A Blackness Absolute

A Blackness Absolute is a collection of short horror stories by Canadian author Caitlin Marceau. The collection takes in uncertainties of perception, feelings of vulnerability-to the weather, the natural world, the tenuousness of sanity-and mixes these elements with a strong sense of history and folklore. From the title piece, which evokes the pure claustrophobic terror of becoming lost and disoriented in a cave-system, to the final tale, Doireann, where a woman performs unusual funeral rites in a starving community, each story layers ambiguities to create an unnerving effect that will get under your skin.

This new edition also includes Marceau's novelette Magnum Opus, which follows the story of Charlotte Curran, an author who's willing to do whatever it takes to make sure her newest book is a best seller... even if that means murdering her best friend. Nobody suspects her of killing renowned author Kim Lavoie, but when Charlotte starts seeing Kim everywhere she turns, she quickly realizes it's more than just her guilty conscience haunting her. With each passing day, Kim's judging gaze grows more difficult to escape. Magnum Opus is a dark look at the price of fame and the legacy we leave behind.

If you love great storytelling, creepy atmospherics, and stories that instill a sense of dread that will return to you in the dead of night, then you're sure to find something to enjoy in this masterful collection. These stories will linger long after you close the book.