The Map of Lost Places: Stories from Strange & Haunted Realms

by Sheree Renée Thomas (Editor), Lesley Conner (Editor), Ai Jiang (Contributor)

A travel guide to hauntings and the haunted, to lands with their own power, and to the communities that spring from these strange realms.

What you hold in your hands is a travel guide to the strange and surreal. From arcades along a boardwalk and jetties at the edges of tourist towns, to a rural village in Pakistan and hollows hidden deep within a forest in Pennsylvania, strange things can happen no matter where you are. You can become lost in a city crowded with people, haunted within your own home, and slip from one reality into another in the space of a step.

With twenty-two stories by authors such as Brian Keene, Maurice Broaddus, Ai Jiang, Samit Basu, and KS Walker, editors Sheree Renée Thomas and Lesley Conner take readers on a tour of places where weird things happen. Places where ghosts are real, old gods are hungry, and towns are not as idyllic as they appear to be.

Welcome to The Map of Lost Places. Enter at your own risk.

Includes original fiction from: Ai Jiang, Brian Keene, Beth Dawkins, Danian Darrell Jerry, Dimitra Nikolaidou, Fatima Taqvi, Ferdison Cayetano, Gabrielle Paniccia, Jenny Rowe, Joshua Lim, K.S. Walker, Lavie Tidhar & Nir Yaniv, Maurice Broaddus, Muhammed Awal Ahmed, Octavia Cade, Oliver Ferrie, R.L. Meza, Rebecca E. Treasure, Rich Larson, Samit Basu, VH Ncube, Vivian Chou, with an introduction from Linda D. Addison.

Genres: Horror, Short Stories, Anthologies, Fiction

306 pages, Paperback

First published April 22, 2025

About the author

Sheree Thomas — also credited as Sheree R. Thomas and Sheree Renée Thomas — is an American writer, book editor and publisher.

Thomas is the editor of the Dark Matter anthology (2000), in which are collected works by some of the best African-American writers in the genres of science fiction, horror and fantasy. Among the many notable authors included are Samuel R. Delany, Octavia E. Butler, Charles R. Saunders, Steven Barnes, Tananarive Due, Jewelle Gomez, Ishmael Reed, Kalamu ya Salaam, Robert Fleming, Nalo Hopkinson, George S. Schuyler and W. E. B. Du Bois. Dark Matter was honored with the 2005 and the 2001 World Fantasy Award and named a New York Times Notable Book of the Year.

Thomas is the publisher of Wanganegresse Press, and has contributed to national publications including the Washington Post "Book World", Black Issues Book Review, QBR, and Hip Mama. Her fiction and poetry have appeared in Ishmael Reed's Konch, Drumvoices Revue, Obsidian III, African Voices, storySouth, and other literary journals, and has received Honorable Mention in the Year's Best Fantasy and Horror, 16th and 17th annual collections. A native of Memphis, she lives in New York City.

Reviews

[Becky Spratford · Rating 4 out of 5]

Review in the April 2025 issue of Library Journal

Three Words That Describe This Book: themed anthology , strong sense of place, diverse in every way

Draft Review: Gathering an impressive list of contributors from speculative fiction slatwarts like Brian Keene, Lavie Tidhar and Maurice Broaddus, up and comers like Ai Jiang, and even names readers may have not yet encountered, Thomas and Conner present 22 stories centred about locales where disturbing things happen. A header defining “Location” and “Population” tops each story, transporting readers to tangible places like Beijing, Northern Sweden, or a vacation town on the shores of Lake Michigan to more amorphous settings like a place defined only as "Variable" with a population of “many people you know.” The first story, “Girlboss in Wonderworld, USA” by Vivian Chou sets the stage. A young woman returns throughout her life to a seaside arcade to dangerously bargain for real world advantages. Familiar and yet wholly original, Chou’s sinister and accusatory tone warns of what is to come as readers make their way through the volume. Diverse in every way, from the authors to the places they write about and from their narrative styles to the level of terror they bring to each story, Horror readers will enjoy getting lost in this book.

Verdict: A themed anthology that lives up to its promise. Pair with award winning and popular themed anthologies edited by Ellen Datlow as well as the critically acclaimed small press title Professor Charlatan Bardot’s Travel Anthology to the Most (Fictional) Haunted Buildings in the Weird, Wild World edited by Eric Guignard

22 stories centered about the theme of strange, unsettling places where disturbing things happen. Even though place is important here-- each story begins with a heading of the place and the population-- these are very character centered stories-- character centered with a strong sense of place, yes, but it is the characters that shine here.

Setting range from the very tangible and real like Beijing China, a boardwalk arcade, Malasia, Northern Sweden, a vacation town on the shore of Lake Michigan to more amorphous places like a magical fantasy world or even a location of "Variable" Population "Many people you know"-- talk about unsettling.

Also some of the populations themselves set an ominous tone before you even read the story. Maurice Broaddus' tale : LOCATION: Lick Creek (African American) settlement
POPULATION: 260 (1860)→ nearly 0 (1862)

Others list the population as a number and dropping.

I love when a themed anthology lives up to its promise. This one does. And it starts with setting the stage with the right story-- Thomas and Conner nail that. Girlboss in Wonderworld, USA LOCATION: Seaside City, Delaware, USA
POPULATION: 2,402

This is both a story you feel like you have read before and yet also wholly original. It is extremely sinister, thought provoking, and quite honestly accusatory-- like it is not about you (the reader) but it kinda is.

