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Dead Relatives
Iris has never left the big house in the country she shares with Mammy and the servants. When The Ladies arrive, she finds that she must appease her dead relatives. Other stories in this collection explore themes of motherhood and the fragile body, family dynamics and small town tensions, unusual traditions and metamorphosis. Dead Relatives and Other Stories is the highly anticipated, no-holds-barred short story collection from Lucie McKnight Hardy, and readers can expect more of the suspense and trepidation evident in her debut novel, Water Shall Refuse Them. Not for the faint-hearted, Dead Relatives invites you behind closed doors, and will leave you wondering if it's better that they're kept shut and firmly locked.
186 pages, Kindle Edition
First published October 21, 2021
42 people are currently reading
4765 people want to read
About the author
Lucie McKnight Hardy
19 books82 followersI am a writer of novels and short stories.
I grew up in West Wales and am a Welsh speaker. I have also lived in Liverpool, Cardiff, Zurich and Bradford, and have now settled in the far eastern reaches of Herefordshire, at the foot of the Malvern Hills, where I live with my husband, three children and other assorted creatures.
I have worked in the advertising, public relations and marketing industries, and have an MA in Creative Writing from Manchester Metropolitan University.
I am represented by Donald Winchester at Watson Little.
I grew up in West Wales and am a Welsh speaker. I have also lived in Liverpool, Cardiff, Zurich and Bradford, and have now settled in the far eastern reaches of Herefordshire, at the foot of the Malvern Hills, where I live with my husband, three children and other assorted creatures.
I have worked in the advertising, public relations and marketing industries, and have an MA in Creative Writing from Manchester Metropolitan University.
I am represented by Donald Winchester at Watson Little.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 112 reviews
October 21, 2021
Lucie McKnight Hardy’s first novel, the startling summer horror story Water Shall Refuse Them, was one of my favourite books of 2019, and I think I might actually have screeched aloud when I read she had a short story collection coming out. Dead Relatives is a collection of unsettling short stories exploring themes accurately summarised in the blurb as ‘motherhood and the fragile body, family dynamics and small town tensions, unusual traditions and metamorphosis’.
It opens with a tour de force. In ‘Dead Relatives’ we meet Iris, who talks to her ancestors, has never left the house she shares with her Mammy, and is preparing for the arrival of ‘the Ladies’. The situation is perhaps less bizarre than it initially appears – but that doesn’t mean it isn’t strange and horrifying in other ways. Longer than any of the other stories, ‘Dead Relatives’ is a triumph of voice, Iris’s slyness and angst radiating from the page. Much shorter, yet just as effective, are ‘The Pickling Jar’, a darkly funny story set in a village with a very odd custom, and ‘Cavities’, in which a woman’s determination not to be fooled has deadly consequences.
Because I’ve been following the author’s work keenly since her debut, some of the stories were not new to me, for example ‘Jutland’, a disquieting and devastating tale of motherhood; the dark modern folk horror ‘Badgerface’; and ‘Resting Bitch Face’, a devilish unstitching of unhappy marriage. I was particularly happy to revisit ‘The Devil of Timanfaya’, about crumbling family bonds on a Mediterranean holiday, and ‘Wretched’, a prescient dystopian story in which desperate people do terrible things to survive.
The more I read, the more I came to feel that Dead Relatives is more like an anthology than a collection, connected thematically more than stylistically. I could see ‘Badgerface’ in Tim Cooke’s landscape punk collection Where We Live, ‘The Pickling Jar’ among the unnerving culinary tales in Anna Vaught’s Famished. The range McKnight Hardy demonstrates here is incredibly impressive; not many collections can segue from historical fiction to contemporary horror to near-future dystopia successfully. What might her second novel be like? I have no idea, but I’m even more excited to read it now.
I received an advance review copy of Dead Relatives from the publisher, Dead Ink.
TinyLetter | Linktree
It opens with a tour de force. In ‘Dead Relatives’ we meet Iris, who talks to her ancestors, has never left the house she shares with her Mammy, and is preparing for the arrival of ‘the Ladies’. The situation is perhaps less bizarre than it initially appears – but that doesn’t mean it isn’t strange and horrifying in other ways. Longer than any of the other stories, ‘Dead Relatives’ is a triumph of voice, Iris’s slyness and angst radiating from the page. Much shorter, yet just as effective, are ‘The Pickling Jar’, a darkly funny story set in a village with a very odd custom, and ‘Cavities’, in which a woman’s determination not to be fooled has deadly consequences.
