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Come Sing for the Harrowing
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Expected 21 Apr 26The newest collection from award-winning writer, Dan Coxon, Come Sing for the Harrowing is a terrifying menagerie of the strange and weird. Unsettling, poignant, and always masterfully crafted, these 16 stories are a feast of folk horror where the fine line between the mundane and the malevolent is blurred beyond repair.
With five never-before-published stories as well as tales featured in publications such as Beyond the Veil and Great British Horror 7, this collection is a tour de force from one of the most talented rising stars in the horror fiction landscape.
With five never-before-published stories as well as tales featured in publications such as Beyond the Veil and Great British Horror 7, this collection is a tour de force from one of the most talented rising stars in the horror fiction landscape.
260 pages, Paperback
Expected publication April 21, 2026
8 people are currently reading
1380 people want to read
About the author
Dan Coxon
49 books74 followersDan Coxon is an award-winning editor and writer based in London. His non-fiction anthology Writing The Uncanny (co-edited with Richard V. Hirst) won the British Fantasy Award for Best Non-Fiction 2022, while his short story collection Only The Broken Remain (Black Shuck Books) was shortlisted for two British Fantasy Awards in 2021 (Best Collection, Best Newcomer). In 2018 his anthology of British folk-horror, This Dreaming Isle (Unsung Stories), was shortlisted for a British Fantasy Award and a Shirley Jackson Award. His short stories have appeared in various anthologies, including Nox Pareidolia, Beyond the Veil, Mother: Tales of Love and Terror and Fiends in the Furrows III. His latest anthology - Isolation - was published by Titan Books in September 2022.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 41 reviews
January 31, 2026
thank you to netgalley and the publisher's for providing me with this ARC copy.
someone tell why do i have such bad luck with arcs? i went into this super eager, thinking it would be just what i needed; a refreshing collection of short stories, specifically horror, to get me out of this slump. it sounded super intriguing and like a quick easy read. no, it really wasn't.
overall this just felt like such a mixed collection. some of the short stories made no sense, seeming like they had been thrown together through a quick idea, having no real plot, nor ending. there were a rare few which did really interest me, but majority did not.
the first five for so stories were desperately boring, and despite the foreword claiming they said more than full length novels, i would beg to differ. sometimes the 'message' was painstakingly obvious. other times it was random plot points thrown together with an ambiguous ending masked as 'horror'. whilst i did find some of the later short stories to be interesting, the vast majority had me bored and confused, as if coxon dreamed them up one night and just couldn't come up with an ending for his premise.
my favourite's from the collection were 'the darkness below' - an eerie short story which blurs the lines of reality and shows a glimpse of a crazed father having delusions about his son, but leaves the readers pondering who they truly believe. a very interesting story that was SO well done, compared to the title piece which was confusing and should not have made the cut. i enjoyed 'bodies on the dance floor', however, like many of the other short stories, the ending was not well thought out and ended in an abrupt way to make for a dramatic shift.
another favourite was for me was 'clockwork' - a psychological horror of somebody losing their father and discovering an automaton he created and buried, which they then rebuild to relive the day they murdered their father.
these two stories that i enjoyed the most showcased that when coxon leaned into the psychological horror side of the stories and they were a bit more thought out, he can create really good stories. however, when the stories were clearly only written from a brief spark of inspiration and haphazardly ended either far-fetched or ambiguously, the product was much worse. leaving your ending on a broad cliffhanger only works so many times.
overall, this collection had a few interesting highlights that definitely stood out, but there were so many short stories in here that really didn't hit that i can't rate this higher.
someone tell why do i have such bad luck with arcs? i went into this super eager, thinking it would be just what i needed; a refreshing collection of short stories, specifically horror, to get me out of this slump. it sounded super intriguing and like a quick easy read. no, it really wasn't.
overall this just felt like such a mixed collection. some of the short stories made no sense, seeming like they had been thrown together through a quick idea, having no real plot, nor ending. there were a rare few which did really interest me, but majority did not.
the first five for so stories were desperately boring, and despite the foreword claiming they said more than full length novels, i would beg to differ. sometimes the 'message' was painstakingly obvious. other times it was random plot points thrown together with an ambiguous ending masked as 'horror'. whilst i did find some of the later short stories to be interesting, the vast majority had me bored and confused, as if coxon dreamed them up one night and just couldn't come up with an ending for his premise.
my favourite's from the collection were 'the darkness below' - an eerie short story which blurs the lines of reality and shows a glimpse of a crazed father having delusions about his son, but leaves the readers pondering who they truly believe. a very interesting story that was SO well done, compared to the title piece which was confusing and should not have made the cut. i enjoyed 'bodies on the dance floor', however, like many of the other short stories, the ending was not well thought out and ended in an abrupt way to make for a dramatic shift.
another favourite was for me was 'clockwork' - a psychological horror of somebody losing their father and discovering an automaton he created and buried, which they then rebuild to relive the day they murdered their father.
these two stories that i enjoyed the most showcased that when coxon leaned into the psychological horror side of the stories and they were a bit more thought out, he can create really good stories. however, when the stories were clearly only written from a brief spark of inspiration and haphazardly ended either far-fetched or ambiguously, the product was much worse. leaving your ending on a broad cliffhanger only works so many times.
overall, this collection had a few interesting highlights that definitely stood out, but there were so many short stories in here that really didn't hit that i can't rate this higher.
