| Title | : | Human Tenderloin |
| Author | : | |
| Rating | : | |
| ISBN | : | - |
| Language | : | English |
| Format Type | : | Kindle Edition |
| Number of Pages | : | 226 |
| Publication | : | First published September 15, 2021 |
Human Tenderloin is a collection of horror stories with heart. Some will goose the skin. Others will leave you bloated with terror. But each one will stay with you.
Human Tenderloin Reviews
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This collection gets all the stars, one of the most accomplished, unnerving and imaginative collections I’ve read in years. The stories showcase a writer who is incredibly gifted at delivering unsettling stories time and time again! This will be one of the best collections I’ll read this year, there is no denying this fact!
This book is special and the stories within… masterful!
Make sure you pick up a copy, and so below are my thoughts on each story and I’ve tried to keep it as spoiler free as possible, because the book and Wallwork’s words deserve you to go in with no expectation and be blown away!
Bird Girl - an apocalyptic tale with heart and soul. A family are coming to terms with the news that the world is ending, but not as predicted, things are rising, things are floating into space, first the flies, then the birds then the cats and dogs and now, this weightlessness is taking people. Our family struggle to stay and in the struggle they find happiness and belonging… and their healing makes them free and lightens the loads they carry. Perfect story to open this collection.
Dollhouse - this one reminded me of Josh Malerman’s Creepshow episode ‘House of the Head’ - but it is all Wallwork in execution. An unsettling and creepy story about a young girl who discovers what she thinks is her birthday present in the attic of her house, an ornate and exact replica of her own house - a dollhouse. That’s all I’m going to say, read it and be freaked out by it, this one gave me shivers!
Suffer The Rains - this story is right up my dark street, childhood trauma and the barriers we place in the way so we don’t have to look upon those painful memories. This story is exquisite, a really powerful and gut wrenching piece of fiction that is written to perfection - Wallwork’s prose is a delight (as it is in all these stories) but the bleakness of the prose in this story help to portray the bleakness of these lives under the rains of life.
Farewell Valencia - guests check in at the Valencia but they also check out too. This story is woven into such an enthralling and beguiling yarn that the reader can’t help but sit back and enjoy the tapestry of oddities Wallwork weaves - the main protagonist is brilliant and his voice in the piece really renders the story to the readers imagination.
The Hole - I really enjoyed where this story goes, and when we reach it’s final destination I did squeal with delight at the slight of hand, the way Wallwork subverts our expectations and delivers a chilling tale without having to overtly over egg the pudding. This is the triumphant blend of subtle horror and weird fiction… chef kiss!
Human Tenderloin - this was an interesting change of pace, it was the pitch black comedy that o really loved especially when we first meet out cannibal talking on the phone about a recent order. This one is handled with car to reign in the humour but to allow it room to manifest within the stories greater depth. Interesting premise and I enjoyed its construction and execution.
Time’s Flies - this is in essence a ghost/haunted house story, but who said a ghost or the echo of that ghost is restricted to the house that birthed it. Our couple move to a new house, to start afresh, after what we learn early on was an accident. It’s a beautifully crafted tale that conjures the greats of horror fiction. It’s a heartbreaking but also endearing story, a troubling tale that tore my heart out and trampled it under foot. There is sorrow in this story which will swallow you whole if you let it.
Murder Song - I had no idea where this story was going from its bleak and sad opening, but I was strapped in for the ride and how this story opens up like a body during a post-mortem, baring the inner workings, the blackened human condition laying beneath the surface is truly remarkable.
Mother’s Day - this story shows us that a mother’s love is something to be feared above all things. The story is layered and the subtle horror sewn throughout builds to a beguiling tapestry that gives the reader a story they’ll remember, a powerful and tremendous idea, executed to perfection.
Night Holds a Scythe - when a pandemic causes those who fall asleep to die, the only thing left is to stay awake. I loved how Craig framed this story, the protagonists were wonderful and the little notes of how the world has changed and society shifted in such a small span of time is excellently depicted. It’s creepy and by the stories end you’ll know that you’ve been in a Craig Wallwork story!
Nothing Short of Dying - reads like a fable a dark story you’d read to children about love. It’s dark, it’s brilliant and it’s full of heart. The imagination of Wallwork knows no bounds, how he keeps coming up with such unique stories is a testament to his writing prowess and shows a raconteur who’s fully hit his stride.
