Book Review: Spook Lights: Southern Gothic Horrors

Eden Royce does southern gothic to perfection in her collection, Spook Lights: Southern Gothic Horror. In every one of her stories, you could feel the heat of the south; she brought the sights, sounds, smells, and tastes to life. This is an excellent collection, and I will be reading everything else by her that I can get my hands on.

Spook Lights contains eleven stories and one poem, and only one of the stories, "Path of the War Chief," 

didn't really work for me. It wasn't a bad story by any means; it just didn't seem to fit well with the rest of the collection.

The book starts on a strong note with "The Watered Soul," where a man seeks out the woman who cursed him with eternal life. From the very beginning of this story, you are immersed in the atmosphere of the marsh land location.

Other high points include the second story, "Doc Buzzard's Coffin," which had some darkly humorous moments. In the tale, a young girl's uncle gets revenge on the man who abused his nephew and accidentally puts a racist cop in his place in the process. "Hand of Glory" is a short but sweet tale of a female detective with a unique way of always getting her man. And in "Since Hatchet Was a Hammer," an abusive husband also gets his just desserts.

Royce saved the best for last with my favorite tale, "The Choking Kind." This one had some legitimately spooky moments (boo-hag stories have always given me the creeps), but is ultimately a moving tale of a daughter reconnecting with her long lost mother. I especially liked the plat-eye grave guardian who was basically an odd looking puppy dog just looking for a little bit of attention and freedom.

Eden Royce's collection is absolutely excellent. Recommended for Southern Gothic fans and those just looking for some quiet horror.