January 29, 2026
Reeking with a visceral, weird beauty - each of these jellybean-like tales explore a wide variety of subjects and takes. The author has used different techniques to “spice it up” so it never feels monotonous.
To me it felt a lot like the show: “love, death and robots” and I devoured this - even as someone who reads collections quite slowly.
The writing is incredibly "flavorful": it gives you these quick, sharp nuggets of imagery and world that stay with you long after the story ends. The prose feels expensive and intentional; it completely avoids clinical dryness in favor of a weird beauty that I found addictive.
A few personal favourites:
• "Needles and Pins" & "From the Earth": These were stunning. The world-building is explained so quickly yet feels both grounded while at the same time, horribly ancient.
• "A Broken Vessel": Deeply evocative and expertly plotted for such a short length. Impeccable.
• "The Darkness Below": Set in the caves, this captured that "soaking-wet" - is it or isn’t it - changeling type of folk horror dread that I always find delightful.
• "London Deep": A Lovecraftian surprise that leans into the "unusual doctrine" and "weirdness" that makes speculative fiction interesting. Was not expecting this in this collection.
• "Gorphwysfa": Strange, multifaceted, and the kind of story that leaves you ruminating long after you've put the book down. I can think of karma or passed down curses and the story leaves the reader to ponder through what happened.
I would’ve written a short review of every one of them as they were that good, but for a collection this good, the drawback is that some will always get overshadowed by some others. But that is a problem of plenty which is always a good problem to have!!
The sheer variety, imagination and the "underlying skeleton" of the world-building kept me completely compelled. If you are looking for a collection that feels like a dark, intricate artifact, this is a must-read.
It kind of felt like Chicken Soup for the Ghoul!!
Thanks to Netgalley for the eARC :)
To me it felt a lot like the show: “love, death and robots” and I devoured this - even as someone who reads collections quite slowly.
The writing is incredibly "flavorful": it gives you these quick, sharp nuggets of imagery and world that stay with you long after the story ends. The prose feels expensive and intentional; it completely avoids clinical dryness in favor of a weird beauty that I found addictive.
A few personal favourites:
• "Needles and Pins" & "From the Earth": These were stunning. The world-building is explained so quickly yet feels both grounded while at the same time, horribly ancient.
• "A Broken Vessel": Deeply evocative and expertly plotted for such a short length. Impeccable.
• "The Darkness Below": Set in the caves, this captured that "soaking-wet" - is it or isn’t it - changeling type of folk horror dread that I always find delightful.
• "London Deep": A Lovecraftian surprise that leans into the "unusual doctrine" and "weirdness" that makes speculative fiction interesting. Was not expecting this in this collection.
• "Gorphwysfa": Strange, multifaceted, and the kind of story that leaves you ruminating long after you've put the book down. I can think of karma or passed down curses and the story leaves the reader to ponder through what happened.
I would’ve written a short review of every one of them as they were that good, but for a collection this good, the drawback is that some will always get overshadowed by some others. But that is a problem of plenty which is always a good problem to have!!
The sheer variety, imagination and the "underlying skeleton" of the world-building kept me completely compelled. If you are looking for a collection that feels like a dark, intricate artifact, this is a must-read.
It kind of felt like Chicken Soup for the Ghoul!!
Thanks to Netgalley for the eARC :)
November 30, 2025
*Thanks to NetGalley, CLASH, and Dan Coxon for this ARC. This review contains my honest, authentic thoughts and opinions.*
4.5 rounded up. These stories were hella unsettling. I read somewhere that they have Midsommar vibes, and they absolutely do. It was like the equivalent of that phobia people have of a bunch of holes? The creepy-crawly feeling was pervasive throughout this collection. I will definitely read more from Coxon.
4.5 rounded up. These stories were hella unsettling. I read somewhere that they have Midsommar vibes, and they absolutely do. It was like the equivalent of that phobia people have of a bunch of holes? The creepy-crawly feeling was pervasive throughout this collection. I will definitely read more from Coxon.
January 5, 2026
Come Sing For The Harrowing by Dan Coxon is a dark and immersive horror anthology that delves into spirits, witches, folklore, and unsettling fantasies, keeping the reader thoroughly entertained from beginning to end. Each story stands apart with its own distinct tone and idea, making the collection feel fresh and unpredictable throughout. What truly works in its favor is the author’s ability to craft complete, impactful narratives within a limited space, never letting the horror feel rushed or shallow. It is difficult to single out a favorite because every story offers something unique—some chilling, some eerie, and others deeply atmospheric. A few tales are so richly imagined that they easily have the potential to be expanded into full-length novels. Overall, this anthology stands out as one of the most engaging and entertaining horror reads of 2025, appealing to readers who enjoy variety, dark imagination, and well-executed short-form horror storytelling.
