• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Home
  • About Me
    • Connect With Me
    • Request An Honest Review
    • Beta Reading Requests
    • Testimonials
  • Review Archive
    • Review Archive
    • Audiobook Review Archive
    • Spooky Children’s Book Review Archive
  • Referral Links
  • Podcast Recs
  • Policies
  • Nav Social Menu

    • Bloglovin
    • Email
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Twitter

Erica Robyn Reads

a horror book review blog

[Book Review] After Sundown edited by Mark Morris

November 28, 2020      Erica Robyn      1 Comment

After Sundown edited by Mark Morris is a collection of tales that have a great range! From bizarre, to mildly unsettling, all the way to full blown terror, this collection has it all!

Full disclosure: I was given a free copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This did not affect my rating in any way. 

Let’s dive in!

My Thoughts on After Sundown edited by Mark Morris

Overall, this was a fun collection! I loved the variety of the stories. 
Like most collections, there were tales in there that I loved while a couple weren’t for me. 

Here are my quick notes on each tale.

Introduction by Mark Morris – 
I loved learning a bit about how this anthology came about! 

Butterfly Island by C.J. Tudor – 5 Stars
Oh my gosh, this one was just filled with twists! In a world that has been ravaged by a virus, a group of people head to Butterfly Island to hole up. But when they near the island they learn it’s protected by underwater mines… but that’s not the only threat they’ll face.  This story is a great short story but I would also love to see what happens next! 

What an opening paragraph:

Almost every bad plan is hatched over a few beers in a bar. The end of the world won’t finally arrive with a bang or a whimper. It will start with the words: ‘Hey – y’know what would be a really great idea?’ slurred over a bottle of Estrella.

Research by Tim Lebbon – 4 Stars
In this story, a writer has been kidnapped and is locked in a basement while his kidnappers say they’re doing “research”… My how the tables turned in this one! I loved the ending! 

Swanskin by Alison Littlewood – 3 Stars
In a town where the women are robbed of their original forms, the men believe they are saving them but the fact that they have to destroy or hide their skins proves their drive to control. What a unique premise this story had! I don’t think I’ve read anything like this one when it came to the skins! 

That’s the Spirit by Sarah Lotz – 4 Stars
Eek! This one was so stressful to read! I kept hoping that everything was going to work out and for this “psychic” to really get in contact with the other side and help. He and his partner had quite the setup! 

Gave by Michael Bailey – 3 Stars
Oh boy this one made me feel so queasy. I can’t do anything related to drawing blood. But the underlying plot point here of the worlds population decreasing was terrifying. I loved how this one was formatted as well with the sections of story in different ages. 

Wherever You Look by Ramsey Campbell – 3 Stars
Phew! What a quest this man was on. I enjoyed his determination to retract down answers.  

Same Time Next Year by Angela Slatter – 4 Stars
What a fun premise this one had! As we follow a ghost that is alone in a cemetery, I loved the draw toward violence that she had and I was even more intrigued by it because we weren’t given a clear why. 

Mine Seven by Elana Gonel – 4 Stars
Oofh! What a trip gone wrong! The thought of traveling somewhere that is in full dark terrifies me. I kept worrying about what these people would do if the lights went out, but what happened was so much worse. 

It Doesn’t Feel Right by Michael Marshall Smith – 4 Stars
Oh no, in this tale there’s something not quite right about the socks that these parents are trying to get their child to wear. But it’s not just one pair, it’s most socks. But is it psychosomatic or is there something else going on? Phew what a tale! 

Creeping Ivy by Laura Purcell – 5 Stars
When a man loses his wife, the reader very quickly realizes that he isn’t exactly broken up about it… What a tale! I loved the desperation felt in this one, and of course, I also loved the slow build of creepiness! 

Last Rites for the Fourth World by Rick Cross – 5 Stars
Woah, I loved this one! The overall plot was interesting and I enjoyed seeing each creature pop up, even if it was in a very devastating way. 

We All Come Home by Simon Bestwick – 5 Stars
Absolutely terrifying! As this man is on a quest to unlock a suppressed memory, we see him entering the woods where the traumatic event occurred. From start to finish, this one had me feeling so unsettled and nervous! 

The Importance of Oral Hygiene by Robert Shearman – 
This unfortunately wasn’t one for me.

Bokeh by Thana Niveau – 5 Stars
What is it about stories with creepy children?! My goodness this one was unsettling, then flat out horrific. What a tale! 

Murder Board by Grady Hendrix – 5 Stars
Does using an Ouija Board ever go right?! Phew, what a dark and intense tale. I was hooked! 

Alice’s Rebellion by John Langan – 3 Stars
If you’re an Alice in Wonderland fan, this story will be a hit for you! I loved a lot of the messages here that were related to current times, and boy they were timely. 

The Mirror House by Jonathan Robbins Leon – 4 Stars
So unsettling! What would you do if you suddenly found a door that lead to a house just like your own, but mirrored? The ending of this certainly threw me for a loop. Was it a sad ending or a happy one?! I can’t decide! 

