Fears: Tales of Psychological Horror

One never has to worry about an anthology edited by the award-winning Ellen Datlow being a dud, but some are better than others. This one is definitely at the “better” end of that continuum to be sure. It’s one of my favorites in recent memory. There are no ghosts or cosmic monstrosities within these pages. The monsters are strictly of the human variety. If your taste in horror runs in that vein you will not be disappointed. A truly stellar compendium of nastiness. Highly recommended,

A journey ‘cross an aluminum tinged landscape, spattered with blood, brutalized with suffering and the memories thereof. 

A journey as gleefully thrilling as shocking. 

Come along, see the world through the eyes of murderers and all around bad people. 

You might cringe, might have to keep or force one thing or another down — hopefully not fleshy bones — but you’ll have a blast all the same. 

Seriously. 

Last time I had so much fun reading about the terrible, horrible, no good, just bad bad bad some people do? Hard to say. I mean, being a horrorhound, that’s kind of a daily, to an extent. 

But still.

Fears: Tales of Psychological Horror delivers, and keeps on delivering. 

Here is the world where mysteries start to haunt you, and the longer you stay, the more haunted you become. 

Here, if you don’t know the steps, don’t know the dance, well, it was nice knowing ya?

Here, fairytales and life are one and the same, as nasty and bloody as anything. 

Here, in the land of murderers and Starbucks, you never know who you might meet. Thought it may just be your very own murderer. 

Here, the faces are masks and the dead are wanting. 

Here, you’ll be shaken, like me, to your core. But, you’ll savor it. You, too, will hunger, want more, much more. 

So throw your keys into the river — they’ll only end up there anyway. Let’s go for a ride. Let’s take a tour of fears.

This book was a reminder of the power of a great editor. I thoroughly enjoyed this anthology. It starts off super strong and kept me intrigued through the end. Like any anthology, the mix of stories has some real gems and some I’ve already forgotten; however, the writing and skill is superb of all the included authors. I am a huge fan of psychological horror and would definitely recommend this to someone looking for bite-sized chunks!

I love short stories and anthologies. Even the best author must flex their writing skills to deliver quality short stories. In less than a usual chapter length, they must introduce us to the characters and their communities/ back stories, commit to an "event" and then solve it, all while keeping the reader engrossed and flipping pages. I often find that an author will switch genres in an anthology, which gives me an even better appreciation for their talent.
Many have a similar theme with the writers giving their story an unusual “spin” to meet the theme’s intent without copying each other. It is not unusual to find a true gem mixed in with the overall excellent stories, making anthologies a triple threat/ treat.

Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this eARC.

“Fears: Tales of Psychological Horror” edited by Ellen Datlow:

“Fears” delves deep into the human psyche, exploring the darkest corners of our fears and anxieties. The stories are not just about supernatural entities or grotesque monsters; they are about the horrors that lurk within us and around us. 

Datlow’s curation is impeccable, with each story meticulously chosen to evoke a sense of unease and terror. The writing styles vary, offering a rich tapestry of voices and perspectives.

Among the standout stories is Stephen Graham Jones’ contribution, which masterfully blends psychological horror with a touch of the supernatural. Priya Sharma’s tale is another highlight, offering a haunting exploration of familial bonds and the darkness that can fester within them. 

“Fears: Tales of Psychological Horror” is not just a collection of scary stories; it is a profound exploration of the human condition. Datlow has once again proven why she is considered the gold standard of horror anthologists. 

Trigger warnings: if you are a fan of this type of book, you will likely enjoy it, however if this is your first foray into a book of this type, realize this contains tales such as a mother drowning her children and other relatives (alive) in a tar pit, a grandfather telling a child how he pulled out his wife's eyeballs to put them into his own empty eye sockets (also when she was alive) and much, much more.

Thanks to Netgalley I managed to read this ARC ahead of publication. Due to be published on 10/09/24.

I love horror but hadn't read anything for a while so thought a collection of short stories would be a good reintroduction to the genre!

These are absolutely brilliant. Some more captivating and intriguing than others. 21 short stories in total by a range of different authors.

I particularly enjoyed that a number of stories detail women as the aggressor showing that females can be much deadlier than the male - and often more calculating! Bait is a good start to the collection and has a vigilante type that dishes out cold justice. It kind of sets the tone for the book where you learn quickly not to take anything for granted and things aren't all what they might initially seem.

There's a collection of killers, ghosts and cannibals here! A great anthology of horror 😁

Twenty-one stories by many of my favorite horror authors?!? I was definitely all in when I saw this book. I absolutely loved these stories! Honestly, I could not pick a favorite because they were so different and made me feel different things. I do enjoy an anthology from time-to-time because sometimes you don't want to read a whole novel. This anthology definitely fit the bill and now I have some new authors to follow!

I love a good anthology. Psychological horror remains one of my favorites. A few standout stories, for me, were from Josh Malerman, Laird Barron, Hailey Piper and, of course, Stephen Graham Jones. Thank you to NetGalley & the publisher for the ARC. Check this out when it publishes on September 10, 2024!

Psychological horror is a favourite of mine so I was super excited for this collection, I wasn't disappointed, what a great collection, I had a few favourites but all were stellar stories that explored the nature of fear, a lot of these haunted me long after I'd finished reading

4.5 out of 5 stars

This is one of the best short story collections I've had the pleasure of reading! Particular standouts for me are "Bait," "A Sunny Disposition," "The Donner Party," "The Wrong Shark," and "A Lovely Bunch of Coconuts." These had me gasping out loud, getting goosebumps (which is rare for me), and thinking about them several days after reading them. I will absolutely explore novel-length books from their authors!

