There isn't a single mis-step in this selection of contemporary authors taking on Shirley Jackson's signature unsettling, open-ended, uncertain and uncanny style. Abandoned places, missing - and abandoned - children, and simple human cruelty are among the recurring themes, and it's impossible to put this book down once you've picked it up. Highly recommended.

In 2018, when Netflix released The Haunting of Hill House, a whole new audience was introduced to renowned American horror and mystery writer Shirley Jackson’s work. Although the series is based on one of Jackson’s six novels she was best known for her short stories – 200 written over two decades. When Things Get Dark is an anthology edited by Ellen Datlow, which pays homage to Shirley Jackson through an impressively hair-raising collection of stories inspired by her work.

Full review on blog: https://westwordsreviews.wordpress.com/2021/10/22/when-things-get-dark-edited-by-ellen-datlow/ and the Crime Fiction Lover website.

The premise is so intriguing, especially for anyone who loves Shirley Jackson and her weird domestic horror-type tales. The standouts for me were -

A Trip to Paris by Richard Kadrey
Tiptoe - Laird Baron
Money of the Dead - Karen Heuler
For Sale By Owner - Elizabeth Hand
Skindler's Veil - Kelly Link

The two I was especially taken with were Tiptoe and Skindler's Veil. Tiptoe, about a son reckoning with the probability of his father being a criminal (after his death), was super creepy. Skindler's Veil was like nothing I've read before -- a house out of time and space, with fairy tale characters coming and going. I just loved it.

Thank you so much for the opportunity to read, review, and recommend this book!

Thank You, to NetGalley and the publishers for allowing me to review this ARC with honesty.

Another lovely anthology in the last few weeks. So first off, I've never read anything by Shirley Jackson *gasp* (though I have a House on Haunted Hill waiting for me.) and with that being said, I can't really say whether or not a story was giving off her vibes. However, I will say there were some fantastic nuggets in this one.

So there were some amazing hits in this one, some that were a bit off (at least for me) in terms of making a point to the story but I don't think there was any that I didn't like. FYI, that last one was a doozy. Left me satisfied and curious all in one. Overall, I think this was a very interesting grouping of stories and am happy to have read it. If you like strange, vague (the good vague) or mysterious stories and like short stories, this is a very good collection and would recommend. It's perfect for this spooky season! (Or any season really!)

My Rating: 4 stars🌟🌟🌟🌟

Editor Ellen Datlow determined this Anthology as a tribute to the late, lamented, exceptional author Shirley Jackson, and that each writer included here should work out in his or her story the effects of Shirley Jackson's work on the individual authors collected here. In both aims she has succeeded admirably; with each page I turned, I perceived the spirit of Ms. Jackson looking on, reading with me, wry and ironic smile intact. WHEN THINGS GET DARK is truly homage to Shirley Jackson, and a remarkably entertaining and delightful collection. Ms. Jackson's work is in a category of its own, and here is an Anthology which securely installs itself as a subset of that category. 18 selected authors (some of whom I was surprised to find here) deliver excellence. Also included is an Introduction by accomplished and prolific Editor Ellen Datlow.

Common themes throughout this anthology include death, murder, violence, trauma, and psychological horror. There are also some scenes of abuse, child abuse, animal death, racism, xenophobia, and sociopathy.



I picked the ARC for When Things Get Dark up because I had heard the name Shirley Jackson multiple times this year. I’m not familiar with her work, which might come as a shock to some of you, especially if you’re a big horror fan. I tend to dip in and out of the horror genre, I flirt with it on occasion and read very specific horror subgenres. My main one is urban fantasy, my more specific ones are horror short stories, ghost stories and Victorian horror. In all that mix, I missed Shirley Jackson completely. As a British reader it’s not unusual for me to find that what’s popular or well known to American readers is completely unknown to me.

Either way, you may be wondering why on earth I wanted to read this anthology, since I have never read anything by Shirley Jackson. Well, that’s because this isn’t by Jackson, it’s inspired by her. It’s also an anthology edited by the amazing Ellen Datlow who’s anthologies I’ve read to date have always been brilliant. There are also several authors in this anthology whose work I’m already familiar with. On top of that, horror anthologies are something I love. Inspired by a famous horror author or not, I was going to enjoy something in this anthology, no matter what. Adding all of those up, and it seemed like a good idea to me.

