I picked this up on the strength of Ellen Datlow comparing the author to a modern James, and was not disappointed. The author uses a subtle horror - the kind of sensation one might get from returning home and finding things had moved slightly - and tragedy/grief to convey the power in his stories. ( )

no spoilers!

If you only buy the book for two stories in it, it's worth the price. These are Mr. Dark's Carnival and Dancing Men.

If you're looking for the traditional kind of ghost story, then you'll like Mr. Dark's Carnival the best of them all.
"Mr. Dark's Carnival." Set in Montana, it is told from the perspective of a local college professor who has visited every "carnival," kind of like a haunted house, over a period of years. In the town he lives in, there is a legendary one called "Mr. Dark's Carnival," one that is supposedly the most horrible and realistic of them all. Mr. Dark's Carnival is, however, by invitation only. This is the year he finally receives his invitation; he goes and well, I can't tell you or I'll ruin it.

The second story that is my favorite, is "The Dancing Men," about a dying man who summons his grandson to his deathbed. This fact alone is strange; he and his family have been estranged for some time. Anyway, the boy goes as he is told, and becomes a part of a bizarre ritual that dates back to the grandfather's days as a victim of the Holocaust. Again, I can't say more, because I don't want to ruin the surprise of it all.

As with every collection of ghost stories, some are much scarier than others and you will find your own favorites. But you will like this writer's work very much regardless of which story becomes your favorite. ( )