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The Valancourt Book of Horror Stories #3
The Valancourt Book of Horror Stories: Volume Three
Variant Tiki Cover
Since 2005, Valancourt Books has earned a reputation as one of the foremost publishers of lost and rediscovered classics, reissuing more than 400 unjustly neglected works from the past 250 years. In this third volume of horror stories, the editors of Valancourt Books have selected fifteen tales (and one macabre poem) – all by Valancourt authors – for this new collection featuring horror from the 19th, 20th, and 21st centuries. This volume features previously unpublished contributions by Steve Rasnic Tem, Eric C. Higgs, and Hugh Fleetwood, as well as thirteen other tales that have never or seldom been reprinted.
In this volume, you will encounter tales of ghosts, haunted houses, black magic, monsters, demonic babies, and vengeful spirits. Stories of the strange and sinister, of a boy who unwisely disobeys his grandfather's warning never to go up the stairs, a man whose apparently irrational terror of fire proves all too justified, an unpopular man who discovers a shocking new way of making friends, an ancestor who exerts a chilling influence from beyond the grave. With stories ranging from frightening to horrific to weird to darkly humorous, by a lineup of authors that includes both well-known masters of horror fiction and acclaimed authors of literary fiction, this is a horror anthology like no other.
Table of Contents
Foreword by James D. Jenkins and Ryan Cagle
Don't Go Up Them Stairs (1971) by R. Chetwynd-Hayes
Courage (1918/1941) by Forrest Reid
Pete Barker's Shanty (1898) by Ernest G. Henham
The Parts Man (2018) by Steve Rasnic Tem
The Face in the Mirror (1903) by Helen Mathers
The Life of the Party (2013) by Charles Beaumont
The Poet Gives His Friend Wildflowers (2018) by Hugh Fleetwood
Monkshood Manor (1954) by L. P. Hartley
Blood of the Kapu Tiki (2018) by Eric C. Higgs
On No Account, My Love (1955) by Elizabeth Jenkins
Underground (1974) by J. B. Priestley
Mr Evening (1968) by James Purdy
Mothering Sunday (1960) by John Keir Cross
The Bottle of 1912 (1961) by Simon Raven
“With What Measure Ye Mete . . .” (1906) by Ethel Lina White
Beelzebub (1992) by Robert Westall
Since 2005, Valancourt Books has earned a reputation as one of the foremost publishers of lost and rediscovered classics, reissuing more than 400 unjustly neglected works from the past 250 years. In this third volume of horror stories, the editors of Valancourt Books have selected fifteen tales (and one macabre poem) – all by Valancourt authors – for this new collection featuring horror from the 19th, 20th, and 21st centuries. This volume features previously unpublished contributions by Steve Rasnic Tem, Eric C. Higgs, and Hugh Fleetwood, as well as thirteen other tales that have never or seldom been reprinted.
In this volume, you will encounter tales of ghosts, haunted houses, black magic, monsters, demonic babies, and vengeful spirits. Stories of the strange and sinister, of a boy who unwisely disobeys his grandfather's warning never to go up the stairs, a man whose apparently irrational terror of fire proves all too justified, an unpopular man who discovers a shocking new way of making friends, an ancestor who exerts a chilling influence from beyond the grave. With stories ranging from frightening to horrific to weird to darkly humorous, by a lineup of authors that includes both well-known masters of horror fiction and acclaimed authors of literary fiction, this is a horror anthology like no other.
Table of Contents
Foreword by James D. Jenkins and Ryan Cagle
Don't Go Up Them Stairs (1971) by R. Chetwynd-Hayes
Courage (1918/1941) by Forrest Reid
Pete Barker's Shanty (1898) by Ernest G. Henham
The Parts Man (2018) by Steve Rasnic Tem
The Face in the Mirror (1903) by Helen Mathers
The Life of the Party (2013) by Charles Beaumont
The Poet Gives His Friend Wildflowers (2018) by Hugh Fleetwood
Monkshood Manor (1954) by L. P. Hartley
Blood of the Kapu Tiki (2018) by Eric C. Higgs
On No Account, My Love (1955) by Elizabeth Jenkins
Underground (1974) by J. B. Priestley
Mr Evening (1968) by James Purdy
Mothering Sunday (1960) by John Keir Cross
The Bottle of 1912 (1961) by Simon Raven
“With What Measure Ye Mete . . .” (1906) by Ethel Lina White
Beelzebub (1992) by Robert Westall
228 pages, Paperback
First published October 2, 2018
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December 11, 2018
THE VALANCOURT BOOK OF HORROR STORIES: VOLUME THREE is the latest entry in Valancourt Books' excellent anthology series. I certainly hope they continue this outstanding tradition next year!
What I like best about all of these anthologies is the fact that I haven't read any of the stories before. Introducing me to new authors, some I enjoy, some not so much, Valancourt has expanded my reading horizons and for that, I will always be grateful.
I can't get into all of the stories but I will mention those that had the biggest effect on me:
THE PARTS MAN by Steve Rasnic Tem. This man is a legend and he's a national treasure as far I'm concerned. This short story had wonder and grief all mixed together and I thought it was somehow both beautiful and sad. BRAVO! (This story is original to this collection.)
DON'T GO UP THEM STAIRS by R. Chetwynd Hayes. I loved the tone of this tale so much I bought one of his other books from Valancourt as soon as I was done.
THE FACE IN THE MIRROR by Helen Mathers. A terrific little ghost story wherein the lady saves the day!
THE LIFE OF THE PARTY by Charles Beaumont. A sad tale of an acne-ridden boy at a school dance. The introduction to this one states that it's partly autobiographical.
BLOOD OF THE KAPU TIKI by Eric C. Higgs. A creepy little story with an ending that made me chuckle.
