We All Go Into the Dark

by Kevin Lucia

No matter who we are—banker, lawyer, teacher, carpenter—darkness awaits us all. And no town is more acquainted with darkness than Clifton Heights, NY. We All Go Into the Dark takes you through four chilling tales where fear lurks around every corner, and the shadows stretch long, no matter the time of day.

Zootown: A lost soul searching for purpose stumbles upon the ruins of an old carnival town just outside Clifton Heights. But what he finds in the long-abandoned grounds is far darker than he could ever have imagined—something ancient, something sinister, something that has been waiting.

The Man Who Sits in His Chair: There is a man who sits in his chair in front of his house, just across from The Motor Lodge in Clifton Heights. Why does he sit there? What does he see? A corporate lawyer on vacation will find out, much to his despair.

In the Court of the Spider King: A photographer with a passion for nature travels to Clifton Heights to capture the area’s infamous spiders. What he uncovers in the ruined Freivald Health and Wellness Spa is a nightmare no lens could ever prepare him for—an eldritch secret hidden in plain sight.

To Slip the Surly Bonds of Earth: The disillusioned host of a paranormal YouTube show, Ghost Coasters, heads to the ruins of Raedeker Park Amusements to search for ghosts, hoping for a sign. Instead, he discovers something far worse than he ever expected—something that will change everything he believes about life, death, and the unknown.

In We All Go Into the Dark, Kevin Lucia masterfully blends atmospheric horror with cosmic dark fantasy, taking readers on a spine-chilling journey through small-town myths, cult horrors, and paranormal mysteries. If you enjoy creepy ghost stories, mysterious lore, and the ever-present sense of an ancient evil lurking just out of sight, this collection will haunt you long after the final page is turned.

Are you brave enough to face what awaits?

Proudly represented by Crystal Lake Publishing—Where Stories Come Alive

Genres: Horror

356 pages, Kindle Edition

Published December 6, 2024

About the author

Kevin Lucia is the ebook and trade paperback editor at Cemetery Dance Publications. His short fiction has been published in many venues, most notably with Clive Barker, David Morell, Peter Straub, Bentley Little, and Robert McCammon.

His first short story collection, Things Slip Through, was published by Crystal Lake Publishing in November, 2013. He's followed that with the collections Through A Mirror, Darkly, Devourer of Souls, Things You Need, October Nights, and the novellas Mystery Road, A Night at Old Webb, and The Night Road.

Reviews

[Stitching Ghost · Rating 5 out of 5]

It took me a while to find my stride with this one but once it really got going, I really enjoyed it.

The stories center around a small town where weird things happen. At the end of the day the town is the main character even if the human characters were rather compelling and easy to root for.

While the cover offers a certain vibe which isn't entirely a mismatch for the contents of the book it's not quite what I got from the book, there's an air of quiet inexorability laced with faint nostalgia that wafts from the stories.

4.5 rounded up.

[Milt Theo · Rating 5 out of 5]

"We All Go Into the Dark" contains four novellas of quiet, creepy horror, a solid collection of four standalone stories unfolding in the liminal spaces of Kevin Lucia's fictional Adirondack small town of Clifton Heights. Unlike previous collections in the same setting, this volume focuses exclusively on outside travellers visiting Clifton Heights, some willingly, some by chance. Also unlike other similar collections of Lucia's, about which one reviewer once complained that "there were too many women" (lol), the main cast is all men (though I have to admit that among the familiar faces of Clifton Heights, the one woman who appears several times in the stories, Cassie, is a character I love seeing again and again). It's worth mentioning that similar to other Clifton Heights collections, this one too has a wrap-around story revolving around Clifton Heights' Stephen King, the author Gavin Patchett (who's apparently channeling Kevin Lucia himself - IYKYK).

The collection excels in pacing, dialogue, and atmosphere. The main characters are all lost souls, both inner and outer explorers - urban explorers in "Zootown" and "To Slip the Surly Bonds of Earth", a family man who's lost his way in life and finds himself stranded in Clifton Heights ("The Man Who Sits in His Chair"), and a Navy man in retirement, turned nature photographer, with a (healthy) fixation on spiders ("In The Court of The Spider King"). Each story visits the same places in town (the Motor Lodge's Cabin #14, pretty much the same diners, and so on), but things get wildly different each time a main character tries to explore the abandoned areas of Clifton Heights or go deeper into its lore and legends.