Read more at https://bibliophileverse.blogspot.com...
Read more at https://bibliophileverse.blogspot.com...
November 17, 2024
Dan Coxon surprises, unnerves, and - mostly importantly - scares with this fabulous short story collection. I'm still mulling over which stories are my favourites but it's a very strong collection in general, with great variety in style and subgenre.
October 17, 2024
Come Sing for the Harrowing is a new, wonderfully weird horror-based short story collection by Dan Coxon. There were several really good stories in here. I found I appreciated the slightly longer ones more than the stories that were just a few pages. I particularly loved “Bring Them All Into The Light,” “The Darkness Below,” “A Broken Vessel,” and “Bumblethatch.” A story doesn’t have to be long to be good and Coxon does an excellent job in demonstrating that in a lot of these tales. Some of his descriptions alone were chilling. However, there were quite a few tales that ended abruptly just as I felt they were getting started. I found myself saying “heyyyyy” several times when a story would just end. My main complaint was that he occasionally changed the names of characters by accident. A character named Jack was later referred to as Jake. A character named Kirstie was referred to several times as Katie and then it changed back to Kirstie for the rest of the story. It kind of jerked me out of the story and it happened in one of the best ones. Coxon played with folk horror, revenge horror, psychological horror, grief horror, and even toyed with some sci-fi horror. Overall, this collection had a little bit of everything for a horror lover. Special thanks to Goodreads for the free copy. 3/5 stars
January 1, 2026
"Come Sing for the Harrowing" is a relentless anthology where each story is more horrifying than the last. Coxon preys on the fear of the unknown, masterfully blending Lovecraftian dread with modern folk horror.
The standout for me was "From the Earth," an unsettling, melancholy story about a young girl who hears the voice of god.
The standout for me was "From the Earth," an unsettling, melancholy story about a young girl who hears the voice of god.
October 8, 2024
A gorgeously powerful and often disturbing collection of tales where the uncanny feelings are delivered brilliantly. Strongly recommended!
Full review - https://www.runalongtheshelves.net/bl...
Full review - https://www.runalongtheshelves.net/bl...
January 6, 2025
Coxon has a gift for creepy stories, but unfortunately all too often he starts from a shaky conceit - his skills enable him to do great things with those, and yet you can't really have great stuff when the foundations are wobbly. Still, these shots of dread are well worth reading, so four stars it is.
December 11, 2025
With thanks to the author, publishers CLASH Books, and NetGalley for providing me with a DRC of this book in exchange for my honest review.
A nice little collection of fun and quirky short horror stories. None especially scary, and really probably more supernatural than horror I would say, but entertaining nonetheless and overall a quick and enjoyable read.
A nice little collection of fun and quirky short horror stories. None especially scary, and really probably more supernatural than horror I would say, but entertaining nonetheless and overall a quick and enjoyable read.
December 7, 2025
Thank you NetGalley for the ARC
An easy read, I had fun! It was a nice quick collection with some pretty creative story ideas, although some felt a bit half-baked or not fleshed out enough, and a couple followed a prescriptive bait and switch premise as a vehicle for the horror to start.
An easy read, I had fun! It was a nice quick collection with some pretty creative story ideas, although some felt a bit half-baked or not fleshed out enough, and a couple followed a prescriptive bait and switch premise as a vehicle for the horror to start.
December 27, 2024
Full review at Happy Goat Horror:
https://happygoathorror.com/2024/12/1...
Dan Coxon does not disappoint with this collection of short horrors that had me thoroughly entertained from start to end.
https://happygoathorror.com/2024/12/1...
Dan Coxon does not disappoint with this collection of short horrors that had me thoroughly entertained from start to end.
September 15, 2024
The best part about being a publisher is being the first to read an incredible book. That is the case with Dan Coxon's newest collection of short horror fiction, "Come Sing for the Harrowing." It's at times touching, gruesome, and thought-provoking, but the language is visceral and the imagery haunting.
"Come Sing for the Harrowing" - A boy works a summer job at an off-brand theme park and gets more attention than he bargained for.
"The Wives of Tromisle" - One woman's quest to find closure after the death of her child brings her to a remote island with a strange overseer.
"Bring Them All Into the Light" - A family on vacation finds a perfect spot for building...but what they build conjures power beyond their imagination.
"Bumblethatch" - Revenge is sweet, especially for one teen girl's otherworldy heartthrob.
"A Broken Vessel" - When a group of thieves take on an easy job to steal from an older home, they have no idea of the hidden strings that are attached.
"Vile Jelly" - A violent act. A terrible price to pay. A strange tale ripped from the background of one of Shakespeare's great plays.
"From the Earth" - Arwen has a gift that keeps her a prisoner in her small town. But can she learn to use it to waken one who will set her free?
"Bodies on the Dance Floor" - A young man bumps into an old friend from school in a busy bar. But their conversation turns strange as it becomes clear that nothing is what it seems to be.
