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Night and Day
New York Times bestselling author John Connolly, “one of the best thriller writers we have” (Harlan Coben, #1 New York Times bestselling author), returns with a shivery collection of supernatural tales.
Filled with eerie surprises and dark delights, Night and Day takes us from the dusty shelves of an uncanny library filled with fictional characters to a bunker deep beneath the earth where scientists seek revenge on old Nazis; from an English marsh haunted by a mother and her son to a country house where a grieving widower finds comfort from a most unlikely source. Concluding with the author’s account of how an obscure horror film brought him closer to his lost father, and how nostalgia can help to keep us sane, this is a collection that will move, entertain, and keep you reading late into the night.
Filled with eerie surprises and dark delights, Night and Day takes us from the dusty shelves of an uncanny library filled with fictional characters to a bunker deep beneath the earth where scientists seek revenge on old Nazis; from an English marsh haunted by a mother and her son to a country house where a grieving widower finds comfort from a most unlikely source. Concluding with the author’s account of how an obscure horror film brought him closer to his lost father, and how nostalgia can help to keep us sane, this is a collection that will move, entertain, and keep you reading late into the night.
368 pages, Paperback
Published October 22, 2024
About the author
John Connolly
129 books7,544 followersJohn Connolly was born in Dublin, Ireland in 1968 and has, at various points in his life, worked as a journalist, a barman, a local government official, a waiter and a dogsbody at Harrods department store in London. He studied English in Trinity College, Dublin and journalism at Dublin City University, subsequently spending five years working as a freelance journalist for The Irish Times newspaper, to which he continues to contribute.
He is based in Dublin but divides his time between his native city and the United States.
This page is administered by John's assistant, Clair, on John's behalf. If you'd like to communicate with John directly, you can do so by writing to contact-at-johnconnollybooks.com, or by following him on Twitter at @JConnollyBooks.
Librarian Note: There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name. See other authors with similar names.
He is based in Dublin but divides his time between his native city and the United States.
This page is administered by John's assistant, Clair, on John's behalf. If you'd like to communicate with John directly, you can do so by writing to contact-at-johnconnollybooks.com, or by following him on Twitter at @JConnollyBooks.
Librarian Note: There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name. See other authors with similar names.
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Displaying 1 - 24 of 24 reviews
September 24, 2024
Okay, so first things first: When the blurb says that this collection of stories “conclud[es] with the author's account of how an obscure horror film brought him closer to his lost father,” we're literally talking about the entire second half of the book. The first half is short stories, the second half is a meandering nonfiction piece about a horror film that probably 98% of the people who will read this book have never seen. That's not necessarily a bad thing, I suppose, unless what you're hoping for is an entire book of Connolly's short stories (which are always fantastic).
And the short stories in Night and Day are indeed fantastic. They're sometimes spooky and sometimes funny, and they're always entertaining. There are two stories that revolve around the Caxton Private Lending Library & Book Depository, which is a very special sort of library. There are also monsters and bears and ghosts, and as someone who often doesn't really “get” short stories, I'm surprised by how much I enjoyed all of them (except I guess I'm also not really surprised, because I am a John Connolly fangirl).
The monograph about the obscure horror film Horror Express, however? Meh. It's fine, although I only made it about halfway through Part 2 before I started skimming a little … or, okay, maybe a lot. There's talk about Connolly's father and trains and airplanes and the people responsible for creating the film, and it's all decently interesting. It's obvious that Horror Express means a lot to the author. However, I have to confess that I would have much rather had another nine short stories instead. Sorry, John. If it's any consolation, The Book of Lost Things is still one of my top three favorite novels of all time.
So, yeah. If I were asked to write a TL;DR for this review, it'd probably go something like “great stories, too much nonfiction.” The stories are really well-written, however, and if you've enjoyed Connolly's previous story collections, you'll likely enjoy this one too. Just don't expect an entire book of short fiction, because that's definitely not what you're getting here.
My overall rating: Four stars - five shiny stars for the first half and three for the lengthy (and somewhat less entertaining) conclusion.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Atria/Emily Bestler Books for providing me with an advance copy of this book to review. Its expected publication date is October 22, 2024.
