Never Whistle at Night is an ambitious and culturally rich anthology that brings together Indigenous authors from across North America to deliver chilling, thought-provoking horror. Drawing on folklore, real-world fears, and the supernatural, the collection offers a unique perspective often missing from mainstream horror. However, while the anthology is a powerful showcase of Indigenous storytelling, it has some uneven moments that may not work for every reader.

One of the strongest aspects of this anthology is its diversity of voices. Stories like “White Hills” by Rebecca Roanhorse and “Scariest. Story. Ever.” by Richard Van Camp stand out, delivering genuinely eerie, well-paced horror that lingers. Many entries effectively weave cultural traditions with contemporary anxieties, making the horror feel fresh and deeply personal. The introduction also does an excellent job of setting the stage, emphasizing why these stories matter beyond just their scares.

Like many anthologies, Never Whistle at Night suffers from inconsistency. Some stories feel more like fragments or unfinished ideas rather than fully realized narratives, leaving readers wanting more closure. A few entries lean too heavily on abstract or metaphorical horror, which, while thematically rich, may not satisfy readers looking for more conventional scares. Additionally, pacing varies greatly—some stories grip you immediately, while others take longer to establish their tension or feel rushed in their execution.

Despite its unevenness, Never Whistle at Night remains an important and compelling anthology that gives Indigenous horror a well-deserved spotlight. While some stories may not land as effectively as others, the collection as a whole is a must-read for those interested in horror that goes beyond the usual tropes, offering something both culturally significant and unsettling.

This anthology is INCREDIBLE! So many of the stories in this collection creeped me out, and as someone who reads horror/dark fiction very often, that's saying something. Some of these had me cringing at the imagery, and others had me feeling spooked while I was outside my house at night. My favorite thing about this collection is that it introduced me to so many new authors (not great for my tbr but oh well, what can you do) that I may not have come across otherwise, and their biographies at the end of each story was a perfect snapshot of each person that often let me know what other works I should be checking out. I am absolutely obsessed with this book, and I have so much admiration for the work that went into compiling it. I'm a big fan of Stephen Graham Jones so it was wonderful to see him in the introduction as well. I can't recommend this book enough!

Great book! It had all the fears of growing up. Make a choice. Turn the page or close the book. Enter the darkness if you wish!

This is an entertaining and engaging collection of dark short stories from several of the best indigenous writers out there. Utilizing a blend of cultural insight, political, racial, and mythological narratives we get a well rounded gathering of storytellers with plenty of nuance, character, and gifted voices that span several tribes, backgrounds, sexualities, and traditions in one book. Shane Hawk and Theodore C. Van Alst Jr. did an excellent job of putting this together and I'm very happy to see it has done so well in the time since its being announced and then released. If you're looking for a book that is an even blend of genres and styles from an indigenous perspective this is a great place to start. Expect to arrive looking for spooky campfire tales and find yourself with a blend of so much more story than that.

Some of my favorites included:
Kushtuka- Mathilda Zeller
Navajos Don't Wear Elk Teeth -Conley Lyons
Wingless-Marcie R. Rendon
Hunger-Phoenix Boudreau
Behind Colin's Eyes-Shane Hawk
Scariest. Story. Ever-Richard Van Camp
Human Eaters-Royce K. Young Wolf
Dead Owls-Mona Susan Power
Eulogy for Brother, Resurrected- Carson Faust
Collections-Amber Blaeser-Wardzala

I don’t read a lot of anthologies, but I’m really happy I picked this one up & got approved for it! It had such a wide variety of amazing Indigenous authors, perspectives & stories. It taught me a lot, and it helped me question a lot of things I’ve thought and/or never thought about before. Excellent!

The writing here is pretty good but I think the collection as a whole was a bit underwhelming. There were only a few memorable stories, and while most of them were scary, it was more of a 'society is terrible' scary than dark ghost story scary. I'm all for reading those kinds of stories, it's just not really how this book was advertised.

This collection is a must for anyone who loves reading short horror and thrillers. The stories collected here look at a wide range of the most terrifying kinds of things like racism, sexism, and sexual violence and exploitation. I was new to many of the authors featured here and appreciate that I was able to discover new authors to read. None of the stories are a miss but my favorites included "White Hills", "Quantum", and "Eulogy of a Brother, Resurrected". Add this anthology to your shelf immediately.

The anthology features indigenous north American stories and writers. There are 26 stories in total, with supernatural and legend-related themes. I can't say I enjoyed them all equally but Limbs and Dead Owls stood out for me due to their evocative storytelling. I can't relate all that much to the stories as I'm from the other side of the world in Asia and although we have lores and folk tales too, I went into this book unaware it's about North American indigenous stories only

This was a captivating blend of Indigenous folklore and suspense. The atmosphere and character development was awesome, but the pacing was uneven and dragged on longer than necessary sometimes. The mix of horror and cultural depth is intriguing and engaging, and I enjoyed my time reading this.