"Clockwork" - A young woman has a strange compulsion to dig up an unidentifiable object she finds in her late father's garden.
"The Darkness Below" - One father's tale about taking his wife and children on an excursion to a cave. But what goes in is not necessarily what comes back out.
"Long Gone (Slight Return)" - A found-footage record about mysterious disappearance of a famous rock star as told by his closest friends.
"In Flickering Light" - A videophile and filmmaker reflects on the missed love of his life and her obsession with a strange movie.
"Gorphwyfsa" - The same spot, but in two different times. Yet, there is one thing that binds them—a malevolent and vengeful force.
"Grains of Sand" - Tep is a modern mummy looking for love in all the wrong places. But when he finds Daisy, could it be he's finally found true love at last?
"London Deep" - One man's search for his missing brother will take him on a journey into the weird.
"Beyond the Beach, the Trees" - A vacation to a tropical paradise sours quickly when one man is approached by a familiar stranger bearing a dead friend's face.
"Come Sing for the Harrowing" - A boy works a summer job at an off-brand theme park and gets more attention than he bargained for.
"The Wives of Tromisle" - One woman's quest to find closure after the death of her child brings her to a remote island with a strange overseer.
"Bring Them All Into the Light" - A family on vacation finds a perfect spot for building...but what they build conjures power beyond their imagination.
"Bumblethatch" - Revenge is sweet, especially for one teen girl's otherworldy heartthrob.
"A Broken Vessel" - When a group of thieves take on an easy job to steal from an older home, they have no idea of the hidden strings that are attached.
"Vile Jelly" - A violent act. A terrible price to pay. A strange tale ripped from the background of one of Shakespeare's great plays.
"From the Earth" - Arwen has a gift that keeps her a prisoner in her small town. But can she learn to use it to waken one who will set her free?
"Bodies on the Dance Floor" - A young man bumps into an old friend from school in a busy bar. But their conversation turns strange as it becomes clear that nothing is what it seems to be.
"Clockwork" - A young woman has a strange compulsion to dig up an unidentifiable object she finds in her late father's garden.
"The Darkness Below" - One father's tale about taking his wife and children on an excursion to a cave. But what goes in is not necessarily what comes back out.
"Long Gone (Slight Return)" - A found-footage record about mysterious disappearance of a famous rock star as told by his closest friends.
"In Flickering Light" - A videophile and filmmaker reflects on the missed love of his life and her obsession with a strange movie.
"Gorphwyfsa" - The same spot, but in two different times. Yet, there is one thing that binds them—a malevolent and vengeful force.
"Grains of Sand" - Tep is a modern mummy looking for love in all the wrong places. But when he finds Daisy, could it be he's finally found true love at last?
"London Deep" - One man's search for his missing brother will take him on a journey into the weird.
"Beyond the Beach, the Trees" - A vacation to a tropical paradise sours quickly when one man is approached by a familiar stranger bearing a dead friend's face.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Come Sing For The Harrowing is a collection of folk horror stories from Dan Coxon. In my experience, it is rare to find a collection that is very consistent in quality - typically, there are a few stand out stories, but Coxon manages to hit a dependable tone and quality throughout.
The stories collected here often have very classical horror settings – a haunted house, a remote coastal town, a dilapidated farm, insular communities, abandoned tunnels beneath a city – but manages to do them in a fresh way that doesn’t feel trite or cliché. The tension builds well, often from very mundane starts (a family stumbling on a cottage for sale whilst on holiday, a woman visiting her estranged mother) and typically end in an ambiguous way, allowing the reader their own interpretation of the story. In general, the stories have a classical feel, but with modern language, similar in quality and style to the standalone statements in The Magnus Archives, for example.
Despite the very consistent quality, there were still some stand outs for me, more speaking to my own taste in horror stories. These include:
• Bring Them All Into the Light – This story starts with a family on holiday, driving on a remote country road, when they pass a cottage for sale. They immediately fall in love with the place, sell their house and move in. It’s a great tale of obsession and negligence, as the father becomes enamoured with a quiet hilltop that is on the cottage lands.
• Our Sister of Blackthorn – This is a very urban take on the insular community frequently found in folk horror, set in a crumbling council estate. It is almost Joel Lane-esque in its depiction of urban decay and squalor, and it is told in an inventive way, with the primary characters being a true crime podcaster and their interviewee
• Clockwork – One of the darker stories, despite (depending on interpretation), nothing supernatural occurring, with the horror being more psychological. It features a woman, who, after her abusive father’s death, finds a Victorian automaton buried beneath his garden.
• The Darkness Below – Probably the darkest story, and another psychological horror. A family goes on holiday to Cheddar Gorge, and visits one of the caves there. Their son goes missing briefly during the visit, and after he is found, the father has an uncanny sense that he is not the same person.