And the short stories in Night and Day are indeed fantastic. They're sometimes spooky and sometimes funny, and they're always entertaining. There are two stories that revolve around the Caxton Private Lending Library & Book Depository, which is a very special sort of library. There are also monsters and bears and ghosts, and as someone who often doesn't really “get” short stories, I'm surprised by how much I enjoyed all of them (except I guess I'm also not really surprised, because I am a John Connolly fangirl).
The monograph about the obscure horror film Horror Express, however? Meh. It's fine, although I only made it about halfway through Part 2 before I started skimming a little … or, okay, maybe a lot. There's talk about Connolly's father and trains and airplanes and the people responsible for creating the film, and it's all decently interesting. It's obvious that Horror Express means a lot to the author. However, I have to confess that I would have much rather had another nine short stories instead. Sorry, John. If it's any consolation, The Book of Lost Things is still one of my top three favorite novels of all time.
So, yeah. If I were asked to write a TL;DR for this review, it'd probably go something like “great stories, too much nonfiction.” The stories are really well-written, however, and if you've enjoyed Connolly's previous story collections, you'll likely enjoy this one too. Just don't expect an entire book of short fiction, because that's definitely not what you're getting here.
My overall rating: Four stars - five shiny stars for the first half and three for the lengthy (and somewhat less entertaining) conclusion.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Atria/Emily Bestler Books for providing me with an advance copy of this book to review. Its expected publication date is October 22, 2024.
October 1, 2024
ARC for review. To be published October 22, 2024.
This is an odd one. We’ve got nine short stories and then the author’s honor’s thesis which takes up a full half of the book.
First the stories. As always with a batch of stories this was a mixed bag, but there were a couple I thought were strong, including one that relates a surprising encounter with a bear called, “The Bear,” and another that recounts a new way to deal with war criminals in “Abelman’s Line.”
Now for the weirdness, the author’s four part dissertation on a B-horror movie he saw as a lad, “Horror Express” (1972). This is a deep, deep, DEEP dive into the movie’s themes, the full careers of the stars and the studios involved and the whys, whens and hows of its importance to him. And then, after the first two sections, he wants you to watch the movie before reading the last two sections.
Fellow readers, I did it. I am that girl. I plowed my way through those first two sections, at times propping my eyelids open at noon, and then my sucker self paid ACTUAL U.S. DOLLARS ($1.99) to download the movie on YouTube and I watched before I read the last two section. I will give you a moment for you to applaud/laugh at me in your head. Thank you.
The movie? Well, to quote critic Tom Milne, “as bad horror films go….it isn’t all that bad.” I have certainly seen worse. Now, don’t get Tom and me wrong, it was bad, but it could have been much worse. It stars Christopher Lee, Peter Cushing and Telly Savalas who is chewing scenery and almost visibly spitting it out. I won’t spoil it more than that.
I honestly don’t know what to say about the book. If you are curious, read it. If you don’t stop for the film it won’t take more than a few hours.
This is an odd one. We’ve got nine short stories and then the author’s honor’s thesis which takes up a full half of the book.
First the stories. As always with a batch of stories this was a mixed bag, but there were a couple I thought were strong, including one that relates a surprising encounter with a bear called, “The Bear,” and another that recounts a new way to deal with war criminals in “Abelman’s Line.”
Now for the weirdness, the author’s four part dissertation on a B-horror movie he saw as a lad, “Horror Express” (1972). This is a deep, deep, DEEP dive into the movie’s themes, the full careers of the stars and the studios involved and the whys, whens and hows of its importance to him. And then, after the first two sections, he wants you to watch the movie before reading the last two sections.
Fellow readers, I did it. I am that girl. I plowed my way through those first two sections, at times propping my eyelids open at noon, and then my sucker self paid ACTUAL U.S. DOLLARS ($1.99) to download the movie on YouTube and I watched before I read the last two section. I will give you a moment for you to applaud/laugh at me in your head. Thank you.
The movie? Well, to quote critic Tom Milne, “as bad horror films go….it isn’t all that bad.” I have certainly seen worse. Now, don’t get Tom and me wrong, it was bad, but it could have been much worse. It stars Christopher Lee, Peter Cushing and Telly Savalas who is chewing scenery and almost visibly spitting it out. I won’t spoil it more than that.