Being horror, almost every story includes gore and/or death. More thorough content warnings are listed below by story.

"Bait"
Content warnings: References to sexual assaults

"White Noise in a White Room"
CWs: Implied suicide

"Back Seat"
CWs: Burglary, child death, neglectful parents

"Endless Summer"
CWs: Kidnapping

"My Mother's Ghosts"
CWs: Incest, sexual coersion, cheating, parent with dementia, ableism, child murder, animal death, use of the r-slur (challenged)

"One of These Nights"
CWs: Statutory rape, pedophilia, underage sex, underage drinking

"LD50"

CWs: Animal abuse, use of guns

"Cavity"
CWs: Domestic abuse, animal abuse, stalking, victim-blaming, suicide, rape, eating disorders, brief mentions of mass shootings and racism

"Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been?"
CWs: Stalking, sexual coercion, pedophilia, kidnapping

"The Wrong Shark"
CWs: Racism, depiction of hate crime, animal abuse

"21 Brooklands: next to Old Western, opposite the burnt out Red Lion"
CWs: On-page rape, domestic abuse, alcoholism, home invasion

"Unkindly Girls"
CWs: Victim-blaming, pedophilia, sexual assault

"A Lovely Bunch of Coconuts"
CWs: Takes place in a German concentration camp, so there are references to Hitler, ableism, anti-Semitism, genocide, gun violence, and starvation/illness

"Teeth"
CWs: Animal death, cancer, drugs

**HUGE thank you to Tachyon Publications for granting me an eARC through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review!**

"Simon Bestwick, Annie Neugebauer, Josh Malerman, Dale Bailey, Steve Duffy, Margo Lanagan, Bracken MacLeod, Tim Nickels, Stewart O'Nan, Priya Sharma, John Patrick Higgins, Livia Llewellyn, Laird Barron, Theresa DeLucci, Sharon Gosling, Joyce Carol Oates, Ray Cluley, Carole Johnstone, Hailey Piper, Charles Birkin, Stephen Graham Jones.

Bestselling horror editor Ellen Datlow (Body Shocks) returns with twenty-one stories of extreme psychological dread from such horror icons as Stephen Graham Jones, Priya Sharma, Josh Malerman, Margo Lanagan, and more. The unsettling tales explore the nature of fear as it stirs in dysfunctional families, toxic friendships, and mismatched lovers, which culminates in relentless stalkers, remorseless killers, and perpetrators of savage rituals.

Far beneath the mere supernatural lives something worse: the depths of human depravity. Your child is sacrificed in compensation for your social misstep. You compete in a sick game to save your loved ones. Your mom is insane, your dad is dying, your brother is not your brother, and you're stuck in the same house until one or all of you are dead. In her newest landmark anthology, Ellen Datlow has unearthed twenty-one exemplary tales of what people should fear the most: other people."

I mean, I'm excited for all these authors in this collection, but really hyped for Margo Lanagan!

Fears: Tales of Psychological Horror has twenty-one stories from some fantastic writers.
This psychological horror anthology was amazing!

Thank you Netgalley for giving me the opportunity to read and review this book. These opinions are completely my own

A nice mix of thrillers and fan would like. It reminds me of TV shows like Tales from the Crypt or the Twilight zone.

Wonderful collection of stories for the those who like to have their mind messed with a bit.

Another great anthology from Ellen Datlow. A couple of stories I’ve read before, but most were new to me.

Great collection of tales. Perfect going into fall.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the digital review copy.

When stories from Stewart O'Nan (!?) , Joyce Carol Oates and Stephen Graham Jones appear together in an anthology of body and extreme horror it must be well curated. And Fears certainly is. Multiple award winning Editor Ellen Datlow is a prolific presence in a wide variety of genre collections and has collected these stories as a box of poisoned chocolates. One per night before sleep is plenty!

Best horror editor around. I love these collections and purchased for my home library. Absolutely recommended. Thank you for the advanced copy

amazing set of stories. My favorite were "THe Pelt" by Annie Neugebauer, "Teeth" by Steven Graham Jones, "The Wrong Shark" by Ray Cluley, "Where Are You Going" by Joyce Carol Oates, and "A Sunny Disposition" by Josh Malerman

This anthology’s stories might lack in blood but will still get under your skin. Psychological horror features seemingly ordinary individuals doing truly monstrous things to each other while leaving a great deal of violence to the readers’ imagination. Datlow is an editor who has produced many well-regarded anthologies of horror.. Datlow has gathered a multitude of talented authors In this book. This collection features tales from popular horror writers such as Stephen Graham Jones and Josh Malerman, along with other authors not known. How else would I find authors that I’ve never heard of until I read them in an anthology edited by Datlow. I always like to read all the anthologies edited by Ellen Datlow. Why? Because she knows how to find new and or good authors for her horror anthologies. I am a big fan of horror. I liked this book as the stories put me in a different perspctive than the current world is in. I’ve added some more authors on my list that I want to read. If you’re a fan of horror, this is a must read. If you want to try horror for the first time, read it. Datlow introduce this anthology so you know what the stories are about. She lets you know in more detail about her thoughts were for collecting stories for this anthology and the others that she has done. I think she does this so if you aren’t interested, you can find something different to read. So far, Datlow has a loyal fan of her anthologies.

This was a great read, refreshing. 21 short horror stories exploring the nature of fear as it stirs in dysfunctional families, toxic friendships, and mismatched lovers, and culminates in relentless stalkers, remorseless killers, and perpetrators of savage rituals.

Love, love, love it! A lot of my favourite authors are in this book and I just loved them all! Each bringing a different perspective and uniqueness that I just couldn't put down! Five stars!