Parallel Hells

For fans of Daisy Johnson and Kirsty Logan, a gothic short story collection for winter nights from an emerging voice in British literary fiction

''The short twisted tales . . . have a laconic elegance that''s both chilling and pleasurable'' Financial Times

''Trust me: you want to read this. It''s the queer horror book of your dreams'' Kirsty Logan

Irresistibly strange and inventive, Parallel Hells is a collection of dark and delightful stories that blends folklore and gothic horror with a contemporary twist.

A golem discovers its powers far exceed its Creator''s expectations. An ancient creature, who feasts on the shame of modern-day Londoners, struggles to fit in with friends they will long outlive. And an Oxford historian discovers an antique tome that may help her overcome her academic rivals.

In this deliciously macabre debut collection, Leon Craig explores queer identity, power, love and the painful complexities of being human in startling new ways.

''A glorious collection of short stories that reads as if Edgar Allan Poe and Shirley Jackson had a little queer baby . . . It is such a fresh and playful approach to storytelling that you cannot help but be totally enamoured with Craig''s abilities.'' Big Issue