House of Fear: An Anthology of Haunted House Stories

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House of Fear: An Anthology of Haunted House Stories

by Jonathan Oliver (Editor), Joe R. Lansdale (Contributor), Christopher Priest (Contributor)

3.61 of 5 stars 3.61 · rating details · 70 ratings · 18 reviews

The tread on the landing outside the door, when you know you are the only one in the house. The wind whistling through the eves, carrying the voices of the dead. The figure glimpsed briefly through the cracked window of a derelict house.

Editor Jonathan Oliver brings horror home with a collection of haunted house stories by some of the finest writers working in the horror

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Mass Market Paperback, 384 pages

Published September 27th 2011 by Solaris (first published January 1st 2011)

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Feb 02, 2012 Gavin Gates rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Short story collections are always worth a look at. Solaris has put together a varied team of writers to contribute a short story each all loosely based around ‘a haunted house’ the obvious that happens here is that some step up to the task better than others, Christopher Fowler writes a stand out piece in this collection called ‘An Injustice’ which takes on the tale of kids out to have fun and things just don’t go according to plan, this does seem to have a bit of a current affairs influence be...more

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Jul 31, 2012 Keith Chawgo rated it 5 of 5 stars

House of Fear is a fantastic collection of stories around the premise of haunted house. The stories collected range from great to fantastic without a weak story which in collections, is somewhat of a rarity.

'Objects in Dreams May Be Closer Than You Think' by Lisa Tuttle starts out proceedings as a couple try to find the house of their dreams after their divorce. It is told with great depth and the thread of emotion that is carried through is simply so well written that you are left with this fee...more

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May 18, 2012 Gef rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: haunted-houses, horror, short-stories

Ghosts are one of my three faves in genre, so an anthology featuring stories by Joe R. Lansdale, Sarah Pinborough, Tim Lebbon, and a host of others sounded too good tSpooky Reads, I sat down to be enthralled.

Things kick off with a really chilling tale by Lisa Tuttle called "Objects in Dreams may be Closer than they Appear," about a woman who is roped into a road trip with her ex-husband through back roads in search of a home they tried to find when they were married, but never could. It set the...more Ghosts are one of my three faves in genre, so an anthology featuring stories by Joe R. Lansdale, Sarah Pinborough, Tim Lebbon, and a host of others sounded too good tSpooky Reads, I sat down to be enthralled.

Things kick off with a really chilling tale by Lisa Tuttle called "Objects in Dreams may be Closer than they Appear," about a woman who is roped into a road trip with her ex-husband through back roads in search of a home they tried to find when they were married, but never could. It set the pace for the book really well, by showing how the atmosphere and tones of the stories were likely going to be anything but conventional.

"Florrie" by Adam G. Nevill had to be one of the creepiest stories of the bunch, as a guy moves into a fixer-upper and goes madder and madder the longer he lives under its roof. Adam is apparently an accomplished novelist with more than one haunted house novel under his belt. I need to find one of those novels.

Weston Ochse may have written my favorite story from the whole book with "Driving the Milky Way." It's about a group of kids spending the summer hanging out together in the Arizona outback. It's usual boy shit until they meet a girl and the rusted-out RV on her grandparents' property. It basically becomes their clubhouse, but when they go wandering into the desert one night for an adventure, it becomes a whole lot more. Loved. This. Story.

For what I considered a wonderful and all-round disturbing Twilight Zone vibe, there were stories like Rebecca Levene's "The Windmill" about a prisoner and his growing torment behind bars, and Christopher Priest's "Widow's Weeds." The style of the writing might not carry notes of Rod Serling, but the subject matter certainly does.

There's nineteen stories in all, and I can't say there was a bad one in the bunch. I'm a sucker for ghost stories, mind you. Plus, I'm a fan of quite a few of these authors already, and several more of whom I've heard nothing but the highest praise, so it should be no surprise as to how good this anthology should be. Jonathan Oliver prefaces each story with a brief introduction, which is a nice touch, but I admit I was hoping for a little extra by way of author's notes on the inspiration for each story. That's just something I'm partial to though, and I can't begrudge any book that doesn't include them.