THE BOTTLE OF 1912 by Simon Raven. A man returns home after WWII after serving as a spy. He returns with the hope of seeing his family again and celebrating with a special bottle of wine.
BEELZEBUB by Robert Westall. Next to THE PARTS MAN , this was my favorite story in the collection. Robert Westall was super talented and I wish he had written more tales in the dark fiction vein because I've loved every one of them I've read.
Once again, Valancourt Books knocks it out of the park! Consistently full of rare stories that offer up a diverse range of horrors-this anthology has something for everyone. This, the third in a series of anthologies containing authors that Valancourt has already published, is as much of a MUST-READ as the first two.
THE VALANCOURT BOOK OF HORROR STORIES: VOLUME 3 receives my highest recommendation!
You can order it and other fine books directly from Valancourt here, with FREE shipping from now until the end of 2018: http://www.valancourtbooks.com/
*I received an e-ARC of this book in exchange for my honest feedback. This is it.*
What I like best about all of these anthologies is the fact that I haven't read any of the stories before. Introducing me to new authors, some I enjoy, some not so much, Valancourt has expanded my reading horizons and for that, I will always be grateful.
I can't get into all of the stories but I will mention those that had the biggest effect on me:
THE PARTS MAN by Steve Rasnic Tem. This man is a legend and he's a national treasure as far I'm concerned. This short story had wonder and grief all mixed together and I thought it was somehow both beautiful and sad. BRAVO! (This story is original to this collection.)
DON'T GO UP THEM STAIRS by R. Chetwynd Hayes. I loved the tone of this tale so much I bought one of his other books from Valancourt as soon as I was done.
THE FACE IN THE MIRROR by Helen Mathers. A terrific little ghost story wherein the lady saves the day!
THE LIFE OF THE PARTY by Charles Beaumont. A sad tale of an acne-ridden boy at a school dance. The introduction to this one states that it's partly autobiographical.
BLOOD OF THE KAPU TIKI by Eric C. Higgs. A creepy little story with an ending that made me chuckle.
THE BOTTLE OF 1912 by Simon Raven. A man returns home after WWII after serving as a spy. He returns with the hope of seeing his family again and celebrating with a special bottle of wine.
BEELZEBUB by Robert Westall. Next to THE PARTS MAN , this was my favorite story in the collection. Robert Westall was super talented and I wish he had written more tales in the dark fiction vein because I've loved every one of them I've read.
Once again, Valancourt Books knocks it out of the park! Consistently full of rare stories that offer up a diverse range of horrors-this anthology has something for everyone. This, the third in a series of anthologies containing authors that Valancourt has already published, is as much of a MUST-READ as the first two.
THE VALANCOURT BOOK OF HORROR STORIES: VOLUME 3 receives my highest recommendation!
You can order it and other fine books directly from Valancourt here, with FREE shipping from now until the end of 2018: http://www.valancourtbooks.com/
*I received an e-ARC of this book in exchange for my honest feedback. This is it.*
November 15, 2019
This is the third collection Valancourt has released of horror short stories; a tradition that seemingly ran for three years (this collection was released 2018, and sadly it looks like they did not release a fourth volume in 2019). It collections works from 19th, 20th, and 21st centuries and presents lesser known works of the genre that they feel deserve a closer examination. As I try to do with all short story collections, I will give a mini review of each work in the collection... so be ready, this will be a long review.
Don't Go Up Them Stairs (1971) by R. Chetwynd-Hayes
After the death of his grandfather, and an in house funeral, a young boy finds out why his grandfather stressed "Don't go up them stairs."
A fun little horror tale that feels like what would have happened if Terry Pratchett would have gone to horror rather than fantasy. I liked how it twisted the family’s dynamic from what little you see before the funeral and I also enjoyed the casual disregard for each other shown throughout
Not really much for me to say/analyze on this one. From a structural standpoint of this collection, it feels a bit odd to throw us in with a tale this... well, silly, but overall I enjoyed it a great deal. How much the story will work for you comes down to how much you like comedic horror, but I confess that I do have a weakness for such works. It makes me genuinely interested in reading some of the author’s other works. 4/5 stars
Courage (1918/1941) by Forrest Reid
Another story about a brave young man, but in this case one who decides to explore a haunted house. Playing explorer has its downsides though, and what seemed fun during the day takes on a different feel at night.
The writing in this story is beautiful. I really cannot stress that enough. This is the sort of writing that feels both like classic literature and yet modern and fast paced at the same time. I read a few sentences twice just to savor them.
It starts up off a fairly standard haunted house story, then plays with one’s expectations of such stories. I was pleasantly surprised by this, as it went from truly creepy to a rather thoughtful conclusion that made me want to reread it bearing what was to come in mind the end. Another 4/5 stars
Note: the two dates are due to the author originally publishing the story in 1918 and then later coming back and revising it. The story included in this collection is the 1941 version.
Pete Barker's Shanty (1898) by Ernest G. Henham
Two men lost in the wilderness discover a hidden shanty. Here they find the strange inhabitant, and uncover a bizarre series of events.
Not a fan of this one at all. It started off well enough, with some fine writing (particularly the discription a of the setting and getting across the feeling of being lost) but the story itself is fairly generic feeling. It has a few weirder aspects that are admittedly unusual for the time of its release, but overall I found it a rather dull story, with neither the humor or cleverness of the previous two.
2 out of 5 stars.
The Parts Man (2018) by Steve Rasnic Tem
Oh, this one kind of hurt me. It's one of the most melancholy horror stories I've ever read. The Parts Man is a disturbing creature, but I find his actions less horrific than depressing. The story follows a man named Christian as he drives to specific destinations, directed by the title... thing. At each destination is someone who has died that Christian has in some way wronged. Each of them get into his car, and Christian pays their fare, which is tied to how much he wronged them. Perhaps the fare is an eyelash... perhaps a lung.
