What do you think?
Rate this book
Spectral Evidence
For almost thirty years, Shirley Jackson Award-winning horror author Gemma Files has consistently served up tale after tale celebrating monstrosity in all its the imperfect, the broken, the beautifully alien and the sadly familiar. Her characters make their own choices and take their own chances, slipping from darkness into deeper darkness yet never losing their humanity--not even when they're anything but. An embittered blood-servant plots revenge against the vampires who own him; a little girl's best friend seeks to draw her into an ancient, forbidden realm; two monster-hunting sisters cross paths with an amoral holler-witch again and again, battling both mortal authorities and immortal predators. From the forgotten angels who built the cosmos to the reckless geniuses whose party drug unleashes a plague, madness, monsters and murder await at every turn. And in "The Speed of Pain," sequel to the International Horror Guild award-winning story "The Emperor's Old Bones," we find that even those who can live forever can't outrun their own crimes.... Following in the footsteps of her critically praised Kissing Carrion, The Worm in Every Heart and We Will All Go Down Together , this is the first of two new Gemma Files collections from Trepidatio Publishing, bringing together nine of her best stories from the past ten years. So whether you're returning to Files's dark dreamlands or visiting for the first time, we advise you to get ready to review the-- SPECTRAL EVIDENCE
211 pages, Paperback
First published February 16, 2018
33 people are currently reading
538 people want to read
About the author
Gemma Files
182 books727 followersPreviously best-known as a film critic for Toronto's eye Weekly, teacher and screenwriter, Gemma Files first broke onto the international horror scene when her story "The Emperor's Old Bones" won the 1999 International Horror Guild award for Best Short Fiction. She is the author of two collections of short work (Kissing Carrion and The Worm in Every Heart) and two chapbooks of poetry (Bent Under Night and Dust Radio). Her Hexslinger Series trilogy is now complete: A Book of Tongues, A Rope of Thorns and A Tree of Bones, all available from ChiZine Publications.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 31 reviews
January 31, 2019
The more I read by Gemma Files, the more I can't help but liken her to a Canadian Caitlín R. Kiernan. These are wonderful, dark, gritty, heady and sometimes terrifying stories. Powerful tales, to be sure! She is one of those writers who it saddens me that she does not get the recognition she deserves. Ah well, I am happy to have discovered her darkly disturbing worlds for myself, at least.
January 2, 2023
3 stars--overall I liked the book, though some of the stories confused me. (Likely it's me.)
A Wish from a Bone: This story made me feel dumb; I love archaeological horror, but I had difficulty picturing the place and events, making it hard to tell what was going on. Still, I enjoyed the cosmic horror.
When I'm Armoring My Belly: A melancholy story about a vampire servant.
Crossing the River: Alleycat story #1. I enjoy her voice.
Spectral Evidence: Another story I couldn't quite figure out. I love stories told through notes and research, but again, I'm not sure what happened. (Nice allusion to the Black Sloth though.)
Guising: Enjoyable changeling (or rather fey ancestry) story.
Black Bush: Alleycat story #2.
Imaginary Beauties: Canadian lesbian zombie drug dealers!
His Face, All Red: Alleycat story #3 (vampire hunters, this time).
The Speed of Pain: Being a fan can be fatal. Probably my favorite of the bunch.
A Wish from a Bone: This story made me feel dumb; I love archaeological horror, but I had difficulty picturing the place and events, making it hard to tell what was going on. Still, I enjoyed the cosmic horror.
When I'm Armoring My Belly: A melancholy story about a vampire servant.
Crossing the River: Alleycat story #1. I enjoy her voice.
Spectral Evidence: Another story I couldn't quite figure out. I love stories told through notes and research, but again, I'm not sure what happened. (Nice allusion to the Black Sloth though.)
Guising: Enjoyable changeling (or rather fey ancestry) story.
Black Bush: Alleycat story #2.
Imaginary Beauties: Canadian lesbian zombie drug dealers!
His Face, All Red: Alleycat story #3 (vampire hunters, this time).
The Speed of Pain: Being a fan can be fatal. Probably my favorite of the bunch.
