Cirrus@Austlit

 (Publication summary)

'The Black Beacon Book of Horror features dark and disturbing tales from some of the most original and imaginative authors writing in the genre today. These tales of psychological, supernatural, folk, gothic, and cosmic horror will usher you into the darkest of realms and leave you there to fend for yourself. You'll lose your way in abandoned houses and hospitals, and be trapped on stormy beaches and along foggy country roads. There are haunted dolls, creepy-crawlies, malevolent spirits, creatures of legend, Lovecraftian terrors, and the demons within our own minds. But as varied as the settings and themes are, each tale has that one essential trait; the power to make you glance over your shoulder just to be sure the terror hasn't found a way to leave the page.'

Source: Publisher's blurb.

'Was it nuclear war, an uncontrollable pandemic, or forces beyond our reckoning? Will we even know what happened once supply lines have been cut, radio silence has kicked in, and our world has come to a grinding halt? Who will have what it takes to carry on? Who will want to?

'This cataclysmic anthology casts the reader into a post-apocalyptic world where every step taken and every decision made can mean the difference between life and death. These are epic stories of a world in ruins, but they are also intimate and moving accounts. Our masterful contributors take you by the hand and show you what will be. Don't let go, whatever you do...hold on tight! You will share the characters' struggles as you navigate wastelands or hole up as best you can in the crumbling remains of supermarkets and abandoned houses. You will go hungry. Your feet will grow numb. You will fear, and you might have to fight to the death. But in the end, you will remember it is only a book, and that you can close it, knowing you are safe and sound, because we are not in a post-apocalyptic world. Not here. Not now. Not today. But what will tomorrow bring?' (Publication summary)

'The Second Black Beacon Book of Mystery is even more challenging than the first. Our cast of intrepid investigators needs your puzzle-solving talent again, for these aren't merely stories, but fair-play mysteries. In this anthology, you'll be faced with impossible crimes. You'll find frightful amounts of poison...don't invite these authors over for dinner! There are clues to be collected and alibis to be checked, and your general knowledge and attention to detail will be put to the test. Does that sound like your cup of tea? Ah, best not drink that! Will you take the case? Great! We're counting on you!'

'One name springs to mind when we think of classic suspense films; Alfred Hitchcock. His silhouette is instantly recognisable as no one else has quite the same pouty lips and round, chubby face. The way he posed for photographs and his penchant for making cameo appearances in his films bear witness to his larger-than-life personality, but it was his ability to tell a spellbinding tale coupled with his technical brilliance that earned him the epithet of "Master of Suspense". His groundbreaking use of camera movement and the way he framed shots to maximise anxiety and fear place films like "Vertigo" among the very finest examples of creative achievement ever produced within the seventh art. In "Rear Window", he builds edge-of-your-seat tension by placing us in James Stewart's wheelchair and making us watch events unroll through his eyes, and the use of cutting-edge special effects in "The Birds" is almost as impressive as the fact that more than three thousand birds were trained for the film. What else do these three films mentioned have in common, along with "Psycho" and "Rebecca" and so many others? That's right...they were based on novels or short stories; the written word. In "A Hint of Hitchcock", we turn our attention back from the screen to the page, and bring you, the avid suspense reader, modern tales that chill and surprise, all inspired by the work of the master of suspense.' (Publication summary)

'Join Oscar Tremont on his first four cases as he tackles mysteries too strange for the police and assures his clients that a rational explanation lies behind what at first appears to be impossible. You will find clues, question suspects, don disguises, break into abandoned houses, solve codes and puzzles, and if you really have your wits about you, crack the case before our hero.

'Oscar Tremont, Investigator of the Strange and Inexplicable consists of two novellas and two short stories that display the keen intellect of a private investigator who is bound to make a name for himself in the mystery genre.'

Source: Publisher's blurb.

'Lock the doors and switch the power off at the mains!

'Tales of deadly machinery have long fascinated us, from Edgar Allan Poe’s classic pendulum to the Terminator films. 

'Murder and Machinery pays homage to this tradition, offering you gripping tales following this theme but set in different times and places, from colonial America and London during the First World War to dystopian futures on this planet and beyond. Never before has an anthology brought tales of science fiction and suspense together in such a terrifying way, showcasing the nightmarish imagination of authors who know how to play on the reader’s fears and who share those fears of uncontrollable machines, or perhaps even more frightening, of fellow humans mastering technology for their own evil purposes. A word of advice before you start. By all means, settle down in your living room and let this anthology of technological terror and mechanical madness enthral you, but first, you might want to lock your doors and switch the power off at the mains. Best keep it low-tech tonight. Trust me. I hope you have candles?'

Source: Publisher's blurb.

'The Animal Inside is a collection of thirteen strange and twisted stories that will take you for a walk along the fine line between insanity and reason, the peculiar and the prosaic, and the animal kingdom and human society, then leave you wondering where one ends and the other begins. These tales will confuse, amuse, shock, and intrigue, but they will also cause you to contemplate your very own animal inside. The stories collected here are Cleopatra's Mystery Box, The Church of Asag, Old Mabel's Stray Cat, Veronica's Dogs, The Crows of Eildon Hill, Lauren, Milk, Horror at Hollow Head, Declan's Fantasy (previously unpublished), Forgotten Falls, Animal, Like Sisters, and It Starts with Insects.'

Source : publisher's blurb