Dark bleatings, my very best tribe! If you’re “in” the horror scene, you will no doubt be familiar with Ellen Datlow, and the extraordinary annual buzz about which stories make her Best Of list each year. To have one of your stories named in a Datlow list is considered an honour, and it’s easy to see why, considering the sheer calibre of talent accumulated in her annual anthologies.
So let’s take a look at The Best Horror of the Year: Volume Seventeen, edited by Ellen Datlow.
We begin with Summation of 2024, written by Ellen, which thoughtfully walks us through the year of horror and lets us know what to expect in the coming pages. She tells us that this volume contains 22 stories and one poem (9 by women, 13 by men), from the USA, New Zealand, Canada, Australia, Wales, England. She also gives a breakdown of bookish awards through the year, among other things like notable works from magazines, journals, and webzines, etc. It’s quite a comprehensive look at the bookish horror scene and though it can’t possibly contain every single avenue of horror you might personally be familiar with, it’s largely encompassing of the genre and the work within it.
The following stories are those chosen to represent the best short fiction (and, spoiler alert, I can see why). Let’s dive in!
‘The Cleaner’ by Victoria Dalpe
Well, holy smokes. What a FANTASTIC story. I know I’ve read at least one short by this author before but I’ll be making a conscious effort to look her up now. A woman works as a very particular kind of cleaner that takes care of spaces that have been…let’s say “used” by a particular type of night time…person. Being vague to avoid spoilers, but what a fantastic story. I particularly loved how much world-building was done in such a short space here.
‘Summer Bonus’ by Lee Murray
I love Lee Murray and this story meets her usual fantastic standards. Two women, friends, take a job in a remote location, excited for an adventure. The thing is, the job is for three months, and they have to check their phones in upon arrival. A reason is given and it doesn’t sit right, but they comply anyway. Quite the mistake, it would seem. Very suspenseful throughout, with shades of the most delicious coastal folk horror.
‘Like Furies’ by Epiphany Ferrell
Oh my gosh, this book just keeps getting better and better! This story is about a small town with a particular legend, and the locals don’t talk about it. Something waits for dark and catches the unsuspecting, should anyone be foolish enough to go outside after sundown. Tremendous horror with a fantastic ending. Definitely a favourite for me.
‘Body Worlds’ by Tom Johnstone
My flabbers are gasted. I’m starting to think this is the best anthology I’ve ever read. A couple are “enjoying” a tense holiday in the wake of the husband’s infidelity. Wifey can’t stop thinking about it, and the selfish dickhead seems more annoyed by her continued emotional turmoil than empathetic or sorry for the damage he has caused. He insists on a visit to Body Worlds, where things get much more disturbing than expected, and that’s really saying something in an exhibit like that.
‘An Act of Sorrow’ by James Cooper
A man has the very unusual job of being a paid mourner – he is hired to go to funerals and appear as grieving, for those who perhaps did not have much company in life. He receives a booking from someone very wealthy one day, but when he turns up to discuss terms, he finds that he has to go an extra mile for that cheque. Melancholy, weird, and written with a mildly humorous tone, this is a very entertaining tale.
‘Fancy Dad’ by David Nickle
A couple are enjoying a night away when they run into their boss at a restaurant, and are persuaded by a staff member to get them out of there and take them home. Only, the boss and his companion don’t want to go to their own home, but our couples’. It turns out there’s a reason the waitress was so keen to get them out of the restaurant…
‘Only Children’ by Gemma Files
Good grief. This one is about a mother who worries for her son, you know, because of all those stories. Stories that are found in every part of the world about monsters that eat children. Good thing they’re only fiction, right? RIGHT?! Very unsettling, indeed!
‘The Rock Statue’ by Mark Falkin
Well, I just love this one. Dearly. A group of women gather in a nice cabin, but their peaceful night is interrupted by a couple of girls that make them, and me, nervous. It was giving me ‘Eden Lake’ vibes, only in an enclosed space so I was extremely tense. The story did not go to an expected place and I loved it. Another favourite.
‘In Flickering Light’ by Dan Coxon
A man happens upon a homeless woman and realises he knows her because she’s an ex co-worker. Their boss was a scumbag of the highest calibre, for reasons we find out a little later. It’s a real-world horror story that somehow feels supernatural. I’ve read this one before. I loved it as much this time as I did when I first discovered it.
‘Davidson’s Son’ by Charles Wilkinson
A man is on the run from, let’s say, a former employer, and finds himself in a small town. He’s apparently alone in the house he’s renting, though keeps hearing people inside the house and even more mysteriously, experiencing the smell of freshly baking goods. The latter sounds charming…but isn’t. Creeeeeepy.
