LOST PLACES is a collection of short stories by Simon Kurt Unsworth published by Ash-Tree Press. Each of the 18 stories it contains are well worth a read. His characters are interesting, his plots imaginative, and he possesses a knack for creating stories that hook you from the start. Whenever planning our family vacations, I’m always on the lookout for someplace I can revel in my love of all things eerie. That’s what reading these tales did for me. They transported me to resorts, beaches, a rustic forest lodge, a church on a small Greek island, to name a few, which have been infused with supernatural forces picking at the threads of reality.
While I enjoyed all the stories in this collection, some stood out as personal favorites.
• “A Different Morecambe” – I found this story about a man taking his young son on a routine daytrip to a seaside resort to be the eeriest. The resort is in bad shape and perhaps not so deserted as it first appears.
• “The Old Man’s Pantry” – An avid runner comes across a disturbing dummy dressed like a man who used to ambush and kill travelers centuries before. This encounter is only the beginning of the danger to come.
• “Stevie’s Duck” – I didn’t expect to like this story based on its title. How could a story about a duck be remotely scary? After reading this dark, forbidding tale, I found the answer.
• “Forest Lodge” – A father takes his son away to a forest lodge after a fight with his wife. The boy begins to see a disturbing ghost that seems to take interest in him. This spooky ghost story has a great twist ending.
• “The Animal Game” – A support group plays a game where they pick an animal that most represents them. The game has unexpected and terrifying results. A great concept masterfully realized.
• “An Afternoon with Danny” – A young, divorced father delights in the time spent with his toddler son at Pirate World. The day turns grim when something dark makes its presence felt.
• “The Pennine Tower Restaurant” – An unusual architectural tower has a bizarre and dangerous history. All the deaths, disappearances, and ethereal glimpses attached to the structure are documented here. This riveting tale, presented as fact, comes complete with detailed, collaborating footnotes.
• “The Church on the Island” – This story was nominated for the 2008 World Fantasy Award for best short story. It’s about a woman on vacation in Greece who becomes obsessed with a lonely church built on a small island nearby. She swims there and is met by the caretaker, who shows her the secret purpose behind the church’s existence.
Review by Matt Cowan
Horror Delve 
Thank you, it’ll give me something good to pick up and read
No problem. I thoroughly enjoyed reading it, so i can’t recommend it highly enough.