I honestly don’t know what to say about the book. If you are curious, read it. If you don’t stop for the film it won’t take more than a few hours.
Shelved as 'dreaded-dnf'
November 3, 2024I absolutely adored the fictional stories here, especially the ones related to the Caxton Library. However, this book ends with a long-ish non fiction piece that was just not working for me at the time, and it's not working now. I may come back to it at another time, but for the time being I've DNFed. No rating, no review.
October 13, 2024
I enjoyed the short stories in here, and once again, John Connolly has proven to be a very entertaining author. However, I was not super keen on the essay that took up a lot of the latter part of the book. Probably it’s because I never saw the movie he was talking about, but I wanted to give a heads up to others that might not find it to be their thing, either.
My favorite story was the one about the entity in the dining room of a recently-purchased house. So spooky and interesting!
My thanks to NetGalley and Atria/Emily Bestler Books for the eARC. I am writing this review voluntarily.
My favorite story was the one about the entity in the dining room of a recently-purchased house. So spooky and interesting!
My thanks to NetGalley and Atria/Emily Bestler Books for the eARC. I am writing this review voluntarily.
November 6, 2024
John Connolly’s latest story collection is literally a mixed bag. Half the book is made up of nine short stories while the second half of the book contains his Phd thesis written on a film, The Horror Express, that was important to him as a young boy and, perhaps, in his development as writer. Among the stories are two more involving the Caxton Private Lending Library & Book Depository which I enjoy. There is also Abelman’s Line, a sci fi tale that reminded me of Stanislaw Lem’s writing. I enjoyed all of the stories, most featuring gothic or ghostly subjects.
Then on reaching the halfway point, the nature of the writing changes to what Connolly calls his monograph titled The Horror Express. Some of Connolly’s readers will find this an interesting read but others, expecting more of his stories, are apt to be disappointed. Some may well be enthralled. I found myself somewhere in the middle. This section deals with the horror movie which Connolly saw when he was young, with the genre of horror filmmaking especially in Europe in the mid to late 20th century, and some of his favorite actors and personalities involved. There does seem to be a strong relationship between his obvious interest in this movie genre and his chosen subjects for his novels. Personally, I do read and enjoy his Charlie Parker novels but I’m not as fascinated by the details of filmmaking. I did watch my share of creature double features when I was young, so I did appreciate learning how one of these films was actually made.
Rating 3.5* rounded to 3.
Thanks to Simon & Schuster and NetGalley for access to an eARC on this book.
Then on reaching the halfway point, the nature of the writing changes to what Connolly calls his monograph titled The Horror Express. Some of Connolly’s readers will find this an interesting read but others, expecting more of his stories, are apt to be disappointed. Some may well be enthralled. I found myself somewhere in the middle. This section deals with the horror movie which Connolly saw when he was young, with the genre of horror filmmaking especially in Europe in the mid to late 20th century, and some of his favorite actors and personalities involved. There does seem to be a strong relationship between his obvious interest in this movie genre and his chosen subjects for his novels. Personally, I do read and enjoy his Charlie Parker novels but I’m not as fascinated by the details of filmmaking. I did watch my share of creature double features when I was young, so I did appreciate learning how one of these films was actually made.
Rating 3.5* rounded to 3.
Thanks to Simon & Schuster and NetGalley for access to an eARC on this book.
November 3, 2024
Enjoyed the book. Great writer, often with creepy twists and turns in both his novels and short stories. Especially like the two stories featuring the Caxton Lending Library and Book Despository, a place where great novels - and the characters in them - go to dwell.
(Seriously, he needs to write an entire series about the Caxton! Or a novel. I love these!)
The stories:
And All the Graves and All the Ghosts: About a family moving into a new (old) house who learns to live with a 'presence,' or do they?
The Evenings with Evans: About a 'manservant' who just can't leave, but serves a tidy glass of wine.
The Mire at Fox Tor: Simple, elegant, creepiest of the lot. A quick, fast shot of horror-mit-treacle! (And yeah, I know what treacle is. Read it again.)
The Bear: Cute and comical but I liked it. A bear comes to vist - what next??
