Lockdown: Stories of Crime, Terror, and Hope During a Pandemic

by Nick Kolakowski (Editor), Steve Weddle (Editor), Hector Acosta

A mysterious virus sweeps across the country, mutating rapidly as it jumps from person to person. Cities are locked down. The skies are clear as all planes are grounded. Some people panic, while some go to heroic lengths to save those they love - and others use the chaos as an opportunity to engage in purest evil.

In Lockdown, 19 of today’s finest suspense, horror, and crime writers explore how humanity reacts to the ultimate pandemic. From New York City to the Mexican border, from the Deep South to the misty shores of Seattle, their characters are fighting for survival against incredible odds. An anthology for our time, showing how the worst crises can lead to the best of us. Proceeds from Lockdown will go to support BINC, the Book Industry Charitable Foundation, as it seeks to help booksellers recover from the devastating COVID-19 crisis.

Genres: Short Stories, Horror, Fiction, Anthologies

320 pages, Paperback

First published June 16, 2020

About the author

Nick Kolakowski is the author of several horror and crime novels, including “Absolute Unit” (Crystal Lake Publishing) and “Where the Bones Lie” (Datura Books). His short stories and nonfiction essays have appeared in various anthologies and magazines, including House of Gamut, Mystery Magazine, Shotgun Honey, Rock & A Hard Place, and (upcoming) Best American Mystery & Suspense 2024. He lives and writes in New York City.

Reviews

[Jamesboggie · Rating 4 out of 5]

This anthology is probably the most focused and relevant I have ever read. These stories were all written during the early days of the Covid-19 quarantine. They capture shared experiences, preserving our hopes and fears, our frustrations and triumphs. Some stay very close to reality, and some speculate about a future shaped by the pandemic. More than a few hit close to home.

I am really glad to have this anthology to remind me of this hopefully unique time in our collective experience. It may be too soon for most readers, but someday Covid-19 will be a distant memory. Stories like these written during the quarantine will give us a window into this time in history.


“Everything Is Going to Be Okay” by Gabino Iglesias
This story is a brief but unflinching look at the impact of Covid-19 on the already vulnerable. Joanna is sick, and Pablo can’t afford a hospital stay for her. He’s a hardworking fisherman, but still trapped in poverty. The virus drives him to desperate measures. 4/5

“No Honor Among Thieves” by Rob Hart
This is a home invasion story. You would think home invasions would all but disappear during quarantine, and the story acknowledges that. The story bounces around time frames and perspectives to allow for a series of reveals and twists. The ending is abrupt and surprising, but not entirely clear. 3/5

“Desert Shit” by Renee Asher Pickup
This story follows two girlfriends who get swept up in a sudden complete lockdown. It really captures the fear of the early quarantine, when things were changing so quickly and no one knew how bad it would get. Thankfully, the real Covid-19 is not as bad as this fictional version. 4/5

“The Rescue” by Scott Adlerberg
This story represents the sudden transition to remote work many of us experienced in March. It also seems to skewer bureaucracy some, although I would have enjoyed a little more intense satire a la Douglas Adams. The abrupt ending was quite a twist. 3/5

“Your List” by Angel Luis Colon
This protagonist is everyone who started quarantine with big plans - learning skills, getting in shape, working on those long-delayed projects. This protagonist is also everyone who failed in those big plans, paralyzed by fear rather than empowered by free time. Thankfully, most people do not give in to the fear as much as this protagonist. 3.5/5

“At the End of the Neighborhood” by Steve Weddle
This story is about the paranoia that can grip nice neighborhoods during disasters. The protagonist’s family finds itself under uncomfortable scrutiny as a potential threat. The story ends early, and I have mixed feelings. On the one hand, it ends before any meaningful climax. On the other, the uncertainty creates a wonderful uneasiness and foreboding familiar to all of us watching the early days of Covid-19. 3/5

“The Diamond” by Gemma Amor
This story reminds me of a quarantine version of Lord of the Flies. Five men and a woman are in a house during the lockdown, and nerves begin to fray. You would think the sick roommate would cause the problem, but it is greed for a valuable diamond ring that pits them against each other. It spins out of control shockingly fast too. 4/5

“Misery Loves Company” by Ann Dávila Cardinal
I am a sucker for a good ghost story, especially one with a new angle or twist. This story certainly fits the bill. It asks, “what happened to ghosts when everyone left haunted workplaces?” It is also a good remote horror story - the only good one I have experienced so far (all those Skype horror movies were terrible). I think it benefits from the short format, rapid pace, and focus on isolation. 4/5