July 2, 2019
Basically great-definitely a step up from her previous short story collections! A bit too much Alley Cat and the Cornish sisters, though.
July 19, 2018
My god, how did I not know about Gemma Files?! This collection was flippin' amazing! I'm definitely now a fan. She needs to become a horror household name, like Barker, Rice, or King!! These stories are sharp, imaginative, well-structured, dark, and terribly entertaining. My favorite tale was "A Wish From a Bone," a cosmic horror that draws on Sumerian mythology and cryptoarchaeology (right up my alley!). The whole collection is brilliant. Highest recommendation from me. Can't wait to read more from her.
March 1, 2025
I read Gemma Files short story in a horror collection and loved it. I was hoping for more of that caliber but unfortunately, most of the stories were just okay.
January 7, 2021
Wow! In this collection, Gemma Files excels especially at two things: strong narrative voice, and coaxing the reader along for the ride. By the end of each story's first page, I was totally on board with whatever new premise was being established. No wishy washy "is it or isn't it? IDK, you decide :) " stuff that seems popular in contemporary horror writing, just strong, exciting stories which exist in a world where their characters have seen horror movies, without veering too far into meta territory.
At first the Cornish sisters stories' recurrence was not my favorite, just because the supernatural/western mashup genre isn't particularly my bag, but the characters and mythology were well enough written to pull me in. Overall I might have preferred more non-Cornish stories, but fortunately Files has more books for me to get that taken care of. The title story also isn't quite my cup of tea, but it was a successfully executed forensic horror tale/experiment.
Short horror fiction is incredibly hard, and I was very impressed by this collection.
At first the Cornish sisters stories' recurrence was not my favorite, just because the supernatural/western mashup genre isn't particularly my bag, but the characters and mythology were well enough written to pull me in. Overall I might have preferred more non-Cornish stories, but fortunately Files has more books for me to get that taken care of. The title story also isn't quite my cup of tea, but it was a successfully executed forensic horror tale/experiment.
Short horror fiction is incredibly hard, and I was very impressed by this collection.
November 25, 2019
The title story, Spectral Evidence, is amazing. I had to read it almost three times to get all the details, to follow what was happening, and to marvel at the incredible writing ability of Gemma Files to say and noy say and yet transmit that frisson of real horror I love and have found in so few writers up to now. The rest of the stories are amazing, too, some of them in much more explicit terms and others (The Speed of Pain) in the same slowly developing horror as Spectral Evidence. I can´t express how delighted I am to have discovered this author. I read "Experimental Film", a novel, which I heartily recommend and I am going to read another collection of stories The Worm in Every Heart. Reading Ms. Files´s books is an experience I want to enjoy slowly and carefully, as if it were the best glass of wine.
dipped-in
September 14, 2019The title story is a Carmen Maria Machado-esque exercise in meta, and 'Guising' is a fun Halloween fantasy tale in the vein of Kelly Link, but most of the stories here weren't for me and didn't match up to 'Bulb' (from New Fears 2).
October 30, 2019
Si ce n'était pas du parallèle entre Supernatural et l'histoire entre les deux soeurs chaseuses, j'aurais peut-être continuer le roman... Sauf que tout compte fait, j'ai tellement de livres à dévorer et celui ci ne me passionne pas réellement... Pas avec cette histoire de sorcière et de chasseuse. Bof.
Cela dit, c'est très bien écris et je retenterais l'expérience avec cette auteur! ❤️
Cela dit, c'est très bien écris et je retenterais l'expérience avec cette auteur! ❤️
August 19, 2019
Really enjoyed the way Gemma Files used a different voice in each story that brought the story to life and gave it a unique spin. Not every story appealed to me, but there were enough masterful tales to make this well worth the read.
December 24, 2019
Plenty of creepy voice-driven stories in this collection. After a while I clamored for more scene-based stories, but that's mostly because I read these all in one sitting. I think reading these one-off would be more powerful.
April 5, 2024
This collection of (at least loosely connected? Sorta?) stories was good, but not quite as great for me as most of the rest of the stuff I've read from Files so far. Most of the stories had good bones, but there were quirks and tics that didn't quite hit for me, and some of the added "netspeak" and similar stuff generally annoyed me more than immersing me. Overall, good, but compared to what else of hers I've read, just "fine".