The TOC is great. Authors you know like Brian Keene (with an excellent "history" of a haunted place and it is connected to his entire universe) and Lavie Tidhar and Maurice Broaddus. And then up and comers who you have probably seen somewhere before-- Ai Jang-- an original ghost story of court intrigue set mostly in 15th Century China. Salt

For fans of any of the authors in the TOC, themed anthologies edited by Ellen Datlow, and Professor Charlatan Bardot’s Travel Anthology to the Most (Fictional) Haunted Buildings in the Weird, Wild World edited by Eric Guignard

[Jay Brantner · Rating 3 out of 5]

I don’t often read horror, and there are a couple reasons. First of all, I can be squeamish about gore and body horror. And honestly, that wasn’t much of an impediment to my enjoyment of this one. There is some of each, but not an extreme amount. But I also often struggle with the difference between horror story arcs and those in more familiar-to-me fiction. The inexorable march toward an untimely end certainly ratchets up the tension in the reader, and when it’s done exceptionally well, even I can appreciate it. But the times that horror really hits me hard are usually when it’s used either as a psychological deep dive into the mind of the lead or as a way to shine a harsh light on the ills of society. We see a little of both in The Map of Lost Places—though 20 of the 22 falling short of novelette length makes the former a little more difficult—but I often found myself wishing either to be pulled a little deeper into the stories or to be genuinely surprised by the way they develop.

The anthology is not grouped in any obvious way, and I can think of few instances where I read two consecutive stories with especially similar approaches, which helps keep the anthology from feeling like too much of the same thing. Perhaps the most common sort of story is the classic “venture into a dangerous area, slowly realizing just how dangerous it truly is.” Those stand and fall on the writer’s ability to build the tension, and one story of this type is so expertly done as to be my favorite in the entire anthology. Codewalker by G.M. Paniccia imagines a world in which plugging into virtual reality programs is highly regulated, with safety concerns limiting the options to slick, corporate products. But the lead and a few online friends treasure any instances in which they come across hidden gems by basement coders. It’s dangerous, but they’re careful. Can the reader see where this is going? Of course. But a truly nightmarish beauty makes this one of the few stories in the anthology that I’d wake up the next morning still thinking about. It’s excellent.

Depending on how you group stories, you could also make an argument that the actual most common type in The Map of Lost Places is the comeuppance story. Sometimes that’s on an individual level, with quick and vicious punishment of hubris, and sometimes it’s on a societal level—there’s certainly more than one tale of the supernatural striking out at humanity for environmental sins. These sorts of stories are pretty familiar, even for someone who doesn’t read much horror, and my most common response was just wishing I couldn’t see everything coming. But the quality of Fatima Taqvi’s writing in societal comeuppance tale You Have Eaten of Our Salt makes it stand above the others, reminding me in some ways of Shiv Ramdas’ Hugo finalist “And Now His Lordship is Laughing.”

But the social commentary isn’t limited to comeuppance stories, and my favorite in my back-of-the-envelope taxonomy is the social commentary story about being trapped in an unpleasant situation. In Beth Dawkins’ Three Ways to Break You, it’s being literally and supernaturally trapped in a small town with little social mobility and a corrupt criminal justice system. On the other hand, in Vivian Chou’s Girlboss in Wonderworld, USA, it’s being metaphorically trapped in the race to achieve a certain sort of lifestyle. In the former, the lead is flailing against so many outside forces that it’s impossible to get out unscathed. The latter also has societal pressures aplenty, but it’s the lead who, in the face of a series of unfair expectations, responds with bargain after bargain that leaves her literally losing pieces of herself to sustain her lifestyle. Both are plenty compelling.

There are also a handful of split timeline stories, and while those aren’t necessarily groundbreaking, there’s something about a split-timeline ghost stories with uncanny resonance between the present and past that really hits for me when executed well, and Silverheels by Rebecca E. Treasure really delivers. It’s an Old West/ghost town story about women fleeing from creepy, entitled men, and it’s executed well enough to make it my second-favorite in the whole anthology. Another split-timeline tale, When I Cowboy in Puuwaawaa by Ferdison Cayetano takes a more daring approach in the way it disorientingly blends the narratives together, and while the cleaner Silverheels clicked a little better for me, both are quality reads.

Of course, there are some stories that aren’t afraid to get a little bit weird, perhaps none more than Rich Larson’s Place of Lost Stories, a disorienting and grotesque metafictional story that is at least in some ways about creating art, with a whole lot more under the surface. It’s one of those where I wanted a little bit more at the end, but it’s engaging throughout and shows the kind of ambition that I love to see in short fiction. Samit Basu’s Development/Hell is also willing to get a bit weird and meta, mashing up horror tropes in a haunted house story that shifts wildly from one iteration to the next. It’s another one that’s well worth the read.

There are others that don’t neatly fit into any of the above categories, and there are lots in the anthology that I haven’t highlighted here—including a couple that I liked pretty well. But while there are plenty here that I found highly engaging and one that really stuck with me after reading, there are also a lot that just never clicked for me. Admittedly, most of my short fiction reading involves me picking and choosing individual stories out of a publication based on familiarity with the author or the degree to which the first few paragraphs grab me. It’s unsurprising that I won’t find as many favorites when reading cover-to-cover as when I pick and choose based on what looks like favorite potential. But The Map of Lost Places didn’t have quite as many standouts as I would’ve liked. There’s certainly plenty to make this worth picking up and reading a couple of stories. But there are also a lot that go about how you’d expect, and on the whole, it doesn’t hit the level of the magazines edited by either Thomas or Conner.

