And Cannot Come Again: Tales of Childhood, Regret, and Innocence Lost

by Simon Bestwick

"One of the most accomplished and eloquent British horror writers is Simon Bestwick, and here is a feast of his work." --Ramsey Campbell

Funny, frightening and moving, the stories in Simon Bestwick's new collection explore how our childhoods mark us, our regrets haunt us, and how our innocence is sometimes lost--and sometimes taken away.

A young policewoman is drawn into a dreadful bargain. Murdered girls walk the streets of Manchester beside their still-living friends. Tormented children call on an urban legend for help, and the events of a long-ago summer and first love return with lethal consequences for four childhood friends. All this and more besides, in these seventeen short stories and novelettes from the author of The Faceless and The Feast of All Souls.

Genres: Horror, Short Stories

348 pages, Kindle Edition

First published June 18, 2019

About the author

Simon Bestwick was born in Wolverhampton in 1974. He has worked in various jobs, from fast food operative through drama teacher to training administrator. His short fiction has appeared in numerous magazines and anthologies, including Nasty Piece of Work, All Hallows, Darkness Rising, Extremes 5, and Beneath the Ground. He lives in Swinton, Lancashire, and when not writing can be found indulging his interests: walking, films, literature, rock, folk, and jazz music, good food, and the occasional pint.

Reviews

[Bandit · Rating 3 out of 5]

Childhood comes but once and cannot come again. Then again, if that childhood is at all reminiscent of the ones Simon Bestwick describes in this collection, that is a good thing. Because Bestwick’s childhoods are nightmares. That’s what this is, really, a collection of nightmares, a meditation of the bygone years of immolated innocence. There’s a brutality here that’s especially devastating given the youth of those it is inflicted upon, but the message, blatantly bluntly delivered, is the thing every kid already knows and adults, warped by nostalgia, tend to forget is that being a kid is tough, difficult, dangerous, deadly even. To be small and helpless in the world. It can be that way for adults too, but there are usually more options, kids tend to be at mercy of other people, people who should have their best interest, who should protect them and care for them and all too often fail. This is a book of failed children. In it, the kids are neglected, abused, killed and so on. Which is to say…this book is about as bleak as it gets. The bleakness that’s all the more amplified by its Northern England’s setting, which apparently is a pretty desolate place, if only by the fiction it produces. Consider…Ramsey Campbell, who provides a very fond foreword, or Gary McMahon. Actually, two authors I never really enjoyed. Both literary, both masters of slow and quiet, especially Campbell, and yet, it’ always too slow, too quiet, too unexciting somehow to properly engage. In fact, this book might have gone the same way, it has a lot of stylistic similarities, but Bestwick seems like for all the Northern bleakness, he can actually engage the reader, if only to complete emotionally whammy them in the end. And so he does, with strangely corporeal ghosts, evil public schools, vacations gone awry, first loves, other loves, a plethora of tragedies, all but one (oddly enough) featuring kids as the main characters, all designed to grey up your skies and rain, rain and rain. Just like the England you might have imagined. So obviously this isn’t the sort of book one can straight up enjoy, in fact enjoyment should be off the table permanently when talking about this book. But, though slow, overwhelmingly dark and sad, and thoroughly depressing…there is something here worth recommending, mainly the quality of writing. Takes some time to get into, in fact, it’s emotionally difficult to get into, but every so often, something shines among these wretched scenarios. Specifically, the titular story was terrific, a gut punch, but well delivered. It’s bleakness, yes, unquestionably, but well done. Odd to behold so much of it in one place, an entire collection (and not a slim one) dedicated to one tragic theme in its many permutations, but there you have it. It is a well put together collection, well written, with an afterword too where the author discusses how each story came to be, the editing is nearly 100% with nary a typo. In other words, not at all a typical BooksGoSocial publisihers sort of thing, a surprisingly quality book among their many, many, many lesser products, so yeah, there it is. A book to make you be glad to be an adult. This isn’t a sort of read if you dare thing, it’s more along the lines of read if you can. If it isn’t too much. Thanks Netgalley.

