Suspended In Dusk

Suspended in Dusk #1

by Simon Dewar (Editor)

DUSK
A time between times.

A whore hides something monstrous and finds something special.
A homeless man discovers the razor blade inside the apple.
Unlikely love is found in the strangest of places.
Secrets and dreams are kept… forever.

Or was it all just a trick of the light?

Suspended in Dusk brings together 19 stories by some of the finest minds in Dark Fiction:

Ramsey Campbell, John Everson, Rayne Hall, Shane McKenzie, Angela Slatter, Alan Baxter, S.G Larner, Wendy Hammer, Sarah Read, Karen Runge, Toby Bennett, Benjamin Knox, Brett Rex Bruton, Icy Sedgwick, Tom Dullemond, Armand Rosamilia, Chris Limb, Anna Reith, J.C. Michael.

Introduction by Bram Stoker Award Winner and World Horror Convention Grand Master, Jack Ketchum.

Genres: Horror, Short Stories, Anthologies

232 pages, Kindle Edition

First published September 11, 2014

About the author

Simon Dewar was born and bred in Canberra, Australia. He lives there with his wife and 3 daughters.

Simon is the editor for the Suspended in Dusk anthology series from Books of the Dead Press.

His own fiction published in the Bloody Parchment: The Root Cellar and Other Stories, The Sea by Crossroads Press, Death’s Realm from Grey Matter Press, Morbid Metamorphosis from Lycan Valley Press and others.

By day, he is an ICT systems engineer; by night he writes, and edits, the literature of anxiety.

You may find him on twitter @herodfel

Reviews

[Char · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars!

When I saw this come up for review, I grabbed it. I've always had a fondness for anthologies and this one did not disappoint. The theme of this collection is dusk. "...dusk is the time between the light and the dark. A time between times." These tales are loosely connected by that thread. There's a nice introduction by Jack Ketchum and that made me excited to continue. Speaking of which-I'm not going to mention and rate every story, I'm going to briefly talk about the tales that stood out for me.

Shadows of the Lonely Dead by Alan Baxter: I enjoyed this tale of a hospice worker; it reminded me of John Coffey from The Green Mile. 3.5*

A Woman of Disrepute by Icy Sedgwick: This was a gothic style story with a Jack the Ripper feel. I thought this one ROCKED. 4.5*

Burning by Rayne Hall: I normally dislike tales with  lessons to be learned, but I liked this one quite a bit. It didn't shy away from the ugliness-it presented it all in its horrible glory. 4.*

Ministry of Outrage by Chris Limb: This story was wildly imaginative and I loved it. 5*

Reasons to Kill by J.C. Michael: I've read a ton of vampire tales in my time, but this one stood out just the same. I loved the idea of vampire nests. Okay, not totally original, I know, -but this nest and these vampires are a bit different than the norm. 4*

Digging Deep by Ramsey Campbell: A story about being buried alive. 'Nuff said. 5*

Hope Is Here by Karen Runge: "THE SUNSHINE GROUP: WE ARE HERE TO MAKE THE WORLD A CLEAN AND HAPPY PLACE!" This was another favorite of mine. Sadly, it doesn't feel like it's too far out of the realm of possibility at times. 5*

Would To God That We Were There by Tom Dullemond: Another story about a psycho in space. It worked for me. 4*

Negatives by Wendy Hammer: A cool tale about an abandoned amusement park with a secret. 4*



Fit Camp by Shane McKenzie: My friends have been urging me to read more from this guy. After reading this crazy story about a kid at fat camp and his great decision that went bad, I'll be doing just that. 4.5*

Quarter Turn To Dawn by Sarah Read: I don't even know what to say, this story was messed up. A hotel, a volcano and people turning into...? 4*

The Way of All Flesh by Angela Slatter: A turn the tables type of story. I enjoyed it. 4*

Overall, this was an enjoyable collection. I especially liked that there was a good number of contributions from female authors and they were GOOD. I will be tracking down to read more from these authors in the future.

Recommended to fans of anthologies featuring a wide variety of stories and authors.
 
 
Disclaimer: I was provided a free copy of this anthology to honestly review for www.Horrorafterdark.com and this is it.

[Matthew · Rating 5 out of 5]

I first stumbled upon Suspended in Dusk when I was browsing Facebook one rainy day a few months back. I can't recall which one of my friends was raving about it, but her words about it ('an emotional gut punch') piqued my interest. An emotional gut punch... sounds like something I'd like.

So I went online and had a poke around, searching for some reviews to read before I purchased it. I didn't get much further. As soon as I saw that Jack Ketchum had written an introduction to it I decided to just take the plunge and give it a go.

Best decision I've ever made.

Suspended in Dusk is, to put it simply, stunning. In both its vision, and its execution.

As soon as I started reading it I knew it was going to be good. Ketchum's introduction set the tone. Words like 'fresh' and 'auspicious debut' ramped up my excitement, and then the first story (Shadows of the Lonely Dead by Alan Baxter) brought tears to my eyes and knocked it out of the park.

I was hooked from that moment on.

As I ripped through this anthology I was taken on an extraordinary and confronting journey that explored that fascinating grey area between day and night... the dusk of our world, and of our minds. Whether it was Dullemond's harrowing tale of a human mission to Mars, or Campbell's creepy story about a man buried alive, this collection brilliantly mined that rich vein between day and night and good and evil. Like psychological horror? This anthology has it in spades. Splatterpunk? You will find enough to satisfy your thirst within its pages. Cannibals? Vampires? Monsters both human and inhuman? This anthology has you covered in every possible way.

And as I read, I was struck by just how many of the authors I'd never heard of before. Names like Karen Runge, S. G. Larner, Ben Knox and Sarah Read. All new to me as a reader, but all with absolutely remarkable stories in this book.

And therein lies the secret behind the success of this wonderful anthology. Whilst it does include household names like Ramsay Campbell, Jack Ketchum, and Angela Slatter, it also includes a good amount of unknown writers from across the world who are allowed to shine within its pages with their stories. I can't think of another anthology offhand that has replicated this, and I have a deep respect for Dewar for doing it. Every single tale stands on its own two feet, and rightfully deserves its place within the anthology. Every single story is also unique and enthralling in its own individual way. Whether it's taking a vampire story and turning it on it's head (Reasons to Kill by J. C. Michael), or fat campers donating their blubber to an evil entity (Fit Camp by Shane McKenzie), Suspended in Dusk utterly absorbs your attention and simply refuses to let you step back from it.

The editing is also superb. Most anthologies usually have a low point or two as you work your way through them, but Suspended in Dusk starts high and never falls. It is relentless, wonderfully balanced, and terrifyingly good. This is a credit to Dewar and publisher Books of the Dead, who have brought this collection together with masterful hands. I would never have known Dewar was relatively new to the industry either if it hadn't been pointed out at the start of the book.

I literally cannot fault this anthology. It was a delight to read from start to finish. Riveting, emotionally thrilling, and darkly addictive, this is the sort of book that I live for. Suspended in Dusk is THE horror anthology that we all must have on our shelves... period.

