DREAD SOFTLY: A COLLECTION BY CARYN LARRINAGA

5/5/2021

A Basque- American dark fiction writer, Caryn Larrinaga is the author, among her various books, of the “Donn’s” series of mystery novels.

The present volume is a collection of short stories, some original to this collection, some previously appeared in print.

Truth be told this collection is really a mixed bag of good stories and of forgettable tales, some of which are a challenge to that indispensable suspension of disbelief required to really enjoy any type of fiction.

But when Larrinaga succeeds she does that in flying colors, so let me focus on the stories which impressed me more.

“ Empire of Dirt” is a strong, accomplished story about sisterly hate and its dire consequences, while “Family Time” is a well crafted cautionary tale about greed, where a grandfather clock plays a pivotal role.

“Watcher’s Warning” - my favorite story in the book- is a quite original piece desribing the misadventures of a woman just moved into a disreputable house, as seen through the eyes of her cat.

“ Inguma We Trust” is an interesting mix of mythology and dark fantasy, featuring the monster Inguma and a bunch of imps, and depicting their battle about a little child.

The above stories certainly show that Larrinaga has the potential to produce valuable short dark fiction. I am looking forward to her next collection.

Reviewed by Mario Guslandi

A woman struggles to outsmart the demon who bargained for her father’s soul. An elderly shut-in with a monstrous secret is tormented by a door-to-door salesman. Six-eyed creatures congregate on the ceiling of a remote bungalow, puzzling a newly rescued tabby cat. An imp’s loyalties are torn between a vulnerable child and the god of dreams.
In her debut horror collection, award-winning author Caryn Larrinaga spreads her nightmares under your feet. Fed by the dread her anxiety brings her, each of these eleven tales is a journey into an unsettling universe just parallel to our own—one populated by haunted objects, unwanted urges, and creatures from beyond human understanding. Dread softly.