August 24, 2023
I really like Gemma Files. This collection of short fiction involves witchcraft, the undead, and drugs. I especially loved the story “Imaginary Beauties.” Gemma never disappoints.
4 stars ****
4 stars ****
September 2, 2020
3.5 stars for me!
I had a lot of fun with this collection and I do really enjoy Gemma Files writing style. My only complaint is that some of the Cornish sisters stories were unwelcome in the sense that i wanted some different characters to read about. I do really like the Cornish sisters and Allfair Chatwin though, but some of the other characters in her other stories felt a little underdeveloped as a result of the sisters and Chatwin taking up a big portion of the stories featured here. Let's talk about the stories!
A Wish From A Bone- Really great way to kick things off and one of the best in the collection in my opinion. An archaeological expedition turns from a little eerie to full-on batshit as they unearth a temple of Fallen Angel's. Some really great imagery here and I loved the slow unearthing of the story. 4/5
When I'm Armoring My Belly- One of my favourites as it is a shorter story but still very effective and well-written. It is about a vampire-slave getting revenge on his masters and finding his own slave after hes done this and I loved that premise and the way it was executed here. 5/5
Crossing The River- This is our first introduction to the Cornish sisters and A-Cat and I personally find it to be the weakest story featuring these characters but it is still a very good introduction to the characters and a fun story in it's own right. I love A-Cat's narrative voice as its very witty and fun to read and I loved how they escaped prison here. It's also very funny and more light-hearted which I liked. 4/5
Spectral Evidence- This is a more experimental approach to a story as it is describing a series of photographs that appear to have evidence of spirits in them, hence the title. I appreciate the different approach here but I found that it didnt stick out in my mind really due to the lack of story. 3/5
Guising- This is one of my favourites here and one of the creepiest as well. It's about a young girl who discovers a hedge and a wooded area on her property and meets a fairy friend who is more sinister than she appears. I loved how the fairy-folk could change their facial appearance and it was a creepy detail. 5/5
Black Bush- Another story featuring A-Cat and possibly my favourite of hers as I loved the setting of the dark forest and how it got more into her spells and communicating with her dead mother and demon father in order to find Samaire. 5/5
Imaginary Beauties- A very interesting and almost plausible concept of two science students creating a super form of ecstasy that causes its users to have incredible strength and eventually explode if they overdose. I really liked the premise but I found none of the characters likable and I dont think they were meant to be. 4/5
His Face, All Red- The last story featuring the Cornishes and A-Cat and my favourite along with Black Bush. I loved the vampires depicted here and the somewhat somber ending for the vampire they were hunting. It was also good to read from Dee's perspective this time around. 5/5
The Speed of Pain- Another one of the best here and surprisingly one of the creepiest. I loved the club setting and how that was the most unsettling part. The ending was also pretty great and kind of ambiguous. 5/5
Overall, this collection was a lot of fun and I really enjoyed some of the characters and the way the monsters and supernatural elements were depicted. I will definitely be reading other works from Gemma Files in the near future and it's great to see a fellow Canadian writing some good horror! Definitely recommended!
I had a lot of fun with this collection and I do really enjoy Gemma Files writing style. My only complaint is that some of the Cornish sisters stories were unwelcome in the sense that i wanted some different characters to read about. I do really like the Cornish sisters and Allfair Chatwin though, but some of the other characters in her other stories felt a little underdeveloped as a result of the sisters and Chatwin taking up a big portion of the stories featured here. Let's talk about the stories!
