"When Things Get Dark" is an anthology of well written short stories all in tribute to the author Shirley Jackson. As with all anthologies there are some I love, others that entertain and some that don't really work. But this is a collection not to be missed!

I found at most two or three that could have been better but for the vast majority they were fantastic with some really notable mentions:
1. The Door in the Fence - Jeffrey Ford
2. Pear of Anguish - Gemma Files
3. Special Meal - Josh Malerman

If you enjoy your short stories with a touch of dark and deeply imaginative then this is a must read.

Another reliably wonderful anthology by Ellen Datlow - I've lost count of how many I've read. I didn't uniformly love every story, but many were brilliant, and the collection overall created the dark, unbalancing effect that made it a fittting tribute to Shirley Jackson.
Standouts were: For Sale by Owner by Elizabeth Hand, about three middle-aged women who decide to sleep over in an empty for-sale house. It's subtle, creepy and involves a cohort that is often ignored in dark fiction; Money of the Dead by Karen Heuler, which plays with the horror and hope of having a loved one returned from the dead; and Tiptoe by Laird Barron, who I always love. Also Seanan McGuire's, because I don't think I've ever read a short story by her that I didn't love.
I use these as writing samples to look for more work by the authors, as well as enjoying them in their own right.

I am genuinely impressed by the way this collection invokes the spirit of Shirley Jackson. So many of the stories read as if they might have come from her pen, so seamlessly do they fit into the dark atmosphere engendered by stories such as <a href="https://www.thefrumiousconsortium.net/2020/12/14/the-haunting-of-hill-house-by-shirley-jackson/">The Haunting Of Hill House</a>, The Lottery and <a href="https://www.thefrumiousconsortium.net/2020/09/21/we-have-always-lived-in-the-castle-by-shirley-jackson/">We Have Always Lived In The Castle</a>. This is a book of repressed women with unspeakable secrets; of insular communities with murderous tendencies; of finding both oppression and release in the supernatural -- all hallmarks of that master of quiet, furious dread.

Despite that commonality, the eighteen stories here each stand as distinct entities. While the ones set in the past (or, as in Genevieve Valentine's kaleidoscopic Sooner Or Later, Your Wife Will Drive Home, a number of eras) evoke more closely Ms Jackson's mid-20th-century aesthetic, the modern tales feel like a natural carrying over of her work into the 21st century, where her themes are anything but alien. That said, perhaps my favorite story in this collection -- for non-personal reasons anyway -- is Tiptoe by Laird Barron, about a child of the 60s who tries to grapple with the family secrets that continue to haunt him decades later. One of the most overtly supernatural and creepy offerings here, the image of adult Greg playing the "game" will stay indelibly in my mind.

My personal personal favorite was Gemma Files' Pear Of Anguish. Idk if it's adolescent girls especially who are susceptible to the building of these reality-bending paracosms -- or if it's just that those of us who built them are more open about fictionalizing or even discussing them as adults than our counterparts of other genders -- but I felt the strange, destructive relationship between Imogen and Una in my bones. I also really enjoyed the many stories within the story that is Kelly Link's Skinder's Veil, almost more than the whole itself, which I felt was somewhat let down by its ending: more's the pity as this is the story that also completes the book.

Elizabeth Hand's For Sale By Owner, in contrast, had a very strong ending, even if I really did want to know more about what Rose saw. The ending of Stephen Graham Jones' Refinery Road was also strong, capping a very satisfying entry: similarly with the almost cheerful resignation that closes Richard Kadrey's A Trip To Paris. Carmen Maria Machado's beautifully constructed A Hundred Miles And A Mile also had the benefit of feeling like a close homage to a famous episode from Eleanor's drive to Hill House. I wonder whether reading more of Ms Jackson's oeuvre would have helped me spot other subtle influences in the rest of the stories here. But even my passing knowledge of her work impressed on me not only how she could inspire an entire aesthetic, but also how deeply influential she continues to be in the horror, speculative fiction and psychological thriller genres.

Kudos as always must go to Ellen Datlow for not only thinking to do an anthology based on Ms Jackson's work, but also for doing such an excellent job curating it. Nearly all the stories are outstanding: I'm sure I would only appreciate them further were I more familiar with the rest of Ms Jackson's bibliography.

When Things Get Dark edited by Ellen Datlow was published September 21 2021 by Titan Books and is available from all good booksellers, including <a href="https://bookshop.org/a/15382/9781789097153">Bookshop!</a>

Thank you NetGalley for this book.

