Hospital of Haunts edited by Heather Daughrity
Watertower Hill Publishing (October 2024)
Reviewed by Rowan B. Minor
Hospital of Haunts, edited by Heather Daughrity, is the second installment in a unique horror anthology series. The first book in this series focuses on a haunted house; the current book is set in a hospital; and the forthcoming installment will be in a hotel. Although part of a series, these books also stand alone as individual anthologies. Hospital of Haunts includes twenty-three stories by twenty-three authors. All stories in this book were written for and are set in Lychhurst, a fictional hospital set in the mountains of West Virginia, and are sectioned off into different “triage levels.” Not only does Hospital of Haunts include interactive passages that break the fourth wall, but readers get floor plans and a history of the hospital as well.
The stories in this collection are innovative and original, much like the anthology’s theme and setup. “Past Lies Latent” by Rebecca Cuthbert is exceptionally enticing, with a first line that ropes you in and keeps you wanting more with every sentence. Her story, set in the Respiratory Ward, is a fast-paced, unique possession story that follows Meg, who is caring for her grandmother, hospitalized with COPD. Soon after discovering family letters kept by her grandmother, Meg is transported back in the past through her dreams, and is somehow working in Lychhurst herself.
Another stunner is “Hush, Little Baby” by Christy Aldridge, which is set in Lychhurst’s Maternity Ward. In this chilling ghost story, expectant mother Laura is curious about her room, 213, a focus of the hospital’s superstitions… but can the nurses calm her nerves when she begins hearing a mysterious, haunting lullaby?
There is some body horror in a few stories, such as “A Crypt of Dust and Paper” by Mer Whinery, where a man wakes up in his room with one leg amputated and stitches across his back and stomach. This, of course, might be displeasing for those who are sensitive to splatter and gore.
Aesthetically, the anthology cover and hospital floor plans are very elegant, but the line spacing is quite narrow throughout, which makes the text slightly more difficult to read. However, it should be noted that with the collection being at 420 pages, it is understandable why that decision was made.
Overall, Hospital of Haunts is a well-planned and fun collection of unsettling stories. Editor and author Heather Daughrity did a fantastic job curating tales that are distinctive to each author’s individual writing style. If you’re looking for something new, exciting, and interactive, Hospital of Haunts is the anthology for you.
