Killer Creatures Down Under: Horror Stories with Bite - edited by Deborah Sheldon
Killer Creatures Down Under: Horror Stories With Bite is a collection of eighteen short horror stories edited by Deborah Sheldon. It will be released on May 15, 2023 by IFWG Publishing International and weighs in at 230 pages.
I was delighted to receive an ARC of this Australian horror anthology. I thoroughly enjoyed reading Spawn: Weird Horror Tales About Pregnancy, Birth and Babies, which Sheldon also edited, so having a sneak preview was quite a treat! Sheldon’s short story “Species Endangered,” which is included in Killer Creatures Down Under, was the inspiration for the collection.
I got such a kick out of the Introduction. Deborah Sheldon explains her aversion to animals, and she explains her reasoning as to why they’re the perfect subject matter for a horror anthology. Drawing on the knowledge of her personal feelings while reading her story made it that much more suspenseful and thrilling.
As I was reading the collection, I recognized a few names from the Spawn anthology. It was a pleasant surprise to revisit those authors’ voices. I will admit, there were a couple of Australian things I had to look up! I wasn’t as familiar with a few of the animals and the fauna mentioned. It only made the stories that much more mysterious, intriguing, and terrifying!
Killer Creatures Down Under is so much more than creatures, though. The contributors did a great job giving readers complicated relationships as well as well-developed characters. When I finished the book, I noted to myself that I wished I could have had even more of these stories - especially when Matt Tighe’s terrifying short “There Are Things On Me” is what anchors the book! I do hope Sheldon will offer more Aussie horror collections in the future.
There is a lot of variety when it comes to the animals involved. I counted at least 21 different creatures throughout the book. There were a couple of stories with similar “monsters,” but the plots and characters were so different it didn’t matter. Readers will experience terror, suspense, thrills, and they’ll come face-to-face with some formidable monsters that inhabit Australia. I had high hopes before reading the book, and I was not disappointed.
As a creature feature girl, this book made me very happy. Truth be told, I might have enjoyed a little more gruesome content. Not to say that there isn’t some in the collection! A few of the stories did give me the visceral reactions I love. Two in particular had me scratching a little while I was reading them! Beware, some of the creatures in the anthology have a way of getting under your skin!
I believe anyone who enjoys a creature or monster tale will find this collection to be quite enjoyable. I’d like to share my favorites in the collection that got my heart racing a bit or made me think of them after I put the book down.
My Top 9 Stories from Killer Creatures Down Under: Horror Stories With Bite (in order of appearance)
“Corvus” by Keith Williams - Fun story! I love the storytelling and the mystery. I enjoyed following this MC - & the author’s bio is fantastic!
“Ixodes Holocyclus” by Ben Matthews - Wow! Interesting story & great forensics scenes. Horrifying creature! It kept me engaged. I really enjoyed it.
“Bait” by Anthony Ferguson - Another great story! I love the way it led us the whole time and the “bait” was a variety of things.
“Species Endangered” by Deborah Sheldon - Great bits of suspense! I could feel the terror! I felt the fear of being hunted. The creature was scary, and she did a fantastic job bringing it to life on the page.
“Twisted” by Renee De Visser - Another that kept me in suspense the whole time! I felt the MC’s fear! Bold creature! Fun read!
“Myiasis” by J.M. Merryt - I needed this body horror story in my life. This one was nice and gross - loved it!
“No Frills Holiday” by Geraldine Borella - Nice suspense and dread and great character building. I was all in on this one! This author was in Spawn.
“Nineteen Hours on Deep Creek Station” by Tim Borella - Another story with loads of suspense and great relationship building.
“There are Things on Me” by Matt Tighe - I got excited when I saw this author’s name, because I loved his story so much in Spawn. I adored this story. Eerie, creepy, short, and sweet - and so compelling. This makes me want to hunt down more of his work.
Over the years, I have found a love for Australian (& Australasian) horror stories and authors. I hope you will grab a copy of this book and join me as I devour as many stories as I can. In a country that claims at least 66 deadly species, how can you go wrong? These eighteen authors will introduce you to them and leave you ready for more.
Get to know Deborah Sheldon & IFGW Publishing
Who is Deborah Sheldon?
SHE IS AN AWARD-WINNING AUTHOR FROM MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA.
SHE WRITES SHORT STORIES, NOVELLAS AND NOVELS ACROSS THE DARKER SPECTRUM OF HORROR, CRIME AND NOIR.
HER CREDITS ALSO INCLUDE TV SCRIPTS, STAGE PLAYS, MAGAZINE ARTICLES, AND AWARD-WINNING ANTHOLOGY EDITING, SCRIPT EDITING AND MEDICAL WRITING.
***Taken from Deborah Sheldon’s website
Who is IFGW Publishing?
IFWG Publishing is a publishing house based in Gold Coast, Australia, specialising in speculative fiction for middle grade, YA and adult readers, sold throughout the world.
Its parent company, SQ Mag Pty Ltd, also runs a comics and graphic novel line called IPI Comics, which is global in reach but focuses heavily on the North American market.
***Taken from the IFGW website
