Let Me Out I’ve Had Enough (2021) is the first short-story collection from horror writer Mark Matthews and features his signature writing style which tempts you to read till the very end. Matthews is known for many novels such as Milk-Blood and Stray as well as being the editor of two notable addiction horror anthologies namely Garden of Fiends and Lullabies For Suffering. Without further ado, let’s dive into Let Me Out…
In Mastectomy Scars, Matthews shows the dark side of suicide and the psychological aftereffects it can have on one’s close relatives. This story is definitely not for the faint-hearted. I loved the metaphorical descriptions. It was also a wise decision to start off the collection with this tale as it gives a taste of what is to come.
Body of Christ is a gem of a horror novella which I reviewed when it initially came out four years ago. You can read my review of it here.
The third story, The Last Bug Chaser, is sci-fi terror at its finest. Clearly influenced by the ongoing pandemic, Matthews does well by combining fiction with events going on in the real world. The story is really bloody so gore lovers are in for a treat.
Mask of Sanity, story number four, is perhaps my favorite. Similar to Mastectomy Scars, it shows the dark side of suicide but this time from a psychiatrist’s perspective making it one of the most original short stories I’ve read in a while.
Tattooed All In black, as the title suggests, is a dark tale and the most morbid one in the collection. It is a story of love and loss written in such prose as to turn one’s dreams into nightmares for many nights after reading.
Matthews does what he did with Body of Christ in The Burdens of the Father and mixes religion with horror. This story is not as spine-tingling as Body of Christ but a must-read nonetheless.
Howling from the Gallows is set in the same universe as Matthews’ novel The Hobgoblin of Little Minds (2021). Although, I’ve not read the latter, this short story makes me want to pick up a copy.
Met My Old Lover In The Grocery Store is the last story in this compilation but is certainly not the least. I liked how this final tale is a feel-good entry in this otherwise gruesome collection. Thus, Let Me Out I’ve Had Enough ends as well as it began.
To end with, Let Me Out I’ve Had Enough is a must-have collection for lovers of horror. It is one of the best short-story collections I’ve ever read. You should definitely add it to your TBR list as it would make a welcome addition to your bookshelf.
