When Things Get Dark

by Ellen Datlow

First published 2022

Ellen Datlow gathers contemporary horror writers to honor Shirley Jackson's influence on the genre. Jackson wrote stories that blended psychological terror with everyday human situations, creating fiction that felt both familiar and deeply unsettling. Her work explored isolation, paranoia, and the darkness lurking beneath ordinary social interactions. The writers in this collection draw from Jackson's themes and techniques to craft their own tales of domestic horror and psychological unease. Each story serves as both homage and original creation, showing how Jackson's vision of horror continues to shape new generations of storytellers. The anthology demonstrates Jackson's lasting impact on writers who understand that the most frightening stories often begin in the most mundane places.

Genres: literary-fiction, horror, psychological-thriller

Vibes: dark, intimate, suspenseful, thought-provoking

Tropes: anthology, psychological-thriller

Period: 20th-century, 21st-century

340 pages · Paperback · Titan Books

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