Because I’ve been following the author’s work keenly since her debut, some of the stories were not new to me, for example ‘Jutland’, a disquieting and devastating tale of motherhood; the dark modern folk horror ‘Badgerface’; and ‘Resting Bitch Face’, a devilish unstitching of unhappy marriage. I was particularly happy to revisit ‘The Devil of Timanfaya’, about crumbling family bonds on a Mediterranean holiday, and ‘Wretched’, a prescient dystopian story in which desperate people do terrible things to survive.
The more I read, the more I came to feel that Dead Relatives is more like an anthology than a collection, connected thematically more than stylistically. I could see ‘Badgerface’ in Tim Cooke’s landscape punk collection Where We Live, ‘The Pickling Jar’ among the unnerving culinary tales in Anna Vaught’s Famished. The range McKnight Hardy demonstrates here is incredibly impressive; not many collections can segue from historical fiction to contemporary horror to near-future dystopia successfully. What might her second novel be like? I have no idea, but I’m even more excited to read it now.
I received an advance review copy of Dead Relatives from the publisher, Dead Ink.
TinyLetter | Linktree
February 20, 2025
4.5
This was an exceptionally good collection. Hardy's writing here often reminded me of Shirley Jackson, although Hardy writes with more austere, yet still haunting and poetic, prose. Some of these stories were quite chilling. My favorites included "Dead Relatives," "The Puckering," "Jutland," "The Devil of Timanfaya," and "The Birds of Nagasaki." More than a few of the stories center on the female experiences of aging and motherhood and the role of caregiver. Often in these stories, the horror doesn't come into play until the very end, but you can feel the tension building and when it finally shows up in the final act, it's pretty merciless. I hope the author publishes more work soon.
This was an exceptionally good collection. Hardy's writing here often reminded me of Shirley Jackson, although Hardy writes with more austere, yet still haunting and poetic, prose. Some of these stories were quite chilling. My favorites included "Dead Relatives," "The Puckering," "Jutland," "The Devil of Timanfaya," and "The Birds of Nagasaki." More than a few of the stories center on the female experiences of aging and motherhood and the role of caregiver. Often in these stories, the horror doesn't come into play until the very end, but you can feel the tension building and when it finally shows up in the final act, it's pretty merciless. I hope the author publishes more work soon.
March 17, 2023
A really solid short story collection. Quite a few memorable stories, all with a sinister or dark undertone. Loved!!
August 10, 2021
This is precisely my shade of eerie, off-key stories with a disturbing underbelly. It has the bite of Mariana Enriquez- in that the stories take on some unflinching themes and aren’t scared to disturb us readers to deliver their message. Robert Aickman sniffs around in that static, out of kilter atmosphere that Lucie conjures so easily. Dead Relatives and The Devil if Timanfaya are my favourites. Cortona, Jutland and The Birds of Nagasaki all coming up trumps. Badgerface is gritty and glorious but lacks the eerie unease of the other stories- so feels like a black sheep. If this is how I get to encounter it though, I will take it. Conclusion: Lucie can write short stories as well as she does dirty old folk horror nasties. Loved it
October 9, 2023
I really loved this collection. The first story and the title story, ‘Dead Relatives’, was the longest of the collection but I was so captivated. It felt like The Haunting Of Hill House.
The collection had the perfect mixture of spooky stories with weird and unsettling stories. Some of the endings were genius too.
I’ll definitely be reading more from Lucie McKnight Hardy.
The collection had the perfect mixture of spooky stories with weird and unsettling stories. Some of the endings were genius too.
I’ll definitely be reading more from Lucie McKnight Hardy.
