“Seven Feet Under” is a collection of seven short stories, written by Matthew Weber. He draws inspiration from America’s Deep South, which is the somber theme all the stories have in common. Other than the vicious nature of the stories and the region where they unfold, they are presented with diversity and creativeness.
The collection kicks off with “Bad Brunch in the Big Easy”, a tale of voodoo that enforces itself into the life of a man who can’t believe his good luck. He’s on his honeymoon in New Orleans with his beautiful wife when a chain of events brings his fairytale to a horrific end. Instead of enjoying the food and the music, he is forced to search for ways to save his wife.
This is followed by one of the shorter tales called “Daddy’s on the Way”, which sees a father desperately running towards his children. As the city gets destroyed by a giant creature all he can think of is getting back to them. Take note that it comes with a creative twist. A personal favorite is “In the Trees, the Shadows”. It was slightly darker than the rest, especially the way the violence was described. But I also enjoyed “Dammit, Mavis”, which is somewhat on the lighter side of horror.
Weber’s collection is rather impressive, and I base this on two factors, originality, and style. Although it’s not a full-blown, pull a disgusted face ensemble, I liked reading each story. With simplicity in mind, Weber sets out to create fictional realities that will appeal to a wide audience. The characters are relatable, colorful and entertaining, playing well into the plots.
After the first story, I thought I had an idea of what to expect, but my assumptions quickly disappeared after finishing the second story. There is no telling what Weber is going to come up with, or how it’s going to end. To make it better, he relays the stories in a language everyone can understand. Having the liberty of reading his previous collection, “A Dark and Winding Road,” I can confidently say that Weber is very consistent. Even though not every story blew my mind, there were several I’ll probably never forget. Every tale had its special way of exploiting a reader’s thirst for something unnatural.
Regarding reaching a wider audience, don’t expect foul language and too many gory details. In fact, there are two stories that border on inspirational rather than horror. I liked his work the first time around, and I appreciate the chance to do it again. Weber is an old-school writer who places a heavy focus on providing a story that flows without any hick-ups. His timing is spot on as well.
I wouldn’t suggest it to hardcore gore seeking only horror fans, but I do recommend it to everyone in search of a thrilling read. It’s the type of collection that speaks to a universal crowd, yet retains the ability to leave you shocked and appalled. Another Weber collection makes it onto my favorite list.
Reviewed by Damnetha Jules
Damnetha is a staff writer, horror book and movie critic.
Also by Matthew Weber:
A Dark and Winding Road – Book Review
Matthew Weber writes horror stories, political novels, and home-improvement books. He’s the author of A DARK & WINDING ROAD (collected short horror fiction, 2014) and THE BULL (satirical political novel, 2012). His short stories have appeared in such anthologies as BEST OF DARK ECLIPSE, GHOSTS: REVENGE, CREATURE STEW and more. He is an affiliate member of the Horror Writers Association and makes his living as editor-in-chief (and principal writer) of EXTREME HOW-TO home improvement magazine. Weber lives in central Alabama with his wife, two sons and canine companion. Check out his website at Pin Bottle Press.
