The best stories among the 35 set in workplaces in this volume, the second such anthology released in recent months by Whisper House Press, skillfully highlight the breadth of horror. Barry Charman’s “The Ghouls” is a timely tale about the catastrophic impact of misinformation specialists on society. “Cute Aggression” by Emily Flynn-Jones details the increasingly unhinged actions of a merchandiser haunted by a cartoon rabbit (“All day, Bella Bunny stares at me with her too-wide eyes, adorable button nose, puffball tail, stubby limbs, and blank space where a mouth should be”). Adam Rotstein’s “Ooh That Smell” focuses on what occurs when food is left in an office refrigerator for far too long. “Second Amendment” by Robert Bagnall describes the bloody outcome when a designer’s shooter game works too well. Rose Skye’s “Alignment” follows a man whose life gets taken over by a popular app. “Koschei’s Thread,” by Eóin Dooley, debates the morality and effectiveness of cryogenics. John Mahoney’s “Slacker” centers on a gruesome discovery made by a prison librarian. “Where’s My Meds?” by Andrew J. Pixton, shows what happens when two creatures can’t get the drugs they need at a recovery center. Lisa Morton’s “When Darkness Comes” reveals how one man attempts to combat ignorance following an alien invasion. And in “Stick to the Script,” by PW Interrobang, a new customer-service rep learns the hard way what lurks below the surface of his company’s toys. Editor Capone has done a masterful job, as this multifaceted collection offers something for everybody. There’s a variety of lengths, from one page to 15. Even readers who usually avoid the genre can find well-crafted stories that they can savor that depend more on suspense than scares. That doesn’t mean that hardcore horror fans won’t find the gore and frights they seek, as there are plenty of those. More SF-based horror (à la the film Alien) would have added to the spectrum provided by the anthology. Still, the modern horror called technology is prominently featured in this vivid compilation. This is a gripping compendium to curl up with on a spooky night or a haunted holiday.