A Wish From A Bone- Really great way to kick things off and one of the best in the collection in my opinion. An archaeological expedition turns from a little eerie to full-on batshit as they unearth a temple of Fallen Angel's. Some really great imagery here and I loved the slow unearthing of the story. 4/5
When I'm Armoring My Belly- One of my favourites as it is a shorter story but still very effective and well-written. It is about a vampire-slave getting revenge on his masters and finding his own slave after hes done this and I loved that premise and the way it was executed here. 5/5
Crossing The River- This is our first introduction to the Cornish sisters and A-Cat and I personally find it to be the weakest story featuring these characters but it is still a very good introduction to the characters and a fun story in it's own right. I love A-Cat's narrative voice as its very witty and fun to read and I loved how they escaped prison here. It's also very funny and more light-hearted which I liked. 4/5
Spectral Evidence- This is a more experimental approach to a story as it is describing a series of photographs that appear to have evidence of spirits in them, hence the title. I appreciate the different approach here but I found that it didnt stick out in my mind really due to the lack of story. 3/5
Guising- This is one of my favourites here and one of the creepiest as well. It's about a young girl who discovers a hedge and a wooded area on her property and meets a fairy friend who is more sinister than she appears. I loved how the fairy-folk could change their facial appearance and it was a creepy detail. 5/5
Black Bush- Another story featuring A-Cat and possibly my favourite of hers as I loved the setting of the dark forest and how it got more into her spells and communicating with her dead mother and demon father in order to find Samaire. 5/5
Imaginary Beauties- A very interesting and almost plausible concept of two science students creating a super form of ecstasy that causes its users to have incredible strength and eventually explode if they overdose. I really liked the premise but I found none of the characters likable and I dont think they were meant to be. 4/5
His Face, All Red- The last story featuring the Cornishes and A-Cat and my favourite along with Black Bush. I loved the vampires depicted here and the somewhat somber ending for the vampire they were hunting. It was also good to read from Dee's perspective this time around. 5/5
The Speed of Pain- Another one of the best here and surprisingly one of the creepiest. I loved the club setting and how that was the most unsettling part. The ending was also pretty great and kind of ambiguous. 5/5
Overall, this collection was a lot of fun and I really enjoyed some of the characters and the way the monsters and supernatural elements were depicted. I will definitely be reading other works from Gemma Files in the near future and it's great to see a fellow Canadian writing some good horror! Definitely recommended!
August 21, 2022
Sadly this wasn't for me
November 16, 2019
A good story collection. I liked it even better than We Will All Go Down Together, even if one of the story groups felt unfinished to me.
A Wish From a Bone was a very good story, but it seemed to rely on information that has been in a lot of other stories, that I didn't remember very well. It ended up being enjoyable, but a little confusing.
When I'm Armoring My Belly was lovely.
Crossing the River was an entertaining read. It's kind of a Supernatural fan fiction. It's not a full-on fan fiction, but you can see the inspiration. It's good, too. More nasty witches, though.
Spectral Evidence is a really lovely, and kind of confusing story. I had a hard time the first time I read it figuring out what happened. Even now, it's a complicated story that isn't being hand-fed to you.
Guising was good but kind of sad.
Black Bush was interesting and dark. It's a continuation of the Supernatural fan fiction, but it's more holler-witch magic.
Imaginary Beauties was interesting as a zombie-apocalypse sort of story. It does not do what you ever think it's going to do.
His Face, All Red is the last of the Supernatural fan fiction set of characters. While it's a good story, the overall collection doesn't feel complete.
The Speed of Pain is a sequel to 'The Emperor's Old Bones' and pretty chilling for that.
A Wish From a Bone was a very good story, but it seemed to rely on information that has been in a lot of other stories, that I didn't remember very well. It ended up being enjoyable, but a little confusing.
When I'm Armoring My Belly was lovely.
Crossing the River was an entertaining read. It's kind of a Supernatural fan fiction. It's not a full-on fan fiction, but you can see the inspiration. It's good, too. More nasty witches, though.
Spectral Evidence is a really lovely, and kind of confusing story. I had a hard time the first time I read it figuring out what happened. Even now, it's a complicated story that isn't being hand-fed to you.
Guising was good but kind of sad.
Black Bush was interesting and dark. It's a continuation of the Supernatural fan fiction, but it's more holler-witch magic.
Imaginary Beauties was interesting as a zombie-apocalypse sort of story. It does not do what you ever think it's going to do.
His Face, All Red is the last of the Supernatural fan fiction set of characters. While it's a good story, the overall collection doesn't feel complete.