My friend was right. Emotional gut punch indeed.

5 out of 5 stars.

[Zoeytron · Rating 3 out of 5]

A good compilation of short stories in the horror vein. Nothing sent me reeling, but it's worth reading if you are of a mind. The tried and true Ramsey Campbell scores with Digging Deep. Alan Baxter's Shadows of the Lonely Dead is another standout, featuring a hospice worker who takes empathy to a whole new level. My favorite is Outside In by Brett Rex Bruton. 'The narrator laments the loss of alliteration.' Noir-ish goodness, and the ending is simply fab.

[Barry · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’ve admittedly not read a lot of anthologies. Part of the reason for this is the simple fact that any collection of various creative people’s works inevitably results in as many possible outcomes of quality. I’ve read (or tried to read) a few anthologies before, only to be sorely disappointed by the large number of stories I disliked. So it was, then, with some skepticism, that I approached editor Simon Dewar’s Suspended In Dusk.

Boy, was I not prepared for what I got.

Not just some, but most of the stories in this collection were good, if not great. And a couple of them, to be frank, were downright phenomenal.

After an impressive (and impressed) foreward by Jack Ketchum, and an informative and evocative introduction by Mr. Dewar, I was a little worried about the fact that the collection opened with Alan Baxter’s “Shadows of the Lonely Dead,” which was heartbreaking and moody, with a curveball ending that was all sorts of exquisite. Starting on such a high note was indeed a bold move; and while the next story kind of meandered, Armand Rosamilia’s “At Dusk They Come” nicely picked things up again, with some vivid imagery that neatly tied into the brilliant (and incredibly creepy) cover artwork.

A few of the other greats included Chris Lamb’s “Ministry of Outrage” (which ought to be adapted into an episode of the UK show Black Mirror, Toby Bennett’s macabre tale “Made of Bone,” and Wendy Hammer’s “Negatives,” which delivered its images with an almost cinematic flair.

Unfortunately, as was bound to be the case with an anthology, there were a few stories that didn't quite work for me. Some had strong beginnings, yet ended weakly. Others left me scratching my head at just what the heck was going on. And there were a couple of stories that were so unapologetically pessimistic and harsh that they left a foul taste in my literary mouth. Yet unmistakably, each one was very memorable and unique, and helped solidify this anthology.

And then there were the really good ones…

John Everson’s “Spirits Having Flown” was beautiful, eerie, moody, and flat-out original, and really helped hold this book on a high note. Ramsey Campbell’s “Digging Deep” (a reprint from his 2009 collection Just Behind You had me squirming where I sat, squealing aloud, for how wildly unnerving it got. And then there was J.C. Michael’s startling tale, “Reasons To Kill.” While it at first seemed to be (yet) another post-apocolyptic survivor’s tale, it quickly took an infinitely darker turn when the true nature of its McGuffin/villains was revealed; I won’t spoil it, as unfortunately other reviews have done – I’ll just insist that you read it and find out for yourself.

If slightly uneven at times, I still look back on Suspended In Dusk with high regards. This was easily one of the best anthologies of 2014, and worth a read by anybody who likes some variety in their horror. (And as of December 2015, it’s still available on Amazon for a measly $.99!)

[Quentin Wallace · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really good horror anthology. The linking thread is that all of the stories are somehow tied into dusk, whether that's when the story is set or that's when the bad things happen.

Some stories of note:

At Dusk They Come: Probably my favorite story in the collection, classic monster horror

A Woman of Disrepute: Cool Ghost Story

Reasons to Kill: Post apocalyptic vampiric horror

Negatives: Really creepy haunted carnival tale

Fit Camp: What really happens at those weight loss camps for kids?

Quarter Turn to Dawn: Aquatic zombies?

A Keeper of Secrets: Eerie, just very eerie.

As with most anthologies, some of the stories are hit and miss, but this one had more hits than misses. If you enjoy creepy short stories, especially with a supernatural edge, pick this one up.

[Bandit · Rating 3 out of 5]

Really solid anthology of horror. First time editor Dewar went for a binding theme here theoretically, although if you didn't read about it in a foreword, you might miss it. Nevertheless, very good selections from lesser known authors (I only knew 3 or so), lots of British, Australian ones. Majority of the stories was very good, reminded me of Shock Totem's selections. Excellent start and finish, mixed bag in between, with serious leanings toward literary horror and, most impressively, consistently original. Very entertaining read. Recommended.

[Mel · Rating 3 out of 5]

This had some very dark stories in it. I enjoyed most of them. A decent anthology for those who enjoy weird stories about the dark side.

[Regina · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was given a copy of this anthology to read and review honestly.
Alan Baxter’s Shadows of the Lonely Dead – lovely tale of a hospice worker who brings comfort to the suffering and dying yet left me with a most unusual chill to the bone. I will definitely watch for this author.

Anna Reith’s Taming the Stars – two viewpoints, Antoine the unfortunate young man who just happens to end up hanging out with the wrong guy, and Esther the exotic American whore who is more dangerous than she appears. This one was a little slow but still enjoyable. It reminded me a bit of the 1992 movie Innocent Blood where Anne Parillaud plays a vampire who gets mixed up with the mob.

Armand Rosamilia’s At Dusk They Come – Different. Thoughts can be dangerous, more so, deadly.
Icy Sedgwick ‘s A Woman of Disrepute – Little slow for my tastes but reminds me of a turn of last century gothic ghost/ghoul story.

Rayne Hall’s Burning – A lesson in the righteousness of hatred. Nice and twisted.

Chris Limb’s Ministry of Outrage – Insightful look at propaganda and rising through the corporate ladder. Had me reminiscing about a guy I dated back in the 80s and giggling out loud.

Toby Bennett’s Maid of Bone – The price you pay for what you desire most is never enough. Lovely little tale with a taste of the brothers Grimm.

S.G.Larner’s Shades of Memory – Religion interfering where it isn’t wanted, imposing when it should stay out of a town’s affairs. A parallel of our current state of affairs with a super-conservative government here in the US?

J.C.Michael’s Reasons to Kill – If an epidemic or apocalypse occurs, do you really know your neighbors? What about strangers moving in? I don’t, and are neighbors don’t really know my spouse and I. Makes me wonder if this just might happen.

Ramsey Campbell’s Digging Deep – A dead man who isn’t dead with a cell phone. Highly amusing and twisted tale for those who just LOVE those annoying PITA relatives who make your life miserable. Beware.

Brett Rex Bruton’s Outside In – This one had me a little confused. I felt it was trying to be sci-fi noirish but left me wanting. Maybe it needs a re-read.

Karen Runge’s Hope is Here – this one bothered me like stories of the homeless and hopeless, and cults tend to. Well done.

Tom Dullemond’s Would to God That We Were There – The trip to Mars always seems to be a long and lonely flight that really FU one’s mind. Meh.

Wendy Hammer’s Negatives – Identical twins, “…different as night and day…” head off to an abandoned amusement park for fun only to have it turn dark and nasty. I really liked this one. No one can convince me that amusement parks don’t harbor dark and evil secrets.

