Close To Midnight is the third in a series published by Flame Tree Press and edited by horror author Mark Morris. This anthology contains twenty short stories; sixteen have been commissioned, while the remaining four have been selected from an open submissions window. Fear not; all are of an exceptionally high standard.
Morris is no stranger to curating such collections and, yet again, his choices are first class. Close to Midnight is not only a superlative showcase for the horror genre, but for the short story form itself. The quality of writing is fantastic throughout – dare we say higher than much that is seen on best-seller lists? – and readers will find themselves drawn into the hearts and minds of these characters. Be warned, though; some of these tales are not for the faint of heart. The tumultuous previous years in the real world inevitably will find its way into fiction and – as the Editor notes in his introduction – there’s a deep sense of loss imbued in every tale.
The horror genre is often at its best when allowing us to confront our fears through the relative safety of fiction, and this book does that and more; readers should prepare themselves to be put through a range of emotions, but always satisfied with every outcome. We’ll all have a different favourite – no one is here to make up the numbers – but Laura Mauro captured this reviewer’s childhood with uncanny clarity. A sublime and sinister treat, delightfully scary, we cannot recommend this enough.
CLOSE TO MIDNIGHT is out now.
