A very good and chilling collection of horror stories set in winter. As with any collection there are bound to be hits and misses but overall I enjoyed the collection and the authors that it's put on my radar.

I was really excited to read this anthology during winter 2024, so I requested it. Here we are. The weather has changed and I dove in head first. I have to say, it is similar to most anthologies. There are good and there are great. There are also some that just don’t hit, but could work for others. I have to say many of my favorite authors hit these stories out of the park. And I even found a few new authors that I am curious to read more.

I’d you are looking for a collection of stories to read for cold weather or winter holidays then I would definitely recommend this collection.

Overall this was a very enjoyable winter horror collection! There is a really varied mix of settings, moods, and plots. Grief horror, ghosts, creatures, & slashers; from darkly atmospheric & moody to funny & gory. Some take place at Christmas, some are just set during winter. We get isolated snowy locations, desert roads, forests, and suburban neighborhoods. I really think there is something here for everyone.

I did rate each story individually to help me decide on an overall rating for the collection and while I didn’t love every single story, a little over half of the 22 stories were a 4-5⭐️, which is a percentage I am very happy with! Especially considering how much I loved the ones I did enjoy and less than a handful of the others were under a 3 star experience.

My very fave stories:
- The Vermin Moon by Hailey Piper
- Mr. Butler by Clay McLeod Chapman
- Nice by Nat Cassidy
- Being Nice by Jeff Strand
- Threads of Epiphany by Sara Tantlinger

Others I loved:
- The Warmth of Snow by Cynthia Pelayo
- Candy Cane by Tommy Hudson
- Eggnog by Kristi DeMeester
- The Ladies Society for the Dead by Darcy Coates
- Thaw by Rachel Harrison
- The Body of Leonora James by Stephanie M. Wytovich
- I Hope This Finds You Well by Eric LaRocca


Very happy with my overall experience with the anthology and definitely recommend if you like short horror stories and are looking for something with lots of winter and Christmas vibes!

This book is available now in all formats. Thank you so much to Netgalley and Crooked Lane Books for the arc!

I think I’ve found my new favorite collection of wintry horror stories! This book is filled with amazing authors. We’re talking Rachel Harrison, Josh Malerman, Nat Cassidy, Clay McLeod Chapman, and Christopher Golden just to name a few. While those were all familiar names to me, this book also introduced me to Tim Waggoner, Sara Tantlinger, and Jamie Flanagan—all of which I hope to read more from soon.

The Darkest Night contains 22 stories, all of which are winter and/or holiday themed. Some are fun and humorous, while others will leave you glancing nervously over your shoulder. And one story…well, that one will break your heart. I rated 13 of the stories 4 stars or higher. I’ll be adding 2 of the stories to my all-time favorite short stories list. The remaining 9 stories were all 3-3.5 stars for me (solid stories, I just didn’t connect with them as strongly).

My Top 5:

▪️ Mr. Butler by Clay McLeod Chapman
▪️ Nice by Nat Cassidy
▪️ Cold As Ice by Tim Waggoner
▪️ Threads of Epiphany by Sara Tantlinger
▪️ Bruiser by Jamie Flanagan


Seriously, if you’re looking for the perfect wintry read, pick this one up. I’m already planning to reread the Cassidy story on Christmas Eve, and I can definitely see myself adding this book to my yearly holiday reading list.

4/5 stars
Recommend!

Absolutely Fantastic story collection perfect for cold wintery nights I need the physical copy now I enjoyed it so much

I'd like to thank netgalley and the publishers for the chance to read and review this book

I thoroughly enjoyed this horror collection of short stories revolving around winter.

Each storey for me had eerie elements and kept me engaged.

If you love anthologies and specially creepy, scary stories, you'll love this one!!

This anthology is the perfect read for the holiday season. The 22 stories are all winter themed with chilly snowy settings. A handful are specifically holiday themed and so much fun.

