Voices: Tales of Horror

Connolly’s unremarkable third collection (following Veins and Visions) assembles 11 previously published short stories and a pair of originals, all in his trademark style of thoughtful horror. A childhood incident fuels “Mrs. Halfbooger’s Basement,” where a trio of boys learn the truth about “the stoopingist woman” in town. “Moon and the Devil” puts a new spin on bargains with Old Nick. Housebreakers get far more than they bargained for in “Things” and “Flames.” The Holmes-inspired “The Death Lantern” and “Decanting Oblivion” cross the border into Twilight Zone–style SF. ”Traumatic Descent,” one of Connolly’s most celebrated works, delivers the inside story on the random terrors of nightmares. “Beneath Between” especially stands out, detailing a possibly infinite and quite Borgesian archive of past, present, and future speculative works. Illustrations by Jason Zerrille nicely complement the text. (Jan.)