The Collector by Laura Kat Young Titan Books, £8.99, paperback Reviewed by Nadya Mercik The Collector – a nightmarish dystopia by Laura Kat Young – was advertised in some of the sources as a combination of 1984 and Never Let Me Go. The book definitely provides an unsettling, in some… Read More »The Collector
TWICE CURSED edited by Marie O’Regan and Paul Kane Titan Books, pb, £9.99 Reviewed by Pauline Morgan One of the things that helps an anthology sell is the quality of the names on the contents list. Fans of certain authors will buy books for the first publication of someone they… Read More »TWICE CURSED
Silent Key by Laurel Hightower Flame Tree Press, £12.96 paperback, £20 hardback Reviewed by Nadya Mercik Silent Key, being primarily a horror and supernatural story, has sturdy elements of a police detective and crime story and even some elements of historical espionage, which work wonderfully together. On top of that,… Read More »Silent Key
The Hexologists by Josiah Bancroft Orbit, p/b, £9.99 Review by Tori Borne ‘“The king wishes to be cooked alive,” the royal secretary said(…)’ is the bizarre and curious opening statement of Josiah Bancroft’s 2023 novel The Hexologists, a charming ‘whodunnit’ tale of royal conspiracy, political intrigue and magic. Our protagonists… Read More »The Hexologists
Leech by Hiron Ennes Tor, pb, £9.99 Reviewed by Sarah Deeming A wealthy baron’s physician has died, and the Institute, the medical organisation the physician came from, has sent a new one to support the baron and uncover why the previous physician died. The autopsy reveals the physician had become… Read More »Leech
Pennies From Heaven by James P. Blaylock Drugstore Indian Press (PS Publishing) pbk £14.99 Reviewed by Ian Hunter Okay, true confession time, American fantasy writer James Blaylock is one of my favourite writers of fantasy and one of the bookshelves in Hunter Towers groans under the strain of a lot… Read More »Pennies from Heaven
Such Sharp Teeth by Rachel Harrison Titan Books pbk £8.99 Reviewed by Ian Hunter Rachel Harrison has previously given us novels about scary reunions (“The Return”) and Witches (“Cackle” – great title) and now in “Such Sharp Teeth” we get…I was going to say no spoilers here, but given the… Read More »Such Sharp Teeth
Rendered Flesh by David Cartwright Level Up Publishing, pb, £11.99 Reviewed by Sarah Deeming Have you ever wondered if we’re already zombies? Consumer zombies mindlessly buying whatever the white men in power tell us to buy, which is usually whatever lines their pockets. Thought zombies believing whatever the press tells… Read More »Rendered Flesh
WHAT THE RIVER KNOWS by Isabel Ibañez. Hodderscape. h/b. £16.99. Reviewed by Elloise Hopkins. Buenos Aires, 1884. Inez’s father collects artefacts that have been touched by magic, filling their house with treasures and trinkets, but to Inez’s dismay, her parents spend six months of every year away from her in… Read More »What the River Knows
THE MARLEN OF PRAGUE: Christopher Marlow and the City of Gold by Angeli Primani THE MARLEN OF PRAGUE: Christopher Marlow and the City of Gold by Angeli Primani Guardbridge Books, pb, £11.99 Reviewed by Pauline Morgan Some authors give themselves very difficult challenges. To write in a historical period requires… Read More »The Marlen of Prague