The Mouthless Body in the Lake by Gwendolyn Kiste: A spooky and haunting start, but I wish it was not in 2nd person. (3 stars)

Cold as Ice by Tim Waggoner: Another 2nd person story with a creepy creature. (3 stars)

Children Aren't the Only Ones Who Know Where the Presents are Hidden by Josh Malerman: This seemed to be a story in the same world as Incidents Around the House. (5 stars)

The Vermin Moon by Hailey Piper: A tale of a mother's grief. (4 stars)

The Body of Leonora James by Stephanie M. Wytovich: This story had beautiful flowery language, but that made it somewhat hard to follow. (3 stars)

Mr. Butler by Clay McLeod Chapman: This was a very unique story, and unexpected. (5 stars)

Feast of Gray by Lindy Ryan and Christopher Brooks: A man reflects on a traumatic life and has a haunting experience. (4 stars)

I Hope This Finds You Well by Eric LaRocca: Horror in a gay gentleman's club set in the past. (4 stars)

The Buried Child by M. Rickert: A sad story of grief and trauma. (4 stars)

Father's Last Christmas by Lee Murray: A dark fairy tale of cut throat royalty. (5 stars)

The Warmth of Snow by Cynthia Pelayo: A dysfunctional mother/daughter relationship with a lot of Shakespeare. (3 stars)

Wintry Blue by Christopher golden and Tim Lebbon: A scary story of a father and daughter try to save a woman who was attacked by a creature. (5 stars)

Carol of the Hells by Kelsea Yu: Wow, this story is so sad and well done. (5 stars)

Full of Toys, a black-out poem by Jessica McHugh: I am assuming this black-out poem came from The Night Before Christmas. It did well making it creepy. (3 stars)

Nice by Nat Cassidy: A Christmas obsessed boy is convinced to be naughty by one of Santa's helpers. (5 stars)

Thaw by Rachel Harrison: A romantic Christmas trip in an isolated cabin turns sinister when a snowman appears in the yard. (5 stars)

Candy Cane by Thommy Hutson: A author of a serial killer series is visited by an unexpected guest at his isolated cabin. (5 stars)

Eggnog by Kristi deMeester: A holiday party gone so wrong. (5 stars)

Threads of Epiphany by Sara Tantlinger: A dark fairy tale folk horror story about as woman who seeks help from a witch. (5 stars)

The Ladies' Society for the Dead by Darcy Coates: A group of women meet to share ghost stories and hold a seance. It is great ghost story. (5 stars)

Being Nice by Jeff Strand: A 17 year old boy tries to prove he should be on the nice list which goes horribly wrong. This story is mixed with a fair bit of humor that I enjoyed. (5 stars)

Ghosted by Mercedes M. Yardley: A woman is haunted by her dead husband. (5 stars)

Bruiser by Jamie Flanagan: A nurse has strange encounters with a patient in a nursing home. (4 stars)

My Rating: Averages to about 4.5 out of 5 stars

This was a superstar lineup of short stories by superstar horror authors! While not all of them were my favorite, that is to be expected with an Anthology and among those there were some great ones!

Winter Horror is some of my favorite kind of horror stories so when I saw this short story collection I knew I had to read it. So many amazing horror authors have stories in this collection. It was so fun to read from some of my favorites again. I few of the stories fell short for me but overall I really enjoyed this collection as a whole. I would highly recommend this one to any who loves a scary short story set during the most magical time of year.
3.5/5 Stars

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for sending me an arc copy in exchange for my honest review.

No one should be surprised that my favorite stories in this book were by Rachel Harrison and Darcy Coates. I did enjoy some of the other stories more than others while some grossed me out or were just dumb. I will say that I read this book on an 80 degree day and I was getting cold with the descriptions of all the snow and frigid temperatures.

Many thanks to Crooked Lane Books for the gifted copy for my honest review!

A well=balanced and frightening collection of short stories revolving around winter and its attendant terrors. I really enjoyed this anthology! Named for the darkest night of the year - the winter solstice - this collection doesn't just feature Christmas and other holiday-themed tales, but also incorporates secular stories, which I appreciated. Some of my favorite authors are featured, such as Josh Malerman, whose contribution to the anthology seems to be an early version or a companion piece to his recent novel, Incidents Around the House. The opening tale from Gwendolyn Kiste is gripping and eerie, and left me with mental images that will last for much longer than one winter season. Although anthologies are difficult to rate due to the varying impact of each story, I give this collection a 4-star rating overall.

Thank you very much to NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books for an early copy in exchange for my honest review!

I loved this! Lots of original tales, some creepier than others! I especially loved the one about the mysterious box! Great way to spend time when doing other things! Really enjoyed the narrator’s too!

