Interior Darkness
Selected Stories
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2.9 • 7 Ratings
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- $9.99
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- $9.99
Publisher Description
The #1 New York Times bestselling author of Ghost Story and an American icon of horror explores the deepest, shadow-filled corners of his imagination in these sixteen stories. • "Straub's shorter fictions are like tiny novels you drown in: perfectly pitched, terrifyingly smart, big-hearted, dangerous, and even cruel.” —Neil Gaiman, bestselling author of The Sandman
No one and no place is safe from the darkness that he reveals. In “Blue Rose,” an adolescent sociopath inflicts secret violence on his younger brother; in “Mr Clubb and Mr. Cuff,” a stern estate lawyer hires a pair of "Private Detectives Extraordinaire" to investigate and seek revenge on his unfaithful wife; and in “The Ballad of Ballard and Sandrine,” a man and his much younger lover explore their decadent and increasingly sinister fantasies aboard a luxurious yacht on the remotest stretch of the Amazon River. Interior Darkness is a thrilling and terrifying testament to Straub's unparalleled contribution to the world of horror.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
This outstanding collection of 16 reprints highlights what makes Straub such a master of genre-bending horror and suspense, and it's an effective introduction for readers new to his considerable body of work. Each story has merit, though a few of the quickies don't punch as hard as the longer works. In the deeply unsettling and uncomfortable "Blue Rose," a young Harry Beevers (who appears as an adult in 1998's Koko) reacts to his troubled home life by doing very bad things to his younger brother, Little Eddie. In "The Juniper Tree," Straub paints a heartrending portrait of sexual abuse and its lasting repercussions as a young boy finds escape in movies, only to discover a monster lurking in the theater's shadows. "The Buffalo Hunter" is an unnerving story about a man with a very active internal life who discovers he has an unusual ability (and amasses an impressive baby bottle collection). "The Ballad of Ballard and Sandrine" features a couple with unusual and painful proclivities who take a creepy yacht trip down the Amazon River. Straub has a proven knack for black humor, and he coaxes the nightmarish out of the mundane with startling ease. This is a powerful collection from an enduring favorite in literary chills.
Customer Reviews
Interior Darkness
I couldn't wait to put this one down. Seriously, I wanted to put it down. It was awful. The writing went on and on and on, saying nothing, meaning nothing, speaking of no one you could ever be interested in. I am amazed. If this could get published, anything can be published. Lousy book.