A Quaint and Curious Volume of Gothic Tales - edited by Alex Woodroe
A Quaint and Curious Volume of Gothic Tales is a collection of 23 gothic horror short stories. It was edited by Alex Woodroe and published by Brigids Gate Press, LCC on February 11, 2022. It weighs in at 287 pages.
The first thing you notice about this book is the beautiful artwork on the cover by Elizabeth Leggett. It sets the atmosphere for what’s to come quite nicely and was one of the reasons I grabbed a copy of this book. Another reason was the editor, Alex Woodroe. (If you don’t follow her on Twitter, you should!) By the time I finished reading the collection, I was not disappointed and had found, yet again, a bounty of talented authors to add to my TBR list.
The Foreword by Alex Woodroe, as well as the Introduction by Stephanie Ellis, set the tone for the book. Each of them create a hunger for what you’re about to read, explaining why the voices in this book are so important to share as well as how, as a reader, you can best settle into the stories. I enjoyed reading both pieces, and Ellis’s concise synopses for each story got me excited to turn the pages. It was a nice touch.
Each of the stories in the book has a distinct flavor. This was a diverse and interesting collection, and I had a difficult time choosing my favorites. I could have listed a handful more, but I decided to control myself. This book is a treasure trove of talent. Not every story resonated with me, which is not uncommon for an anthology, but the majority did. I’m definitely a fan of gothic horror, and these authors cinched it for me. Some of the words I found in my notes were:
mysterious | speculative | bated breath | sucked me in the entire time | fantastic | good suspense & creepy moments | interesting & creepy | drew me in | fun ghost story | short, sweet, & creepy.
It seems I like the creepy. No surprise there. If you do, too, grab a copy!
Toward the end of the book, I came upon a chapter entitled Lagniappe (pronounced LAN-yap). What a wonderful treat tucked into this volume! Receiving this “small gift” was appreciated, and it put a smile on my face. Best of all, the story that followed made my Top 10.
My Top 10 Stories
“Penance” by Lindsay King-Miller
“What the Dead Whisper to the Living” by Mary Rajotte
“Mercy” by Catherine McCarthy
“Down With the Holly, Ivy, and All” by Jessica Lévai
“The Lake in Winter” by Emily J. Cohen
“The Door to Other Places” by Kathleen Palm
“Like-Minded” by Cindy O’Quinn
“Scabrous” by Victoria Nations
“Arbor Hills” by Deana Lisenby
“The Sweetlings” by S.H. Cooper
***listed in order of publication in the book
I read the author bios at the end of the book with as much enthusiasm as I had while reading the actual stories. This is such a wonderful group of interesting and talented individuals, and I love that Brigids Gate Press brought the book to life. I am so impressed with this collection and look forward to seeing what Woodroe and Brigids Gate Press produce in the future.
About the Publisher
- From the Brigids Gate Press website
Brigids Gate Press, started in February 2021, is an indie press focused on fiction and poetry. New and under-represented voices welcome.
Alex Woodroe
From Editor Alex Woodroe’s author page
I’m Alex Woodroe, a writer of dark fantasy, folk horror, and many other weird speculative genres.
Born in Romania, I’ve been moving around for the past five years, picking up skills like dog training, cart racing, and hand gestures in multiple languages.
I’m a member of the SFWA and HWA, and key writing staff for a horror videogame. I run a writing group, and hope to someday write a book on Romanian folklore.
