 If you like your horror stories to come from human weakness, from the dark corners that lurk within us and from those moments where it’s all too easy to lose control and become unmoored, then ‘Shadowy Natures’ is well worth checking out. There are a few disappointments, but some real gems too. This book would scare the shit out of my sister. Shadowy Natures is a collection of 21 short stories, edited by Rebecca Rowland, focusing on very human terrors. No vampires, werewolves, tentacled gods or zombies here. The only ghosts and demons are the ones we carry within ourselves, and as we all know those can be the ugliest of all. That’s what makes the best of these stories hit home – it could happen to any of us, but even worse any of us could be the monster. Stories of the ‘psycho killer’ variety all too often ignore the motive of the killer, what makes them tick, why they do what they do, opting instead to shrug and say ‘welll, they’re craaazy’. The best stories show that, with the right buttons, any of us could snap and lose control. As loveable racist old Lovecraft used to say, any of us could go mad under the right conditions. And the consequences would be dire. While the stories in the collection hit more often than they miss, there is a common problem that I found a bit frustrating. Many of the endings were unsatisfactory and didn’t really feel like I was being given any real resolution. ‘Seven Days of Dog Walking’ by Scotty Milder gripped me from the beginning, teasing a mystery about the woman Charlie became fixated on during his dog walks, but the shocking ending didn’t really gel and felt really abrupt. Similarly, ‘Ring Rock’ by James Edward O’Brien was brilliant most of the way through and had me holding my breath in suspense, but then it just… stopped. It’s a shame, as the story was really well told and the image of the rocks that ring out when tapped with hammers was really haunting. Same with ‘The Wolf Gang’ by Barrie Darke – a fantastically eerie premise, a family home where the pictures on the wall capture the family in moments of fear and anger and pain, but just as it gets to the tense climax it just ends. I like an ambiguous ending too sometimes but this one was really frustrating. There are others, and it takes the wind out the sails of an otherwise very good collection. The stories that do land, though, they land hard. They may not have kept me up at night staring into the shadows, but they definitely grabbed my heart strongly enough to leave deep impressions with the fingers. My favourites are: ‘Drifter’ by C.W. Blackwell – a lone wanderer in the Old West travels around with an unorthodox companion – a corpse he carries around and talks to. The ending was predictable but in the best way, and the drifter himself is such an amiable fellow that it seems mighty fine to spend time in his company, despite what a terrible idea that may be… ‘In Control’ by Joseph Rubas – a henpecked young man lives very thoroughly under his mother’s thumb while harbouring some dark desires indeed. Though Frankie’s a deeply unpleasant person, it’s not hard to see how he could have been influenced by his upbringing. I’m not excusing him here, I should add! I’m just saying that his circumstances and his inner turmoil make for an explosive ad dangerous mixture, and the ensuing fireworks are a good read. ‘Accessory’ by K.N. Johnson – a quiet young girl is taken under the school Queen Bee’s wing and the result is murder and subterfuge and teenage woes. This one’s superb, even without the great twist at the end. Right from the beginning you’re on Chrissy’s side, especially if you’ve ever been the quiet kid at school. The savage intricacies of life as a mean teenage girl are laid out brilliantly here, in a very Mean Girls/Heathers kind of way, as Jenny terrorises her friends and always (always?) gets what she wants. This is the one that stuck with me the most. ‘Itch’ by Louis Stephenson – a story of irrational paranoia stemming from ablism and a fear of the other. Though Hayley’s brother is painted out to be some kind of ghoulish figure with his peeling skin and bloody sores, he’s more of a victim as Hayley is. She fixates on him and the dead flakes of skin he leaves everywhere he goes, almost to the point of madness and psychosomatic injury, but he’s in constant pain and has to live with the actual condition. A complicated one, but certainly one that stays with you. ‘Heart Skull Heart’ by Bryan Miller – ooft. This one cuts deep. Zoe’s a seemingly innocent and sweet girl who just wants to help you, but her particular brand of helping is… problematic, shall we say? Accused of murdering a boy by insisting he kill himself, the story is really about her father reconciling her actions with the sweet little girl he thought he knew. Suicide is a tricky subject to handle delicately, and this story is best approached with trigger warnings up front, but it’s a fascinating peek into a troubled mind. ‘Roger’ by Hollee Nelson – this is what I meant when I said any of us could snap under the right circumstances. A teenage boy, used to acting out violently and not handled with love and care by his family, falls deeper and deeper into darkness and violence as no one even tries to lend him a helping hand or show any understanding. His little brother comes closest, but even he is ultimately a let down. Treat your children well, folks. If you like your horror stories to come from human weakness, from the dark corners that lurk within us and from those moments where it’s all too easy to lose control and become unmoored, then ‘Shadowy Natures’ is well worth checking out. There are a few disappointments, but some real gems too. 3.5/5 REVIEW BY SAM KURD  With its twenty-one stories of serial killers and sociopaths, fixations and fetishes, breakdowns and bad decisions crafted by authors as diverse as their writing styles, Shadowy Natures leads fans of psychological horror down dark and treacherous roads to destinations they will be too unsettled to leave. From unique twists on traditional terror tropes to fresh frights found in the most innocuous of places, these tales will surprise and unnerve even the most veteran horror fans. Featuring brand new fiction from Jeremy Billingsley, C.W. Blackwell, Barrie Darke, Matthew R. Davis, Christina Delia, KC Grifant, Liam Hogan, K.N. Johnson, Thomas Kearnes, Rudy Kremberg, Scotty Milder, Bryan Miller, Hollee Nelson, Elin Olausson, James Edward O’Brien, Andrew Punzo, Lee Rozelle, Joseph Rubas, Paul Stansfield, Louis Stephenson, and Thomas Vaughn.   THE HEART AND SOUL OF HORROR REVIEW WEBSITES Comments are closed.
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