So, how did I get on? I found out that while I may not have had a name for Jackson’s particular brand of horror, I was already well familiar with it. It’s the type of horror that slithers into your mind and under your skin, that makes you ask things because the story doesn’t actually supple the answers. Was that house really haunted? Or was it cursed? How many people had died there? Do you want to know….? Are you sure?

The stories in When Things Get Dark range in contents, some are typical ghostly hauntings or pure horror, while others focus on the psychological nature of human nature and how horrific people can be. Some of the stories are a mixture of the two. The common theme running throughout them all is the urban setting. These are about everyday people living their lives. There’s nothing supernatural about them, nothing extraordinary about them or their lives until these events happen. It emphasises the terrifying thought that this could happen to anyone, that these people could be anyone. Mrs Jones across the road could be harbouring a deep dark secret, and you’d never know… this is definitely not the type of anthology for people who suffer from paranoia.

Horror editor Ellen Datlow gathers an impressive collection of today's top genre writers to pay tribute to Shirley Jackson in When Things Get Dark.
The anthology features a collection of new and exclusive short stories inspired by, and in tribute to, Jackson's work.
The stories err on the eerier side of horror fiction, as opposed to shock and violence, with a focus on tales that evoke mood and atmosphere over frights.
Names to lend a story to the collection include Joyce Carol Oats, Josh Malerman, Paul Tremblay, Stephen Graham Jones, Cassandra Khaw, John Langan, Laird Barron and Jeffrey Ford and there is plenty of entry points for readers.
Personal favourites included Seanan McGuire's In the Deep Woods, the Light is Different There, about a woman who escapes an abusive marriage and finds a cleansing of sorts at her family's lakeside cabin and Langan's Something Like Living Creatures, a short but powerful story about religious divination using organs.

Do you like reading short stories? I have ever since high school when I first read “The Lottery” by Shirley Jackson. I remember doing my homework reading it and thinking “this story is so boring” and then BAM! The ending totally throws you for a loop and you realize that it isn’t some boring small-town event, but a horrifying, unthinkable tradition.

Ever since then I’ve been a huge fan of Jackson’s work and have slowly been making my way through her novels and short story collections. When I saw When Things Get Dark: Stories Inspired by Shirley Jackson I knew I had to read it. I was itching to see how other authors would incorporate her unique brand of horror, and friends, it did not disappoint.

In this collection we see stories from 18 diverse authors, all with incredibly unique stories. Some are obviously paranormal, others seem mundane but have shocking twists, and then there are the ones that sweep you up into an eerie, uncomfortable atmosphere where you aren’t quite sure why you’re scared, but my God, you are.

The stories, in order, include:

- Funeral Birds by M Rickert
- For Sale by Owner by Elizabeth Hand
- In the Deep Woods; The Light is Different There by Seanan McGuire
- A Hundred Miles and a Mile by Carmen Maria Machado
- Quiet Dead Things by Cassandra Khan
- Something Like Living Creatures by John Langan
- Money of the Dead by Karen Heuler
- Hag by Benjamin Percy
- Take Me, I Am Free by Joyce Carol Oates
- A Trip to Paris by Richard Kadrey
- The Party by Paul Trembley
- Refinery Road by Stephen Graham Jones
- The Door in the Fence by Jeffrey Ford
- Pear of Anguish by Gemma Files
- Special Meal by Josh Malerman
- Sooner or Later, Your Wife Will Drive You Home by Genevieve Valentine
- Tiptoe by Laird Barron
- Skindler’s Veil by Kelly Link

Standout stories for me were “For Sale by Owner,” “In the Deep Woods; The Light is Different There,” Quiet Dead Things,” “Refinery Road,” and “Special Meal.” These all had different kinds of terror woven into them, and will stay with me for a while.