13/20

[Krissi]

Thank you to Netgalley, the publisher, and the author for providing a free e-arc of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I tried to give the book a try, but 100 pages in (roughly 1/3) I am completely bored and will DNF. It is an anthology that is supposed to be about traveling around the world to different areas and reading stories on surreal and supernatural occurrences in them. I can see the surreal and some of the supernatural, but it is being conveyed in such an obscure and uninteresting way to where I am bored and not really caring to read the rest of the stories even though they are written by different authors.

Some of the stories were a little convoluted as well (the third one mainly) to where it didn't really make sense.

[Ryan · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Map of Lost Places, edited by Sheree Renée Thomas and Lesley Conner, is an anthology about haunted places. The stories, for the most part, are not scary but involve some supernatural element. The stories selected are a mix of metaphysical and narrative storytelling. I prefer narrative storytelling, but I enjoy metaphysical elements when the story attempts to make sense or has a strong theme. The Map of Lost Places anthology has some diamonds in the rough. However, most of the stories I encountered felt rough. I have had a lot of reviewers DNF (did not finish) this book. Which is sad because there are some good stories in this collection. This collection also featured a lot of international authors that I would not have read otherwise. The drawback with having international authors is that the rhythm was off on some of the stories, so I would have to read quite a few chapters over again to understand the story. Chuckle Wet, Chuckle Low by R.L. Meza was my favorite about a group that sacrifices tourists to the tides. The story was a great back-and-forth narrative with a lot of conflict. This was the only story that I wanted more of, and I think the author should expand. A Realm Alive After Dusk by Ai Jiang was my second favorite, a story of a concubine and Enoch, who are brother and sister and work for the emperor. They scheme to get more power and find it in death, with a clever twist. The Map of Lost Places has a new story by Brian Keene, which, if you see my review for Ghoul and Blood on the Page, you know why I selected this book. I want to thank Netgalley and Apex Book Company for giving me The Map of Lost Places to read and review.

My Favorite to Least Favorite Stories: I broke the stories down by adding a small summary and how I felt about each story. I included the story and the author broken down in my favorite to least favorite order.

5-Star Stories:

Chuckle Wet, Chuckle Low by R.L. Meza is a story about a mother teaching her son about a sacrifice and what it will provide. The story is great with a few twists and turns. This is the first story I would want expanded. There's plenty of room, and the story left it open. I like that the story is told from two perspectives, the mother's and the son's.

A Realm Alive After Dusk by Ai Jiang is a story of a concubine and Enoch, who are brother and sister and work for the emperor. They scheme to get more power and find it in death, with a clever twist. The story was well written, beautifully described, and clever. This story feels more fantasy than all the others.

All Praise the Durians by Joshua Lim is the best story, so it is well-paced and focused. The story is about a lover of durian, the spikey fruit. He tries the best durian he has ever tasted, but lies about it to win a bet. Before the bet, he swore to Bota, who blesses the durians, that he would not lie. Later, he finds out there was a deal made, and it might just take his life.

Notes Towards A History OF Lehorn's Hollow by Brian Keene is a history of the hollow feature in his novels Dark Hollow and Ghost Walk. It also discusses a short story on the hollow. The story connects to his Labyrinth series as well. The story is told in journal form and interview form. The story is long, but it flows. I know Keene's works and was entertained. I feel like new readers will be interested. Some readers could feel lost, as there is a lot of history about the hollow. The end is good.

4-Star Stories:

Codewalker by G.M. Paniccia is a story in the future. Where a gamer wants to play games that feel real. There used to be games that could kill you; they were so real. He finds a set of games that feel so real, he starts messing with it, exposing the flaws. The game resets, and player life does too. Where he now can't tell where the game ends and his life begins. Great ending, very effective. Slow start to the story, though.

The Promised Void by Dimitra Nikolaidou is a story about a woman compelled to come to a place looking for a mural in her dreams. But when she arrives, there is no mural. She feels faint and is injured in the fall. She wakes in a place of healing, or is it? The body horror was good. The imagery was terrifying. I could have used a little more background to connect more to the character. I liked how the story ended. It felt perfect for the story.

Development/Hell by Samit Basu is a story about a woman who keeps getting trapped in different bodies, about to die from different creatures. The character rolls with it at first, then fights it and finally questions it. The ending is up for interpretation, but I have a good idea of what is going on. The story flows well and has some good twists. There's a nice bit of humor.

The (Lost) Tribe of Ishmael by Maurice Broaddus is a historical/cosmic horror. The following is a student doing a dissertation on a free black community in Indiana in 1860 that disappeared. The tensions in the past echo today as the town wants to be gentrified. The cosmic element came a little out of where, but it worked. The story is good, but a little slow.

Three Ways to Break You by Beth Dawkins is about a town that you can not leave, unless you successfully lie, cheat, and steal. It is a metaphor for the only way you can escape where you're from is to be a horrible person. I enjoyed this story up until the end. I don't understand why it was so quickly escalated, without due cause. But I do like how she is still in the same place at the beginning.