[Priya Sharma · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you need further evidence of why Simon Bestwick is a stalwart of the British horro scene, then look no further than And Cannot Come Again. He gathers the northwest in his fist and and charts its darkness, be it on the streets of Manchester and Salford, the hillsides of the Lake District or the wooded corners of Cheshire. Simon explores brutality- murder, the myths of masculinity, abuse, the pain of adolescence and loss of innocence- but it's tempered by emotive writing and Simon's ability to bring his own social and political sensibilities to the work.

[Snuggly Books · Rating 5 out of 5]

Don't neglect SIMON BESTWICK - these stories are rather intense!!!

[Luke Walker · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dark (very), adult and beautifully written horror stories. This is writing (and horror) at its best. Loved it.

[John Hepple · Rating 5 out of 5]

There is something about Bestwick's tales that I just find addictive. Sure they are grim and in some cases downright nasty but I always find myself coming back for more.
I had experienced a couple of the stories in previous publications (The Schoolhouse, Children Of Moloch) but they are so fully formed that I was more than happy to read again, even though the subject matter is extremely disturbing.
Yeah, I'm waffling.
Conclusion. This collection is superb. Genuinely superb.

[Alex · Rating 5 out of 5]

This collection is full of excellent sketches of grief and abuse. And some of that abuse is avenged. If you want an idea of what you’re diving into before committing, two of the openers to this collection “Dermot” and “The Moraine” are available for a free listen at PseudoPod.

http://pseudopod.org/2016/12/10/pseud...
http://pseudopod.org/2016/12/15/pseud...

“Comfort Your Dead” and “A Small Cold Hand” have some excellent character work, and some well-constructed quiet grief. “The Children of Moloch” (and the introductory frame bit in the author notes) makes me really want to watch this show that doesn’t exist.

[GracieKat · Rating 5 out of 5]

And Cannot Come Again is a collection of short stories from English author Simon Bestwick. First off I'd like to say that the cover is very beautiful. The writing is crisp and clean and clear. I very much liked it. The stories themselves were very interesting and had a unique style to them.

The format was good and there were no typos The only thing that I didn't care for was that the first page of each story had a white text on a black background. It was rather fuzzy and hard to read, particularly f you're in low-light. There is also an added overlay of picture which also makes it a little harder to read. If Simon Bestwick wanted to delineate his stories with special attention I think either a small graphic near the top or an art page before the story would work just as well, if not better.

So, the stories!

Dermot:
One of the stories mentioned in the synopsis, Dermot was a strong, thought-provoking (and slightly stomach-churning) story.

Beneath the Sun:
A very good look at grief with an almost folktale quality to it. A really good example of horror by daylight.

The Moraine:
This had a very good monster in it that I really liked. It was an interesting take on one.

Comfort for Your Dead:
A great, great story. I felt the twist coming but it was still in the air on which way it was going to go

The School House:
I really didn't care for this story. I did think the shifting perspectives was an interesting way to explore madness but, at the same time, it made it a very confusing story. It was hard to really tell what exactly was going on.

Left Behind:
A very nicely done story about the price you might pay to escape your path

Hushabye:
I remembered Hushabye from its appearance in Nightmares: A Decade in Horror and I really liked it then. I liked it still this time around.

A Small Cold Hand:
I loved this story so much. It also addressed a problem I usually have with this kind of story. There are so many stories involving children and accidents, hit and run or not (not, in this case). But they never, ever explain why the kid was out, at night, by themselves. This story at lest answers that question and I appreciated it.

The Proving Ground:
I liked this one. Sort of. I think I would have liked it better if the sexual abuse was not implied. It's a common theme through these stories.

Angels of Silences:
I think this was my favorite story of all. It was great and I loved the characters of Biff and Ems. They really felt like real friends. I also loved that they weren't super omniscient and still felt like confused teens.

...And Dream of Avalon:
I got the song mentioned in this in my head so bad! It was a great story, tragic and poignant.

