Happy Goat Horror

Dark bleatings, my beloved tribe! There’s a rumour going around that it’s harder to get short story collections published and reviewed than any other type of book. I don’t know if this is true, because can you ever really believe anything you read on the internet? However, if it is so, I wanted to rebel against this idea by listing my Top 10 Horror Collections of 2023. Unlike last week, I will actually be sticking to 10 books this time.

I have to tell you, by the way, that due to the insanely consistent, high quality of everything I read last year, making these lists is really hard! In no particular order, my favourite collections are…

I will never stop thinking about the connected familial stories in this book. In particular, I am haunted (and highly entertained) by ‘The Moth’, Parts 1 and 2. Knightley is a beautiful writer and this short story cycle is so well planned and put together.

TWISTED BRANCHES

This is a themed micro-collection of water-based/maritime stories, all of which fall somewhere under the horror umbrella, but in very different ways. I love the variety in the stories here – Smits has many writing hats and she wears many of them.

WATERLORE

Oh, Ramsey – you NEVER disappoint me! This is a particularly scary collection for me – there’s a festive story buried in these pages that is pure nightmare fuel, and it’s haunting me still! Also, the book itself is absolutely gorgeous.

FEARFUL IMPLICATIONS

My first Richard Clive book and most definitely the start of what I think is going to be an awesome reading journey with his work! The concept of this book is the stuff of pure sci-fi horror excellence, and intelligently executed. Very different, as far as collections go, and a thoroughly entertaining time.

STRANGE FREQUENCIES

There’s a story in this collection that scared the crap out of me, and because of it, I will always look at ice cream trucks suspiciously. Sloman packs a punch with every story in this book, and left me thoroughly disturbed overall.

NO HAPPILY EVER AFTER

An absolutely perfect selection of stories for people who enjoy the quieter and more peculiar side of horror. A great mix of supernatural and psychological oddities.

STARLESS AND BIBLE BLACK

This collection is just absolutely outstanding, and several of the stories in it had me jealous that I didn’t think of them first. ‘Just a Note’ is absolutely chilling, the first story screams of an even harsher take on Lord of the Flies, and the final in the book fills you with darkness.

ILLUSIONS OF ISOLATION

Shocking in how savage it is, Suffer Little Children is most definitely not for the faint-hearted! Children-themed horror tales… makes me shudder just at the memory. But in a good, ‘I enjoyed it but am forever disturbed’ way.

SUFFER LITTLE CHILDREN

Mark Towse is just brilliant. He’s a master of blending the most heinous horror with humour – seriously, one of the very best I’ve ever read. I love every single book of his that I’ve read, and this collection is no different.

THERE’S SOMETHING WRONG WITH AUNTY BETH

And last but not least, Dan Coxon’s Green Fingers – a nature themed micro-collection. If you enjoy plants that act like fungus, sentient trees, and nature twisted in perverse ways, you’ll probably love this as much as I do!

GREEN FINGERS

Do you have any short story collections in mind that you think I might like? Let me know! I’m a huge fan of an excellent, scary collection. I hope there’s something new here for you to enjoy!