Daydreams and Nightmares

by Katherine Haynes, David Longhorn (Contributor)

Katherine Haynes has written over thirty original and memorable ghost stories which have appeared in numerous anthologies and magazines. Daydreams and Nightmares, her first published collection, contains seven new previously unpublished stories.

144 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2014

Reviews

[Tina Rath · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an excellent collection of previously unpublished short stories by Katherine Haynes. I have to declare an interest, and say that I know the author, but my judgement would have been the same if I had not.
The stories range from the deceptively cosy – The People Collector – which might have a happy ending, but then – might not - to the downright scarily horrific with its deceptively nursery-rhyme title The Butcher, the Baker, the Candlestick Maker. One – and I won’t spoil the nasty but delicious sense of recognition that it offers is an homage to the Master M R James, another is a very disturbing science fiction story – possibly. With this writer it is not easy to be sure of anything. You may think you are watching your footing, but suddenly the solid earth is whipped away and you are left struggling for a foothold while murmuring the equivalent of “Well, I wasn’t expecting that!” although, come to think of it I should have been.
The author always plays fair, never leaving you asking yourself ‘What on earth happened there?’ but never descends to cliché or stereotype. In a genre where it is not easy to be original the stories are different, disturbing and delightful in equal measure.

[William Miller · Rating 4 out of 5]

This nice collection of short ghost stories is both subtle and straightforward. Ms. Haynes riffs on familiar themes like the Demon Barber of Fleet Street, but adds a twist and her own unique voice to this story and others. I believe this is her first published collection, and is now apparently out of print and quite difficult to locate. But if you can find a copy, you'll find an author who has no difficulty drawing the reader directly into her world, which is by turns, cunningly deadly and unrelentingly haunted.

[David · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you read this book you will notice (being perceptive) that I wrote the intro. So...

Katherine Haynes has been writing stories for many years. She claims that she's been publishing for thirty years, in fact, which suggests that she began in very early childhood, if not a previous incarnation.
As an editor and as a friend (the two are not mutually exclusive) I've long been impressed by Katherine's capacity for sheer hard work. All her fiction is distinguished by well-crafted prose, economical characterisation, and efficient plotting. Her best work is imbued with a cool, detached , slightly cynical view of human nature. This is particularly true of 'Encapsulated' (a disturbing 'science fantasy' of the sort pioneered by Ray Bradbury, Richard Matheson and Robert Bloch) and 'Mother's Own Ghost Story', which has a deceptively innocuous title.
In this collection, Katherine offers keen insights into our sometimes petty human concerns , and contrasts them with the threat -or, occasionally, the promise- of intervention by phenomena beyond our ken and control. And several contrasting stories also show how easily she slips between genres and styles. Thus 'The Butcher, The Baker, The Candlestick-Maker' offers a rather Grand Guignol view of life in contemporary Brighton, while 'The Cupped Hands' is a well-realised tribute to the great Arthur Machen.
You will note that – in accordance with horror tradition - some characters seem to get what's coming to them. Yet sometimes a victim is just that and nothing more, as in 'The People Collector'. That, it seems, is life – or afterlife. But, while clear-sighted about human failings, Katherine's view of feline nature is a little fuzzier – see 'The Lure of the Copse'. And the plot of 'A Good Try' pivots on a classic work by that cat-lover, M. R. James.
I hope you enjoy these stories as much as I have, gentle reader. Settle down, in the right surroundings, perhaps with a glass of something moderately potent to hand, and let them speak to you in their quiet but insistent voices. And – as shadows lengthen – bear in mind that, since they are fiction, nothing recounted in theses pages will happen to you. In all likelihood.

[Carole Tyrrell · Rating 4 out of 5]

I must admit to a slight bias in that I know the author but this is a great little collection. It’s the first from Katherine Hynes who has long been a stalwart of the small press. These are all unpublished tales and they were all very enjoyable.
The book has a very arresting and intriguing cover. A dizzying staircase that seemed to resemble a Moebius strip. This would have made me want to investigate further even if I hadn’t heard of the author.
There are 7 tales in this collection and all are well crafted and subtle. From the sly, vanishing trick of ‘The People Collector’, and the down at heel ambience of Brighton and the forlorn remnant of the West Pier in ‘The Butcher, the Baker and the Candlestick Maker’. As with most collections there are some stories that stand out more than others and a particular favourite was ‘A Good Try’ with its echoes of MR James and its unpleasant end for an unpleasant character. I also enjoyed ‘Mother’s Own Ghost Story’ with its unusual and effective method of haunting. It was also a pleasure to renew my acquaintance with Jones , a character who has featured in other tales from Katherine.
A good introduction to Haynes’ work and hopefully there will be a second collection before too long.