The stories collected here often have very classical horror settings – a haunted house, a remote coastal town, a dilapidated farm, insular communities, abandoned tunnels beneath a city – but manages to do them in a fresh way that doesn’t feel trite or cliché. The tension builds well, often from very mundane starts (a family stumbling on a cottage for sale whilst on holiday, a woman visiting her estranged mother) and typically end in an ambiguous way, allowing the reader their own interpretation of the story. In general, the stories have a classical feel, but with modern language, similar in quality and style to the standalone statements in The Magnus Archives, for example.
Despite the very consistent quality, there were still some stand outs for me, more speaking to my own taste in horror stories. These include:
• Bring Them All Into the Light – This story starts with a family on holiday, driving on a remote country road, when they pass a cottage for sale. They immediately fall in love with the place, sell their house and move in. It’s a great tale of obsession and negligence, as the father becomes enamoured with a quiet hilltop that is on the cottage lands.
• Our Sister of Blackthorn – This is a very urban take on the insular community frequently found in folk horror, set in a crumbling council estate. It is almost Joel Lane-esque in its depiction of urban decay and squalor, and it is told in an inventive way, with the primary characters being a true crime podcaster and their interviewee
• Clockwork – One of the darker stories, despite (depending on interpretation), nothing supernatural occurring, with the horror being more psychological. It features a woman, who, after her abusive father’s death, finds a Victorian automaton buried beneath his garden.
• The Darkness Below – Probably the darkest story, and another psychological horror. A family goes on holiday to Cheddar Gorge, and visits one of the caves there. Their son goes missing briefly during the visit, and after he is found, the father has an uncanny sense that he is not the same person.
November 30, 2025
Hmm.
I’ll be honest I expected a lot more from this collection of short stories than I was given. The description was quite misleading. I wouldn’t call these folk-horror, not even horror if I’m to be honest. Nothing bone chilling or eerie, or even anything leaving me in a stupor of “what the hell”.
The writing itself didn’t do much for me either. The stories were somehow too short and too crowded at the same time. There was a habit of dumping way too much information right at the start, leaving me floundering. Why do I have to know the names of every single character in the first paragraph? The endings also came abruptly. It must have been in the attempt to leave the reader shocked and unsettled, but I felt nothing of that sort. Just a constant miss. A story would end and I was just like okay… I guess that’s it then.
Going back to the horror aspect. I’d say it’s less horror and more so loose themes of the supernatural. A bit of folk, others demons or ghosts, and one oddly enough, containing fish people. Perhaps that falls under eldritch? Anyways a lot of this felt uninspired and lackluster to put it frankly. There was only one story here that I liked, this being ‘The Darkness Below’. Wouldn’t recommend reading the entirety of this book and maybe just hopping around and seeing which takes your fancy.
Thank you to NetGalley for the arc!
I’ll be honest I expected a lot more from this collection of short stories than I was given. The description was quite misleading. I wouldn’t call these folk-horror, not even horror if I’m to be honest. Nothing bone chilling or eerie, or even anything leaving me in a stupor of “what the hell”.
The writing itself didn’t do much for me either. The stories were somehow too short and too crowded at the same time. There was a habit of dumping way too much information right at the start, leaving me floundering. Why do I have to know the names of every single character in the first paragraph? The endings also came abruptly. It must have been in the attempt to leave the reader shocked and unsettled, but I felt nothing of that sort. Just a constant miss. A story would end and I was just like okay… I guess that’s it then.
Going back to the horror aspect. I’d say it’s less horror and more so loose themes of the supernatural. A bit of folk, others demons or ghosts, and one oddly enough, containing fish people. Perhaps that falls under eldritch? Anyways a lot of this felt uninspired and lackluster to put it frankly. There was only one story here that I liked, this being ‘The Darkness Below’. Wouldn’t recommend reading the entirety of this book and maybe just hopping around and seeing which takes your fancy.
Thank you to NetGalley for the arc!
January 20, 2026
Come sing for the Harrowing is a series of short horror stories, set in our modern world, but with elements of both myths, urban legends and other aspects of the paranormal.
This is my first time reading Dan Coxons writing, and I really enjoyed his writing style. It is down to earth and straight foreward, which really works well with the way he is sneeking the supernatural horror element into the story page by page.
I am not the most experienced horror reader, but this is for sure the kind of scary stories that is right up my alley. In every short story we meet with seemingly orinairy people, living ordinairy life. The horror seeps in page by page, almost taking you by surprise and often with a unexpected twist at the end.
As with any short story collection, there will be some stories that work better then others. This books has several five star tales that made the hairs on my neck stand up, as well as some that I found just okey. But over all this was a very enjoyable read.
I also think this is the perfect book to pick up to read one story at the time, instead of plowing trough it like a novel. For me this was the perfect companion on my daily commute to work.
Thank you to Clash books and Netgalley for the eArc of this book that I recieved in exchange for an honest review.
This is my first time reading Dan Coxons writing, and I really enjoyed his writing style. It is down to earth and straight foreward, which really works well with the way he is sneeking the supernatural horror element into the story page by page.
I am not the most experienced horror reader, but this is for sure the kind of scary stories that is right up my alley. In every short story we meet with seemingly orinairy people, living ordinairy life. The horror seeps in page by page, almost taking you by surprise and often with a unexpected twist at the end.