Place of Lost Stories by Rick Larson is about fleshing out a story. Flesh means both to sift and skin. In this story, they're the same thing. The plot is a big metaphor for writing a bare bones story. Some parts of the story you keep, and some parts you kill. I liked the horror elements, and I was bummed we only got glimpses. This story has the most promise. The ending was okay. I think this story won't be for everyone, and I wish it were clear. But I think the story mostly worked for what the author set out to do.

Salt by K.S. Walker is a ghost story about a black family moving to Michigan from Alabama. The imagery was very well done. The dialogue was great, the way it nailed the southern dialect. I like what salt represented in the story. The story was decent but a bit slow. The ending was crazy but good. I rated it 4 out of 5.

Three Stars Stories:

Hulderhola by Oliver Ferrie is a story that takes place in Norway. The story is about a legendary magical creature called the Hulder. Think of a forest neff. The Hulder is beautiful and naked. She can marry you, she can defend you, and she can destroy you. I loved the folklore of the Hulder. I liked the ending; it was a little too vague, but I think I figured it out. This story flowed very well.

Silverheels by Rebecca E. Treasure is a ghost story. It starts with a girl getting out of a tent in the middle of a graveyard of a ghost town. She hears a violin being played in the distance. Then we jump back in time when a stagecoach arrives, and a young violin player arrives. The story parallels the two stories, with the ghost trying to protect the girl from a similar fate. The story had a good idea, and I liked the flashbacks. The present-day story was okay, but the sexual assault seemed a little out of nowhere. I would have wanted to see one more scene before it, where he tried something. Or it could be that the spirits wanted the same fate.

Girlboss in Wonderland, USA by Vivan Chou is about a girl who comes up short with her tickets for a prize and makes a deal with the woman behind the counter. The girl keeps returning throughout the years, but the price for the prizes increases. The prizes are now succeeding in sports and getting a promotion, but what she has to give up increases. It started innocently with an eyelash, and now it is a piece of her liver and an ovary. The story started very strongly and had my attention. The end was okay. It is vague. I think it was about making a monster with self-doubt. I do feel the story is an allegory of divination and card reading. I wish this story had nailed the ending.

In Nobody's Debt by Jenny Rowe, a story about Nathan, who is worried about his missing brother Marty. Marty usually hangs out in warm South America, but his last video has him in cold Sweden. Nathan travels to Sweden to find out. He meets people who have seen him but seem not to know him. A woman, Frega, brings him to the lake, and he hears the same song on his brother's video. The story is predictable but well told.

Inviting The Hollow Bones by Octavia Cade is a story about what it takes to be a legend. The story is more philosophical in nature until the end. I love the ending of the story. But the way the story was told took me a while to understand. I read it twice. It is the shortest story so far. I think the story idea is good, and the twist at the end.

Two-Star Stories:

This Side of Living by VH Ncube is about a distant cousin who visits her family in KwaNtuthu, which means the place of smoke. She meets every cousin but one, who is missing. Her diary is found, and they learn a legend of the place: if you do not leave before you turn 17, you will remain forever in the town. She starts hearing screaming every day at 3:00 towards the woods. I liked parts of the story. I enjoyed the lore of the town.

The Death of Black Fatima by Muhammed Awal Ahmed is a story of djinns and enslavement. The djinns used to be free, then started helping the white man, who saw their power and wanted to enslave it. Fatima is a djinn, but they make her bathe with black soap to hide it, until she becomes sick with the power and visions. The story had beautiful language. But bounced all over the place and was hard to follow. The ending was good.

When I Was a Cowboy in Puuwaawaa by Ferdison Cayetano is about a Hawaiian cowboy who is in Wyoming for a rodeo competition. He can't seem to cowboy the way he did in Hawaii. He gives up but finds his spirit animal on the way back. The story is a bit confusing about what is real and what is not. It took me a while to figure out what was going on. The story was unique. I did not like the ending.

The Salt Lavie Tidhar & Nir Yaniv is a story about the end of the world and the start of a new one. The book leans heavily into the Old Testament text. The story of Lot and how his wife turned toward Sodom and was turned into salt. The story was very slow and hard to get into. The ending was the best part of the story and pays off some of the long setup.

You Have Eaten of Our Salt by Fatima Taqvi is a story of a grandmother raising her grandson. She has visions of his death and salt. Salt is her job to gather it where a sea once was. The story was okay. The ending was okay. The story had some good language.

Blood in Coldwater by Danian Darrell Jerry is a long short story about a man who wants to get revenge on a town that he almost drowned in when he was 12. The story started way too fast. Within the first page, we learn about the drowning, the revenge, and the town buried beneath the lake. For such a long short story, it could have taken its time. The best parts are when the story slows. The end was okay, but it felt rushed, and it did not have to be. I felt the dialogue was too similar, especially between the men. I could not tell them apart. This story has potential, but in the end, I just did not like it.

Recommendations: The Map of Lost Places was sometimes a slog to get through. There were some great stories that I would never have been exposed to before. I did enjoy reading some international works; I do not read enough or seek them out. The authors that I did give 5 stars to, I will seek out, and a handful of 4-star authors as well. The Map of Lost Places as a whole, I can not recommend to my followers to read. This anthology did take me months to get through the beginning stories, which were horribly paced.

The Map of Lost Places, edited by Sheree Renée Thomas and Lesley Conner, I rated 2.9 out of 5.

