What happens when the monsters aren’t monstrous? That’s the theme of this horror anthology – werewolves, vampires, zombies, and even a demon or two who have veered off the fast track to damnation. As with all anthologies, it’s a bit of up and down.

The standout stories are:

“She Dwelleth in the Cold of the Moon” by James Lowder--the tale of a Chinese revenant seeking her place in the hosts of the dead. Unusual and well-drawn, with rich descriptions and a strong voice, this story encompasses a very peculiar crisis of faith. It really made me think, and I’ll be seeking out more of this gentleman’s work.

“The Recall of Cthulhu” by Tom Dupree--the funny tale of the other Whateley brother from “The Dunwich Horror.” As the sole humorous entry in a rather serious anthology, it seemed sort of shoehorned in. However, it was one of the funniest stories I’ve read in a long time, and for Lovecraft fans, it’ll be especially amusing, as Dupree sets the scene with pitch-perfect mythos flair.

“Lycanthrope Summer” by Jeff Grubb--a town where werewolves guard against evil, instead of bringing it. Nice characterization, and a fresh look at more than one form of lycanthropy.

There are a few clinkers, too, including “Intercession” by Chelsea Quinn Yarbro--a Saint Germain story notable chiefly for the fact that Saint Germain is not actually in it. The longest story in the anthology, it’s told in a series of letters from Roderigo, St. Germain’s manservant, as he seeks his master in prison. There is no action, no dialog, and no other character point-of-view is utilized. Yarbro has a long-standing habit of punctuating chapters of her vampire novels with letters written by her characters. In the context of a novel, it works fairly well. As a stand-alone, with no actual character interaction to offset it, it’s frankly tedious.

“The Salem Trial” by Jody Lynn Nye seems contrived, and doesn’t flow very well. I get the impression that it was written specially for this anthology.

“Brothers in the Flesh” by Fiona Patton was well-written, but would have done much, much better as a novel. There’s so much world-building shoved into the first part of the story that it eclipses much of the action. Here’s hoping that she expands on this theme of necromancy and assassination.

On the whole, it’s an entertaining read, and several of the stories are memorable enough to bring one back again and again. In spite of the redemptive theme, there’s very little that’s overtly religious or moralistic. The focus is on traditional tropes, so don’t expect splatterpunk or experimental horror.

I recommend it for traditional horror buffs looking for a pleasant (or happily unpleasant!) afternoon’s entertainment.