The Flaw: Second best! Classic creepiesness and you almost KNOW what will happen, but you have to keep reading to find out. A man looks out at an old henge - a series of stones arranged in a circle on his property - then receives a painting of the same thing. What. Will. Happen. (Read late at night with wine and a fire in the hearth.)
Our Friend Carlton: Kind of gangsta-guys get haunted. Weird but good.
The two Caxton stories: Lovely. Elegant. Quaint. Imaginative. A library for the characters - good and bad, ugly and not-so-ugly - to live in. Like I already said/wrote: wish Mr. Connolly would write an entire book about this!
So why four stars? Because I got bogged down in the very long article at the end which goes into a movie, 'The Horror Express,' that influenced/affected the writer. This goes on for a while, delves into why a writer writes what he writes about and similar. It sort of drags on...
I didn't finish that one, but the stories! Wunderbar!
Four stars.
(Seriously, he needs to write an entire series about the Caxton! Or a novel. I love these!)
The stories:
And All the Graves and All the Ghosts: About a family moving into a new (old) house who learns to live with a 'presence,' or do they?
The Evenings with Evans: About a 'manservant' who just can't leave, but serves a tidy glass of wine.
The Mire at Fox Tor: Simple, elegant, creepiest of the lot. A quick, fast shot of horror-mit-treacle! (And yeah, I know what treacle is. Read it again.)
The Bear: Cute and comical but I liked it. A bear comes to vist - what next??
The Flaw: Second best! Classic creepiesness and you almost KNOW what will happen, but you have to keep reading to find out. A man looks out at an old henge - a series of stones arranged in a circle on his property - then receives a painting of the same thing. What. Will. Happen. (Read late at night with wine and a fire in the hearth.)
Our Friend Carlton: Kind of gangsta-guys get haunted. Weird but good.
The two Caxton stories: Lovely. Elegant. Quaint. Imaginative. A library for the characters - good and bad, ugly and not-so-ugly - to live in. Like I already said/wrote: wish Mr. Connolly would write an entire book about this!
So why four stars? Because I got bogged down in the very long article at the end which goes into a movie, 'The Horror Express,' that influenced/affected the writer. This goes on for a while, delves into why a writer writes what he writes about and similar. It sort of drags on...
I didn't finish that one, but the stories! Wunderbar!
Four stars.
November 7, 2024
Nocturnes is one of my favourite books and Night Music was great, if not as good as the first, so when I saw the Night & Day was coming out I was more than excited to read a new collection of spooky short stories from John Connelly. However, when I read that half the book was an essay of an old horror movie that many people found too long and boring, I was disappointed. Still, there were nine new stories and that was better than nothing. I was surprised to find that while I did love some of the stories, I found myself uninterested in most of them. (I believe this is due more to the poor choice of voice actors. I don’t know about you, but I can't stand listening to someone read in an American accent that they struggle with. Their repeated slips back into their own accent in every other sentence ruined it for me.) At the halfway point I was disheartened and was not looking forward to the second part. What I did not expect was to love the essay more than the short stories. The Hollywood history, the actors' backstories, the production’s problems, I found it all so fascinating. But the thing that made it so great for me was the personal connection. The childhood memories, family relationships and exploration of nostalgia. Like all Connelly’s collections, I look forward to revisiting it later where I am sure I will enjoy it even more.
October 22, 2024
Thank you to Atria and Simon & Schuster Audio, for the free copies for review.
“Night and Day" is a mesmerizing anthology of short stories that proves perfect for any season, though it's fitting for those long, shadowy nights when the veil between worlds seems thinnest. This collection is a masterful blend of subtle horror and atmospheric storytelling that will leave you delightfully unsettled.
Among the gems, two stories stand out as personal favorites. "All The Graves of All The Ghosts" and "The Evenings with Evans" strike that exquisite balance of creepiness—not the kind that terrifies outright, but the sort that sends a delicious shiver down your spine, raising the hairs on the nape of your neck with expert precision.
Another standout, "The Mire at the Fox Tor," transported me back to my childhood, evoking memories of huddling around to hear ghostly folktales. The author's ability to tap into that universal experience of youthful fascination with the supernatural is remarkable.
But the thrills don't end with the fiction. The author generously shares an anecdote about his experience with horror films, specifically 'Horror Express'. I might just watch the film and read the essays as the author advised in his note.