I almost gave up on The Darkest Night: A Terrifying Anthology of Winter Horror Stories. The first few stories fell flat, leaving me less engaged than I had hoped. But just as I was ready to set the book aside, a few gems turned it around. Stories like Nice, Thaw, Eggnog, and Candy Cane grabbed me and didn’t let go. Each taps into different shades of darkness while maintaining that winter chill as both a literal and symbolic backdrop.

Eggnog by Kristi DeMeester delves into the frustrations women often experience, especially as new mothers. At a Christmas party, tensions brew between a wife, her husband, and an over-friendly coworker. The story captures a mix of resentment and loss, the kind of emotions that simmer beneath the surface, and it delivers a gratifying punch. It’s both dark and snarky, pulling no punches about the often unseen struggles many women face.

Rachel Harrison’s Thaw leans into the kind of horror where women’s warnings are ignored until it's too late. A couple spending Christmas in a remote cabin finds themselves stalked by an unknown presence. Without giving too much away, Harrison turns the tables on the typical horror trope, leaving you with that rare feeling of justice in a genre that often denies it.

In Nice, Nat Cassedy (whose quickly becoming a favorite author) brings a fun and twisted take on the idea of "being good." Mitchell, a young boy who has been following the rules to the letter, suddenly finds himself tempted by the elf on the shelf to embrace his darker side. It’s a reminder that sometimes, the urge to be naughty is all too human. The payoff of this story, though expected, still lands with a wry grin.

Lastly, Candy Cane by Thommy Hutson evokes Stephen King’s Misery with its portrayal of an unhinged fan who interrupts a horror author’s quiet night. What I loved most was the “just desserts” quality of this story, even though it follows familiar beats. There’s something satisfying about seeing karma served cold, wrapped in holiday spirit.

What connects these stories—and why I loved them—is not just their winter settings but the shared themes of hidden darkness within people. Whether it’s suppressed emotions or the temptation to unleash chaos, each story explores how far people will go to maintain control—or lose it. There’s something both expected and refreshing in how these themes play out in winter anthologies; the icy cold becomes a metaphor for isolation, fear, and deep-seated human desires.

As a whole, The Darkest Night may not have hit the mark for me from the start, but these stories gave it the weight I was looking for. It’s a reminder that in anthologies, there’s always the potential to find gems among the snow.

This is an anthology of 22 short horror stories by a variety of authors, some known to me and others not. As with most anthologies, it’s a mixed bag of really like, like and eh. There were definitely a few new to me authors that I would love to check out again. With twenty-two stories, mileage may vary. My favorites may not be yours. It has enough good stories to be worth your while if you enjoy a bit of a chill on a cold, dark night. I did rate each one as I read them and made a few notes. Some stories were scarier than others and some I found difficult to discern any horror elements at all.

Thank you to Netgalley and Crooked Lane Books for a copy provided for an honest review.

-The Mouthless Body in the Lake by Gwendolyn Kiste 4 stars for its eerie, cold atmosphere
-Cold as Ice by Tim Waggoner 4 stars for the dread I felt while the MC was driving down an isolated stormy road with something out there
-Children Aren’t the Only Ones Who Know Where the Presents are Hidden by Josh Malerman 4 stars for the bah-humbug MC and her family dysfunction
-The Vermin Moon by Hailey Piper 2 stars this one lost me
-The Body of Leonora James by Stephanie M Wytovich 2 stars eh
- Mr Butler by Clay McLeod Chapman 4 stars for a boy dealing with an emotionally abusive stepfather
-Feast of Grey by Lindy Ryan and Christopher Brooks 2 stars maudlin
-I Hope This Finds You Well by Eric La Rocca 4 stars for the jaw-dropping ending
-The Buried Child by M Rickert 3 stars inspired by The Juniper Tree (Grimm)
-Father’s Last Christmas by Lee Murray 3 stars Royal Court shenanigans
-The Warmth of Snow by Cynthia Pelayo 3 stars not to my taste
-Wintery Blue by Christopher Golden and Tim Lebbon 4 stars another road trip delight
-Carol of the Hells by Kelsea Yu 3 stars dysfunctional family
-Nice by Nat Cassidy 3 stars twisted
-Thaw by Rachel Harrison 4 stars creepy snowman
-Candy Cane by Tommy Hutson 3 stars serial killer
-Eggnog by Kristi deMeester 1 star mommy horror
-Threads of Epiphany by Sara TantLinger 2 stars Rumpelstiltskin style story
-Ladies Society for the Dead by Darcy Coates 4 stars ghost coven
-Being Nice by Jeff Strand 1 star not for me
-Ghosted by Mercedes M Yardley 1 star writing not for me
-Bruiser by Jamie Flanagan 2 stars I didn’t get it

