120 MURDERS: DARK FICTION INSPIRED BY THE ALTERNATIVE ERA is a phenomenal anthology inspired by music of the alternative era. There are some horror legends in this anthology (Josh Malerman, Paul Tremblay, Silvia Morena-Garcia to name a few) and the stories do not disappoint. The stand-out to me is Malerman’s “HIDE&SEEK” BY SWANN set during the era of Siouxsie and the Banshees and it is eery, creepy, and brilliant. A perfect anthology for music and horror lovers. (Thank you to Ruadán Books for providing me an advance copy. 120 MURDERS publishes on April 8).

An excellent read for any and all readers! Author comes at you with both barrels and knocks you out of your shoes! Great job fleshing out all the characters. I give this book FIVE stars! Definitely recommend!

Each story was unique and darkly gripping. I wasn't disappointed by the storylines or resolutions, but the pacing could have been a bit better. Overall, this was an amazing horror anthology, and I enjoyed it very much.

120 Murders by Nick Mamatas is a sharp, darkly satirical thriller that blends crime, mystery, and biting humor. The premise is bold and unique, pulling readers into a twisted narrative that keeps them intrigued. Mamatas’s writing is fast-paced and clever, laced with wit and cynicism that give the story a distinct edge.

The protagonist is compelling, though not always likable, which adds to the novel’s morally ambiguous tone. The plot is engaging, filled with unexpected turns, but at times, the pacing stumbles with moments that feel overly dense or self-indulgent. Still, the mix of suspense and dark comedy keeps things fresh, and Mamatas’s sharp observations elevate the storytelling.

The ending ties things together well, though some threads could have been explored further. 120 Murders is an entertaining and thought-provoking read with a unique voice—a solid 3.5-star novel for fans of crime fiction that doesn’t take itself too seriously.

A noir collection with some interesting stories. I loved how these were inspired by alternative songs from the 90s, and enjoyed reading the author's notes to find out the inspiration. My favorite story was by Brian Francis Slattery.

A crazy collection of stories that resonate deeply across the world. I recommend this for nostalgic empathy.

"When we both jump who hits bottom first?" - Jeff Chon

Nick Mamatas has created an anthology of power chord crimes horrors. It includes imaginative noir and dark fantasy tales of transgressive fiction from writers inspired by grunge, goth, ska, synthpop, and every electric sound of the alternative era.

This unique way of story telling using the music of his era made this an interesting collection to explore. Each story takes on a song and moulds it into a dark story. Featured are the following:

"How soon is Now" - Cara Hoffman
"Equations for a Falling Body" - Jeff Chon
"Extra Midnight" - Zandra Renwick
"Little Mascara" - Jason Ridler
"Wendy, Growing Up" - Veronica Schanoes
"See America" - Todd Grimson
"We've Been Had" - Alex Jennings
"Hide & Seek by Swann" - Josh Malerman
"Just Like Fire Would" - William Boyle
"Land of the Glass Pinecones" - Michael Marano
"All My Life" - Meg Gardiner
"Never Let Me Down" - Brian Francis Slattery
"Sacred Meats" - Jeffrey Ford
"Never Forget" - Elena Mauli Shapiro
"House Meeting" - Chris L. Terry
"Superstition" - Silvia Moreno-Garcia
"Tornado Mother" - Libby Cudmore
"The Show Must Go On" - Cyan Katz
"Do It" - Paul Tremblay
"A Slasher Cozy" - Selena Chambers
"Love Will Tear Me Apart" - Maxim Jakubowski
"The Best In Basement Radio" - Molly Tanzer

Each story features an author's note at the end giving more insight into the inspiration behind what they wrote.

Overall this features many works from authors I had yet to read, it was a snippet into their style of writing. Lots of these stories were dark with a fantasy noir setting. As with many collections some stood out more than others.

I was drawn to this book mostly because it featured two f my favorite authors, Paul Tremblay and Josh Malerman, and promised dark fiction, including horror, inspired by the 8s and 90s era alternative music. However, almost none of the stories fell under what I know the subgenre of dark fiction to be, and there was only one story that really included any horror elements. Many of them are bleak or depressing, but the only real pervading theme is crime. After being unimpressed with the first three or four tales, I found myself repeatedly uninterested and skipping to the next entry without finishing, especially the real long ones. The only ones that really stood out to me were by Silvia Moreno-Garcia (the only true horror story), Paul Tremblay, Meg Gardiner, Paul Tremblay, and to a lesser degree, Brian Francis Slattery. The rest I could easily live without. A disappointing read me I'll call 2 stars, just because of those few stories.