The Best Dark Speculative Fiction and Contemporary Horror

by Owen W. Knight
|
5 books
Read more... Read less...

Things We Say in the Dark

Kirsty Logan, 2019
Kirsty Logan is a writer who pushes the boundaries of the short story in new directions, opening the reader’s imagination to new possibilities. This is a dark, disturbing collection. As with any short story collection, there are highs and lows, but the overall impression is of originality and new ways of looking at the world around us.

The Sunken Land Begins to Rise Again

M. John Harrison, 2021
On a wet afternoon, a couple meet and engage in an on-off relationship. Despite their boredom, they fail to recognise unexplained events happening around them as abnormal, including the persistent rain and rising floodwaters that herald the reawakening of a race of aquatic creatures about to emerge from underground. Weird fiction at its best.

Starve Acre

A Novel
Andrew Michael Hurley, 2023
Robert and Juliet move to a remote village, having inherited the family home bequeathed by Robert’s father. They discover the folklore surrounding the Stythwaite Oak, whose roots lie beneath the field opposite their house, where their son enjoys playing alone. Richard digs down to find the roots, despite villagers’ warnings. The story rises to a shocking climax that sets the events within a historical perspective.

Looking Glass Sound

Catriona Ward, 2023
A murder mystery by a master storyteller, full of twists and false trails, set in a community that has gained notoriety following shocking discoveries. The reader is compelled to reassess the story with each new twist. The author shows impressive powers of observation, including details of behaviour and events that demonstrate her comprehensive plot vision.

The Dangers of Smoking in Bed

Stories
Mariana Enriquez, 2021
A disturbing yet satisfying collection of sinister, unsettling stories, most threatening death or danger, with occasional supernatural hints. While some are set in urban locations, others are framed in menacing settings: a well, a remote quarry pool, a derelict lookout tower. Narrators casually describe the hopeless lifestyles of the characters and the locations in a blasé streetwise way. The writing style leads the reader to speculate about what will or may happen, adding suspense and unease.