House of Fear is about as wonderfully rich as you could ask for from a garland of ghost stories, and it seems Jonathan Oliver is one more anthologist I need to watch for down the line.(less)

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Sep 15, 2012 James Everington rated it 5 of 5 stars

House Of Fear from Solaris is billed as an anthology of 'haunted house' stories, but that's not quite true. For one thing there's a haunted windmill, a haunted camper-van, a haunted doll-house... And for another, if 'haunted' means merely inhabited by a ghost then not all these places are haunted (although some most definitely are). If, however, 'haunted' means infected fear, guilt, and secrets then yes, these stories most definitely tell of hauntings...

How do you judge whether an anthology is...more House Of Fear from Solaris is billed as an anthology of 'haunted house' stories, but that's not quite true. For one thing there's a haunted windmill, a haunted camper-van, a haunted doll-house... And for another, if 'haunted' means merely inhabited by a ghost then not all these places are haunted (although some most definitely are). If, however, 'haunted' means infected fear, guilt, and secrets then yes, these stories most definitely tell of hauntings...

How do you judge whether an anthology is good or not? One can't expect to love all of the stories, after all. But by any objective criteria I can think of House Of Fear isn't a good anthology; it's a great one:

Is the 'strike rate' of brilliant stories to merely average ones amazingly, impossibly high? Check
Do the stories selected illuminate and contrast well with each other? Check
Does the anthology introduce you to a load of great new authors you've not read before? Check, check, check
Here were a few of my favourite stories; I plan to write about some of these in more detail in my Strange Stories feature at some point.

Objects in Dreams May be Closer Than They Appear - Lisa Tuttle. Okay, Lisa Tuttle is not a writer who is new to me, but this story was, and it might be the best thing by her I've ever read. It's a story of our dream house (and dream life) as a trap, and it's deeply unnerving. And it would be the winner of the best titled story in the anthology, if not for:

The Dark Space in The House in The House in The Garden at The Centre of The World - Robert Shearman. Manages to combine the haunted house theme with an off the wall creation myth, a satirical look at modern middle-class life, and humour that genuinely made me laugh (especially the bits about cancer). The kind of bravura story you feel like applauding after you finish it.

Florrie - Adam L.G. Nevill. I've not read anything by this author before (despite the fact he's always cropping up in my Amazon recommendations) and I've obviously been a fool not to. A brilliant re-imagination of the tired old ghostly possession story.

The Room Upstairs - Sarah Pinborough. Another author new to me, and another where I think I must have been missing out. I've talked a lot on this blog about ambiguity as it relates to ghosts, but in this story the reality of the haunting and its metaphorical aspects dovetail together so well it almost doesn't matter. The ending is inevitable (and brilliant) either way.

Inside/Out - Nicholas Royle. A truly bizarre tale of identical girls, Hitchcock references, dream-like logic, and a house with two doors (like Doctor Jekyll's). Excellent.

There are lots of other really strong stories in this book though, and none of them are anything less than worth a read. Heartily recommended.(less)

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Oct 09, 2011 Desolation Culture rated it 4 of 5 stars

It is just under a year since I reviewed Jonathan Oliver's first collection of themed original horror shorts, The End of the Line. That was, I thought, an excellent collection overall, and therfore I've been excited for this second anthology ever since it was first announced. House of Fear has the classic haunted house as its theme. This is heavily traversed ground and so the challenge here, far more than with the previous collection, is to find original and exciting ways to tell these stories....more It is just under a year since I reviewed Jonathan Oliver's first collection of themed original horror shorts, The End of the Line. That was, I thought, an excellent collection overall, and therfore I've been excited for this second anthology ever since it was first announced. House of Fear has the classic haunted house as its theme. This is heavily traversed ground and so the challenge here, far more than with the previous collection, is to find original and exciting ways to tell these stories. I'm pleased to say the contributors to the House of Fear have succeeded admirably in this regard.

First up is Objects In Dreams May Be Closer Than They Appear by veteran supernatural scribe, Lisa Tuttle. This is a great opener to the collection, and one which I feel perfectly sets the tone for the anthology as a whole. Focusing as it does on the search for a rural idyll and a house that may not even exist. It is well told and shows from the outset that this is a collection happy to play creatively with its theme.

