Around a Dark Corner

Having thoroughly enjoyed Open Grave: the Book of Horror, I was very pleased to receive a copy of Jeani Rector's latest book, Around a Dark Corner.  This book follows the same overall structure as the last: a series of short stories followed by a novella.  I am a big fan of this format, each story adding to the anticipation of the next.   

Like Open Grave this book varies in subject matter -- stories such as 'A Medieval Tale of Plague' (a sort of diary of one persons' escape from London during the mid 1300s) and 'Flight 529' (based on factual events) have a restrained quality, while 'The Golem' and 'A Teenage Ghost Story' are examples of classic horror storytelling.  All have a feeling of "the uncanny", and all are fascinating in a unique way.

This book adds to my impression that the author is very much at home in this genre -- the writing is confident, and as a result it is easy to become fully engrossed in the stories. There is no sensasionalism here, but instead clever and intelligent writing that stands out as an excellent example of modern Gothic storytelling.

Be sure to visit aroundadarkcorner.com -- the book can be purchased directly from the publisher website.