Oliver strikes somewhere between [a:M.R. James|2995925|M.R. James|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1254798756p2/2995925.jpg] and [a:Robert Aickman|36998|Robert Aickman|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1420508217p2/36998.jpg]. His stories are not usually as enigmatic as Aickman but are often more than a clever entertainment like James. This is a solid 5 star collection that will not disappoint. Even the sentimental doesn’t become sappy. And oh can they be frightening.

Oliver is one of the few writers of “traditional” horror stories who seems to hearken back to what I call the classic era of the horror story; the kind you would see in Twilight Zone magazine, or Whispers, or Shadows. Why he doesn’t show up in more “Best of” anthologies is beyond me, well not really but I won’t go into that here. His writing is clever and literate to the point where it seems effortless, but it’s not. A real joy to read. Savor each tale. ( )