In the second half of our live season finale, we're once again joined by the incredible Robert Shearman, this time discussing his jaw-droppingly brilliant short story 'The Sixteenth Step'. Enjoy :)

This concludes Season One of The Ultimate Horror Anthology. We hope you've enjoyed listening to the show as much as we've enjoyed producing it. If you want to be the first to know what delights Seaosn 2 will have in store, and when new episodes will be dropping, please head on over to Patreon.com/ultimatehorroranthology and use the 'join for free' option. If you want the opportunity to help shape the subjects of future shows, and even attend future recording sessions with Jasper and Kit, in return for a small monthly donation to running costs, check out the Patreon paid subscriptions.

Have a great rest of the year, and we're looking forward to bringing you much more in-depth short horror chat in 2025 :)

In the first part of our live Season One finale, we're joined by our first guest, the wonderful Robert Shearman. In this episode, we're discussing Rob's choice for the Ultimate Horror Anthology, Pig, but Roald Dahl. Enjoy us picking apart why the critics have this story badly wrong, Dahl's legacy and style, and what makes Pig such a genuinely shocking reading experience.

In the next episode, the final of Season One, Rob, Jasper and Kit discuss Rob's incredible short story, The Sixteenth Step. If you want to (re) read it in advance of that episode, it can be found as story 16 in Rob's jaw-droppingly brilliant We All Hear Stories In The Dark, which can be purchased here:https://pspublishing.co.uk/we-all-hear-stories-in-the-dark-trade-paperback-set-by-robert-shearman-5068-p.asp

Enjoying the show? Want to hear next week's episode now, or just find out what we're planning for subsequent seasons? Head over to https://www.patreon.com/UltimateHorrorAnthology - free membership will give you instant access to our Season One show listing and schedule, as well as developing news related to the show, and paid membership will release the following week's episode now! Even more perks available at higher levels! Check it out!

In our final studio recording of the season, Jasper explains to Kit why Tanith Lee's super-efficient dark fantasy story These Beasts absolutely belongs in The Ultimate Horror Anthology. Kit is very much persuaded. Expect discussion of the intersections of 'weird' fantasy and horror, stories written in the spirit of the aural tradition of storytelling, lengthy deconstruction of the elements that go into the perfect twist ending, and much, much more.

In our next episode, the first part of our season finale, we'll be sharing a live conversation with Robert Shearman, recorded earlier this year at the Edgelit genre fiction festival in Derby. In the first part, Rob tells us why Roald Dahl's tale Pig belongs in The Ultimate Horror Anthology. If you'd like to read the story ahead of hearing the discussion, you can find it here:

UK: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Pig-Roald-Dahl-Short-Story-ebook/dp/B008QXLDTA/

US: https://www.amazon.com/Pig-Roald-Dahl-Short-Story-ebook/dp/B008QXLDTA/

In this episode, Kit and Jasper make an impassioned case for expanding the definition of the 'horror' label, using Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's short story The Adventure Of The Copper Beeches as an object lesson in how horror (in this case, specifically gothic horror) can be found lurking in a piece of classic detective literature. Expect digressions on the nature of The Gothic as a horror trope, the 'Indiana Jones' protagonist effect (and why it's often misunderstood as 'bad' storytelling), Watson's combat medic background, and much more. Enjoy!

In the next episode, they'll be discussing Tannith Lee's short story These Beasts. If you want to (re) read it in advance of that episode, it can be found in this anthology (alongside Brian Lumley's The Viaduct, which we discussed back in episode 2):

https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/1510736441 (UK)

https://www.amazon.com/Mammoth-Book-Nightmare-Stories-Twisted/dp/1510736441 (US)

Enjoying the show? Want to hear next week's episode now, or just find out what we've got planned for the rest of the season? Head over to https://www.patreon.com/UltimateHorrorAnthology - free membership will give you instant access to our Season one show listing and schedule, as well as developing news related to the show, and paid membership will release the following week's episode now! Even more perks available at higher levels! Check it out!

