And Cannot Come Again

A young policewoman is drawn into a dreadful bargain. Murdered girls walk the streets of Manchester beside their still-living friends. Tormented children call on an urban legend for help, and the events of a long-ago summer and first love return with lethal consequences for four childhood friends. All this and more besides, in these seventeen short stories and novelettes from the author of The Faceless and The Feast of All Souls.

Originally published by ChiZine Press, this new edition from Horrific Tales Publishing now contains two new, previously unpublished stories. You can buy it here. 

The stories:

Dermot

Beneath The Sun

The Moraine

Comfort Your Dead

The School House

Hushabye

A Small Cold Hand

The Proving Ground

Angels Of The Silences

In The Shelter

...And Dream Of Avalon

Winter's End

They Wait

The Children Of Moloch

And Cannot Come Again

Black Is The Mourning, White Is The Wand

Praise:

“Simon Bestwick is one of the best writers around of dark and genuinely scary short horror fiction. Be afraid…” — Alison Littlewood, author of A COLD SEASON and THE CROW GARDEN

“If you need further evidence of why Simon Bestwick is a stalwart of the British horror scene, then look no further than AND CANNOT COME AGAIN. He gathers the northwest in his fist and charts its darkness, be it the streets of Manchester and Salford, the hillsides of the Lake District or the wooded corners of Cheshire. Simon explores brutality – murder, the myths of masculinity, abuse, the pain of adolescence and loss of innocence – but it’s tempered by emotive writing and Simon’s ability to bring his own social and political sensibilities to the work.” – Priya Sharma, author of ALL THE FABULOUS BEASTS.

“Simon Bestwick’s stories are sharp, bleak, odd, full of grief and grace. If you only know him from his novels, this will be a treat (though you very much should read those too); if you don’t know him at all, then for God’s sake, treat yourself. In a genre full of unsung treasures, his song deserves to be heard” – Gemma Files, author of EXPERIMENTAL FILM.

“One of the more brilliant contemporary British authors of dark fiction… the present collection is an extraordinary opportunity to read and enjoy some of his more accomplished stories.” (Hellnotes)

“The writing is crisp and clean and clear… a unique style.  Simon Bestwick is a great writer.” (Sci-Fi and Scary)

“Admirably nuanced… richly described… a substantial body of work, fiction reflecting our society and that which we crave and destroy.” (Black Static)