And a Dark Horse Dreamt of Nightmares by Keith Anthony Baird

And a Dark Horse Dreamt of Nightmares Reviews

• 
  John Leonard

  First up, I need to declare an interest here. I know Keith via Twitter - it was my pleasure to read several of these stories prior to them being published.
  This is a recommendation, even though I haven't read the complete collection.
  KAB's short stories are old school good. Varied, with a rich and dark flavour that leaves you wanting another bite.
• 
  Iain MacCallum

  Dark and disturbing
  
  There are some dark and disturbing tales in this fine collection. My favourites were What's in the Box and Mother Rain and Father Wolf. I definitely intend to read more by this author.
• 
  Morgan Tanner

  I’m a big fan of Keith Anthony Baird’s work. His two previous novels, The Jesus Man and Nexilexicon were thoroughly enjoyable, and pretty dark. So now he’s gone and released a collection of short stories. So the question is, can he write shorties as well as longies?
  
  Erm, yes.
  
  And a Dark Horse Dreamt of Nightmares (which is an awesome title) contains six stories, all very different from one another. You may be forgiven for thinking this was an anthology, although each tale carries a similar air of unease penned from the same dark and twisted mind.
  
  There’s gore, ghosts, monsters, supernatural horror, and some definite ‘eww’ moments, all pulled off brilliantly.
  
  The Sable Lane Catering Company introduces a chef who cooks with not your standard ingredients. It’s people on the menu tonight, folks. You can’t help but warm to this character, even though he undertakes some abhorrent acts. The ending to this was great, not what I was expecting at all. But of course, I’m saying no more.
  
  A good old fashioned revenge tale follows, with John: Carpenter. This one had some great gore-splattered deaths and even though belief had to be somewhat suspended throughout, did nothing to take away the enjoyment. Think 80s splatterfest at its very best.
  
  Skullcherry Orchard follows a group of supernatural enthusiasts as they travel to a creepy haunted house to find some real life (probably not the best term) ghosts. Tensions ignite between them as they spend the night in the house, hoping to capture some great footage. But this place is infamous for a very good reason. There’s a real sense of unease here that picks away at you while reading. You just know something bad’s going to happen but you’re powerless to stop it.
  
  The conversational tone of What’s in the Box? hides, on the surface at least, the true terrors of a mysterious box that is found in different places throughout history. This read almost as an anecdotal horror story. But was exactly is in that box? Well, terrible things happen to those who try to find out.
  
  Set in the Carpathian Mountains, Mother Rain and Father Wolf is the tale of a group on an archeological dig. When they find a sacred tomb, one that the locals are frightened to visit or even talk about, they celebrate like it’s 1999. But unbeknownst to the happy party-goers, they’ve just released a malevolent beast with a lust for blood.
  
  The closer, Floor 9, has a great modern-day Lovecraftian feel to it. When a cop sees things not meant for human eyes, he tries to explain himself to Internal Affairs. The mystery revolving around these ‘things’ is enough to induce madness, though. The man is convinced no one will believe what he saw, but maybe they will.
  
  These six stories are a great addition to the KAB Universe. If you haven’t already then go and pick this up. Then involve yourself in The Jesus Man and Nexilexicon, too.
  
• 
  Irene Well Worth A Read

  Full disclosure, I did not read the last story in this collection, partly because I am so far behind in reviews and partly because Sci-fi is something I need to be in the mood for and my current mood is OMG the holidays are coming and I have a million things to do. That being said, I did enjoy the 5 stories I read. They are dark and deeply disturbing. I will just touch briefly on my favorites. "Skullcherry Orchard" was a spectacular read for me probably because I love all those paranormal investigation shows and this story has a lot more to offer than people whispering WHAT WAS THAT. I would definitely avoid eating the cherries though. I also loved the first story "The Sable Lane Catering Company' though at times I had to peek at it through my fingers for fear of what I might see next. It is extremely gruesome and if you like to snack while you read you may not want to eat while reading this one. Also it's not nice to play with your food!
  
  I received a complimentary copy for review.
  