March 3, 2025
i’m sorry i didn’t like this at all 😭😭😭 it felt so long and boring and super underwhelming. i understand why people love it, but i just didn’t for some reason. saddddd. still open to trying other stuff from this author in the future
March 25, 2024
“Dead Relatives” ⇝
5 stars
“Jutland” ⇝ 5 stars
“Badgerface” ⇝ 2 stars
“The Pickling Jar” ⇝ 3 stars
“Cavities” ⇝ 4 stars
“Resting Bitch Face” ⇝ 3 stars
“The Puckering” ⇝ 3 stars
“Parroting” ⇝ 3 stars
“Cortona” ⇝ 5 stars
“Chooks Don’t Have Teeth” ⇝ 4 stars
“The Devil of Timanfaya” ⇝ 5 stars
“Wretched” ⇝ 4 stars
“The Birds of Nagasaki” ⇝ 5 stars
“Jutland” ⇝ 5 stars
“Badgerface” ⇝ 2 stars
“The Pickling Jar” ⇝ 3 stars
“Cavities” ⇝ 4 stars
“Resting Bitch Face” ⇝ 3 stars
“The Puckering” ⇝ 3 stars
“Parroting” ⇝ 3 stars
“Cortona” ⇝ 5 stars
“Chooks Don’t Have Teeth” ⇝ 4 stars
“The Devil of Timanfaya” ⇝ 5 stars
“Wretched” ⇝ 4 stars
“The Birds of Nagasaki” ⇝ 5 stars
November 6, 2021
As a big fan of "Water Shall Refuse Them", I bought this on release. I loved it. The voice and tone of each story is perfect. Womanhood is a recurrent theme- a maternity home for the pregnant and unwed is seen throught the eyes of a very unusual child, a mother with postnatal depression in a stark Scandinavian landscape, a grieving mother under a Tuscan sun, and a bullied girl receives a gift from Japan that her brother covets.
September 7, 2022
A really great collection of short stories! A few of them felt like they flew right over my head and I didn’t really get them, but the majority were really great.
My favorites were Dead Relatives, Jutland, The Pickling Jar, Cavities, Resting Bitch Face, and Birds of Nagasaki.
My favorites were Dead Relatives, Jutland, The Pickling Jar, Cavities, Resting Bitch Face, and Birds of Nagasaki.
December 23, 2025
2.75/5
“I am no more than the memory of a wound.”
A collection of thirteen dark short stories from the twisted mind of the seemingly avian-obsessed writer, Lucie McKnight Hardy.
“She wonders about the dissonance between what she feels and reality.”
I adored Hardy’s novel, Water Shall Refuse Them. It’s an intensely ominous story and brilliantly written. Sadly, this collection doesn’t contain that magic for me and felt rather tedious reading to completion.
“A life spent stagnant accelerates the process of decay.”
Dead Relatives 3.5/5
Jutland 4.0/5
Badgerface 3.0/5
The Pickling Jar 2.5/5
Cavities 2.0
Resting Bitch Face 2.75
The Puckering 3.0
Parroting 2.5
Cortona 2.75
Chook’s Don’t Have Teeth 2.0
The Devil of Timanfaya 3.0
Wretched 4.0
The Birds of Nagasaki 3.0
“I am no more than the memory of a wound.”
A collection of thirteen dark short stories from the twisted mind of the seemingly avian-obsessed writer, Lucie McKnight Hardy.
“She wonders about the dissonance between what she feels and reality.”
I adored Hardy’s novel, Water Shall Refuse Them. It’s an intensely ominous story and brilliantly written. Sadly, this collection doesn’t contain that magic for me and felt rather tedious reading to completion.
“A life spent stagnant accelerates the process of decay.”
Dead Relatives 3.5/5
Jutland 4.0/5
Badgerface 3.0/5
The Pickling Jar 2.5/5
Cavities 2.0
Resting Bitch Face 2.75
The Puckering 3.0
Parroting 2.5
Cortona 2.75
Chook’s Don’t Have Teeth 2.0
The Devil of Timanfaya 3.0
Wretched 4.0
The Birds of Nagasaki 3.0
May 11, 2022
Having loved Lucie McKnight Hardy’s debut novel, Water Shall Refuse Them , I was excited to find out that she’s back with a short story collection. I expected creepy people , weird rites, mild horror and a few twists.
That happened, for the most part.
The near 70 page title story opens the collection and is a masterpiece. A Shirley Jacksonesque tale about a house which shelters pregnant women who are shunned by society. All is told through the eyes of a teenager Iris. Things take a sinister turn to a memorable conclusion.
Elsewhere the stories do vary until there is a clutch of them in the middle of the collection. The Puckering is a brilliant piece about an aquarium worker, the Pickling Jar is quite eerie, Resting Bitch Face is the sort of tale one tells at Halloween and Cavities is about the horror of memory.