The Speed of Pain is a sequel to 'The Emperor's Old Bones' and pretty chilling for that.
August 12, 2018
I can't believe no one is talking about the Supernatural fan fiction embedded in this collection. I mean, it's wonderful, and it's very successfully extricated from its apparent roots, but Samaire and Dionne Cornish were clearly inspired by Sam and Dean Winchester. Samaire (aka Sammy) even had a girlfriend named Jesyca who died tragically before Sammy and Dionne took to the road together to hunt demons. This was some real good pre-S4 genderswap fic right here, with a kickass OC to boot.
I really enjoyed this entire collection, and I mean no disparagement in calling out the fanfic. Gemma Files is very open about being a fic writer. I just wasn't expecting it. Also, I wish SPN had ever had a character as great as Alleycat.
I really enjoyed this entire collection, and I mean no disparagement in calling out the fanfic. Gemma Files is very open about being a fic writer. I just wasn't expecting it. Also, I wish SPN had ever had a character as great as Alleycat.
April 3, 2021
Gemma Files has been a writer on my radar since day one of this blog. She’s been recommended highly by horror writers across the genre, and her work’s been published and raved since 1999. Considering how long she’s been an established name in the genre, I feel a little embarrassed to say that this is my first ever journey into Gemma Files’ work with her 2018 collection, Spectral Evidence. Short-story collections are not only a favorite medium for horror but my preferred go-to when finding a new author.
And I can tell you, reader, that this short story collection is pretty darn good.
Read the rest of the review here.
And I can tell you, reader, that this short story collection is pretty darn good.
Read the rest of the review here.
July 24, 2020
I love what this author is offering.
This was a great little collection of horror short stories, with a central series of three stories about an antagonistic pair of witches with half demon blood. It was great to see a few references to the stories and characters out of We Will All Go Down Together, another excellent collection. Reading the titular short story was a bit too soon after finishing House of Leaves so I really didn't want to fall down the footnote rabbit hole again (and they could have been printed in a larger point size /oldpersonsays )
More please!
This was a great little collection of horror short stories, with a central series of three stories about an antagonistic pair of witches with half demon blood. It was great to see a few references to the stories and characters out of We Will All Go Down Together, another excellent collection. Reading the titular short story was a bit too soon after finishing House of Leaves so I really didn't want to fall down the footnote rabbit hole again (and they could have been printed in a larger point size /oldpersonsays )
More please!
April 25, 2021
Decent writing, strong and distinct character voices. I did burn out on this collection toward the end, however. The third Cornish Sisters story turned out to just be a bridge too far, which is a shame in that old holler magic happens to be a new genre of interest for me, but I wanted more of that dark southern gothic vibe and less thinly disguised fanfic. Also, as "character voices" go, Allie Cat is definitely on the hard edge of grating.
But I'd still probably try more of Files' writing out. I think she's just more of a single dose poison for me.
But I'd still probably try more of Files' writing out. I think she's just more of a single dose poison for me.
August 27, 2019
This collection has interesting topics, original twits to some horror tropes; clear, believable voices for endearing, complex, multi-faceted characters; atmospheric, sensory settings, and description so vivid it gets under your skin.
Intrigue, adventure, sensuality, and deep-seeded chills. What more can you ask from a horror collection? This puppeteer of dark dreams has done it again.
Intrigue, adventure, sensuality, and deep-seeded chills. What more can you ask from a horror collection? This puppeteer of dark dreams has done it again.
January 2, 2025
3.5 stars rounded up. Not quite a 4 in reality, I'm feeling brutal. The thing is, I really like Gemma's writing as well, if I get an anthology and there's a Gemma Files story in there I know chances are I'm gonna have a good time. She's written some stories that have been standout-of-the-collection good and that's how I discovered her at first. But the fact of the matter is, I just feel that some of her more recent collections have just been just a bit better than this one.
That's not saying that this is bad but I do have opinions.
