🐙 Cosmic Horror

Strange Frequencies: A Short Story Collection

✍️ Richard Clive
Reader Score
4.6
(1 review)
$20.99
In stock — ready to ship Ships in 1–2 business days
📚 WHAT THE BOOK IS ABOUT

Eleven horror stories exploring guilt, hell, and cosmic dread by Richard Clive.

This debut collection examines how personal regrets shape reality for various protagonists. Clive uses different horror subgenres to explore these themes. The World War One pilot represents historical trauma. The New York mobster illustrates impending doom. The nursing home resident depicts mental decay. Each story builds toward a realization that Hell is self-made. The author blends gore with psychological tension effectively. Mark Morris praises the variety and compelling nature of the work. This approach distinguishes Clive from other debut authors in the field. The stories do not rely on single tropes but shift between cosmic horror and supernatural thriller elements. This variety keeps the reader engaged despite the dark subject matter. The collection stands as a strong introduction to Clive’s writing style.

Key Themes
World War One guilt New York mobster execution Elderly mental decay
Literary Context

Strange Frequencies sits within the contemporary horror landscape, drawing on Lovecraftian cosmic horror traditions and splatterpunk gore. Published by Crystal Lake Publishing in 2025, it reflects modern interests in psychological dread and visceral imagery.

Difficulty
●●● Challenging
Recommended For Fans Of
H.P. Lovecraft · Thomas Ligotti · Poppy Z. Brite
🐙
Cosmic Horror
🏛 Crystal Lake Publishing 📅 2025 🌐 English 📔 Hardcover ISBN: 9781964398525
📚 This Book in Collections

📝 Description: Strange Frequencies: A Short Story Collection

Richard Clive presents a collection of eleven distinct narratives in Strange Frequencies. The stories span diverse settings and psychological states. A World War One fighter pilot grapples with guilt. A New York mobster counts down to his execution. An elderly man loses his mind in a nursing home. These characters confront their regrets and the idea that individuals construct their own Hell. Clive’s prose varies from Lovecraftian cosmic horror to fast-paced supernatural thrillers. The text features splatterpunk gore, ghostly revenants, and hellish monsters. Mark Morris notes that Clive’s stories are refreshingly varied and compelling. He suggests readers watch this author’s future work. The collection is published by Crystal Lake Publishing under the Sinister Smile Press imprint. These tales linger in memory long after reading. This book suits fans of visceral horror and psychological dread. It may not appeal to those seeking lighthearted supernatural fiction or traditional romance. Clive establishes himself as a name to watch through this debut collection. The stories are organized to maximize impact, moving between different genres within the horror spectrum. Readers will encounter twisted tales that challenge their comfort zones. The narrative voice remains consistent in its darkness and intensity throughout the volume.

💎 Our verdict on Strange Frequencies: A Short Story Collection

“
🩸
Horror Reads editorial team
Horror desk
Richard Clive demonstrates impressive versatility in Strange Frequencies, weaving eleven distinct narratives that span cosmic horror and supernatural thriller genres. By focusing on characters confronting their own regrets, the author transforms personal guilt into a tangible, hellish reality. The prose successfully balances Lovecraftian dread with splatterpunk gore, creating a unique tonal blend. While the darkness is consistent and intense, the variety of settings—from World War One to New York mobsters—keeps the reading experience dynamic. This debut establishes Clive as a significant new voice in horror fiction.
✓ EDITOR'S REVIEW

📖 Why choose it

📖

Why this book is worth reading

Fans of visceral horror and psychological dread will find this collection deeply engaging due to its variety and intensity. Richard Clive effectively uses distinct subgenres to explore universal themes of guilt, regret, and self-made hell. The shifting narrative styles prevent monotony, keeping readers on edge as they move from historical trauma to impending doom and mental decay. Those who appreciate gore balanced with psychological tension will gain much from this debut. It serves as a strong introduction to Clive’s dark voice, offering twisted tales that challenge comfort zones without relying on tired tropes.

⭐ Reader reviews

The starting rating comes from the team Horror Reads —

Reader rating

4.6
Based on 1 reviews
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Horror Reads editorial team

Richard Clive demonstrates impressive versatility in Strange Frequencies, weaving eleven distinct narratives that span cosmic horror and supernatural thriller genres. By focusing on characters confronting their own regrets, the author transforms personal guilt into a tangible, hellish reality. The prose successfully balances Lovecraftian dread with splatterpunk gore, creating a unique tonal blend. While the darkness is consistent and intense, the variety of settings—from World War One to New York mobsters—keeps the reading experience dynamic. This debut establishes Clive as a significant new voice in horror fiction.

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