Simon Bestwick

Simon Bestwick is an accomplished author of horror novels, hailing from England. Recognized as one of the top modern British horror authors by Ramsey Campbell, Bestwick has written a number of highly regarded works, such as "The Faceless," "Tide of Souls," "Pictures of the Dark," "A Hazy Shade of Winter," "Angels of the Silences," and "Let Drink to the Dead." His writing is celebrated for its ability to evoke fear and unease, making him a standout figure in contemporary horror literature.

Born in Wolverhampton in 1974, Bestwick has held a variety of jobs throughout his life, including work as a fast food operative, drama teacher, and training administrator. These diverse experiences have likely informed his writing, providing him with a wealth of material to draw upon in creating his characters and settings. In addition to his novels, Bestwick is also a prolific writer of short fiction, with his work appearing in numerous magazines and anthologies, including "Nasty Piece of Work," "All Hallows," "Darkness Rising," "Extremes 5," and "Beneath the Ground."

According to the Guardian, Bestwick is a "brilliant" writer, while Campbell has praised him as "among the most important writers of contemporary British horror." Despite this high praise, Bestwick remains humble, joking that his mother has described him as "completely lacking in common sense." Born and raised in Wolverhampton, Bestwick later moved to Manchester before settling in Merseyside, where he currently resides with his partner. When he's not writing, Bestwick enjoys pursuing a variety of interests, including walking, films, literature, and music, as well as indulging in good food and the occasional pint. He is also addicted to tea, Pepsi Max, and semicolons, giving him a unique perspective and voice in the world of horror fiction.
Black Road Books
# Title Year
1 Hell's Ditch 2015
2 Devil's Highway 2016
3 Wolf's Hill 2018
Black Shuck Shadows Books
# Title Year
1 Tales of New Mexico 2017
2 Unquiet Waters 2017
3 The Life Cycle 2017
4 The Death of Boys 2018
5 Broken on the Inside 2018
6 The Martledge Variations 2018
7 The Spirits of Christmas 2019
8 Winter Freits 2019
9 The Dead 2019
10 The Forest of Dead Children 2019
11 At Home in the Shadows 2019
12 Suffer Little Children 2019
13 Shadowcats 2019
14 The Cat Sitter 2019
15 Flowers of War 2019
16 Uneasy Beginnings 2020
17 Three Mothers, One Father 2020
18 Green Fingers 2020
19 The Adventures of Mr Polkington 2020
20 Voices 2020
21 The Watcher in the Woods 2020
Dark Minds Books
# Title Year
1 Slaughter Beach 2015
2 What They Find in the Woods 2016
3 Kids 2016
4 Ruin 2016
5 Naming the Bones 2017
6 Winter Holiday 2018
7 A Love Like Blood 2019
Tomes of the Dead Books
# Title Year
1 Tomes of the Dead: Anno Mortis 2008
2 I, Zombie 2008
3 Tomes of the Dead 2009
4 Tomes of the Dead: Hungry Hearts 2009
5 Stronghold 2010
6 Empire of Salt 2010
7 The Best of Tomes of the Dead Vol. 1. 2010
8 Best of the Tomes of the Dead Vol. 2 2011
9 Brain-Eating Britain: Three Bone-Crunching Tales of Zombies in Broken Britain 2013
10 The Lazarus Conundrum 2015
Standalone Novels
# Title Year
1 The Faceless 2012
2 The Feast of All Souls 2016
3 Devils Of London 2021
Short Stories/Novellas
# Title Year
1 The Narrows 2008
2 Dermot 2011
3 Breakwater 2018
Chapter Books
# Title Year
1 Angels of the Silences 2011
Collections
# Title Year
1 A Hazy Shade Of Winter 2004
2 Pictures of the Dark 2009
3 Let's Drink To The Dead 2012
4 The Condemned 2013
5 Judgement Call / Along the Long Road 2018
6 And Cannot Come Again 2019
The Black Books of Horror Books
# Title Year
1 The Black Book of Horror 2007
2 The Third Black Book of Horror 2008
3 The Fifth Black Book of Horror 2009
4 The Eighth Black Book of Horror 2011
5 The Ninth Black Book of Horror 2012
6 The Tenth Black Book of Horror 2013
Simon Bestwick Anthologies
# Title Year
1 Beneath The Ground 2002
2 We Fade To Grey 2008
3 The Best Horror of the Year: Volume One 2009
4 Never Again 2010
5 The End of the Line 2010
6 The Best Horror of the Year: Volume Four 2012
7 Tales of the Nun and Dragon 2012
8 The Best British Fantasy 2013 2013
9 Twisted Histories 2013
10 Horror Uncut 2014
11 Game Over 2015
12 2nd Spectral Book of Horror Stories 2015
13 Tomorrow's Cthulhu 2015
14 The Hyde Hotel 2016
15 Haunts of Horror 2016
16 Sherlock Holmes's School for Detection 2017
17 The Best Horror of the Year: Volume Twelve 2020
18 Out of the Darkness 2021
19 Body Shocks 2021
20 The Best Horror of the Year, Volume Fourteen 2022