Lindy Ryan | Musings of the Monster Librarian

Book Review: The Darkest Night: Chilling Stories from the Biggest Names in Horror edited by Lindy Ryan

The Darkest Night: Chilling Stories from the Biggest Names in Horror edited by Lindy Ryan

Crooked Lane Books, 2024 (pre-order)

ISBN-13 9781639108718

Available: Paperback, Kindle edition

It’s certainly a busy moment for those who ,like me, love to read (and review) horror anthologies.

I’m not sure why, but we, fans of dark short stories, are enjoying ourselves because among a number of forgettable tales, there are always some which are worth the time we spend on them. not to mention the fact that there are continuously new authors to discover and to keep under observation.

The present anthology includes some great stories, in my opinion.

“Children Are Not the Only Ones Who Know Where the Presents Are Hidden “ (what a title!), penned by Josh Malerman, is a magnificent example of psychological horror, probing the secrets of a long-gone childhood haunted by unpleasant, ambiguous memories.

“The Body of Leonora James”, by Stephanie M Wytovich, is an outstanding tale of revenge, with a distinct supernatural taste.

Clay McLead Chapman contributes “Mr Butler”, a quite original, very disturbing piece revolving around a cardboard box endowed with unusual properties.

“Father’s Last Christmas”, by Lee Murray, is a gruesome black fable definitely not for the squeamish, while “ Bruiser”, by Jamie Flanagan, is an offbeat, excellent piece featuring a nurse getting involved with the crazy plans of an inmate.

Very good stuff, and obviously my favorites. Read the book and pick your own…

Reviewed by Mario Guslandi

Into the Forest: Tales of the Baba Yaga edited by Lindy Ryan with a foreword by Christina Henry

Into the Forest: Tales of the Baba Yaga with a foreword by Christina Henry, edited by Lindy Ryan

Black Spot Books, 2022

ISBN-13 ‎978-1645481232

Available: Paperback, Kindle edition, audiobook, audio CD ( Bookshop.org | Amazon.com )

This anthology collects stories inspired by the Slavic folk character Baba Yaga, a child-eating witch with iron teeth who lives deep in the woods in a house with chicken feet, rides in a mortar and pestle, and can either help or hurt visitors, especially women, for a price, and depending on her whim. All the stories are by women writers of horror.

Standout pieces include Stephanie M. Wytovich’s vivid poem “Dinner Plans with Baba Yaga”; Gwendolyn Kiste’s “Last Tour into the Hungering Moonlight”, a real estate pitch that draws neighborhood women into the woods; Sara Tantlinger’s “Of Moonlight and Moss”, a fairytale that isn’t; “Wormwood” by Lindz MacLeod, and “Flood Zone” by Donna Lynch, both with the witch as justice-bringer, in very different ways; “Sugar and Spice and the Old Witch’s Price” is a dread-inducing counterpart to Kiste’s earlier story; “Herald the Knight” by Mercedes M. Yardley is Baba Yaga’s love story; Jill Baguchinsky’s “All Bitterness Burned Away” is an interesting reversal of Hansel and Gretel; “A Trail of Feathers, A Trail of Blood” by Stephanie M. Wytovich is a heartbreaking story that explores the true meaning of sacrifice; “Baba Yaga Learns to Shave, Gets Her Period, and Comes Into Her Own” by Jess Hagemann reflects the teenage girl’s experience of being trained to conform; EV Knight’s memorable and powerful “Stork Bites”, in which Roe vs Wade has been dismantled, leaving an unusual method of illegal abortion, with disturbing consequences, as the only resort for ending a pregnancy; “Where The Horizon Meets the Sky” by R.J. Joseph is a sort of “Monkey’s Paw” tale; the vivid and gruesome “Maw Maw Yaga and the Hunter” by Alexandrea Weis; and the descriptive, poetic stories “Baba Yaga in Repose” by Heather Miller and “Shadow and Branch, Ghost Fruit Among The Lullabies” by Saba Syed Razvi.

There is a lot of variety in approach and interpretation. If you have an interest in Baba Yaga, witches, folklore, or supporting women writers, this is a collection to enjoy. Recommended.

Reviewed by Kirsten Kowalewski