Shane McKenzie’s Fit Camp – There’s the tried and true but hard way to lose weight and then there’s the Fit Camp way. Insert Twilight Zone music here.

Sarah Read’s Quarter Turn to Dawn – Vacation paradise turns into Hell or something just as evil at a beach resort. Sometimes drinking one’s self into oblivion when your dream vacation goes to crap is the only way to deal with it. I’ve always believed the vodka tonics protected me from Malaria or at least feeling those mosquito and no-see-ums biting me when I lived in the Bahamian islands. Why not Tequila protecting you from the monsters outside your door? I’ve been a big fan of Sarah’s writing for a while now as she always seems to come up with wonderfully weird, twisted, and horror-filled stories to whet and appease my appetites.

Benjamin Knox’s A Keeper of Secrets – A ghostly, impish friend for a lonely, bored child trying to stay amused the weekend of her dead grandmother’s wake and funeral, that feeds off secrets. The bigger the more appetizing. Loved this and definitely want to read more of this writer’s work.

John Everson’s Spirits Having Flown – A trapper of dreams’ legacy. Unusual tale.

Angela Slatter’s The Way of All Flesh – Let’s just say that appetites of various kinds can influence one’s taste in all things and sometimes one’s eyes are definitely bigger than their tummy. Deliciously twisted. I want more from this writer.

Overall, I really enjoyed the majority of these stories. A couple of original ideas that pleasantly surprised me. I would definitely recommend this anthology to my friends and fellow readers with a discerning and dark pallet in their reading diet. Thank you Mr. Dewar for the privilege to read these gems early on.

[Maureen · Rating 4 out of 5]

I made two resolutions to do with my reading habits at the beginning of this year:

1. To read a wider range of genre fiction, including genres I am not so keen on
2. To review, read and interview a wider range of Australian authors, editors and publishers for this blog

I have pushed myself to read a bigger amount of horror and short story collections, so I jumped at the opportunity to read Simon Dewar’s new anthology Suspended in Dusk: a collection of fresh horror shorts from new and established writers. I am no horror aficionado, but as a layman on the outside looking in, this anthology has much to offer to any eager readers.

The collection features a range of horror writers from UK, USA, South Africa and Australia and includes tales of the weird, the zombie apocalypse, unexpected spirits and murder, graveyards, spraying body parts and ghosts of history past. All 19 stories are inspired and linked by the theme of ‘dusk’ – whether the literal definition of the transition from light to dark, or more metaphorical permeations of evil or the in between space between good and evil, moral and immoral, good and bad.

Highlight stories were those by Alan Baxter (on the darkness within), Anna Reith, Arman Rosamilia, J C Michael, Ramsey Campbell (with a clever take on the universal fear of being buried alive), Wendy Hammer (with her tribute to the late Ray Bradbury) and Angela Slatter (with a spin on who’s playing at villain and victim, hunted and hunter). My absolute favorite story, however, came from Brett Rex Bruton with his thoroughly post modern hard boiled crime story told out of order, featuring tongue in cheek cliches left, right and centre, and literary plot devices that were central to the crime taking place (the object of everyone’s desire is a literal maguffin in a box).

The anthology is currently 99c on Amazon, so if you like horror or short stories or just taking punts on emerging writers, this is the anthology to buy!

[Rich D. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Review copy provided by the editor in exchange for an honest review

Fall is finally here and it is my favorite season of all. I mean, I run a site called The Horror Bookshelf, so naturally October and Halloween are my favorite times of the year. Lately, I have been reading a lot of dark fiction anthologies, which make for perfect Halloween reading. My most recent review was for The New Black, a stellar anthology edited by Richard Thomas and longtime readers already know about my love of the anthologies published by Grey Matter Press. I am fairly new to the world of anthologies, but it seems like the format is becoming increasingly popular lately. Tons of new anthologies and collections are making their rise in the horror genre and television anthology series' like American Horror Story and True Detective are generating a lot of discussion among viewers.

I was excited to dive right into Suspended In Dusk, an anthology edited by Simon Dewar, after seeing the creepy cover and seeing that the introduction was written by the legendary Jack Ketchum. Suspended In Dusk features 19 stories from some incredibly talented horror writers and is loosely themed around dusk, a time where daylight fades into night and where the evils lurking in the shadows are finally unleashed. Dewar has collected a pretty diverse selection of stories for Suspended In Dusk, so there is a little bit of everything contained within its pages that will appeal to horror fans. Every reader is sure to have their own list of favorites, as all of the stories are highly entertaining and well-written, but the following stories were the ones that captured my imagination right off the bat.

"Taming The Stars" by Anna Reith is a beautifully written story that follows the paths of Michele, a man who is thrust into a shady job by his friend Antoine and Esther, a woman with a dark secret. Their two seemingly separate paths finally converge in a blood-filled encounter at the gangster Radouane's house and their lives are never the same.

"At Dusk They Come" by Armand Rosamilia is a dark tale that really stuck with me due to the choice of setting. I have lived in small towns . THe story opens with mysterious, dark figures that seem ripped straight from the stuff nightmares are made of. Glowing eyes and armed with sharp claws, these beings emerge from the woods with dark intentions and strike a deal with the narrator - offer up your neighbors and your family lives.

"Digging Deep", a story from British horror master Ramsey Campbell, is a frightening tale of a man who realizes has greatest fear has come true - he has been buried alive. Campbell's story perfectly captures the desperation and claustrophobic nature of a very terrifying scenario that will keep you flipping through the pages until you reach the story's utterly chilling conclusion.

Rayne Hall's "Burning" stood out to me because it was one of the few stories that didn't focus on the unknown or supernatural, but rather the darkness that dwells in the hearts of every day people.

Karen Runge's "Hope Is Here" follows Gary, a homeless man hears rumors of a sanctuary for those living on the street run by The Sunshine Group. They supposedly offer clean showers and hot meals in exchange for filling out a simple questionnaire that will help them assist homeless people in getting off the streets and rehabilitating their lives. Gary quickly learns that this supposedly "no strings attached" offer of assistance is too good to be true.

I am a huge fan of post-apocalyptic stories and Suspended In Dusk has a few excellent entries that cover that theme extremely well. Angela Slatter's "The Way of All Flesh" is a chilling story that focuses on a small town in the aftermath of. Sweet Bobby Tate is a predator who comes to Wolf's Briar, West Virginia in search of victims in order to combat his hunger. Sweet Bobby Tate thinks he has hit the jackpot when he stumbles across the home of sixteen-year-old Annabel Adams, but realizes much too late that he may be in over his head. This story seems to take place in the aftermath of a zombie outbreak, but the story focuses instead on how the events have changed everyday people and the lengths they must go to survive.

J.C. Michael's "Reasons To Kill" follows a band of survivors who have built a small community and have been surviving in relative comfort until a stranger moves into the community. The stranger is a bit of a recluse and makes the townspeople uneasy, but they decide to leave him in peace since he is not bothering anyone. However, when children go missing, the leaders within the community begin to suspect their newest resident is hiding something. The group starts to become unhinged when they argue over how to handle the situation and when they finally decide to investigate the newcomer's home, they make a series of horrifying discoveries that forever alters their community.

