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A review by motherhorror
Midnight in the Graveyard by John Everson, Chad Lutzke, Thomas F. Monteleone
4.0
"Enter, friend. I wish you well, but I've got to warn you. These ghosts are hungry."
-Jonathan Janz (Intro to Midnight in the Graveyard)
Edited by Kenneth W. Cain
Published by Silver Shamrock
This is a HUGE anthology in so many ways. First, it's a big deal for Silver Shamrock to come out of the gate swinging like a champion. I kept seeing TOC updates for this project and I was so impressed with the line-up very early on. This is also a thick one! I think it's over 400 pages and I read this every night on my Kindle, taking down two *maybe* three at a time until I was done. I read everything in order. It's worth mentioning that Jonathan Janz's intro is perfect. Lastly, this is one of those anthologies that accomplishes exactly what it set out to do: Collect an amazing selection of ghost stories. I won't have a lot to say about ALL the stories but I will comment on the most memorable ones for me.
Devil's Dip by Shannon Felton: There's a line in this story that really struck me and stays in the back of my mind when I think of Devil's Dip. "The idea that someone could go through so much shit that their mind began to degrade, or the idea that it was just a random roll of the dice and you were stuck with a bummer brain for no reason at all." This was a great start to the anthology. It had an "IT FOLLOWS" vibe I enjoyed. Creepy.
Tug O' War by Chad Lutzke: This one felt like an old black and white movie. I couldn't even tell you why. Perhaps it was Lutzke's set up with the guys hanging out downstairs while their friend's life fades away on his deathbed upstairs and the widow coming down all "indecent". But I wish I could watch a black and white adaptation of this story. Great storytelling that I've come to expect from Chad Lutzke.
Euphemia Christie by Catherine Cavendish: I LOVED THIS! It has this gothic, Shirley Jackson-esque style that kept my attention all the way through. I enjoyed every moment.
Justin's Favorite by Jeremy Helper: a super creepy telling of a woman alone in a house with an angry ghost. I loved the reason behind this haunting.
Holes in the Fabric by Todd Keisling: All I'm going to say is that this one got me very excited to read Devil's Creek.
Dog Days by Kenneth W. Cain
Drown by Hunter Shea
Those Who Are Terrified by Elizabeth Massie
Cool for Cats by William Meikle
Russian Dollhouse by Jason Parent: I love, love, loved this story! It was perfectly paced, well planned and seriously terrifying. An original take on the "deadly game" trope where some teens are trapped somewhere and forced to "play" to the death. I read this one through my fingers.
Sawmill Road by Ronald Kelly: A classic ghost story! Even though I felt like I had read stories like this one before, it didn't change my feelings of enjoyment and satisfaction. Ronald Kelly put his own fingerprints on this one and it was a fun read.
Bettor's Edge by Tim Meyer
The Graveyard by Lee Mountford
Join My Club by Somer Canon- I liked that this one was short and sad--a real gut punch.
The Cemetery Man by John Everson
New Blood, Old Skin by Glenn Rolfe
The Glimmer Girls by Kenneth McKinley One of my favorites in the anthology I was ADDICTED to this story-absolutely drawn in. I had heard of the historical account this story is based on and it made this telling all the more engaging. I will look for more by this new-to-me author!
Haunted World by Robert McCammon
Ghost Blood by Kelli Owen: MY FAVORITE!! I kind of fell in love with the protagonist, Neil. And I have no idea how Kelli imagined Neil's "ability" or "curse" but it was 100% unique and original and I just loved it. I seriously hope Kelli will develop this character for a novella or novel-length story. He could fight crime or something??
Last Call at the Sudden Death Saloon by Allan Leverone
The Ring of Truth by Thomas F. Monteleone
The Gravedigger's Story by Katherine Meyer Griffith
The Putpocket by Alan M. Clark
Swamp Vengence by Brian Moreland
Portrait by Kealan Patric Burke: What a powerfully grim and somber tale. This was the perfect story to end with and the best possible story to read on this January day that is bone-chilling cold and threatening to snow.