“Apocalypse Bronx” by Richie Narvaez
This story is a biting critique of police. It follows an officer during quarantine in 2022. He lives in a beautiful house with his family. His life is pretty good, but it is built on a dark secret. The story is about him covering up that secret to protect everything it got him. 4/5

“Personal Protection” by Terry Lynn Coop
This anthology needed a medical thriller, and this is it. It is fast-paced and intense. It highlights the dangers medical personal face during a pandemic, and just how quickly everything can change. Unfortunately, I really could not get into this story. 2/5

“A Kinder World Stands Before Us” by Nick Kolakowski
This story held a few surprises. At first, I thought it might be like “Personal Protection” set at a Long Island fast food place. Then, it seemed like a modern rendition of “The Masque of the Red Death” at the Fire Festival. The twist was like the Purge meets the Donner Party. I did not see where this story was going, and I enjoyed the journey and the twist ending. 5/5

“The Loyalty of Hungry Dogs” by S.A. Cosby
I did not expect the twist in this story. Society has collapsed. Cities are in ruins, given to Mad Max-style psychos in homemade fetish gear. Such a group tries to take over a nice little homestead in the country, and find themselves in an entirely different horror story. 4/5

“Fish Food” by Jen Conley
A first-person narrative from the perspective of a pregnant woman under the second wave of Covid-19. It really drives home how brutal survival can be, and how selfish and stupid people can be even in a survival situation. I really connected with this character and the tone of the story - one of bleak determination. 5/5

“The Seagull & The Hog” by Johnny Shaw
The quest for porn in the apocalypse! This is not what I signed up for, but the humor is not bad. 2/5

“Por Si Acaso” by Hector Acosta
These teens have set up a pretty sweet hustle: they bought up a load of fast food and an industrial freezer. Now that all the fast food places have gone under, these have it made. At least, they did until Carlos killed their best customer. 4/5

“Herd Immunity” by Eryk Pruitt
This is a trippy story. It is set in the future after a sickness has had dramatic social impacts. The protagonist goes looking for a strange seeming cult dedicated to isolation. I would describe the story as dreamlike. It has that same logic, with no clear motivations for the characters and gaps between scenes. 3/5

“Unscathed” by Michelle Garza and Melissa Lason
I hesitate to say too much about this story. It does not end anywhere near where it starts. I almost wonder if the authors started writing from each end and met somewhere in the middle. I appreciate the domestic violence angle, as that has been one of the biggest side effects of quarantine. The twist seemed to come out of nowhere: when exactly did it become a zombie story, and why didn’t the main characters notice?3/5

“Asylum” by V. Castro
Some of these stories have political subtext, but not this one: here it is all explicit text. “Asylum” is a sledgehammer driving home a clear message about American imperialism, anti-immigrant prejudice, misogyny, racism and colorism, and American science denialism. It pulls no punches. It also has one of the most extreme pandemics in this anthology. This one is challenging for me as one of the Americans that would probably be turned away at the border. 4/5

“Outpost” by Alex DiFrancesco
In my opinion, this story does not belong in this anthology. It seems to be set in the far future - far enough that it might as well be any generic post-apocalypse. It has no connection to our experience of Covid-19 or lockdown. Instead, it focuses on an unnamed protagonist with some unexplained gender shifting ability. Yes, she is a shifter than turns into a man instead of a wolf. That could be the basis for an interesting exploration of gender and identity, but I do not think the story did much of anything with it. Instead, it drops the reader into the story, unnaturally withholding information so it can drip feed vague exposition with an infuriatingly overimportant tone. I also see no reason to like the main character; she starts the story by manipulating a man to rob him, but I guess we’re supposed to condone her behavior because she has unspecified reasons to be desperate and he’s maybe a creep. 1/5

“Come Away, Come Away” by Cynthia Pelayo
I was not expecting a retelling of Peter Pan. Neverland represents an escape from the pandemic here. In a few pages, the story shows children aged too soon by fear and responsibility. Wendy just wants to feel safe again. It worked much better than I expected. 4/5

[Scott Cumming · Rating 4 out of 5]

She thought about how all the books and movies had gotten it all wrong. The world didn't end in riots and wars in an endless dystopian wasteland. It didn't end with a whimper like that poet who liked cats said either. It ended in increments. It slowed and slowed like the heart of a wounded animal until it just stopped and began to rot.