[Logan Gisick · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book was not for me. Honestly it felt like the common theme of these stories was not horror, but diversity. There are many different cultures represented in this book and the settings were incredibly diverse, but I only found a handful of them interesting or mildly scary

2/5 stars

I’d like to thank NetGalley for allowing me to read this advanced reader copy in exchange for my honest review.

[Spoodly · Rating 3 out of 5]

First, thank you to NetGalley and the author for the advance copy of this book.

I've read anthologies before and I have to say this may be my least favorite. I loved the diversity of the stories, coming from different places, cultures, and time periods. Some of them were really well done and a few gave me some goosebumps. Unfortunately, several fell flat for me and there were even a few that I just really didn't understand in the end. I had no idea what the author was trying to convey in the story and didn't feel like I'd gained anything by reading their story.

All in all, not a bad anthology. Somewhere around 3-3.5 out of 5. I'd definitely recommend if you enjoy short story anthologies with a more creepy horror/mystery vibe.

[Ashton · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC.

Well, like a lot of anthologies, some worked and some didn’t. My favorites were:

- Girlboss in Wonderworld, USA
- Three Ways to Break You
- All Praise the Durians
- Development/Hell
- Inviting the Hollow Bones

I absolutely LOVED Development/Hell by Samit Basu. It was such a cool concept and I could have followed the rabbit hole of horror layers down and down. Someone give me this movie now! I added a whole star just for this one.

Overall it was a fun read and some were genuinely unsettling

[Samantha · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Map of Lost Places is a horror anthology of 22 short stories. This one took me a while. Girlboss in Wonderworld, USA is my absolute favorite of the bunch. With such a strong start, I did expect to enjoy the rest of the book more than I did.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Daphne ☘ · Rating 3 out of 5]

the stories are all fine. i think i wish the horror angle were more pronounced, as some of them felt more like general speculative fiction than horror. but anyway.
faves: codewalker by g.m. paniccia; development/hell by samit basu; place of lost stories by rich larson; chuckle wet, chuckle low by r.l. meza.

[Isabelle · Rating 3 out of 5]

I absolutely love the idea of this. I love how varied the stories are and how they're based in so many different countries, with various cultures being represented. But while I did really enjoy a handful of the stories, overall the collection didn't quite hit the mark for me. I really struggled to get invested in some of them and some of the ones I did still like just felt too short. While short stories are a fun way to read about something new, not every story can be as detailed as I'd like them to be in that format so sometimes I was left wanting more plot, more emotion, or more world building. I do know I'm very picky with short stories though, so if this is a format you find yourself liking often, the variety in this collection is likely to be a good fit for you then!

[distopolis · Rating 3 out of 5]

THE MAP OF LOST PLACES es una antología temática que se construye alrededor de una premisa tan sencilla como inquietante, aquellos lugares reales, imaginarios o ambiguos donde algo salió mal, y las huellas de ese desajuste persisten. Bajo la selección de Sheree Renée Thomas y Lesley Conner, el volumen reúne veintidós relatos de autores provenientes de distintos países, tradiciones culturales y corrientes del fantástico, con un énfasis particular en el terror sobrenatural y social. El resultado es una obra tan diversa capaz de ofrecer hallazgos memorables aunque, al mismo tiempo, se ofrecen momentos que no siempre alcanzan todo su potencial.

Uno de los aciertos formales más claros de la antología es la manera en que presenta cada relato. Antes de comenzar, el lector encuentra un encabezado que especifica “Ubicación” y “Población”, un recurso aparentemente simple que cumple varias funciones, como es la de anclar la historia en un espacio concreto, generando expectativas, especialmente cuando la población disminuye o resulta inquietante, y así refuerza también la idea de que el lugar es un protagonista tan importante como los personajes. Así, se transita desde espacios perfectamente reconocibles, como ciudades de China, Suecia o Estados Unidos, hasta territorios indefinidos o directamente imposibles, donde la localización misma se vuelve un elemento perturbador.

Aunque el eje temático es el espacio, la mayoría de los relatos están profundamente centrados en los personajes. Son historias donde el lugar actúa como catalizador de deseos, culpas, traumas o ambiciones, y donde el horror surge más de las decisiones humanas que de una amenaza externa explícita. En este sentido, la antología se aleja del terror puramente visceral y apuesta, con mayor o menor éxito, por enfoques psicológicos, sociales y simbólicos.

La selección de textos abre con el título GIRLBOSS IN WONDERWORLD, USA de Vivian Chou, que funciona como una declaración de intenciones del libro. La historia sigue en primera persona la experiencia de una protagonista que regresa una y otra vez a una feria costera para negociar intercambios cada vez más costosos y en el que la historia que construye se afianza sobre una alegoría feroz sobre el éxito, la autoexplotación y las expectativas sociales. Su tono inquietante y acusatorio interpela al lector sin necesidad de grandes excesos, y deja claro que el horror aquí no siempre adopta formas monstruosas, sino que puede esconderse en dinámicas cotidianas perfectamente normalizadas.

La tabla de contenidos combina nombres ampliamente reconocidos dentro del género, tales como Brian Keene, Lavie Tidhar o Maurice Broaddus, con autores emergentes o menos difundidos para parte del fandom internacional. Esta mezcla contribuye a reforzar la intencionalidad de su diversidad cultural. Las historias beben de mitologías locales, tensiones históricas, problemáticas sociales y paisajes poco habituales en el horror más comercial, lo que convierte la lectura en una especie de recorrido global por distintas formas de lo inquietante.