I loved Suspended In Dusk because while some of the authors that appear in the anthology are familiar to me, I was also treated to some new writers who I had never heard before. I think there is no better feeling than discovering new authors that capture everything you love in a story and Dewar's stellar anthology offers up plenty of those opportunities to horror fans. This is Dewar's first entry into the anthology world and I think he nailed it. He brought together an impressive cast of authors and crafted one hell of an anthology despite numerous setbacks along the path to publication. I will definitely be looking forward to Dewar's work in the future, both as an editor and an author. I highly recommend picking up Suspended In Dusk and giving it a read!

[Marni Scofidio · Rating 5 out of 5]

They've been saying for over forty years that horror's dead. I bet they've ('they' being either blocked horror writers or the reader equivalent of Mary Whitehouse) been saying that ever since the genre erupted nearly two centuries ago in the Gothic imagination of a precocious seventeen year old Englishwoman. Though to be accurate, horror fiction has existed since anxious humans first learned how to communicate.

I love it when the naysayers are proved wrong. Simon Dewar's new anthology, Suspended in Dusk, is a celebration not only of the far-reaching range of horror, but of its world-wide appeal. As an editor Mr. Dewar possesses the catholic tastes of the much-missed Karl Edward Wagner, who loved Jamesian ghost stories as much as he did vampires, werewolves (both had to have some original twist), and modern body horror. Quiet co-exists with graphic, urban with rural, ghosts with splatter. Dewar also possesses a keen eye for quality.

Nineteen stories for £2.58 is a pretty fine deal, too. Though not every theme is to my taste, there isn't a duff piece in the lot; if you're a zombie fan this book will put you in dead heaven. I really enjoyed Jack Ketchum's entertaining introduction which is also a bit of a horror history lesson. All the stories are beautifully written but my favourites included, in no particular order, Alan Baxter's tender and furious elegy; Karen Runge's creepy do-gooders; Sarah Read's awful sun-drenched paradise with its neat end flip; Tom Dullemond's space oddity, the kind of story that lends itself to repeated readings; and a study in terror from the magnificent Ramsey Campbell, who, after over four decades in the business, still packs a powerful punch.

Despite being American-born, I get tired of horror fiction being Americentric, as so much of the really disturbing stuff doesn't come from American pens. I'm thrilled to see great horror literature emerging from a variety of countries, as I am to see an anthology that boasts, for a change, a list of names that are new to me. Long may these trends flourish - it can only be good for both writers and readers. I look forward to seeing the future offerings of this very talented editor.

[J.C. Michael · Rating 5 out of 5]

You may think I'm only giving this book five stars because I feature in it, particularly if you are as cynical as I am. That, however, is not the case.
Suspended in Dusk is the anthology that almost never happened, it almost became Suspended in Publishing. As such Simon Dewar should be praised for his persistence in finding a publisher after two potential deals fell through. He should also be complemented on his editing, and the couple of typos (everyone has them) which crept into the early version I've just finished should be fixed by now.
More importantly Simon should be complemented on pulling together such a great set of stories. Many of them are damn right creepy, and if you don't believe me ask Jack Ketchum or Jonathon Maberry. With writers of the stature of Ramsey Campbell on board Suspended in Dusk was always going to have a value, but even the lesser well known (or virtually unknown in my case) authors hold their own in such company.
It's hard to pick a favourite for me, but whatever sub-genre of horror appeals to you the most there will be something for you here. I'm proud to be a part of this book, and hope you'll give it a shot (and leave us a review so that it isn't just contributors who have done so).

[Alan Baxter · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm biased as I have a story in this anthology, but it is superb. Trust me, you won't be disappointed.

[Majanka · Rating 4 out of 5]

Book Review originally published here: http://www.iheartreading.net/reviews/...

Suspended in Dusk is a quality anthology of dark fiction and horror stories, all of them centered around dusk. The anthology hides some gems and some mediocre stories, and they strike a good balance.

“Shadows of the Lonely Dead” starts off the collection, a story about a woman who takes in the death of all the people around her and the elderly she takes care off. An intriguing concept, and the other develops it nicely, although it packs a little much for a short story, especially with the storyline of the boyfriend thrown in. 4 stars.

The next story, “Taming the Stars” focused on two protagonists, Michele and Esther, and it had some twists I did not see coming. I found Esther especially intriguing. This was one of my favorite stories of the anthology. 4 stars.

“At Dusk They Come” was another favorite. Strange creatures appear at dusk, and leave a man with a terrifying choice. Some cool twists, and although I figured out most of them before they happened, it was still entertaining. 4 stars.

“A Woman of Disrepute” had a Jack the Ripper-like feel to it mixed with some Dorian Gray since it also focused on artists and painters. An interesting story, but not on of my favorites. It wasn’t really as creepy as I’d hoped. 3 stars.

Next up, “Burning”. I wasn’t sure what to think of that one. It showed the horrible side of humanity, but it didn’t really scare me. 3 stars.

“Ministry of Outrage” was another good one, an original, interesting concept and the execution worked well too. The ending didn’t come as a surprise, though. 4 stars.

I liked “Maid of Bone”. The protagonist was so tragic, and the scenes of her visiting the graveyard were haunting and atmospheric. 4 stars.

“Shades of Memory” wasn’t a favorite of mine. I didn’t mind the concept, which was good overall, as was the setting, but the protagonist bothered me and his choice at the end just wasn’t believable to me. 2,5 stars

“Reasons to Kill” gave an interesting spin to the whole zombie/vampire lore in a post-apocalyptic world. Loved this one. 5 stars.

“Digging Deep” is one of my favorite premature burying stories I’ve ever read – the author does an amazing job describing the main character’s panic, and the ending was just wow. The writing was excellent, and this was my favorite story from the collection. Stories about premature burials have been attempted by hundreds of authors, but it’s tricky to pull it off in a believable way. 5 stars.

“Outside In”. I didn’t like this one. I didn’t finish reading it either, the whole mixed up order of chapters confused me and I couldn’t connect to any of the characters. DNF.

“Hope is Here”. Loved this concept, unfortunately I saw the ending coming from miles away, and I kept on wondering how Many would be involved. A little dissapointing that she wasn’t then. 3 stars.

“Would to God That We Were There”. A story set in outerspace is always interesting, and I felt the protagonist’s fear and insanity seeping through the pages. 3,5 stars.

“Negatives”. I want to see this one as a book. I loved it, an amazing story about twin sisters and an abandoned theme park. I’d love to visit an abandoned theme parks, and this made me only slightly scared to visit one, hehe. 5 stars.

“Fit Camp”, also known as “Fat Camp” and the scary things that happen there. An entertaining story but not genuinely scary. 3 stars.

“Quarter Turn to Dawn” was an all right story, but I struggled to get into it. 2 stars.

“A Keeper of Secrets” was another winner for me. I liked the concept of a keeper of secrets stuck on attic. The ending was thrilling and horrifying at the same time. 5 stars.

“Spirits Having Flown”. This book deserves to be a full-length novel too. A good concept, well-executed, and great writing. 4 stars.