There’s something for everyone in this collection when it comes to horror sub-genres, and overall, it’s a fantastic collection. A must-read for fellow fans of Jackson’s work, and one that all horror fans should read. Whether you read scary stories year-round or are looking for something to read this spooky season, add this collection to your list.

Thank you to the publisher, Titan Books, for sending me a digital ARC via NetGalley. When Things Get Dark: Stories Inspired by Shirley Jackson edited by Ellen Datlow, came out on October 12, 2021 and is available wherever books are sold.

Shirley Jackson was a well known writer of horror and mystery. She had her own unique voice in her stories. In this anthology of stories are not what they seem. There is psychological horror. In that I found some stories to be unsettling. It is a haunting book that kept hold of me so much that I was unable to think about the stories I had read and what the next story would be liked. I loved this book of horror. It is exquisite. I think that the contemporary authors have done an excellent “tribute” to Shirley Jackson.

Inspired by Shirley Jackson, this anthology is a solid combination of authors, perfect for this spooky season. It feels like each story is a puzzle piece, each with its own Jackson-esque literary device or theme, coming together for a truly delectable collection.

This collection is witches, cults, quiet horror, predators, family secrets, ghosts, sexism, everyday violence, strangers, and more. Some of the stories are so subtle they made my skin crawl and some hit you right in the gut. My favorite stories were Funeral Birds, For Sale by Owner, and Special Meal.

I think anthologies, just like this one, are one of the best ways to find new authors and dip your toe in a genre. There were a few stories that weren't my favorite, but that's the beauty of a short story collection, you quickly move on to the next.

Definitely recommend this one! The best part is, it's available now.

Thank you to Netgalley and Titan Books for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I just read this for spooky season and it was the perfect start to October. This is a tribute to Shirley Jackson and I think all the authors did a nice job living up to her name. Fans of horror and fans of Shirley Jackson will definitely appreciate this.

The stories in this anthology drew inspiration from American writer, Shirley Jackson. These tales capture different facets of her literary style and the overarching themes commonly found threaded through her collective body of work.

Present in this anthology are stories of quiet horror, murder mysteries, secrets, hauntings, dysfunctional families, rage, loneliness, psychological terrors, and the supernatural. Following are the notes I jotted down for each story as I read them. I was vacationing at Dillon Beach, CA, and staying in a quaint, little cliff-side house called Wit’s End. It was literally the perfect setting.

A note about "reviewing notes":

As I read, I jot things down about the stories to help me remember what they were about and how they made me feel. So, these are not complete sentences or full reviews, but I think they get the message across and I'm happy to share them.

"Funeral Birds" by M. Rickert
Lenore is socially awkward and lonely. Going to funerals to people-watch. Part of the suffering and sadness of others while at the same time, just an observer. Maybe even fantasizing the funeral is someone she loved.

"For Sale by Owner" by Elizabeth Hand
Subtle, quiet horror with a memorable opening line. A dog walker finds joy in her curiosity about the homes of strangers. She gathers a group of women to trespass with her for an overnight stay in a strange house.

"In the Deep Woods; The Light is Different There" by Seanan McGuire
A beautiful, atmospheric, literary story blurring the line between fantasy and horror.

"A Hundred Miles and A Mile" by Carmen Maria Machado
“I wouldn’t approach a dog that bites.” The luring of a girl? Repressed childhood memories.

"Quiet Dead Things" by Cassandra Khaw
A tense story about a murder in a strange, little town.

"Something Like Living Creatures" by John Langan
A strong sense of mood and power. Divination. Witches. Empowerment. Rituals.

"Money of the Dead" by Karen Heuler
A claustrophobic, suffocating, toxic relationship between a mother and her son. A tragic tale rife with parental guilt. Suffering. Nature vs. nurture. Terrifying.

"Hag" by Benjamin Percy
“The ocean likes to cough up its dead.” For fans of cults, small-town horror and secrets, murder, family dynamics, and a strong sense of place. Coastal. FEED THE HAG. One of my favorite stories in this collection.

"Take Me, I Am Free" by Joyce Carol Oates
A disturbing story of neglect. “Before I knew what was happening she got inside me and kept growing and growing and now she’s everywhere.” Unwanted child. Reluctant motherhood.

