Monuments in Darkness

by Nicholas Kaufmann

This volume commemorates Nicholas Kaufmann’s twenty-five years as a writer of weird fiction, which began with the story “La Bête Est Morte” (2000). In this diverse volume of his recent tales we find narratives such as “The Fire and the Stag” and “The Fifth Horseman,” which suggest that the universe is under the control of a malevolent deity. “The Rest Is Noise” hints at the weird power of music, while “Lucienne” fuses crime and the supernatural in its tribute to Edgar Allan Poe. “Every Path Taken” draws upon H. P. Lovecraft’s “The Whisperer in Darkness” in broaching the possibility of brains kept alive outside the body. In “Whatever Happened to Solstice Young” we are introduced to a fetching young woman possibly endowed with supernatural powers; “Companion” tells of a man haunted by the ghost of his own father. And in a concluding novella of great power and richness, “General Slocum’s Gold” again melds hard-boiled crime with a grisly horror from the past. Throughout, Kaufmann’s supple prose and sensitivity to the nuances of character are shiningly evident.

Stories included:
- The Fire and the Stag
- The Rest Is Noise
- Lucienne
- Every Path Taken
- Spawning Season
- Six Strikes on a Laboratory Lightning Rod
- Whatever Happened to Solstice Young?
- Daughter of Echidna
- The Fifth Horseman
- Companion
- General Slocum's Gold

Genres: Horror

222 pages, Paperback

Published July 1, 2025

About the author

Nicholas Kaufmann is the Bram Stoker Award-, Thriller Award-, Shirley Jackson Award-, and Dragon Award-nominated author of numerous books and stories. In addition to his own work, he has written for such properties as Zombies vs. Robots, The Rocketeer, and Warhammer. He lives in Brooklyn, NY with his wife.

Reviews

[Christa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Nicholas Kaufmann is one of the best writers of short dark fiction out there, and this collection is no exception. Kaufmann’s range is on full display in Monuments of Darkness, from cosmic dread to supernatural noir. Of course I loved the Poe-inspired “Lucienne,” and “Whatever Happened to Solstice Young” is fantastic as well.

Pick this up… you won’t be sorry!

[Ben Francisco · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent collection of horror, dark fantasy, and weird fiction from a master of the genre.

Some of my favorite stories included "Every Path Taken," in which the protagonist finds herself at the mercy of a vicious professor and a quantum space-time loop; "Daughter of Echidna," a disturbing tale about a girl in an abusive home and the lessons of the Gorgons; and "The Fifth Horseman," about a series of mysterious suicides related to the archaeological excavation of an ancient mummy. I also particularly enjoyed the two stories that are original to this collection: "Six Strikes on a Laboratory Lightning Rod," which is an interesting take on the Frankenstein myth; and "Companion," a powerful tale about father-son relationships, regret, and a mysterious abandoned subway station.

These stories not only have fascinating speculative and horror elements, they also explore the complexity and contradictions of human relationships. Highly recommended!

[David · Rating 5 out of 5]

Highly recommended collection. These well-developed stories always seemed to start obliquely. I found myself surprised how several evolved and were resolved.

[Nicholas Kaufmann · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dear readers,

Thanks for taking a look at MONUMENTS IN DARKNESS, a collection of my shorter fiction that also marks my 25th year as a published author. Most of the stories come from the latter half of my career so far, the 2010s and 2020s, but the collection also contains my Bram Stoker Award-nominated novelette from 2007, GENERAL SLOCUM'S GOLD, which has never been collected before and has only been available as a standalone e-book for the past decade.

MONUMENTS IN DARKNESS also includes two brand-new stories written exclusively for this volume, "Six Strikes On a Laboratory Lightning Rod" and "Companion." One is a violent monster romp, and the other is a quiet, eerie, and personal piece. I contain multitudes!

I hope you enjoy MONUMENTS IN DARKNESS! Twenty-five years in the making, I think it contains some of my absolute best work. I hope you'll agree.

With warmest regards and deep gratitude,
Nicholas Kaufmann

[Randee Dawn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Nick’s fiction is technically horror, but it’s so character-based that the scary, occasionally gory stuff can slip by your notice. Almost. He’s full of fantastic ideas, well-researched, and doesn’t cave to happy endings – he’ll put his characters through the wringer … twice. But also compulsively readable and exciting. Horror with a small dab of literary on the side, this collection of short stories take you to dark places and leave you there until you decide that actually, you like it.