As with any short story collection, there will be some stories that work better then others. This books has several five star tales that made the hairs on my neck stand up, as well as some that I found just okey. But over all this was a very enjoyable read.
I also think this is the perfect book to pick up to read one story at the time, instead of plowing trough it like a novel. For me this was the perfect companion on my daily commute to work.
Thank you to Clash books and Netgalley for the eArc of this book that I recieved in exchange for an honest review.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Read an Advanced Copy through Netgalley.
This was my first time reading a short story collection and it was absolutely fantastic. This is definitely a book I'm going to buy for my shelves to return to later - I'm most likely going to preorder it. Each piece was entirely unique, with the use of so many different styles and concepts. Some were more folk horror than others, but I would rate 5 stars to most of this collection individually, which I'm very impressed by! Coxon writes in such a cinematic way that as an artist I felt inspired to draw or paint several scenes described - in particular his descriptions of scent are so visceral that I found myself feeling queasy at times. I really think this collection has something for every horror lover - as a fan of eldritch creatures and plots that are open for interpretation, I felt very well fed. My personal favourite pieces are the titular story, 'Vile Jelly' and 'In Flickering Light'.
I really think this would be great for someone who is new to the horror genre and looking to discover their tastes - it definitely gave me a better understanding of what kind of scary I'm into! It was a really fun and refreshing read, despite the chills up my spine! I did make the choice to finish this pretty late at night, and am genuinely a bit concerned that elements from some of these might follow me into my dreams.
This was my first time reading a short story collection and it was absolutely fantastic. This is definitely a book I'm going to buy for my shelves to return to later - I'm most likely going to preorder it. Each piece was entirely unique, with the use of so many different styles and concepts. Some were more folk horror than others, but I would rate 5 stars to most of this collection individually, which I'm very impressed by! Coxon writes in such a cinematic way that as an artist I felt inspired to draw or paint several scenes described - in particular his descriptions of scent are so visceral that I found myself feeling queasy at times. I really think this collection has something for every horror lover - as a fan of eldritch creatures and plots that are open for interpretation, I felt very well fed. My personal favourite pieces are the titular story, 'Vile Jelly' and 'In Flickering Light'.
I really think this would be great for someone who is new to the horror genre and looking to discover their tastes - it definitely gave me a better understanding of what kind of scary I'm into! It was a really fun and refreshing read, despite the chills up my spine! I did make the choice to finish this pretty late at night, and am genuinely a bit concerned that elements from some of these might follow me into my dreams.
January 15, 2026
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC!
On paper, this is just my kind of book (no pun intended). I am an absolute tragic for folk horror- it’s just the right blend of menace, the unknown, and that very specific era of Hammer films where everyone was doing rituals in the woods. I did find, however, that this collection didn’t quite take me where I wanted to be.
One critical issue was that so many of the stories cut off. We got an existential threat, but they didn’t quite come through with as much scare factor as I would have liked, and it just made for some rather disappointing endings. I do think quite a few of these stories could have been longer form and we could have had a bit more meat on the bones.
The characters as well were a little too underwhelming for my taste, and I could have done with a bit more about them so I cared about them more.
There were, however, some absolutely stunning entries. One particular standout was dedicated to Cheddar Gorge, and had just the right level of ‘Lair of the White Worm’ nastiness. I would love to see a longer piece of work from this author in a similar vein- I feel like it would just scratch the right itch.
On paper, this is just my kind of book (no pun intended). I am an absolute tragic for folk horror- it’s just the right blend of menace, the unknown, and that very specific era of Hammer films where everyone was doing rituals in the woods. I did find, however, that this collection didn’t quite take me where I wanted to be.
One critical issue was that so many of the stories cut off. We got an existential threat, but they didn’t quite come through with as much scare factor as I would have liked, and it just made for some rather disappointing endings. I do think quite a few of these stories could have been longer form and we could have had a bit more meat on the bones.
The characters as well were a little too underwhelming for my taste, and I could have done with a bit more about them so I cared about them more.
There were, however, some absolutely stunning entries. One particular standout was dedicated to Cheddar Gorge, and had just the right level of ‘Lair of the White Worm’ nastiness. I would love to see a longer piece of work from this author in a similar vein- I feel like it would just scratch the right itch.
December 5, 2025
Thank you to NetGalley and CLASH Books for the ARC of this book
Come Sing for the Harrowing by Dan Coxon is a short collection of eerie stories broadly under the category of folk horror. The title story, in particular, feels very much referential to your Wickerman or The Ritual, with isolated cults, transforming bodies and something old lurking in the trees. Some stories, like ‘Bubmblethatch’ and ‘From the Earth’, have more of a dark fairytale vibe with creeping children and grotesque fables about how you should be nice to said children. Alongside references to Shakespeare, Lovecraft and Poe, this collection feels like a love letter to uncanny folklores and weird mythologies.
The stories are bite-sized, occasionally ending abruptly and leaving me wishing for more. Though these stories have the imaginative and infected seeds of horror, some definitely could have been given more time to grow into trees.