All four novellas are dark, immersive, and transitional in theme and purpose: the apparently aimless journeys of the main characters end up revealing hidden patterns, unexpected destinations, and sinister truths. Each novella develops the supernatural elements in its own way, usually according to the liminal space uncovered in each tale. In "Zootown", the opening story, it's an abandoned ghost town, the titular Zoo Town; in ""The Man Who Sits in His Chair", it's an old man spending his time sitting in front of his house, a man whose speech noone understands, yet whose role in Clifton Heights is incredibly important; in "In The Court of The Spider King", it's the ruins of an abandoned Health and Wellness Spa; and in "To Slip the Surly Bonds of Earth", by far the best story in the collection in my opinion, it's a supposedly abandoned Amusement Park. The stories begin as mysteries, turn into supernatural and paranormal horror (from folk horror snd creature feature to cosmic horror and ghost story), in preparation for endings of great personal value, akin to life lessons or reevaluations of the ordinary (to be clear though: they're seldom happy endings - finding your place hurts).

I cannot recommend the collection enough.

[Irene Well Worth A Read · Rating 5 out of 5]

We All Go Into The Dark is a chilling quartet of novellas featuring abandoned places, ghosts, grief, guilt, and folklore all tied together in the mysterious town of Clifton Heights.

In Zootown, a man is intrigued by a beautiful stranger and decides to camp out in an abandoned spot he's been warned away from. Why do people in horror always ignore these warnings? I'll tell you why. It's so that I can enjoy the chilling consequences from the safety of my cozy reading spot.

Car troubles leave a man stranded at the Motor Lodge in Clifton Heights and leads to unraveling the mystery of The Man Who Sits In His Chair. Unfortunately some secrets are best left to the unknown. Once you find out it's too late to run.

In the Court of the Spider A nature photographer who is currently on the hunt for spiders makes a terrifying discovery in an abandoned spa. This creepy crawly story gave me the heebie-jeebies!

The host of a streaming paranormal show receives an online suggestion to visit the ruins of Raedeker Amusement Park in To Slip the Surly Bonds of Earth. This abandoned theme park went out of business after several deaths on the property. Do their spirits remain? Or has his own past caught up to him?

I need a way to rate this book 20 stars. 4 novellas at 5 stars each leaves the math not mathing on sites that only allow 5 stars!

Each novella is genuinely scary, in that delightfully shivery way that this horror lover craves. Kevin Lucia has knocked it out of the park with this one. It will be on my best horror of the year list.

[Sheena Forsberg · Rating 4 out of 5]

Full disclosure: I was sent an ARC by the author but it has no bearing on the following review.
————————————

Clifton Heights remains an eerie town where the membrane separating worlds seems particularly thin & where things sometimes slip through. The town also seems to have a knack of stranding people and isn’t particularly keen to let them go once they’re there. Additionally, yet another mysterious book has appeared, this time detailing the stories of 4 unfortunate people who’ve stayed in cabin 14 of the Motor Lodge. The common denominator for these individuals is that they’ve all been looking for *something*, be it an abandoned spot to explore (company), something more fulfilling than the safe job you no longer burn for (a greater calling) , the perfect photo (freedom) or simply yourself/closure.

I loved all of the stories in this and particularly how town locations and inhabitants intersect with previous installments. If you’ve enjoyed Charles L. Grant’s work and also happen to have an affinity towards cosmic horror; this might just be something for you too.

——————————

An overview of the individual stories with descriptions can be found below (I’d stop reading here if you want to avoid any spoilers).

-Zoo Town:
Jim O’Connell discovers an access road which appeals to his taste of urban (and not so-urban) exploring-leanings. As always, taking the access road in this town proves more eventful than expected and he soon stumbles upon odd piles of rocks arranged in the shape of cones. Then the appearance of a mysterious town in the middle of the woods. Then there’s the abandoned hamlet formerly inhabited by Irish carnies; a topic the townies treat as taboo. Unable to help himself (and in spite of his misgivings), he makes the ill-fated decision of returning.
Old Celtic beliefs and a bittersweet take on the changeling/fairy myths culminate in an engagingly tense read. Sidenote: I’m coming to the conclusion that access roads are better left alone.

-The Man Who Sits in His Chair:
Nightmares come home to roost in this tale of cosmic horror.
An old man sits in his chair by his house. Nobody really knows anything about him and the stories are many. A traveler experiences car trouble and ends up stranded in Clifton Heights’ Motor Lodge. Going out with the intent to get pizza, he soon hightails it out of there after a creepy encounter with unsettling gibberish coming out of the place and discorporate footsteps coming towards him. Worse still, weird events keep finding him and his recurrent nightmares take a more malignant turn. It soon becomes apparent that things have conspired to trap and keep him here; but to what end? It seems he might find the answer with the old man in front of the yellow house.

