Stoker and World Fantasy Award–winners Tem and Tem (The Man on the Ceiling
) present their first collaborative collection since 1992's Beautiful Strangers
. The 21 stories range from reimagining the classic creations of Frankenstein (“This Icy Region My Heart Encircles”) and Dracula (“The Tenth Scholar”) to pseudo-autobiographical horror (“The Man on the Ceiling”). Eschewing blood and gore in favor of dread, “Bees from the Hive” focuses on lack of control as a character slowly loses his senses, while “In Concert” demonstrates that the Tems can also evoke powerful feelings of sorrow and beauty. The stories will appeal to those who prefer thoughtful, subtle horror over creepy-crawlies and violence, and though the hefty price tag may deter those who have not already discovered the Tems' fiction, their longtime fans will be thrilled. (May)
