SheriC’s Reviews > 100 Hair-Raising Little Horror Stories > Status Update

"Masque" by Ed Gorman (1990) - Nothing new or inventive, and the writing isn't even very good.

"The Middle Toe of the Right Foot" by Ambrose Bierce (1890) - Now this is some good writing. Somehow both gothic and concise. Beautifully grotesque sense of place and description of the main character. Clever little plot twist.

"Mariana" by Fritz Lieber (1960) - So disturbing. Sort of a sci-fi Bluebeard story, but without the actual Bluebeard.

“The Marble Hands” 1915 Capes - maybe where De Palma got the idea for the ending to Carrie

“Making Friends” 1987 Raisor. Ah the adulterated Halloween candy trope.

"The Kirk Spook" 1912 (Swain) Not sure of the point of this one, but amused by opening (in jest?) assertion that soon no one will have met a parish clerk, as the profession is nearly extinct. And indeed it is, so extinct that if the story hadn't gone on to describe the duties, I'd have no idea what it was.

"The Jam" 1986 (Slesar) When road ragers get to where they're going. Flash fiction, but fun.

"The Faceless Thing" Hoch, 1963. Great creepy atmosphere and mystery, but all that anticipation collapses in a weak pfloof. I'm not sure if it was supposed to be funny or sad, but it was a little of both. Even monsters get old and tired, I guess.

"Examination Day" Slesar, 1984. Predictable in the way you already know the twist long before it happens, but still fun.

"Duck Hunt" was pretty goofy, but I did not see that twist coming. At all. I mean, it started out as one kind of story, and ended as a very different kind of story.

"The Dust" Not entirely sure what was going on with the MC, but I can 100% empathize with a terror of the house dust that gathers in the corners. Hopefully mine never becomes sentient.