One the whole I enjoyed Dead Relatives, the writing is enough to keep the reader spooked and even in the weaker pieces there’s something to captivate. I will be honest and I think that Lucie McKnight Hardy’s particular brand of horror is better in the novel format, hence why the title story works so well – good development and an excellent payoff, which is lacking in the shorter stories. On a more positive note I am SUPER EXCITED about novel number two (please let that be soon!)
That happened, for the most part.
The near 70 page title story opens the collection and is a masterpiece. A Shirley Jacksonesque tale about a house which shelters pregnant women who are shunned by society. All is told through the eyes of a teenager Iris. Things take a sinister turn to a memorable conclusion.
Elsewhere the stories do vary until there is a clutch of them in the middle of the collection. The Puckering is a brilliant piece about an aquarium worker, the Pickling Jar is quite eerie, Resting Bitch Face is the sort of tale one tells at Halloween and Cavities is about the horror of memory.
One the whole I enjoyed Dead Relatives, the writing is enough to keep the reader spooked and even in the weaker pieces there’s something to captivate. I will be honest and I think that Lucie McKnight Hardy’s particular brand of horror is better in the novel format, hence why the title story works so well – good development and an excellent payoff, which is lacking in the shorter stories. On a more positive note I am SUPER EXCITED about novel number two (please let that be soon!)
September 10, 2023
Said it once and will say it again: short story collections are hard to review, but the vibes in this collection were immaculate. Reminded me of Sayaka Murata and Shirley Jackson, in the best way possible. Good vibes for spooky season.
October 24, 2021
Shirley Jackson influenced folk horror. High calibre writing, filled with suspense and an atmosphere of imminent menace. The title story is the best of the bunch, though all are equally disquieting. I can’t wait to read more by this talented writer.
October 19, 2021
Dead Relatives is a beautifully written, unsettling short story collection that crawls and creeps its way into you.
There’s horror that hits you over the head, and then there’s Dead Relatives. As you read, you won’t be sure when you started to feel uncomfortable in your own skin, dread sitting heavy on your chest, but you will be sure of its source. Highly, highly recommend.
There’s horror that hits you over the head, and then there’s Dead Relatives. As you read, you won’t be sure when you started to feel uncomfortable in your own skin, dread sitting heavy on your chest, but you will be sure of its source. Highly, highly recommend.
October 23, 2022
A collection of pretty creepy stories, all focus on family, especially motherhood
Dead Relatives. A strange young girl in a house where ladies go to deal with unwanted accidents has to appease her dead relatives 4/5
Jutland. A young family renting a cottage in a remote fishing village. Visions of a young boy stood by the sea 4/5
Badgerface. Badgerface is dealing with his mother's violent boyfriend and the only support he has is from his older brother. When he stumbles across a secret it will lead to tragedy 4/5
The Pickling Jar. A village competition of who can make the best pickle is a lot darker than you'd expect 4/5
Cavities. After a visit to the dentist Olivia reminisces on the tricks that were played on her at school. She won't fall for anymore now 5/5
Resting Bitch Face. Can a needle and thread get rid of Resting Bitch Face. 5/5
The Puckering. Octopus, mermaids and an unhappy marriage 3/5
Parroting. There's nothing scary about an old lady with a parrot, so it's fine to let your son spend time with them, right? 4/5
Cortona. An annual return to the site of a tragedy 3/5
Chooks Don't Have Teeth, a lonely girl wants to change her mother 3/5
The Devil Of Timanfaya. What happened at the burnt down house opposite the families holiday home and how will it affect their children
Wretched. In a fascist UK that seems scarily real an Ex-prisoner is employed to find the wretched for the police, much to the disappointment of his girlfriend 5/5
The Birds of Nagasaki. Sibling rivalry goes very, very wrong 4/5
Dead Relatives. A strange young girl in a house where ladies go to deal with unwanted accidents has to appease her dead relatives 4/5
Jutland. A young family renting a cottage in a remote fishing village. Visions of a young boy stood by the sea 4/5
Badgerface. Badgerface is dealing with his mother's violent boyfriend and the only support he has is from his older brother. When he stumbles across a secret it will lead to tragedy 4/5
The Pickling Jar. A village competition of who can make the best pickle is a lot darker than you'd expect 4/5
Cavities. After a visit to the dentist Olivia reminisces on the tricks that were played on her at school. She won't fall for anymore now 5/5
Resting Bitch Face. Can a needle and thread get rid of Resting Bitch Face. 5/5
The Puckering. Octopus, mermaids and an unhappy marriage 3/5
Parroting. There's nothing scary about an old lady with a parrot, so it's fine to let your son spend time with them, right? 4/5
Cortona. An annual return to the site of a tragedy 3/5
Chooks Don't Have Teeth, a lonely girl wants to change her mother 3/5
The Devil Of Timanfaya. What happened at the burnt down house opposite the families holiday home and how will it affect their children
Wretched. In a fascist UK that seems scarily real an Ex-prisoner is employed to find the wretched for the police, much to the disappointment of his girlfriend 5/5
The Birds of Nagasaki. Sibling rivalry goes very, very wrong 4/5
November 29, 2021
I liked her novel better.
