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The Black Crow Book of Best New Horror Volume 1
Not yet published
Expected 3 Mar 26- GenresHorror
200 pages, Hardcover
Expected publication March 3, 2026
2 people are currently reading
103 people want to read
About the author
Olivie Blake
46 books17.2k followersOlivie Blake is the pseudonym of Alexene Farol Follmuth, a lover and writer of stories, many of which involve the fantastic, the paranormal, or the supernatural, but not always. More often, her works revolve around what it means to be human (or not), and the endlessly interesting complexities of life and love.
Olivie has penned several indie SFF projects, including the webtoon Clara and the Devil with illustrator Little Chmura and the viral Atlas series. As Follmuth, her young adult rom-com My Mechanical Romance releases May 2022.
Olivie lives in Los Angeles with her husband and new baby, where she is generally tolerated by her rescue pit bull.
Olivie has penned several indie SFF projects, including the webtoon Clara and the Devil with illustrator Little Chmura and the viral Atlas series. As Follmuth, her young adult rom-com My Mechanical Romance releases May 2022.
Olivie lives in Los Angeles with her husband and new baby, where she is generally tolerated by her rescue pit bull.
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Displaying 1 of 1 review
December 3, 2025
As soon as it was possible to do so, I had this book on pre-order. The table of contents reads like a who's who of modern horror, and I have eagerly followed Black Crow PR, and engaged on blogtours and cover reveals with them over the years. For them to expand into publishing, is brilliant news for readers and writers alike and this anthology not only cements them as premier attractors of the biggest names, the cover, the end papers and design is bespoke and gorgeous (designed by contributer Rian Hughes!).
The contents are-
It Gets Everywhere' by Lisa Tuttle-You will never unplug a drain, plug hole or feel something in your mouth, again, without thinking of this story of love, loss and regret. But mostly hair.
'Drop Shock' by Ally Wilkes
Good LORD does this get dark! Think of the viral threads post the 'Women Going Into Space' debacle, crossed with reality TV and isolation on an island. How far will you go to win?
'Muses' by Lily Kade-Possibly my favourite in the anthology-if I was held at gunpoint to choose,but please don't !-male authors and their fascination with youth keeping their ideas young and fresh,is given a nasty twist with vengeance being sweet and to be savoured.
'Ghost Hunt' by Adrian Tchaikovsky
A ghost experience which lingers far beyond this world, this takes the paranormal beyond our realm, but also brings something back with it. Privilege and class have rarely been skewered so neatly and viciously.
'The Midnight Burn' by T.L Huchu
The migrant experience is given a completely new look courtesy of ancient, own voices terror and rituals . Superb and haunting.
'The Butchers Of Puckley Village' by V.Castro
English folk horror with extra splatter, few do it better than V!
'Tell Me I'm Scrumptious' by Olivie Blake
Fan service taken to the nth level, obssession and validation are seen through the eyes of an obsessed fan meeting her childhood crushnas an adult, and just how far delusion will take you to get what you want , and need, to own .
'The Compensation' by Ramsey Campbell
When a holiday goes horribly wrong, and you end up far from where you are supposed to, a half built hotel becomes the least of your worries, in this folkloric lay over from horror's grand maester.
'The Other Brother' by Rian Hughes
Memory and wanting to hold onto the feeling something gave you are explored to chilling effect in this tale of a book, half remembered, that takes the trope of being read to, as a child, to a chilling conclusion.
'Stay In Touch' by Lindy Ryan
A Southern grande dame at the end of her days plans her funeral with her fellow nursing home residents. Short, sweet and satisfying as all hell!
'Mr Perfect' by Susi Holiday
First person narration from a male perspective as a man who felt he could never pull the girl of his dreams, changes beyond all recognition to accommodate his beloved.
'Bow Knee Lake' by Tim Lebbon
A neo noir horror tale about being careful on nature hikes, enclosed within a tale of eco horror, I absolutely loved Tim's contribution to the anthology!
'Back Sliding' by Clay McLeod Chapman
A child's perspective of how mental illness is changing her mother, or is it possession? A moving meditation on what whether her family are doing to contain her is symptomatic of patriarchal ownership, and acceptance of bodily change eg the menopause or whther possession by evil is the inevitable answer.
What I enjoyed so much about this anthology is the representation of non white, cis male authors and an even spread of people who identify themselves as women.
The way they stories flow into each other shows that a lot of care has been taken with how the rhythm of the story flows into the next one. They aren't all on the same theme, all were commissioned for this anthology and will not have been read anywhere else.
This is a book made by true lovers of the genre and publishing as well, and I love it, roll on Book 2!!!
The contents are-
It Gets Everywhere' by Lisa Tuttle-You will never unplug a drain, plug hole or feel something in your mouth, again, without thinking of this story of love, loss and regret. But mostly hair.
'Drop Shock' by Ally Wilkes
Good LORD does this get dark! Think of the viral threads post the 'Women Going Into Space' debacle, crossed with reality TV and isolation on an island. How far will you go to win?
'Muses' by Lily Kade-Possibly my favourite in the anthology-if I was held at gunpoint to choose,but please don't !-male authors and their fascination with youth keeping their ideas young and fresh,is given a nasty twist with vengeance being sweet and to be savoured.
'Ghost Hunt' by Adrian Tchaikovsky
A ghost experience which lingers far beyond this world, this takes the paranormal beyond our realm, but also brings something back with it. Privilege and class have rarely been skewered so neatly and viciously.
'The Midnight Burn' by T.L Huchu
The migrant experience is given a completely new look courtesy of ancient, own voices terror and rituals . Superb and haunting.
'The Butchers Of Puckley Village' by V.Castro
English folk horror with extra splatter, few do it better than V!
'Tell Me I'm Scrumptious' by Olivie Blake
Fan service taken to the nth level, obssession and validation are seen through the eyes of an obsessed fan meeting her childhood crushnas an adult, and just how far delusion will take you to get what you want , and need, to own .
'The Compensation' by Ramsey Campbell
When a holiday goes horribly wrong, and you end up far from where you are supposed to, a half built hotel becomes the least of your worries, in this folkloric lay over from horror's grand maester.
'The Other Brother' by Rian Hughes
Memory and wanting to hold onto the feeling something gave you are explored to chilling effect in this tale of a book, half remembered, that takes the trope of being read to, as a child, to a chilling conclusion.
'Stay In Touch' by Lindy Ryan
A Southern grande dame at the end of her days plans her funeral with her fellow nursing home residents. Short, sweet and satisfying as all hell!
'Mr Perfect' by Susi Holiday
First person narration from a male perspective as a man who felt he could never pull the girl of his dreams, changes beyond all recognition to accommodate his beloved.
'Bow Knee Lake' by Tim Lebbon
A neo noir horror tale about being careful on nature hikes, enclosed within a tale of eco horror, I absolutely loved Tim's contribution to the anthology!
'Back Sliding' by Clay McLeod Chapman
A child's perspective of how mental illness is changing her mother, or is it possession? A moving meditation on what whether her family are doing to contain her is symptomatic of patriarchal ownership, and acceptance of bodily change eg the menopause or whther possession by evil is the inevitable answer.
What I enjoyed so much about this anthology is the representation of non white, cis male authors and an even spread of people who identify themselves as women.
The way they stories flow into each other shows that a lot of care has been taken with how the rhythm of the story flows into the next one. They aren't all on the same theme, all were commissioned for this anthology and will not have been read anywhere else.
This is a book made by true lovers of the genre and publishing as well, and I love it, roll on Book 2!!!
Displaying 1 of 1 review