"A Trip to Paris" by Richard Kadrey
Compelling tale. Needing freedom, independence from family. Tied-down. Claustrophobic. Mold. Guilt.

"The Party" by Paul Tremblay
“Eat, drink, and fuck for tomorrow we die.” Living in the moment. Unplugging. Secretive, weird, cultish party. Cake.

"Refinery Road" by Stephen Graham Jones
Themes of friendship. Ghosts. Family secrets. Abuse. Guilt. Redemption.

"The Door in the Fence" by Jeffery Ford
A strange little story about the journey a widow embarks on after the death of her husband.

"Pear of Anguish" by Gemma Files
Another favorite story, this one is dark. Coming-of-age. Adolescent girls. Self-harm. Witchcraft. Menstruation. Finding kindred spirits when you’re awkward, lonely, different.

"Special Meal" by Josh Malerman
A family meal. Dystopian? Restrictions on education; learning. Math. Rebellion. Defiance.

"Sooner or Later, Your Wife Will Drive Home" by Genevieve Valentine
Different women in “compromising” situations. “You could kill a woman practically anywhere.” Sexism. Predators. Pretending and performing in relationships. Independence.

"Tiptoe" by Laird Barron
Photography. Predators. A childhood game. Family dynamics. “Warm and fuzzy outside, cold tapioca on the inside.” A lakehouse vacation—the description transports the reader. Clairvoyance. Sons & Fathers.

"Skinder's Veil" by Kelly Link
A man is distracted by his roommate having too much sex, takes a job as a housesitter for a friend who has a regular housesitting gig for a residence out in the woods. There are some strange house rules. The story is very “Twilight Zone”-esque. Rose Red & Rose White. Friends & Neighbors.

This is my ritualistic plug for anthologies and short fiction collections by one author. I truly believe that anthologies are the best way to discover new storytellers that are compatible with your unique preferences. It's so simple to pick up something like, When Things Get Dark and sample the stories as they apply to the overall theme that interests you. In this case, if you're a fan of Shirley Jackson, you're bound to find something here that moves you the way her stories did. Then, you can pick up one of these author's collections and sample more short fiction to be totally sure they're a fit.

Short fiction. It's the best.

This is such a strong anthology. The representative authors are at the top of their game in this, which is saying a lot given we're talking about writers like Joyce Carol Oates, Elizabeth Hand and Kelly Link. And it really showcases Jackson's particular flavor of the weird--which tends more toward the psychological and the cultural than the cosmic and the metaphysical. Wonderfully diverse and brilliantly selected too (Datlow is famous for her anthologist abilities). My favorite anthology of its kind since Aickman's Heirs.

Horror like all genres come in various flavours. It can be soaked in blood; it can be incredibly strange, or it can be capable of making you increasingly uneasy as things don’t quite feel right and until too late you realise that you’re no longer in the world you recognise and you’re in a lot of danger. Shirley Jackson specialised in the latter through her books and novels which continue inspire many authors to this day. In the excellent new anthology When Things Get Dark edited by Ellen Datlow a host of authors are invited to tell tales inspired by Shirley Jackson and deliver some shivers to be enjoyed as much as feared.

Amongst the stories I enjoyed were

Funeral Birds by M Rickert – we meet Lenore who readies herself for a funeral very worried about what she thinks people will think of her. But we soon find Lenore has reasons to feel guilty. This tale really captures that quiet sense of things not being quite right. Respectable very ordinary people hiding nasty secrets and then throws in supernatural elements and moments of violence on top. All written quietly to build the tension of can Lenore’s secrets stay silent forever. Its an excellent opening tale.