This is a story about regret, how it figuratively (and in this case literally) tears you apart, and I found Tem captured this very well. Particularly in two scenes:
I can't say that this was an "enjoyable" story, but I do feel it was a truly great one and worth the price of the book on its own. A rare 5/5 stars
The Face in the Mirror (1903) by Helen Mathers
A young woman hears music from an old abandoned room in her friend's manor. Here she finds a mirror that shows a ghost reenacting its death. While horrific, the woman discovers there's more to this scene than just a simple recreation.
This is the most "classic" ghost story in the book thus far, feeling very much like a classic Victorian Ghost story. I confess I have a weakness for such stories, so I enjoyed it greatly. It's not the best of such tales, but gets a solid 3.5 out of 5.
The Life of the Party (2013) by Charles Beaumont
A funeral director drives his new friend to a party he's hosting; telling him how glad he is that he could join him and also why he was so nervous to invite him in the first place.
This is a shorter story in the collection and at first I wondered what the point was and where it was leading. It clicked at about the half way point and a genuinely laughed out loud. I confess to a dark sense of humor, so that is definitely a YMMV sort of thing (I imagine some might be unnerved by it) but I grinned for the rest of the tale. The fact that it doesn't explain the "joke" makes it even better. 4.5/5 stars
The Poet Gives His Friend Wildflowers (2018) by Hugh Fleetwood
The title is the plot... but oh yes, there is more to it than that.
A short poem, beautifully written, but I found the reveal a touch lacking. I do give points to the editors of the collection for including it though, as it made for a nice quick change of pace. 3/5 stars
Monkshood Manor (1954) by L. P. Hartley
Fairly generic story of a haunted manor with a sinister past and a deadly premonition of things to come. Has a touch of the classic ghost story about it, but without any real scares or the cleverness of say, The Face in the Mirror that came before. Not exactly a bad story, but really nothing special. 2.5/5
Blood of the Kapu Tiki (2018) by Eric C. Higgs
A story of lovers scorn and evil tikis.
This one was entertaining. A genuinely fun story, but feels a touch out of place in this collection. All the stories in the collection are either older, or endeavoring to go a more unique or literary approach to horror. In contrast, this one is a straight forward revenge story, written in a quick paced easy going style. It's straight forward and feels like the literary equivalent of a B-horror movie. It's entertaining, but doesn't make you really have to think about it in any way to get the story. I have nothing against that, and as I said I enjoyed it well enough, but it's not likely to stick with me like other stories did. 3/5
On No Account, My Love (1955) by Elizabeth Jenkins
Our narrator gives a history of her great-grandmother and then visits her old family home where she receives a message...
Yeah, this story did not do anything for me at all. It is competently written, but almost a chore. So much is giving various accounts of the grandmother, that it feels like if some of them were cut out, the actual "story" could have been done in three pages. Not truly bad, but not a fan at all. 2/5 stars
Underground (1974) by J. B. Priestley
A man with zero scruples robs his wife and mother and plans his get away... but may end up in a different destination than planned.
I'm a sucker for "ghost" train stories (even without ghosts), and this one was a pretty fun take on it. Honestly it's biggest problem is that it could have been longer/had more details about the descent, but not bad at all. 3/5
Mr Evening (1968) by James Purdy
A man on the hunt for "heirlooms" makes an interesting deal in the hopes of getting a chance to see more.
The longest story in the collection, and it shows. This one could easily have been cut in half and gotten the point across just as well. It drags. The saving grace is the unique aspects of this story and how it does say some genuinely interesting things. 2.5/5 stars.
Mothering Sunday (1960) by John Keir Cross
A man details a past winter holiday and the mysterious circumstances involving an acquaintance and a snow man.
Very classic feel to this. Obviously more than a hint of M. R. James, but without a proper payoff. Honestly, I chuckled at the conclusion... and I'm pretty sure that was not the intent. 2/5
The Bottle of 1912 (1961) by Simon Raven
A WWII spy returns home after having been mistakenly declared dead, looking forward to nothing but seeing his family and celebrating with his favorite vintage.
After a few misses we come to a story that I genuinely liked again. I wouldn't exactly call it a "horror" story, though the supernatural is certainly involved. It's honestly a bit heartwarming and even if the ending is a touch on the predictable side, I found it executed well enough. 4/5 stars
“With What Measure Ye Mete . . .” (1906) by Ethel Lina White
Not going to even bother trying to write a one sentence plot description of this one.
Well, I was wondering which one I would choose. At first I thought it would be Pete Barker's Shanty, then I thought there was a compelling argument for On No Account, My Love... but no, With What Measure Ye Mete is easily my least favorite in this collection. There was nothing I liked about this story. I sat there at the start waiting for something interesting, and while it is admittedly a little strange towards the end, it somehow manages to leave zero impact. While I didn't care for some of the other stories, I didn't truly dislike any of them... this one, well, I wanted those few minutes of my time back. 1/5
Beelzebub (1992) by Robert Westall
The final story is a rather comedic affair dealing with Satan, witch craft and the paperwork involved after a woman gives birth to his son.
We close on the most humorous story in the collection (which is nice as I needed a laugh after the previous story). The combination of this darkly absurd situation and the bureaucracy involved in filing the paperwork detailing the birth of this child. How our lead's stand against evil is nothing but making sure the birth record is set straight and that's there's none of Satan's nonsense in the filing process... I genuinely laughed out loud. 4/5 stars
Closing thoughts on the collection: It's uneven to say the least. It starts out extremely strong and has a few gems that I'm in borderline awe of. Sadly there's a lot of stories that were very weak as well, but horror, like beauty, is in the eye of the beholder, so perhaps these weaker moments will have an impact on others that I didn't get. I find it peculiar that the collection started and ended with two comedic stories, but that honestly adds a bit of quirky charm.