Come Sing for the Harrowing by Dan Coxon is a short collection of eerie stories broadly under the category of folk horror. The title story, in particular, feels very much referential to your Wickerman or The Ritual, with isolated cults, transforming bodies and something old lurking in the trees. Some stories, like ‘Bubmblethatch’ and ‘From the Earth’, have more of a dark fairytale vibe with creeping children and grotesque fables about how you should be nice to said children. Alongside references to Shakespeare, Lovecraft and Poe, this collection feels like a love letter to uncanny folklores and weird mythologies.
The stories are bite-sized, occasionally ending abruptly and leaving me wishing for more. Though these stories have the imaginative and infected seeds of horror, some definitely could have been given more time to grow into trees.
December 11, 2025
I thought this was an interesting collection of folksy, gruesome, grim horror. It reminded me a lot of a podcast I love--The Magnus Archives--for anybody who's familiar with that. My favorite stories were "A Broken Vessel," a group of thieves encountering a supernatural horror; "Clockwork," a young woman digging up gears and parts from a garden in the wake of her father's death; "Vile Jelly," a very gross Shakespeare reference. The collection succeeded in creeping me out! This would be great to read on a dreary November day.
I'm giving this 3/5 because the pacing was a little too abrupt for me to be fully invested in the world of each story. Most of the stories felt a little too short, or wrapped up a little too quickly. I'm thinking about Stephen King's "Night Shift" and how those grabbed my attention more (although I actually think I liked the concepts less than this collection), and I think there's a difference in style that gives you a feeling of more background/context into the world. Perhaps it's partly because in "Come Sing," the stories tend to feel like they have a very similar setting and point of view, with less variety.
Read in advance thanks to NetGalley!
I'm giving this 3/5 because the pacing was a little too abrupt for me to be fully invested in the world of each story. Most of the stories felt a little too short, or wrapped up a little too quickly. I'm thinking about Stephen King's "Night Shift" and how those grabbed my attention more (although I actually think I liked the concepts less than this collection), and I think there's a difference in style that gives you a feeling of more background/context into the world. Perhaps it's partly because in "Come Sing," the stories tend to feel like they have a very similar setting and point of view, with less variety.
Read in advance thanks to NetGalley!
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Ooooh this was a goodie! Awesome mix of supernatural, cosmic, folkloric weirdness and horror.
A few standouts were:
“Bring Them All Into the Light”, where a man compulsively builds a house of worship (to which god or creature is the question), abandoning everything else in his pursuits.
“The Darkness Below”, actually gave me chills. A family on vacation explores an ancient cave system, but it’s not clear if they’re the same upon exiting as who they were when they entered.
“London Deep”, follows a family member of a missing person. They were trying to fix an architectural problem at one of their sites and disappeared. As we find out more info about the land below the building and what might have happened, the story gets more and more disturbing.
Definitely an awesome collection to check out if you want a good variety of sub-genres that are eerie, well written, and keeps you thinking long after the last page.
Thank you to NetGalley, the author, and CLASH books for a copy!
A few standouts were:
“Bring Them All Into the Light”, where a man compulsively builds a house of worship (to which god or creature is the question), abandoning everything else in his pursuits.
“The Darkness Below”, actually gave me chills. A family on vacation explores an ancient cave system, but it’s not clear if they’re the same upon exiting as who they were when they entered.
“London Deep”, follows a family member of a missing person. They were trying to fix an architectural problem at one of their sites and disappeared. As we find out more info about the land below the building and what might have happened, the story gets more and more disturbing.
Definitely an awesome collection to check out if you want a good variety of sub-genres that are eerie, well written, and keeps you thinking long after the last page.
Thank you to NetGalley, the author, and CLASH books for a copy!
January 18, 2026
These were short and unsettling stories that blended real life with folk horror and myth, history and common tropes. Definitely a lot of body horror and gore in here that made me feel squeamish, just what you want a collection of short horror stories to do. The writing style was fluid and, at times, lyrical, which I think added nicely to the collections short and simple flair. Overall, I liked a lot of these stories, particularly Grains of Sand which appealed to the Egyptologist degree! I wouldn't say that this type of horror is exactly for me, I like unsettling but I'm not a huge fan of body horror and gore, but that is just a personal preference. I know a lot of people who would love this collection and I'm looking forward to recommending it to them!
Thank you to NetGalley and CLASH Books for the ARC for this collection!
Thank you to NetGalley and CLASH Books for the ARC for this collection!
November 21, 2025
“Come Sing For The Harrowing” - Dark and Beautiful, like my soul.
★★★★★
Thank you Netgalley for providing me with an ARC for his novel.
Not having read anything by this author before I basically went in blind. The premise of eerie short stories, with a hint of folklore was enough to get my attention. After finishing this book I can say Dan Coxon has a way with words that give his stories the ability to weave themselves into my soul, leaving a mark. Each story is unique and beautifully written. They feel like enchanting, dark, horrible tales with hints of folklore and an undeniably charm, leaving you guessing and pondering, wondering if there’s something more lurking between the veils.
