Dark Canadiana: An Anthology of Canadian Horror

by James Seamone (Editor), Steve Stred (Contributor), Angelique Fawns (Contributor)

Canada.
A land packed full of beautiful landscapes, wildlife, diverse people, and poutine.
A land overflowing with a dark history, local legends, cryptids, serial killers, and so much more.
Explore the dark side of Canada in this anthology of short stories by these truly Canadian
John Adam Gosham, Steve Stred, Joe Powers, K.A. Mielke, Konn Lavery, Leonard George, Dana Gricken, Anthony Michael Murphy, Stephen Coghlan, Robert Dawson, Kristal Stittle, Jon Gauthier, Alix Kampen, Debbie Powers, Dwain Campbell, Eva Roslin, Daniel Fox, Dean Italiano, Angelique Fawns, Spencer Keene, Carson Fredriksen, C. K. DeLeskie, Justin Allec, Nadia Steven Rysing, Kevin Cull, James Seamone, and a special Foreward by MJ Preston

Genres: Horror, Anthologies, Canada

405 pages, Kindle Edition

Published July 1, 2025

Reviews

[Alix Kampen]

26 authors, 26 stories, all unique and creative in ways you'd never think to imagine. Highly recommend, get a taste of all different kinds of horror in one book.

[Micki-D]

Okay I might be a bit bias since I’m Canadian and everything but seriously the cover work is so beautiful in this book and I am more than thrilled to read horror stories that are set in Canada written by Canadian authors.

Come explore the dark side of Canada as you read this anthology. With 26 stories there is something to tickle your fancy or give you some thrills and chills. You got slashers, ghost, blood thirsty polar bears, cryptids, zombies, Bigfoot, a crazy maple syrup farmer and so much more.

Remeber to stay out of the woods they are always creepy but this book makes them ever more creepy.

I didn’t know of any of these authors before so I’m ever more excited to read more of all there works.

I won’t spoil any stories but to say you must read this you will not regret it at all. There is much talent in one place. This is the best horror book of 2025 without a doubt

[Shanda]

This anthology features 26 stories wrote by Canadians with the backdrop being Canada. I was absolutely blown away by the stories contained in this anthology. It had everything I wanted plus much more. It ranged from cryptids, zombies, vampires, even a demonic train. This is an absolute must read for fans of anthologies.

[Trisha Tropiano]

So much talent in this anthology, which features 26 unique stories from various parts of the country. It’s got something for everyone - slashers, zombies, ghosts, killer polar bears, cryptids, and the list goes on. The Dead Squad by Stephen Coghlan, featuring a squad of infected soldiers, was a stand out for me as it takes place in my hometown of Ottawa. The Spot by Konn Lavery is incredibly creative, about a dark patch on the floor of an apartment in Montreal which just can not be cleaned. The Trouble With Bullies by James Seamone - wow! A dark revenge tale. Having been obsessed with Polar bears since I was a child, Ravage by Krystal Stittle was another favourite. And the last story, Do You Believe in Ghosts? happens to be by my friend Alix Kampen! I could go on and on, there are just so many amazing stories, but you should check it out for yourself!

[Sheryl Doiron-Powers]

This anthology was very good, with many excellent stories. Set in various places in Canada, the collection covered a good spread of stories based on Canadian mythology and new concepts. It carried the distinct voice of Canada throughout and felt very authentic. If you don't have time or focus to sit and read a novel, anthologies like these are a great way to explore fantastic Canadian authors and see what they have to offer.

[READER VIEWS]

Dark Canadiana: An Anthology of Canadian Horror, edited by James Seamone, is a thrilling exploration of Canadian folklore through twenty-six short stories ranging from a little spooky to downright scary. Each author brings a unique writing style and flair to classic monsters, like the wendigo, and monsters of their own, grotesque creations. All of the stories, while different, were engaging to read and were arranged well within the anthology to create a nice flow from more to less scary and back again. There were numerous stories within the anthology that were expertly crafted, and below are just a few examples of the ones that jumped out at me.

The first story that stuck with me was “A Bad Stretch of Road” by Joe Powers. I loved the setup of the main conflict and the secretive nature of the opening scenes, which set off the alarm bells in my head about what might happen and kept me engaged. The rainy, swampy setting and claustrophobic feeling inside the truck’s cab drove home (pun intended) the danger that Gerry, the protagonist, was in and heightened the anxiety of his possibly deadly predicament. I also really connected with Gerry through his interactions with other characters as well as the narrative voice. Both added a necessary depth to the protagonist, which made the tense scenes even more heart-racing, and the ending all the more satisfying.

The next highlight for me was “The Spot” by Konn Lavery. Jordan, the protagonist, was leaving behind a comfortable home life for the unknown of a new job in a new city, and I appreciated the way the story progressed in a way that reflected the severance Jordan felt from his family, friends, and particularly his girlfriend. Additionally, I liked the way Jordan’s “serial killer level of clean” (pg. 73) personality trait added depth of character as well as the ways in which that trait was woven into driving the plot of the story forward.

