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A review by nikki_in_niagara
Riding the Nightmare by Lisa Tuttle
4.0
A collection of recent work by Lisa Tuttle. A great talent for horror short stories. Most of these were 4 and 5 stars for me. The novella at the end was fantastic. Recommended.
1. Riding the Nightmare - Tess hasn't had the dream of the mare since her mother died. But she's having it again, unhappy with her relationship with a man who has an open marriage. Great writing. A story that gets darker and darker following dreams that bring death. (4/5)
2. Bits and Pieces - When Fay's boyfriend breaks up with her she finds he's left his feet behind. Each time she sleeps with a man for the last time he leaves a part of himself in her bed. Fay finds her perspective of men has changed and she goes for what she wants now. Very creepy with a twist ending that shocks (4/5)
3. 'The Mezzotint' - This is based on MR James' story of the same title (which I've read). Mel finds a mezzotint of a house on her partner's office wall which he swears was always there. This is a bit of a brain teaser and one wonders if the narrator is reliable. A bit spooky. (3/5)
4. After the End - This tells of C. Auguste Dupin's last case. A conclusion to Edgar Allan Poe's famous stories. Tuttle wrote this beautifully using Victorian language, style, and spelling. It's a shocking tale and so fun to read. (5/5)
5. The Third Person - A woman's best friend asks to use her apartment once a week with her lover. When she comes home each evening, she dreams about them being in her bed. Intense. Didn't suspect the ending. (4/5)
6. The Wound - Two male teachers become friends. This is a strange one. I think the point being made is that women are made to suffer pain. (3/5)
7. The Man in the Ditch - Linzi is being driven to the spot where their new house is being built when she thinks she sees a dead man in the Ditch. She continues to have visions of him. The tension kept mounting in this until the ending totally surprised me. (5/5)
8. The Last Dare - Two old friends get together with their grandchildren and tell the tale of the tower house just down the street. Of course, the children go exploring. Based on "The Riddle" by Walter de la Mere. This was really good. (4/5)
9. A Home in the Sky - A short and abrupt story of a woman who comes across a miniature facsimile of houses to be built on a lot. Odd and simple. (3/5)
10. Voices in the Night - A young woman hears voices at night and goes to investigate. A decent story but predictable. (3/5)
11. The Hungry Hotel - A woman is telling of her weekend romance with a musician while her fiance was away on an internship. Romantic and gripping. (4/5)
12. The Dragon's Bride - To end the book, this is a short novella. Isobel remembers nothing about her visit to her aunt in England as a child. Now, upon the aunt's death, she and her boyfriend return and hear her memory begins to return. This was amazing. So much is told in the short space. We get Isobel's background and character development. The story has atmosphere and I was totally fascinated as I read. The ending shocked me. The best story in the book. (5/5)
1. Riding the Nightmare - Tess hasn't had the dream of the mare since her mother died. But she's having it again, unhappy with her relationship with a man who has an open marriage. Great writing. A story that gets darker and darker following dreams that bring death. (4/5)
2. Bits and Pieces - When Fay's boyfriend breaks up with her she finds he's left his feet behind. Each time she sleeps with a man for the last time he leaves a part of himself in her bed. Fay finds her perspective of men has changed and she goes for what she wants now. Very creepy with a twist ending that shocks (4/5)
3. 'The Mezzotint' - This is based on MR James' story of the same title (which I've read). Mel finds a mezzotint of a house on her partner's office wall which he swears was always there. This is a bit of a brain teaser and one wonders if the narrator is reliable. A bit spooky. (3/5)
4. After the End - This tells of C. Auguste Dupin's last case. A conclusion to Edgar Allan Poe's famous stories. Tuttle wrote this beautifully using Victorian language, style, and spelling. It's a shocking tale and so fun to read. (5/5)
5. The Third Person - A woman's best friend asks to use her apartment once a week with her lover. When she comes home each evening, she dreams about them being in her bed. Intense. Didn't suspect the ending. (4/5)
6. The Wound - Two male teachers become friends. This is a strange one. I think the point being made is that women are made to suffer pain. (3/5)
7. The Man in the Ditch - Linzi is being driven to the spot where their new house is being built when she thinks she sees a dead man in the Ditch. She continues to have visions of him. The tension kept mounting in this until the ending totally surprised me. (5/5)
8. The Last Dare - Two old friends get together with their grandchildren and tell the tale of the tower house just down the street. Of course, the children go exploring. Based on "The Riddle" by Walter de la Mere. This was really good. (4/5)
9. A Home in the Sky - A short and abrupt story of a woman who comes across a miniature facsimile of houses to be built on a lot. Odd and simple. (3/5)
10. Voices in the Night - A young woman hears voices at night and goes to investigate. A decent story but predictable. (3/5)
11. The Hungry Hotel - A woman is telling of her weekend romance with a musician while her fiance was away on an internship. Romantic and gripping. (4/5)
12. The Dragon's Bride - To end the book, this is a short novella. Isobel remembers nothing about her visit to her aunt in England as a child. Now, upon the aunt's death, she and her boyfriend return and hear her memory begins to return. This was amazing. So much is told in the short space. We get Isobel's background and character development. The story has atmosphere and I was totally fascinated as I read. The ending shocked me. The best story in the book. (5/5)