Paradise Won - a more melancholic and heartfelt piece greets us is Paradise Won - this one also deals with religious themes, dealing with Lucifer and God and Paradise and greed. It’s a wonderful story that really gets to the heart of the characters within and was a joy to read, showcasing another side to Wallwork’s writing, another string to his already full bow of brilliance.
Everybody Hurts - this one starts with a bang, the opening really sets the tone. It’s dark, brooding and very, very creepy building to a very ominous and satisfying conclusion. I loved the use of a list early on in the story, it puts unease in the readers mind from the outset that continues to build with each passing page, a beguiling horror story that is one of my favourite in the collection.
Rosemary And Time - this is a brilliant little story a mixture of Saw and something Philip K Dick would write. It’s a slow burn story that gets the mind ticking and the heart rate pumping. The theories behind the story really add to the tension the reader feels as it progresses and by the last line you’re already under Wallwork’s spell… abracadabra!
They Were Born Without Faces - this one reminded me of a story I once heard Chuck Palahniuk talk about, a box on the road, the car could have ploughed through it, but at the last moment it swerved around it and when they looked in the rear view the horrors of what would have happened were revealed. This is a fabulous story and the world building that Wallwork achieves in such a short space of time is nothing but remarkable - I was in this world, my only down point would be that I wanted more, a longer piece showcasing the brilliant world he’d been able to create!
The Ballard of Windsong House - I think this is the longest story in the collection and it certainly has ‘The Haunting of Hill House’ vibes about it. Seeing what Wallwork can do in a longer piece is a great way to end the collection as I’ll now be digging out all his previous works. This one has a slow brooding dread and the payoff is quite remarkable. -
Look for my review of HUMAN TENDERLOIN soon But for now, if you enjoy dark, bleak, short fiction stories that will mess with your ability to sleep with the lights off...check this one out.
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*Please note, I do not rate on Goodreads.
Let me tell you the things I loved about this collection: great imagery, haunting prose, and a voice reminiscent of some of the old horror masters. There is even a whimsical element to some of the stories and a fair amount of dark humor.
My favourite stories in the collection were:
Bird Girl (it sticks with me even now) So tender!
Dollhouse - loved the descriptive language in this one, and who can resist a story about a dollhouse?
Suffer the Rains- loved the voice in this one, the greyness, the perpetual rain and misery.
Time Flies - very atmospheric
Murder Song - had an Arthur Machen vibe
Everybody Hurts - ghost story with an unexpected twist
Rosemary and Time - different, shows the author's breadth
I also enjoyed the novelette that came at the end.
The one and only story I wasn't keen on was the titular story, Human Tenderloin, but that's because I don't particularly like stories that include the consumption of human flesh. It's a personal thing, and I know many readers enjoy the theme.
All in all, this is a well-written and generous collection. Highly recommended. -
I was lucky enough to win this book in Craig’s giveaway. I’d anticipated it’s release for months so I was really excited to read it and I wasn’t the least bit disappointed. It’s a wonderful collection of horror stories that will haunt you long after reading them.
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Some favorites: Dollhouse , Farewell Valencia, Human Tenderloin, Mother’s Day (if you like werewolf tales you’ll love this one), and They Were Born Without Faces.
They’re really wasn’t a story I didn’t like. If you’re looking for a horror collection for spooky season I highly recommend this one! -
With a collection of prime cuts, Mr Wallwork let's us sink our teeth in such juicy filets as in Bird Girl, Dollhouse, Human Tenderloin and my favorite Paradise Won.
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HUMAN TENDERLOIN: A Collection of Horror Stories – by Craig Wallwork
I Love Every Story In This Collection—And The Writing—Perfection!
I just purchased a hardback copy!
‘Human Tenderloin is a collection of horror stories with heart. Some will goose the skin. Others will leave you bloated with terror. But each one will stay with you.’
Some of my thoughts after reading:
‘Bird Girl’ – My Heart!
‘Dollhouse’ – Creepy Good! I Love Wallwork’s Writing…
‘All things can be explained, she reminded herself. Darcy lowered herself out of bed and tiptoed out of her room. Shadows huddled for warmth in every corner she saw, floorboards moaned and grumbled under her step.’
And…
‘A cool breeze roamed and presented itself as she neared the attic, goosing her skin and forcing her to cradle her body. Crude steps made from wood ascended to a blanket of darkness beyond its staircase. Darcy approached slowly, and peering up toward that darkness, called out an amiable salutation. Only the wind replied, its breath hurried like that of a person running from danger.’