‘The Boy in the Closet’ by Douglas Ford
This is about a classroom rumour that a boy was shut in the class closet by a mean teacher, died in there, and now haunts it. The new teacher is convinced the kids are just making this up to mess with him, but are they? I really like this story because of how it discusses the delicacy of the power dynamic between a class and their teacher, and how difficult that can be from the adult perspective. Very creepy, also!
‘Blessed Mary’ by Stephen Volk
A tale of the Mari Lwyd (Welsh, festive folklore)! I hardly ever come across this type of story and as a Welsh person, I was delighted to find it here. A Christmas tradition turns nightmare when a couple are back in the wife’s hometown, just in time for the festivities. She’s been telling her husband all about the legend. Well…maybe not all...
The ending is exceptionally unsettling.
‘Mrs. Crace’ by Cliff McNish
I am deeply disturbed by this one and I don’t know how to feel! Our narrator recounts memories of his home life and in particular, his childhood nanny, Mrs. Crace.
‘A Lullaby of Anguish’ by Marie Croke
A woman and her sister aren’t as close as she wishes they were because they’re fractured by guilt from their childhoods. It haunts them. Throw in a little maritime folklore and we have a fascinating story about guilt and empathy here.
‘Drive’ by Brian Evenson
A woman has killed a man and is now driving along a road at night, plagued by recent events. Being stopped by a cop is not ideal, but certain things are illuminated – horrifying things – because of this. Creepy story!
‘Archies’ by Paul Tremblay
This is a really spooky story about a guy hearing and telling stories of Archie. It has made me just not trust any Archie. Or small bathrooms. Or public spaces. Or music. Thanks, Obama.
‘Sunk’ by Richard Thomas
We’re pursued (or rather, the character is) the second we start reading, and that fast-paced, panicked momentum carries us through to the end. I was practically holding my breath for this whole read.
‘Less Exalted Tastes’ by Gemma Amor
A man interested in buying an expansive, extraordinary mansion gets more than he bargained for when the the woman of the house shows him the true price of admission. This was so tense and atmospheric, the writing allowing for such easy visions of the story being painted. Wonderful horror.
‘The Ribbon Rule’ by Mae Jimenez
This might be the most disturbing of all stories in this anthology. The opening line sucked me right in and I was trapped in this tale of a community in which mouths are just sewn shut once you hit the appropriate age. Chilling and relevant.
‘The Night Birds’ by Premee Mohamed
Oof, such great folk horror and imagery. A woman who works for Child Protective Services is on a case involving a strange girl who almost seems to have appeared out of nowhere. Tracing her family is difficult and…unwise. Greatness!
‘Pages from a Diary’ by Steve Kilbey
This must be the poem! This is the first-person account of life from a creature of the night. It has the romantic flair of Copola’s Dracula and Anne Rice’s work. Really enjoyed it.
‘Broken Back Man’ by Lucie McKnight Hardy
This gives me the eebie jeebies (heebie jeebies?!). It would seem that there’s a loop of horridness plaguing a pub because of the rumour of the Broken Back Man. I do not like these kinds of cycles (though I do like reading them!).
‘I Love The Very Flesh Off You’ by Robert Shearman
A woman attends her ex-husband’s funeral with her current husband, and is set on getting something of his, only not money or property or anything that one might expect someone would want. This story is funny in a dark, tongue-in-cheek way, and surprisingly grotesque in places, which surprised me. I’ve met the author and he is so sweet and lovely that I’m surprised this came from his brain!
Following on from the stories themselves, Ellen also includes a list of honourable mentions – great works that were considered for inclusion. I think that’s a lovely touch, and I don’t even know how she managed to narrow all of this down in the first place, considering the enormous volume she must have read.
Overall, I can see why each of these stories was chosen. Again, the calibre of talent on display here is consistently high, without a weaker entry in the entire bunch. My personal favourites were dictated purely by my own tastes, rather than others not being favourites because of any criticisms. In fact, this is likely the first time I’ve ever read an anthology and had no criticisms of anything in it. Had I the fortune to have read these stories as they were released, many of them would have made my own Best of the Year lists.
I’d absolutely recommend this to horror readers. Not only are all of the stories worth your time (prepare to be spooked!), but the information wrapped around them is also very interesting and valuable. Through this volume, I’ve discovered authors and stories, but also online resources, magazines, etc. Perfect for readers and horror fans interested in the wider community.
This fabulous edition is available now in the US, and will be released on 12th February in the UK, and if you’re interested in checking out the book or the editor, I’ve popped some links below for you:
THE BEST HORROR OF THE YEAR VOLUME SEVENTEEN UK
THE BEST HORROR OF THE YEAR VOLUME SEVENTEEN USA
Bleeeeat!
Happy Goat Horror 
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