What's in your closet? is a question that the Dark Scribe Press anthology Unspeakable Horror: From the Shadows of the Closet seems to beg. Edited by Vince Liaguno and Chad Helder, this anthology strikes me as one of the finer works of horror with the sensibility to understand the struggles of a homosexual's daily life. But really, the stories in this anthology (some of them brilliant) aren't as much about understanding a homosexual's life as understanding the pain and horror for those who are still in the closet. Before I expand on this, I'll offer a quick rundown of the anthology. Unspeakable offers work from established writers and fresh faces in horror including Chad Helder, CJ Lines, Jameson Currier, Jan Van Laenen, Jude Wright, Joy Marchand, Elissa Malcolm, Gary McMahon, Michelle Scalise, LA Fields, Kevin W Reardon, Michael Jacker, Reese Brown, Lisa Morton, Rick R Reed, Lee Thomas Livia Llewellyn, C Michael Cook, Erin McKay, Christopher Fox, Scott Nicholson, Kealan Patrick Burke and Sarah Langan.

First impressions are everything, which is why a new reader might pick up Unspeakable believing that it is strictly for a gay readership. The truth is that any horror fan can enjoy this book. Each story offers the same horror quotient as your favorite authors while covering a wide range of issues important to gay readers and their loved ones. For example, youthful experimentation ("The Boys of Bald Cave") and the psychological damage from being trapped in the closet ("The Memory Box") and exchanging un-closeted freedom for status and career ("Double Walker") are all covered. Lee Thomas' "I'm Your Violence" covers the scourge of pedophilia from a more unique angle than any I've ever seen. Another standout story is Gary McMahon's "The Shallows" which covers the notion of homosexuality as a treatable illness. "A Letter from Phoenix" by Kealan Patrick Burke offers a very clever twist regarding homosexuals as outsiders. Another positive in the anthology is its take on classic literature. "Cask" by Jude Wright offers a re-imagining of Poe's "Cask of Amontillado."

The aforementioned stories will likely encourage readers to reevaluate the true terror of 'the closet.' Ordinary people face imminent danger when they come out of the closet. Alternatively, someone staying in the closet for too long runs the risk of losing their mind. Anyone who wants to know why a 'closet' theme should possess such gravity, or why Liaguno and Helder are so successful in producing a genuinely frightening anthology, should consider their own secrets, and the terrors they might face if those secrets ever leaked out.

Like many anthologies, Unspeakable does include a tale or two that might leave the reader a tad confused. I would feel a bit guilty if I pointed out which ones, but it seems to me that a few tales simply don't have the great sense of purpose that even the moderately powerful stories in the anthology do. On the upside, not one story muddles the difference between gay themed literature and erotica. In fact, I would say that an anthology such as Unspeakable, along with Michael Rowe's Queer Fear anthologies, will be an excellent reference tool for anyone who wants to better understand gay horror.

In reflecting on this book, I'm reminded of how much fine work is being produced by the indie press. Liaguno and Helder, to their credit, took their time in producing the finest anthology possible, and the finished product doesn't disappoint. On the whole, Unspeakable is a highly recommended read for all horror fans, as it offers something for everyone. Lovers of the dark, the literary, the gruesome, and even the disgusting, will find something to treasure. Go check 'er out!