edited by Bill Breedlove

The fearsome foursome is Martin Mundt, John Everson, Bill Breedlove, and Jay Bonansinga, and they have a lot to offer this short but attractive package. What is described almost as a throwaway collection, made up of cast-offs—"new and used stories"—ends up quite entertaining as long as you aren't prejudiced against, for instance, baby-killing. Or the murder of an entire town. Or finding true love with . . . a pumpkin. Or collecting serial killer dolls. Or cleaning up dead people's houses of porn collections before the families learn the truth. Or selling yourself for the kind of moviemaking in which "water sports" doesn't involve skis. Or—well, you get the picture.

The connecting thread of this mini-collection tends to be humor, as you might expect, both subtle and overt. For instance, in Everson's classic "Pumpkin Head," the protagonist is doubly appropriately named "Jack." In "Babies is Smart" and "A Perfect Plan," Mundt goes for the absurdist jugular. In "The Lost Collection," Breedlove plays off our fascination with killers to good satirical effect. In "Animal Rites," Bonansinga's knack for the unusual is memorably illustrated by both voice and a slow bullet.

It's fair to say this initial Dark Arts effort manages a fair number of genuinely creepy moments, as well. And stories such as "The White House," "The Cure," "Free to Good Home," and "Stash"—while still exhibiting a humorous vein—veer much closer to the strong moral center often found subsurface in horror tales.

Some of the stories may be "used," but they are definitely still viable horror equipment, even second-hand. All in all, the four varied voices of the authors, the range exhibited within their sections, and their funny-bone-rapping effect make this sampler not only a great gift, but also a keeper. It will be interesting to see what comes next for this new but distinctive player in the small press.