Let The Old Dreams Die by John Ajvide Lindqvist

As the nights close in, I’m inevitably drawn to the darker side of nature again…

Let the Old Dreams Die is a collection of short stories by the author of Let the Right One In, and here Lindqvist shows himself to be master of the form. From trolls to vampires, he weaves terrifying tales of horror. The title story picks up the pieces from his celebrated vampire novel, and The Final Processing follows the events after his unusual zombie novel Handling the Undead; both of which are very satisfying if you’re a fan of his books, but they stand alone perfectly well. But he also explores new territory – in Border, a customs officer stops a mysterious traveller only to discover that she herself is not quite human. Village on the Hill includes some startling imagery which will make you nervous of tower blocks and toilets, and the secret of defying death extracts a terrible price in Eternal / Love. But my favourite is the short Paper Walls, which captures perfectly the imagination and terror of childhood.

Lindqvist is definitely my favourite horror writer; his prose is beautiful, which makes the gruesomeness of his tales more shocking, but never gratuitous. He has the ability to make his worlds absolutely real, so the most bizarre events feel plausible, and even his most depraved characters inspire sympathy in the reader. His is real literary horror, and the comparisons with Stephen King which litter covers and reviews don’t do him justice – he’s a far more skillful writer, and there is a sense of something much deeper in his characters and worlds. Thoughtful, intelligent horror indeed, and thoroughly recommended. *****

Quercus, 2013, ISBN 9780857385512

The Orphan Choir by Sophie Hannah

This is the second Hammer novel I’ve encountered and is a vast improvement on Jeanette Winterson’s The Daylight Gate, which is an immense relief, and means that I’ll be actively seeking out more Hammer tales. Sophie Hannah writes very tense psychological thrillers based firmly in real life, so it was interesting to read a spooky twist on her normal genre. The story is told by Louise, who is in a not particularly happy marriage, and is missing her young son, who has been packed off to a boarding school on the basis that he’s a talented member of its prestigious choir. Louise is stressed out and a nuisance neighbour – nicknamed Mr Fahrenheit after his choice of song – is driving her crazy with his loud music. No one is prepared to help her, and in desperation she decides to leave her house and rent a property in a quiet, communal private estate. But the music follows her – and what seemed like a particularly vicious torment from her neighbour, the sound of young boys singing choral songs – takes on a sinister new resonance. As Louise starts to lose her grip, it seems that her son is in danger, and only she can save him. Is she crazy, or is there really a ghost calling out a warning?

This was a gripping read and very effective in getting inside Louise’s head and showing the effects of sleep deprivation and depression. Louise isn’t always a likeable character, but this worked well for me in keeping me invested in her story – I wanted to know if she was telling the truth or not. The storyline is taut and the twist in the tale genuinely shocking; both attributes of Hannah’s writing which translate well to the horror genre. The length is just about right too – any more would have been stretching credulity, but it’s easy to read in one sitting to get the full creepy effect. It’s definitely a good Hammer ghost story, and a good modern gothic tale. Rating: ***

Hammer, 2013, ISBN 9780099580027