by Neil Gaiman
First published 2015
This anthology gathers stories that strip away the masks people wear to expose what lies underneath. A new American Gods story called "Black Dog" appears exclusively here, alongside tales born from social media interactions where fans shared memories tied to calendar months. Pirates sail through March winds while someone builds an igloo from books. A Mother's Day card signals cosmic disturbances. Gaiman reimagines Sherlock Holmes in "The Case of Death and Honey" and explains the sounds that rattle through empty houses in "Click-Clack the Rattlebag." One story connects thematically to The Ocean at the End of the Lane, examining how people carry their stories into death. A Doctor Who tale written for the show's fiftieth anniversary joins previously published pieces spanning horror, science fiction, fairy tales, and poetry. The collection moves between the fantastical and everyday, transforming ordinary moments into something luminous while revealing the vulnerabilities that make us human.
Genres: science-fiction, anthologies, fantasy, horror
Vibes: dark, emotional, thought-provoking
Tropes: found-family, unreliable-narrator
Setting: America, United States
Period: 21st-century
310 pages · Hardcover · William Morrow
Content warnings: anxiety