One of my favorite anthology series, “Terror Tales” edited by Paul Finch, hit a bump in the road when its publisher, Gray Friar Press, sadly had to close its doors. Fortunately the anthology quickly found a new home at Telos Publishing and now the tenth volume, “Terror Tales of Cornwall” is available for purchase. As is the case with the previous nine volumes of Paul Finch’s series of anthologies “Terror Tales of Cornwall” features short stories based not only geographically on its specific region but gravitating around the mythology, traditions, legends and history of the area. Also, the interspersed little snippets of local folklore are not missing either so I am very happy to see “Terror Tales” growing with yet another collection of short stories.
Cornwall, England’s most scenic county: windswept moors; rugged cliffs; and wild, foaming seas. But smugglers and wreckers once haunted its hidden coves, mermaid myths abound, pixie lore lingers, henges signal a pagan past, and fanged beasts stalk the ancient, overgrown lanes …
The serpent woman of Pengersick
The screaming demon of Land’s End
The nightmare masquerade at Padstow
The feathered horror of Mawnan
The terrible voice at St Agnes
The ritual slaughter at Crantock
The hoof-footed fetch of Bodmin Moor
And many more chilling tales by Mark Morris, Ray Cluley, Reggie Oliver, Sarah Singleton, Mark Samuels, Thana Niveau and other award-winning masters and mistresses of the macabre.
CONTENTS
“We Who Sing Beneath the Ground” by Mark Morris
Golden Days of Terror
“In the Light of St Ives” by Ray Cluley
Morgawr Rising
“Trouble at Botathan” by Reggie Oliver
From the Lady Downs
“‘Mebyon versus Suna’” by John Whitbourn
The Serpent of Pengersick
“The Unseen” by Paul Edwards
Finned Angels, Fish-Tailed Devils
“Dragon Path” by Jacqueline Simpson
Jamaica Inn
“The Old Traditions Are Best” by Paul Finch
Guardians of the Castle
“The Uncertainty of All Earthly Things” by Mark Valentine
The Hooper
“His Anger Was Kindled” by Kate Farrell
The Bodmin Fetch
“Four Windows and a Door” by DP Watt
Owlman
“Claws” by Steve Jordan
The Cursing Psalm
“A Beast by Any Other Name” by Adrian Cole
Of the Demon, Tregeagle
“Moon Blood-Red, Tide Turning” by Mark Samuels
Slaughter at Penryn
“The Memory of Stone” by Sarah Singleton
Queen of the Wind
“Shelter from the Storm” by Ian Hunter
The Voice in the Tunnels
“Losing Its Identity” by Thana Niveau