Let There Be Dark
Tim McWhorter
Hydra Publications
August 21, 2018
Reviewed by Brian James Lewis

Hello friends and fans out there in Reader Land! I’ve got a book here that I’m really excited to tell you about. Let There Be Dark by Tim McWhorter is a seriously badass collection of short horror fiction that will rock your world! Hydra Publications has put together a fierce looking book from the author of Bone White and Blackened that delivers the goods. Just look at that evil raven on the cover! All ready? Good, because we’re diving in!

One of the most impressive powers great writers have, is to turn everyday things into shit your pants nightmares. Tim McWhorter does it with the first sentence of Rope Burns.                                                                                                                                                    “A fucking Walgreens? Are you kidding me right now?”
Nicely done. So we walk into one of the most familiar places in the U.S of A and smack into the Salem Witch Trials. Well, the location of them anyway. John and his girlfriend are on a research trip to check out the sites of horrible doings to the witches of Salem, Mass. Unfortunately, things have not been going to plan, or meeting expectations. That is, until John uses the rest room and undergoes a trial of his own…

How about a nice tale about a blue ribbon creeper? Would that shake your moneymaker? Better get ready, because it’s time for No Saints Here. I think a lot of people worry about what home improvement contractors do in your house besides knocking down walls. Are your possessions safe? What about your family? Especially if you’re blessed with a highly attractive mate. I mean, you can’t watch the workers all the time. Clancy is a creepy contractor who makes the best out of life’s opportunities. He likes to make it sound a little nicer, by calling what he does surprise dates. You get where things are going? Yeah, yuck city. But when Clancy stalks his latest target, nobody follows the script. Way too many people show up at this little get together. Until the biggest question is: Will there be any survivors?

One more peek inside? Okay, but this time we’re going into The Dark Side! It’s one of those cool new attractions that are sweeping the nation, blackout houses. First it was over the top haunted houses, but now you go into a completely dark place and have to find your way out, in complete darkness. Sounds fun, huh? Then you step right on in there! I’ll wait outside, thank you very much. This is the same thought Sky is having when her boyfriend Brent drags her off to one of these places. She suffers from high anxiety and in all honesty should NOT be going to this attraction. But she does so to please her dorky boyfriend. That’s nice of her and all, but not wise. Her reward is a terrifying end. Or is it?

More frightening tales await you inside Let There Be Dark by Tim McWhorter. Just released from Hydra Publications and chilling realistic. These things could happen to YOU! In fact I’ve had an experience that shares some parallels with The Dark Side. True story: Some friends of mine thought it would be fun to take me to a haunted house. Unfortunately they didn’t know about my anxiety disorders. So, in the middle of a haunted house I totally locked up. Closed my eyes, couldn’t move a step more. I had to be dragged out of the building by two men dressed as clowns. I didn’t regain full bodily control until I was outside and my emergency meds kicked in. What I’m saying is that Tim McWhorter knows people very well. It’s one big thing that makes him a great writer. He knows what’s going to whip us off our feet. Every one of the stories in Let There Be Dark happens in a different place with unique characters. My favorite thing is how twisted the stories are by the time you reach the end. Take note: The ending you expect to happen is not what you’re going to read! This beauty gets FIVE STARS all day, every day. Whether you’re familiar with Tim’s previous work or not, make sure to grab a copy of Let There Be Dark! It’ll scare you in a whole new way! Available NOW from Barnes & Noble (free shipping for members!) and Amazon.

Boy, am I glad that I ordered my copy of this fine collection of stories via Barnes & Noble.com! It arrived in perfect condition and may I say, this cover is a beauty. As a resident of the Empire State and a Horror writer and reviewer, I wanted to see how we stacked up. So far, I’m three stories in and every one of them has been great! Also enjoyed Editor James Chambers’ foreword. Besides being colorful, it also explains that all proceeds from the sales of A NEW YORK STATE OF FRIGHT will be donated to GIRLS WRITE NOW http://www.girlswritenow.com  This program helps girls in their teens to get mentorship and break into the big world of publishing. The program especially targets girls who would not have a chance otherwise to do these things otherwise and that is pretty dang awesome! So not only are you getting 300 pages of great writing, but you are also helping the next crop of great new writers to step up. Hippocampus Press has done a beautiful job with these books, making them a joy to read and something that will look great on your bookshelf or coffee table! 

Just a few last words-This book is available through Barnes & Noble and Amazon. However, Amazon made the road rocky by cancelling pre-orders, so I would encourage you to go with B & N. This is also not an “official” HWA anthology, but it measures up to everything I’ve read in the past. Plus, by helping GIRLS WRITE NOW, you are going to give someone the proper outlet for their feelings, hopes, and dreams. Let’s crush the crack pipes and open those brains up for business!