IN DARKNESS DELIGHT-Masters of Midnight
edited by Andrew Lennon & Evans Light
Corpus Press
May 6, 2019
reviewed by Brian James Lewis

After reviewing multiple books from Corpus Press, I know that they consistently put out great work. Not only that, but each new release is better than the previous one. A feat that is difficult to achieve! In Darkness Delight-Masters of Midnight supports this truth in a most powerful manner. This thing is nearly 300 pages of creepy goodness and features a great roster of writers! Israel Finn, Lisa Lepovetsky, Evans Light, Jason Parent, William Meikle, Patrick Lacey, and Josh Malerman, just to name a few. Before we peek inside, take a deep breath and get ready. This is a dark book, full of scary, suspense-filled stories, that’s not for the faint of heart. All set?  Then Horror fans rejoice! We’re going in!

Who Are You? By Ryan C. Thomas is exactly what I’m talking about! In this strange tale, Tim notices some odd looking folks lurking around town and thinks they notice him as well. It’s a trio of people with odd teeth who seem to be connected somehow. There’s the man in the brown fedora, the woman in the green dress, and a little girl. Wherever he is, they show up and bad things happen. Tim tries to alert others, but they just humor him and send him on his way. Tired of waiting for help, he takes action. This leads to some nasty consequences and zero conclusion. Who are these people and why does it seem like the only person that notices them is Tim?

As one continues the dark and dangerous path through In Darkness Delight-Masters of Midnight the intensity ratchets up a notch with each story. Israel Finn’s The Pipe will put your heart in your throat. Seriously. Once again, Finn tackles multiple difficult social issues and puts them together in one massively gruesome package. Derik Ames is in love with a beautiful girl named Sara and better yet, she loves him too. They plan to marry, but something happens and they have to put it off. Then Sara’s father, Joe, requires a meeting with Derik, but is evasive about the exact reason. Derik finds out soon enough about that when he finds himself in a manmade Hell. Is it possible for a black angel to escape a white devil? An absolute must-read!

If you enjoy participating in social media, the next step is to make a name for yourself. Most people have some sort of blog, or use a platform like Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram to share pictures, thoughts, or maybe something cool like book reviews. For those that really want to achieve internet greatness, the big thing is to get as many “hits” on their posts as possible. Those that want more, have to put the time and effort in to garner them. The four 18 year olds in One Million Hits by Evans Light want to achieve that huge level of popularity on their last Halloween trick or treating session together. These boys really push the envelope, get a ton of candy, and many reactions to their behavior. Most of them are unfavorable, but they push hard enough to reach a horrifying level of deadly. From there, it’s a high speed, downhill run to Holy Shitsville. You will not believe how crazy this story gets! And yet, through it all, someone is happy. Be sure to dig One Million Hits, so you can see who it is and how they express their feelings!

Well, I guess that gives you a pretty good idea of…HONK-HONK! Oh right! How could I forget the beautiful, yet frightening Ford Thunderbird in Lisa Lepovetsky’s story KRUZE NIGHT? Just look at that sparkling red paint, see the gleaming chrome, and hear the rumble of that V-8 engine! For a car nut, this story reads like a dream that slowly evolves into a nightmare. There’s classic cars galore and they’re all going to be at KRUZE NIGHT! Hugh Spafford cannot believe his eyes when he sees the event poster on a telephone pole. A sign, letting him know that a window has opened to the much happier “good ol’ days” of his youth. A chance to escape the dull modern day for a bit. Who doesn’t want that? A look around your neighborhood will probably reveal a lot of people involved in this activity. But is it possible to go too far with it? Hugh is about to find out that a lot of things have changed since the last KRUZE NIGHT at the Dairee Kreme. The results might make you throw the tarp back on that old project car in your garage and run for your life!!!

Does In Darkness Delight-Masters of Midnight get a 5 star rating? You bet your ass it does! Not only that, but it also gets a prominent place on the Skullcave’s “Wall of Fame!” This is powerful stuff, jagged edges, hot to trot, and skip the happy ending Horror. There are seventeen great stories that make up In Darkness Delight-Masters of Midnight and they’re all awesome! This review has touched a fabulous four, leaving you thirteen more mind-bending spine chillers to explore all by yourself. But remember…Just because you run The Dogshit Gauntlet successfully, don’t expect safety on the other side. Want to better understand that last statement? Then get yourself a copy of this great collection today! Check out Corpus Press at www.corpuspress.com to find out more. Available from Amazon.com and your favorite booksellers NOW!