S.A. Cosby - The Loyalty of Hungry Dogs

This collection has been put together quickly to support independent bookshops across North America and the quality remains astounding given how quickly it has been brought together. For good reason, Covid-19, isn't the top headlining news now, but this anthology is as relatable as anything you can read this year.

The collection starts with stories in the early days and weeks of lockdown before branching out with authors delivering a variety of scenarios for the future of the world and what the landscape may be. There are writers of a kaleidoscope of genres included giving us a variety of stories from the funny to the terrifying. I'll give a brief synopsis of the stories and denote my favourites along the way with an asterisk.

"Everything is Going to be Okay" by Gabino Iglesias kicks off with a fisherman leaving his wife behind to earn, even as she exhibits symptoms of the virus. Home invasion might be the worst crime to attempt during quarantine, but it won't stop some from trying in Rob Hart's "No Honor Amongst Thieves". It's tough enough quarantining without doing so in the wrong house as the protagonists in Renee Asher Pickup's "Desert Shit" get caught while trying to move some contraband.

"The Rescue" by Scott Adlerberg* poses the question of who gets to decide what essential travel is. "Your List" by Angel Luis Colon is all about them quarantine goals. Steve Weddle gives a wonderful story of the everyday quarantine grind and how quickly it can change people and groups in "At the End of the Neighborhood"*.

Breakups are hard enough without having to quarantine with the ex. Throw in four flatmates and a maguffin and it is bound to get gnarly as Gemma Amor shows in "The Diamond". "Misery Loves Company" by Ana Davila Cardinal* makes me grateful I'm still having to work from the office as she presents the most haunting online meeting story of our time. "Apocalypse Bronx" by Richie Narvaez* takes us into #Quarantine2022 as a crooked cop needs to settle a score across the river.

"Personal Protection" by Terri Lynn Coop* is an awesome story that can't really have any details revealed for fear of spoiling it. A disgraced chef takes some "off-season" work as the rich flock to their holiday homes to lockdown in Nick Kolakowski's "A Kinder World Stands Before Us". S.A. Cosby presents us with a dog eat dog post-pandemic world in "The Loyalty of Hungry Dogs".

"Fish Food"* is a wonderfully written and almost eerily real tale in terms of details of the end of this potential first wave by Jen Conley. "The Seagull & The Hog" by Johnny Shaw* brings the laughs as a young man isolates alone with just his thoughts and neighbours sex noises for company. "Por Si Adaso" by Hector Acosta involves 3 17 year olds, a NES and a burgeoning lockdown business.

"Herd Immunity" by Eryk Pruitt sees a group still hiding out post-virus and contains the ultimate summation of the small town coming-of-age story:

Lately, you have begun to grow into yourself. A small town can fold in on a fella. It can make him do things and think ways he might not, if left alone. There is no common ideal to which all must subscribe and, as of late, you have begun to fill out your shirts, your britches, the shoes on your feet. The words sent forth from your mother, your teachers, your preacher at your church, have all begun to ring hollow. They are keeping something from you. They don't want you to know everything just yet. You send out for books not kept at the town's library. You study subjects nobody has ever taught you. Your hometown grows smaller and smaller and you fear that one day you might pop it at the seams and they will rend you limb-by-limb, lest you tear the entire place to smithereens.

"The Asylum" by V. Castro* imagines the fall of the U.S. and the Mexican Cartels taking over the southern neighbour and turning her into a superpower. "Outpost" by Alex DiFrancesco gives us a more supernatural tale with a shape shifter moving through the new dystopia. "Come Away, Come Away" by Cynthia Pelayo touchingly closes with a story I can only, gauchely, describe as Peter Pan-demic.

A excellent collection of stories for a good cause that is well worth the time. It helps to have relatable stories during this time we are all experiencing.

Thanks to Polis Books for the review copy.

[Glen · Rating 2 out of 5]

An anthology of the current pandemic lockdowns, which may or may not be over. Is it too soon? All of the stories were about the same, except for the one by Ana Davila Cardinal, which at least introduces a ghost to shake things up.

[Julia · Rating 3 out of 5]

A selection of short stories hot off the press during the first months of the Covid-19 lockdowns. Some of them are good, most of them are a bit hit and miss.

