Lost Highways: Dark Fictions From The Road edited By D. Alexander Ward

Crystal Lake Publishing, 2018

ISBN-13: 978-1643704722

Available: Paperback, eBook(Kindle)

On the open road, opportunities abound.  Anything can happen: you can hitchhike your way across the country depending on the kindness of strangers; go on a pilgrimage to find a lost relative last known to be in a cult; dispose of a cheating ex; run for your life from a mysterious pursuer; clean up your act by traveling through time to hunt yourself; explore the history of a deadly stretch of road.  You can get revenge.  Try the local cuisine, or become it.  Rob a gas station or stop a heist.  Meet a ghost.  Tour the country.  Take a ride with Death.  All this, and more, awaits you on the road.

Lost Highways: Dark Fictions From The Road had a lot of fun stories– 20 to be exact– and a bonus of 5 works of art.  The title got my attention from the start, and I was curious what tales of the road I would find.  I was not disappointed.  The majority of the stories had plotlines that kept me interested and challenged me.  Many gave me twists that I did not expect.  The tone throughout these works was creepy, with the occasional feeling of vindication or awe.  The characters were believable for their situations.  There was enough background to set each story up.  Usually, I was thrown straight into the action and the details of the past popped up as needed.  Fun stuff.  The descriptions and pacing flowed well.  The only complaint I can make is that there were a few grammar issues, mostly typos.  My favorite stories were: Mr. Hugsy by Robert Ford; Jim’s Meats by Kelli Owen; Not From Detroit by Joe R. Lansdale; Room 4 At The Haymaker by Josh Malerman; and The Widow by Rio Youers.  I have not read any of these authors’ work previously, with the exception of I Can Taste the Blood by Josh Malerman. Recommended for adult readers.

Reviewed by Aaron Fletcher

Editor’s note: Lost Highways: Dark Fictions from the Road is a nominee on the final ballot for the 2018 Bram Stoker Awards in the category of Superior Achievement in an Anthology.