Winter's End:
This story was just kind of ok for me. I do love the Helen Damnation name.

They Wait:
This was a really good story, as well. I seem to be saying that a lot, don't I? You get to a point where you would be willing to trade off for another chance, even if it's not much of one.

The Children of Moloch:
I didn't care for this story too much. It was well written and a good story but the subject matter really turned me away. I did love the character of Scabs, however.

And Cannot Come Again:
I really, really liked this story. It seemed very believable for the characters involved and I loved the ending.

In general I don't like stories that include child abuse or molestation. I read for entertainment. However! I can say that Simon Bestwick does not use it for the sole purpose of shock value. The stories themselves supported it. The only story where the implied abuse where it felt somewhat gratuitous was The Proving Ground.

Simon Bestwick is a great writer and I am definitely going to be looking for more of his short stories in the future.

Received from the author for review consideration

Find this and more genre reviews at https://www.scifiandscary.com/

[Catherine Cavendish · Rating 5 out of 5]

A cornucopia of horrifically good writing.

In this eclectic collection, British author, Simon Bestwick runs us through the full gamut of man’s inhumanity (and, at times, humanity) to man. These are horror stories, but this is also horror with heart. Scary but, at times, indescribably poignant and sad. From two goth girls who have been brutally murdered yet still able to walk the streets of Manchester pretty much as normal (no these are not zombies), while trying to work out why they are still there, through to an evil and sadistic religious fanatic father and his ultimately tragic daughter.

The author takes us into the horrors of adolescence, to the small cold hand of a little dead girl, to the vast and lonely bleakness of the Cumbrian hills above the picture-perfect Lake District where something evil lurks beneath the scree left behind by an ice age glacier.

Within these pages are tales of lost childhood, regret, grief, revenge and…murder.
Simon Bestwick is one of the most original voices in horror today. His writing is visual, sensitive and demonstrates a deep understanding of the human psyche in all its complex and most terrifying forms.

This is a new and enhanced edition published by Horrific Tales and NOT the earlier version which was published by ChiZine. The new version contains more stories so make sure you buy the right one or you'll be losing out!

[Andrew · Rating 4 out of 5]

This review originally appeared in Black Static magazine, January 2020. Note: the review was based on the ChiZine version of the book and prior to this version appearing as a worthy replacement.

It must be quite rare for a reviewer to enjoy a book and then urge the public not to buy it, but even rarer for the author to agree. Unfortunately – as many of you will be aware – the publication of “And Cannot Come Again” coincided with ChiZine being outed for malpractices with regards to the treatment and non-payment of their authors and – more disturbingly – numerous allegations of a more harrowing nature including bullying and racism. With the weight of evidence against them there has been a shift in management, but the associated taint may never – quite rightly – clear, and in the meantime many innocent books and authors have floundered like flotsam in the wake. Having considered the allegations, Simon Bestwick requested a reversion of his rights, which unfortunately leaves “And Cannot Come Again” in limbo. With a review PDF already sitting at TTA Towers, however, we decided that the book itself deserved to be reviewed, even if both ourselves and Simon Bestwick cannot endorse a purchase from this publisher.

Those are the facts, now onto the fiction. The collection opens with “Dermot”, one of the most disturbing stories I’ve ever read. In a city threatened by forces beyond their control the only recourse is to call in the title character, the antithesis of a superhero because the bargain made for his assistance is morally worse than what brings them under attack. The strength here is in allusion, as the story turns away from Dermot’s reward it creates an uncomfortable feeling of collusion. And whilst this causes us to consider what we might be prepared to sacrifice to maintain the status quo, it also highlights the reality in which our governments operate daily. We might hope that bargains struck aren’t this extreme, but inevitably we are culpable in a number of atrocities that we often choose to ignore.

This political sensibility is threaded throughout Bestwick’s work. Authority figures – whether government, schools, care homes or anyone in control of power such as a parent – frequently abuse their positions when it comes to the fragile, the naïve, the innocent. Bestwick is rightfully angry at social injustice and his character’s personal histories form the background against which universal set pieces are played.

