Editors Randy Chandler and Cheryl Mullenax put the call out to horror writers and editors of extreme stories, the hardcore stuff that breaks boundaries and trashes taboos, the transgressive tales you can't "unread" (as Chuck Palahniuk says). Some of the stories you'll find here are loaded with very graphic descriptions of violence, sex, and depravities, while others may contain only one shocking moment of brutality. In others, the hardcore aspect may be less graphic and subtler than you might expect.

Some girls are fearful, others are brave. One girl’s a princess, the next one a slave. But all girls are equal when they’re down in this cave, until just one is left standing—The Prettiest Girl in the Grave.

The Lonely Motel holds many dark secrets and room six just might hold the worst of them all. Angel knows a lot about pain. His mother died in this room. He's researched its history. He's come back today to end it, no matter the cost, once and for all. Prostitute Shyla believes the stories Angel tells her can't be true. Secrets so vile, you won't want to let them inside you. But the Lonely Motel doesn't forget. It doesn't forgive. And it always claims its victim.

Lola and Ian had what they thought was the perfect relationship. Vacations. Fine dining. A healthy sex life. But when their childless lifestyle begins impacting their social lives, they decide to take the natural next step.

Revenge is on the program at this year's Splatterfest convention! Horror authors, critics, and fans from all over the world have gathered to share stories, enjoy each other's company, and to take part in the yearly Gross Out contest. But some attendees have arrived with ulterior motives. Clay Kayden, whose story at the last in-person Gross Out contest got him "canceled", wants to tear down the convention from the inside. Moira Mead is desperate to impress her favorite horror director. And Clay's former mentor, David Ennis, just wants to find his muse again…no matter the cost.

Three stomach-churning horror novels in one volume from master of horror, Lee Mountford. Horror in the Woods - A group of friends are lost and hunted in the woods, pursued by a family of cannibals. Tormented - Insidious experiments are taking place at Arlington Asylum, and the helpless inmates are the test subjects. The Netherwell Horror - Looking for her brother after a troubling message, a journalist ends up in the strange fishing town of Netherwell Bay. There, she uncovers a plot by a sinister cult to bring about the end of days.

Taste a new horror. Which foul flavor amongst these 10 tales of torment and otherworldly strangeness will please your palate? An imbecilic man is taken advantage of for decades before finally considering an act of sweet revenge. A single, soon to be mother experiences a bizarre sequence of events triggered by her artificial insemination. Choose from all these and more. Step into the shoes of the disturbed fringe of society and explore the potential for evil in humanity. Your misery awaits…

Meet Otto and Cecil. Two brothers growing up privileged in the Welsh countryside. They enjoy watching nature shows, playing with their pet pony, impersonating their Grandfather...and killing the help. Murder is the family business after all. Downton Abbey, this is not. However, it’s not so easy to continue the family legacy with the constant stream of threats and distractions seemingly leaping from the hedgerow.

Kim White is a very popular cheerleader. She’s pretty, healthy, and comes from a well-off family. She has everything a girl of 16 is supposed to want. And she’s sick to death of it. In search of something to pull her out of her suicidal thoughts, she begrudgingly decides to lose her virginity, having heard it’s a life-changing event.

With tales from Laird Barron, Stephen King, John Langan, Peter Straub, and many others, and featuring Datlow’s comprehensive overview of the year in horror, now, more than ever, The Best Horror of the Year provides the petrifying horror fiction readers have come to expect - and enjoy.