Scott Thomas, acclaimed author of Kill Creek and Violet, returns with a gripping new collection titled Midwestern Gothic.
This compilation of four novellas was released back in September, offering readers a fresh perspective on regional horror that delves into the eerie heartland of America.
We start our journey with “The Door In The Field”
You see, in addition to being the name of the first story in Scott Thomas’ Midwestern Gothic, The Door In The Field is also a “terrible book.” This is the opinion of April Staudt, who is on a mission to track down her long lost father — a construction worker named Rayland Allen.
We primarily follow the story of Rayland as he makes the mistake of drinking at a strange establishment set deep within the woods, where his night takes a dark and bloody turn.
I don’t want to give away too much more, as this story is better to go into blind. For me this was one of the more strange stories in this collection and at times I found it hard to follow if I didn’t pay strict attention to details. So, make sure you go into this story FOCUSED.
The second story is “Wear Your Secret Like a Stone”
Bookstore clerk Tara Right gets the honor of picking her favorite horror book for the Halloween display. That is, until a customer complains and she’s forced to remove it (I bet all of my friends who work at Barnes & Noble can relate to this).
This is when she realizes the book is somehow much more disturbing than she originally remembered.
The next story is “The Boy In The Woods”
Young Eddie Reicher must survive a night of terror when the counselors all come down with a case of something extremely malicious. This was a fast-paced and very fun entry.
I try not to make too many movie comparisons to books, but I feel like Scott was possessed by the spirit of Sam Raimi when he wrote this one. It was hands down my favorite story in the anthology since I tend to like it when stories are written with a more in-your-face tone.
Finally, we step straight into the R/Nosleep subreddit with the story “One Half of a Child’s Face”
This one gave off major creepypasta vibes!
Sienna Franklin’s been spying on her son and ex-husband when she stumbles on a strange painting hanging on the wall of an adjacent apartment. Even more strange is when children start gathering around the painting in a ritualistic fashion. It’s as if it’s calling to them.
I really liked the psychological thriller aspect of this story that really gets under the reader’s skin.
My Final Thoughts on Midwestern Gothic by Scott Thomas
I would like to extend my thanks to Inkshares Press for sending me an Advance Reader Copy of this collection. I’m sincerely sorry that I didn’t get to read it sooner. It’s been a good while since I’ve read a horror anthology of this caliber.
Each story stood out and Scott Thomas did a great job juggling horror subgenres. The last time I read short stories that stuck out like these was Stephen King’s Night Shift. In fact, Hollywood should call Mr. Thomas because these stories are just as ripe for adapting as Lawnmower Man and Children of the Corn.
Halloween may be over this year, but if you want to continue the spirit of spooky season well into the winter months, get a copy of Midwestern Gothic. While the Midwest might not be the first place you would associate the term “gothic” with, I’m sure you’ll change your mind after reading this.
I also want to mention that there are references to Kill Creek throughout this work, but you don’t have to have read that first to understand these stories. However, I encourage reading Kill Creek anyway because it’s fantastic! By the time you’re done with both Midwestern Gothic AND Kill Creek by Scott Thomas, you might not want to be in Kansas anymore, Toto.
Image of the Midwestern Gothic book cover was provided by AJ Spencer. Every other image is an assortment of stock photos from Pixabay that Lauren merged together and messed around with in GIMP to make them a lil spookier-looking.
