HAUNTED NIGHTS

PRODUCT DETAILS:

Paperback | $16.95 Published by Anchor Oct 03, 2017 | 368 Pages | 5-3/16 x 8| ISBN 9781101973837

REVIEWS:

“Halloween brings out the best in horror writers, as this fright-packed anthology of 15 new stories with Halloween themes demonstrates. In the novella “Lost in the Dark,” John Langan conjures the legend of the monstrous Bad Agatha and a found-footage horror films based on it, exploring the boundary where fact blurs into fiction. Brian Evenson’s “Sisters” concerns a family newly introduced to the Halloween tradition who are of a genuinely creepier ilk than the trick-or-treaters they mimic. Garth Nix, in “The Seventeen-Year Itch,” introduces an inmate at an asylum for the criminally insane whose new physician foolishly discontinues the practice of restraining him on Halloween night. Other authors, including Seanan McGuire, Jeffrey Ford, and Kate Jonez, extend the Halloween theme with tales of haunted houses, witch lore, and dangerously dysfunctional families.  Editors Datlow and Morton have filled this book with an assortment of Halloween treats whose horrors transcend their Holiday setting.” – Publishers Weekly 8/07/17 (starred/boxed review)  

“…the entire collection is solid and refreshing, featuring great stories that don’t resort to overused tropes and revealing the full breadth of today’s horror, from surreal to creepy to full-blown, visceral terror…Whether used for collection development or to suggest to patrons as the perfect holiday companion, Haunted Nights is an ideal way to celebrate Halloween and its millennial history this year and for many more to come.” – Becky Spratford, Booklist 10/1/17  

“…an excellent and diverse collection of tales by truly talented authors, set in the Halloween season. It is a perfect read for those who are looking to add some atmosphere to the holiday, or on any dark night before or after.” – Greg Gbur, Dead Reckonings No. 22, Fall 2017  

“The stories offer a wide variety of approaches to Halloween and all its trimmings, and several are arguably among the strongest work that their authors have produced and are likely contenders for consideration for year’s-best roundups…an anthology whose stories more often than not transcend the expectations for their Halloween theme.” – Stefan Dziemianiwocz, Locus  

“Editors Datlow and Morton and their assemblage of talented Haunted Nights contributors have sixteen opportunities to scare their readers’ pants off. A few—Miskowski and Ford, preeminently—surpass expectations and succeed. A few others, like Edie and Guignard, surprise with their emotional resonance. Others still—Jones, Armstrong, and Langan—bring a refreshing sense of originality to a holiday (at least in the hands of lesser writers) that’s prone to cliché. Haunted Nights succeeds as a whole largely because of the diversity of its parts, a credit to Datlow and Morton in constructing this exemplary anthology. ” – Vince Liaguno, Dark Scribe Magazine, March 16, 2018  

“A celebration of various talented writers (with nearly equal representation of male and female authors) and of a rich holiday, Haunted Nights is an enjoyable read for this month or anytime.” – Ann Mayhew, The Riveter (Riveting Storytelling by Women), October 5, 2017  

“Famous editor Ellen Datlow and distinguished author Lisa Morton have teamed up to produce a Horror Writers Association anthology featuring sixteen new tales set in the dark atmosphere of Halloween…All the authors skillfully address the Halloween theme with a great variety of tones and styles, exploring the unholiest holiday from any possible angle, thus providing a very enjoyable book for horror lovers…In short, a “must-have” book.” – Mario Guslandi, Hellnotes  

“Blumhouse and Anchor have crafted a collection of Halloween themed stories that shock, inspire a few guffaws and twist up familiar tropes in inventive and engaging ways. The book offers a wealth of talent, including plenty of award-winning and firmly established talents…There wasn’t a single story in this collection that felt underwhelming. Blumhouse and Anchor have aligned a magnificent assortment of talent to creep us out during our favorite time of year. Make no mistake: Haunted Nights is a must-read this Halloween! (Rating: 5/5)” – Matt Molgaard, Horror Novel Reviews

“Haunted Nights offers a collection of disparate stories set during Halloween from a number of great writers…Picking the highlights is difficult when there are so many corkers within these pages…Plenty of writers and artists have already offered spins on the annual tradition, but the stories of Haunted Nights add some fine new twists to our fluid understanding and appreciation of Halloween.” – Adam Clarke, Rue Morgue  

“Haunted Nights is a collection that oozes Halloween, it bleeds black and orange, carries a turnip, is cloaked in shadows, and breathes fog. No matter what time of year you read this, for instance May(like I did), all you’ll think about is the terror that lurks in the month of October. Ellen Datlow and Lisa Morton collected 16 short stories focused on Halloween/All Saints Day and squeezed them into a form of concentrated evil that’ll help jump start the true terrors of Halloween…I highly recommend you hunt this down and bring it out every October. Read one story a night and you’ll have a pretty awesome lead up to Halloween.” – Matt Brandenburg, Keep You From Screaming  

“Datlow and Morton have, as usual, done a fine job in selecting stories representing a variety of voices…readers will encounter new levels of thrills and chills to accompany the ages-old traditions of this particularly haunting time.” – Dr. Michael R. Collings, Collings Notes  

“Haunted Nights is coming to bend your mind and terrify you with stories about scheming jack-o’-lanterns, murderous urban legends, vengeful ghosts, and parties gone very, very wrong. Here are sixteen brand-new, fresh-from-the-grave stories that are going to rock your world!…Combined with a stellar cast of HWA writers, this witches’ brew practically guarantees bad dreams. You might wake up on the floor curled into the fetal position and whimpering, or you might laugh out loud. Either way, it’s going to be one Hell of a ride!..This is a crazy awesome anthology that, honestly, I’m kind of in love with. Get it! You will enjoy it!” – Brian J. Lewis, The Horror Review  

“Haunted Nights aims to delve deep into Halloween’s roots and then bring the holiday to brand new places. In the book’s introduction, Lisa Morton familiarizes us with the history of Halloween from the Celtic folk traditions to its modern American incarnation. She highlights some of the earliest pieces of literature to mention the holiday and references related holidays that will find their way into some of the stories: the Catholic All Souls’ Day, the Welsh Nos Galan Gaeaf, the Mexican Dias de los Muertos, and the ubiquitous Devil’s Night. As a renowned “Halloween expert,” Lisa Morton does an impressive job of succinctly capturing the soul of the holiday in a four-page intro, in addition to gathering an exquisite collection of stories to suit the theme.” – The Gothic Library, October 16, 2017  

Haunted Nights is one of the thirteen books featured in this list at Lit Reactor of Halloween-themed anthologies.