Folk Horror Short Stories

Where Folklore Meets Horror

There are places where the old stories never really disappeared.

Folk Horror Short Stories brings together a haunting collection of tales inspired by folklore, mythology, superstition, and the darker relationship between humanity and the natural world. Edited by award-winning anthologists Paul Kane and Marie O’Regan, this collection explores the unsettling spaces where ancient traditions, isolated communities, mysterious landscapes, and supernatural forces collide.

From creepy forests and forgotten rituals to strange creatures and horrors emerging from the earth itself, these stories explore the many forms that folk horror can take.

The anthology features established and emerging voices from across contemporary horror, including Neil Gaiman, John Connolly, Adam L. G. Nevill, Alison Littlewood, Jen Williams, Linda D. Addison, V. Castro, Stephen Volk, Cavan Scott, and Christina Sng, among others. Five brand-new stories were also selected from open submissions.

Stories From the Darker Side of Folklore

Inside you’ll encounter stories involving:

• Ancient myths and forgotten traditions
• Isolated communities and unsettling rural landscapes
• Creepy forests and mysterious places
• Supernatural forces rising from the natural world
• Folklore-inspired creatures and strange beings
• Deals with the devil and darker supernatural powers
• Sinister rituals and traditions
• Stories where the old ways collide with the modern world
• New interpretations of folk horror from contemporary writers

The collection doesn’t limit folk horror to one particular tradition or mythology. Instead, it explores the genre’s wide range of influences and demonstrates how stories rooted in folklore can be both deeply unsettling and endlessly imaginative.

A Beautiful Edition for Horror Fans

Part of Flame Tree Collections’ Beyond and Within series, this is more than an ordinary paperback anthology. The series is designed as a collectible hardcover line, with foiled covers, decorated page edges, luxury endpapers, and other special treatments.

With 25 illustrations and more than 400 pages of fiction, Folk Horror Short Stories makes an excellent addition to a horror collection or a thoughtful gift for readers fascinated by folklore, mythology, supernatural fiction, and the darker side of the natural world.

About the Editors

Paul Kane is an award-winning bestselling author and editor of more than 100 books. His work includes The Hooded Man, Hellbound Hearts, Wonderland, and The Gemini Factor. He has also worked with numerous major writers and is known for his contributions to contemporary horror and dark fiction.

Marie O’Regan is an award-nominated author and editor whose work includes anthologies such as Hellbound Hearts, Cursed, Twice Cursed, and The Other Side of Never. She is also the Managing Editor of PS Publishing’s Absinthe novella imprint.