“The Way of All Flesh” had an interesting spin. Didn’t expect that one. 4 stars.

So all in all, I enjoyed most of the stories in this collection, some of them were amazing. I’ll definitely be on the look out for more anthologies put together by this editor.

[S.B. Wright · Rating 3 out of 5]

Whoa! Is this review overdue? Initially received before I entered into reading for the Aurealis Awards, it’s survived a couple of e-reader crashes and short fiction burnout.

A first outing for Dewar, Suspended in Dusk is a solid foray into horror short fiction with some great work from more well known names and some pleasant surprises.

It’s also the work that made me confront my own high(unrealistically so) standards for horror. I don’t now what it is but for some reason if you slap the word horror on something I expect to be horrified and really that’s an unrealistic expectation, one that’s not applied to my reading of say fantasy or science fiction. Indeed in most speculative fiction I am content to be merely entertained.

And horror can be so personal. I can remember being terrified by Dracula as a preteen but now Vampires have lost most of their horror for me. No, for me the horror is in the real. In those situations that can occur. Zombies, Vampires, Werewolves are the stuff of action tales.

So the only tale that approached that ridiculously high threshold for horror was Tom Dullemond’s Would To God That We Were There, a story about a human mission to Mars. On reflection I think its Dullemond’s ability to get the psychology right in this one that made the horror work. We are presented with protagonist who is matter of fact in telling the story. We are drip feed you details that allow us to piece together the horror just before it becomes blatant. It’s the everyday monster that we can’t see. I shivered.

If we view the work through the prism of entertaining and engaging stories Taming the Stars by Anna Reith gives the reader a different angle to the vampire milieu. It’s not that this sort of story hasn’t been written before, but I enjoyed the language and style. Likewise with Alan Baxter’s Shadows of the Lonely Dead, I saw the ending coming but sometimes you like to have some types of stories repeated, even if it’s to confirm the fantasy that justice prevails.

Interesting for its unique take on both the Post Apocalyptic and Ghost Tale genre’s is SG Larner’s Shades of Memory, sort of the Dark Tower meets MR James plus a touch of gore. It’s the first story that feels noticeably Australian to me as well.

Sarah Read’s Quarter Turn to Dawn was another case of putting a new spin on an old idea. Despite the fact that what was happening in the story was blindingly obvious, I was engaged in the story, characters and her evocative descriptions of coral zombies.

Finishing the collection with The Way of All Flesh by Angela Slatter was a judicious approach I think. So much of what I have commented upon above, is present in this story ie standard horror tropes and settings . But oh, the tone, the word choice, the register and the structure- damn near perfect. Slatter could probably write a shopping list at the moment and make it an engaging bit of art. Did it horrify me? No. But it was like drinking a fine wine, knowing you were drinking a fine wine and having all expectations met.

There were stories that didn’t grab me at all. But I’ll go back to my point about Horror being intensely personal, possibly more so than the other subgenres. The stories that stood out to me, play to my likes and preferences or were just damn good. It’s a solid collection with some standouts. A good collection for a debut editor especially around so slippery a theme as Dusk.

The review copy was provided by the editor.

[Zakk Madness · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Suspended In Dusk" is a prime example of how anthologies should be handled. Strong stories with a lineup that plays well together and keeps things moving along, like a fine mixtape for the one you love. "SiD" collects 19 pretty stellar pieces of dark fiction, most of which from authors I hadn't yet made acquaintance with, with no two stories alike. Kudos to Mr. Dewar for gathering quite an offering of diverse, quality tales, and for introducing me to some names that I'll have to keep track of. I don't recall the last time I've read a horror anthology that flowed so well without overstaying it's welcome or getting lost in its own grandeur.

This is a "jazz club, beautiful date and two fingers of whisky" kind of read, you know what I mean. Classy, not gimmicky. Those looking for an excess of quick hits and gross-outs may leave a bit unimpressed. But for readers looking for lingering spooks and cerebral haunts, intimate nightmares and fog shrouded evils then you've found the right collection.

When I crack open the cover of an anthology featuring a story from Ramsey Campbell (one of my favorite shepherd of darkness) and his tale isn't my favorite in the collection, not even in the top five.... I don't know if that means anything to you, but in my book that's high praise.

While every story here was a joy to read, the cuts that stood out and kept me thinking long after were:

-Shadows of the Lonely Dead by Alan Baxter
-At Dusk They Come by Armand Rosamilia
-Burning by Rayne Hall
-Ministry of Outrage by Chris Limb
-Reasons to Kill by J.C. Michael
-The Way of All Flesh by Angela Slatter

And while I received a review copy of this book, I also purchased an official copy. Because you have to support the art that moves you, otherwise that art goes away...

"Artists. Creatives. Art is a Lie - and the best lies are the ones that people believe."

The Mouths of Madness Podcastshow
Www.facebook.com/themouthsofmadness

[Kellie Ann · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received this book as a free read for a honest review and very honest I plan to be. I was completely blown away by this book. "Suspended In Dusk" is a anthology that covers all bases of the of a wonderful book, starting at the very beginning with a awesome introduction by famous horror writer Jack Ketchum and all the way through to the very end. With most anthologies, there are always at least one or two stories that I find I do not like or think could be a lot better, however, with "Suspended In Dusk" there is not one story that was bad! Every story was amazingly written and keeps the reader thoroughly enthralled. I highly recommend this book for those that like horror or thrillers (for this book is not for the faint of heart). "Suspended In Dusk" is one hell of a ride through the horrors of dusk to dark.

[Carrie Clevenger · Rating 5 out of 5]

When I read the concept of SID, I was like "Hell yes!" for this anthology contains some of the hottest names in Horror today. The stories are mostly grim and gruesome, with plenty of psychological terror. The stories themselves are of satisfying length, even for short stories. The cover is exquisite. The editor did a good job selecting the content authors, and the editing is of high-quality. The roster contains talent from all over: Australia, UK, US and South Africa, which has a healthy pulse of fresh voices. Overall, I suggest this to any horror author, because chances are, there's a story within tailored to your liking.

As Jack Ketchum states in his introduction—"You're in good hands here."
More from Simon's editing desk, please. Call me greedy.

[Michelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

A very enjoyable, loosely themed anthology of dark fiction. The stories err on the literary side of horror (which I prefer) but that shouldn't be taken to mean they aren't also highly entertaining.

The book contains a number of memorable tales with a range of different styles, voices and themes. The progression between stories is also well managed so that they flow effortlessly from one the other without ever feeling homogeneous.

Well worth a read for any dark fiction fan.

[G.A. Miller · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a good collection of stories, all tied in some manner to fleeting Dusk, the "time between times". Good collections of short stories are pleasant interludes, enjoyed in sips, rather than stretched or consumed in gulps.

[Joseph Patchen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Chock full of chills. Please see my full review on lurid-lit.com.

[Dan · Rating 5 out of 5]

An excellent collection with more than a few stories which stay with you long after you've read them. Recommended for anyone looking for a good dose of short horror.