[Heather · Rating 4 out of 5]

Steve Weddle and Nick Kolakowski edited the deliberately-timely pandemic anthology Lockdown: Stories of Crime, Terror, and Hope During a Pandemic. Some people I’m sure just want to use their reading to escape the current pandemic, but some of us wouldn’t mind the opportunity to see other sides of what could be. Note that these stories tend to be built around a pandemic that is worse than what we’re seeing now. Either it’s just a different pandemic, or it’s a mutation, or it’s a second wave, etc. Overall I give this anthology a 4/5: like most multiple-author anthologies, not every story will be to every reader’s taste. There’s a preponderance of good stories though, and very few zombies. Please note that the proceeds from this book are to go to the Book Industry Charitable Foundation.

Some stories, such as “Everything Is Going to Be Okay” by Gabino Iglesias, give us stories of crimes that could just as easily happen during “normal” times, but they happen to take place within the context of a pandemic. In this case, the story involves commercial fishermen who just took a new guy on board. Rob Hart’s “No Honor Amongst Thieves” involves an attempted theft of something that’s locked away in an office no one’s going to due to the pandemic.

One of my favorites in this volume is by Renee Asher Pickup. The protagonists have stolen a load of jugs of bleach, only society seems to be deteriorating too quickly for them to unload it. This is definitely a look at a bleaker pandemic than what we’re experiencing right now, and what really makes it excellent is the relationship between the characters. Another favorite was Scott Adlerberg’s “The Rescue.” A man realizes he left something important in his office when they were told to go home and work from home, and he needs to find a way to get it. It’s largely a charming story of relationships and emotions, with a couple of darker notes.

Angel Luis Colón wrote “Your List,” which is told in the second person. Apparently the reader is a person who very much likes making lists, and this is a somewhat whimsical (and enjoyable) piece.

Some stories show the worst of what humanity might be like at the end of the world. In “At the End of the Neighborhood,” by Steve Weddle, someone in a neighborhood manages to “out” everyone who’s traveled overseas recently. It can only escalate from there. Richie Narvaez brings us “Apocalypse Bronx.” It’s a tale of police corruption and desperation set against the backdrop of an extremely virulent pandemic. Nick Kolakowski’s “A Kinder World Stands Before Us” is quite a journey. It takes place in a tourist area where the off-season is usually empty and quiet. Not this time, though–the rich have fled to the countryside, some of them bringing the pandemic with them. Our protagonist takes up with a Silicon Valley bigwig and his flock of followers as they take over a huge mansion. Another neighborhood story is Jen Conley’s “Fish Food.” Immune and recovered people are allowed to remain in their homes and even go out to do a certain amount of shopping for necessities. If anyone is caught harboring a transient coming through, well, the result won’t be pretty. Unlike a previous story, this is a neighborhood that sticks together.

Gemma Amor’s “The Diamond” is one of the most clearly horror-themed stories in the book, to my mind, and it’s another of my favorites. A handful of roommates are already having trouble riding out the pandemic together. When they find a mysterious and rare red diamond, it only tears them further apart. Another horrific favorite is “Misery Loves Company” by Ann Dávila Cardinal: a college building has a reputation of being haunted. What will the ghost do when everyone starts working from home? Terri Lynn Coop wrote “Personal Protection,” a memorable story about a couple who are both essential workers. When Dr. Eliana Delgado, the wife, is exposed to the pandemic, her husband Josh starts to flip out.

S.A. Cosby’s “The Loyalty of Hungry Dogs” takes place sometime post-pandemic, in the sort of world we’re somewhat more accustomed to seeing on TV. Tasha and her little boy Luke are living on home-grown vegetables and her husband Jimmy’s hunting. One day a handful of outsiders find Tasha and Luke at home and decide to take over their little hideaway. Tasha warns them that they should leave before Jimmy gets home, but they aren’t worried. This is another favorite of mine.

“Por Si Acaso” by Hector Acosta is a tale of three 17-year-olds who are making bank off of the pandemic because Luis had the foresight to stock the freezers with fast food. Eryk Pruitt’s “Herd Immunity” is an odd little tale of a group of people–perhaps a cult?–who refuse to interact with anyone. At least, until one day a well-meaning neighbor drops by. Michelle Garza and Melissa Lason bring us “Unscathed,” about what happens to a woman who just killed her abusive husband, and the neighbor who tries to help her.

