MIDNIGHT LOOKS GOOD ON YOU

A COLLECTION OF HORROR STORIES

by Kyler Jones ‧ RELEASE DATE: Jan. 24, 2021

Characters endure a grim world of serial killers and monsters in this collection of dark stories.

This volume’s title tale follows The Killer, an assassin for hire ready for retirement. He takes a job in Moscow for triple his normal pay, so it’s most certainly a near-impossible hit. But when his client finally provides details, The Killer has trouble believing the gig is legit, as the target may not even be human. Other stories in this horror collection likewise feature an unsavory protagonist, from a serial killer to a child predator and a washed-up, misogynistic Hollywood actor. Many of these somber tales have even bleaker twists. In “No Refund Policy,” for example, William Hill, an apparent religious leader, seems dead set on convincing his followers that his 9-year-old daughter, Violet, is a messiah. It’s an ostensibly humorous notion that quickly becomes unsettling. More than half of the 20 stories here, like “Policy,” are flash fiction. Jones’ concise writing shows how the short form can shine; in only a few pages, he drops well-defined characters into unnerving and sometimes deadly circumstances. One tale reveals how people in a city block respond knowing an apocalyptic bomb is on the way. Another showcases a vicious ongoing war between two sides separated for a surprising and loathsome reason. The author stays grounded in horror despite other genres cropping up; instances of supernatural beings and androids never really take the spotlight. The focus remains on the human element, which proves more monstrous and heartless than anything otherworldly or artificial.

Jones incorporates serious issues into his stories. Most notably, there’s a recurring theme of suicide or characters seemingly prepared to die. One of the more disturbing tales, “When It’s Dark Out,” starts with Crispin Charles meeting 40-something Catherine Keeper in a seedy motel. He has brought a duffel bag that a serial killer would envy, but Catherine is fully aware of it and is still there voluntarily. The author often plays with conventions, especially with killers’ motives for murder (more specific than mere psychopathy). But the collection’s best tales are markedly unconventional. In “A Children’s Story,” the new kid at 10-year-old Phillip Driver’s school is shockingly old. In fact, he has the “pruney” skin and rotten teeth of an aged man, but no one other than Phillip notices this. In a similar vein, “The Night Sky People” concerns the unusual friendship between young adult Eva and much older Kahlo, a man perpetually donning a catsuit. One night, their relationship takes a startling change of direction. The author’s prose teems with active and violent imagery, even in descriptions of a setting: “When she swiveled around, everything about her bedroom felt alien. The edge of the nightstand stuck out like a serrated silver knife in the utensil drawer, eager to pierce flesh. And the ceiling fan in her room hung too low, nearly at neck-chopping level.” Readers will likely devour Jones’ compact book in a single session, but his pithy storytelling and indelible casts will surely linger for some time.

Taut, absorbing tales filled with moody backdrops and creepy turns. (acknowledgements, author bio)

Pub Date: Jan. 24, 2021

ISBN: 978-0-57-883033-9

Page Count: 175

Publisher: Self

Review Posted Online: June 6, 2021

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 1, 2021

Review Program: Kirkus Indie

Categories:

SUSPENSE | SHORT STORIES | GENERAL FICTION