★★★★★
Thank you Netgalley for providing me with an ARC for his novel.
Not having read anything by this author before I basically went in blind. The premise of eerie short stories, with a hint of folklore was enough to get my attention. After finishing this book I can say Dan Coxon has a way with words that give his stories the ability to weave themselves into my soul, leaving a mark. Each story is unique and beautifully written. They feel like enchanting, dark, horrible tales with hints of folklore and an undeniably charm, leaving you guessing and pondering, wondering if there’s something more lurking between the veils.
December 11, 2025
Come Sing for the Harrowing by Dan Coxon is an anthology of folk horror stories that also leans into gothic and cosmic horror. While only a few of the stories I felt could use more time to flesh them out, the majority were done very well for the short amount of time they were allotted. Coxon does an excellent job of providing a collection of tales that feature a variety of settings, periods of time, and cast. The stories definitely delivered on the horror aspects it advertises. This would be a great read during spooky season to quickly get you into the mood.
Thank you, CLASH Books, for providing me this book for review consideration via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.
Thank you, CLASH Books, for providing me this book for review consideration via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.
January 25, 2026
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
I honestly don’t know which of the stories are my favorite from this collection. I do think that some of the stories were a little too abrupt to the point I wasn’t just left with a feeling of wanting more, but rather, that Coxon may have just not known how to end the story. There were also a few continuity errors with names, but I could overlook that. I think that it was super interesting and honestly really cool to be able to thread a common theme throughout so many horror sub-genres and make it feel cohesive. This is probably my favorite short story horror collection of the year.
I honestly don’t know which of the stories are my favorite from this collection. I do think that some of the stories were a little too abrupt to the point I wasn’t just left with a feeling of wanting more, but rather, that Coxon may have just not known how to end the story. There were also a few continuity errors with names, but I could overlook that. I think that it was super interesting and honestly really cool to be able to thread a common theme throughout so many horror sub-genres and make it feel cohesive. This is probably my favorite short story horror collection of the year.
December 1, 2025
This was a really solid, creepy collection of folk horror stories! I know a short story is good when I wish it was a full-length novel, and there were several stories in here that fit the bill.
I really enjoyed the unique spin the author put on folk horror here - so often when people hear folk horror they think cults and weird rituals, but there’s way more to the genre than that, it can be the dance floor at a disco or a work house turned retirement home.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC in exchange for my honest review!
I really enjoyed the unique spin the author put on folk horror here - so often when people hear folk horror they think cults and weird rituals, but there’s way more to the genre than that, it can be the dance floor at a disco or a work house turned retirement home.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC in exchange for my honest review!
January 24, 2026
In spite of my expectations, not all of these stories qualify as “folk horror,” and unfortunately not all of them work. But most of them do, and some of them are very good.
Favorites were “Bring Them All Into the Light,” “Long Gone (Slight Return),” and the lovecraftian “London Deep.” Special shoutout to the jet black humor of the title story and the ending of “The Darkness Below.”
Overall, a much stronger collection than Coxon’s first. I’m excited to see what he comes up with next.
Thanks to Clash Books for the ARC.
Favorites were “Bring Them All Into the Light,” “Long Gone (Slight Return),” and the lovecraftian “London Deep.” Special shoutout to the jet black humor of the title story and the ending of “The Darkness Below.”
Overall, a much stronger collection than Coxon’s first. I’m excited to see what he comes up with next.
Thanks to Clash Books for the ARC.
October 15, 2024
Dan Coxon is a fascinating short story specialist whose impressive body of work straddles the supernatural, the uncanny, the weird and Folk Horror. His great strength lies in the fact he is impossible to pigeonhole, with his work effortlessly encapsulating odd events which occur in daily life, threats the countryside holds, odd trips into historical fiction, families in crisis, strange encounters and, of course, the occasional creature. Coxon uses subtlety before bangs, often smoothed over with a level of reflection and melancholia, raising his work above genre writers and edging into more literary areas.
You can read Tony's full review at Horror DNA by clicking here.
You can read Tony's full review at Horror DNA by clicking here.
December 26, 2024
Each story is a painting, meant to evoke a feeling more than anything else. Rad the book in one sitting.
I appreciate the book for the raw little morsels of emotion it throws at us, these impeccable lines planted to keep you going.
"I've slept too long. I do not belong here."
"But still the fact remained: I had made a man."
"It's no wonder people hate you."
I appreciate the book for the raw little morsels of emotion it throws at us, these impeccable lines planted to keep you going.
"I've slept too long. I do not belong here."
"But still the fact remained: I had made a man."
"It's no wonder people hate you."
August 8, 2025
Fans of horror will find a lot to enjoy in this collection - my particular favourites involved a family trip to Cheddar Gorge that went wrong, one where a chaps worries about what happened to his missing brother and one where an Ancient Egyptian seems to be working at Tesco Metro. Plenty to enjoy, so if the rumour of a rerelease in the Autumn of 2025 is true, I highly recommend it.
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