On occasion, however, I felt the message too heavy handed. In “The School House” almost every permutation of schoolboy abasement is brought to bear in a story where the past catches up with someone then overtakes them and propels them towards madness. Whilst the piece is a polemic against prejudice and being fucked up in your formative years, I felt its relentless tirade veered towards the unbelievable – however believable such abuse might well be. In contrast, “The Children of Moloch”, which takes place in a similar setting, and equally focuses on child abuse and the senselessness of inflicted pain, finds room for some tenderness in it’s characters interactions; even if this also ultimately leads to regret, where the burden of the past cannot be sloughed, where attempting to return to that affection simply evokes further pain. Here the latter story found a way to engage through characterization whilst the earlier story kept me at a distance.

Another pairing of stories features psychic detective, Paul Hearn, who echoes the unnamed detective in Joel Lane’s fiction. This is an affectionate comparison, and these stories proved effective shockers in their own right. In “Hushabye”, Hearn’s mission to nab a child molester leads him to encounter a being that refuses to die; almost a cumulative manifestation for this kind of evil; and equally “Winter’s End” is a powerful story of suppressed emotion with a haunted past manifesting itself in physical form. In both stories, Bestwick handles the shift from reality into fantasy effectively, blindsiding the reader in a satisfactory and assured manner.

The collection is a good mix of stories with a marked difference in length: some very short and others approaching – if not entering – novella territory. They each hold their own power. In “Beneath The Sun” something pallid and fleshy lives in the countryside. When a child stumbles upon it, his fear relocates the threat elsewhere. On the surface, this is an admirably nuanced short story, however the underlying subtext of loss, grief, guilt and blame elevates it into something much more chilling. Creatures underground also play a role in the much longer “The Moraine”, where a couple attempting to rekindle their marriage become lost in the fog, hunted by a barely glimpsed monster in a story which could be a Lake District “Tremors”. Richly described, with a vivid sense of peril, it is the characters interactions which are the heart of the story. Bestwick has a good ear for internal dialogue, which enriches his characters, evident in this thought from John: We’d spent our honeymoon here; I suppose we’d hoped to recapture something or other, but there’s no magic in places. Only people, and precious little of that; less and less the older you get.

Out of the fifteen stories, two are unpublished. The first is “Comfort Your Dead”, a neat ghost story which managed to goosebump my flesh twice: There are some sounds, if you’re a parent, more terrifying than any other…and some absences, too. Possibly a companion piece is “A Small Cold Hand”, which also features a child ghost, although where the former is out for acceptance the latter is out for revenge. To round up the remaining shorter pieces, “Left Behind” is a well-written weird crime piece reminiscent of the film, “Looper”; “The Proving Ground” an equally weird rites of passage story, with a complicit father leaving his son to face an unimaginable terror, the encounter briefly summarized in just a few paragraphs which leave an indelible impression; and “They Wait”, a quasi-bodysnatcher piece which bridges generations.

As good as these are, it is in the longer pieces where Bestwick has the room to shine, to develop his characters and to create some set pieces to dramatic effect. “…And Dream of Avalon” is a story about returning to formative years, which memory has kept pristine. The effect is akin to catching up with an old friend and seeing the person you once knew within their features. However, eventually the current supersedes the past and you stop seeing them as they were and only as they are now. In this case, to horrific effect. The themes of friendship, loyalty and death also inhabit “Angels of the Silences”, another favourite. Killed in appalling circumstances, goth friends Emily and Biff exist in a liminal state, their allegiance to their gang anchoring them until justice is obtained, after which choices about their future emulate the complexities of growing up and the decisions which we make that can be both arbitrary and heartbreaking. It’s a powerful, emotive piece rendered effective through strong characterization. We root for these people, align to their cause.