-In the Court of the Spider King:
Ras is spending his retirement turning his hobby into a new occupation. As a photographer, he’s been feeling increasingly pulled towards spiders in spite of his deep seated fear of them. A one-night stand with a woman, an unsettling feeling about a budding arachnologist & an disquieting outing photographing spiders soon follow. Worse still, he seems unable to resist visiting a spa with a dark history of cultish practices. Ras soon realizes that he’s being followed and that something/someone doesn’t want him to leave.
One for those of you with arachnophobia (and a taste for the cosmic).

-To Slip the Surly Bonds of Earth:
A jaded vlogger with a career consisting of riding supposedly haunted roller coasters & exploring haunted theme parks receives a mysterious comment under his latest video (or rather, a suggestion); take a look at Raedeker Park Amusements in Clifton Heights. Soon unable to stay away, he finds himself haunted by his recent and tragic past. Ultimately a story about finding yourself and facing your past.

[Kirsty Pittaway · Rating 4 out of 5]

As with another review, it took me a little while to get into the first few pages, but after that is was an easy and enjoyable read!
I’ve read a couple of Kevin’s other books and really enjoy his style of writing and do highly recommend!

Side note- review is purposefully vague as I have a tendency to drop spoilers if I get going!

[Kalila · Rating 5 out of 5]

I always love revisiting Clifton Heights and its ominous stories. This anthology hit it out of the park - I think it has been my favourite Clifton Heights book so far! Each story unique and riveting. The only story I didn’t resonate with was Ras and the spider king - I didn’t necessarily like Ras as a character (which was the point, so it is well written), and because Lucia writes with such eloquent precision, I could picture the spiders too realistically for my taste :)

Reading a Kevin Lucia Clifton Heights book is like settling into your comfiest armchair with your favourite hot beverage - familiar, cozy, and you know you’re going to have a good time.

[David · Rating 4 out of 5]

We all go into the dark was a fun read. I loved how each of the four stories takes place in the same town, Clifton Heights. The man who sits in the chair, was my favorite. It had a serious Twilight Zone feel. Something is wrong here, but I couldn't quite place it. It's also claustrophobic, which adds dimension and depth.

[Leighah · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the second book from this author that I've read that involves this little town. This one had more of an impact on me than the first one. Don't get me wrong, I enjoyed the first one, but I really got into this one. I loved how there was more of the backstop in this one. I also loved how the main characters in each story were just ordinary people experiencing extordinary things. I really hope this other continues with these small town creepers because they are brilliant.

[Chandra Claypool (WhereTheReaderGrows) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Welcome to Clifton Heights, NY. There are stories lingering in the shadows in this town where four people are in for some unexpected experiences that will change the trajectory of their lives forever.

I have a love/hate relationship with story collections and typically rate them down the middle. But WE ALL GO INTO THE DARK is a phenomenal read and I thoroughly enjoyed each story! Yes, I liked some more than others, but each one of them gave me incredible visuals and some truly crawled under my skin.

Zoo Town – Jim loves visiting abandoned buildings and places and while in Clifton Heights, learns of Zoo Town. A place named because the workers of the zoo mostly lived on the premises. It is said to be haunted and people tend to steer clear of this space, warning Jim it’s better to not go off the beaten path. He hears some singing and runs into the woman randomly at the grocery and then again while he’s making camp at Zoo Town. It’s been so long since a woman’s hit on him, that how could he say no? What happens when they spend some time together over an open fire leads to something far more sinister than he could ever have imagined.

The Man Who Site in His Chair – A man gets stranded in Clifton Heights due to car troubles and reflects on his life. Noticing a man sitting in his chair in front of his house sparks his curiosity and he can’t help but seek out the mystery of this man. Sometimes secrets are just meant to be that and now it’s too late.

In The Court of The Spider King – A photographer comes to town to take photos of the area’s spiders. However, there’s more than just spiders that he’ll have to contend with. This horrific discovery surely sent chills beneath my skin and now I’m even more afraid to run into any kind of spider for fear it will lead to experiences I cannot handle.

To Slip the Surly Bonds of the Earth – Paranormal show host is encouraged to go to abandoned Raedeker Amusement Park to see if any spirits have remained. What he finds is much worse than he could ever have imagined. He quickly learns that what he thought he knew about the world is… different.

