Face the Music: A Collection of Horror Fiction by Mark Towse
Face the Music: A Collection of Horror Fiction by Mark Towse was published on January 27, 2020 by All Things That Matter Press and weighs in at 179 pages.
“I like old-school stories with a twist, but they seem to be a dying breed. I want to resurrect them.” - Mark Towse
Face the Music is a collection of 23 old-school style short horror stories of varying lengths that gives you a glimpse into Towse’s twisted mind.
I’ve become a huge fan of Mark Towse and have read a handful of his books as well as his short stories in other collections. One thing I love about reading multiple works from a particular author is how you begin to recognize that author’s distinct voice in each story, the little hints here and there that remind you that the writer is with you, guiding you through the darkness.
This collection contains many of the stories Towse cut his teeth on, so to speak, but don’t let that hold you back from grabbing Face the Music. The anthology is ripe with horrific tales that will get under your skin, leave you in suspense, give you a sense of dread, and make you wonder what the heck you just read! There’s definitely something for every horror fan, especially if you love a twist. Of course, not every reader will love every story, but there’s enough great storytelling in here that it won’t matter. There is a bit of gore in a few, but it’s not overdone. Some of the stories gave me a Hitchcock vibe which I really enjoyed. I did find myself wishing a few had been longer. I definitely wanted more on some of them.
I loved that the stories were primarily on the shorter side, so it’s a book that allows you to read a handful of stories before bed or just for a quick spell if you’re needing to escape reality for a moment. All in all, it’s a fun read and I recommend it.
My Favorite Stories in the Collection:
Hugh’s Friend
Family Tree
A Sense of Dread
Stick or Twist
The Paperboy
Bloody Dogs
Benedict
Wing and a Prayer
Number Seventy-Two
The above are in order of how they appear in the book, but the story I couldn’t quit thinking about was “Benedict.” I’d love to hear what stories other readers enjoyed the most in Face the Music. You can click here to read my reviews of other works by Towse: Nana, Crows, & Spawn.
Need more works by Mark Towse? Start with these novellas and some of the collections where his work can be found:
Meet the Author
Mark Towse is an Englishman living in Australia. He would sell his soul to the devil or anyone buying if it meant he could write full-time. Alas, he left it very late to begin this journey, penning his first story since primary school at the ripe old age of 45. Since then, he's been published in the likes of Flash Fiction Magazine, Cosmic Horror, Suspense Magazine, ParABnormal, Raconteur, and his work has also appeared three times on The No Sleep Podcast and on many other excellent productions such as The Grey Rooms.