I feel like these stories were a bit too short to achieve that unsettling, eerie atmosphere that made the novel so amazing. They depended more on the shock value of a gruesome plot than the quiet and suffocating quality of the setting.
I feel like these stories were a bit too short to achieve that unsettling, eerie atmosphere that made the novel so amazing. They depended more on the shock value of a gruesome plot than the quiet and suffocating quality of the setting.
November 13, 2021
It always felt as if something was missing in these stories to make them memorable and stand out, so my actual rating is a bit closer to 2.5 stars.
September 24, 2021
Bookended by stories prominently featuring tree holes (and therefore, forever marking tree holes as horrible spaces in my mind), Lucie McKnight Hardy’s collection of short stories is sure to disturb readers who venture into her waters when it is released this October. With her off-kilter storytelling style, McKnight Hardy takes on the fragility of the body, motherhood, unusual family dynamics and unconventional societies/communities with disquieting imagery that lingers in the space left behind after each story.
The short story from which this collection takes its name is the longest by a significant margin, taking up almost a third of the book (perhaps the reason that the ‘Dead Relatives’ story is one that particularly stood out for me). By starting this collection off with something a little more expansive, the author sets up the tone for the reader perfectly. A level of uneasiness that is an incredible achievement, and one that she delivers over and over again.
It is amazing how Lucie McKnight Hardy manages to deliver gut punch after gut punch in stories that are only a handful of pages long. Sometimes a story will contract and turn on itself in a way that catches you off guard and leaves you disoriented.
This is not big horror. This collection takes small things, the odd word or sentence, maybe an idea, just enough to offset your comfort levels.
‘Wretched’ is by far my favourite of this collection. I could have read an entire novels worth of that writing. Alongside that and ‘Dead Relatives’, my favourites were ‘The Birds of Nagasaki’, ‘The Devil of Timanfaya’ and ‘Jutland’. However, these are merely standouts. The entire collection is consistent and cohesive, and will be a great addition to your shelves this autumn.
I will be seeking out more writing from Lucie McKnight Hardy, as I’ve heard great things about her novel ‘Water Shall Refuse Them’.
The short story from which this collection takes its name is the longest by a significant margin, taking up almost a third of the book (perhaps the reason that the ‘Dead Relatives’ story is one that particularly stood out for me). By starting this collection off with something a little more expansive, the author sets up the tone for the reader perfectly. A level of uneasiness that is an incredible achievement, and one that she delivers over and over again.
It is amazing how Lucie McKnight Hardy manages to deliver gut punch after gut punch in stories that are only a handful of pages long. Sometimes a story will contract and turn on itself in a way that catches you off guard and leaves you disoriented.
This is not big horror. This collection takes small things, the odd word or sentence, maybe an idea, just enough to offset your comfort levels.
‘Wretched’ is by far my favourite of this collection. I could have read an entire novels worth of that writing. Alongside that and ‘Dead Relatives’, my favourites were ‘The Birds of Nagasaki’, ‘The Devil of Timanfaya’ and ‘Jutland’. However, these are merely standouts. The entire collection is consistent and cohesive, and will be a great addition to your shelves this autumn.
I will be seeking out more writing from Lucie McKnight Hardy, as I’ve heard great things about her novel ‘Water Shall Refuse Them’.
October 14, 2021
A couple of years ago I read Water Shall Refuse Them by Lucie McKnight Hardy and the coming-of-age, haunting tale was chilling. On October 21st, Lucie McKnight Hardy’s short story collection Dead Relatives will be released. Dead Relatives is the perfect spooky read filled with haunting tales to match the likes of Shirley Jackson and Mariana Enriquez.
