As I always say, when you buy an anthology of stories, you know you're getting a mixed bag. That is the case here as well; while some of these stories had me riveted, some were average, and some weren't that good. The point is, though, that this is another Call of Cthulhu Fiction book and it's worth every second it takes to read it. I liked it immensely, although to be really truthful, it wasn't as excellent as some of Chaosium's books I've read in the past. Be that as it may, it's still very worthwhile looking into. I have only a minor grumble...where's the proofreader? It's disconcerting to be reading along and find a typo, misplaced punctuation or words used as adjectives that make no sense in that form. So maybe if you're reading this review prior to starting the book, you'll be on the lookout. I tend not to read reviews until after I've finished a book; at least you'll be that much ahead of me! But overall, the people that have contributed these stories are amazingly imaginative and creative so it's a very fun reading experience. I'd say it's a not-to-be-missed book if you're into C of C fiction. If you're not, and this is your first experience with C of C, then by all means read at least some of Lovecraft's original stuff before you start here. You may be lost if you don't.

So now, a brief look at the contents (no worries, no spoilers here):
* = one of my favorites

Mysterious Dan's Legacy*, by Matthew Baugh: a man's legacy takes him from Kansas to Arkham, Mass. in 1873, where he finds that there are people who would do anything to have it. This one actually raised hackles on my neck.

Vaughn's Diary,* by Robert Vaughn: Creepy story in which a grandfather's diary leads to madness & mayhem a la HP Lovecraft.

The Orb,* by Tony Campbell: A man learns from a gypsy that his son is in mortal danger, but he doesn't believe it, much to his later regret. Very well done.

The Nether Collection,* by Cody Goodfellow: I LOVE this author! Harry Houdini finds himself on an unwanted tour of Arkham -- from below. What a good story!

Worms, by Pat Harrigan:Very different in tone, featuring a guy working at an office who starts his road to madness as he becomes a spokesman against the evils of the world (and outside of it, too!)

They Thrive in Darkness*, by Ron Shiflet: Well, this one I can't really say anything without giving it away, sorry!

What Sorrows May Come, by Lee Clark Zumpe: A man barely holding on after the death of his wife has a brush with evil. This one was good.

Arkham Pets, by James Ambuehl: A kind of silly story but placed exactly in the right spot to relieve suspense tension!

Small Ghost, by Michael Minnis: Some strange goings on at 625 Parsonage Street are said by its owner to be the work of a rat called Brown Jenkin. An inspector goes out to debunk this theory. Hmmm.

Burnt Tea*, by Michael Dziesinski: I really enjoyed this one, the story of a strange Japanese tea ceremony at Miskatonic University. You just know it's not going to be normal if you're at Miskatonic. Very well written and a pleasure to read. I must see if I can find more by this author.

Arkham Rain*, by John Goodrich: Very well done story in which the protagonist discovers some unsettling news which takes him to Innsmouth. I really enjoyed this one -- a new take on the Innsmouth legends.

Regrowth*, by David Conyers: Another author worth watching for; a PI takes on the case of some bizarre plants which alters his life forever. A very cool story, one of my favorites.

The Idea of Fear*, by CJ Henderson: Very different type of story than he generally writes (and I LOVE CJ Henderson's work); this time a security team tries to snuff out any supernatural elements in a house before the new owners move in.

Disconnected, by Brian M. Sammons: Things start to go wrong when a detective takes on the case of a missing relative. Different, and Sammons has a cool approach to this story.

The Lady in the Grove,* by Scott Lette. A fine story in which (of course), things are not as they seem, done in the form of a confession to a priest. Quite good.

On Leave in Arkham, by Bill Bilstad: You'd think by now people would realize that it's not smart to fool around with the Necronomicon. But this veteran has a one-track mind. Okay.

Geometry of the Soul*, by Jason Andrew: I really liked this story, in which a Pinkerton detective visits a sanitarium to get to the truth behind a series of grisly deaths. Very well done.

If you count the asterisks, there are quite a few good ones in this collection. Overall, a good read & another fine addition to my library shelf. ( )