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These and Other Mysteries
Sarob Press is delighted to present a new and truly exciting collection of eight stories from the pen of one of the very best and original story writers working in the genre today. Three of the stories have appeared previously and five are all new and were written expressly for this volume.
Black magic in the suburbs of Manchester. The no-man’s land of the heart. Late night ghosts on TV. Following the footsteps to Carcosa. Seaside memories that turn to horror. Summoning elementals in a Scottish castle. Answered prayers and a weird messenger. Journeys end and lost loves...
The protagonists in these eight stories encounter the strangeness and the terror which lies beneath the surface of our British cities, in the trenches of WWI, on a cold grey Lincolnshire beach, in dark and terrible recollections and on a summer lakeside holiday in the Alpes-de-Haute-Provence.
The stories: “Dead Centre of Manchester*” “The Harvester of Ladslove” “Screen Burn” “Stations*” “Last Rites at Saltstrand*” “The Strathantine Imps” “Three Deals with the Supreme Being*” & “The Lake of the Lost*” with a foreword and notes on the stories by the author. *Previously unpublished.
THESE AND OTHER MYSTERIES is a Hand Numbered Limited Edition Jacketed Hardcover. Bound in Light Blue Cialux Italian cloth/linnen, Foil Blocked to Front & Spine, Quality Enso Creamy Text Paper, Marble Design Endpapers, Section (Thread) Sewn binding, Head/Tailbands and Ribbon Bookmarker.
Black magic in the suburbs of Manchester. The no-man’s land of the heart. Late night ghosts on TV. Following the footsteps to Carcosa. Seaside memories that turn to horror. Summoning elementals in a Scottish castle. Answered prayers and a weird messenger. Journeys end and lost loves...
The protagonists in these eight stories encounter the strangeness and the terror which lies beneath the surface of our British cities, in the trenches of WWI, on a cold grey Lincolnshire beach, in dark and terrible recollections and on a summer lakeside holiday in the Alpes-de-Haute-Provence.
The stories: “Dead Centre of Manchester*” “The Harvester of Ladslove” “Screen Burn” “Stations*” “Last Rites at Saltstrand*” “The Strathantine Imps” “Three Deals with the Supreme Being*” & “The Lake of the Lost*” with a foreword and notes on the stories by the author. *Previously unpublished.
THESE AND OTHER MYSTERIES is a Hand Numbered Limited Edition Jacketed Hardcover. Bound in Light Blue Cialux Italian cloth/linnen, Foil Blocked to Front & Spine, Quality Enso Creamy Text Paper, Marble Design Endpapers, Section (Thread) Sewn binding, Head/Tailbands and Ribbon Bookmarker.
180 pages, Hardcover
Published September 1, 2024
19 people want to read
About the author
Steve Duffy
81 books62 followersSteve has written/coauthored seven collections of weird short stories. His latest collection, THESE AND OTHER MYSTERIES, was published by Sarob Press in 2024.
Steve's work also appears in a number of anthologies published in the UK and the US.
In 2016 he won the Shirley Jackson Award for Best Novelette 2015, with the story "Even Clean Hands Can Do Damage". He won the International Horror Guild's award for Best Short Story of the year 2000, and was shortlisted for a World Fantasy Award in 2009, and again in 2012.
Visit Steve's Amazon Page: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Steve-Duffy/e...
Steve's work also appears in a number of anthologies published in the UK and the US.
In 2016 he won the Shirley Jackson Award for Best Novelette 2015, with the story "Even Clean Hands Can Do Damage". He won the International Horror Guild's award for Best Short Story of the year 2000, and was shortlisted for a World Fantasy Award in 2009, and again in 2012.
Visit Steve's Amazon Page: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Steve-Duffy/e...
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
October 25, 2024
I've loved all of Mr Duffy's books, he captures just the right mood in his tales, but this book stands out.. superb
December 30, 2024
A perfect little collection of strange stories. This is one of those rare volumes in which every single story is memorable. It was my introduction to Steve Duffy’s work, and I will definitely be reading more of it.