I had the pleasure of experiencing this collection via audiobook, and I can't recommend this format enough. The narration brings each story to life with a variety of well-executed accents, immersing the listener fully in each eerie world. Hearing the author recount his personal experiences adds an extra layer of intimacy to the collection, making you feel as if you're sharing ghost stories with an old friend.
For anyone who appreciates the art of the spectral tale, this collection is an absolute must-read. It's a treat for the senses and a feast for the imagination that you won't want to miss.
“Night and Day" is a mesmerizing anthology of short stories that proves perfect for any season, though it's fitting for those long, shadowy nights when the veil between worlds seems thinnest. This collection is a masterful blend of subtle horror and atmospheric storytelling that will leave you delightfully unsettled.
Among the gems, two stories stand out as personal favorites. "All The Graves of All The Ghosts" and "The Evenings with Evans" strike that exquisite balance of creepiness—not the kind that terrifies outright, but the sort that sends a delicious shiver down your spine, raising the hairs on the nape of your neck with expert precision.
Another standout, "The Mire at the Fox Tor," transported me back to my childhood, evoking memories of huddling around to hear ghostly folktales. The author's ability to tap into that universal experience of youthful fascination with the supernatural is remarkable.
But the thrills don't end with the fiction. The author generously shares an anecdote about his experience with horror films, specifically 'Horror Express'. I might just watch the film and read the essays as the author advised in his note.
I had the pleasure of experiencing this collection via audiobook, and I can't recommend this format enough. The narration brings each story to life with a variety of well-executed accents, immersing the listener fully in each eerie world. Hearing the author recount his personal experiences adds an extra layer of intimacy to the collection, making you feel as if you're sharing ghost stories with an old friend.
For anyone who appreciates the art of the spectral tale, this collection is an absolute must-read. It's a treat for the senses and a feast for the imagination that you won't want to miss.
October 3, 2024
One of my favorite books is by Connolly and everything of his I've read, I've enjoyed. And for the most part, this book was the same. However, half of the book was an essay that was incredibly drawn out and, I hate to say, boring. So boring that I did stop reading at about 65% of the book.
Now the first half of the book is great. There's 9 shorter stories that are all a little odd but so good! There's 2 stories about a very interesting library. Some stories were a little spooky, some a little sad. One that was on the longer side, Abelman's Line, got a little wordy with a lot of history and science but was still pretty satisfying. I feel like it could've been it's own book with as much backstory and history that it could have. But my favorite of the stories was the last one, Our Friend Carlton. I don't want to spoil it but it was even a bit funny. I honestly want to talk about each of the stories but it would be so hard to and not spoil them. Most of them had an O Henry feel to them, or Bentley Little, not exactly a big twist but more of an ah-ha moment.
I wish I could give this book a higher rating, I would have loved a second half filled with more short stories instead of an essay that was more personal experience about a very obscure movie.
I received a copy of this book through NetGalley from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
Now the first half of the book is great. There's 9 shorter stories that are all a little odd but so good! There's 2 stories about a very interesting library. Some stories were a little spooky, some a little sad. One that was on the longer side, Abelman's Line, got a little wordy with a lot of history and science but was still pretty satisfying. I feel like it could've been it's own book with as much backstory and history that it could have. But my favorite of the stories was the last one, Our Friend Carlton. I don't want to spoil it but it was even a bit funny. I honestly want to talk about each of the stories but it would be so hard to and not spoil them. Most of them had an O Henry feel to them, or Bentley Little, not exactly a big twist but more of an ah-ha moment.
I wish I could give this book a higher rating, I would have loved a second half filled with more short stories instead of an essay that was more personal experience about a very obscure movie.
I received a copy of this book through NetGalley from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
October 4, 2024
Up until Night and Day, I’ve always believed, perhaps naively, that John Connolly could do no wrong. I’ve read just about everything the man has written, including all his Charlie Parker novels. And now my belief has been shattered to some degree.