As a whole I give the collection 3/5 stars. It's uneven, but very much worth a look.
My personal rankings of the stories (from best to worst):
The Parts Man
The Life of the Party
Don't Go Up Them Stairs
The Bottle of 1912
Beelzebub
Courage
The Face in the Mirror
Blood of the Kapu Tiki
Underground
The Poet Gives His Friend Wildflowers
Monkshood Manor
Mr Evening
Mothering Sunday
On No Account, My Love
Pete Barker's Shanty
“With What Measure Ye Mete . . .”
Don't Go Up Them Stairs (1971) by R. Chetwynd-Hayes
After the death of his grandfather, and an in house funeral, a young boy finds out why his grandfather stressed "Don't go up them stairs."
A fun little horror tale that feels like what would have happened if Terry Pratchett would have gone to horror rather than fantasy. I liked how it twisted the family’s dynamic from what little you see before the funeral and I also enjoyed the casual disregard for each other shown throughout
Not really much for me to say/analyze on this one. From a structural standpoint of this collection, it feels a bit odd to throw us in with a tale this... well, silly, but overall I enjoyed it a great deal. How much the story will work for you comes down to how much you like comedic horror, but I confess that I do have a weakness for such works. It makes me genuinely interested in reading some of the author’s other works. 4/5 stars
Courage (1918/1941) by Forrest Reid
Another story about a brave young man, but in this case one who decides to explore a haunted house. Playing explorer has its downsides though, and what seemed fun during the day takes on a different feel at night.
The writing in this story is beautiful. I really cannot stress that enough. This is the sort of writing that feels both like classic literature and yet modern and fast paced at the same time. I read a few sentences twice just to savor them.
It starts up off a fairly standard haunted house story, then plays with one’s expectations of such stories. I was pleasantly surprised by this, as it went from truly creepy to a rather thoughtful conclusion that made me want to reread it bearing what was to come in mind the end. Another 4/5 stars
Note: the two dates are due to the author originally publishing the story in 1918 and then later coming back and revising it. The story included in this collection is the 1941 version.
Pete Barker's Shanty (1898) by Ernest G. Henham
Two men lost in the wilderness discover a hidden shanty. Here they find the strange inhabitant, and uncover a bizarre series of events.
Not a fan of this one at all. It started off well enough, with some fine writing (particularly the discription a of the setting and getting across the feeling of being lost) but the story itself is fairly generic feeling. It has a few weirder aspects that are admittedly unusual for the time of its release, but overall I found it a rather dull story, with neither the humor or cleverness of the previous two.
2 out of 5 stars.
The Parts Man (2018) by Steve Rasnic Tem
Oh, this one kind of hurt me. It's one of the most melancholy horror stories I've ever read. The Parts Man is a disturbing creature, but I find his actions less horrific than depressing. The story follows a man named Christian as he drives to specific destinations, directed by the title... thing. At each destination is someone who has died that Christian has in some way wronged. Each of them get into his car, and Christian pays their fare, which is tied to how much he wronged them. Perhaps the fare is an eyelash... perhaps a lung.
This is a story about regret, how it figuratively (and in this case literally) tears you apart, and I found Tem captured this very well. Particularly in two scenes:
I can't say that this was an "enjoyable" story, but I do feel it was a truly great one and worth the price of the book on its own. A rare 5/5 stars
The Face in the Mirror (1903) by Helen Mathers
A young woman hears music from an old abandoned room in her friend's manor. Here she finds a mirror that shows a ghost reenacting its death. While horrific, the woman discovers there's more to this scene than just a simple recreation.
This is the most "classic" ghost story in the book thus far, feeling very much like a classic Victorian Ghost story. I confess I have a weakness for such stories, so I enjoyed it greatly. It's not the best of such tales, but gets a solid 3.5 out of 5.
The Life of the Party (2013) by Charles Beaumont
A funeral director drives his new friend to a party he's hosting; telling him how glad he is that he could join him and also why he was so nervous to invite him in the first place.
This is a shorter story in the collection and at first I wondered what the point was and where it was leading. It clicked at about the half way point and a genuinely laughed out loud. I confess to a dark sense of humor, so that is definitely a YMMV sort of thing (I imagine some might be unnerved by it) but I grinned for the rest of the tale. The fact that it doesn't explain the "joke" makes it even better. 4.5/5 stars
The Poet Gives His Friend Wildflowers (2018) by Hugh Fleetwood
The title is the plot... but oh yes, there is more to it than that.
A short poem, beautifully written, but I found the reveal a touch lacking. I do give points to the editors of the collection for including it though, as it made for a nice quick change of pace. 3/5 stars
Monkshood Manor (1954) by L. P. Hartley
Fairly generic story of a haunted manor with a sinister past and a deadly premonition of things to come. Has a touch of the classic ghost story about it, but without any real scares or the cleverness of say, The Face in the Mirror that came before. Not exactly a bad story, but really nothing special. 2.5/5
Blood of the Kapu Tiki (2018) by Eric C. Higgs
A story of lovers scorn and evil tikis.
This one was entertaining. A genuinely fun story, but feels a touch out of place in this collection. All the stories in the collection are either older, or endeavoring to go a more unique or literary approach to horror. In contrast, this one is a straight forward revenge story, written in a quick paced easy going style. It's straight forward and feels like the literary equivalent of a B-horror movie. It's entertaining, but doesn't make you really have to think about it in any way to get the story. I have nothing against that, and as I said I enjoyed it well enough, but it's not likely to stick with me like other stories did. 3/5
On No Account, My Love (1955) by Elizabeth Jenkins
Our narrator gives a history of her great-grandmother and then visits her old family home where she receives a message...