Up next is one of the standout stories in the collection for me, Pied-Á-Terre by Stephen Volk. Volk is one of a number of contributors to House of Fear who also contributed to The End of the Line. This tale is poignant and understated, taking as its basis a real event and using its haunting as a warning to spur the protagonist into making a key decision about her life. It is expertly done. This is followed by another great story, In the Absence Of Murdoch, by Terry Lamsley. Lamsley is one of a handful of writers in this anthology whose work is previously unknown to me, but this quirky, darkly mischievous and very enjoyable tale has placed him firmly on my radar.

Adam Nevill is a writer whose work I am familiar with, and who, in my opinion, is very skilled at crafting tales of unease. His contribution is one of several which touch upon the subject of old age. Florrie is a sad tale that is haunting in ways not limited to the supernatural. Christopher Fowler is another whose contribution has a theme related to the elderly, but in this instance, An Injustice didn't work for me as well as the others. I wasn't entirely convinced by the actions of a key character. Also, a crucial aspect of this story brought to mind a tabloid rant, in which an elderly white woman in a multi-racial inner city, the mother of a serving soldier in Afghanistan, is the victim of Asian Hoodlums. Tim Lebbon's tale, Trick Of The Light, completes the trinity of tales that have ageing as part of their theme. Like Nevill's earlier, it is melancholic and infused with sadness and regret. It is a potent evocation of the haunting nature of memory.

Sarah Pinborough is another writer whose work is well known to me. Her story, The Room Upstairs, is actually a kind of slow burn love story. I really liked it, and it stood out for me as having a character quite different from all the other contributions without trying hard to be different. That by Robert Shearman, conversely, did feel like it was trying hard to be different. The Dark Space In The House In The House In The Garden At The Centre Of The World although clever in some aspects, left me with mixed feelings overall.

Characteristically surreal, Inside/Out by Nicholas Royle may not be as captivating as his story in the End of The Line, but is still memorable for its twisting unreality. It may also leave you scratching your head, wondering what the heck you just read. Driving The Milky Way by Weston Ochse is a spirited number in more than just the obvious ways. It is a striking tale which brings to mind strong images and creates a lasting impression. More conventional (but no less effective) tales are provided by Jonathan Green and Paul Meloy, both Villanova and the Doll's House are disturbing, and each builds to a powerful conclusion.

With so many excellent tales, choosing the best from among them is a difficult task. Aside from those already mentioned, Christopher Priest is a definite contender. Willow Weeds is a mesmerising tale of misdirection with a unique take on the concept of haunting, and it's completely brilliant. Another strong contender is the closing tale from Joe R. Lansdale, What Happened To Me wraps up the collection perfectly with its weird fiction undertones and elemental haunting.

The House of Fear is a great set of stories. An anthology that deserves to be in every horror fans collection. Editor, Jonathan Oliver is rapidly shaping up to be a key name in horror anthologies, soon able, if this standard continues, to take his place alongside the likes of Stephen Jones and Ellen Datlow. I haven't mentioned all of the stories featured, and of course, I preferred some more than others, but there really are no bad stories in House of Fear. This collection contains some of the best writers of horror and supernatural fiction at work today as well as some of the field's rising stars. I'm already impatient for the next of these themed anthologies. You should be too.(less)

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Mar 11, 2013 Ade Couper rated it 5 of 5 stars

My liking of multi-author short story collections is already a matter of public record, so here's another one - & it's bloody good!

I have read 2 previous collections by Jonathan Oliver (see previous reviews), & this one continues his excellent track record at assembling a selection of very good stories. The theme of this collection is haunted houses, & there are some excellent interpretations of this.