I have mixed feelings about Night and Day. Its first half is a collection of stories that pretty much are uniformly excellent. For me, there are two standouts, Abelman’s Line (an interesting take on how war criminals get what’s coming to them), and The Bear. The second half is where, for this reader, the book fell apart. I knew going into the book that there was a section where the author writes about how an old horror movie helped him connect to his deceased father, I had no idea that it comprised the last HALF of the book. It’s a long and detailed look at his past, nostalgia, the careers of Peter Cushing and Christopher Lee, and other philosophical musings. It reads like a thesis, and its presence in the book for me was quite jarring. I really, really tried to finish Horror Express, but after many attempts at staying awake, I gave up and DNF’d at 75%.
Overall, three stars for this collection. The stories alone get five stars.
My thanks to the publisher and to Netgalley for providing an ARC of the book.
I have mixed feelings about Night and Day. Its first half is a collection of stories that pretty much are uniformly excellent. For me, there are two standouts, Abelman’s Line (an interesting take on how war criminals get what’s coming to them), and The Bear. The second half is where, for this reader, the book fell apart. I knew going into the book that there was a section where the author writes about how an old horror movie helped him connect to his deceased father, I had no idea that it comprised the last HALF of the book. It’s a long and detailed look at his past, nostalgia, the careers of Peter Cushing and Christopher Lee, and other philosophical musings. It reads like a thesis, and its presence in the book for me was quite jarring. I really, really tried to finish Horror Express, but after many attempts at staying awake, I gave up and DNF’d at 75%.
Overall, three stars for this collection. The stories alone get five stars.
My thanks to the publisher and to Netgalley for providing an ARC of the book.
October 22, 2024
4.5 stars for Night and Day by John Connolly. The short stories in Night and Day are very good. As in between 4 and 5 stars good. Some have humor and some or spooky. They are always good. They're sometimes centering on the Caxton Private Lending Library & Book Depository – loved these. The entire book is not a collection of short stories, however. The last installment is non-fiction. A memoir/nostalgia piece ostensibly about the horror film, Horror Express. But, I really do think it is all about nostalgia. We first get a recap on train travel and how it evolved and was formerly luxurious ala the Orient Express, but today first-class train travel although expensive is anything but luxurious. Then a full explanation of nostalgia including the etymology of the medical/psychological condition. I’m not kidding. If I’m making it sound dull, I’m failing. The train and nostalgia and the horror film are all beautifully explored by John Connolly and I loved it, too. That being said, it is a significant departure from the short fiction that precedes it. I’m still giving this 4.5 stars because I thoroughly enjoyed the entirety of this book. Thank you to #netgalley and Atria Books for my advance reader copy.
October 18, 2024
I really enjoy the way John Connolly tells a story. Whether the Charlie Parker books or his younger fare from Samuel Johnson to the Lost Things novels, I find his writing style to pretty perfectly with my reading style. His books are character driven with strong and original plot lines that build on genre tropes in a way that is new and satisfying. I am not normally a reader of short stories, but Connolly is one of the few who manages to reliably provide the feel of a fully developed novel in a short story.
I loved that there were two Caxton Private Lending Library stories, and would really love to see either a full novel or a collection of tales to continue that story in the future.
I really wasn't able to get into the longest story in the book, as it referenced a movie I wasn't familiar with and I found it difficult to engage with / follow as a result. But I really enjoyed the rest of this collection and found it to offer a great blend of darker and lighter fare that felt representative of his work as a whole.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for my obligation-free review copy.
I loved that there were two Caxton Private Lending Library stories, and would really love to see either a full novel or a collection of tales to continue that story in the future.
I really wasn't able to get into the longest story in the book, as it referenced a movie I wasn't familiar with and I found it difficult to engage with / follow as a result. But I really enjoyed the rest of this collection and found it to offer a great blend of darker and lighter fare that felt representative of his work as a whole.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for my obligation-free review copy.
October 21, 2024
*Thank you Atria/Emily Bestler Books for providing this book for review consideration via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.*
I always eagerly await anything and everything John Connolly writes.
Unlike most writers, he can adeptly switch between the extensive detail novels require and the lighter touch of a short story. I feel like his most brilliant stories hearken back to the mastery of the greats, including Edgar Allan Poe.
In this latest piece, he offers some beautiful stories, including two featuring the delightful Caxton Private Lending Library & Book Depository. One of those two stories shows us the start of the centuries-old Caxton Library,
In the remaining stories, he offers up the eerie, the creepy, the heartwarming, and the unsettling.
