A New York State of Fright: Horror Stories from the Empire State

Like the New York City whose setting they all share, the 24 stories in this highly entertaining anthology are a melting pot of the rich diversity of themes and approaches to the tale of horror. Hal Johnson’s “The Hunting of the Kipsy” and Erik T. Johnson’s “A Few Leaves from the Travelogue of Doctor Julius Jonsson” use the flora and fauna associated with the city for wild forays into cryptozoology. Historical horrors are the essence of Jeff C. Stevenson’s “The Insects of Seneca Village,” about an enduring curse enacted by one of New York’s displaced minorities, and Grady Hendrix’s tongue-in-cheek “Tale of the White Street Society: The Hairy Ghost,” about another group of the city’s immigrants haunted by the lore they brought with them from their homeland. Jack Ketchum and Edward Lee’s “Eyes Left” is a mordant appraisal of the seedier and sinister side of the city’s contemporary singles pick-up scene. Kathleen Scheiner’s “Hurricane Zelda, Part IV” is a grim tale of monsters lurking in the city subways. The overall quality of this book’s offerings will entice lovers of horror fiction, who will get the additional bonus of knowing that proceeds benefit the Girls Write Now nonprofit organization. [em](Oct.) [/em]