The Ballad of the Wayfaring Stranger and the Dead Man's Whore

by Sean Demory

Critically acclaimed, "The Ballad of the Wayfaring Stranger and the Dead Man's Whore" tells a backwoods spook story driven by longing, loss and unescapable doom. "Demory catches the atmosphere of the old murder ballads perfectly here. It's a world where everyone takes it for granted that terrible things happen to the innocent, and where the only possible reaction to that news is a stoical shrug. The tale's chilling effect comes not from set-piece shocks, but rather from a sense of quiet, creeping unease that crawls a little deeper beneath your skin with every careful sentence." - Paul Slade, PlanetSlade.com Locus Recommended Short Story - 2012 Honorable Mention - Year's Best Horror, Vol. 5

Genres: Short Stories, Horror

58 pages, Paperback

First published July 18, 2012

Reviews

[Steven · Rating 4 out of 5]

Demory takes Southern folklore, the blues, and murder ballads and makes a wonderfully cold and beautiful story out of them.

[Matt · Rating 5 out of 5]

Exactly what it says - 2 folk characters find each other in a lyrical tale of horror, haints, and magic. For fans of Old Gods of Appalachia, Ballad of Black Tom, and folk horror generally.

[Katherine · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fantastic short story evocative of folk Appalachia.