[Christa · Rating 5 out of 5]

‘Suspended in Dusk’ can be described by a brief summary of Wendy Hammer’s contribution, ‘Negatives’: strap yourself in for a roller coaster ride at the carnival of death, and enjoy the macabre show!

The stories in this anthology were perfectly placed, each one offering up a slightly different take on that witching hour of partial darkness between day and night.

Alan Baxter’s ‘Shadows of the Lonely Dead,’ about a hospice worker who absorbs the dark parts of souls through a sort of osmosis, set the tone for the beautifully sinister collection, placing an emphasis on character-driven stories and the horror of human emotion.
In Anna Reith’s ‘Taming the Stars,’ a creature inadvertently turns a human into one of her kind, and is faced with the uncertainty of going forward with a partner when she’d become so accustomed to being alone.
‘At Dusk They Come,’ by Armand Rosamilia: a man in a trailer park must provide soul-eating monsters with the names of those they can feast on, but when the names begin to run dry, his wife takes over his duties, to unfortunate results. This story had that wonderful ‘damned if you do…” feel to it, reminiscent of many Stephen King short stories.
Icy Sedgwick’s ‘A Woman of Disrepute’: I enjoyed the imagery of the unforgiving waters surrounding Blackfriars Bridge, a setting that ruled and punished the unfortunates of London as much as the hooded figure at the story’s center did. Our writer protagonist has seen the creature picking off prostitutes, but when he names the apparition, he becomes the next victim.
Rayne Hall, ‘Burning’: A somewhat depressing story in terms of our current political landscape. In the wake of a tragedy, families express their regret over their neighbors burning to death in a house fire…but how regretful can they be when the Arabs absence may lead to the property owner rebuilding the site as a new church?
Chris Limb’s ‘Ministry of Outrage’ is a story with a lot of twists and turns. A man takes a job crafting news stories aimed to shock and outrage; when his artistic expression leads to a real life murder, the Ministry’s reaction is far from disappointment. “Welcome to the next level,” is one of the creepiest lines in the collection.
Toby Bennett, “Maid of Bone: Loved the atmosphere in this story. If Allie wants to be among the dead, who’s to say her sacrifices are not enough to be among the people of bone? Also, great first line: “The teeth in Allie’s pocket were chattering with the cold.”
S. G. Larner, ‘Shades of Memory’: Patrick chooses to send the woman folk of a post-apocalyptic town out of purgatory, to his own demise…a well-crafted tale.
J.C. Michael, ‘Reasons to Kill’: A great twist on the vampire trope. Sure, if your fellow humans were victims of a disease that required them to subsist on blood, one might be able to sympathize…but what if you discovered a really good reason to kill them off? If you’re this story’s protagonist, you abandon a life of relative comfort, and become a vampire-hunter…
Ramsey Campbell – Digging Deep’: I loved this story! A man is buried alive, but as luck would have it, his cell phone is in his pocket. When he calls for help, the police don’t believe him, until he finally hears sounds of a rescue mission digging down to him. The reader realizes, right at the same moment as the hapless Alan Coe, that the noise is coming from below, in the creepiest ending of the anthology.
Brett Rex Bruton, ‘Outside In’: A gangster love story written where the line between fact and fiction is blurred. Very cool concept.
Karen Runge, ‘Hope Is Here’: Homeless men are corralled within the walls of the Sunshine Group, anxious to begin a new life, but their ticket out of poverty is not the ticket they would have chosen. As a mental health counselor and advocate for social reform within mental health and substance abuse, this story isn’t far from some of the comments you see on our online newspaper articles proposing fairer treatment for those of lower socioeconomic status.
Tom Dullemond, ‘Would To God That We Were There’: A claustrophobia-inducing story about a space mission gone wrong…
Shane McKenzie, ‘Fit Camp’: Great concept! Fat campers donating fat to an evil entity! What’s more innovative and disturbing than that?!? Again, something that many in our society may very well propose…
‘Sarah Read, ‘Quarter Turn to Dawn’: Another fresh and exciting concept: fish zombies! Hell yes!
Benjamin Knox – A Keeper of Secrets’: I loved this story! A little doll-girl in an attic that thrives on secrets to survive; I was in bed reading this at the end of a long day, and went from sleepy to creeped-out within a few pages!
John Everson, ‘Spirits Having Flown’: A dream collector apprentice graduates to master… “The fake woodgrain surface came alive with twisting, writhing shades of flame, of blackness, of blood.” Loved this line!
Angela Slatter, ‘The Way Of All Flesh,’ Loved a good horror story where the tables are turned on the evil protagonist. In the world of cannibals, there’s no worse demotion than going from eater to eaten!

In summary, this anthology is well-worth the price of admission, and I am looking forward to the publication of Suspended in Dusk 2!

[Justyn · Rating 3 out of 5]

19 short stories by mostly newer horror writers about dusk—the in between moments of light and dark where things change.

“Shadows of the Lonely Dead” by Alan Baxter
A hospice worker collects the darkness from the dying, and in her relationship with her boyfriend learns about the purpose of her calling. This was a beautiful story, an examination of death, justice, and what keeps us alive. 5/5

“Taming the Stars” by Anna Reith
A monster undercover as a human working in prostitution decides to reveal her true nature while a human gets tangled up in her carnage. This was pretty visceral, not my kind of story. 2/5

“At Dusk They Come” by Armand Rosamilia
In a small town, monsters force a man to give them names for sacrifices, and the situation gets out of hand. Though a tad predictable, it kept me guessing until the end. 3/5

“A Woman of Disrepute” by Icy Sedgwick
A gothic story set in Victorian London, regarding a writer investigating a strange hooded figure in his artist friend’s painting about women jumping into the Thames. I liked the atmosphere of this one, though it felt like it could’ve been fleshed out more rather than just dropping the reveal in exposition. 3/5

“Burning” by Rayne Hall
A seven year old girl witnesses a fire in her town where the adults seem to know more than they let on. There’s a lot left to the imagination, and the close-minded townspeople reminded me a bit of Shirley Jackson’s stories in terms of their interactions. 4/5

“Ministry of Outrage” by Chris Limb
A man gets a job at the ministry of outrage to create news stories to control the public—this sci-fi/dystopian-esque story wasn’t for me, though it presented some interesting reflections on the media. 2/5

“Maid of Bone” by Toby Bennett
A woman finds her place in a cemetery and tries to satisfy the wishes of the dead. There was some nice atmosphere and description in this piece, though the plot wasn’t as captivating. 2/5

“Shades of Memory” by S. G. Larner
A priest comes to a deserted town in a world devoid of women to help their souls find peace—this was far too speculative for me, and seemed like a world that could be fleshed out more in a longer format. 1/5

“Reasons to Kill” by J.C. Michael
In the midst of a viral outbreak, neighbors band together to uncover the truth behind a stranger and the disappearances of children. This had some nice action and suspense, but felt like I’d read something like this before. 3/5

“Digging Deep” by Ramsey Campbell
A man is buried alive, and tries to reach out for help. Campbell is one of the few writers I recognize from here, and I enjoyed the tight-knit claustrophobic writing and snap ending. 4/5

