. Among the more than fifty poems are several new ones.

Scenes Along the Zombie Highway by G. O. Clark (Dark Regions Press) is an entertaining collection of more than forty pieces of zombie poetry, most appearing for the first time.

Dark Roads: Selected Long Poems 1971–2012 by Bruce Boston (Dark Renaissance Books) is a substantial overview of this popular dark poet’s work. It features illustrations by M. Wayne Miller.

Four Elements by Charlee Jacob, Marge Simon, Rain Graves, and Linda Addison is an entertaining volume of all new poetry and prose with each writer taking a season and running with it.

Demonstra by Bryan Thao Worra (Innsmouth Free Press) collects about seventy poems written over twenty years by this award-winning Laotian-American poet. Most are new.

The 2013 Rhysling Anthology: The Best Science Fiction, Fantasy, and Horror Poetry of 2012, selected by the Science Fiction Poetry Association and edited by John C. Mannone (Science Fiction Poetry Association/Hadrosaur Productions), is used by members to vote for the best short poem and the best long poem of the year.

Its sister publication Dwarf Stars 2013, edited by Stephen M. Wilson and Linda D. Addison (Science Fiction Poetry Association), features the best very short speculative poems published in 2012 and is used by members to vote for the best poem of the year ten lines or fewer.

Star Kites: Poems & Versions by Mark Valentine (Tartarus Press) is the author’s first book of poems, many drawing on the same inspirations of his short stories.

Dangerous Dreams by Marge Simon and Sandy DeLuca (Elektrik Milk Bath Press) is a collaboration of erotic dark poetry and art created by both women.

Telling Tales of Terror: Essays on Writing Horror and Dark Fiction, edited by Kim Richards (Damnation Books), presents advice by Lisa Morton, Sephera Giron, and other practitioners of the craft.

Devil’s Advocates is a series of single-film books published by Auteur Press (an imprint of Columbia University Press) and edited by John Atkinson. Begun in 2011, the 2013 titles are: Witchfinder General by Ian Cooper, The Descent by James Marriott, The Texas Chainsaw Massacre by James Rose, and The Silence of the Lambs by Barry Forshaw.

New Critical Essays on H. P. Lovecraft edited by David Simmons (Palgrave Macmillan) contains twelve entries about Lovecraft and his work.

The Women of Hammer Horror by Robert Michael “Bobb” Cotter (McFarland) is a reference book featuring every known actress who worked with the studio.

Nolan on Bradbury, edited by S. T. Joshi (Hippocampus Press), provides an entertaining personal perspective on the late Ray Bradbury by his friend of sixty years, William F. Nolan. Included are twenty articles published between 1952 and 2013, eight stories by Nolan that were influenced by Bradbury, and several tributes to Bradbury.

H. P. Lovecraft in the Merrimack Valley by David Goudsward (Hippocampus Press) traces Lovecraft’s visits to coastal Massachusetts and New Hampshire from the 1920s on, analyzing the impact of those visits on his fiction. H. P. Lovecraft: Art, Artifact, and Reality by Steve J. Mariconda (Hippocampus Press) collects almost thirty years of articles and criticism about Lovecraft’s prose style, the literary sources of some of his work and how the Cthulhu Mythos developed as Lovecraft responded to the reactions of his readers and other writers to the tales as they were published.

Fear and Learning: Essays on the Pedagogy of Horror, edited by Aalya Ahmad and Sean Moreland (McFarland), collects new essays about the teaching of horror. These can be read and enjoyed by non-academics.

The Modern Literary Werewolf: A Critical Study of the Mutable Motif by Brent A. Stypczynski (McFarland) considers the treatment of werewolves in fiction by Jack Williamson, J. K. Rowling, Charlaine Harris, Charles deLint, and other writers.

Fractured Spirits: Hauntings at the Peoria State Hospital by Sylvia Shults (Dark Continents Publishing) is a historical overview of one of the premiere mental health facilities of the first half of the twentieth century. It was considered a model for the care of the mentally ill. This is an entertaining combination of nonfiction and fiction-history and ghostly reports.

Who Was Dracula?: Bram Stoker’s Trail of Blood by Jim Steinmeyer (Jeremy P. Tarcher/Penguin) explores Bram Stoker’s life for clues to the inspiration for one of the greatest fictional characters, going beyond the usual.

The Horror Show Guide: The Ultimate Frightfest of Movies by Mike Mayo (Visible Ink) features mini-reviews of over one thousand horror movies. There’s also an appendix of credits for each movie.

There are now three UK publishers regularly bringing out single author chapbook. This Is Horror published an excellent novelette by Pat Cadigan titled Chalk about the relationship between two girls who chafe against the restrictions of their parents. Also, Joseph D’Lacey’s Roadkill is a sf/ horror story taking place over a period of one hundred seconds as a man races a machine that’s fused with his body.

