The five stories of The New Inn Hall Deception explore the threatening and unexplained at the edge of experience.
In the long title story, venial misdemeanours in an Oxford college and a Fenland church open the gates of guilt and death. The four shorter tales continue the theme: a schoolboy hate is rekindled with terrible consequences on the South Downs; a singular bequest exerts its own form of malevolence; an antiquary takes precautions against that which comes after him; and there is an ambiguous encounter in the twilight of a forgotten place.
The New Inn Hall Deception follows John Gaskin’s three previous collections of ‘Tales of Twilight and Borderlands’, augmenting the author’s reputation as a master of atmospheric, disturbing fiction.
Contains: ‘Preface’, ‘The New Inn Hall Deception’, ‘Near Berwick’, ‘Conditions’, ‘Faces in a Garden’, ‘Deadwater’, ‘Sources’.
Reviews
'Gaskin is subtle and indirect in his approach to the uncanny, and the rich atmosphere he builds in his stories makes them enjoyable for fans of classic weird tales.' Publishers Weekly.
'...the book provides
further evidence of Gaskin's enticing storytelling skill and of his
ability to create subtly unnerving atmospheres.' Mario Guslandi, SFRevu.
'The book is impressive to hold, its dark stories intriguing to read.' Aurealis 125