Dark Screams: Volume Four edited by Brian James Freeman & Richard Chizmar

Dark Screams: Volume Four edited by  Brian James Freeman & Richard Chizmar
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

ebook, 160 pages
Published August 4th 2015 by Hydra

Dark Screams (4)


This series not only maintains its quality it manages to keep getting better! I loved this collection of stories which contains two reprints and three original entries for this volume. The biggest name here is Clive Barker and his story is fantastic. That said, I couldn't pick a favourite this time around as they were all equally fantastic one way or the other.

1. The Departed by Clive Barker (1992) [orig. "Hermione and the Moon"] - I expected Barker's entry to be a centrepiece but this is a very short previously published piece. It's not a feature story, but I absolutely adored it! Different from what I've read of Barker previously this is actually a happy story; if you find redemptive death pleasant as I do. Really a beautiful story of the dead, and an imagined afterlife. (5/5)

2. The New War by Lisa Morton (2015) - Creepy! An elderly man comes to a nursing home after breaking his hip. We don't actually know how elderly he is in fact we don't actually know much because he is suffering from delirium. But he does know that his night nurse is trying to kill him or is it the black dark thing that accompanies her everywhere. Great ending! (5/5)

3. Sammy Comes Home by Ray Garton (2015) - Classic-style horror story. Think "Body-Snatchers", only with dogs. Loved it. (5/5)

4. The Brasher Girl by Ed Gorman (1995) - This story is dedicated to Stephen King and has an afterward noting that it is inspired by King's "Nona" from Skeleton Crew. I haven't read that recently so can't compare. This is the longest entry in the book and a fine horror story involving a mysterious entity, telekinetic communication and mind controlled killing sprees. Even though this is the longest story it was a very quick, engrossing read and does have a King flavour to it. Another excellent entry in the collection (5/5)

5. Creature Feature by Heather Graham (2015) - A Jack the Ripper display seems disturbingly real in this tale that has a bit of everything: horror, paranormal, mystery. (4.5/5)