Hailing from the UK, Gary McMahon is a modern horror writer who I count among my favorites. I previously looked at six of his stories in a post here a few years back. You can find more information about him there ( https://horrordelve.com/2017/06/04/gary-mcmahon/ ).
THE STORIES (Published by order of publication):
“Straw Babies” (2012) – Following the loss of her baby, a woman and her husband go to spend a week at a remote, rustic cottage in a frosty area of the Cotswolds. Inside they discover a secret trap door that contains an old, straw doll and some weird symbols displayed within. As the place once belonged to a witch, they speculate she left them. Things get bad when something begins stalking them.
“Ragged” (2014) – A man trying to move on with his life following the death of his wife picks up a dirty rag dropped by a woman. When he eventually tries to get rid of it, it always returns to him. He discovers it’s actually something called a “Mourning Veil”, a Victorian-era cloth which widows would wear over their faces to express their grief. This grim piece of cloth has eerie specters attached to it. Gary has crafted a very somber, eerie tale with this one.
“My Boy Builds Coffins” (2015) – A mother becomes concerned after she discovers a tiny coffin in her troubled son’s room while cleaning it. The coffin has the name “Dad” written on it. She and her husband become concerned he’s experiencing a relapse of troubled behavior he had in the past. When confronted about the coffin, he mentions he got the dirt he put inside it from a “magic hole” near their house. Further investigation returns terrifying results. This is an excellent tale by McMahon that has a creature feature-type of feel to it.
“Should Not Be” (2023) – The widow of an archeologist travels to Turkey following the discovery of an artifact her husband had spent his life searching for in order to prove it existed. It’s called Yabbel’s Box, and it’s said to contain the end of the world inside it.
“Anywhere But Here” (2024) – A man takes his recently deceased mother’s ashes to a bleak coastal village to spread on the water. He’s accompanied by his sister who helps him get through the difficult time. Off in the distance on the beach, he spies a strange, stick-like figure tumbling oddly about. Something doesn’t seem right with the area. This is a superb, somber tale with a surprising twist at the end. Highly recommended! (Found in Nightmare Abbey #5)
“Black Square” (2024) – A mourning father is disturbed to find his wife has been painting large black squares instead of her usual landscapes following the mysterious disappearance of their daughter. Further investigation into these black squares leads to an ominous discovery. This is a very well-told, eerie tale! (Found in Nightmare Abbey issue 6).
“The Last Gallery” (2024) – After being forced to take side roads from the motorway due to construction detours, a man becomes lost and unable to find his way back. An hours drive later, he finally spots a gas station where he can stop for directions. Unfortunately, it turns out to be abandoned, but he does find a building directly behind it which he enters. It appears to be a sort of amateur museum, but the artwork on display inside it is very disturbing. (Found in Nightmare Abbey issue #7).
“Without You” (2025) – A woman comes to a shocking realization as to why her new, clingy boyfriend is so attached to her when she goes to break up with him. Another great tale by McMahon. (Found in Nightmare Abbey issue #8).
Gary’s Website: http://www.garymcmahon.com
Gary’s US Amazon Page: https://www.amazon.com/stores/author/B004B6NN3A/allbooks?ccs_id=4014ec82-93b1-4b5e-a6a5-4e105116cb09
Gary’s UK Amazon Page: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Books-Gary-McMahon/s?rh=n%3A266239%2Cp_27%3AGary%2BMcMahon
Article by Matt Cowan
Horror Delve 