V. Castro’s “Asylum” is an intriguing look at a world where the US became so plague-ravaged that the Mexican cartels finished building the border wall to keep Americans out! It’s told as if someone who’s been there for a while is explaining the place to a new person, and it’s unusual and memorable.

Alex DiFrancesco’s “Outpost” is a wild ride. The main character sometimes undergoes unusual “changes,” and their plans are thrown off when an old lover, Fai, arrives in town. Fai is integral to the times when our protagonist changes in a way that best suits them. All of this takes place in a world after “the Final Illness” and “the Last War.” The pandemic is just distant background to this one.

Cynthia Pelayo’s “Come Away, Come Away” is about a girl left behind by her parents to care for her two younger brothers. She tells them stories every night and hasn’t been outside in forever. One night, someone comes looking for her.


Original review posted on my blog: http://www.errantdreams.com/2020/06/r...

This is a very good collection of stories, and I definitely recommend it for anyone who wants a little bit of a different pandemic read.

[Angela Williamson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lockdown is an interesting mix of stories dealing with different scenarios during a pandemic. Almost a little too true to life right now but, I could not put them down. As you read these stories which are dark and darker, you realize some of these scenarios are not as far fetched as they would have been even a year ago. All of the stories were good and kept me pulled in and compulsively reading until I was finished and left me wanting more!
Thank you NetGalley and Polis Books for an ARC of Lockdown.

[Aida Alberto · Rating 5 out of 5]

I must have lost my mind reading these types of stories with everything going on around here but they're so good! I couldn't stop reading and they're donating all of the money to struggling bookstore owners? Sold! Everyone needs to pick up this book now because it's a double winner. You get an amazing book jam packed with awesome stories and you know your money is being donated to a good cause. Happy reading! #Lockdown #NetGalley

[Suz Jay · Rating 4 out of 5]

“She thought about how all the books and movies had gotten it all wrong. The world didn’t end in riots and wars in an endless dystopian wasteland. It didn’t end with a whimper like that poet who liked cats had said, either. It ended in increments. It slowed and slowed like the heart of a wounded animal until it just stopped and began to rot.” -From “The Loyalty of Hungry Dogs” by S.A. Cosby

LOCKDOWN, which benefits The Book Industry Charitable Foundation, is a collection of short stories in various genres inspired by the Covid-19 pandemic. The range of the topics shows the magic of a writers’s imagination, and all but ensures that each reader will have their own favorites.

While I enjoyed every story, my favorites are as follows in the order they appear in the anthology.

“The Rescue” by Scott Adlerberg: A man breaks quarantine to rescue a beloved house plant. I heard Scott speak about his writing at Bouchercon, which led me to his wonderful novel GRAVEYARD LOVE. The protagonist in “The Rescue” won me over with his single-minded obsession, and the lengths he was willing to go to succeed in securing his beloved money tree.

“Your List” by Angel Luis Colón: A story about how you try to exert control over the uncontrollable. I really enjoyed Colón’s novel HELL CHOSE ME, and I’ve been wanting to read more of his work. The use of second person narration pulls the reader immediately into the story. In a pandemic, there seems so little within our control, so it’s easy to relate to the protagonist’s desire to control the uncontrollable.

“Personal Protection” by Terri Lynn Coop: This story looks at the risks of first responders and healthcare professionals. With several medical professionals in my family, this story reflects the fear I feel for them, particularly when personal protective equipment is in short supply. Coop is a new to me author, and I look forward to reading more of their work.

“A Kinder World Stands Before Us” by Nick Kolakowski: A chef takes a job in a resort town where the rich and famous have fled to weather out the pandemic. Kolakowski’s stories in Switchblade Issue seven and Switchblade Tech Noir are among my favorites in those issues. The joy the protagonist finds in cooking makes this one a tasty treat.

“The Loyalty of Hungry Dogs” by S.A. Cosby: This story, about a mother who has a showdown with a band of home invaders, has a wicked cool Mad Max vibe. I absolutely cannot wait for Cosby’s soon to be released novel BLACKTOP WASTELAND. The quote at the start of my review showcases the beauty in the author’s prose.

“Fish Food” by Jen Conley: A pregnant woman will do whatever it takes to protect her unborn child. Conley is a new to me author, and I look forward to reading more of their work. This story centers around family and community. I loved the strength and survival instinct of the protagonist.