‘Suffer the Rains’
‘Farewell Valencia’ – Love This One!
‘The Hole’ – Creepy Good!
‘Human Tenderloin’ – Love This One!
‘Time's Flies’ – My Heart!
‘Murder Song’
‘Mother's Day’ – Love This One!
‘Night Holds a Scythe’ – My Heart!
‘Nothing Short of Dying’ – Love This One!
‘Paradise Won’ – The Ending—My Heart!
‘Everybody Hurts’
‘Rosemary and Time’
‘They Were Born Without Faces’ – Creepy Good!
‘The Ballad of Windsong House’ - Love The Writing…
‘She heard her breath marry with the wind, her heart a bony finger poking her chest from within.’
And…
‘The other people waiting for her were, in contrast, more level-headed with an unwillingness to allow conjecture, or the yawns of a floorboard, to court their sanity.’
One More… My Heart!
‘The debt assigned to a parent, of which there are many, is to ensure their child's sadness is fleeting, that their pain is shared and troubles unburdened promptly and without wound.’
Highly Recommend!
Thank you, Sadie Hartmann and Underbelly Books, for providing me with an eBook of HUMAN TENDERLOIN at the request of an honest review. -
4.5* rounded up.
If you're looking for a good collection of horror short stories, THIS IS IT. -
A fantastic collection with killer titles for each story.
I enjoyed every single story here, and some more than others.
If I was to pick my three favourites they would be: BIRD GIRL, the first story, which is truly something special. It's in the Stephen King Elevation mould, but it is executed so much better in my opinion, and I was one of the few who really did enjoy that book. Anyway, this one has so much heart. Such a magnificent opener.
Next would be: SUFFER THE RAINS. Just such a heavy hitter in every sense of the word. What a title, too.
My third would be FAREWELL VALENCIA. Another terrific idea. About a place where one comes to end their life. Just a cool story, and a great ending.
This collection feels like it's got a bit of everything for horror fans. A great mix of dark fantasy in here, too.
Brilliant collection. Excellent writing.
Five stars no question. -
I absolutely love "Mother's Day" and "Nothing Short of Dying" out of all the horror stories in this collection .
It's a heck of a ride and a lot of them really stay with you... -
”Human tenderloin by Craig Wallwork”
A short story collection that will have you questioning everything. There were a couple of stories in this collection that I just loved for how unique they were such as Dollhouse , Human Tenderloin and Rosemary and time.
Dollhouse does involve a dollhouse in the attic. It had its voodoo vibe to it.
Human Tenderloin is a dinner party with some fancy ass cannibalism but they have strong worries about where their next meal will come from. That ending was killer!
Rosemary and time have those inception vibes but with pizza. This one was really cool!
Then there were stories that literally crushed my soul. These stories involved a lot of heart such as Suffer the Rains , Times Flies and Paradise won.
Suffer the Rains there is a lot of trauma to unpack there but that ending with the little kid reading the book just crushed me.
Times flies was one I thought was going to be a possession or haunting but turned out to be something so much sadder.
And Paradise Won has the loss of a spouse and a dinner date with Lucifer. It confirms my belief that other people in the world think this could be how Lucifer really is.
This collection definitely had its standout stories for me and ones I will think about for a long time. There were still a few I just couldn’t quite understand on the first reading and may have to go back and read them again but overall I thought this was a good collection of stories. 3 ⭐️s -
I’d seen the cover of Human Tenderloin a couple of times, circulating on both Twitter and Instagram, and my interest was piqued, yet I’d withheld committing myself to it due to time – so when Sadie Hartmann sent a message out asking for reviewers for the novel (which, I believe, has been made free for an extended period of time), I jumped at the chance. So first off, thank you Sadie and the Nightworms team, this is a great introduction to an author I’d like to read more from.
Not knowing Craig’s work beforehand, the opening trio of stories bowled me over. Absolutely blindsided me. "Bird Girl" only got two notes on my phone: Fantastic – Spellbinding. Craig hit it out of the park for me on this one, it’s just magical. The literary bent to the prose, the self-assurance, the pacing, it was all sublime. My eyes wide open, hardly daring to breathe, It went on into "Dollhouse" which again, had wonderful literary prose, and a killer premise, and an insidious threat hanging all over the piece. Then came "Suffer the rains".