I’m not a short story collection person. I try again and again, but I just can’t get into them. Well, that all changed with this book. Maybe it’s just horror collections that I need to read. I love Stephen King’s. And I’ve been trying to read more thanks to the encouragement of the Books in the Freezer podcast, who has mentioned Ellen Datlow several times. So, when I saw this on NetGalley, I figured it was worth a try. And I’m so glad because there wasn’t a single miss in this entire collection.

From Goodreads: Legendary editor, Ellen Datlow, collects today’s best horror writers in tribute to the genius of Shirley Jackson. Featuring Joyce Carol Oates, Josh Malerman, Paul Tremblay, Richard Kadrey, Stephen Graham Jones, Elizabeth Hand, and more.

A collection of new and exclusive short stories inspired by, and in tribute to, Shirley Jackson.

Shirley Jackson is a seminal writer of horror and mystery fiction, whose legacy resonates globally today. Chilling, human, poignant, and strange, her stories have inspired a generation of writers and readers.

This anthology, edited by legendary horror editor Ellen Datlow, will bring together today’s leading horror writers to offer their own personal tribute to the work of Shirley Jackson.

Featuring Joyce Carol Oates, Josh Malerman, Paul Tremblay, Richard Kadrey, Stephen Graham Jones, Elizabeth Hand, Cassandra Khaw, Karen Heuler, Benjamin Percy, John Langan, Laird Barron, M. Rickert, Seanan McGuire, and Genevieve Valentine.

I’m not well-versed in Shirley Jackson. I love The Lottery (click on the link to read. First published in 1948) and was fortunate enough to teach it, as well. My students LOVED it. And I’ve read The Haunting of Hill House, but that’s about it. I definitely need to branch out. That said, anything inspired by her must be amazing. Every time I started a new story, I thought there was no way this one was going to be as good as the rest. I was wrong. They were all outstanding. Josh Malerman’s was my favorite (not a shock. I love his work). But really, each and every one of them was sufficiently creepy. This collection is a must-read for horror fans.

Didn't capture my attention and engagement through out the entire book.. Interested in trying it again though and hopefully it will take.

This collection was ok. I didn’t particularly love it, or hate it. There were a few good stories and then some I didn’t care for. It was slightly disappointing because I expected more horror, especially with the authors listed. My favorite out of the bunch was by Josh Malerman. Overall the book was alright, nothing special, and lacking a lot of horror elements.

This short story collection scratched all of my spooky season itches in the best possible way. I found every one of them creepy and entertaining. If you enjoy shivering while reading, I highly recommend this book.

Thank you to NetGalley and Titan Books for this ARC. I’m deeply grateful.
#NetGalley #TitanBooks #ShirleyJackson

Full disclosure and this will be unpopular…I’m not a huge Shirley Jackson fan. I definitely respect her skills as a writer and recognize her contribution to horror and the haunted house subgenre, which is my very favorite genre in any media. I don’t always love the choices she makes in her stories or her very distinctive writing style. Two of my favorite horror writers are featured here. Paul Tremblay and Stephen Graham Jones were the big draw to this book that Shirley Jackson wasn’t. Having gotten that out of the way, I absolutely loved that she inspired the stories that went into this anthology. As I said before, her influence can’t be denied.
Jones and Tremblay were, unsurprisingly, the best parts of the book. I can’t help it. “The Party”by Paul Tremblay contains wonderful characters. This is a feature all of his work has in common and makes him one of my favorites. Stephen Graham Jones’ writing style is distinctive in a way that I love. His story bent reality in the best way as always. Elizabeth Hand's ``For Sale By Owner” was superb and centered around a haunted house. It was better than Jackson’s iteration on the genre.
I loved them all. Even the worst one was disturbing in the best way.

I just go straight to the point with this one - it was a pleasant surprise to say the least. It's not often that a book makes me feel creeped out or even scared. But this one did. There were few times, that I had to put this book down, just because I started to be afraid. So, as horror/paranormal book it definitely did it's job. To be honest all of this book gave a gothic/ eery feeling and I love books like this.
There were only few stories, that were too strange or too boring for me, that's why I couldn't give it 5 stars. But now I'm intrigued to see what else majority of the authors have written and will be definitely reading more of their work.
What a gem, I'm so glad I have picked it up. Definitely recommend reading it - you won't be dissapointed.

