‘It’s Dark In Their Minds Vol. 1’ – Horror Anthology (2025 – Review)

It’s Dark In Their Minds is a new Horror Anthology series from RDG Books Press. The American publishing house is the brainchild of Kentucky based author and editor Rod Gilley, and in his own words; “This collection is dedicated to the readers and writers of Horror. The hearts and imaginations of real writers who cherish their craft. NO AI WAS USED IN THIS PUBLICATION.”

With the use of AI being a highly controversial and polarising subject, not just in the publishing world but in all mediums of art in general, it is abundantly clear which side of the fence RDG BOOKS PRESS sit on. And It’s Dark In Their Minds provides ten eclectic short Horror stories from the creative minds of a melting pot of writers, who may not be household names in the field – but based on their work in this book, all show a clear passion and talent for the genre in its many forms.

This collection takes the reader down some dark and twisted paths as we are served a concoction of deliciously macabre tales. ‘Open Wide’ provides a thoroughly unlikeable narrator in a thriller with a sprinkling of gross-out gore. ‘Claudia’ is hauntingly eerie, while we’re delivered a tale of lycanthropic love in ‘Waiting For The Full Moon,’ with ‘Dinner Date’ also sitting firmly in the same sub-genre. ‘Trapped With A Killer’ twists and turns as the reader is thrown into a murderous encounter between two strangers, while ‘Ice Cream Man’ provides an unlikely champion for vulnerable children.

‘Seven Questions’ is mysteriously claustrophobic, with some intriguing and engaging dialogue between a psychopath and his captive, while ‘Coulrophobia’ provides an incredibly creepy look at Clowns being the harbingers of death and chaos. ‘Something Within The Watch House’ is a dark-fantasy fairytale of sorts, and finally ‘The Fare’ supplies a vampire story based around a curious premise – and is nicely gruesome throughout as it provides a highly satisfying conclusion to the anthology. KZ

Words by Mark T. Bates