Here’s a small selection of the horror and genre news that caught our eye during the last week …
Rowan Vane, a wannabe writer with the confidence of a leaf in a hurricane, is on a soul-searching vacation with his damaged family in Hell’s Gulf – a ramshackle, no-horse stain on Florida’s reputation. You might be forgiven for asking why he’d go there, but forgiveness isn’t much of a commodity amongst the denizens of this godforsaken place – they’ve a bit of an axe to grind. With a history as dark and pungent as its waters, this bit-too-quiet beach town in the navel of nowhere is patrolled by a delightfully xenophobic sheriff who sees ‘foreign agents’ arriving on every rotten jetty. This picturesque town boasts abandoned ghostly ruins, unusually amorous sea life, mutant creatures and dastardly deeds that form the stories of the town’s affable alcoholics. Oh, and something’s been killing the people here for decades. Yes, folks, Hell’s Gulf really has it all. All you need is a little imagination. Fortunately, Rowan’s brought his along with all the bells and whistles. And some fishing tackle. Available for pre-order now in paperback and eBook, you can guarantee your copy here.
A group of young Spring Breakers headed for Lake Havasu take a sudden detour in the middle of the Mojave Desert. It will be a quick stop, he said. It won’t take long, he said. It’s hot. Over 100 degrees, and no one really wants to meddle around some sweaty desert caves a mile off the highway. Then something goes wrong and no one knows what to do. Needles, California, a town in regression, home of semi-retired truck driver Big Vic. He’s made a lot of mistakes in life and has vowed to make a change, starting by spending more time his adult daughter who has suddenly gone missing. Is it drugs, a kidnapping, murder? His investigation teams him up with an unlikely ally and he finds that tapping into his rough and tumble past is the only way to get answers. In the desert of Southern California is something of a phenomenon. Tucked away from passersby on Interstate 40 and widely unknown, a series of tunnels crisscross through the mountains, but they’re not mine shafts or caverns. They’re not teaming with bats and stalagmites. These tunnels are deliberate. Festering with something ferocious, something deadly. Something evil. What lurks within the Mojave Mud Caves? Available for pre-order now in eBook, with a paperback edition to follow, guarantee your copy here.
In the mid-1980s, Stephen King inducted a young English novelist into the world of great genre writers, and since then, this genius creator has only continued to expand his field of activity. Created by his two most loyal collaborators, Phil and Sarah Stokes, Clive Barker’s Dark Worlds is the first book to shed light on the massive scope of Barker’s creative work. With the help of Barker himself, this book contains exclusive comments from people who have worked with him creatively and professionally, as well as close friends such as Neil Gaiman. The book also features an exceptional collection of images and documents from the author’s private archives. The book spans Barker’s world, highlighting classics such as the character Pinhead, an icon in the pantheon of horror cinema; the Hellraiser series of ten films and a forthcoming HBO miniseries; and the cult films Nightbreed and Candyman, the latter of which was rebooted as a Jordan Peele production in 2021. In literature, Barker has written the horror anthology series Books of Blood, which was recently adapted by Hulu, as well as numerous fantasy sagas. Weaveworld and The Great and Secret Show have become instant genre classics, and Abarat is a beloved bestselling series for young adults. In the world of comics, Barker has partnered with major publishers such as Marvel and BOOM! Studios. This tireless creator has also dipped his toes into the worlds of toys, video games, and art, and his incredible collection of paintings, drawings, and photographs have been exhibited in galleries over the world. Arriving 18 October, the book is available for pre-order now in eBook and hardcover editions.
When Cassie discovers the couple who raised her were not who they said they were, she sets off to find her birth mother. What she discovers is an unholy secret the church has tried to bury, a secret that puts the very souls of Cassie and her adopted sister in extreme danger as they search for answers. Available now in eBook format, you can grab your copy here.
KEV HARRISON