The collection ends with the previously unpublished novella-length title story, another tale of lost innocence and the consequences that we carry, how guilt informs our lives and cannot be shaken, and how returning to confront demons could well be literal and not only metaphoric. The story manages to be both an elegiac description of the circumstances that create fledgling relationships (I’d seen girls around the town before, of course, and yes, I was at that age when you start to notice them, but she was different. Different how? Simple: she noticed me back) and also fast-paced, vividly-plotted horror. Bestwick has a knack of mapping individuals against a wider cultural backdrop, where authority looms and overshadows, subsumes then creates monsters from the innocent. There is a scene where a character returns to consciousness at the exact moment where they have been thrown into a well. In the second they are suspended over the abyss there is a realization that nothing will ever be the same again. This is a perfect metaphor for the feelings which Bestwick elicits in all of these stories, where reality stops being so, and our worst fears are revealed and confronted.

In summary, “And Cannot Come Again” is a substantive body of work which hopefully will find the publisher it deserves. The subtitle, tales of childhood, regret, and innocence lost, perfectly encapsulates the content. And the best of these tales are down to earth diatribes, filled with outraged sensibilities around injustice and the corruption of innocence, politically motivated horror fiction reflecting our society and that which we crave and destroy. If you can source a copy without patronizing the publisher, then seek it out.

(Note: the final line refers to ChiZine and not the new publisher of this book)

[Des Lewis · Rating 4 out of 5]

“I’ve never been a lover of beans, but you make use of what you’ve got. Don’t you? We all do.”

As an old has-been myself, I find this a tantalising tale of blighted and nigh house-bound claustrophobia and a dark possible metamorphosis of escape — but to do this by waiting at an urban bus shelter where buses cannot come again? A tale of hopeless kids that gather at the shelter, intermittent visits to these kids there by a woman stranger in a sleek car, a woman with child-abusive tendencies, plus seeming knife crimes witnessed separately by the two old men, one right wing and the other, the narrator, left wing, but long-term pals nevertheless. A has-been scenario that gradually pans out…

The detailed review of this book posted elsewhere under my name is too long or impractical to post here.
Above is one of its observations at the time of the review.

[Heather Daughrity · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you had asked me a week ago who Simon Bestwick was, I would not have known. But his short story collection, ‘And Cannot Come Again’ has an introduction by Ramsey Campbell. Yes, that Ramsey Campbell, and he says: “One of the most accomplished and eloquent British horror writers is Simon Bestwick, and here is a feast of his work.”

Well, OK then.

The truth is, Mr. Campbell knows what he’s talking about. The seventeen stories in this collection are in fact great horror, well-written. The subtitle of the book, ‘Tales of Childhood, Regret, and Innocence Lost’ really does sum up the content. Almost all the stories involve horrific things happening to children or teenagers, things both supernatural and human.

There are many stories involving children in abusive relationships (with parents, teachers, other children), and triggers aplenty – the abuse is emotional, physical, and sexual. Some of the scenes were truly hard to stomach.

My favorite stories were:
The Moraine – a couple lost in the fog on a mountain encounter a mysterious ancient force – monster – creature? We never see it so we don’t know for sure what it is. But we do know it’s out for blood.

Angels of the Silences – the ghosts of two murdered teenage girls make it their mission to protect their friends.

The Children of Moloch – two kids at an orphanage where abuse runs rampant call on the Krail: the spirit creatures of kids from situations just like theirs, who seek vigilante justice on the abusers.

In addition to these, we have ghosts, creatures, graveyards, old lives traded for new, and old guilts, defeats, and despairs come back to haunt. All in all a very good collection that will leave you thinking for a long time about some of the stories. I will definitely be reading more works by Simon Bestwick.

I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

[AitziST · Rating 3 out of 5]

'And Cannot Come Again' is a short story collection by Simon Bestwick, where the author mixes both published and non-published stories dealing with horror tropes such as loss and vengeance. Nevertheless, what most of them have in common is a deep desire by the author to make the reader feel uncomfortable and deeply disturbed. Little dead girls who come back from the grave with a vengeance to fullfill, grotesque monsters society needs to advance... The author does not shy away from gruesome topics, even if he is not keen on details and let the reader fill the gaps.

