-25%

📖 Have you read this book?

Your review can inspire others to read it

🩸 Horror Fiction −25%

Dark Tales

Name: Dark Tales
Price: 18.00 USD
Availability: InStock
ISBN: 9780143132004

✍️ Shirley Jackson

Reader Score

4.6

(2 reviews)

$18.00 ~~$24.00~~ Save $6.00 (25%)

In stock — ready to ship Ships in 1–2 business days

📚 WHAT THE BOOK IS ABOUT

A collection of Shirley Jackson's most unsettling short stories exploring suburban dread.

The volume presents a curated selection of fiction that challenges the reader’s sense of security in ordinary environments. Jackson uses her prose to expose the hidden violence and paranoia lurking beneath polite society. The inclusion of The Possibility of Evil and The Summer People alongside other works provides a comprehensive look at her ability to twist the mundane into the macabre. Ottessa Moshfegh’s foreword contextualizes these tales within Jackson’s broader legacy as a writer who mastered the art of psychological horror. The text does not offer comfort but rather an immersion into a world where neighbors and family members may harbor dangerous secrets.

Key Themes

suburban paranoia domestic horror psychological unease

Literary Context

This collection reflects the mid-twentieth-century American literary landscape, specifically following the 1948 publication of The Lottery in the New Yorker. It sits within the tradition of Gothic and supernatural fiction, drawing on the era's fascination with the darkness hidden within everyday suburban life and small-town dynamics.

Shirley Jackson

📚 all books by this author (81) →

Difficulty

●● Medium

Recommended For Fans Of

Henry James' ghost stories · M.R. James' tales

🩸

Horror Fiction

🏛 Penguin Classics 📅 2017 📖 208 pages 🌐 English 📔 Paperback ISBN: 9780143132004

📚 This Book in Collections

👹 Monsters & Creature Features

📝 Description: Dark Tales

Shirley Jackson established her reputation as a master of horror following the widespread attention received by her short story The Lottery in 1948. This Penguin Classics volume gathers her most unsettling tales into a single collection, featuring both classic works and newly reprinted stories such as The Possibility of Evil and The Summer People. A foreword by Ottessa Moshfegh, a PEN/Hemingway Award winner, introduces the reader to this darkened world where nothing remains as it seems. Jackson’s narratives strip away the safety of familiar settings to reveal sinister undercurrents in everyday life. Her characters navigate scenarios where a routine commute becomes a nightmarish game of hide and seek, while a loving wife conceals homicidal thoughts. The collection spans various locations, from city streets and crumbling country piles to small-town apartments and dark woods, demonstrating that nowhere is truly safe. Suburbia holds its own share of dread within these pages. This book suits readers who enjoy psychological unease and the disruption of domestic tranquility. It appeals to those interested in mid-twentieth-century American literature and the gothic tradition. Readers seeking lighthearted escapism or traditional monster-driven plots may find the tone too restrained. The stories rely on subtle dread rather than overt gore, making them ideal for fans of Jackson’s specific brand of suburban terror.

💎 Our verdict on Dark Tales

“

🩸

Horror Reads editorial team

Horror desk

This volume stands as a testament to Shirley Jackson’s mastery of psychological horror, stripping away the safety of familiar settings to reveal sinister undercurrents in everyday life. The inclusion of works like 'The Possibility of Evil' and 'The Summer People' alongside a foreword by Ottessa Moshfegh contextualizes these tales within her broader legacy. However, it is not for everyone. Readers seeking lighthearted escapism or traditional monster-driven plots may find the tone too restrained and unsettling. The stories rely on paranoia and hidden secrets rather than jump scares, making them ideal for those who enjoy slow-burn dread. While it offers no comfort, it provides a powerful immersion into a world where nowhere is truly safe, demanding patience from readers who prefer overt action over subtle psychological tension.

✓ EDITOR'S REVIEW

📖 Why choose it

📖

Why this book is worth reading

Readers who appreciate psychological unease and the subtle unraveling of domestic tranquility will find profound value in this volume. It appeals to those interested in mid-twentieth-century American literature and the gothic tradition, offering a masterclass in how the mundane can be twisted into the macabre. The collection provides a comprehensive look at Jackson’s ability to expose hidden violence beneath polite society without relying on overt gore. For fans of subtle dread and stories where neighbors harbor dangerous secrets, this book offers an immersive experience that challenges one’s sense of security in ordinary environments. It is ideal for those who enjoy narratives where routine commutes become nightmarish games and loving spouses conceal homicidal thoughts, providing a stark contrast to lighthearted escapism.

⭐ Reader reviews

The starting rating comes from the team Horror Reads —

⭐ HorrorReads editorial review Editorial rating 4.6/5

★★★★★

Seek out Jackson if you crave psychological dread where the mundane turns malicious. Perfect for fans of Gothic atmosphere and suburban horror. Avoid this if you prefer clear-cut villains or lighthearted escapism; her subtle, lingering terror may unsettle those seeking simple thrills.

Reader rating

4.6

Based on 2 reviews

Diana V.

December 8, 2025

Dread done right

This has been on my wishlist for months. The setting is practically a character, and a hostile one. My only regret is not ordering it sooner.

❓ Frequently asked questions

Yes, it shares that same unsettling tone and focus on ordinary settings turning sinister, but offers a broader range of stories exploring domestic and psychological dread.

This edition features both her classic tales and newly reprinted stories like The Possibility of Evil, providing a comprehensive look at her career alongside a foreword by Ottessa Moshfegh.

📖 Who should read this

📜 Historical context

Shirley Jackson’s work stands as a pivotal bridge between mid-century American literature and modern psychological horror. By subverting domestic tranquility, she exposed the grotesque beneath suburban safety, influencing countless contemporary authors who explore the uncanny in everyday spaces. This collection preserves her legacy as a master of subtle, chilling unease.