100 Twisted Little Tales of Torment

by Stefan R. Dziemianowicz (Editor, Introduction), Martin H. Greenberg, Robert Weinberg

Anthology by Stefan Dziemianowicz and Martin H. Greenberg and Robert Weinberg.
Contents
xi • Introduction (100 Twisted Little Tales of Torment) • essay by Stefan Dziemianowicz
1 • The Archer in the Arras • (1932) • short story by Lewis Spence
7 • The Atom-Smasher • (1934) • short story by Donald Wandrei
9 • Awakening • (1975) • short story by David Drake [as by David A. Drake]
12 • The Baku • (1988) • short story by Lucy Taylor
18 • 'Beyondaril' • (1971) • short story by John Metcalfe
24 • The Black Godmother • (1912) • short fiction by John Galsworthy
28 • Bringing It Along • (1996) • short story by A.R. Morlan
35 • Broken Glass • (1911) • short story by Georgia Wood Pangborn
42 • Broken Things • (1990) • short fiction by Nina Kiriki Hoffman
44 • The Buried Alive • (1821) • short story by John Galt
47 • The Business of Madame Jahn • (1896) • short story by Vincent O'Sullivan
53 • Busted in Buttown • (1991) • short story by David J. Schow
59 • By the Light of the Silvery Moon • (1990) • short story by Les Daniels
64 • Cancer Alley • (1994) • short story by Nancy A. Collins
72 • Cedar Lane • (1990) • short story by Karl Edward Wagner
80 • The Clock • (1928) • short story by William Fryer Harvey
84 • Coffins for Two • (1924) • short story by Vincent Starrett
89 • Cold Spell • (1980) • short story by David Langford
98 • Crispy Notes • (1991) • short story by Nicholas Royle
102 • Crutches • (1983) • short story by Steve Rasnic Tem
109 • Dark Whispers • (1996) • by Richard Chizmar [as by Richard T. Chizmar]
114 • The Devil's Lottery • (1948) • short story by Mary Elizabeth Counselman
123 • Die Rache • (1992) • short story by Steven Utley
126 • Don't Get Lost • (1989) • short story by Tanith Lee
133 • Don't Take It to Heart • (1953) • short story by H.L. Gold
141 • Doorslammer • (1963) • short story by Donald A. Wollheim
145 • The Elevator • (1992) • short story by Garry Kilworth
150 • The Ex • (1996) • short story by William F. Nolan
156 • A Far-Away Melody • (1890) • by Mary E. Wilkins Freeman [as by Mary E. Wilkins-Freeman]
163 • The Feet • (1935) • short story by Mark Channing
170 • The Final Tale • (1986) • short story by Elizabeth Engstrom
175 • Fingers of a Hand • short story by Mrs. H.D. Everett [as by H.D. Everett]
182 • Fire-Bringer! • (1949) • short story by William Brandon
187 • Food for Thought • (1995) • short story by Mandy Slater
195 • Free Hand • (1990) • short story by Fred Chappell
201 • From Beyond • [Dream Cycle] • (1934) • short story by H.P. Lovecraft
207 • From What Strange Land • (1935) • short story by Blanche Bane Kuder
214 • The Frontier Guards • (1929) • short story by H. Russell Wakefield
219 • The Good Husband • (1955) • short story by Evelyn E. Smith
222 • Great Expectations • (1990) • short story by Kim Antieau
226 • The Green Light • (1897) • short story by Barry Pain
231 • The Hand • [La main d'écorché • 2] • (1910) • short story by Guy de Maupassant *trans. of La main (1883)
237 • Haunted Air • (1934) • short story by L.A. Lewis
245 • Here Lies • (1937) • short story by Howard Wandrei
250 • The House • (1932) • by André Maurois *trans. of La maison (1931)
252 • How It Happened • (1913) • short story by Arthur Conan Doyle
255 • The Idol with Hands of Clay • (1923) • short story by Sir Frederick Treves
262 • In the Light of the Red Lamp • (1909) • by Maurice Level *trans. of Sous la Lumière Rouge (1906)
266 • In the Straw • (1975) • short story by Edward D. Hoch
272 • The Interlopers • (1912) • short story by Saki
277 • Invisible Boy • (1987) • short story by Cliff Burns
282 • It Will Come to You • (1942) • short story by Frank Belknap Long
288 • Key to the Mysteries • (1989) • short story by Don Webb
293 • The King's Messenger • (1907) • short story by F. Marion Crawford
300 • The Little Finger on the Left Hand • (1990) • short story by Ardath Mayhar
304 • Little Old Miss Macbeth • (1958) • short story by Fritz Leiber
309 • Lucky • (1996) • short story by John Maclay
312 • The Man and the Snake • (1890) • short story by Ambrose Bierce
318 • The Man in the Bell • (1821) • short story by William Maginn
323 • The Man with the Fine Mind • (1953) • short story by Kris Neville
331 • The Mummy Buyer • (1981) • short story by Joe R. Lansdale
335 • The Music of the Moon • (1987) • short story by Thomas Ligotti
342 • Narrative of a Fatal Event • (1818) • by Sir Walter Scott [as by Walter Scott]
350 • Night Deposits • (1987) • short story by Chet Williamson
355 • On Call • (1980) • short story by Dennis Etchison
363 • On the Leads • (1904) • by Sabine Baring-Gould [as by S. Baring-Gould]
371 • On the River • (1903) • short story by Guy de Maupassant *trans. of Sur L'Eau (1876)
377 • Onawa • (1982) • short story by Alan Ryan
384 • The Opener of the Crypt • [Fortunato] • (1952) • short story by John Jakes
390 • Out of the Night • (1968) • short story by H. Warner Munn
395...

