Review: Footsteps in the Dark: Stories of the Bizarre and Unusual by Carlo Armenise

Although a collection of short stories, Carlo Armenise has managed to make Footsteps in the Dark: Stories of the Bizarre and Unusual a cohesive whole by creating an atmosphere that radiates through each page. Without delving into exaggeration or fantasy, Armenise has managed to capture what we all fear lurking in the shadows, providing a visceral experience for any reader.

The stories deal with a range of topics, from transference of consciousness to dialogues on evil itself. Reminiscent of Stephen King’s short stories, every story focuses on the human element; these are real, flawed characters who we can all relate to, which makes these terrifying situations all the more immediate and terrifying.

A notable achievement is the range of tones that are used. The fact Armenise is able to at times pull a smile across your face shows a real diversity in style. What is especially clever in Armenise’s narrative is the idea of every chapter being “steps.” Upon finishing each story, the reader gets a sense that they are moving closer and closer to something unknown – a macro story to this collection of short stories, which gives each story a compelling throughline. Impressively, Armenise is able to sustain suspense not just through each individual story but for the book as a whole.

The main criticism of the book are in the set-up to his twists, which are labored in some places so you can see what’s coming. Additionally, while the book could be seen at times to be an homage to “The Twilight Zone,” sometimes the similarities run a little close. It would be too far to class the book as fan-fiction but there are points, if you’re familiar with the series, where one gets a strange sense of déjà vu. However, for some readers, this could actually be a selling point. Overall, Armenise has a sense of the bizarre all his own, and the level of the prose makes up for these weaker moments.

The writing manages to be both lean and intricate, with no extraneous detail that can slow down the pace of the story. This is especially important for horror fiction, where what you don’t see on the page can be as important as what you do, giving readers the space to consider the worst. Armenise particularly excels in this area, not only with scene description, but with emotion and character development. To do so within the confines of a short story takes real craft, and the book has a fine balance of space, poetic prose, and detail.

Because of its range of tones and subjects, the collection could be classified as horror, but it also defies genre, and has stories that could please most anyone – from rabid horror fans to those who might not consider a scary read. At once unsettling and revealing, Footsteps in the Dark is a deftly constructed collection that brings to life not only three-dimensional, believable characters, but also stories of the bizarre and paranormal that are eerily believable.