Yeah, this story did not do anything for me at all. It is competently written, but almost a chore. So much is giving various accounts of the grandmother, that it feels like if some of them were cut out, the actual "story" could have been done in three pages. Not truly bad, but not a fan at all. 2/5 stars
Underground (1974) by J. B. Priestley
A man with zero scruples robs his wife and mother and plans his get away... but may end up in a different destination than planned.
I'm a sucker for "ghost" train stories (even without ghosts), and this one was a pretty fun take on it. Honestly it's biggest problem is that it could have been longer/had more details about the descent, but not bad at all. 3/5
Mr Evening (1968) by James Purdy
A man on the hunt for "heirlooms" makes an interesting deal in the hopes of getting a chance to see more.
The longest story in the collection, and it shows. This one could easily have been cut in half and gotten the point across just as well. It drags. The saving grace is the unique aspects of this story and how it does say some genuinely interesting things. 2.5/5 stars.
Mothering Sunday (1960) by John Keir Cross
A man details a past winter holiday and the mysterious circumstances involving an acquaintance and a snow man.
Very classic feel to this. Obviously more than a hint of M. R. James, but without a proper payoff. Honestly, I chuckled at the conclusion... and I'm pretty sure that was not the intent. 2/5
The Bottle of 1912 (1961) by Simon Raven
A WWII spy returns home after having been mistakenly declared dead, looking forward to nothing but seeing his family and celebrating with his favorite vintage.
After a few misses we come to a story that I genuinely liked again. I wouldn't exactly call it a "horror" story, though the supernatural is certainly involved. It's honestly a bit heartwarming and even if the ending is a touch on the predictable side, I found it executed well enough. 4/5 stars
“With What Measure Ye Mete . . .” (1906) by Ethel Lina White
Not going to even bother trying to write a one sentence plot description of this one.
Well, I was wondering which one I would choose. At first I thought it would be Pete Barker's Shanty, then I thought there was a compelling argument for On No Account, My Love... but no, With What Measure Ye Mete is easily my least favorite in this collection. There was nothing I liked about this story. I sat there at the start waiting for something interesting, and while it is admittedly a little strange towards the end, it somehow manages to leave zero impact. While I didn't care for some of the other stories, I didn't truly dislike any of them... this one, well, I wanted those few minutes of my time back. 1/5
Beelzebub (1992) by Robert Westall
The final story is a rather comedic affair dealing with Satan, witch craft and the paperwork involved after a woman gives birth to his son.
We close on the most humorous story in the collection (which is nice as I needed a laugh after the previous story). The combination of this darkly absurd situation and the bureaucracy involved in filing the paperwork detailing the birth of this child. How our lead's stand against evil is nothing but making sure the birth record is set straight and that's there's none of Satan's nonsense in the filing process... I genuinely laughed out loud. 4/5 stars
Closing thoughts on the collection: It's uneven to say the least. It starts out extremely strong and has a few gems that I'm in borderline awe of. Sadly there's a lot of stories that were very weak as well, but horror, like beauty, is in the eye of the beholder, so perhaps these weaker moments will have an impact on others that I didn't get. I find it peculiar that the collection started and ended with two comedic stories, but that honestly adds a bit of quirky charm.
As a whole I give the collection 3/5 stars. It's uneven, but very much worth a look.
My personal rankings of the stories (from best to worst):
The Parts Man
The Life of the Party
Don't Go Up Them Stairs
The Bottle of 1912
Beelzebub
Courage
The Face in the Mirror
Blood of the Kapu Tiki
Underground
The Poet Gives His Friend Wildflowers
Monkshood Manor
Mr Evening
Mothering Sunday
On No Account, My Love
Pete Barker's Shanty
“With What Measure Ye Mete . . .”
December 27, 2018
THE VALANCOURT BOOK OF HORROR STORIES: Volume Three, edited by James D. Jenkins and Ryan Cagle, shows that you can have a "series" of collections that just keeps getting better and better! Honestly, I didn't come across a single story in this collection that didn't feel like it deserved to be included. I have no idea how they can keep finding these "hidden gems", but as long as they do, I'll be purchasing.
The stories varied in theme and time period, as with the previous two books in this series. Personally, I feel this makes for wonderful reading, as the variety is constantly engaging the reader, and you don't know quite what to expect from one tale to the next.
Overall, if you haven't read this volume--or its two predecessors--I'd remedy that immediately. Another fantastic inclusion to the Valancourt Press books!
Highest Recommendation!
The stories varied in theme and time period, as with the previous two books in this series. Personally, I feel this makes for wonderful reading, as the variety is constantly engaging the reader, and you don't know quite what to expect from one tale to the next.
Overall, if you haven't read this volume--or its two predecessors--I'd remedy that immediately. Another fantastic inclusion to the Valancourt Press books!
Highest Recommendation!
October 28, 2019
There aren’t enough superlatives for these collections. There isn’t a bad story in the bunch, and it’s refreshing to read an anthology that doesn’t contain even a single story that I’ve already read. Looking forward to Volume Four!
November 19, 2018
Every volume in Valancourt's (so-far) three-book series is without doubt one every serious reader of horror/supernatural fiction should have in his or her library.
There is not a single misstep in this entire collection, something I can't always say about most horror anthologies I read. Normally I find at least one story that just doesn't work; that is just not the case here. Here's something else that's great about this book: the arrangement of the stories is excellent. It starts off with R. Chetwynd-Hayes' somewhat humorous "Don't Go Up Them Stairs" and concludes with Robert Westall's "Beelzebub" (dark humor as well), almost as if the editors thought they'd put their readers through enough horror in between. I don't know about anyone else, but I tend to carry tension while reading horror, so beginning and ending with touches of humor here is perfect.