A Wish from a Bone - a proper ride. Worth sticking with, despite being a bit slow at the start. Some real interesting mythos/lore, which I'm not sure Gemma's ever revisited? Which would be a shame if true, because I wanted more. Some gnarly horror, a bit of body horror/gore, a bit of cosmic terror... nice. This one got a miniscule deduction from the overall score though, not because I didn't enjoy it - but because it took work to get into that I'm not sure I'd have given if I wasn't already a fan (mean, but true) and because there were some bits - a few sentences here and there - that were so opaquely written that I had no idea what was actually happening.
Crossing the River - the main reason I can't give 4 stars. I really, really don't like the Alleycat/Allfair Chatwin character. I get that she's meant to be a dislikeable protag, but something about her absolutely gets on my nerves. I really think it is something to do with her 'voice' and not just how morally vile she is, because Gemma Files does many morally vile characters - and in that I have to give her props for the very distinctive voice she created for this character. But bloody hell, I hate her. As she's central to this story and the POV character, I got about 50% through before it became a hate-read. A shame, because there's also some good ol' Gemma Files mythos/lore at work which I always want more of.
Spectral Evidence - not the strongest story, and didn't land for me. I think there's something I'm not getting. Admittedly I was still annoyed at Allfair so may not have given this my all.
Guising - Fairies. The bad kind. Fair enough.
Black Bush - More Allfair. But she's less annoying in this one! Just a little bit. Still morally reprehensible but she's in this one. We get a bit more backstory and some Files-style witches with their own lore, and a gnarly goddess type creature. Solid.
Imaginary Beauties - Something different. I don't think I've read anything quite like this/on this theme from Gemma and it's... interesting. Not my favourite but not bad. It felt like it ended mid-story though.
His Face, All Red - MORE Allfair! But also vampires. Quite fun.
The Speed of Pain - Sequel to but not as horrifying. A tiny bit meta-ish.
All in all, a solid collection, but none of the stories stand out to me as the best ones I’ve read from Gemma Files. I had fun, and a bit of rage, as I read, and yet it did feel a bit… self-indulgent, which is absolutely fine and an author’s prerogative to write what they enjoy. In my honest opinion though, I’ve had my fill of Allfair (even if she got less grating in stories 2 and 3) and didn’t feel needed a sequel – but that’s just my opinion as a reader, not as a writer. As much as I have a few whinges listed above, I also have no major dislikes from this collection, or really anything from Gemma, so would recommend if you like Gemma’s mythos/lore and way or writing. Would not recommend for people who want likeable and relatable characters though!
That's not saying that this is bad but I do have opinions.
A Wish from a Bone - a proper ride. Worth sticking with, despite being a bit slow at the start. Some real interesting mythos/lore, which I'm not sure Gemma's ever revisited? Which would be a shame if true, because I wanted more. Some gnarly horror, a bit of body horror/gore, a bit of cosmic terror... nice. This one got a miniscule deduction from the overall score though, not because I didn't enjoy it - but because it took work to get into that I'm not sure I'd have given if I wasn't already a fan (mean, but true) and because there were some bits - a few sentences here and there - that were so opaquely written that I had no idea what was actually happening.
Crossing the River - the main reason I can't give 4 stars. I really, really don't like the Alleycat/Allfair Chatwin character. I get that she's meant to be a dislikeable protag, but something about her absolutely gets on my nerves. I really think it is something to do with her 'voice' and not just how morally vile she is, because Gemma Files does many morally vile characters - and in that I have to give her props for the very distinctive voice she created for this character. But bloody hell, I hate her. As she's central to this story and the POV character, I got about 50% through before it became a hate-read. A shame, because there's also some good ol' Gemma Files mythos/lore at work which I always want more of.
Spectral Evidence - not the strongest story, and didn't land for me. I think there's something I'm not getting. Admittedly I was still annoyed at Allfair so may not have given this my all.
Guising - Fairies. The bad kind. Fair enough.
Black Bush - More Allfair. But she's less annoying in this one! Just a little bit. Still morally reprehensible but she's in this one. We get a bit more backstory and some Files-style witches with their own lore, and a gnarly goddess type creature. Solid.
Imaginary Beauties - Something different. I don't think I've read anything quite like this/on this theme from Gemma and it's... interesting. Not my favourite but not bad. It felt like it ended mid-story though.
