Artist Richard Wells seems to have a preoccupation with folk horror. It’s an obsession horror fans — especially literary horror fans – can understand. Paranormal stories set in natural places have been a staple of the genre since the beginning of storytelling. What could be more cosmically significant than experiencing the inexplicable among the mundane?
This is the second folk horror anthology curated by Wells, an illustrator and graphic designer who works both in television and for himself creating stunning folk-inspired linocut, hand-printed artworks. Wells first offering, Damnable Tales, was published in 2021 to the delight of folk readers. The experience must have been a good one for Wells, because now, just three years later, he has returned with Tales Accursed, a second and equally captivating collection of folk horror stories from the 19th and 20th centuries.
While there are many authors working in the folk horror space today, Tales Accursed takes the opportunity to look back at the progression of the genre from Sherridan Le Fanu’s “The White Cat of Drumgunniol,” which was first featured in Charles Dickens’ literary periodical “All the Year Round” in 1870, to a Shirley Jackson short story that made its way to the printed page in 2014, nearly fifty years after the author’s death.
There are many stories that could be praised here, but the genius of Wells’ curation is the reader’s exploration of the page. Much like the terrors the Tales Accursed protagonists encounter, it’s the unexpected that makes this collection such a treasure.
And yet, readers should take note not to miss the standout story of the anthology “The Country-Side” by Elinor Mordaunt. This wonderful story of a minister, his wife, and the country life that comes between them lingers long after Tales Accursed has been set aside. From it’s painfully accurate portrayal of loneliness and disassociation, to the clever character descriptions, like when an old woman is said to stare with “that curious intensity which one sees in a cat watching a hole,” this stunning piece of fiction is a must read for those interested in the sub genre.
Tales Accursed is an excellent set of stories for any fan of horror. The perfect book for reading on a cool fall night.
Looking for more chilling short fiction? Check out When Things Get Dark, a collection of stories inspired by horror master Shirley Jackson.
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