Stay On The Line by Clay McLeod Chapman with Illustrations by Trever Henderson
Shortwave Media (July 30, 2024)
Reviewed by Haley Newlin
Clay McLeod Chapman is the undeniable king of grief horror. He’s torn readers apart with his lyrical, evocative stories exploring addiction in Ghost Eaters (named one of Vulture’s Best Horror Novels of 2022) and the loss of a child, as in his Southern gothic folk horror novel What Kind of Mother and his Bram Stoker Award-nominated novella Kill Your Darling.
Stay On The Line is another tale of grief’s haunting phases and lasting impressions, yet it still feels unique from Chapman’s other titles. Trevor Henderson’s accompanying illustrations are the cherry on top, adding to the unsettling atmosphere. Henderson’s Stay On The Line style reminded me of Stephen Gammell’s iconic illustrations in Scary Stories To Tell In The Dark.
In Stay On The Line, Jenny mourns the loss of her husband, who was swept away by Hurricane Aubrey. Of all the wreckage in the town, homes obliterated, families torn apart, the old telephone booth remains like a beacon in the ruins. Jenny shared several passionate moments crammed inside that very booth with her husband. When she sees someone using the long-since disconnected phone, Jenny sympathizes. Everyone was losing it. But the woman swears that her husband, also killed in the storm, is on the line, and other ghosts, too, and they want to talk.
In horror, there are always rules to making contact with those on the other side. A common rule is intention. Be careful who you invite in. Or what. Using this foundational element of horror, Stay On The Line reminded me of Stephen King’s Pet Sematary and its warning that the dead should stay buried. There’s great tension in this sentiment, as anyone who has lost a loved one understands that we do everything to hold onto that person, especially something as precious as their voice. This desperation is cleverly mirrored in the story’s repeated, chilling phrase: stay on the line.
There wasn’t much time to get close to the characters in Stay On The Line. Still, I loved the vivid and terrifying personification of Hurricane Aubrey, like an infuriated woman banging on the door. This made the recollection of the storm more immersive and upsetting for readers. It’s an expert collision of the horrific reality of life and horror.
Dreadfully daunting and beautifully written, Stay On The Line stands out in Chapman’s impressive catalog and can be devoured in a single sitting, which is a bit of a flex. This novelette is as devastating and everlasting as the author’s novel-length fiction. It offers a compelling narrative and a space to feel all the feelings. And it only further cements Chapman’s place as a favorite in the horror genre, with readers always eager to return for more.
I am among them.
With every new release, I click order and think, “Okay, Mr. Chapman, I am ready to be hurt again.”