“George and the Dragon” by Dwain Campbell was another that I very much enjoyed reading. The style of the writing, like the syntax and word choices, along with the dialogue between characters, nicely illustrates the time in which the story was set. I liked how it was spooky, but not super scary, and I loved the menacing and dangerous aura of the train throughout.

Another standout was” Just A Quick Little Question” by Daniel Fox. The protagonist, Barkley, had a strong narrative voice, which added depth of character and helped draw me into the story. I also really enjoyed the romantic aspect, how it progressed in the story, as well as how it affected Barkley’s character growth.

Dark Canadiana was a fun and spooky exploration of Canadian folklore and culture. Each story was unique, ranging from terrifying to mildly spooky, and they each brought their own perspective to the folklore of storybook monsters, such as the wendigo. Through the work of each author, Dark Canadiana shone as a spooky, scary, and honestly lovely journey through Canada, its people, and the monsters that lurk in the dark.

[Milt Theo]

I had the good fortune to read this early, and it proved to be one of the best horror anthologies I've read these last few years! The cover is gorgeous, the writing excellent, the editing superb, and the volume might easily stand as a 2025 Best Horror of Canada volume! The stories take place all over Canada (obviously), from Ontario and Quebec to Saskatchewan, and themewise they are impressively wide-ranging: from creature feature, folk horror, dark fantasy, and creepy woods horror, to grave robbing, cryptids, cabin terror, urban legends, (lots of) wendigos, claustrophobic winter horror, animal zombies, even a bear going Cujo! The book also covers more traditional horror themes, such as vampirism, ghosts, demons, and witches! There's even a story about a Canadian Bigfoot! So there's something for everyone here, and then some.

I was delighted to find so much talent in one volume! I'm embarrassed to admit, however, that, if I'm not awfully mistaken, except Steve Stred, all the other Canadian writers were new to me. (Got some work to do on that front!) There are 26 stories in total. It's impossible to mention them all in a review of this size, so I'll say a few words about my favorites.

I love slashers and urban legends, so the opening story, John Adam Gosham's "Slash Mountain, Saskatchewan" was a huge treat! Steve Stred's incredibly subtle "This Godless Endeavour," revealing itself in small doses, was so rich I have no idea what to say about it: bargains with the devil? Check. Love story? Check. Creepy apparitions in the night? Check. Grim ending? Check as well. Great story, short and sweet. Konn Lavery's "The Spot" was really creepy and suspenseful, apartment horror at its best! "Facts Concerning the Late John Power and His Family" by Anthony Michael Murphy was terrific adventure horror, all taking place in a courtroom! Well, almost. Read and see what I mean. James Seamone's "The Trouble With Bullies" was dark, dark, dark - and so hilarious! Perfect twisty ending. Kids don't try this at home. "The Dead Squad" by Stephen Coghlan was properly unsettling, as it's about exactly what the title says: a squad of fatally infected soldiers choosing to die on the zombie battlefield. Highly entertaining was Daniel Fox's "Just A Quick Little Question," a series of letters to a 1800s Holy Father, penned by a friend of his; this friendship has teeth! Kevin Cull's "Remedies of Flesh and Blood," though rather predictable, is crafted so well it deserves a mention.

To repeat: The sheer talent in these pages is truly amazing. So much variety as well. I highyl recommend it to all horror fans: you're gonna love it!

[Ryan]

"Dark Canadiana: An Anthology of Canadian Horror." Releases on Canada Day!

After a humorous introduction that clarifies some misconceptions that everyday Canadians must face (never say "eh" or you or you might get a beating) we're immediately thrown into a wide range of horror that spreads over the country's vast landscape. It was hard for me to choose some standouts as all of the authors bring something special to this collection, and there are no skips, but here goes:

"I Believe in Treasure"-Leonard George. After his son goes missing, a father is forced nto a deadly treasure hunt to find him. Takes place in Niagra-on-the-Lake, one of my favorite destinationsin Ontario, and there are some "Dead Zone" movie references.

"Maple Tree Farm"-Dana Gricken. I already mentioned Canadian generalizations...this story concerns a crazy syrup farmer in Ottawa who adds a special ingredient to his sweet stuff.

"And Then She Is The Darkness."-Nadia Steven Rysing. There is no lack of well written historical fiction with this collection, but there was no contest when it came to picking my favorite. Actually, this is probably the best witchcraft story I've come across all year.

I would love to review each story-26 of them in total with mini bios at the end, but time is limited, and hopefully I can write more when Vol. 2 is released?

Please buy this collection to support Canadian independent horror. You won't regret the investment!

[emperorcupcake]

Please tell me there's a story about killer poutine 🙏 🥔