CW: Discussion of child sexual exploitation/abuse.

In this episode, Kit and Jasper take on Georgina Bruce's powerful, furious, devastating 2019 story Catworld. We go deep on theme, structure, ambiguity done right - and the brilliance of a story that supports multiple valid readings. We get into some tough territory here, as does the story, so listener discretion is advised.

Next week, we'll be covering Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's 1982 tale The Adventure of the Copper Beeches. No, really.

If you want to (re)familiarise yourself with the tale ahead of the show, you can pick up the story here (lots of other buying options available):

UK: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Adventures-sherlock-Holmes-Arthur-Conan/dp/B0B14CRCVH/

US: https://www.amazon.com/Adventures-sherlock-Holmes-Arthur-Conan/dp/B0B14CRCVH/

This week, Jasper revisits a childhood 'classic', R. Chetwynd-Hayes 1976 tale The Humgoo (from the anthology The Monster Club). Learn why this had such a seismic impact on a young Jasper's fragile little mind, and hear Kit gradually being won over from a place of scepticism to one of appreciation.

Next week's episode will cover Georgina Bruce's Catworld, from her superbly wrenching 2019 collection This House Of Wounds. That's recently sadly been announced to be going out of print, but you may still be able to grab a copy if you're quick:

UK: https://www.amazon.co.uk/This-House-Wounds-Georgina-Bruce/dp/1988964091/

US: https://www.amazon.com/This-House-Wounds-Georgina-Bruce/dp/1988964105/

Enjoying the show? Want to hear next week's episode now, or just find out what we've got planned for the rest of the season? Head over to https://www.patreon.com/UltimateHorrorAnthology - free membership will give you instant access to our Season one show listing and schedule, as well as developing news related to the show, and paid membership will release the following week's episode now! Even more perks available at higher levels! Check it out!

In this week's episode, Jasper rhapsodises about Lisa Tuttle in general, and the story Whie Ladies Grave (from her 2002 collection Ghosts and Other Lovers) in particular. Find out why Jasper thinks this specific, somewhat unremarked Tuttle story is actually a stone classic, and enjoy Kit audibly wrestling with his embarrassment that this is his first encounter with Tuttle's work. Enjoy :)

Next week, we'll be covering R. Chetwynd-Hayes 1976 tale The Humgoo (from the anthology The Monster Club). If you want to read the story in advance of listening to the episode, you can pick it up here:

UK: https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B00G08422I/

US: https://www.amazon.com/Monster-Club-R-Chetwynd-Hayes/dp/1939140765/

Enjoying the show? Want to hear next week's episode now, or just find out what we've got planned for the rest of the season? Head over to https://www.patreon.com/UltimateHorrorAnthology - free membership will give you instant access to our Season one show listing and schedule, as well as developing news related to the show, and paid membership will release the following week's episode now! Even more perks available at higher levels! Check it out!

This week, Kit and Jasper enthuse over the tale that closes out Laura Mauro's extraordinary 2019 collection Sing Your Sadness Deep. Expect deep analysis of otherness and othering, magical realism, inventiveness, and some deep explorations into the themes of parental loss and grief. Heavy, but good stuff.

Next week's episode will cover White Ladies Grave by Lisa Tuttle. If you'd like to get to grips with this superb story in advance of the episode, you can find it in her 2002 collection Ghosts and Other Lovers:

UK: https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B00DOZ6IDG/

US: https://www.amazon.com/Ghosts-Other-Lovers-Short-Collection-ebook/dp/B00DOZ6IDG/

Enjoying the show? Want to hear next week's episode now, or just find out what we've got planned for the rest of the season? Head over to https://www.patreon.com/UltimateHorrorAnthology - free membership will give you instant access to our Season one show listing and schedule, as well as developing news related to the show, and paid membership will release the following week's episode now! Even more perks available at higher levels! Check it out!