Best New Horror 26

Edited by Stephen Jones.

"Heh, Heh! They say you need to get a head in this world, and that poor sap on the cover has five of 'em! Let's just hope that he can hold on to his own... or else he's going to find out pretty soon that life's a scream!!! In this latest edition of the world's longest-running annual showcase of horror and dark fantasy you will find some of the most fearful stories and novellas first published in 2014 by, amongst others, Nathan Ballingrud, Ramsey Campbell, Dennis Etchison, Helen Marshall, Robert Shearman, Angela Slatter, Peter Straub, Simon Strantzas and Stephen Volk, along with an 'orrible overview of the year in horror and a nightmare Necrology of those who have gone on ahead of us. So get a hold of yourself and prepare shriek with pleasure as you are once again plunged into a world of madness and the macabre. Within these pages you will find some of the best horror fiction you will ever read. And don't forget who told you so..."

— The Old Hag

Contents:

• INTRODUCTION: HORROR IN 2014 - The Editor
• SECONDHAND MAGIC - Helen Marshall
• THE CULVERT - Dale Bailey
• THE PATTER OF TINY FEET - Richard Gavin
• THE FOUR STRENGTHS OF SHADOW - Ron Weighell
• THE NIGHT RUN - Simon Kurt Unsworth
• HOME AND HEARTH - Angela Slatter
• DUST - Rebecca Lloyd
• SUFFER LITTLE CHILDREN - Robert Shearman
• THE NIGHT DOCTOR - Steve Rasnic Tem
• THE DESECRATOR - Derek John
• THE WALK - Dennis Etchison
• DIRT ON VICKY - Clint Smith
• SKULLPOCKET - Nathan Ballingrud
• TESTIMONY OF SAMUEL FROBISHER REGARDING EVENTS UPON HIS MAJESTY'S SHIP CONFIDENCE, 14-22 JUNE 1818, WITH DIAGRAMS - Ian Tregillis
• AT LORN HALL - Ramsey Campbell
• SELFIES - Lavie Tidhar
• MATILDA OF THE NIGHT - Stephen Volk
• THE COLLECTED SHORT STORIES OF FREDDIE PROTHERO, INTRODUCTION BY TORLESS MAGNUSSEN, PH.D. - Peter Straub
• BURNT BLACK SUNS - Simon Strantzas
• NECROLOGY: 2014 - Stephen Jones and Kim Newman
• USEFUL ADDRESSES