Best New Horror Volume 30 (2020)
(a) Drugstore Indian Press, UK • tp • £14.99
ISBN 978-1-78636-691-7
Heh, Heh, Kiddies! Tomb it may concern . . . Welcome to the penultimate volume of the World’s Longest-Running Annual Showcase of Horror and Dark Fantasy! I’m gravely worried that our ghoulfriend on the cover has been hanging out with a bunch of deadheads in the local boneyard. I only hope that, like you, she can dig the terrifying tales buried away in these pages by, amongst others, Ramsey Campbell, CaitlÃn R. Kiernan, John Langan, Alison Littlewood, Graham Masterton, Thana Niveau, Michael Marshall Smith, Damien Angelica Walters and many others. You’ll also find nothing cryptic about the extensive Introduction and informative Necrology as you catacomb your way through this latest compilation of the year’s most frightful fiction! Take the word of . . .
—The Old Hag
| ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS | |
| INTRODUCTION: HORROR IN 2018 | The Editor |
| THE HOUSE | Peter Bell |
| THE SMILING MAN | Simon Kurt Unsworthv |
| HOLIDAY READING | Rosalie Parker |
| RESONANT EVIL | Graham Masterton |
| REDRIFF | Michael Chislett |
| THE BLINK | Nicholas Royle |
| THE DEEP SEA SWELL | John Langan |
| SISTERS RISE | Christopher Harman |
| THE RUN OF THE TOWN | Ramsey Campbell |
| THE MARVELLOUS TALKING MACHINE | Alison Littlewood |
| WHO’S GOT THE BUTTON | James Wade |
| THE TYPEWRITER | Rio Youers |
| THE KEEPERS OF THE LIGHTHOUSE | Ken Mackenzie |
| THE HUNGRY GRASS | Tracy Fahey |
| GHOSTLY STUDIES, DR. GRACE, & THE DIODATI SOCIETY | Daniel McGachey |
| IT NEVER LOOKS LIKE DROWNING | Damien Angelica Walters |
| THE WINDOW OF ERICH ZANN | Michael Marshall Smith |
| POSTERITY | Mark Samuels |
| OCTOBERLAND | Thana Niveau |
| PORSON’S PIECE | Reggie Oliver |
| HE SINGS OF SALT AND WORMWOOD | Brian Hodge |
| VIRGINIA STORY | CaitlÃn R. Kiernan |
| THE VIRGIN MARY WELL | Peter Bell |
| NECROLOGY: 2018 | Stephen Jones & Kim Newman |
| USEFUL ADDRESSES |
Reviews
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“A fine anthology with top-notch horror from Ramsey Campbell, Michael Marshal Smith, Alison Littlewood, Graham Masterton,
Damien Angelica Walters, two stories from Peter Bell, and lots more—all packaged under a delightfully retro cover by Warren Kremer.”
—John O’Neill
BLACK GATE, January 26, 2021 -
“Well respected editor Stephen Jones has assembled twenty-three stories previously appeared in horror collections, anthologies and magazines in 2018, introducing the volume with an incredibly exhaustive overview of what has happened in the horror area in that particular year concerning both books and movies . . . Highly recommended.”
—Mario Guslandi
GINGER NUTS OF HORROR, November 27, 2020 -
“Great book . . . scary fun to look at and even better to read!”
—Graham Masterton