The second half of this book includes an extensive essay. In this piece, he delves deeply into a rather obscure film, detailing the film's lead actors and production team as a way of exploring his own relationship with his now-deceased father. I know some readers took issue with his including the essay. Personally, I felt it actually adds clarity into the fictional stories themselves and added to the beauty of this latest book.
I always eagerly await anything and everything John Connolly writes.
Unlike most writers, he can adeptly switch between the extensive detail novels require and the lighter touch of a short story. I feel like his most brilliant stories hearken back to the mastery of the greats, including Edgar Allan Poe.
In this latest piece, he offers some beautiful stories, including two featuring the delightful Caxton Private Lending Library & Book Depository. One of those two stories shows us the start of the centuries-old Caxton Library,
In the remaining stories, he offers up the eerie, the creepy, the heartwarming, and the unsettling.
The second half of this book includes an extensive essay. In this piece, he delves deeply into a rather obscure film, detailing the film's lead actors and production team as a way of exploring his own relationship with his now-deceased father. I know some readers took issue with his including the essay. Personally, I felt it actually adds clarity into the fictional stories themselves and added to the beauty of this latest book.
October 26, 2024
There’s some good stuff here, but this isn’t Connolly’s finest work.
About half of this is actually short stories, and the entire second half of the book is Connolly’s love letter to a little-known horror film. He makes a valiant effort to make this matter, but ultimately it’s hard to stay engaged with and felt a bit self-indulgent.
The two stories about the Caxton Private Library and Book Depository are exceptional and make the collection worth reading on their own. But I wish we’d gotten more like these, or something akin to the tone of Connolly’s Book of Lost Things. Most of the rest of the short stories are okay, but they aren’t really anything new and vary wildly in terms of entertainment value. In addition to the Caxton stories, I thought The Flaw and Our Friend Carlton were quite good. The rest of this is very skippable.
*I received an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.*
About half of this is actually short stories, and the entire second half of the book is Connolly’s love letter to a little-known horror film. He makes a valiant effort to make this matter, but ultimately it’s hard to stay engaged with and felt a bit self-indulgent.
The two stories about the Caxton Private Library and Book Depository are exceptional and make the collection worth reading on their own. But I wish we’d gotten more like these, or something akin to the tone of Connolly’s Book of Lost Things. Most of the rest of the short stories are okay, but they aren’t really anything new and vary wildly in terms of entertainment value. In addition to the Caxton stories, I thought The Flaw and Our Friend Carlton were quite good. The rest of this is very skippable.
*I received an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.*
October 23, 2024
3.5/5stars. I haven’t read a book by this author before, but the synopsis had me hooked. It’s a collection of short stories for the first half and then the latter is a look of reflection and nostalgia through filmmaking. Specifically a thorough examination of one movie… “Horror Express.” This part (the last 150 pages or so) definitely read a bit like a documentary. Fans of this author (and genre) will love the deep examination of the film and his thoughts. I wanted more of his short stories. Ones like “The Bear” “The Mire at the Fox Tor,” and “Our Friend Carlton” were excellent and shined. Spooky, atmospheric, and at times unnerving the short stories are a collection not to be missed and this author is one I will read again. ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫
October 10, 2024
I received this ARC from Atria/Emily Bestler Books and NetGalley in return for a fair and honest review.
Night and Day is a collection of nine short stories that blend crime and supernatural elements, and a monogram of the film Horror Express starring Peter Cushing, Christopher Lee and Telly Savalas. The stories themselves are entertaining and thought provoking with Abelman’s Line and Our Friend Carlton, for me, being stand outs. The concluding half of the book is the authors monogram on Horror Express which for me was entertaining and interesting. If Connolly decided to write a biography on Lee or Cushing I would definitely buy it. I highly recommend this book and look forward to the author’s future books.
Night and Day is a collection of nine short stories that blend crime and supernatural elements, and a monogram of the film Horror Express starring Peter Cushing, Christopher Lee and Telly Savalas. The stories themselves are entertaining and thought provoking with Abelman’s Line and Our Friend Carlton, for me, being stand outs. The concluding half of the book is the authors monogram on Horror Express which for me was entertaining and interesting. If Connolly decided to write a biography on Lee or Cushing I would definitely buy it. I highly recommend this book and look forward to the author’s future books.