I find it hard to review anthologies. The stories are short, and some draw you in while others don't. This anthology of horror novellas takes place during the winter and Christmas seasons.

My favorites were
The Body of Lenora Jones by Stephanie M Wytovich
Wintery Blue by Christopher Golden and Tim Leebbon,
and The Ladies Society for the Dead by Darcy Coates,
are the ones that I still thought about after I finished the book. Others were enjoyable and one that while creepy was about a sentient box. While a weird concept, I think it will make me look at large empty boxes differently.

If you like short horror stories I would definitely check this one out.

Cold weather horror is one of my favourites and this didn't disappoint, theres a real mix of sub genres and whilst I enjoyed some more than others they all had something I could appreciate, great for halloween/October tbrs

A really nice anthology of horror stories with a cold, winter theme. I really enjoyed Rachel Harrison's story Thaw. Who doesn't love a good snowman? It was the main reason I requested this title. But there were some other great stories here as well. And as the temperature begins to drop as fall and winter approach, this is the perfect anthology to curl up with near a nice fire. I will definitely be recommending this one for our store.

This book took me awhile to get through. It was hard to find one story that I actually liked. The beginning stories are told in second person. I just wasn’t into this particular book.


Thank you to NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books for providing me with a free ebook in exchange for an honest review.

The Darkest Night, edited by Lindy Ryan is an anthology of 22 winter horror stories.

First, let me thank NetGalley, the publisher Crooked Lane Books and of course the author, for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

My Synopsis and Opinions.
These stories all take place around the Christmas season. As always, I will review each story individually.

The Mouthless Body in the Lake by Gwendolyn Kiste... A lonely eight year old girl finds her own body (minus the mouth) in the frozen lake at her grandmother's house. She tells no one. No one really cares about her anyway. Amazing short story! Loved it! Loved Taylor! 5 stars

Cold as Ice by Tim Waggoner... A divorced man is trying to date, but has no real desire. While driving home in a storm he sees a strange creature running beside him. Really interesting. 5 stars

Children Aren't The Only Ones Who Know Where The Presents Are Hidden by Josh Malerman... A woman has always declared she hates all holidays. She never tried to figure out why. Then she finds a closet door on the highway to Vegas. The door reminds me of SK's Dark Tower Series which I loved, so I was annoyed. 3 stars

The Vermin Moon by Hailey Piper... A grieving mother promised to look after her daughter's pet rats if anything should happen to her. Mom wants to let her know she kept the promise. Strange. 3 stars

The Body of Leonora James by Stephanie M. Wytovich... A woman's rebirth every 19 years wreaks havoc on a small town where she tortures and drinks the blood of her victims. One year is different. This was amazing, a fresh and entertaining read! Loved it. 5 stars

Mr. Butler by Clay McLeod Chapman... A cardboard box shows up at the home of a man. This same cardboard box had once been his only friend. This one an amazing story, definitely different!  5 stars

Feast of Gray by Lindy Ryan and Christopher Brooks... A man visits the grave of his mother with whom he did not get along.  Did not do anything for me.  2 stars

I hope this finds you well by Eric LaRocca... A young man joins an elite club for gay men, only to find some of the practices worrisome.  Rather disturbing, but quite good!  5 stars

The Buried Child by M. Rickert... A woman who has kept the hands of her brother buried beneath a tree, finds that they have gone missing.  The author says this is a tribute to The Juniper Tree by The Brothers Grimm.  Not sure about that, or the story.  I may have to re-read this one.  2 stars

Father's Last Christmas by Lee Murray.. The King is dying and his children gather around to see who he will pick to succeed him....which will depend on the gift that they provide.  This was interesting, if somewhat predictable.  4 stars