And that established it finally. The magical prose, the wonderfully bizarre magical world, with the taste of rot blazing all the way through to its core. Absolutely spectacular.
Now before you think I’m just going to go on and gush throughout the review, its true to say that for me, the top three stories in the novel are those three, loaded at the front. The other stories in the collection are good, they entertain, but the spark of something truly inventive and magical was not as obvious as in those openers, which carried the hints of genius.
So whilst the collection as a whole is great, for me, the true gems of Craig’s collection are in prime position, and rightly so. The namesake story, Human Tenderloin, rolled along but was clearly heading for its ending, so failed to connect as much as it should have.
I’m giving this collection a 4 out of 5⭐'s, the touches of genius notwithstanding (which make you just stop reading and exclaim), this is a collection to devour in one sitting in all of its bloody raw flesh. There’s nothing in here that really hit as needing a trigger warning, Wallwork has established himself as someone I need to experience more of. I’ll be buying Bad people this week, and hope to be similarly smacked in all of my senses. -
Human Tenderloin is a collection of sixteen horror short stories; many of which are remarkable, poetic and damn right haunting. This is the first collection that I’ve read from author Craig Wallwork, and it certainly won’t be the last; half way through reading this, I loved Wallwork’s writing so much, that I’ve ordered more of his books.
All of the sixteen stories are completely different, yet all very similar in the feelings that they leave you with after finishing - many times my heart was in the pit of my stomach or a feeling of eerie dread washed over me.
My favourites being:
Farewell Valencia - this short story was exceptional. It left me thinking, like proper deep thinking - “what if” and imagine being in that setting. It’s such an emotional read that I actually cried when I finished it.
Dollhouse - plain and simple; this one creeped my the hell out - don’t read it late at night with just candles burning.
Nothing Short of Dying - this one left me with a lump in my throat and a queazy feeling in my stomach. Some scenes of gross horror (which I loved) and explores the meaning of true love.
Everybody Hurts - again, a short horror story with feeling and explores what terrible things humans do to each other.
I read one story a day and I was genuinely exciting about picking the book up each evening to see what horrors Wallwork had in store for me. Without hesitation, I recommend this creepy collection to fans of horror.
“Of all the friends I’ve ever met
You’re the one I won’t forget
And if I die, before you do
I’ll go to heaven and wait for you” -
As most of y'all probably know, anthologies and short story collections are such a hit or miss for me that for a while I wasn't reading any. I felt it always landed in the middle area as some stories within the pages I loved and others not so much. But sometimes you see a cover and title and you just can't say no. And so here we are and I'm so glad.
Horror covers a variety of genres and Wallwork hits a lot of them in this collection. Favorites: Farewell Valencia, Human Tenderloin and Rosemary and Time. Honorable mentions: Dollhouse and They Were Born Without Faces. Though if I had to choose an absolute favorite of them, it would definitely be Farewell Valencia. I'm going to be looking at everyone's shoes from now on.
Regardless of whether I loved the story or was just meh about it, there's no taking away from the brilliant way in which Wallwork writes. It's almost as if I could feel the pages palpitating. The stories within just as beautiful and creepy as the cover that holds them.
Want gruesome and bloody horror? Want the subtle fear and weary dread of what's to come? Paranormal your jam? It's all in here. There's bound to be a story or seven you're going to love. So get on it, but you may want to keep the lights on. -
Thank you to Craig Wallwork for providing me with an e-ARC of Human Tenderloin in exchange for an honest review!
Human Tenderloin has range. At times, this collection might have you spitting out your drink due to laughter, while other times you might lose your lunch. There's body horror, apocalyptic horror, grief horror & horror that is just straight-up creepy. There's something for every horror fan in Human Tenderloin!
Also, can we take a second to appreciate the first line of the short story "Human Tenderloin"?I explain to the receptionist that you can't serve Southern-fried forearms when the person is an amputee.
Craig Wallwork's writing is not only clever (& in the case of "Human Tenderloin" -- amusing) but also absolutely gorgeous & in some stories, downright devastating. I don't always get on well with short story collections, but when I do I know it's something special.
Favorites out of the Collection:
Paradise Won: A story in which Lucifer owns all of the holiday lounges in Paradise. Due to the character choice, I was expecting this story to take a turn for the worse the entire time, however, it ended up being so heartwarming and fun.
Dollhouse: I love creepy stories about dolls & dollhouses, and this one definitely had a unique twist.