“Outside In” by Brett Rex Bruton
A private detective chases down a maguffin. I found the meta reference it being a story interesting, though this wasn’t to my tastes. 2/5

“Hope Is Here” by Karen Runge
A homeless man goes to a facility to get people off the street, though his attitude isn’t received well by the staff. This was one of the standout stories, a societal reflection of an issue where it’s naïve to claim “everyone” can be helped given a certain type of help. Overall, this is a real, evocative, and gruesome story. 5/5

“Would To God That We Were There” by Tom Dullemond
A doctor in a spacecraft in Mars has to say goodbye to his colleagues. This was too sci-fi for me, and I tuned out. 1/5

“Negatives” by Wendy Hammer
Twin sisters take a trip to a deserted theme park in the middle of nowhere for a photography shoot, but end up finding a portal back in time. I liked the imagery in this story, though I questioned the not so smart choice of one of the twins which led to misfortune. 3/5

“Fit Camp” by Shane McKenzie
A fat kid gets sent to a camp to lose weight, but it’s no ordinary camp. I liked the contrast between how real and surreal it felt. 4/5

“Quarter Turn to Dawn” by Sarah Read
A beachside hotel gets overrun by creatures—sort of interesting, but nothing new. 2/5

“A Keeper of Secrets” by Benjamin Knox
After her grandmother dies, a girl discovers a tiny girl with black eyes in a trunk in the attic. I loved this one, super creepy and great atmosphere with a chiller of an ending. 5/5

“Spirits Having Flown” by John Everson
When a roommate dies, a friend uncovers a box he left behind—one full of dreams. This was an interesting concept, though felt more like a fragment of a larger narrative to be developed. 3/5

“The Way Of All Flesh” by Angela Slatter
A wanderer meets a girl with similar cannibalistic tendencies—this had interesting elements of ghosts and a possible fantasy-like world, though it felt rather vague. 3/5

Overall, Suspended in Dusk is a typical anthology with a few standouts and a few clunkers depending on one’s taste in the broad genre of horror. 3/5 stars

[Vince Darcangelo · Rating 4 out of 5]

http://transgressmagazine.com/2015/12...

There are 19 good reasons to read Suspended in Dusk, including contributions from new and veteran writers such as Ramsey Campbell, Karen Runge and Angela Slatter. But if you could only read one story in this collection, I’d direct you to Chris Limb’s “Ministry of Outrage.”

The best horror goes beyond the surface scare to uncover the darkness that lurks beneath. It’s refreshing when an author reveals something new or offers a unique perspective on something known. In “Ministry of Outrage,” Limb captures the spirit of troll-driven message boards, cyber-witch hunts and divisive political rhetoric.

Limb’s premise is startlingly simple: What if the horrific news stories we see online are fake? We’ve all wished for that to be true at some point, when confronting an atrocity so deplorable that you tell yourself it can’t be real. The ever-churning news cycle helps. Bad news disappears as quickly as it emerges. Remember the story of the stomped Pomeranian? We don’t want it to be real, and once it’s gone from the headlines, it’s easy to imagine that it never happened.

We move on to the next atrocity.

Except that sour burn in our gut remains. The venom percolates, though the snakebite is forgotten. What happens to that unresolved rage? It carries over to the next horror-show, compounding until we’re not even sure where it came from.

And when we find a deserving victim, we attack with all that self-righteous rage.

Maxwell is the narrator of Limb’s tale, and it’s his job to generate this negativity. He creates propaganda films disguised as headline news designed to enrage, and thereby control, the masses.

One such video shows protesters at the trial of an alleged child-killer. He describes the appearance of the angry mob.

“A woman’s face, contorted in anger, the light of hell burning in her eyes. The eyes. Beneath the fury there was something almost happy about them. A joy at being permitted such anger.”

That is Maxwell’s terrifying revelation. The people are already angry. It’s his job to invent a safe target at which they can direct it. Hate is not reactionary, but is rather an effect seeking a cause to justify it.

Want proof? Peruse the Facebook postings of your most partisan friends, whichever side they may support. You’ll find commentary ostensibly responding to the news of the day. But look closer. You’ll read yesterday’s anger spilling into a new vessel.

Hey, I’m no better. We’re all guilty. It’s part of being human. And that’s what makes “Ministry of Outrage” so chilling. As Maxwell’s boss explains, “Not far beneath the veneer of civilization lurk these barely human monsters.”

Spree killings. Rampage violence. Donald Trump. These are not the products of isolated events. These are not proportionate responses to reality. These are the results of aimless rage for which we seek a straw man to blame and punish.

Sartre taught us that existence precedes essence, and so it is with vindictive anger. Rage precedes reason. The time-bomb was set before its target was identified. This is as horrifying as it gets.

And this is horror fiction at its best.

I don’t mean to give short shrift to the other contributions in this anthology, such as Alan Baxter’s “Shadows of the Lonely Dead” and Anna Reith’s “Taming the Stars.” These are fabulous stories worthy of equal discussion, and you’ll find your own favorites within the pages of Suspended in Dusk.

But you may want to follow that up with some Pema Chodron.

[Sophie Yorkston · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've been wanting to read Suspended in Dusk for some time, given all the praises flying around in my social media circles. SQ Mag (the ezine I edit) competed against this anthology in a strong field for the Best Edited Work of 2014 in the Australian Shadows Awards, from the Australian Horror Writer's Association. Some of the eminent Australian speculative fiction authors even featured in both our works.

In Suspended in Dusk there's monsters in the traditional guise and monsters loosely associated with human beings. There's a tangible thread of the threat of dusk woven through this collection of thematically diverse stories, each bearing up a dark or horrific element. While the thread linking the stories is tenuous, Simon Dewar has collated some excellent pieces.

Alan Baxter's palliative care nurse protagonist drifts dreamlike through wards, compassionate and available, in Shadows of the Lonely Dead. Rayne Hall's Burning world is pure small town nightmare. Maid of Bone draws out the ostracised, the lonely in an intimate way Tony Bennett seems to know. Miriam Vale is seemingly picked straight from memory by S.G. Larner, and that phenomena where the stranger always knows best. Tom Dullemond perfectly captures the clinical detached psychopath in Would To God That We Were There. Wendy Hammer's Negatives is an excellently painted twin horror in a deserted theme park.

There's other situations that are unexpected, like vicious coral zombies and devolution, in truly abhorrent settings like fat camps. Angela Slatter turns some post-apocalyptic tropes on their heads in The Way of All Flesh. Where recognisable creatures from the dark appear, the authors have tried to give their kind a new twist, a deeper meaning.

On the whole, Suspended in Dusk is a well put-together anthology. Some of the stories are reprints, if they seem familiar, but each was a piece worth reinvigorating. As with any collection, some of the pieces had a style or voice or plot that was more appealing, but that's the downside of collected works: short stories are always compared.

Suspended in Dusk is a strong first anthology from the collaboration of Simon Dewar and Books of the Dead Press. If a creeping chill is your choice of entertainment, Suspended in Dusk won't disappoint. It is obvious why this appealed to the Australian horror community, and its follow-up anthology will be eagerly anticipated.

