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A review by mermaidquake
Behind Dark Doors by Susan May
5.0
I'm a difficult customer to please when horror is involved. Too many stories are either clichéd, or the author relies too heavily on a certain trope. Usually it's overly gory, or it relies on shock value over true horror. There's a reason I usually only read Stephen King or his son.
But I took a chance on an author that a kindle ad recommended, and I am happy to say that I was not disappointed with this decision! Susan May is an absolute genius of horror, definitely up there with Stephen King, Joe Hill, or Gillian Flynn. Behind Dark Doors is an absolute masterpiece of a collection, and it has a little of everything, so if you're picky like me, it's a great place to start with Susan's work.
I'm partial to a few of the stories in particular. "Hide-And-Seek", "Mitigating Circumstances", "Back Again", and "Scenic Route" were all delightfully horrifying, for various reasons. Each one left me thinking long and hard about what I'd just read. "Where We Once Were" is also a fabulous story, and I await the full novel with great anticipation.
The only story that truly, truly unnerved me was "Program Delete". There's something very dark about the slope from casual eugenics into full genocide, but it's worth the read still. (And for the record I fully doubt that Susan is a supporter of eugenics, a fact that makes the story that much more unnerving to me).
For sure, if you're looking for a delightful introduction to a wonderful author, pick up this book today. You won't regret it.
(Psst- I believe some of these stand alone stories will definitely intersect with her other works. I've definitely found one already!)
But I took a chance on an author that a kindle ad recommended, and I am happy to say that I was not disappointed with this decision! Susan May is an absolute genius of horror, definitely up there with Stephen King, Joe Hill, or Gillian Flynn. Behind Dark Doors is an absolute masterpiece of a collection, and it has a little of everything, so if you're picky like me, it's a great place to start with Susan's work.
I'm partial to a few of the stories in particular. "Hide-And-Seek", "Mitigating Circumstances", "Back Again", and "Scenic Route" were all delightfully horrifying, for various reasons. Each one left me thinking long and hard about what I'd just read. "Where We Once Were" is also a fabulous story, and I await the full novel with great anticipation.
The only story that truly, truly unnerved me was "Program Delete". There's something very dark about the slope from casual eugenics into full genocide, but it's worth the read still. (And for the record I fully doubt that Susan is a supporter of eugenics, a fact that makes the story that much more unnerving to me).
For sure, if you're looking for a delightful introduction to a wonderful author, pick up this book today. You won't regret it.
(Psst- I believe some of these stand alone stories will definitely intersect with her other works. I've definitely found one already!)