Cyanide Constellations

The 12 equal parts chilling and exhilarating stories in Tantlinger’s debut collection deliver dread-filled cosmic horror with a richly gothic flavor. The range is wide: there’s eco-horror explicating the consequences of environmental destruction (“As Humans Burn Beneath Us”), a tale of delightfully murderous garden gnomes (“A Haunting of Lawn Ornaments”), intimate apocalyptic horror in which a couple braces for the end of the world (“The Viridescent Dark”), and a wildly original take on Nathaniel Hawthorne’s classic “Rappacini’s Daughter” (“The Revenge of Rappacini’s Daughter”). Deeply weird and not for the faint of heart, these tales dig into the core of modern-day fears and anxieties. Through it all, Tantlinger’s lyrical prose shines with unforgettable imagery, a healthy dash of humor, and a sense of lingering heartache, and she manages to pack a punch into each bite-size package. Sometimes gruesome but always wildly original, this will be a welcome addition to any seasoned horror lover’s bookshelf. (Oct.)