Reviewing Horror in November — A Short Story Collection, and Splatterpunk

 As a newer member of the HWA—Horror Writers Association—I have had the opportunity to access a boatload of ARCs from authors in hopes of getting attention to be considered for Brahms Stoker. This was a member perk that I wasn’t expecting, but I’ve taken advantage of it by trying to review as many as I can read. I’ve posted reviews of several, and I wish I could read faster. So, below are the ones I’ve finished for the month of November. Two great books for two different horror audiences.

Cover image courtesy of
Death Knell Press

First up is Impulses of a Necrotic Heart, a collection of short stories by Red Lagoe. I adored this collection of quick reads. The stories have a lot of heart, sometimes heartbreak, sometimes vengeful, sometimes with a dash of soul. They tackle subjects ranging from body horror specific to being women, to managing the loss of loved ones, to coming to terms with death to penance and retribution.

What more can I say about this collection of short stories except that they were nothing less than fantastic. Red Lagoe handles them with a delicate hand while not shying from the horrific aspects of every one.

Highly recommended reading, especially if you only have time for a snippet here and there. Five Stars.

You can purchase the book here.

Cover image courtesy of 
Black Void Publishing

Next up, a bloodbath of a book with a pair of Native American MCs. Churn the Soil by Steve Stred.

This is a police procedural with a gruesome horror backdrop, as we follow two characters, Office Brown and Nancy—a resident of an outlier settlement along the border of an Alaskan/Canadian No man's land. And it’s literally that—a no man's land, where the inhabitants of the settlement have come to accept their role as keepers of a stretch of clearing between them and the forest beyond it, even though they aren’t sure why. The clearing must be maintained, and no one is to set foot in the forest beyond it.

But someone does just that, a young girl who challenges the notion, then winds up dead in the most gruesome way. Border resident Nancy receives a spiritual calling to find answers, as does Officer Brown, who was once a member of the settlement as a child. The townsfolk don’t like police interference though, which makes investigation, with wildly supernatural elements in play, difficult.

Stred's writing style is succinct, short chapters that are easy to commit to, with enough pull at the end to draw you into 'just one more' chapter. He doesn’t rely on flowery prose which, for the most part is an effective and streamlined method of story telling here. This is the right kind of story for Stred's chosen writing style. Also, if you’re looking for something to read with a Native/indigenous connection, this can go on your list, as The Border is essentially an outlier indigenous community. Both Officer Brown and Nancy are of indigenous heritage, and I like the fact that Stred doesn’t lean heavy into tropes regarding that heritage. The horror touches on Hopi folklore without the intent of caricature.

This is a solid 3+ read for me, while not quite tipping into 4 territory. The gore is a plus. I like the main characters, although I wish we had a chance to go deeper into their psyches at times. There was one particular villainous twist that I saw coming, so that eventual reveal didn’t hit me like I wished it would have done. Also, because I brought it up so often in my reviews this year, it passes that Bechdel test. Not by much, but Nancy is a strong female character and that's always a plus for me. All in all, this was an imaginative and blood filled take on a monster from Hopi folklore.

You can purchase the book here.