The Naughty Step by Stephen Volk – 4 Stars
My gosh this one was heartbreaking! This poor kid… 

A Hotel in Germany by Catriona Ward – 3 Stars
Phew! This one was kind of like a fever dream for me. I wasn’t sure exactly what was happening, but I enjoyed the trip!

Branch Line by Paul Finch – 5 Stars
What a story to end the collection on! This one was equally terrifying and heartbreaking! 

My Final Thoughts on After Sundown

Overall, this is definitely a collection I’d recommend to fans of short stories! This would be great to either pick up and breeze through the tales back to back, or take your time only reading one story here and there to spread them out. 


Snag a copy using my Amazon Affiliate link or inquire at your local indie:

Thanks for reading!
And thanks again to the publisher for sending this one my way! If you’d like to snag a copy, click here to visit the Flame Tree Press site today!

Reader Interactions

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Primary Sidebar

Hello there!

Erica Robyn of Erica Robyn Reads
I run on hot tea, good books, and loud music. She/Her.
 

Search This Blog

Sign Up For Post Notifications


Loading

Recent Popular Posts

  • [Book Review] Home & Other Stories by P.J. Blakey-Novis
  • [Book Review] Four by P.J. Blakey-Novis
  • [Book Review] Ten Years Gone by H.P. Newquist
  • [Book Review] Corpsing by Kayleigh Marie Edwards
  • [Book Review] The Easton Falls Massacre: Bigfoot’s Revenge

An Easy Guide to Locating Horror Reviews Without Losing Your Mind created by Lori of Barks At The Ghouls
Shirley's Book Blogger List

Categories

ericarobynreads

Sickness Is In Season by Aiden Merchant has everyt Sickness Is In Season by Aiden Merchant has everything a horror fan craves! From light and spooky, to full-blown spine-chilling terror, this collection of short stories is a killer mix.

No matter what your personal favorite sub-genre of horror is, you’ll be sure to find something that sinks its teeth into you within this collection!

#supporthorror #promotehorror #sicknessisinseason #aidenmerchant #crossroadspresss #horrorbookrecs #horrorshortstories #horrorbookstagram
My April book haul 😍🖤🙌 My April book haul 😍🖤🙌
NH friends! Don’t miss the book event with @greg NH friends! Don’t miss the book event with @gregorybastianelli.author tonight in Exeter at @waterstreetbooks! 

I’m SO peeved my back pain flared up and I can’t drive out… but I am so excited that Waterstreet Books sent a signed copy my way! 😍

I can’t wait to see photos from the event!!
The Luminous Dead by Caitlin Starling is a totally The Luminous Dead by Caitlin Starling is a totally captivating but nerve-wracking tale that is certainly not for those that fear tight spaces… While reading this tale, I felt so horribly claustrophobic. But I couldn’t stop. I had to find out what happened next!

#supporthorror #promotehorror #ladiesofhorrorfiction #horrorbookstagram #horrorbookrecs #theluminousdead #caitlinstarling
The Workshop of Filthy Creation by Richard Gadz is The Workshop of Filthy Creation by Richard Gadz is a chilling gothic horror story about what it means to be human. In these pages, you will see plenty of the darkness that humanity can create, but you will also see the light!

Ready to dive into a dark and dreary tale about gruesome medical practices set in Victorian London? Go pick up The Workshop of Filthy Creation today! I can’t wait for you all to meet Maria!

#supporthorror #promotehorror #gothichorrorreads #horrorbookrecs #theworkshopoffilthycreation #richardgadz #horrorbookstagram
Max is one of the most hilarious people that I fol Max is one of the most hilarious people that I follow on Twitter! I originally learned who he was after seeing him participate in the KillerCon 2020 Virtual Event. I went to follow him and his publishing house, Perpetual Motion Machine (that he runs with Lori Michelle), immediately after his reading.

Within the PMM publishing house, they also have the imprint, Ghoulish Books, which launched in January of 2022. Max’s latest book, Maggots Screaming!, launched today April 12th, 2022 from that imprint. In celebration, I’m so excited to be sharing this interview with Max!

Check out the full interview on my blog today! 

#horrorauthor #horrorauthorinterview #maxboothiii #supporthorror #promotehorror
Diaries of the Damned by Ivan Radev is a collectio Diaries of the Damned by Ivan Radev is a collection of tales that span numerous dark fears. But as always, even in the darkness, there’s a bit of light.

In the foreword, the author warns that this is a book of fears, and boy does he play on fears wonderfully! Each tale is presented to readers in the first person to really get readers in the characters shoes. Please use caution here when you dive in. The author does not shy away from the darkness.

Phew, this read will take readers on quite the journey! It was the perfect read for a dark and rainy spring weekend.

#bookreview #horrorbookreview #horrorbookstagram #diariesofthedamned #IvanRadev #horrorbooks
Load More... Follow on Instagram

Copyright © 2022 Erica Robyn Reads