• 
  Dylan

  And a Dark Horse Dreamt of Nightmares ... a nice title to a nice collection of short horror stories by Keith Anthony Baird. Collections can often be hit and miss, it's not always easy to get the balance of subject matter right, but KAB has done a great job of mixing these stories together. There's tales of cannibalism, ghosts, vampires, and even Nazi memorabilia within these pages and each one is certainly worth a read.
  
  Of the stories in this book—and there are only six of them—my favorites were What's In the Box? and Floor 9. Both are told in a narration style reminiscent of the author actually being sat there with you, maybe having a beer, retelling these events, and it's a style that KAB is very good at delivering. He's written another short story, Snake Charmer Blues, in a similar style, and it really works. What's In the Box? is a gory tale of Nazi propaganda that is as mysterious as it is horrific, and while the ending was a little too vague it was still a great read. I won't tell you what Floor 9 deals with because once that reveal is made it has such a great impact on the story that lifts it to a whole other level. The end twist is a tad too telegraphed unfortunately, but maybe that's because I'm an author myself and think in a similar vein, but the story is a great read.
  
  Mother Rain and Father Wolf is another story that stands out, and is extremely well-written. Wolves and vampires in the Carpathian Mountains … exactly my kind of thing, this is a good folktale story with a satisfying ending. The other three stories are good, but as with all collections there will be those that stand out above the rest, and those that don't stack up as well. With that said, every story is an enjoyable read and if you're looking for an example of what Keith Anthony Baird has to offer without taking the leap of diving into one of his novels, then this collection of stories is a great place to start.
• 
  Deedra

  I liked some of the stories.Hannibal Hills narration was the best!
• 
  Lilly Piper

  And a Dark Horse Dreamt of Nightmares is a wonderfully creepy collection of six macabre and fantastic stories, each more engaging than the last.
  
  Keith Anthony Baird's stellar writing prowess is on full display here – though a quick read, the pages are stuffed with enough intrigue, murder, vengeance, and mystery for a full-length novel. My personal favourite is Floor 9, the book's final story, wherein a detective's world changes after an otherworldly encounter. It's a close race, though. There's so much to love in all of them.
  
  The collection opens with The Sable Lane Catering Company in which taboos are cast aside and we’re witness to torturous murder in exquisite detail. John: Carpenter reads like an old-school mobster revenge story. Skullcherry Orchard cranks up the spook-factor to 11, and What’s In the Box? Best leave well enough alone. Mother Rain and Father Wolf unleashes an ancient evil whilst a brand new one lives on Floor 9.
  Bloodbath after delicious bloodbath. And a Dark Horse Dreamt of Nightmares is a buffet for horror fans – if you can stomach it.
• 
  Valerie

  This is a collection of six short stories that explore some classic themes in contemporary settings. All have dark vibes. Three out of the six really struck me as only good stories can!
  
  The Sable Lane Catering Co-local caterer kidnaps girls and uses kitchen gadgets on them taking off parts to be used in his catering business! As the author progresses with this story I could feel the girl’s horror, was disturbed at how the guests ate the delicacies that were served to them!
  What’s in the Box-3 local children come upon a box reputed to be a relic from the Nazi’s. The children have seen what’s inside, they then return home and complete horrible acts of violence. This happen in 1956, 1977 and again in 2007.
  Mother Rain and Father Wolf- the strigoi has risen! Of course all the stories here are good!
• 
  Rose Mute

  Timid hearts be warned!
  
  What I expected and what I read were miles apart . These were one of the most scariest and keep you on the edge of seat stories I have ever read. Holy shit! Was one word that came to mind after reading the first story. The author's description of everything left me horrified. These are stories you can never ever tell at a camp fire. I gave the book a five star rating because lovers of horror, the strange and creepy will love it. The kind of stories you can read over, over and over and they never get less scarier.
• 
  Evan

  I've come to the conclusion that Mr. Baird is one of my favorite indie authors out there. After reading (and loving) The Jesus Man, reading this collection of dark short stories was a given. I wasn't disappointed. I won't rehash the story descriptions and will just cut to the chase... these stories are all great in a wonderfully disturbing way. Mr. Baird's got a knack for this and he is just a pleasure to read. I'll be diving into The Nexilexicon shortly.