Book Review: 20th Century Ghosts by Joe Hill

Book: 20th Century Ghosts
Author: Joe Hill
Genre: Horror, Fantasy, Supernatural... Other

Julia Rating: 10

Comments: This book of short stories is a fantastic piece of work by Joe Hill. And...(at least in the audio book) there's a secret story in the back. :)

I'd say my favorite short that is in this compilation is Best New Horror, a story of a man who edits the volume Best New Horror each year. He gets a submission that quickens his blood, one that he simply must have. However, finding the author of the story proves to be difficult... and what the editor finds is unexpected and horrifying. I love it because of the ending, which I will not spoil, but it's truly a must read.

My next favorite is an ultra short called Dead-Wood about ghost trees. It's hard to explain, you'll just have to read it... you can go to audible.com and hear that one for free - it's the one that got me excited about buying this book.

Another great story is the last one - the one that is hidden much like a "secret song" that one used to find on CD's. I don't want to spoil the surprise, but let's just say it's about a father and his typewriter.

The last story I will mention here is the one the book is named for, called 20th Century Ghost. About a girl who haunts a classic old theatre called the Rosebud. She was beautiful in life and makes for a lovely, shocking sight to all that see her.

I really recommend this book to anyone who loves ghost stories. As Christopher Golden says in his introduction, they are not all horror stories, but gems from an author who represents promise fulfilled.