January 25, 2025
Duffy, Steve - These And Other Mysteries
Rich assortment of stories from the reliable Duffy, who seems to have found a haven in Sarob.
Volunteer mourners assemble periodically for unloved deceased, those without family, friends. In “Dead Center Of Manchester” one of those forgotten souls apparently had a worrisome past. Of which the more curious mourners dig into, areas sinister.
Jake found the TV in a skip. A perfectly good telly. At home, he and Angie join the hordes of glazed viewers. Free entertainment! Not quite. For in “Screen Burn” Angie is mesmerized by the static. Or something behind the static.
Pursuing a spree killing, the investigating officer is urged to consult a quirky academic. Paranormal type. As a team, they do not gel; worse, he is dismissive and skeptical of her arcane method, the religious inferences. “Stations”, she reminds him, are what the killer was checking off.
The two surviving adult siblings arrive to sort the shocking clutter of their deceased brother’s home. The house holds memories, unpleasant ones, along with childhood fears. “Last Rites At Saltstrand” moves from confirmed anxieties to unsettling surprises to the lingering echo of grandfather’s warning.
“Three Deals With The Supreme Being”. Go ahead. Three requests. God may, or may not listen. Or merely dispatch an angel. What is absolute life or death for you? Better make it good.
Rich assortment of stories from the reliable Duffy, who seems to have found a haven in Sarob.
Volunteer mourners assemble periodically for unloved deceased, those without family, friends. In “Dead Center Of Manchester” one of those forgotten souls apparently had a worrisome past. Of which the more curious mourners dig into, areas sinister.
Jake found the TV in a skip. A perfectly good telly. At home, he and Angie join the hordes of glazed viewers. Free entertainment! Not quite. For in “Screen Burn” Angie is mesmerized by the static. Or something behind the static.
Pursuing a spree killing, the investigating officer is urged to consult a quirky academic. Paranormal type. As a team, they do not gel; worse, he is dismissive and skeptical of her arcane method, the religious inferences. “Stations”, she reminds him, are what the killer was checking off.
The two surviving adult siblings arrive to sort the shocking clutter of their deceased brother’s home. The house holds memories, unpleasant ones, along with childhood fears. “Last Rites At Saltstrand” moves from confirmed anxieties to unsettling surprises to the lingering echo of grandfather’s warning.
“Three Deals With The Supreme Being”. Go ahead. Three requests. God may, or may not listen. Or merely dispatch an angel. What is absolute life or death for you? Better make it good.
December 9, 2024
It's Steve Duffy, so yes, it's good, but not his strongest collection in my opinion.
January 23, 2025
Certainly one of the best living writers of dark fiction, Steve Duffy is a prolific author of excellent collections of horror tales.
The present volume assembles eight stories, three of which previously published and five quite new.
Not all the stories were up to my (high) expectations, but some are simply outstanding.
“ The Harvester of Ladslove” is an excellent, terrifying tale set in the trenches of WW1, where the horrors of the war mingle with a supernatural terror beyond imagination.
“Screen Burn” is a subtly disturbing piece revolving around a discarded TV set able to reproduce a neighbour’s presumed activities, while the outstanding “ The Strathantine Imps” is a very dark tale where fire plays an important, terrifying role.
The final story, “The Lake of the Lost”, set in a peculiar lake resort, will haunt the readers for a long time by describing the strange events taking place in and by the water.
The present volume assembles eight stories, three of which previously published and five quite new.
Not all the stories were up to my (high) expectations, but some are simply outstanding.
“ The Harvester of Ladslove” is an excellent, terrifying tale set in the trenches of WW1, where the horrors of the war mingle with a supernatural terror beyond imagination.
“Screen Burn” is a subtly disturbing piece revolving around a discarded TV set able to reproduce a neighbour’s presumed activities, while the outstanding “ The Strathantine Imps” is a very dark tale where fire plays an important, terrifying role.
The final story, “The Lake of the Lost”, set in a peculiar lake resort, will haunt the readers for a long time by describing the strange events taking place in and by the water.
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews