by Paula Guran
First published 2012
This anthology presents thirty-one dark fantasy and horror stories from 2011, selected by editor Paula Guran. The collection spans over five hundred pages and features both established masters and emerging voices in supernatural fiction. Stories unfold in expected places of terror like abandoned houses, deep caves, and wartime battlefields, but also invade seemingly safe spaces like hotel rooms and sports venues. Writers including Stephen King, Tanith Lee, Gene Wolfe, and Charles de Lint contribute tales that range from traditional ghost stories to contemporary urban nightmares. The settings stretch from Australian caverns to New Orleans mysteries, from Old West saloons to futuristic landscapes. Each story excavates different fears, whether rooted in loss, isolation, or the unknown. The collection captures the breadth of modern horror writing, offering readers a comprehensive survey of the genre's evolution and its ability to find menace in both familiar and unexpected corners of human experience.
Genres: short-stories, horror, dark-fantasy
Vibes: atmospheric, dark, suspenseful
Tropes: anthology, short-stories
Setting: Australia, New Orleans, Old West
Period: 2011, 2012
544 pages · Paperback · Prime Books