Time's Flies: Grief horror at its finest.
Mother's Day: Definitely a fun time, loved the characters in this one. -
Oh these cuts were delicious. Each delicacy is refined yet leaves you raw and a little bit unsettled. Some of these stories are full of gristle, you chew and swallow it because it still tastes good, luckily it get stuck between your teeth and you get to savor it for days. Every morsel was memorable with an attention to detail and writing style that kept you digging in, story after story.
My top three stories were:
Bad Girl-where the world is ending, all the animals are dying, and even gravity isn’t working properly.
Time Flies-constantly kept me wondering what was going on, then CRUSHED me when I found out.
Paradise Won- Lucifer is just a misunderstood guy who needs a good friend.
“We hope you enjoy your brief stay with us before you are terminated.” -Farewell Valencia -
I was given this book, in exchange for an honest review.
One of my favorite things about this book, had to be the diversity of each story, but they all tie back to a certain theme in one form or another. My favorite story had to be the one about the child with progeria, and the one about hotel Valencia. While other stories presented interesting concepts I feel the ones mentioned above held my interest most and I’d like to see more done with them. That being said, I got enjoyment from each story in some form or another and I give this book 4 out of 5 stars.
Thank you for the cool book, Craig! -
The nitty-gritty: Unsettling, creepy and emotionally devastating, Human Tenderloin is an excellent and varied collection of stories that will haunt you long after they've ended.
Based on the rather creepy and disturbing cover of Human Tenderloin, I was happy to discover that the stories inside are equally as creepy and disturbing. I’m so glad I took a chance on Craig Wallwork’s short story collection, and it’s perfect for this time of year, especially if you’re looking for atmospheric reading material to keep you company during the Halloween season. This isn’t a cheery collection by any means—many of the stories deal with death and loss—but I loved the way Wallwork approached these themes in new and intriguing ways. Some of the stories are still lingering in my mind many days after reading them, which is one sign of a well told tale.
Below are my favorites of the bunch:
Bird Girl
The opening story is a very short and unsettling tale of a town caught up in a weird reversal of gravity. A woman notices one day that small insects and then birds are disappearing, sucked up into the sky where a sort of black vortex hovers like a storm cloud. Little by little, the family realizes that in order to survive, they have to tie themselves to the earth or they too will float away. Their young daughter Madeline, afflicted with Progeria Syndrome, longs to fly up into the sky with the other creatures and objects, but her parents are determined to keep her with them. As with many of Wallwork’s stories, the ending didn’t go where I thought it would, but ended on a poignant, emotional note.
Dollhouse
A young girl discovers a dollhouse in the attic, an exact replica of her own house, and thinks it’s a surprise from her parents, as her ninth birthday is just around the corner. Each night Darcy sneaks into the attic to look at the dollhouse, and each night she discovers something new has been added to it—furniture, carpet, artwork and even dolls that look just like her and her parents. Until that night she discovers something shocking. This was such a creepy story, and the ending was terrifying!
Farewell Valencia
Another great story about an odd hotel where people go for a very particular reason. Wallwork doles out clues about the hotel and the people staying there, and little by little the reader is filled with a sense of dread as we learn just what’s going on. This story took a turn I wasn’t expecting, but it made it all the more horrific.
Time’s Flies
A heartrending tale of loss, Wallwork slowly reveals the ominous details of a married couple’s life in their haunted house and how they try to escape it by moving. This one didn’t have a happy ending by any means, and yet there is a sense of peace at its conclusion. Like many of his stories, the author saves up his big gut-punch moment for the end.
Human Tenderloin
I explain to the receptionist that you can’t serve Southern-fried forearms when the person to be cooked is an amputee.
The title story was one of the most gruesome of the bunch but also one of my favorites. A group of friends who just happen to be cannibals meet once a month for dinner, taking turns with the hosting duties and trying to outdo each other with the most unique food and presentation. I loved the black humor and shocking ending!
Mother’s Day
A pregnant woman unwittingly decides to vacation at a lakeside resort, only to discover that the lodge proprietors are planning on using her for a nefarious and deadly purpose. This was such an empowering story about the strength of women and mothers, and I loved it to pieces!
Night Holds a Scythe
Wow, what a terrifying scenario! Wallwork imagines an uncontrollable virus that kills people when they fall asleep. The story focuses on a man and his child who are trying to stay alive—by not falling asleep. This one had an emotional punch that nearly brought me to tears.