The Warmth of Snow by Cynthia Pelayo... A mother and daughter spend every day indoors.  They read a lot!  The daughter is fascinated by Hamlet, although her mother disapproves.  This was quite good.  4 stars

Wintry Blue by Christopher Golden and Tim Lebbon... A father takes his daughter to see her grandparents up a snowy mountain road, where they encounter a woman trying to escape from her boyfriend-turned-monster.  This was really good, very descriptive, and hooked me from the start.  5 stars

Carol of the Hells by Kelsea vu...Holly always drives by all the houses lit by Christmas decorations, remembering how much her father and brother loved this time of year.  Both she and her mother blame Holly for their deaths, and this year her mother plans to correct things.  This was just sad....but good.  4 stars

Nice by Nat Cassidy... Six year old Mitchell has been really good this year, and is sure Santa knows it.  But when the Elf on the Shelf comes alive and tells him he should really be naughty, and tell his friends to be naughty too, Mitchell decides the elf is right.  If somewhat predictable, it was surprisingly good!  5 stars

Thaw by Rachel Harrison... A romantic weekend at a cabin turns sour when a snowman comes to life.  The premise is funny, but the story is true horror.  Really good!  5 stars

Candy Cane by Thommy Hutson... An author is interrupted by a visitor who has read every one of his books, and takes them to heart.  Somewhat predictable, a little gruesome, but quite good.  4 stars

Eggnog by Kristi deMeester... Gillian's first outing after the birth of her child is to her husband's Christmas event.  Feeling anything but pretty, she meets a woman who seems to be all over her husband.  Don't mess with a postpartum woman!  LOL, quite good, but too realistic to be horror.  3 stars

Threads of Epiphany by Sara Tantlinger... Minna makes a deal with a witch to get her brother a new heart.  Meanwhile, she will stay with the witch, and weave thread.  She begins to enjoy it, when another woman comes who has also made a deal, but has an ulterior motive. Interesting. 3 stars

The Ladies' Society for the Dead by Darcy Coates... A group of women come together to get justice for the dead.  Love the author, disappointed in the story - just lacked the punch.  2 stars

Being Nice by Jeff Strand... An eighteen year old has a disagreement with Santa, who plans to leave a lump of coal in his stocking.   Rather funny, but not scary.  2 stars

Ghosted by Mercedes M. Yardley...  A woman mourns the death of her husband.  Loved it...sentimental and sweet.  5 stars

Bruiser by Jamie Flanagan... A nursing home attendant befriends an old man who has some strange plans.  It may not be horror, but it was quite good.  4 stars



Overall, I was really impressed with the number of 5 star stories in this collection.  What disappointed me was that some of my favorite authors in this collection submitted rather poor stories.

These stories are definitely all centered around the winter season, and if you like scary stories at Christmas, you may want to check out this book.  That being, said,  they aren't all that scary, so....

✨Thank you to Netgalley, Crooked Lane Books, and Spotify Audio for the gifted digital and audio copies of this book✨

I’m so sad to inform you that this book did NOT live up to expectations. It is difficult to give this book an overall rating because I really enjoyed some of the stories, and others bored me to tears. I was SO close to DNFing because it felt like I was wasting my time wading through legitimately terrible stories to get to the actual good stuff.

This book is a collection of stories written by some of the BIGGEST Titans in horror. I thought this would be an absolute BANGER. But unfortunately, many of these stories were boring or fell flat. And many of them tried so hard to be poetic they just made no sense. I wanted chills. I wanted scary. I wanted unease. But I got a whole lot of pretentious prose that translated into a whole jumble of nonsense.

Some of the stories I REALLY enjoyed are the following:

✨Children Aren’t the Only Ones Who Know Where the Presents Are by Josh Malerman
✨Mr. Butler by Clay McLeod Chapman
✨I Hope This Finds You Well by Eric Larocca(The ending of this one 😱)
✨Wintry Blue by Christopher Golden and Tim Lebbon
✨Nice by Nat Cassidy(This one was not only funny but so unsettling. It was perfection)
✨Egg Nog by Kristi DeMeester(Do NOT mess with a nursing mom 👊🏼)
✨Being Nice by Jeff Strand(This one was laugh out loud funny)

Overall, I’d recommend reading this one in print, and picking and choosing which stories you want to actually finish. Life is too short to read books and stories that you don’t like.