“The Seagull & The Hog” by Johnny Shaw: A man goes on a quest to fulfill a base need. Shaw is a new to me author, and I look forward to reading more of their work. I found this story to be laugh out loud funny. The protagonist’s worldview and feelings about mundane things like Chicken of the Sea tuna was highly entertaining.

“Por Si Acaso” by Hector Acosta: An entrepreneurial venture goes awry. Acosta is a new to me author, and I look forward to reading more of their work. This story left me with a craving for all manner of fast food. The snappy dialogue and well developed characters made this one a home run.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Thanks to NetGalley and Polis Books for providing an Advance Reader Copy.

[Ryan Spearer · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received an advanced copy of this book from Net Galley. Lockdown is a series of fictitious short stories centered around the theme of life during and after a pandemic. Most stories follow an individual character (some follow a set of characters) as they navigate life after a pandemic strikes.

HYPES
- RELEVANCY: This series of short stories could not be more timely with the world currently living through a pandemic. While the stories themselves are not realistic, the thoughts and feelings of the characters are. There were times throughout this entire series where I strongly related to feelings that the characters were having, even if the plot itself was unrealistic and exaggerated.
- LENGTH OF STORIES: Each story was written in a manner that kept your attention the entire time without feeling that the author(s) were stringing you along with no purpose. If there was a particular story that you didn't connect with, it was easily to continue reading without feeling like you were drowning or needed to put the book done. This happened to me for only one of the stories.
- FORMATTING: Each story was written in a manner where it captured your attention almost instantaneously. As you continued reading, more context was provided, while the plot continued moving forward. Nearly every story ended on a revelation that you were not expecting. Imagine how you feel when reading a mystery/thriller and the murderer is revealed and you are shocked. Now imagine that on a much smaller level. It is obvious that there was great editing done in the series.
- TOPIC APPROACH: With so much anxiety and uncertainly caused by COVID-19, I enjoyed how the topic of a pandemic was written about. All of the stories are over-the-top in a humorous/satirical manner. There were subtle COVID-19 references sprinkled in, which I appreciated.
-DIVERSE RANGE OF AUTHORS: It was refreshing to see a diverse range of authors represented in this series. I was excited that one of the authors (Jen Conley) lives in my hometown!

GRIPES
- DARK HUMOR: I personally enjoyed the way the material of this series was presented, as described above. Most of the stories are written with elements of dark humor infused within them. If you are someone whose mental health has been affected significantly during COVID-19, this may not be my first recommendation for you. While the stories are unrealistic, the thoughts of the characters feel real and some characters' stories may elicit feelings that may not be best for your mental health.

[Sandra "Jeanz" · Rating 4 out of 5]

At one time I would have read this collection of stories and thought them really far fetched and unlikely to happen. By the time I was reading this Anthology the world was in the midst of the covid-19 pandemic. I suppose it made me read these individual stories from a different point of view and think that they could probably/possibly happen. The different stories tell how groups of people cope with a virus and the danger of getting it.

In one particular story a man is going out to sea fishing to try and earn enough money to take his ill wife to hospital for treatment. The man is so desperate, that he is pushed into doing something he would never have even thought of without the virus spreading and his wife desperately needing treatment. It shows how far someone, in this particular story, this man who is devoted to his wife can be pushed without snapping and committing a crime.

In another story it tells of a group of people moving into a holiday home of the rich and famous. Taking the local chef/cooks to this mansion so they can cook and feed everyone. At first everything is fine with plenty of food and provisions. Then people begin to disappear, and the food becomes so scarce a group has to go out looking for more supplies. Meat seems to turn up just when it is most needed, but how long can it continue and where are the people going when they leave the mansion?

Other stories have people hoarding food and selling it on at extortionate prices to those that can afford it. In most of the stories the characters begin with plans, from meals to exercise, then slowly the meals rely on whatever the characters can buy, steal or forage for. The characters initially continue to get up, wash, dress attend to children and pets. Then slowly they get up out of bed much later, don’t bother getting dressed as they aren’t going anywhere, eat whatever they can get at whatever time of day they get it etc. It shows the characters decline as the “normal world” declines too.

My immediate thoughts upon finishing reading this book were that the Lockdown Anthology is a great collection of different characters and how they cope in their different versions of Lockdown.
To sum up, I have to admit that it was kind of surreal reading these types of stories during the current covid-19 pandemic, though on the whole I did enjoy reading the anthology! I will certainly be checking out other titles by someof the authors I have discovered in this anthology.