Everybody Hurts
This story has an awesome twist at the end. A father has locked himself in the attic while his wife and daughter live below. The mother insists that her daughter follow her strict rules, like never let the father out and never tell anyone about the attic room. I loved the feeling of growing claustrophobia as the girl and her mother confine themselves to the house and cut off all interaction with the outside world. What exactly is going on? You’ll only find out if you read this story…
The Ballad of Windsong House
The final story in the collection is also the longest, an atmospheric ghost story that takes place in a haunted house. Building on his themes of death and loss, Wallwork introduces a woman named Abigail who has lost her daughter Ruby to a terrible illness. She’s determined to prove that ghosts exist by staying overnight in the supposedly haunted Windsong House, looking for closure in regards to her daughter’s untimely death. This story was emotional and spooky at times, and again it had an ending that I wasn’t expecting.
Craig Wallwork’s stories are unnerving and creepy, and at times hard to read, but like the best short stories, they take the tried and true themes of the horror genre in new and unsettling directions. Grab this collection, you won’t regret it!
Big thanks to the author for providing a review copy. -
Craig Wallwork was kind enough to send an ARC copy of this book to Horror Bound for review. Thanks Craig!
I'm so glad I got to review this collection. Each story was voluptuous with detail and wickedness. Craig's writing style is macabre, riddled with black humour, and overflowing with creepiness. I enjoyed every story in this book. There are a variety of themes present here, all connected by the thread that is humanity and bound by horror.
My favourite stories were:
"Bird Girl" - kind of a sci-fi, Ray Bradbury-style story that instills hope in the strange while the world changes for the worst.
"Dollhouse" - involves miniature doll houses mirroring living people in a terrifying and fateful way.
"Human Tenderloin" - cannibalism and a lot of dark hilarity.
"Time's Flies" - a haunting that could be of a house or of the people itself. A slow creep that will hurt you.
"Everybody Hurts" - one of those stories that has an off-feeling to it until the end because it's sad, weird, and fools you.
"Rosemary and Time" - another one that feels very sci-fi, like a Twilight Zone episode, about a hitman and his last hit. Disturbing.
I also wanted to note a passage from "Night Holds a Scythe" that exemplifies Craig Wallwork's ever-advancing and evolving style of writing that I love:
"Outside the beechcraft's window, bed pyres burn below like little mushrooms. God cracks open the clouds long enough to throw light upon a small clearing. It hits the landscape before me like a guillotine."
If you like horror stories that dance around the actual world ending as well as the worlds of individuals, you will tear into Human Tenderloin and receive the satiation you seek. Now, go pick up this book.
Review coming soon to Horrorbound.net! -
I thoroughly enjoyed this collection - Craig Wallwork never disappoints! Highly recommended, especially if you appreciate stories that take you to another place - and not always a place you want to go.
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Books come along and I say at the end of my review 'you need this,' but for Human Tenderloin I will say 'you NEED this!'
One of the best collections I've ever had the good fortune to read, there isn't a weak story amongst its pages, and frequently I'd finish one and think it was my favourite only to have it superseded by the following one. Wallwork has the ability to crawl inside your head and deliver the horror of his tales in such a beautiful way. He chills with the art of a preying mantis, oh so calm before administering the killing bite.
There's something for everyone here wherever your horror heart lies, but each one is unique and told with an astounding freshness.
But don't take my word for it, Paul Tremblay and Stephen Graham Jones have both given this their vote of approval, so I'll just leave you with three words - YOU NEED THIS!
My thanks to the author for an advanced reader copy. Human Tenderloin releases on September 15th from Underbelly Books. -
Human Tenderloin is a grisly, devastating collection of horror stories. The horrors here range from the supernatural to cannibalism to environmental destruction. I especially liked how each of them has a satisfying ending, which is not often the case for short stories.
I loved the dystopian running theme. Bird Girl is about a special girl and her parents in a world where gravity no longer has a hold. Night Holds A Scythe features a father and daughter trying their best to stay awake on a plane. They Were Born Without Faces sees the disparity between the wealthy and the poor, with severe consequences for one man.
Another theme is parenthood and grief, specifically the loss of children. While I'm usually not a fan of this trope, I couldn't help but feel affected. Time’s Flies portrays the way a child’s death can haunt the parents. Murder Song is a twisty tale of fate and future, where a man sees the vision of a woman’s death. The Hole sees a curious man watching his neighbour digging a hole, culminating in a surprising end. If you love horror, I highly recommend this collection!