-Jonathan Janz (Intro to Midnight in the Graveyard)
Edited by Kenneth W. Cain
Published by Silver Shamrock
This is a HUGE anthology in so many ways. First, it's a big deal for Silver Shamrock to come out of the gate swinging like a champion. I kept seeing TOC updates for this project and I was so impressed with the line-up very early on. This is also a thick one! I think it's over 400 pages and I read this every night on my Kindle, taking down two *maybe* three at a time until I was done. I read everything in order. It's worth mentioning that Jonathan Janz's intro is perfect. Lastly, this is one of those anthologies that accomplishes exactly what it set out to do: Collect an amazing selection of ghost stories. I won't have a lot to say about ALL the stories but I will comment on the most memorable ones for me.
Devil's Dip by Shannon Felton: There's a line in this story that really struck me and stays in the back of my mind when I think of Devil's Dip. "The idea that someone could go through so much shit that their mind began to degrade, or the idea that it was just a random roll of the dice and you were stuck with a bummer brain for no reason at all." This was a great start to the anthology. It had an "IT FOLLOWS" vibe I enjoyed. Creepy.
Tug O' War by Chad Lutzke: This one felt like an old black and white movie. I couldn't even tell you why. Perhaps it was Lutzke's set up with the guys hanging out downstairs while their friend's life fades away on his deathbed upstairs and the widow coming down all "indecent". But I wish I could watch a black and white adaptation of this story. Great storytelling that I've come to expect from Chad Lutzke.
Euphemia Christie by Catherine Cavendish: I LOVED THIS! It has this gothic, Shirley Jackson-esque style that kept my attention all the way through. I enjoyed every moment.
Justin's Favorite by Jeremy Helper: a super creepy telling of a woman alone in a house with an angry ghost. I loved the reason behind this haunting.
Holes in the Fabric by Todd Keisling: All I'm going to say is that this one got me very excited to read Devil's Creek.
Dog Days by Kenneth W. Cain
Drown by Hunter Shea
Those Who Are Terrified by Elizabeth Massie
Cool for Cats by William Meikle
Russian Dollhouse by Jason Parent: I love, love, loved this story! It was perfectly paced, well planned and seriously terrifying. An original take on the "deadly game" trope where some teens are trapped somewhere and forced to "play" to the death. I read this one through my fingers.
Sawmill Road by Ronald Kelly: A classic ghost story! Even though I felt like I had read stories like this one before, it didn't change my feelings of enjoyment and satisfaction. Ronald Kelly put his own fingerprints on this one and it was a fun read.
Bettor's Edge by Tim Meyer
The Graveyard by Lee Mountford
Join My Club by Somer Canon- I liked that this one was short and sad--a real gut punch.
The Cemetery Man by John Everson
New Blood, Old Skin by Glenn Rolfe
The Glimmer Girls by Kenneth McKinley One of my favorites in the anthology I was ADDICTED to this story-absolutely drawn in. I had heard of the historical account this story is based on and it made this telling all the more engaging. I will look for more by this new-to-me author!
Haunted World by Robert McCammon
Ghost Blood by Kelli Owen: MY FAVORITE!! I kind of fell in love with the protagonist, Neil. And I have no idea how Kelli imagined Neil's "ability" or "curse" but it was 100% unique and original and I just loved it. I seriously hope Kelli will develop this character for a novella or novel-length story. He could fight crime or something??
Last Call at the Sudden Death Saloon by Allan Leverone
The Ring of Truth by Thomas F. Monteleone
The Gravedigger's Story by Katherine Meyer Griffith
The Putpocket by Alan M. Clark
Swamp Vengence by Brian Moreland
Portrait by Kealan Patric Burke: What a powerfully grim and somber tale. This was the perfect story to end with and the best possible story to read on this January day that is bone-chilling cold and threatening to snow.