[Amanda McHugh · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've been seeing this collection making the rounds on Twitter for a while, so I was thrilled to finally get my hands on it and dive in.

Lockdown is a series of stories focusing on the pandemic. Viruses, quarantine, navigating the new world--all these and more are covered by a stellar line up of authors.

Standouts for me include: Misery Loves Company by Ann Davila Cardinal, Asylum by V. Castro, and Unscathed by Michelle Garza and Melissa Lason. Without spoilers, these tales are superbly written with tight prose, excellent dialogue, and excellent pacing. I'm also a big fan of imagery and symbolism in short stories, and this collection had plenty of both. Gruesome, visceral imagery not for the faint of heart.

While I didn't love every story, if you're in the mood to read about a world ravaged by a pandemic and the psychological effects it can have on people, this will be the collection for you. I'll definitely be giving this a second read.

[Paul · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is an usual anthology in that it is not dedicated to one genre. In some ways, that makes the selection process trickier, but this is a solid collection of good quality (although fairly dark) stories overall including some from high profile authors.

Thanks very much for the early review copy!!

[Bookreporter.com Mystery & Thriller · Rating 5 out of 5]

LOCKDOWN features 20 excellent short stories dealing with the terrible effects of pandemics and lockdowns on both normal and abnormal human beings --- and on normal people who become abnormal as the result of attempting to cope with viral plagues. The editors, Nick Kolakowski and Steve Weddle, have done a fine job of collecting and presenting the material. The stories range in intensity from quite intense to horrifyingly compelling.

The subtitle is a bit misleading in its implication that hope shares approximately equal billing with crime and terror. In these pieces, there is very little evidence of hopes or wishes realized. The collection as a whole, then, represents a fascinating paradox: Every story reaches its goal of chillingly portraying the potential horrors we face with the attack of the so-far-unstoppable spread of a mortally injurious virus. What collection could possibly be more timely and effective as a literary warning alarm?

But for those who already suffer from the sadness, stress or downright depression that for some is almost inevitable while living through a viral plague, reading these stories, especially in one sitting, may well cause hours or days of discomfort and an overarching cloud of doom. Therefore, I cannot in good conscience recommend them to all readers. That’s just how good they are --- good and awful, disgustingly superb.

A look at the themes and motifs that dominate these stories illustrates the point. Violence and murder are the most common threads. Deaths by infection run a close second. A sense of gloom hangs like a black cloud over every story and probably over every reader’s head. The predominant metaphor is redness; blood is splattered everywhere and all over a bunch of characters, and it’s surely infected, deadly blood.

Are we happy yet?

The plots are ingenious, carefully constructed and extraordinarily attention-grabbing. A man so loves his sick wife that he will murder to save her; characters struggle through their own personal versions of a living hell in hopes of finding safety, only to ultimately find tragedy and destruction; lovers end up despising each other, and murder soon ensues; a man risks his life for an opportunity to view some powerful pornography; humans-turned-zombies attack and eat the flesh of their innocent uninfected victims.

The editors wisely finish the collection with two stories that feature escapes to fantasy lands of beauty and love, though both, of course, also offer up gory diseases, horror and death. In these two pieces --- and only in these two --- can we vaguely glimpse glimmers of hope. I highly recommend LOCKDOWN for those with strong stomachs and an appreciation for imaginative literature. But if you usually read primarily for escape from your daily troubles, run away.

Reviewed by Jack Kramer

[Mike Dominic · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book feels necessary. For the reader who's quarantining at home, it's a necessary tool, not just for entertainment to be consumed to pass the time, but also for perspective on the situation that gave rise to a collection like this.
Further than that, it's necessary as a record of a moment in time, when social conditions gave rise to the possibility of a book like this.
By being first, or at least early, out of the gate with pandemic fiction, this is going to serve as a milestone in fiction, an indicator of "this is when our stories changed", going forward into whatever can be considered "normal" from now on.
Cultural import aside, this is also a vastly entertaining collection of stories. It's got a wide variety of themes and talents, with the end result being that just about everyone will find something that will strike home with them. Most importantly to the contemporary reader, it's not all negative, doom and zombies fiction (although that's there too...). There's hope and positivity and the possibility that things will get better, or at least that the good things can endure.
This is the right time for this very right book, which should definitely be on any informed person's must-read list.

[Denice Langley · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love anthologies! They fill a gap in a reader's library, in between series volumes or when you are looking for a different voice or genre.

