Book 27 of 2010: In the Closet, Under the Bed by Lee Thomas

Lee Thomas' latest horror anthology, In the Closet, Under the Bed, contains fifteen short stories. Six had been printed before, but were new to me. As David Thomas Lord mentions in the foreward of this collection, the title plays a bit on two things... one, the "monster in the closet", or "boogeyman" as many people call it and two, the fact that many people keep certain aspects of themselves hidden in the closet. The most obvious example of this is dealing with one's sexuality, as some people are afraid to "come out of the closet" due to the fear of how they will be accepted in society, and especially by their own family and friends. Thomas provides us with numerous examples of this, as well as many other horrors that everyday people face. Several stories in this collection stood out to me- they were all extremely dark and lyrical, and deeply meaningful. "All the Faces Change" tells the tale of Tim, who runs into an old high school buddy, who he once shared a kiss with. Tim has hidden this fact and his feelings regarding it, and moved on with his life. However, after this "chance meeting" with his old friend, he now realizes that as much as he tries to hide his true self due to fear, it will always be a part of him. "The Good and Gone" provides us with a glimpse into the hospitalized Max Evans, who is not allowed to get out of bed. While lying in the hospital bored, he decides to play a childhood game his grandma taught him called 'The Good and Gone'. The game allows him to shut his eyes and while concentrating, allows him to "leave his body" and go visit other areas. In doing so, he manages to follow a Mr. Gohling back to his house and gets trapped inside only to discover the horrors going on within said house. Thomas mixes in also several stories tied to internet dating. My favorite of these titles was "Crack Smokin' Grandpa", not only for a catchy title, but also because it explores how hard it is to know whether you are actually meeting the person one says they are at the other end of the computer or if said person is actually taking on another's identity. This seems to be one of the scariest things out there in today's society. I've only mentioned a few choice stories from this collection, but all were enjoyable for one reason or another, and will truly make the reader think deeply while immersed in each story. I highly recommend this book to any library collection as it is a great addition, especially for those that are trying to expand their gay fiction as this would be included within the sub-genre, gay horror fiction.

Contents:
* Foreword by David Thomas Lord
* All the Faces Change
* An Apiary of White Bees
* Healer
* Dislocation
* They Would Say She Danced
* Shelter
* The Good and Gone
* Appetite of the Cyber Tribes
* Crack Smokin’ Grandpa
* Anthem of the Estranged
* I Know You’re There
* Down to Sleep
* I’m Your Violence
* Tears to Rust
* The Tattered Boy
* Afterword by Michael Rowe

Contains: Adult Language, Adult Situations, Violence, Gay Themes

Review also posted at http://monsterlibrarian.com