There are no duff stories in this anthology at all. The standout tales for me were...more

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May 01, 2012 Matt Cowan rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: horror, anthology

House of Fear is an anthology of 19 haunted houses stories (although some aren’t really houses, i.e. a derelict RV and a greenhouse.) I’ve always loved haunted house stories, so this was an easy buy for me. Editor Jonathan Oliver did an excellent job assembling it. Most of the stories were very strong, with two standouts. My favorites were: “Objects in Dreams may be Closer than they Appear” by Lisa Tuttle, “Driving the Milky Way” by Weston Ochse, “Muse of the Copenhagen” by Nina Allan, “Villanov...more

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Apr 08, 2012 Craig Smith rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Objects in Dreams may be Closer than they Appear by Lisa Tuttle:

A case of sometimes it's best not to let your curiosity get the better of you, it could have been a bit tighter, but an interesting tale none the less.

Pied-A-Terre by Stephen Volk

I think Stephen did a great job of writing from a female perspective, and it might make you even more weary when next you go house hunting.

In the Absence of Murdock by Terry Lamsley

Terry has a very old fashioned feel to his writing and checking out his boo...more

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Jan 01, 2013 Kirsty rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: short-stories, horror

A very strong collection, covering many different types and styles of horror writing. As often happens with anthologies, the stories by the more established and recognisable names were weaker, with the really strong work by newer writers.

My favourites were the stories by Lisa Tuttle, Adam LG Nevill (the last line of this story still haunts me), Robert Shearman, Nina Allan, and Paul Meloy.

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Jan 18, 2012 David Marshall rated it 4 of 5 stars

Although this haunted house/horror anthology is something of a showcase for the authors who write for Solaris and Abaddon Books, the overall standard of the stories is very high with stories by Lisa Tuttle, Terry Lamsley, Weston Ochse, Sarah Pinborough and Joe Lansdale particularly impressive.

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Aug 22, 2012 Lachinchon rated it 3 of 5 stars

After a dismal experience with a similar anthology, I gave the genre another try with this collection. I was encouraged, as this anthology contains well written spooky stories. Not so spooky as to make one whimper under the covers, but on the right path, and if not terrifying, at least interesting enough to encourage reading. The collection tires a bit in the middle, but is bookended by excellent pieces. Most, if not all, of the authors are British, so occasionally the vernacular is unfamiliar t...more

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Aug 29, 2012 Colleen rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: horror

These stories are ok. None of them are terrible, but none of them were fantastic either. On the other hand, haunted house tales aren't necessarily my favorite. None of these were really scary for me. Scary stories are the ones you can't read after dark. Or the ones that just somehow sit in the back of your mind, throwing peanuts at your fore brain to make it suspicious. None of these really did that to me, but they were a fairly good read.

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Mar 26, 2012 Cate Gardner rated it 4 of 5 stars

Fabulous anthology of haunted places and haunted people. Favourite stories were by Lisa Tuttle, Adam Nevill, Robert Shearman, Sarah Pinborough, and Jonathan Green.

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Nov 06, 2011 Yagiz Erkan rated it 5 of 5 stars

Jonathan Oliver selected a talented bunch of writers who produced great stories. After The End Of The Line, Oliver proves that he knows what he's doing. Brilliant stuff!

... a more detailed review to follow soon.

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Feb 11, 2013 Sasha Enge rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Great short stories and a few I would rather were turned into novels. I enjoyed the wild range of horror as well!!!!

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May 23, 2012 Joan rated it 4 of 5 stars

Fantastic stories from some of the best story tellers in the industry. Well worth a read.

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Jan 04, 2012 Orrin Grey rated it 2 of 5 stars

Full review here.

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Jun 08, 2012 Thomas Smith rated it 4 of 5 stars

Half way through and am having a blast.

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May 17, 2013 Kristina Elyse Butke marked it as to-read

May 16, 2013 Tammy added it

May 14, 2013 Jared Shurin rated it 5 of 5 stars

May 10, 2013 Paul is currently reading it

May 08, 2013 Benoît added it · review of another edition

Apr 26, 2013 Christophe rated it 1 of 5 stars

May 16, 2013 Martin Cosby rated it 4 of 5 stars

Apr 17, 2013 Rana is currently reading it

Apr 12, 2013 Justin Steele marked it as to-read

Mar 31, 2013 Jennifer rated it 4 of 5 stars

Mar 29, 2013 Brian is currently reading it

Mar 27, 2013 Igraine marked it as auf-gar-keinen-fall · review of another edition

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