When Things Get Dark

Stories inspired by Shirley Jackson

by Ellen Datlow, Elizabeth Hand, Joyce Carol Oates, Karen Heuler, Benjamin Percy

Hardcover, 352 pages

Published Sept. 28, 2021 by Titan Books.

ISBN:: 978-1-78909-715-3

(1 review)

A collection of new and exclusive short stories inspired by, and in tribute to, Shirley Jackson.

Shirley Jackson is a seminal writer of horror and mystery fiction, whose legacy resonates globally today. Chilling, human, poignant and strange, her stories have inspired a generation of writers and readers.

This anthology, edited by legendary horror editor Ellen Datlow, will bring together today’s leading horror writers to offer their own personal tribute to the work of Shirley Jackson.

Featuring Joyce Carol Oates, Josh Malerman, Carmen Maria Machado, Paul Tremblay, Richard Kadrey, Stephen Graham Jones, Elizabeth Hand, Kelly Link, Cassandra Khaw, Karen Heuler, Benjamin Percy, John Langan, Laird Barron, Jeffrey Ford, M. Rickert, Seanan McGuire, Gemma Files, and Genevieve Valentine.

1 edition

Thomas Gaffney reviewed When Things Get Dark by Ellen Datlow

Great Tribute to the Master

5 stars

Fantastic short stories by some big names in the horror field, all written to pay tribute to the Master, Shirley Jackson. There were one or two that were iffy, but overall they were all good and creepy, and this collection is certainly worth a read if you like horror or Jackson.

The cream of the crop (IMHO) was Quiet Dead Things by Cassandra Khaw. Between this and Nothing But Blackened Teeth, she has become my new favorite author. Her work is amazing.

Also worth noting are Money of the Dead by Karen Heuler, Hag by Benjamin Percy, Special Meal by Josh Malerman, Tiptoe by Laird Barron, and Skinder's Veil by Kelly Link.