While each and every story in this book is top notch, I did have a few personal favorites, with "Mr. Evening" by James Purdy at the top of the list. It is probably the most atypical horror story in the book, but in my case, it did its job. The chills grow slowly in this one, increasing in increments until the end where I had a sort an overall bird's-eye view of what was happening here, and then I actually had to put the book down for a while to recover as the actual horror of it all left its impact. When I come across a story like this one where the implications are truly frightening, sometimes they scare me much more than the ones where all is explained.
I'm beyond happy that James and Ryan have continued the tradition they started with the first Valancourt Book of Horror Stories, compiling these amazing tales written by the authors whose work they publish. As I've said all along, they have an uncanny feel for knowing not only what's good, but also unique; I appreciate both of them for having such great taste. The same applies to Valancourt's publications in general; as I've also said all along, they somehow manage to publish exactly what I want to read. And as for this book in particular, to be honest, at this point it just wouldn't be Halloween without a volume of Valancourt horror stories in my hands.
https://www.oddlyweirdfiction.com/201...
There is not a single misstep in this entire collection, something I can't always say about most horror anthologies I read. Normally I find at least one story that just doesn't work; that is just not the case here. Here's something else that's great about this book: the arrangement of the stories is excellent. It starts off with R. Chetwynd-Hayes' somewhat humorous "Don't Go Up Them Stairs" and concludes with Robert Westall's "Beelzebub" (dark humor as well), almost as if the editors thought they'd put their readers through enough horror in between. I don't know about anyone else, but I tend to carry tension while reading horror, so beginning and ending with touches of humor here is perfect.
While each and every story in this book is top notch, I did have a few personal favorites, with "Mr. Evening" by James Purdy at the top of the list. It is probably the most atypical horror story in the book, but in my case, it did its job. The chills grow slowly in this one, increasing in increments until the end where I had a sort an overall bird's-eye view of what was happening here, and then I actually had to put the book down for a while to recover as the actual horror of it all left its impact. When I come across a story like this one where the implications are truly frightening, sometimes they scare me much more than the ones where all is explained.
I'm beyond happy that James and Ryan have continued the tradition they started with the first Valancourt Book of Horror Stories, compiling these amazing tales written by the authors whose work they publish. As I've said all along, they have an uncanny feel for knowing not only what's good, but also unique; I appreciate both of them for having such great taste. The same applies to Valancourt's publications in general; as I've also said all along, they somehow manage to publish exactly what I want to read. And as for this book in particular, to be honest, at this point it just wouldn't be Halloween without a volume of Valancourt horror stories in my hands.
https://www.oddlyweirdfiction.com/201...
September 30, 2018
Absolutely first rate. The Purdy and Westall tales are particularly well-chosen. It is such a pleasure after 40 years of reading horror to open an anthology and find that all the stories are new to me.
October 30, 2018
Perfect compliment to the season. An excellent variety of the old, new, gothic, horrifying and humorous. You can pretty much take Valancourt's impeccable taste to the bank with every release, and their legendary standards continue here. Highly recommended not only for October but for any time of the year.
November 18, 2019
My ratings for the stories in this book averages to 3.45. My goodreads rating is rounding to the nearest whole number.
My comments on the stories can be seen in this thread:
https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...
My comments on the stories can be seen in this thread:
https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...
December 15, 2019
✭✭✭
“Don’t Go Up Them Stairs”, R. Chetwynd-Hayes (1971) ✭✭½
“Courage”, Forrest Reid (1918/1941 rev.) ✭✭✭½
“Pete Barker’s Shanty”, Ernest G. Henham (1898) ✭✭✭
“The Parts Man”, Steve Rasnic Tem (2018) ✭✭✭✭
“The Face in the Mirror”, Helen Mathers (1903) ✭½
“The Life of the Party”, Charles Beaumont (2013) ✭✭✭½
“The Poet Gives His Friend Wildflowers” (poem), Hugh Fleetwood (2018) ✭✭✭
“Monkshood Manor”, L. P. Hartley (1954) ✭✭✭½
“Blood of the Kapu Tiki”, Eric C. Higgs (2018) ✭✭✭½
“On No Account, My Love”, Elizabeth Jenkins (1955) ✭✭✭½
“Underground”, J. B. Priestley (1974) ✭✭✭✭
“Mr. Evening”, James Purdy (1968) ✭✭
“Mothering Sunday”, John Keir Cross (1960) ✭✭✭½
“The Bottle of 1912”, Simon Raven (1961) ✭✭✭✭
“‘With What Measure Ye Mete...’”, Ethel Lina White (1906) ✭✭✭
“Beelzebub”, Robert Westall (1992) ✭✭✭½
“Don’t Go Up Them Stairs”, R. Chetwynd-Hayes (1971) ✭✭½
“Courage”, Forrest Reid (1918/1941 rev.) ✭✭✭½
“Pete Barker’s Shanty”, Ernest G. Henham (1898) ✭✭✭
“The Parts Man”, Steve Rasnic Tem (2018) ✭✭✭✭
“The Face in the Mirror”, Helen Mathers (1903) ✭½
“The Life of the Party”, Charles Beaumont (2013) ✭✭✭½
“The Poet Gives His Friend Wildflowers” (poem), Hugh Fleetwood (2018) ✭✭✭
“Monkshood Manor”, L. P. Hartley (1954) ✭✭✭½
“Blood of the Kapu Tiki”, Eric C. Higgs (2018) ✭✭✭½
“On No Account, My Love”, Elizabeth Jenkins (1955) ✭✭✭½
“Underground”, J. B. Priestley (1974) ✭✭✭✭
“Mr. Evening”, James Purdy (1968) ✭✭
“Mothering Sunday”, John Keir Cross (1960) ✭✭✭½
“The Bottle of 1912”, Simon Raven (1961) ✭✭✭✭
“‘With What Measure Ye Mete...’”, Ethel Lina White (1906) ✭✭✭
“Beelzebub”, Robert Westall (1992) ✭✭✭½
August 20, 2021
I've always loved Valancourt's anthologies of old, classic horror stories . . . because they first introduced me to Michael McDowell!
