Carolyn L. Bird - Meat - We find ourselves in an Istanbul bazaar where a Russian retailer of colourful cloths tells a young boy a fantastical tale of how he came to lose his arm.  The story is well written and holds one captive until the final explanation deflates.  A disappointing start.

Patricia Highsmith - The Bravest Rat In Venice - A rat is cruelly treated by two young boys whereupon it escapes and we are taken on a guided tour of its adventures.  The rat eventually comes across its two former assailants and in a rather gruesome way pays back the family with much malice.  I like the fact we are placed inside the rat and see things from its viewpoint at times, the slant works a treat.

Judith Eleanor Green - Quod Erat Demonstrandum - A perverse man requests something utterly outrageous of a mild, 'doing her duty' library worker.  We get into the heads of both parties involved until a bloody crime is committed - the tale has its good points but lacks any long-lasting impact.

Jane Gregory - Belvedere's Bride - An adopted blind girl lives alone with a reclusive marine biologist called Belvedere.  When her sight begins to return Belvedere, who plans to marry the girl, seems delighted but quite nervous.  As this short tale unfolds we finally understand the reasons behind the apprehension.  I love this tale, something appealing about the sub-text and the flow is just wonderful.

Myc Harrison - The Coffin Flies - A mad scientist has taken to studying insects that inhabit buried coffins and make their appearance known when the said casket is exhumed.  He finds someone to show off his latest experiment to and what unfolds is insane, scientifically accurate and ultimately alarming.  The final death knell chills the marrow for sure.

Norman P. Kaufman - Rest In Peace - A man is enjoying his retirement and lack of responsibility when a car crashes. He has a chance to save the trapped victim but he finds himself questioning his motives and his repulsion at being 'involved'.  This is a shocking story that resonates deeply due to the fact we live in an age of people who would rather 'not do', than 'do'.

Monica Lee - Stevie - A montage of misfits come together in a disturbing tale of mummification, sexual deviancy, blackmail, viral insanity and general underhand behaviour.  All characters are tainted, all contribute to a yarn that is most curious, most perverse. There is something that compels the reader to ponder this one deeper, with the questions and answers coming in a never ending cycle - delicious.

Samantha Lee - Island Of The Seals - A lonely woman (Moira Spencer), who lives on a remote Scottish island,  is studying the folk’s legends around seals, a colony of which she watches with fondness.   One evening she has a visit from a handsome stranger which leads to nightly romantic liaisons.  Her world seems complete until some seal hunters arrive on the nearby beach and her lover goes missing.  A very warm tale that turns cold and is laden with sadness.

Maureen O'Hara - The Atheist - It is Christmas day and a poverty stricken aging couple are going hungry and suffering from the cold.  The couple are far from happy and there is a long standing enmity between them that results in an overspill of spite.  A faulty paraffin stove warms a cold situation albeit in a quite horrendous and stomach turning finale.

Alan Temperley - The Boy With Golden Eyes - A far out tale concerning a group of children who return from a holiday in Greece only to fall into comas and then wake up with 'golden eyes'.  They suffer nightmares through which they bring about the demise of anyone who has upset them and the finale is both ludicrous and jaw-dropping - I remain bewildered.

Charles Thornton - Double Puppet - A run of the mill tale about a booking agent who needs to find an act to possibly hit the big time.  He finds a ventriloquist who is a little too close to his dummy for comfort and who seems to be on the precipice of insanity.  Expect nothing original here in a tale that goes through dated motions.

Rosemary Timperley - The Unknown Caller - A woman is haunted by her dead husband due to an hidden guilt that seems to be turning into madness.  The phone is eventually removed from the woman's house but the ringing....continues.  A psychological snippet that is neatly written and ponders a mind on the cusp of cracking.

Barry Tonkin - The Fly Eater - A poor tale with no depth that sees a writer of the occult visit a librarian who is recovering from a heart attack.  During one visit the librarian manifests his bizarre behaviours and exposes his equally odd appetite. A weak inclusion with no rhyme nor reason for the cheap thrill involved.

Harry E. Turner - It's Hungry - Salaman has returned from Borneo with a prodigious hunger and feels the need to stuff his face at every opportunity.  2 doctors become involved and disagree as how best to treat this extraordinary case.  Eventually treatment is given and the closing pages are a stomach erupting delight for those who love a good creature feature finale.