This collection of short stories by John Connolly touches all of the horror story sweet spots. From a plague-spreading evil set in the present day, to post-WWII small-town witches, and timeless ghost stories, this collection is good for a creeping feeling and sending shivers down your spine.

I found it best to read this book in short sessions, while reading other books at the same time. It did get a bit gloomy and depressing when read for too long. I didn't finish the novella included in the collection because I just wanted to yell “get over it” to the main character. Enough inward, depressing, introspective stuff already! Most of the book was good, but it did get to be a bit too long. ( )

Not my favorite Connolly book - aside from the Charlie Parker Novella (which was excellent) - but was still enjoyable nonetheless. ( )

Short stories are typically not my preferred genre, but I loved this book. Each story was unique, a horror tale which drew on commonalities of the genre but didn't just repeat the same old, same old. Avid readers will see an homage here and there to other authors - Sheridan LeFanu, Stephen King, and Ray Bradbury stick out to me - but the stories, at least to me, seem uniquely Connolly's own, new but familiar. The very first story, The Cancer Cowboy Rides, offers a beautifully portrayed original villain. Miss Froom, Vampire twists without twisting . And Some Children Wander by Mistake gives us a new reason to fear clowns, who are apparently "chosen in the mudderwomb". ( )

Admittedly not all the stories were read, as the ones skipped were not what one was in the mood for. However, the major pieces in this volume — the novellas "The Cancer Cowboy Rides" and the Charlie Parker mystery — were read first (then a large chunk of the short tales), and this previously un-experienced author's work was a joy to read. Entertaining, a mixture of intelligent prose and humour, surprising action scenes, characters of less-than stereotypical variety, and over-all solid story-telling skills fill the volume, making this a perfect introduction to John Connolly's writing. In fact, this might make a perfect introduction to the 'dark fiction' for someone who thinks 'horror' is another word for 'bloody gore'. How suspense and 'alt reality' became synonymous with 'exploding innards and pus' is beyond me, but this will change a mind or two if you need a method. ( )

My only prior experience with John Connolly’s work was his novel The Book of Lost Things. That book definitely has some dark overtones, but the stories in Nocturnes make it look full of sweetness and light in comparison.

The stories all have some level of creep to them, and each has a small drawing on the proceeding page that captures a little bit of the story. It’s actually interesting to look at the picture after reading the following story, as it’s often more meaningful looking back.

As I said before, my only prior experience with Connolly was The Book of Lost Things. From that, I knew he was Irish. What I didn’t know is that he’s written a number of novels about PI Charlie Parker, which are actually set in my home state, and to varying degrees, in my home town. The first hint of this I got was in the story “The Furnace Room”. While it’s never mentioned where the story is actually set, it was clear from the very beginning that he was describing the waterfront in Portland. I can only say that I’m rather relieved that while I do know the general area where the main action takes place, he didn’t choose an obviously existing building to house the furnace room. I’m not sure I’d be able to look at such a building the same way ever again if it were real.

What finally sent me online to read up on Connolly was the “The Reflecting Eye: A Charlie Parker Novella”. This time, the story was set in Maine, beginning in Portland, fully named, and fully realized. The beginning scene in the Old Port was absolutely perfect. Again, fortunately, while I know the general area where the village of Two Mile is set, it’s not a real location. Again, I’m not sure I’d be able to look at the same way if it were.

There are plenty of other stories in the book set in other parts of America and in England or Ireland as well. I definitely enjoyed the book – it was a perfect choice for this season, and fitting that it was the last RIP III selection that I read, this close to Halloween. ( )