As with many anthologies, this one had some hits and misses. There were quite a few I really enjoyed, while others left me scratching my head. I love Ellen Datlow's editing. She certainly has a recognizable style. She's the reason I was anticipating this book quite highly. Unfortunately, the theme itself is what got me. I do think the authors did a fair job, overall, of paying stylistic and thematic tribute to Shirley Jackson. Buuuuut (don't kill me, ya'll), I never really got on board with SJ. *hides* I'm one of those people who just did not *get* The Haunting of Hill House. And this did feel like her style, which is why I found myself bored partway through. I took a long break before picking up the anthology again.

So...in conclusion, this anthology did precisely what it set out to do. I just didn't love it as much as I hoped I would, because I was only really excited about one of the two important aspects to the anthology (editor, theme).

Thank you Titan Boooks for providing a free advanced e-book in exchange for an honest review.

Perfect reading for the Halloween season, this collection of short stories remnicent of Shirley Jackson has moments of perfection. As will all collections, not all the stories are winner, but the editors of When Things Get Dark did a great job of finding stories that ranged from good to amazing, leaving the mundane behind.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the review copy!

I read this anthology slowly over the span of Halloween month, and I quite enjoyed it. While not *every* story hit me, most did. Maybe it helps I’m such a big fan of Shirley Jackson, something that wasn’t exactly true until this year.

This anthology features a strong list of writers, all sure of their craft and working with deft skill. It’s actually hard for me to pick a favorite story here: this is the rare anthology in which every story works and there isn’t an obvious dud. Ellen Datlow is a legend.

Such a fun read with multiple great stories. These authors clearly all know how to write. I absolutely enjoyed this collection and it’s such a fun read!

An Excellent Collection of Horror...................

When Things Get Dark edited by Ellen Datlow is a collection of 18 Anthology Short Horror Stories. I downloaded to book from Netgalley with high hopes as there are some of my favorite authors who have contributed their stories. And, the book has excelled my expectations. This book came up as one of my favorite books of 2021. The stories are so good and has everything from crime to horror. If you are looking to read something with the lights off then add this to your TBR.

If I talk about my favorite stories, Funeral Birds by M. Rickert, Quiet Dead Things by Cassandra Khaw and A Trip to Paris by Richard Kadrey are some amazing gems in the book.

I would, definitely give 5 stars to the book. Also, thanks to Netgalley for providing me an opportunity to read and review the book.

I requested this because a) I was attracted by the authors featured and b) I usually like short stories – especially dark ones.

This collection was conceived as a tribute to the work of Shirley Jackson and includes stories from Joyce Carol Oates, Josh Malerman, Carmen Maria Machado, Paul Tremblay, Stephen Graham Jones and more (but those were the ones that piqued my interest).

Now, I usually like stories but here I wasn’t excited enough to keep reading. Maybe it was the mix of authors, so I was hesitant to start a new story not knowing what I was getting into – especially getting to the end of the book and seeing that the last two stories were really long. I did finish the book eventually, a few months after starting.

That’s not to say there weren’t some great stories here! I really enjoyed The Door in The Fence by Jeffrey Ford – it reminded me of some Stephen King stories, Special Meal by Josh Malerman, and I did like the last story, Skinder’s Veil by Kelly Link, though at first I had been but off by its comparatively long length and I was confused by the ending. Sadly, many of the 18 stories were mediocre or just confusing. JCO’s story was very short and a bit disappointing as I usually love her short fiction.

A collection of short stories some creepy, some odd. I enjoyed a lot of these stories they were short but some packed a large amount of creepiness.

I received an eARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Shirley Jackson is one of my favorite authors. I am still making my way through her books, but I have absolutely adored what I have read so far. The premise for this book seemed really interesting, so I couldn’t resist requesting an arc.

When Things Get Dark is an anthology collection featuring 18 short stories written by some of today’s best horror writers.

I enjoyed that this book had a wide variety of authors. This varied the writing style and voice throughout. Many of them captured the vibe found in Shirley Jackson’s work. However, some stories were stronger than others. Some did not really fit as well to me personally. Given my experience with anthologies, I think sometimes they can be a bit mixed in terms of quality and interest. One thing a lot of the stories did well was create an atmospheric or captivating story. I am always left wanting more when it comes to short stories, so some did leave me with more questions than answers. I really enjoyed how haunting some of the stories were though.

I do want to point out something that bothered me in one of the stories. At one point later in the novel, an author uses the r-word. I personally do not think using this word was appropriate or necessary. Since I read an arc, I am not currently able to check the finished copy to see if it was cut or not. As soon as I got to this, I was immediately put off. It felt so out of place and again just not needed or appropriate at all.

