By Mario 
A Graveside Gallery: Tales of Ghosts and Dark Matters by Eric J Guignard
Cemetery Dance Publications 2025
A Horror Book Review by Mario Guslandi
Multiple award winner Eric J Guignard is a prolific, well known author and editor in the area of dark fiction. The present volume collects nineteen of his stories, previously appeared in various books and magazines.
Commenting upon each tale would be tedious, therefore, taking advantage of my privileges as a reviewer, I will focus on the stories which strike me as the more interesting.
“Penny’s Diner” is a very fine piece featuring a man who,driving in the middle of nowhere, stops at a diner where he discovers the truth about a recent occurrence.
“ The Telephone Game” is an ingenious tale where unlikely phone calls keep taking place, while “ If I Drive Before I Wake” is the nightmarish account of what happens when driving an electric autonomous car out of control.
The very unusual “ A Stroke of Death” is about a painter whose work elicits untoward events in real life ,while “Ommetaphobia” is yet another unconventional story where a man born blind inexplicably regains his eyesight with unforseen consequences.
The bizzarre and violent “ Perchance to Dream in Voices of a Fiend” full of violent, deathly creatures is hard to describe but totally enticing.
My own favorite is the extraordinary “ Incident at the Red Hawk Road”, an outstanding, very dark tale describing the tragic encounter between a psychic working in a circus and the murderous owner of a gas station set in the middle of nowhere.
These are just a few examples of what Guignard has in store for the readers.
Secure a copy and you won’t regret it.
A Graveside Gallery: Tales of Ghosts and Dark Matters by Eric J Guignard
From hauntingsand oblivion to monsters, murder, and anthropomorphism, A Graveside Gallery: Tales of Ghosts and Dark Matters, by award-winning author Eric J. Guignard, explores the literary odd and macabre that reside in the vast shadows of our existence.
In “A Kingdom of Skulls and Marigolds,” a gay Hispanic teen in 1950s Los Angeles, mourning the loss of a friend, has a chance to make amends during Day of the Dead.
In “Bummin’ to the Beat of the Road,” a Beat-era youth leaves home to travel the land, only to find madness, murder, and the teeth of a new generation.
In “The Ascending Lights of Yu Lan,” an embittered sailor in 1917’s San Francisco Wharf encounters an immigrant from China who offers peace from ghosts.
In “Perchance to Dream in Voices of a Fiend,” an intimate epilogue is suggested to the famous novel Frankenstein, offering a more hopeful closure to the characters’ lives.
…and fifteen masterful others.
Visit Eric J. Guignard’s second collection and behold that which is captivating, startling, and darkly enriching.
Further Reading
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One of the standout features of the horror book review section is its diversity. Readers can discover everything from classic horror novels to contemporary indie gems, ensuring that there’s something for everyone. Each review is thoughtfully penned, providing not just a summary but also a deep dive into the themes, writing style, and overall atmosphere of the works. This allows readers to gauge whether a particular book aligns with their preferences.
For those passionate about horror literature, checking out this section is a must!
Jim Mcleod 
Tony Jones