For Sale by Owner by Elizabeth Hand – This captures Jackson’s habits of finding ordinary people with a dark shameful secret where they transgress social standards. In this case our narrator loves to walk around deserted tourist homes and if she finds one unlocked, she goes in and explores the owner’s life. One such expedition makes her, and her friends discover an absolutely perfect house. They can’t resist planning a night-time cap in it. Hand again captures Jackson’s sense of people with secrets but also as the house enters the story a place that seems too perfect becomes itself without any explanation increasingly terrifying as the characters find they’re all alone on a country road in the middle of the night. It’s excellent at unsettling and you’ll struggle to explain why. One of my favourites

A Hundred Miles and A Mile by Carmen Maria Machado – We meet Lucy who through her whole life is haunted by a memory she cannot remember but something breaks her on dates with her partners and visiting restaurants and makes her need desperately to find someone to pass it on. This tale does not explain itself but we do just get the sense of a huge, horrible thing that has trapped a woman to almost remember it and it needs to live on in other people too. Very quietly and powerfully creating a disturbing read.

Quiet Dead Things by Cassandra Khaw – In two remote american towns a suspicious death leads to the towns cutting off all contact with strangers. But deaths continue and people get suspicious of the immigrant Mr Wong. This tale captures the paranoia and small-town evil of the Lottery but throws in themes of racism and revenge from across the grave as nasty secrets haunt the townspeople. The nastier elements of the story are left unsaid, but we know this town is very guilty.

Money of the Dead by Karen Hewler – this truly dark horror tale is one of my favourites. An apartment block of elderly people find the Chinese traditional money for the dead left on their doorstep and two characters find people they know are dead are now living with them again. A mother and her child and a man and his old student friend. But this is not a heart-warming reunion. This story is about guilt the fear that what we did or didn’t do has hurt people. A horrible atmosphere of increasing dread pulling people down into it makes this an absolute chiller from which there is no escape.

A Trip to Paris by Richard Kadrey – Roxanne Hill has lived alone for a year and still no one knows she poisoned her husband and children. Townspeople feel sorry for her instead. This tale is what happens when Roxanne finds her home now visited by black mould which starts to look like her family’s faces. Here a mix of the supernatural and again hidden secrets that can destroy someone. Suspicion, paranoia, and murder are all thrown together to make a tale where we wonder can this woman get away with murder again? Skilfully delivered tension.

The Party by Paul Tremblay – another tale where there manages to be nothing explicitly horrific, but a feeling of dread erupts as a couple go to a work party. One character finds she didn’t; get told by her new wife that the theme is the end of the world. A dark night, strange people and a horrible, strange fruit make this tale feel horribly wrong and foreboding without any explanation. It will worm itself into your mind that something wicked lurks underneath the tale.

Skinder’s Veil – This is another strange wandering tale where a student meets his housemate’s girlfriend who gets constantly visited by an unseen ghost who finds her boyfriend repellent; then we move to a house he must sit with two rules – always let people in who are at the back door and never allow the owner Skinder inside. Link weaves in little dark folk tales that may or may not impact the story and it gets strangely weirder and uneasy as we wonder what happens when the front door is opened. A dark magical mythical tale that suggests so many strange things out there still to find.

Throw in additional tales from the likes of Seanan McGuire, Jeffrey Ford and Stephen Graham Jones this soon becomes a delicious horror anthology and a fine tribute to one of its best authors. Perfect reading for the month of Halloween. Strongly recommended!

A great group.of authors who put together such a fantastic book.of horror stories.
This was a great book. I loved where there are mix of authors. And the stories were
All pretty much great reads.

Thanks to the authors, the publisher and NetGalley.

When Things Get Dark
This book consisted of short stories inspired by the writing of Shirley Jackson.
Like all anthologies, there were some stories I really enjoyed and others I didn’t care so much about. This anthology has a line up of some A+ writers and they really came ready to impress.
A lot of these stories really left me wondering what exactly happened which I loved. I actually found myself wishing that I was buddy reading with a friend just bc I needed someone to talk to about it.
Overall, I recommend this if you’re a fan of both anthologies and Shirley Jackson. I think this will make a great addition to any tbr, especially for Spooky Season 👻

Great anthology for Shirley Jackson fans and horror lovers alike! I am a huge Jackson fan, and thoroughly enjoyed the mix of authors and stories here.

A really diverse and interesting set of horror stories, ranging from the overt to the very subtle. It's an unusually strong collection, with only one story that I ended up not finishing and it ends on a fantastic high with the Kelly Link. Highly recommended for chilly evenings.