Disfruta de la reseña completa en nuestro espacio web: https://distopolis.com/resena-de-the-...

[The Blog Without a Face · Rating 3 out of 5]

Alright, you twisted weirdos, let’s dive into The Map of Lost Places, a horror anthology edited by Sheree Renée Thomas and Lesley Conner that’s like stumbling into a haunted carnival—some rides thrill, others just make you puke. This collection of 13 stories, plus an intro by Linda D. Addison, drags you through eerie locales from Delaware’s cursed Wonderworld to a Brazilian rainforest sim, each tale clawing at the idea of “lost places” with varying degrees of success. It’s a mixed bag of dread, ambition, and occasional snooze-fests, but there’s enough meat on its bones to keep you gnawing.

Standouts like Vivian Chou’s “Girlboss in Wonderworld, USA” hit like a spiked punch, blending capitalist satire with body-horror bargains at a warped amusement park. It’s a deliciously unhinged take on trading bits of yourself—literally—for success. Danian Darrell Jerry’s “Blood in Coldwater” sinks its teeth into Southern Gothic vibes, with Arkabutla Lake’s murky depths hiding vengeful spirits and racial trauma. Octavia Cade’s “Inviting the Hollow Bones” is a quiet gut-punch, weaving moa bones and extinction into a haunting meditation on loss in New Zealand’s Fiordland. These stories shine, their prose sharp enough to cut and their ideas weird enough to linger like a bad hangover.

But, Christ, not every story lands. Some, like R.L. Meza’s “Chuckle Wet, Chuckle Low,” drown in their own ambition, piling on grotesque imagery without enough narrative glue to hold it together. Others, like G.M. Paniccia’s “Codewalker,” chase cyber-horror coolness but trip over clichéd tech-dystopia tropes, leaving you rolling your eyes harder than a possessed teen. The prose across the anthology swings wildly—some authors wield it like a scalpel, others like a sledgehammer, and a few just flail. The “lost places” theme is loose, sometimes feeling like an afterthought tacked onto stories that don’t quite fit, like a ghost trying to haunt a Walmart.

What saves this book from mediocrity’s cold grip is its global sprawl—Malaysia’s durian orchards, Pakistan’s Thar Desert, Greece’s Zagorohoria—and the way it plays with subgenres. You’ve got folk horror, cosmic dread, and supernatural vengeance, with a dash of historical and psychological chills. It’s not afraid to get bloody or weird, which you freaks will love, but it doesn’t always push the boundaries as far as it thinks it does. Too many stories lean on familiar horror beats—cursed objects, vengeful ghosts—without twisting the knife into something truly fresh. It’s competent, often gripping, but rarely mind-blowing, like a decent craft beer when you’re craving moonshine.

For all its flaws, The Map of Lost Places scratches that itch for dark, eclectic tales that don’t always play it safe. It’s a bumpy ride through haunted backwaters and forgotten realms, worth a read for horror hounds who don’t mind sifting through some muck to find the gems.

Recommended for: Weirdos who’d skinny-dip in Arkabutla Lake just to high-five a vengeful spirit and ask for its skincare routine.

Not recommended for: Squares who’d read about star-worshipping villagers and think, “Nah, I’d rather watch paint dry than face cosmic unease.”

[Faith · Rating 3 out of 5]

A big thank you to Publisher Spotlight and Netgalley for an ARC of this title. All opinions are my own.

Deliciously haunting, The Map of Lost Places, takes the reader on a road trip across a forbidden landscape of the world.

As far as anthologies go, The Map of Lost Places has been one of the better ones that I’ve read. Being themed definitely helped knit this one together, and what a fantastically spooky theme it is! (Sidenote: love the “A Guide to Finding Evil” tagline on the cover.) So, if it’s not obvious already, the cover and the description really sold me on giving this one a try. The introduction to the conception of the anthology gave a nice greeting, while giving the reader a roadmap of what to expect. “Surrender to the map this book provides” indeed.

Anthologies are always hit and miss. When books bring a number of different authors together, there’s always going to be segments that don’t quite click with every reader. But things this anthology does in particular that really work? I loved the mixing of background and ethnicities. The authors are from all over the world, and that really shines through in this book. Each story is set in a different location around the world (and some otherworldly ones as well). The editors did a great job in their selections, giving the reader a taste of a variety of different cultures, superstitions, and fears. The fact that three of the twenty-ish stories primarily featured salt in such contrasting ways really shows the diversity and breadth of the pieces.

I loved that each story began with the location and population; it really grounded the reader, firmly shutting the door on the last piece to bring them into an entirely new space. And my personal favorites? “Girlboss in Wonderland, USA”, “All Praise the Durians”, and “Notes Toward a History of LeHorn’s Hollow”, just for the record.

The things that didn’t quite work in this anthology? Like I said, some stories were just a miss for me. In fact, I found a lot of them to not be particularly scary. Most of them did follow the theme of unexpected or unexplained places, but I really lost the plot in some of them. I’m not going to discredit those particular stories as it’s entirely possible I didn’t pay enough attention because they just didn’t resonate with me. Some stories I wanted more from, some I wanted less, but overall, I was really looking for a lot more scares than I received. Even my favorites? Not particularly up there in the horror department.