The eerie nature of the stories digs under your skin and leave you feeling unsettled. The story ‘Dead Relatives’ is the largest in the collection and reminded me of The Sundial by Shirley Jackson, which is one of my favourite stories. Lucie McKnight Hardy has a talent for writing strange family dynamics and it is a brilliant story to start the collection.
Lucie McKnight Hardy is a refreshing and exciting author. She is just as talented as a short story writer as she is a novelist. I am excited to see people adore this collection and I hope Lucie releases more short story collections in the future that are just as creepy as this collection.
The eerie nature of the stories digs under your skin and leave you feeling unsettled. The story ‘Dead Relatives’ is the largest in the collection and reminded me of The Sundial by Shirley Jackson, which is one of my favourite stories. Lucie McKnight Hardy has a talent for writing strange family dynamics and it is a brilliant story to start the collection.
Lucie McKnight Hardy is a refreshing and exciting author. She is just as talented as a short story writer as she is a novelist. I am excited to see people adore this collection and I hope Lucie releases more short story collections in the future that are just as creepy as this collection.
October 11, 2021
Great book of short horror stories, by a Welsh author. I particularly enjoyed seeing the odd Welsh word squeezed in! This is only the second collection of short stories I've read this year, and is well up there with one of the best books overall. I liked the mix of long and short stories, and the title story was probably my favourite. Well worth a read.
August 16, 2021
A beautifully written, original and genuinely unsettling collection of short stories.
April 30, 2023
These unsettling creepy stories are quite addictive. Some end as you thought they might but others are surprising.
January 30, 2024
Every so often, you find a book that is an absolute knock-out, where every page is a banger and not a word is wasted. For me, Lucie McKnight Hardie’s Dead Relatives did exactly that.
This collection of stories is really quite stunning. Beautifully written with eloquent prose, but laced with dread throughout and frequently punctuated with moments that actually made me gasp.
There are many powerful moments across these stories, but what I found most compelling was how McKnight Hardie writes about womanhood, about motherhood in particular, and what it both gives and takes from you.
I had planned to pick out a few of my favourites from this magnificent book to shoutout, before realising I loved all of the stories here. So, instead, here are my notes on the full collection:
* Dead Relatives: looming dread before you realise what in the hell is going on here. Woah!
* Jutland: that ending! Great dread and great lead character - loved being inside her head
* Badgerface: captivating and sad
* The Pickling Jar: wait…what??
* Cavities: very clever and nasty
* Resting Bitch Face: really great, nasty again and fun with some very real observations about motherhood
* The Puckering: a sad tale of wanting to escape your mundane life, and of the things you never say aloud
* Parroting: highly evocative, lush descriptions, and why am I so terrified of the old woman?
* Cortona: ooof. One hell of a piece of writing about grief. Wow.
* Chooks Don’t Have Teeth: beautiful writing again, onset of womanhood paired against shrivelling up and dying
* The Devil of Timanfaya: powerful depiction of anxiety and a truly horrific moment - mentioning David Cameron
* Wretched: bleak, disturbing dystopian future, Bachman-esque
* The Birds of Nagasaki: a real stinger to wrap things up. Loved the smoke and mirrors deployed here.
This is comfortably the best thing I’ve read in a while and I will absolutely be following this author more closely in the future. Highly recommended!
This collection of stories is really quite stunning. Beautifully written with eloquent prose, but laced with dread throughout and frequently punctuated with moments that actually made me gasp.
There are many powerful moments across these stories, but what I found most compelling was how McKnight Hardie writes about womanhood, about motherhood in particular, and what it both gives and takes from you.
I had planned to pick out a few of my favourites from this magnificent book to shoutout, before realising I loved all of the stories here. So, instead, here are my notes on the full collection:
* Dead Relatives: looming dread before you realise what in the hell is going on here. Woah!
* Jutland: that ending! Great dread and great lead character - loved being inside her head
* Badgerface: captivating and sad
* The Pickling Jar: wait…what??
* Cavities: very clever and nasty
* Resting Bitch Face: really great, nasty again and fun with some very real observations about motherhood
* The Puckering: a sad tale of wanting to escape your mundane life, and of the things you never say aloud
* Parroting: highly evocative, lush descriptions, and why am I so terrified of the old woman?
* Cortona: ooof. One hell of a piece of writing about grief. Wow.