I’m being very vague in this review because I think it’s best to go in without knowing too much. We have ordinary people doing ordinary things that lead to the extraordinary… though not necessarily always the best things. After all, once the dark takes over the light, there’s no knowing what lays within the shadows and further. Folklore, ghosts, evil entities, cults and cosmic fantasy saturates these pages. Perhaps you, the ordinary reader, will find yourselves side eyeing the dark and wondering where your next mundane task will take you. Proceed with caution but remember, WE ALL GO INTO THE DARK.

[Horror Reads · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a collection of four novellas which are all connected. They take place in the same small town and at the same cabin at the local Motor Lodge. And this is not a town you want to find yourself in.

Combining small town horror with terrifying supernatural events really creates a cohesiveness to this world and gives the feeling of reading a novel rather than four separate stories.

We have an older lonely man who spends his time exploring abandoned places around the country, a man who sells his nature photography (specifically spiders!), another man with a ghost hunting YouTube channel, and a businessman whose car breaks down in this town.

They are all going to learn that the local legends and lore are much more than just hearsay and perhaps it's better to let these things go.

Each of these novellas highlights the character and gives the reader a chance to know them before they're thrown to the horrific fates awaiting them. We also see repeat characters from the town itself which gives this book a sense of realism, allowing you to suspend your disbelief.

This is a frightening "read with the lights on" collection and I highly recommend it.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher. This review is voluntary and is my own personal opinion.

[Bo · Rating 4 out of 5]

Kevin Lucia’s We All Go Into the Dark is a darkly entertaining novella featuring four unsettling tales set in the eerie small town of Clifton Heights. Each story explores themes of loss, purpose, and the allure of the unknown, mixing personal despair with supernatural horrors.
Stories ranked IMO:
1. The Man Who Sits in His Chair – A masterful slow-burn tale that unnerves with its quiet, existential terror.
2. To Slip the Surly Bonds of Earth – Poignant and creepy, this story ties personal cynicism to ghostly horrors at a neglected amusement park.
3. In the Court of the Spider King – Atmospheric and skin-crawling, this is a chilling spider-filled descent into eldritch horror.
4. Zootown – A strong opener with a grim setting, but its central mystery feels less impactful than the others.
Lucia’s writing style captures the ominous beauty of forgotten places, and Clifton Heights oozes with sinister charm. While the stories are uneven in impact, they’re bound by a shared sense of darkness that’s both fun and unsettling. It’s not groundbreaking, but it’s an enjoyably creepy journey for fans of small-town horror. Thank you, Crystal Lake, for the ARC and the opportunity!

[Horror DNA · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's not often a collection or anthology (in books) has a wraparound, so it tends to stand out when one does. In the case of Kevin Lucia's We All Go Into the Dark, a collection of four novellas, the wraparound is exceptionally meta, with an author named Gavin Patchett being called to a lawyer's office for a reading of a will. He discovers one of the town's mysterious residents, Old Man Kretzmer, has left him a mysterious manuscript. Patchett is a bit surprised, as he's never formerly met Kretzmer, but the strange man was a fan of Patchett's work, so that's as good as reason as any. The manuscript, titled The Motor Lodge: Cabin 14 contains four novellas, all with a link to, you guessed it, Clifton Heights' local motel.

You can read Steve's full review at Horror DNA by clicking here.

[Scott Lovelace · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love small town horror. This one packs a punch. All 4 stories are set in Clifton Heights. This town has everything you need for a horror anthology. Abandoned buildings, businesses, some things that scurry and go bump in the night. I look forward to visiting Clifton Heights again.

5 Stars

[Ann Keeran · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thrilling, scary, beautiful and masterful. Stories to turn your world upside down.

[WendyB · Rating 4 out of 5]

Loved the haunted amusement park story.
Hope it makes another appearance in future stories about Clifton Heights.

[Steve · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's not often a collection or anthology (in books) has a wraparound, so it tends to stand out when one does. In the case of Kevin Lucia's We All Go Into the Dark, a collection of four novellas, the wraparound is exceptionally meta, with an author named Gavin Patchett being called to a lawyer's office for a reading of a will. He discovers one of the town's mysterious residents, Old Man Kretzmer, has left him a mysterious manuscript. Patchett is a bit surprised, as he's never formerly met Kretzmer, but the strange man was a fan of Patchett's work, so that's as good as reason as any. The manuscript, titled The Motor Lodge: Cabin 14 contains four novellas, all with a link to, you guessed it, Clifton Heights' local motel.

You can read my full review at Horror DNA by clicking here.