[Dave Versace · Rating 5 out of 5]

'Suspended in Dusk' is an outstanding collection of supernatural suspense stories. All the more so for it being edited by a first time anthologist. The story of the mountains editor Simon Dewar moved in order to get this anthology into print is worthy of its own entry in the volume. I'm pretty sure supernatural horror played a part alongside his sheer implacable force of will. I don't know if he has a basement at his house, but maybe don't go down there if you happen to be visiting.

But to the stories themselves: they're excellent. In my personal taxonomy I class them more as suspense than horror, creating a sense of unease and haunting doubt rather than going for a visceral pulse-accelerating (or heart-stopping) effect. And not all of them are supernatural, though that's the most common technique here, alongside the central motif of dusk, when the certainty of daylight begins to give way to the disquiet of night's darkness. Out of a collection of 19 stories, there were only one or two that didn't resonate with me - an amazing hit rate that puts Dewar in a class with some of the finest editors in the business as far as I'm concerned.

I won't mention every story but here are some of the highlight:

Alan Baxter's 'Shadows of The Lonely Dead' kicks off the collection strongly, with a melancholy meditation on the grief and isolation of the terminally ill, shot through with a strong sense of empathy and righteous indignation. Anna Reith follows with 'Taming the Stars', in which a drug deal goes insanely badly for a couple of grubby Parisian chancers. I loved Chris Limb's nightmarish bureaucrat in 'Ministry of Outrage', which has a horribly plausible conspiratorial heart. Stacey Larner's 'Shades of Memory' is a grim post-apocalyptic ghost story which I felt a personal connection to (it's set in a small highway township not far from where I was born). Legendary horror writer Ramsey Campbell offers up a nice take on a classic claustrophobic nightmare scenario in 'Digging Deep'. Tom Dullemond's 'Would to God That We Were There' is a wonderfully creepy account of a doomed space mission. Angela Slatter closes out the anthology with another suspenseful encounter in the wake of an unspecified apocalypse in 'The Way of All Flesh' (it's delightfully nasty).

Honestly I feel bad skipping over the stories I didn't cover. The ones I was least interested in were still strong pieces, and overall the quality was impressively high. There's little outright horror here, but there's plenty of grist for a few quality bad dreams as a result of a late-night dip into 'Suspended in Dusk'.

(Disclaimer: This collection was edited by a friend of mine, so take my review with the usual grain of salt. That said, if I didn't like it, I would just have quietly not written a review).

[Yzabel Ginsberg · Rating 4 out of 5]

[I received a copy of this book through NetGalley, in exchange for an honest review.]

Not as horrific a I expected it to be, or maybe I'm just hard to scare, at least when it comes to what tends to spook a lot of people? This said, while none of the works here jumped at me as being absolutely striking, none was abysmal either, and it was still an interesting collection of stories—some closer to "traditional" horror (zombies, vampires...), and some mixing their scary revelations with elements appearing out of tales at first. Only at first.

The ones I liked best:

"Shadows of the Lonely Dead", in which a hospice nurse can feel the impending death of her patients and take this darkness into herself, looking for a reason to this strange power of hers.

"Burning": a store burns at night, but the people of the town do not seem eager to do anything about it, nor to worry too much about the people who live there. Not a traditional horror story, but one that plays on different horrors, unfortunately so close to our world that they're made even more terrible.

"Ministry of Outrage": a secret government body engineers situations to keep the masses in control. Made scarier by the fact it's not even so far-fetched, in a conspiracy-theory kind of way.

"Digging Deep": being buried alive is probably an atavistic terror for most of us. But being rescued may be even more terrible...

"Hope Is Here": when a group taking care of homeless people also takes matters in hand, making sure that they have all the right candidates for their program.

"Negatives": creepy abandoned theme park is creepy. Twins go to a derelict place to take pictures, and find out what's on the other side of the mirror—and that dreams can so easily turn into nightmares.

"A Keeper of Secrets": when a little girl meets a fae child in the attic, and starts whispering secrets to keep her new friend strong and alive.

"The Way of All Flesh": this story about a man who comes into a small rural town has two elements that tend to fascinate me—small towns with not so innocent inhabitants, and a flesh-eating killer.

Other stories worth mentioning, even though they may not be the ones I'll remember in the long term: "Fit Camp", "Maid of Bones", "At Dusk They Come". Overall this anthology is a good pick, especially if you scare more easily than I do. 3.5 stars, rounded to 4.

[M.L. Roos · Rating 5 out of 5]

Today's Five Star Editor: Simon Dewar for Suspended in Dusk.Shadows of the Lonely Dead: Alan Baxter: Justice, love and passion are twisted together in a brilliant litany of words that tell me, yes there is a God. Beautifully done.
At Dusk They Come: Armand Rosamilia: Loved this story. My favourite one of the bunch. The way the story unfolds is at a steady pace, told about things unseen in the night, with a scintillating twist at the end. Very well done. This one stuck with.
A Woman od Disrepute: Icy Sedgwick: Reminded me of a Jack-the-Ripper-esque tale, yet more than that. The writing was subdued and mellow, and very clear, although written like it was from another era.
Burning: Rayne Hall: A story, unfortunately, fit for our times. It made me uncomfortable, and I guess writing should do that.
Ministry of Outrage: Chris Lamb: This story made me laugh. The absurdity of the news media or government controlling the population by playing on people's fears and emotions. That could never possibly happen, right? Nice, tight little piece that reminded me of 1984.
Hope is Here: Karen Runge: Very bleak, well-written tale of Hope, and what the cost of Hope is, in a society filled with a diversity of nature.
Negatives: Wendy Hammer: An eventful trip to an abandoned amusement park.
Fit Camp: Shane McKenzie: Loved this story. Macabre and amusing, and an easy way out.
Overall, this is a really great read. Take the time to sip slowly on evert tale. Do not devour the book whole, for you will miss the subtlety of hour that lies beneath the surface of Dusk. Simon Dewar did an outstanding job of piecing together these authors with these stories.

[A Reader's Heaven · Rating 4 out of 5]

(I received a free copy of this book from Net Galley in exchange for an honest review.)

DUSK
A time between times.
A whore hides something monstrous and finds something special.
A homeless man discovers the razor blade inside the apple.
Unlikely love is found in the strangest of places.
Secrets and dreams are kept… forever.
Or was it all just a trick of the light?

A cracking anthology containing stories by authors I hadn't read previously (other than Icy Sedgwick and Ramsey Campbell and I have to say I was very impressed with the collection that has been put together.

As anyone knows (those who read horror anthologies, anyway) filling a collection like this rarely has a completely likeable table of contents - we all have our different tastes but this collection was about as close to ticking all the boxes for me.

Stand out stories included:

Ministry of Outrage by Chris Limb;
Digging Deep by Ramsey Campbell;
Hope is Here by Karen Runge; and
A Woman of Disrepute by Icy Sedgwick

While these were the standouts, the others were certainly 3-4 star stories as well.

Thoroughly enjoyed this!!


Paul
ARH