Although this volume wasn't as good as the first one, its more recent story by Steve Rasnic Tem was my favorite.
And the story of an infant Beelzebub was creepy with a dark sense of humor.
Although this volume wasn't as good as the first one, its more recent story by Steve Rasnic Tem was my favorite.
And the story of an infant Beelzebub was creepy with a dark sense of humor.
November 30, 2024
Review to come.
December 28, 2025
The third volume in indie publisher Valancourt’s collection of horror stories. This volume, a collection of 15 stories and one poem, is excellent if a bit uneven. It overcomes variations in quality with the overall elegance of the collection, a credit to editors James D. Jenkins and Ryan Cagle. Here are my seven favorite stories:
“Don’t Go Up Them Stairs” by R. Chetwynd-Hayes - A vivid and humorous horror story about a young boy told by his grandparents and parents to never go up to the attic, where a monstrous ghoul lives.
“The Parts Man” by Steve Rasnic Tem - A tragic horror story about grief and loss. A man named Christian, who is either 68 or 69 (memory is fragile), makes a contract with a creature called the Parts Man, who accompanies him in a classic car to different locations where people in his life have died. At each location, the Parts Man resurrects that person temporarily, but as payment for this service Christian allows the creature to surgically remove a part of him using his skeletal fingers. Easily the most disturbing story in the collection.
“The Face in the Mirror” by Helen Mathers - A dusty chamber, a spectral vision of a murdered woman in a mirror, a haunting melody, a missing buckle, a secreted knife, and a woman saved from tragedy: classic elements of a Victorian ghost story. Familiar but very well done.
“The Life of the Party” by Charles Beaumont - A macabre story built upon a monologue addressed by the narrator, a funeral director named Mr. Hulbush, to his silent companion, Professor Brady, whom Hulbush has invited to a party at his home. During the ride, Hulbush recounts his humiliating experiences with severe disfiguring acne, which caused him to lead an extremely lonely life. But things worked out in the end, and he's now quite happy, as the title suggests. The surprise ending (something Beaumont is famous for, especially for his work on The Twilight Zone) reveals the horrific secret to Hulbush's happiness. Confused readers will circle back to see how Beaumont supplied plenty of clues along the way. Brilliant and well-structured tragicomic horror.
“Underground” by J. B. Priestley - A hellish nightmare on the London Underground. This story reminded me of Clive Barker’s “The Midnight Meat Train,” although Barker’s story is much more explicit.
“Mr Evening” by James Purdy - A very effective gothic horror tale about a young collector who places an ad for a rare china cup. An older woman, Mrs. Owens, responds to the ad and subsequently exercises hypnotic control over the younger man. The story explores themes of eroticism, obsession, domination, and entrapment.
“Beelzebub” by Robert Westall - A tense and hilarious story about the efforts of a registrar in the town of Polborough named Mrs. Parsons who attempts to gather necessary information from a young mother about her newborn child, who appears to be the spawn of Satan. A powerful conclusion to the collection.
“Don’t Go Up Them Stairs” by R. Chetwynd-Hayes - A vivid and humorous horror story about a young boy told by his grandparents and parents to never go up to the attic, where a monstrous ghoul lives.
“The Parts Man” by Steve Rasnic Tem - A tragic horror story about grief and loss. A man named Christian, who is either 68 or 69 (memory is fragile), makes a contract with a creature called the Parts Man, who accompanies him in a classic car to different locations where people in his life have died. At each location, the Parts Man resurrects that person temporarily, but as payment for this service Christian allows the creature to surgically remove a part of him using his skeletal fingers. Easily the most disturbing story in the collection.
“The Face in the Mirror” by Helen Mathers - A dusty chamber, a spectral vision of a murdered woman in a mirror, a haunting melody, a missing buckle, a secreted knife, and a woman saved from tragedy: classic elements of a Victorian ghost story. Familiar but very well done.
“The Life of the Party” by Charles Beaumont - A macabre story built upon a monologue addressed by the narrator, a funeral director named Mr. Hulbush, to his silent companion, Professor Brady, whom Hulbush has invited to a party at his home. During the ride, Hulbush recounts his humiliating experiences with severe disfiguring acne, which caused him to lead an extremely lonely life. But things worked out in the end, and he's now quite happy, as the title suggests. The surprise ending (something Beaumont is famous for, especially for his work on The Twilight Zone) reveals the horrific secret to Hulbush's happiness. Confused readers will circle back to see how Beaumont supplied plenty of clues along the way. Brilliant and well-structured tragicomic horror.
“Underground” by J. B. Priestley - A hellish nightmare on the London Underground. This story reminded me of Clive Barker’s “The Midnight Meat Train,” although Barker’s story is much more explicit.
“Mr Evening” by James Purdy - A very effective gothic horror tale about a young collector who places an ad for a rare china cup. An older woman, Mrs. Owens, responds to the ad and subsequently exercises hypnotic control over the younger man. The story explores themes of eroticism, obsession, domination, and entrapment.
“Beelzebub” by Robert Westall - A tense and hilarious story about the efforts of a registrar in the town of Polborough named Mrs. Parsons who attempts to gather necessary information from a young mother about her newborn child, who appears to be the spawn of Satan. A powerful conclusion to the collection.
January 6, 2020
A fun if uneven horror collection. Definitely worth checking out for the variety and undersung voices.