Overall, this book wasn’t a miss for me. I stories that I liked inside, I really liked, and there were plenty more than just the three I listed here, those were just the ones that stuck out the most for me. It’s definitely worth a read, especially if you want some bite-sized exposure to new authors or area folklore.

[Johnny Byutorie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to Apex and NetGalley for providing this digital ARC.

This exceedingly spooky--and often nostalgic--collection explores losing and getting lost in all manner of ways and from a wide swath of worldly perspectives. I applaud the editor's decision to make this a globetrotting sort of horror adventure, though as with any anthology, some stories will hit and be found to be effective for different readers. The Map of Lost Places is no exception.

The ones that grabbed this reader the most tended to explore the bounds of the liminal in an almost Twilight Zone or Black Mirror sensibility. Indeed, I could easily see several of these pieces adapted for television. Vivian Chou's "Girlboss in Wonderworld, USA," Rich Larson's "Place of Lost Stories," Joshua Lim's "All Praise the Durians," Samit Basu's "Development/hell," G.M. Paniccia's "Codewalker," and "found footage"/epistolary Brian Keene's "Notes Towards a History of LeHorn's Hollow" all struck that particular chord for me, that unsettling chime that all good horror shorts ring out in us. Does that mean other stories in the collection weren't good? Absolutely not. They maybe did not grab the bell inside me and make it rattle, but that doesn't mean they won't make it shake for you.

I encourage readers to give this collection a look-see, get lost in its pages and see where you find yourself on the otherside.

[Katie Brunecz · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 Rounded up to 4

This anthology takes readers on a strange trip around the world (and further) to explore some of the creepiest and most unsettling corners, from ghost towns and murderous forests to mind-bending houses and virtual hellscapes.

The diversity of locations represented is fantastic, and I enjoyed discovering new, wonderful places. The stories themselves were well varied, however there were some repeating themes among the stories - cosmic horror, religious/cult origins and revenge motifs all feature heavily. A few of the stories were a bit too fever dream-esque for me, I had trouble following them, but most were interesting and engaging.

Some standout stories for me:

- Girlboss in Wonderworld, USA, Vivian Chau - A really solid start to the book, capturing a strong sense of place and delivering a cleverly crafted commentary.

- Three Ways to Break You, Beth Dawkins- I loved the unique premise, and it felt like there could be more great stories here.

- All Praise the Durians, Joshua Lim - Just a fun story!

*Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC!

[Will Swardstrom · Rating 3 out of 5]

Releasing today is a brand new short story anthology, filled to the brim with horror and suspense. Is it good, though?

The idea and the concept behind the collection are interesting, but as a whole The Map of Lost Places is very uneven in its execution. I think a number of the authors got caught up in their own ambiance, failing to put together a compelling story in the process. I think with the horror aspect (especially the supernatural element that was prevalent in so many of the tales), it seemed easy to let the words just kinda flow like the wispy trails of a ghost, but so often the stories lacked structure. Some tried to make up for a lack of structure with clever framing devices, but I’m not sure a framing device replaces a solid plan and structure for how the story gets from Point A to Point B, and for a lot of the anthology it felt untethered.

For me, however, there were a few stand-outs and that’s what ultimately saved the collection in my mind. Here’s the top four stories that caught my attention as I worked my way through The Map of Lost Places:
-- Notes Towards A History of LeHorn’s Hollow by Brian Keene
Keene has a great framing device (the notes left behind by a retired newspaper editor as he begins crafting a “true crime” novel about a mysterious town), and it works. For me, this might have been the strongest story in the book, which is no shock considering who penned it. As a former newspaperman myself, I found myself drawn into the narrative and enjoyed it through the mysterious ending.
-- Codewalker by G.M. Paniccia
With all the advanced tech out there, it seems like a given that something will go wrong, especially the closer that tech comes to interacting with the human brain. Hints of Ready, Player One and Sword Art Online make this seem possible, but the horror vibes put it over the top for me.
-- All Praise the Durians by Joshua Lim
I think horror works better when there is an air of humor throughout, and Lim does that with his story in this collection. If you aren’t familiar, a durian is a fruit grown in Southeast Asia known for smelling like gym socks at best. The author takes that reputation and turns it on its head, but the final kicker comes in a bit of an O. Henry way and I really liked it.
-- The (Lost) Tribe of Ishmael by Maurice Broaddus
Less than an hour away from where I live is a small town that was the first African-American rural settlement in Indiana. Today you can visit and they will tell you about the success of that settlement and how some descendents still live nearby and farm the land. This story has a similar vibe, but something in the town’s history doesn’t go as well for the settlers and that history comes back to haunt the later residents years later.

Besides that, there are a handful of stories that are fine, and a handful that I had to power through to get to the next one. There are 22 overall, so perhaps you’ll like some better than me and there are plenty to choose from. I noticed when I received the book, it lists Sheree Renee Thomas and Lesley Conner as the ones who “compiled” the collection, inferring to be that they didn’t edit or have much of a hand in choosing the stories that were ultimately included. I think this collection would work better pared down a bit and if some of the stories were tightened up and told a little more streamlined, but there are gems to be found if you care to look.

Thank you to the Apex Book Company for providing a book for review consideration. All opinions are my own.