September 29, 2024
I received this book as an ARC from Atria Books eGalley and NetGalley. While I am a huge fan of Connolly’s novels, I didn’t have much experience with his short story or essay writing. What a revelation!!! The short stories were extremely well written, and i found them engaging, humorous, and creepy. The essay was likewise excellent. As much as I do NOT want him to return to journalism (more Charlie Parker and Caxton Library, please), Connolly is a fantastic journalist and storyteller. I highly recommend this work!
October 22, 2024
John Connolly’s writing is always great, and while most of this collection did not do much for me I can still appreciate the talent behind them. The best of the collection are the stories which focus on the Craxton Private Lending Library and Book Depository. A large part of the collection is about Horror Express. While I haven’t seen that film it’s still an interesting read.
Note: ARC provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
Note: ARC provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
October 23, 2024
I've read all of the Charlie Parker series and many of John Connolly's other titles. He's an expert at making a short story sing. NIGHT AND DAY is a collection of 9 short stories, all of them great. The book also contains a nonfiction essay on a horror movie from Connolly's past. It was an interesting read but not on the level of his short stories. The essay did not detract from my enjoyment of the fictional pieces so this is still an easy 5 star read.
October 25, 2024
I was excited to read this because I love all tbings by John Connolly but wasn’t super interested in the monograph portion. I was completely fascinated by it once I started! Loved learning more about Peter Cushing and Christopher Lee, loved the lense of looking back at yourself at the time of the movie viewing. As a die hard movie person since my Nana would take me to the movies instead of to Girl Scout meetings, so much of that resonated. Highly recommend this book just for that alone.
October 27, 2024
i enjoyed all the stories except the one about the nazis and the time splitting device. conceptually i could get behind it as i enjoy sci-fi but the execution just missed the mark; it didn’t sound like John. the second half of the book about the train…..eh.
October 9, 2024
a thriller that is a winner!
October 31, 2024
I'm amazed at how well this managed to maintain my interest when so much of it was about a movie from the '70s that I've never even heard of. *snorts*
October 19, 2024
This review is for an ARC copy received from the publisher through NetGalley.
This collection features nine short stories plus an extensive essay on an old horror film that also holds something personal to Connolly. Most of the short stories take place in different time periods in the past. The majority of those are ghostly tales, with two, what I believe fall under magical realism, taking place in the author's creation the Caxton Library. One exception is more of a speculative work about slightly futuristic Nazi hunters using special technology to go about their business. While I have found Connolly's earlier collected short stories to be some of his most average writing (as opposed to his novels which I think are mostly superb) those in this book were mostly much better examples of his writing, though distinctly different from his novels. The latter nearly half of the book examines in depth the mostly forgotten, or at best cult classic, 1972 film Horror Express. While I understand there is some personal nostalgia surrounding the film which made him write about it, there was just some mind-numbing, very unnecessary details and historical tangent that were equally unwarranted to tell what he wanted about the film. The short stories were mostly quite enjoyable while the dissertation on Horror Express, biographies of its stars and director aside, dragged the book down. 3.5 rounded to 4*
This collection features nine short stories plus an extensive essay on an old horror film that also holds something personal to Connolly. Most of the short stories take place in different time periods in the past. The majority of those are ghostly tales, with two, what I believe fall under magical realism, taking place in the author's creation the Caxton Library. One exception is more of a speculative work about slightly futuristic Nazi hunters using special technology to go about their business. While I have found Connolly's earlier collected short stories to be some of his most average writing (as opposed to his novels which I think are mostly superb) those in this book were mostly much better examples of his writing, though distinctly different from his novels. The latter nearly half of the book examines in depth the mostly forgotten, or at best cult classic, 1972 film Horror Express. While I understand there is some personal nostalgia surrounding the film which made him write about it, there was just some mind-numbing, very unnecessary details and historical tangent that were equally unwarranted to tell what he wanted about the film. The short stories were mostly quite enjoyable while the dissertation on Horror Express, biographies of its stars and director aside, dragged the book down. 3.5 rounded to 4*
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