As the title suggests, Phantoms is a collection of ghost stories from some of the best modern horror writers, almost all of which are brand new to this collection. Editor Marie O’Regan has packed the pages with eighteen tales, all of which offer a different take on the core theme, using the established tropes of the genre to propel the reader through a wide range of emotions. There are scares aplenty, that’s for sure; yet, there’s also sadness, loss, concern, and even a twisted joy when someone gets their just deserts.  Some of these hauntings are malicious, while others are deeply poignant, all sending warnings to the central characters that are ignored or obsessed upon. Either way, the reader is delightfully chilled.

All these writers are able to conjure characters to care about in just a few sentences, drawing us into their world and sharing their terrors, taking us into satisfying and often unexpected directions. Each story is one to be savoured, their imagery lingering long in the mind thanks to the high quality of writing that exists throughout the book; these authors are indeed masters of the genre. It’s not only the authors that should be applauded for this compilation, but the editor and publisher too. O’Regan has done a first class job of assembling these stories, while publishers Titan deserve plaudits for releasing yet another collection of high quality short horror fiction.

Ghost stories have been around for a long time, and more cynical readers may think there’s nothing more that can be done with the genre, that each new story is just a reworking of an older tale, updated for an audience that hasn’t read the likes of Dickens or James. Phantoms proves that, in the right hands, this isn’t the case; every story touches a nerve or provokes a response, making this the ideal read for those long autumn nights.

PHANTOMS / EDITOR: MARIE O’REGAN / PUBLISHER: TITAN BOOKS / RELEASE DATE: OUT NOW