[Beth · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5

Anthologies have always been hit or miss with me, but with the premise behind this collection, I thought this one would be a hit. Unfortunately, for me, it wasn't.

When rating anthologies, I rate each individual story and then average out the rating. It came out to around 3.3, but I rounded up where I could give half ratings, down where I couldn't.

There were a good amount of stories that, had they been short stories published on their own, I would have easily given 4.5 - 5.0 stars to, but too many were 3.0 or below to warrant the higher overall rating for this anthology.

Some stories just ended, right in the middle of action. Some clearly weren't as fleshed out as others. Those that I enjoyed had everything fully fleshed out and made sense within the world they built, even if the ending wasn't always satisfying.

I think this can be enjoyable to people, it just wasn't, overall, for me.

Thank you NetGalley and publishers for allowing me to read this eARC.

[Sarah Elizabeth · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you so much to Apex and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this title!!

This collection of short stories was at times enough to make me stop reading, put down my kindle, and just think about what I’d read - I find it truly amazing the abilities some writers have to convey so much thought, emotion and feeling in so few words.

However, a few too many of the stories just didn't feel cohesive to the theme that is meant to bind the stories together, and took me out of the enjoyment for a moment. There were also one or two of the stories that were just slightly Unpleasant in general to read.

Overall I enjoyed this collection, I just wish it would've trended more slightly to staying on topic!

[Sydney · Rating 3 out of 5]

I received an advanced copy through NetGalley.

I felt very mixed about these stories as a whole. Most of them I liked a lot, the environment was really interesting as was the way that the characters interacted with it. However, there were some where I felt that the environment was a little loser or not developed as well as others. There were also some where the story just ended not in a satisfying way. This story collection isn’t focused on happy ending which is fine but some of the stories just seemed to stop instead of ending.

Overall, I thought that the stories were overall interesting though some were a little long and lack-luster.

[Candi Norwood · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was really excited for this anthology and its theme of lost, liminal spaces. I also appreciated the mix of well-known and unknown authors. As standalone, a couple of these stories could be 5-Star - with the very first story being a standout for me - but the quality was uneven throughout, with some of the stories not keeping my attention or trying to be too clever that they became unintelligible. Overall, it’s worth a read, and the great thing about anthologies is almost anyone is sure to find a story or two that really speaks to them. Even not-great stories about haunted, lost spaces can be unsettling - and that’s what I came for.

[Erica · Rating 3 out of 5]

Considering the topic, I expected to have far more here that I liked. It is always a bit of mixed bag with short story collections because of the variety or authors, but I had a hard time even finding any that I’d give four stars to, let alone any five stars. Let me be clear though, it isn’t the writing. These are well done and executed and failure is more in what I was hoping to get versus what’s actually here. If you are interested in this book I’d suggest giving the first couple stories a try first if you can, and if you like those then you’ll enjoy the rest.

Note: ARC provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review

[Megan · Rating 3 out of 5]

“In the end, we all become stories.”

The Map of Lost Places is a short story collection featuring tales of off the beaten path locations and what you might find there. It’s full of surprises and twists and will keep you entertained. They are long enough to have some substance but short enough to keep your attention for a quick read.

Recommended if you like: mystery/thrillers, science fiction, short story anthologies

I received an advanced copy of this short story collection via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

[Caitlin · Rating 2 out of 5]

A Map of Haunted Places is a spooky collection of twisty tales that keep you guessing. I’m a huge fan of anthology books since there is something for nearly every reader & I liked the range of content in this collection. Some stories were a little tougher for me to engage with but that’s okay! Many of the stories weren’t scary but just generally off putting. I get the these are all short stories but a few of them were underdeveloped to a point that I was just confused. 2.5/5
Thank you to Net Galley & Publisher Spotlight for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

[Cat · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was great! Lots of short, intense stories, to enjoy again and again. I've never heard of any of the authors, but took a chance that at least there would be a few interesting tales. Pleasantly surprised that every story I read was worth the read! I haven't finished the book as yet, but intend to! Fantasy lovers are going to love this collection! I look forward to discovering new work by the authors.
I received a Kindle arc in exchange for a fair review.

[Ryan · Rating 4 out of 5]

This diverse horror collection offers something for everyone, showcasing a wide range of cultures. While well-written, some stories tend to drag. Standout favorites include:

“Blood in Coldwater”-Damian Darrell Jerry
“Silverheels”-Rebecca E. Treasure
“All Praise the Durians”-Joshua Lim
“The Salt”-Lavie Tidhar & Nir Yaniv
“The Promised Void”-Dimitra Nikolaidou

[Brannigan · Rating 4 out of 5]

A wonderfully creepy themed anthology about finding ourselves in lost places. There’s everything in between physically and metaphorically lost. I love a good themed anthology.

We can all relate to the fear and unease. A great read for when you want to get lost.

NetGalley provided a free book from the publisher for an honest review.

[Venneh · Rating 4 out of 5]

Absolutely fantastic anthology that does the hard work of balancing bigger names with lesser known names and giving everyone a great theme to work with (give me a fictional lost city and make it spooky). Pick this up when it comes out this spring!

[J R · Rating 4 out of 5]

prettty well done set of short stories that i liked in general. i wouldn't say that they're all good, but i'd give it a probable 3.5. tysm for the arc.

[Sabrina · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received an ARC of this short story series from netgalley and it was lovely!!