Thank you to the publisher for a review copy.
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Surprisingly, all stories were equally good. 3/4⭐ mostly. Not a single boring one. Doesn't happen that often. "Everybody hurts" was my favorite though, so tragic yet so beautifully written. Also, stunning cover. 👌
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Review to come.
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It’s been many years since I’ve read horror that has evoked so many different emotions. Human Tenderloin isn’t your typical scary story in the dark but has so much more to offer! Wallwork’s prose is elegant, chilling, relevant, emotional and sometimes hilarious. There were times when I laughed and then immediately questioned my reaction - Should I really be laughing about cannibals and clergymen?
If you’re interested in picking up a horror read during this spooky season, Human Tenderloin is the way to go! This collection isn’t a bloody slasher or jump scare central, Wallwork’s short stories create an eerie atmosphere but many revolve around the themes of grief and children. This was an absolute pleasure to read!
Many thanks to the author for an advanced reader copy. Human Tenderloin releases on September 15th from Underbelly Books. -
Also reviewed on
www.curiosityboughtthebook.com
My first and most important question after reading Human Tenderloin is, if Craig Wallwork is a professional boxer, because he has punched me straight in the gut so many times with his masterfully crafted collection of stories that I might be down for the count.
I don’t know how he did it, but I truly enjoyed every single tale within this book. There was not a single one that I even slightly disliked.
If a producer would get on board with turning his stories into an anthology TV show, I would be its biggest fan. Honestly, this might have been the oddest, creepiest and best short story collection I’ve ever read.
There is so much raw human emotion within these pages and the biggest one of them is grief. I’m not even ashamed to say that I teared up a few times.
I can’t name a personal favorite, because they are all my favorites. I’m gonna say it right now: If Human Tenderloin was the last book on earth, I would gladly take a slice of it.
Craig, thank you so much for letting me read it early -
ⓇⒺⓋⒾⒺⓌ
Human Tenderloin - Craig Wallwork
Craig Wallwork returns with his latest offering of macabre, Human Tenderloin.
16 short stories of horror, fear, dread and even humane - imagine my shock!
I’m a sucker for eerie and old school horror trope, so Dollhouse, Mother’s Day & They were born without faces were probably my favourites.
Time Flies, Everybody hurts, Human Tenderloin (previously read from Craig’s triple header, Gory Hole), all brilliant.
Every damn story a knock out!
I think it would be unfair of me to compare a collection of stories to Craig’s previous novels, but for me this is his best work to date.
Each story packs it’s own punch and Craig’s versatility shines throughout.
We can no longer call Craig Wallwork an up coming author, as this is further proof that Mr Wallwork has well and truly arrived and can mix it with the very best.
You will struggle to find a better short story collection, and you should definitely pick this up when released (15th September 21)
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Thank you @Craig Wallwork & Underbelly books for the opportunity to read your latest work in exchange for an honest review. -
Human Tenderloin is a brilliant collection of horror short stories. Wallwork's writing is stellar. There is something here for everyone. This is a running commentary on some of the stories as I read them...
Uff, this is heartbreaking...holy scary...well that was an unexpected ending...cannibalism has never sounded more delicious, and funny...woah, regret...so eerie and so sad...well that was an original take on a familiar trope...I did not see that coming...that's new!...damn that was creeeeepy...if Taika Waititi wrote a horror story that would be it...now this is how you write a ghost story.
And there are others to savour! This is a creepily, delicious offering for everyone who loves quality horror short fiction. Wallwork combines horror and humour in the best way. It's a beautiful thing. Very highly recommended by someone who is a short fiction junkie. -
This is hands down the best collection of horror short stories I have ever read. Normally with short story collections I find a mix of stories I enjoy and some that I don't. With Human Tenderloin, I can honestly say that I absolutely loved every single story in this book. Every story gets a solid 5 star from me!
The writing style is fantastic. I didn't expect to not only be scared throughout the book but also found myself laughing through the dark humour and utterly sad and emotional during certain stories as well.
This book is truly a masterpiece within the horror genre! I'll definitely be purchasing the hardcover of this book because I NEED this on my shelf. I can definitely see myself picking it up every spooky season and reading a few stories here and there. Highly recommend to any and all horror lovers! -
And why not.