His Face, All Red - MORE Allfair! But also vampires. Quite fun.
The Speed of Pain - Sequel to but not as horrifying. A tiny bit meta-ish.
All in all, a solid collection, but none of the stories stand out to me as the best ones I’ve read from Gemma Files. I had fun, and a bit of rage, as I read, and yet it did feel a bit… self-indulgent, which is absolutely fine and an author’s prerogative to write what they enjoy. In my honest opinion though, I’ve had my fill of Allfair (even if she got less grating in stories 2 and 3) and didn’t feel needed a sequel – but that’s just my opinion as a reader, not as a writer. As much as I have a few whinges listed above, I also have no major dislikes from this collection, or really anything from Gemma, so would recommend if you like Gemma’s mythos/lore and way or writing. Would not recommend for people who want likeable and relatable characters though!
October 17, 2024
Another short story collection, but one I hadn't previously read. As I expected, it picks up the journeys of several of Files' previously introduced characters, and continues to refine their stories both individually and within the greater context of her weird reality. The most notable entrants to the pantheon in this volume are an American trio of female characters who show up several times here. Additionally, Files revisits and ties in some outliers from one of her really notable previous tales, to sadly anticlimactic effect. When you have a near-perfect tale, you probably shouldn't f*ck with it, even to update the fans. It's not a bad story, but both as a volume closer and as a "further adventures of," I don't think it's exactly strong. I really like the cover art.
April 1, 2023
An excellent anthology! The author's love for folklore, esoterics and the abnormal is well present and further entices the reader, from the use of a sator box to the ways of the people under the hill.
The titular spectral evidence may end up feeling as the weakest of the bunch, due to the same reason it makes it stand out.
The story is epistolary horror, told through reports and many foot notes - which means tiny print that my weak eyes had some trouble with.
Given the amount of stories about Chatwin, a recurring character, it feels she may merit an anthology of just her own adventures, and would enjoy if new stories came out further exploring the world through her eyes.
The titular spectral evidence may end up feeling as the weakest of the bunch, due to the same reason it makes it stand out.
The story is epistolary horror, told through reports and many foot notes - which means tiny print that my weak eyes had some trouble with.
Given the amount of stories about Chatwin, a recurring character, it feels she may merit an anthology of just her own adventures, and would enjoy if new stories came out further exploring the world through her eyes.
September 21, 2023
Once again, Gemma Files delivers some very intense horror and thriller tales that are off the beaten path.
Her characters are intriguing and her exploration of narrative storytelling is fresh and intriguing. As usual, her multiple frames of reference are stellar and vast.
Only two stories felt a bit "weak" but the remainder deliver on a grand scale.
If you want to be "creeped out" but sick and tired of the tropes that make the horror genre mundane, give these stories a try.
Her characters are intriguing and her exploration of narrative storytelling is fresh and intriguing. As usual, her multiple frames of reference are stellar and vast.
Only two stories felt a bit "weak" but the remainder deliver on a grand scale.
If you want to be "creeped out" but sick and tired of the tropes that make the horror genre mundane, give these stories a try.
December 10, 2023
DNF @ 24%
Just a collection of the most messed up things I’ve ever read. I don’t know why I read so much of it… the first story was okay, but the rest became more and more brutal. Some things were hard to follow, but man. What kind of things live in some people’s minds? Gnarly.
Just a collection of the most messed up things I’ve ever read. I don’t know why I read so much of it… the first story was okay, but the rest became more and more brutal. Some things were hard to follow, but man. What kind of things live in some people’s minds? Gnarly.
December 14, 2023
There are some decent stories here but also some that I didn't connect with at all.
August 18, 2025
More misses than hits. Just not for me.
August 30, 2025
I did not enjoy this collection as much as I had hoped. Blood from the air was a better read.
October 30, 2020
Creo que me gustó más que las novelas que he leído de Gemma Files. Estás historias son bastante originales y aunque en este tipo de colecciones suele haber algunas obras mejores que otras, en este caso la mayoría están bastante bien.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 31 reviews