Most anthologies have a theme....this one, a pandemic and the reactions of the people affected...while giving authors the chance to "flex" their writing skills. The authors in this volume are well known in their respective genres, each has their own fan base, but the shared theme lets them "bleed" their talents into the minds and hearts of readers who would not normally read their titles.

As you read each story, you'll reflect on the actions of individuals and groups that are stressed by outside influences. We are seeing the same reactions in some groups during this period of uncertainty. The stories are excellent, the writing first rate. This is a memorable volume of stories to share with your reading friends and circles. It also makes a contribution to many worthy causes through the Book Industry Charitable Foundation.

[Heather Warner · Rating 5 out of 5]

*10 stars!!!!!!*. I pre-ordered this book and waited eagerly for its release and arrival on my doorstep.....and I was NOT disappointed!!!!!! Written and released during the pandemic, it was really the perfect book to be reading in 2020. All 19 stories in this collection are linked by the mysterious virus racing across the country mutating as it rapidly infects each person. Cities are locked down, quarantines are implemented, all planes are grounded & travel is restricted. Some people panic, some people are heroes trying to save their loved ones-and of course other people use the chaotic crisis to commit pure evil. From NYC to Mexico, the Deep South to Seattle-all of these characters are fighting to survive. Absolutely fantastic anthology and one I cannot recommend strongly enough!!!!! Top, top, top book and absolute favorite of the year!!!!!!

[Zeb Kantrowitz · Rating 3 out of 5]

So as to save a lot of time (which we are all short of locked in the house) let me say the the reason the rating is three is because the book is very mixed. There are five good stories, three bad stories and the rest are somewhere between bland and boring.

Now this may seem harsh, but the truth will out. Every dystopian genre is covered some way or other to the point of banality. So if your locked in your house/apartment/car and you have nothing else to do, read it and skip the ones that stop you after a paragraph.

[Timothy Haas · Rating 2 out of 5]

I was given a copy of this book for review.

This book is a collection of shrt stories based on the current events with Covid 19. Many of the stories are written in a dark and depressing theme. The stories relate on how poorly people are delaing with the virus and the results of a lockdown.

[Jeanne · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not a favorite because it deals with the pandemic in each story which is still going strong and making me crazy. If there was no real pandemic it would be quite enjoyable
Thank you netgalley and the publisher for this arc

[Annarella · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good anthology of stories about pandemic and what could happen. Even if not are all at the same level it's an interesting and engrossing read.
Recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine.

[Carrie Blythe · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.75 stars

[Beau Johnson · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 stars
LOCKDOWN: Stories of Crime, Terror, and Hope During a Pandemic. More like KICKASS Stories of Crime, Terror, and Hope During a Pandemic. I mean, wow, just great stuff throughout. However, like most anthologies I've read (and I probably sound like a broken record by now) I didn't connect with every story presented within. Which is fine, more than fair, as there are just too many voices and story combinations for this to occur in most anthologies. But man, did LOCKDOWN come close. There is darkness in this anthology, which I have always been a fan of, but there is also hope, just as the byline states. Which, if I'm honest, sometimes runs neck and neck with the darkness I profess to love. Makes me human, I suppose. Empathic, anyway. But enough about me! Let's talk story. From a certain bleak dystopian take on the pandemic to buds selling frozen Big Macs to people after the world shuts down. We have a no honor among thieves scenario told from multiple points of view which then leads us to a love story from Renee Asher Pickup that sadly wasn't meant to be. There may have been a werewolf or two, and that story, man that was slick. A shoutout to Canada happened as well, there late in the book, and like the fairy tale piece at the end I liked it quite a bit. Add this to the finding of a certain diamond and a Cul-de-sac where everything ends up going wrong and I can't recommend this book enough. But wait, there's more! Stories that involve baking bread to fisticuffs with neighbors to not one, but TWO stories which in them had characters that held my name? Ha! Different voices notwithstanding, I enjoyed both these offerings, but must admit that receiving a gold tooth and being turned into ground chuck has stuck with me since I read it, so I remain partial to Nick Kolakowski's A KINDER WORLD STANDS BEFORE US. Should I go on? Could I? I could, sure, but I don't think I will. I feel I've given too much away already. You know what that means? It means you should go forth, seek out, purchase and enjoy. Tell 'em another lover of crime fiction sent you.