I really like how Valancourt had no qualm with putting up wildly different types of horror next to one another, and with such a broad time range, from the 19th to the 21st century--we have trashy pulp ("Blood of the Kapu Tiki", which by the way is extremely racist and the low point of the collection, and the delightfully grotesque "The Life of the Party") next to sentimental ghost stories ("Courage", "The Bottle of 1912") next to comedic satanic panic next ("Don't Go Up Them Stairs", "Beezlebub"), next to stuffy Victorian manors and Jamesian spooks ("The Face in the Mirror", "Monkshood Manor"), with a number of different takes on the broad genre in between. The result is at turns shudder-inducing and hilarious, poignant and amoral.
I wouldn't recommend it for those seeking weird fiction, though, as the stories mostly adhere to the tropes of other subgenres of horror. Collections like this might also benefit from the addition of non-Western or non-English authors. Although I know that's not Valancourt's area of focus, I'd be interested in seeing what comparisons come about by putting translated horror work up against the primary English work. It's also help to create a more comprehensive, inclusive horror canon.
That said, I really do appreciate Valancourt's attempts to bring focus to the horror work of non-horror writers and to horror writers whose work has since fallen into obscurity.
I really like how Valancourt had no qualm with putting up wildly different types of horror next to one another, and with such a broad time range, from the 19th to the 21st century--we have trashy pulp ("Blood of the Kapu Tiki", which by the way is extremely racist and the low point of the collection, and the delightfully grotesque "The Life of the Party") next to sentimental ghost stories ("Courage", "The Bottle of 1912") next to comedic satanic panic next ("Don't Go Up Them Stairs", "Beezlebub"), next to stuffy Victorian manors and Jamesian spooks ("The Face in the Mirror", "Monkshood Manor"), with a number of different takes on the broad genre in between. The result is at turns shudder-inducing and hilarious, poignant and amoral.
I wouldn't recommend it for those seeking weird fiction, though, as the stories mostly adhere to the tropes of other subgenres of horror. Collections like this might also benefit from the addition of non-Western or non-English authors. Although I know that's not Valancourt's area of focus, I'd be interested in seeing what comparisons come about by putting translated horror work up against the primary English work. It's also help to create a more comprehensive, inclusive horror canon.
That said, I really do appreciate Valancourt's attempts to bring focus to the horror work of non-horror writers and to horror writers whose work has since fallen into obscurity.
April 2, 2022
Hugh Fleetwood, THE POET GIVES HIS FRIEND
WILDFLOWERS
Pale blue and delicate, they smelled both sweet and faintly of death.
‘Thank you,’ she said, ‘they’re beautiful.’
Yet, perhaps just because they were –
or because of that unsettling scent –
although she smiled as she took them,
her eyes expressed a certain
fear.
As if she’d been reminded
she had always found him chilly,
and he liked to say that beauty, and art,
required sacrifice.
Still, monster or no,
she had loved him for many years,
and she was grateful and touched
by the gift.
So she tried to mask her disquiet,
and didn’t insist
when she asked where he had found them –
and he replied, ‘Oh, you know,’
and gave a vague, uncomfortable wave . . .
Shortly after, he left,
looking sad, but relieved she hadn’t pressed
him;
that he hadn’t had to tell her
he had picked those flowers from her grave.
WILDFLOWERS
Pale blue and delicate, they smelled both sweet and faintly of death.
‘Thank you,’ she said, ‘they’re beautiful.’
Yet, perhaps just because they were –
or because of that unsettling scent –
although she smiled as she took them,
her eyes expressed a certain
fear.
As if she’d been reminded
she had always found him chilly,
and he liked to say that beauty, and art,
required sacrifice.
Still, monster or no,
she had loved him for many years,
and she was grateful and touched
by the gift.
So she tried to mask her disquiet,
and didn’t insist
when she asked where he had found them –
and he replied, ‘Oh, you know,’
and gave a vague, uncomfortable wave . . .
Shortly after, he left,
looking sad, but relieved she hadn’t pressed
him;
that he hadn’t had to tell her
he had picked those flowers from her grave.
September 22, 2025
3.5/5
The premise for every story is alluring, but this remains my least favorite of the *Book of Horror* volumes. The other collections offer stronger Victorian-era haunts, a staple for Valancourt Publications. Still, not all is lost in this category—'With What Measure Ye...' truly delivers.
And some of the bigger names offer standouts as well.
"The Parts Man"
"Blood of the Kapu Tiki"
& "Underground" are all woth checking out.
The premise for every story is alluring, but this remains my least favorite of the *Book of Horror* volumes. The other collections offer stronger Victorian-era haunts, a staple for Valancourt Publications. Still, not all is lost in this category—'With What Measure Ye...' truly delivers.
And some of the bigger names offer standouts as well.
"The Parts Man"
"Blood of the Kapu Tiki"
& "Underground" are all woth checking out.
January 22, 2019
The same ultra-high quality publication we've come to expect and appreciate from Valancourt Books. My second favorite in the VBoHS series after Volume One. Didn't care for two stories (Mr Evening and “With What Measure Ye Mete . . .”), but it's less about the quality of the writing and more about my personal taste.
June 1, 2025
This was such a creepy, fun read! I’m always looking for horror that isn’t just gore for gore’s sake, and this delivered. Favorite story? Probably the one about the man who finds a horrifying way to make new friends. It was equal parts tragic and twisted. Highly recommend for a spooky weekend.
October 21, 2020
I enjoyed this collection overall. I think I have a preference for newer horror over classic scary stories, which this book had more of. I think volume 4 is more up my alley.
December 16, 2020
Not as good as the first two, but still up there.
October 1, 2025
averages out to ok. although there is a story where someone so
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