* Chooks Don’t Have Teeth: beautiful writing again, onset of womanhood paired against shrivelling up and dying
* The Devil of Timanfaya: powerful depiction of anxiety and a truly horrific moment - mentioning David Cameron
* Wretched: bleak, disturbing dystopian future, Bachman-esque
* The Birds of Nagasaki: a real stinger to wrap things up. Loved the smoke and mirrors deployed here.
This is comfortably the best thing I’ve read in a while and I will absolutely be following this author more closely in the future. Highly recommended!
September 15, 2022
Isn’t it just the best title for a short story collection? I've become a big fan of Lucie McKnight Hardy’s weird writing since reading Water Shall Refuse Them and I can't wait to see what she writes next. Dead Relatives, published by my new favourite indie Dead Ink, is a strange and eerie collection. The longest story, the opening "Dead Relatives" is my favourite - atmospheric, slow burning, claustrophobic and simply brilliant. I also really liked "Wretched" (dystopian!), "The Devil of Timanfaya" (genuinely spooky), "The Pickling Jar" and "Resting Bitch Face". Although I didn't always liked how McKnight Hardy chose to end her tales, I loved her openings, story ideas, and her writing style in general.
March 22, 2024
4.5 stars
A collection of short stories that ranges from weird to horror to gothic to speculative fiction.
I really loved this collection. The author has a sharp and evocative writing that instantly captures the dark and strange atmosphere present in her stories.
The titular story is the longest of the book and really sets the tone. It’s very gothic and eerie, reminiscent of authors like Shirley Jackson.
Other stories also dealt with dark, disturbing, sometimes supernatural themes in a shorter form, each time the author did a great job at constructing an interesting narrative with a distinct mood and voice.
Her protagonists are all compelling in their way, including several unhinged female characters.
My favourite stories were : Dead Relatives, Jutland, The Pickling Jar, Resting Bitch Face, The Puckering, The Devil of Timanfaya, The birds of Nagasaki
A collection of short stories that ranges from weird to horror to gothic to speculative fiction.
I really loved this collection. The author has a sharp and evocative writing that instantly captures the dark and strange atmosphere present in her stories.
The titular story is the longest of the book and really sets the tone. It’s very gothic and eerie, reminiscent of authors like Shirley Jackson.
Other stories also dealt with dark, disturbing, sometimes supernatural themes in a shorter form, each time the author did a great job at constructing an interesting narrative with a distinct mood and voice.
Her protagonists are all compelling in their way, including several unhinged female characters.
My favourite stories were : Dead Relatives, Jutland, The Pickling Jar, Resting Bitch Face, The Puckering, The Devil of Timanfaya, The birds of Nagasaki
November 25, 2021
Disturbing, dark, and sinister. This collection of shivery, creepy and haunting stories take you to places and people that are strange, twisted and or are involved in weird and wonderful things. I loved this extraordinary collection and definitely an author to watch… I now need to get hold of the other book.
December 30, 2024
A wonderfully creepy collection of very dark short stories. I love Lucie McKnight Hardy’s writing and she doesn’t disappoint with this cornucopia of delights. I dipped in and out of this throughout December and it really held my interest.
Difficult to choose a favourite. Probably the eponymous Dead Relatives closely followed by The Devil of Timanfaya
Difficult to choose a favourite. Probably the eponymous Dead Relatives closely followed by The Devil of Timanfaya
February 23, 2025
I've read a few spooky short stories in my time but this one in my humble opinion did not deliver!
The first story starts out with a bang but the ending let's itself down then that theme continues throughout the book.
Really solid plots which don't become anything and are almost disappointing.
The final two I did quite enjoy though!
The first story starts out with a bang but the ending let's itself down then that theme continues throughout the book.
Really solid plots which don't become anything and are almost disappointing.
The final two I did quite enjoy though!
November 15, 2021
I loved this collection. Creepy as hell with some haunting descriptions and portrayals of family. Only reason I knocked a star off is because after the powerful first story the rest become a little bit more of the same but the perfect book for Autumn nights.
January 5, 2024
I enjoyed the ominous weight of most of the short stories in this collection. Some of the stories left me with an eerie and unsettling feeling which is obviously the intention. On the other hand some of them felt unfinished, particularly “Wretched”, which originally had an unique Black Mirror feeling to it but the ending was disappointing.
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