Sadly, this collections' biggest flaw is the incapacity to keep a regular level among all the stories, which is something that does tend to happen in these type of collections. Some of the them are simply amazing, real page-turners, whereas others would have appreciated a little bit of cutting towards the end. And talking about endings, some of the stories grow and grow and grow but are not able to fulfill the long-awaited climax.

My favorite stories were Dermot, and amazing first story that sadly marks a very high level for the rest of the book; Confort your Dead, really well written and terrifying at its core; School House, very intriguing and 'Shutter Island' like; and a Small Cold Hand, the perfect example of all the best characteristics of the author just mentioned above. Tell, but not show. The crude story does not need it.

[Mary · Rating 5 out of 5]

This wonderful collection by Simon Bestwick has been added to my "These Books Are Special" goodreads list. These stories all all so beautifully written. Mr. Bestwick knows how to create art from words. He write, you read, you see, you feel. I would not call these happy stories, but they have a beauty in them and some of them have a sense of a common part of everyday life. Take "The Moraine", a married couple who were once so much in love and now there's the snapping back and eye-rolling....until something starts happening on this outing and they go from being annoyed to the old "I'd give my life for you" feeling. "Angels of Silence" was powerful. I have honestly never felt such empathy during a moment of violence as I did in this story. This moment is told without laying on the gore and horror and you're experiencing and seeing this as the victim. I found this scene to be very powerful and moving, and so sad for all of the real people who have actually experienced such fates. That said, don't let some sad content scare you away. Reading these stories is like walking into an art museum where you find yourself standing silently before the paintings, weeping just a bit. #Netgalley #AndCannotComeAgain

[Mary · Rating 5 out of 5]

This wonderful collection by Simon Bestwick has been added to my "These Books Are Special" goodreads list. These stories all all so beautifully written. Mr. Bestwick knows how to create art from words. He write, you read, you see, you feel. I would not call these happy stories, but they have a beauty in them and some of them have a sense of a common part of everyday life. Take "The Moraine", a married couple who were once so much in love and now there's the snapping back and eye-rolling....until something starts happening on this outing and they go from being annoyed to the old "I'd give my life for you" feeling. "Angels of Silence" was powerful. I have honestly never felt such empathy during a moment of violence as I did in this story. This moment is told without laying on the gore and horror and you're experiencing and seeing this as the victim. I found this scene to be very powerful and moving, and so sad for all of the real people who have actually experienced such fates. That said, don't let some sad content scare you away. Reading these stories is like walking into an art museum where you find yourself standing silently before the paintings, weeping just a bit. #Netgalley #AndCannotComeAgain

[Graeme Reynolds · Rating 5 out of 5]

Incredible collection of horror short stories and novellas. I was already familiar with Simon Bestwick's work after reading The Faceless and Hells Ditch, but he really knocks it out of the park with this story.
From the first tale, Dermot, we are presented with Bestwick's very real, often hideous characters, however the book also has a real emotional core. Tales like "A small cold hand" were quite touching as well as creepy, and Angels of the Silences was an amazing read.
Highly recommended. Most horror fans will find something to love in this wonderfully written, disturbing collection

[Arkrayder · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was given to me by NetGalley in exchange for a fair and honest review.

There were a few stories in this that I enjoyed and for these I am grateful that I read the book. The author writes well and keeps the readers interest. The stories which let the book down for me dealt with child abuse and while I am aware the world unfortunately has these horrific acts happening in it, I have an extremely hard time reading about them. Some of the scenes in which this occurs can be overly detailed, going more for shock value. Other than that a good read.

[Lily · Rating 5 out of 5]

And Cannot Come Again is not a light read. It's brilliant, but definitely not light. It's kind of a punch to the gut emotionally. I love Bestwick's style, and the emotions evoked in such a short amount of space for each story is mind-blowing. If you're looking for a truly horrifying, well-written read, then this is the book for you.

[Rachel Drenning · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC of this book. I enjoyed all the stories from this collection and left a longer review on Goodreads. The stories range from scary and creepy to bleak and sad, but all were very interesting reads. Hope the author writes more.