Nicholas Royle’s Nightjar Press continues its run of high quality horror with Elizabeth Stott’s creepy tale of a man, a woman, and a manikin in Touch Me with Your Cold, Hard Fingers; a weird, mysterious story called Getting Out There by M. John Harrison; and The Jungle, a weird tale by Conrad Williams.

Spectral Press’s Simon Marshall-Jones presented four chapbooks in 2013: Terry Grimwood’s Soul Masque, an effective dark fantasy about the war between Heaven and Hell and the humans caught up in the battle; Whitstable, a marvelous novella by Stephen Volk using the late Peter Cushing who, while in mourning for his beloved wife, attempts to help a young boy in need of a hero. A moving and apt homage to a movie legend, Creakers by Paul Kane is a haunting tale about a man who returns to his childhood home upon his mother’s death in order to prepare it for sale; Still Life by Tim Lebbon is a chilling sf/horror story about mysterious alien invaders who keep villages under their sway by giving a few turncoats special powers.

Milton’s Children by Jason V. Brock (Bad Moon Books) is an homage to King Kong and other lost world fictions, in which a crew of explorer-scientists end up on a mysterious island on which everything living is out to kill them.

Waiting for Mister Cool by Gerard Houarner (Crossroads Press) features the author’s ongoing character, Max, an assassin with an internal demon that when let loose destroys anyone around in graphically violent ways. In this novella, Max is sent by the US government to break up a cult.

The Rolling Darkness Revue 2013: The Imposter’s Monocle by Peter Atkins and Glen Hirshberg (Earthling Publications) is the chapbook created for the two authors’ annual autumn reading series. This year there is a playlet and three excellent stories by the authors. The wonderful cover art and design is by Deena Warner.

Astoria by S. P. Miskowski (Omnium Gathering) is about a woman who flees her hometown after a tragedy only to discover it’s not that easy to escape her past.

The Madman of Toserglope by Louis Marvick (Les Éditions de L’Oubli) is a beautiful oblong hardcover artifact of a book. A man visits a town in Saxony to research the life and the disappearance of a pianist possessed of an extra thumb. A strange tale filled with paranoia.

The Gist by Michael Marshall Smith (Subterranean Press) is a marvelous experiment in addition to an absorbing story. Smith wrote the story about a man hired by a dealer in old and lost books to extract the meaning of one such item. The story was then translated into French by Benoît Domis and re-translated from the French back into English by Nicholas Royle. Not a reader of French, I can’t judge how closely that version is to the original, but the slight alterations in the English translation are fascinating.

Love in the Time of Metal and Flesh by Jay Lake (Prime) takes place in San Francisco’s sexual underground and is about extreme body modification. Earthling Publications published two substantial hardcover chapbooks: The Bones of You by Gary McMahon is about a divorced father who moves next door to an abandoned house in the suburbs. The ghostly residue of the evil done in the house endangers both him and his daughter.

It Sustains by Mark Morris packs a wallop from its beginning, as a teen and his father leave their home, hoping to escape from personal trauma by moving away. Unfortunately, starting a new life is harder than they think. Morris ratchets up the suspense as the son begins to see unexplained images and becomes involved with some troublesome local boys.

Tyler’s Third Act by Mick Garris (CD) is number 12 in the signature book series of novella chapbooks. This one treads familiar territory by showing how awful the media is and how far both viewer and viewed are willing to go in the name of entertainment.

I Travel by Night by Robert McCammon (Subterranean Press) is about a Civil War soldier turned into a vampire during the Battle of Shiloh. For twenty-five years, he’s fought to retain his humanity and now he searches for the vampire who turned him to kill her and save himself.

Summer’s End by Lisa Morton (Journalstone) is about a woman hired as a consultant on an ancient text that might shed light on Samhain, the Celtic precursor to Halloween. But nasty things start happening around her.

Steampunk H. G. Wells illustrated by Zdenko Basic (RP Classics) is a beautifully illustrated omnibus of The Time Machine, The War of the Worlds, and “The Country of the Blind.” The award-winning Croatian artist has illustrated a number of children’s classics.

The Resurrectionist by E. B. Hudspeth (Quirk) is a fascinating and imaginative fictional biography of a surgeon studying at The Philadelphia Academy of Medicine in the last 1870s who had some radical ideas about mythological creatures and their relationships to humanity, leading him to radical “creative” surgery exhibitions and finally to his mysterious disappearance. It’s also a compendium of the detailed anatomical illustrations the surgeon made of mythical creatures of those mythical creatures.

The Lady and Her Monsters: A Tale of Dissections, Real-Life Dr. Frankensteins, and the Creation of Mary Shelley’s Masterpiece by Roseanne Montillo (William Morrow) is an entertaining almost pop-biography of Mary Shelley (with all the scandal) entwined with a study of the anatomists whose work in the 1700s helped inspire her to create her great novel.