I first came across Laird Barron a dozen or so years ago when I was working my way through Ellen Datlow’s yearly horror collections. Since then he has become one of “my” authors, those whose next book I eagerly await.

One of the best things that I ever read on Twitter was what I think of as his Halloween calendar, a dark version of an Advent calendar with each day bringing an example of some creepy thing that had happened in his life or to someone he knows – confronting a predator he had spotted hunting late at night in an urban jungle; his beloved and sensible dog responding with low growls and raised hackles to an invisible threat; and an Alaskan dog-sledder looking backwards for no reason to discover she and her team were being silently pursued by a charging Grizzly. Those tales were great and I’d buy the oversized illustrated coffee-table book version if it was ever released.

Twitter was also where I learned a few years back that Barron had been hospitalised and was near death. It felt weird watching from a distance, hoping and praying for someone I had never, and most likely would never, meet, realising that the connection was all one way. It was lovely to read of his recovery, how his friends gathered to make sure he was not left alone and to support his partner. Part of that tale was eventually an announcement that a new colection, Not a Speck of Light, would be forthcoming.

This great collection did not disappoint. For someone who starts at the beginning and charges through rather than dipping in and out, the selection and arrangement was terrific. Putting to one side the ghost dog coda, the two framing stories alone justified the purchase. There was a definite carefully crafted “oh, shit” moment in “In a Cavern, In a Canyon” which was then skilfully built upon in a story that just maybe I should not have read last thing before going to sleep. 🙂 And then to end it there is the chef’s kiss of “Tiptoe”, where you work out what is going on early, not because you are clever, but because that is the fun of the ride that Barron is taking you on. In between are tales of cosmic horror, evil men (and a few women) doing bad things, well written and well grounded characters, as well as a few well written and absolutely not grounded crazies.

I am hopeless at reviewing, but I can tell you that I loved this book.