3.5

I loved the concept of this anthology and this gorgeous cover, so I was very excited to pick up this review copy. Like many anthologies, there are some hits and some misses, though I think there felt like there were more misses than expected here because I didn't love some of the entries by authors I was most excited about.

Some standouts for me were:
- White Hills by Rebecca Roanhorse
- Dead Owls by Mona Susan Power
- Sundays by David Heska Wanbli Weiden, which is probably one of the best short stories I've read all year
- Eulogy for a Brother, Resurrected by Carson Faust
- Collections by Amber Blaeser-Wardzala

It's a phenomenal collection of stories. My biggest regret is that I didn't start this sooner. The fact that this sat on my shelf for a year is basically a crime.

A truly spectacular collection of short stories. With anthologies, I sometimes struggle to connect with every story, but every time I picked this up, I enjoyed the story I was currently reading. Clear, strong writing throughout: a total knockout.

This is a collection of horror stories by some of the biggest names in Indigenous literature today. Originally started on Twitter, this carefully curated collection gets at the core of Indigenous horror. As discussed in the introduction, specific scenarios are horrific to certain peoples and speak to their culture. This horror is also educational.

In Kushtuka by Mathilda Zeller, a young woman fears her doppelganger is stalking her, but when it is attacked by a White man, far more is revealed. A young woman must choose between her identity and an affluent life in White Hills. The Prepper by Morgan Talty is one of the most frightening of the collection. It is a highly recommended collection and an introduction to a new author

Featuring 26 stories by several Indigenous authors such as Tommy Orange, Rebecca Roanhorse, Andrea L. Rogers and Morgan Talty,..., this collection allows one to look through darkness, in which the brutality that plagues the words mirrors the horrors of the reality. Divorced from their land, the Indigenous communities desperately cling to the remnants of their origins and I can listen to them screaming into existence.

Interweaving history and mythology, these Indian stories live in one's head and they are visceral to convey the way people are threatened by fear. While body abnormalities and weird creatures voraciously haunt the reader's mind, they aren't the true horror. Rather, it is the pure manifestation of their rage against the settlers who choose to forget them, the coexistent chaos opening up senses otherwise dormant. However, the Indigenous people aren't reduced to trauma, also seeking to be understood by parenting, art, roots and first love.

Echoing themes of identity, relationships, colonialism, injustice and grief, what feels like ordinary beginnings evolve into complex and often abstract tales that don't fail to shock. While some stories left a stronger impression, it's easy to recognize the authors' brilliance at delivering eerie stories that pack a punch. My complaint is that some stories have an abrupt closure and I wished to contemplate them more.

How the stories are written and how they should be? Which stories are to perpetuate? What choices do we make? NEVER WHISTLE AT NIGHT is a gruesome, original and dark fiction anthology with incredible storytelling that will impact readers in many ways.

(ps: the foreword by Stephen Graham Jones is phenomenal)

[ I received a complimentary copy from the publisher - Vintage Anchor books . All thoughts are my own ]

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing an advance copy in exchange for honest feedback

Never Whistle at Night: An Indigenous Dark Fiction Anthology by Shane Hawk and Theodore C. Van Alst Jr. is a must-read for fans of chilling, thought-provoking horror. It’s perfect for those who want to dive into the rich cultural heritage and bold creativity of Indigenous storytellers, blending dark fiction with unique perspectives.

I have never read anything quite like this before, but I truly enjoyed this book! I was so fascinated by these stories. Every one of them was amazing, I haven't read an anthology where I really liked every story. This book is so creepy, suspense and fun to read. I will definitely be picking up more books about Indigenous Folklore, I can't wait to read more.

Thank you for an arc of this book! I love Hispanic mythology and lore and this was so fun and creepy!

I really enjoyed this anthology of fairy tales, folklore, supernatural, whatever else you want to throw in! I'm super fascinated by all of it!

I absolutely loved Never Whistle at Night, a dark fiction anthology that completely captivated me. Each story was unique, with its own distinct tone and intent, making the entire collection feel fresh and varied. The emotions ran deep—some stories were disturbing, others hauntingly beautiful, but all were truly amazing. I was lucky enough to receive it as an ARC, but I enjoyed it so much that I ended up purchasing a copy for myself. Highly recommend this anthology to anyone who loves dark, emotional fiction.

Thank you to NetGalley for providing this gifted copy in exchange for my honest review.