by Alister Davison

The living dead return in this collection from Paul Kane, proving there’s still much life in the old flesh-eaters by looking at them in a variety of ways. The book begins with an unsettling poem that has a sinister steampunk theme, creating an appropriate atmosphere for the stories that follow. Each has a different take on the sub-genre – ranging from a single creature rising from its grave to a future full of them and, despite the author wearing his influences firmly on his sleeve, there’s great fun to be had in knowing what’s to come; to Kane’s credit it’s not always when expected, and tension remains throughout. The writing is versatile, as always, packed with neat twists and suitably shocking moments.

There’s much humour to be found, too, particularly in the Dalton Quale story. It’s a Holmesian romp that has its tongue firmly through its cheek, laced with gore and laugh-out-loud innuendo worthy of Sid James. It’s cleverly done – despite tipping a wink to its audience. There’s genuine jeopardy throughout.

The poem and two other stories are new to this collection, some of which go back to 2001, proving that Kane’s talent to disturb and grip the reader has never diminished, finely honed over the years. As the introduction states, horror fiction has its cycles, but it’s good to know that authors such as this have flown the genre’s flag for decades now and will continue to challenge expectations and deliver stories that pack an emotional and visceral punch.