Thank you to the publisher, Titan Books, and NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read and review this book before its release on September 28, 2021.

I really enjoyed this collection, some of the stories were creepy some not so much but still enjoyable.
I received a complimentary copy of this book. The opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
Thanks to Netgalley, the publisher and the author of this book.

After a few story bundles that disappointed I'm so happy that I loved most of these! They were really interesting and had perfect creepy Halloween-vibes! Some weren't really my style, especially one with reaaaallyy long sentences. But most of them were really so good and so intriguing!

Recognition of Shirley Jackson’s influence on horror and literature has perhaps never been higher than at the moment. The recent movie Shirley (2020), with Elisabeth Moss as Ms Jackson has no doubt raised awareness further. My own first dealings with Shirley's work was through the Robert Wise directed movie The Haunting (1963), an adaptation of her book The Haunting of Hill House (1959) – it is still a Halloween favourite here. The book I then read, and reread for a Halloween review here a few years ago.

One novel of such genre importance might be enough, but Jackson is also known for her We All Live in the Castle (1962), an unsettling tale of teenage adolescence, and I understand in the US that The Lottery (1948) is a secondary school staple. (If I’ve got that wrong, I’m sure someone will let me know.)

What is most noticeable to me is that like the tone of most of her work, much of Jackson’s reputation has impressed by means of stealth. She is an author whose influence today is remarkable yet often generally unnoticed. There is an Award – unsurprisingly, The Shirley Jackson Award – which is well-regarded, although not as widely recognised as say the Hugo or Nebula awards.

And this, I think, is the attraction. Jackson’s prose is remarkably precise and yet often surprisingly mundane, describing a 1950’s world of domestication, shopping, home-making and ritual. From the perspective of 2021 it all appears rather quaint.

But what Jackson does is hint, little by little, that this perception of domestic bliss is really wrong, and that beneath the façade of ideal homes there is a darker, nastier, more sinister side lurking. Think Peyton Place rather than Nightmare on Elm Street.  Hitchcock does this as well, so too David Lynch. Jackson’s work at times is all about the personal – individual neuroses, that feeling of fear when things are not right, or safe.

The feeling I often get at the end of reading a Jackson tale is usually one of unease. Things are not quite right. I’m tempted to suggest that to me it is rather like reading an M R James ghost story but set in a 20th century context.

However, Stephen King, Neil Gaiman, Victor LaValle, Paul Tremblay and Jonathan Lethem amongst others have all recognised Jackson as an influence on their work.

Perhaps then it is rather fitting and not a surprise that When Things Get Dark arrived for review, it arrived quietly at my desk. Edited by Ellen Datlow, it is a collection of short stories that pay homage to Jackson – not, as the introduction is quick to point out – about Jackson herself, but in the words of Datlow, “What I wanted was for the contributors to distil the essence of Jackson’s work into their own work, to reflect her sensibility.”

So here we have fifteen authors all willing to pay their collective respects to Ms Jackson – not to copy her style but to create that same feeling of unease, to have that sudden twist in the tale or just make the reader realise that things here are weirder than they look.

The roster is quite impressive – Josh Malerman, Joyce Carol Oates, Paul Tremblay, Richard Kadrey, Elizabeth Hand and many others. Some of these are recipients of the fore-mentioned Shirley Jackson Award, others have declared an interest and an acknowledged influence of Jackson on their own work.

The book begins with M. Rickert’s Funeral Birds, which is what I would describe as what I expected from a Jackson type story, about a person who hangs on at funerals. By comparison, Gemma Files’ Pear of Anguish is perhaps the book’s most visceral and perhaps most unsubtle story as it brutally tells of teenage witchcraft. Josh Malerman’s Special Meal is one of the shortest, in some strange dystopian cancel culture. Kelly Link’s Skinder’s Veil is the longest and last story in the collection. It is also one of the oddest, about one of the strangest housesittings I’ve ever heard of. I also liked Jeffrey Ford’s story of a strange neighbour, The Door in the Fence.

I found that When Things Get Dark was one to take your time with. The prose is often to savour, and I liked the fact that the tone varied from story to story. Some are clearly filled with repressed anger and hate, others more gentle, more allegorical, with a little moment when “normal” turns to something-else and makes the reader revaluate what they’ve read.

In short, this is a classy collection that grabs your attention with its range and quality. A recommended read for those who like their chills provoked at Halloween.