Genres: Horror, Short Stories, Anthologies, Fiction, Canon

578 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1998

About the author

Born in 1957, Stefan Dziemianowicz works for the publisher Barnes & Noble as an editor.

Reviews

[Shawn]

PLACEHOLDER REVIEW: had reason to reread some stories from this, recently, and thought I'd drop in these reviews.

In Mary Elizabeth Counselman's "The Devil's Lottery" we are given the details surrounding the week-long, mysterious appearance of a street-huckster in the small city of "Blankville" - a strange individual who spoke cryptically, appeared differently to everyone, and offered up three riddles for whatever donation his customer liked. The ones who guessed the answers correctly, at the end of the week, would receive a special prize - but these prove to be far more awful than expected... I upgraded this on a re-read - there's something charming about the capturing of a small town community and its civic set-up (police, reporters, average joes) even if the stranger's identity is obvious from the get-go.

"Coffins For Two" by Vincent Starrett has two old chums, who had broken up over a woman, meet by seeming accident in the street. Eventually it comes out that they are both on their way to see the woman who came between them years ago, who has recently written them, and so retire to a tea shoppe to hash out what they should do. And the idea that one of them, randomly chosen, should take poison so as not to quash the other's chances, comes up... A cute little trifle, really - a fun read (with a strange, humorous/supernatural tag scene).

"The Clock" by William Fryer Harvey - A friend is asked to stop at a friend's summer home, Ash Grove House, while he is in the town, to grab a traveling clock they left behind 12 days ago. And when he unlocks the empty house, he finds it... but it is ticking.... This is actually a fine, creepy miniature, concise and effective!

"The Prince" by W.B. Maxwell - a shiftless lout, who is handsome but physically abuses his women, eventually ends up in a relationship with a woman who will accept some things, but not others... Fairly simple little revenge story, interesting for its focus on abusive men and the women who love them regardless. Not Bad.

"The House" (aka "La Maison") by André Maurois (aka Emile Herzog) is a short, pithy tale of a woman who dreams repeatedly of a dstinctive house in the countryside, until one day she stumble across it and finds it is for rent...and why... Familiar, but effective at the length.

[Kristina · Rating 5 out of 5]

This entire series has been outstanding. Great mix of modern and classic stories most of which are excellent. Also a great way to discover new writers (and maybe be inspired yourself!)

[James Reyome · Rating 3 out of 5]

You know the nights when you're wanting something to read just before you drop off? Something that's not TOO engaging, just interesting enough to keep your attention and complete in a very short span of time? How about a hundred short stories in a 570 page volume? Would that work for you?

Chances are you've seen these titles before. Barnes & Noble marketed them in the 90s and mid 00s. There were at least a half-dozen different titles I can remember, all horror related. Apparently someone was trying to ride the great wave of horror genre enthusiasm and JUST missed. But that's okay; the books were mass-produced and sold fairly cheaply, even the hardcovers were under $10. If you're lucky, you can find them at used book stores for $5 or less now…this one I got for $1. And it's worth that for one story alone: "The Thing In The Cellar" by David Keller. Wow! I read that one when I was in grade school and never forgot it…that's how powerful it is, to this day. Anyone who's ever ranked on their child for being afraid of something, read this and be shamed. Yes, I'm looking at YOU, Dad.

Now, in a collection this broad there are bound to be a few clunkers. But never mind! It's a hundred stories and at most they're 15 pages or so long. Or less. It'll be over soon, enjoy the one you're laboring through for what it is and expect that the next one will be better. And it probably will be. Any collection with entries from Joe Lansdale, Hugh Cave and Chet Williamson cheek-by-jowl with Frank Belknap Long, Ambrose Bierce, and Guy de Maupassant is worth it just for the novelty. I think the stories (besides the classic Keller) that struck me the firmest were L. A. Lewis's "Haunted Air", Saki's incomparable "The Interlopers", and a jewel of a tale, "Told In The Desert" by Clark Ashton Smith which is bittersweet defined. Not scary by any means but sad and touching. I loved it.

I have several more volumes of these "hundreds" from B&N on my shelf yet to be read, and with any luck I'll be reviewing another in the next few months. Uneven or not, they're still keepers. Get 'em while you can!

[Bryan Whitehead · Rating 3 out of 5]

Editors Weinberg, Dziemianowicz & Greenberg strike again. This time they’re supposedly serving up 100 short stories that share some form of torture as a theme. Trouble is, a lot of them just don’t seem to make it. Certainly there are exceptions; for example, David H. Keller’s “The Thing in the Cellar” scared the bejeezus out of me when I was in junior high, and it still manages to raise a chill. But for the most part the tales in this anthology tend to be ghostly, gothic chain-rattlers, as dull as they are dreary. More than a third of the stories are so old that they need no entry on the copyright page; though obviously that doesn’t automatically make them bad, in the case of the stuff in this book they fail more often than they hit. Though a rare few almost make the overall work worthwhile, there are just too many entries that seem to fit with the theme only inasmuch as they’re a torment to read.