Celebrities seek shelter within the walls of a pristine mansion as a deadly plague and fever sweep through Cannes. A relentless killer discovers that the reanimated corpses have no interest in him. A television presenter stumbles upon a chilling link between a forgotten animal act and the gruesome Whitechapel Murders. An unclothed man unexpectedly makes repeated appearances in the background of various films. Enigmatic lights pose a threat to the crew of a small aircraft. A young girl wakes up to find her nightlight—and more—vanished. Two sisters embark on a quest to confront vampire dogs in the untamed hills of Fiji. Lovers experience more than they bargained for in a decadent discotheque. A college professor captivates his students as he dissects Poe’s “The Masque of the Red Death”…
What evokes fear and unease in us? What sends that thrilling shiver of dread down our spines? It appears the answer evolves with each passing year. Every year, the standards are elevated, and the tension grows. Ellen Datlow is well-versed in what terrifies us. The seventeen stories featured in this collection were meticulously selected from a wide array of sources—magazines, webzines, anthologies, literary journals, and single author collections—to showcase the finest horror tales of the year.
Renowned editor Ellen Datlow, a recipient of multiple Hugo, Bram Stoker, and World Fantasy awards, has teamed up with Night Shade Books to present The Best Horror of the Year, Volume Two.
Skyhorse Publishing, through our Night Shade and Talos imprints, takes pride in offering a diverse selection of titles for readers with interests ranging from science fiction (including space opera, time travel, hard SF, alien invasions, and near-future dystopias), to fantasy (encompassing grimdark, sword and sorcery, contemporary urban fantasy, steampunk, and alternative history), as well as horror (featuring zombies, vampires, and the supernatural and occult), and much more. While not every one of our titles attains the status of a New York Times bestseller or a national bestseller, or claims Hugo or Nebula awards, we remain dedicated to delivering high-quality books from a wide array of talented authors.
