Sweet & Salty Reviews - Lockdown Horror #1 by Black Hare Press

Beware of the spoilers!

The Dish(es)

Not my usual fare. Black Hare Press has served up a buffet selection of odds and ends for lockdown by various authors. I’ve left a (very brief) review for each story because fair is fair and I don’t want anyone to feel left out. I’m able to give more detail if desired. Email thebasementoflove@gmail.com

The Revolving Sushi Bar of Terror

Only Ever Night by L.P. Hernandez
A whimsical and childlike vision of the end of the world. The lights go out, loved ones disappear and the monsters come out from under the bed. A simple, pastoral tale of community and family during the apocalypse. Quaint and gently satisfying. In places, horrifying. In others, heart-warming. Explanations aren’t given but aren’t strictly necessary. When all else fails, we can light a fire to hold back the darkness and ride the Ferris wheel.

Unbreakable by Zoey Xolton
Horror in the absence of the supernatural and serial killers. A grim and unpleasant descent into a seedy world most of us are privileged enough never to encounter. A story of defiance in the face of crushing adversity. A reminder that there is horror to be found even in our own world.

Death Spores by Stephen Herczeg
A ‘visceral’ read. Like a classic ‘space invasion’ romp, circa the 1950s. On the other hand, a metaphor for our consumption society and a warning against fat-shaming. Wouldn’t we all be slobs if we had toxic fungus growing in our guts? Thought-provoking.

No Touching by Amber M. Simpson
Short and not-so-sweet. A cautionary tale of why it’s important to follow the rules. A short, sharp shock of a read with a grisly aftermath.

Howls by Gulina Trefil
Dogs make excellent sidekicks. This is an attempt to turn a dog into a main character. An interesting premise and maybe the start of something bigger? A zombie apocalypse told from the perspective of household pets. Homeward Bound with bite.

Tea Party by Kimberly Rei
Another interesting premise. Demonic possession gone wrong. What happens when you possess something more evil than you? Why it pays not to judge a book by its cover.

Nocturnal Soldier by Matthew M. Montelione
This is more a summary than a story. The last part saves it. Not just saves, but introduces the possibility of something greater. The birth of a vampire vigilante. It seems a shame that it’s only a short origin piece.

Dolly by Erica Schaef
Confirmation of what I’d already believed. Porcelain dolls are evil. A Toy Story-esque warning about the dangers of cruelty, even to inanimate objects. Short and artfully written, especially the snappy sentences that form the finale.

Cannibals of Kentucky by J.L. Royce
Longer than most. The omniscient narrator gives the story a snide, backhanded tone. Told with the kind of sneer that litters cocktail parties in Hollywood, where the story is set. Sympathy is thin on the ground for the disingenuous protagonist and the reveal is satisfying, if not surprising. Unashamedly tasteless in places, but then, this is Hollywood and the story is called Cannibals of Kentucky. Overall, the prose is the story’s greatest charm.

Halloween Pub Night by D.M. Burdett
Another cautionary tale. Don’t steal from little, old ladies. Also, don’t smash jack-o-lanterns. Lyrically written and amusing.

Reinventing the Night by Jacqueline Maron Meyer
Interesting and well-told. Information is fed in stages, building a complete picture and leading to a satisfying ending. Strangely, another story about supernatural vigilantes. An interesting juxtaposition between male activeness and feminine passiveness. The girls in this story allow themselves to become victims before acting, adequately explained as due diligence. Who wants to murder the wrong guy? Prose is descriptive without being long-winded and packed with character. My favourite story from this anthology.

Karma by Galina Trefil
Amusingly, the origin of the housepet apocalypse may be explained here. Kudos to Galina for submitting these together, and to Black Hare for choosing to use them both. In this way, the story is layered. A chilling concept. All it takes is one person with enough know-how to decide humanity doesn’t deserve to go on.

The Boy by Jodi Jensen
The Judas Goat might be one of the most terrible stories of the modern world. Here, this is captured with a supernatural twist. A true horror story in that the main character is immediately likeable. We don’t know her name, but this small fragment of her life means we care more about her than the thing in the darkness did. An engaging, if brief, read.

Candy Corn Wolves by Stacey Jaine McIntosh
A surreal prose poem. The midnight orgy of violence of werewolves on Halloween. An elegant snippet of disjointed time where the line between human and animal is distorted amid a scattering of comfort food.

Hungry by Dale Parnell
A story that is both intriguing and disturbing. Combining the psychological torment of persistent night terrors and altered reality with the physical torment of body horror. A unique twist on the ‘why won’t anyone believe me?’ story and with a gorgeously sick ending. Is there anything more horrifying than someone killing the person they love without even realising they’re doing it? The story doubles as a sad allegory for the resentment of living with disability. Superb.

Ritual by Kimberly Rei
A blurred boundary between the real and the surreal. Are we witnessing a natural process or something altogether more unnatural? There could be a metaphor at play, or a simple change of perspective. Succinct and satisfyingly grisly.

The Butcher of Blengarth by David Bowmore
Very much the ending you would expect with a title like this. Unfortunately, victims of one type of abuse will often become victims of another all-too easily. The story does a credible job of once again juxtaposing male activeness with female passiveness. John’s anger and brutality versus Mira’s warm receptiveness and masked intentions. Possessive and violent lovers, tormenting and coquettish females, protagonists who just can’t catch a break. It’s a recipe I’m quite fond of.

Dead Faces by R.J. Meldrum
The most horrible aspect of this story is the torment of having knowledge and being unable to act on it. The author leans on that feeling of helplessness while driving home the heartache. A sinister view of the feeling that the world is really just out to hurt you. The unfortunate tale of a good man burdened with a power unable to bring him any comfort. A brief but uneasy read, well-crafted.

Pig Man by Stephen Herczeg
Not a horror story so much as a satisfying revenge tale. Such a gaudy serial killer suits Las Vegas, where life is cheap and the lights distract from atrocities. A simply written tale that achieves its aim - hate the killer, enjoy the ending.

Sinister Changeling by Zoey Xolton
A short ‘trip’ into the world of the changeling. Playing on the fear of the other and the discord an outsider with sinister intentions can bring to a family. The most terrible part of the changeling myth has always been: what happens to the original child?

The Aftertaste
A fine selection with many strong contenders. In particular, Only Ever Night, The Butcher of Blengarth, The Boy, Hungry and Dead Faces. Reinventing the Night by Jacqueline Moran Meyer is my favourite of the anthology for its predatory female protagonists and their strict honour code, as well as the lingering horror that, while they may be doing the right thing, it might be costing them everything in the process.

If you like a mix of the eerie and the extreme, pick up this anthology to entertain your lockdown brain. Be warned that there are some sensitive issues, such as sex trafficking and domestic abuse, addressed within. If you enjoy this collection, please also consider reading other works by these authors or by Black Hare Press, who have given their time, effort and creativity free of charge to keep us entertained during this time.