What I love about Shirley Jackson’s writing is the darkness it leaves behind. Her stories are haunting, often strange, sometimes heartbreaking, and always a pleasure to read. In this remarkable horror anthology, her influence is clear in these stories, yet you can also see the authors’ signature style. My favourites stories:

• “Special Meal” (Josh Malerman) - reminiscent of The Lottery, this is a chilling dystopian tale about a girl who has to hide her knowledge of mathematics
• “Hag” (Benjamin Percy) - a witchy-cult horror where a journalist investigates a story in an island with terrifying folklore
• “Quiet Dead Things” (Cassandra Khaw) - a village closes its borders after an incident and pays the ultimate price
• “Refinery Road” (Stephen Graham Jones) - a mindbending ghost story about three friends on a tragic night
• “A Trip To Paris” (Richard Kadrey) - a woman murders her family and plans a getaway, but something stops her
• “Money of the Dead” (Karen Heuler) - a group of neighbours find spirit money and decide to use it with terrible consequences

I did find a few of the stories too vague to my liking, and I couldn’t connect with them. But overall, this is a solidly entertaining collection. If you love horror stories but especially if you love Shirley Jackson’s work, When Things Get Dark is an absolute must-read.

CW: child abuse, animal death

Thanks to NetGalley for a free copy of this work in exchange for a fair and honest review.

This was spectacular. It starts very strong, and while it doesn't manage to keep up with my expectations, it is still a very solid collection. Every anthology is a fickle thing because it often has a broad swath of styles, but one of the reasons I love Ellen Datlow so much is that there is always something you will like in her works. That also means you may not love every story, but I think it makes her works always a safe bet. What's more, Ellen Datlow introduces us to so many great horror writers. This work is no exception.

An anthology of Shirley Jackson inspired works is especially receptive because Jackson herself had a such a wide range of story types. That paves the way for a large variety of stories in this collection but all still maintaining a solid connection to Jackson. Not every story is as strictly Jacksonian as I would have liked, but that is to be expected. What is and is not Jacksonian is subjective, and these stories were only ever meant to be inspired by her, leaving room for the authors to do as they see fit with it.

Overall, my feelings are 4.5-5 stars. Quantitatively, my ratings for each story is more 4-4.5 stars, but I think it's worth reflecting on the overall skill of our editor as well, so I'll give it 4.5-5 star (closer to 4.5 still). This is honestly one of my all time favorite Ellen Datlow collections, right up there with Fearful Symmetries.

For each story, here are my ratings, sorted from worst to best. Although, even the worst stories are still pretty good. Jackson herself has a huge range of story types, and I don't love all of Jackson's stories. It stands to reason that I won't always love all of these either, but even the worst still have that iconic Jackson feel.

#4 – A Hundred Miles and a Mile – Carmen Maria Machado – 3.5/5
#5 – Quiet Dead things – Cassandra Khan – 3.5/5
#16 – Sooner or Later, Your Wife Will Drive You Home – Genevieve Valentine – 3.5/5
#3 – In the Deep Woods; The Light is Different There - Seanan McGuire – 4/5
#6 – Something Like Living Creatures – John Langan – 4/5
#9 – Take Me, I am Free – Joyce Carol Oates – 4/5
#11 – The Party – Paul Trembley – 4/5
#12 – Refinery Road – Stephen Graham Jones – 4/5
#13 – The Door in the Fence – Jeffrey Ford – 4/5
#14 – Pear of Anguish – Gemma Files – 4/5
#15 – Special Meal – Josh Malerman – 4/5
#17 – Tiptoe – Laird Barron – 4/5
#1 – Funeral Birds – M Rickert – 4.5/5
#10 – A Trip to Paris – Richard Kadrey – 4.5/5
#2 – For Sale by Owner – Elizabeth Hand – 5/5
#7 – Money of the Dead – Karen Heuler – 5/5
#8 – Hag – Benjamin Percy – 5/5
#18 – Skindler’s Veil – Kelly Link – 5/5