Dark Rainbow, edited by Andrew Robertson, has all sorts of sinful, saucy frights and delights. Featuring short stories from 15 different authors, Dark Rainbow has a little something for everyone (well, given the graphic content of the anthology, you might not want to gift it to your parents’ minister or something, but then again…).

As a whole, Dark Rainbow stays on theme, making sure to offer its readers naughty and nefarious bits every few pages. If anything could have been done to strengthen Dark Rainbow’s balance between horror and queer erotica, Robertson might have considered showcasing stories that delve into the nuances of LGBTQIA identities without an obligatory, over-the-top sex scene thrown into the mix. For example, it would have been an interesting turn to include a story for ace folks. While it may seem counterproductive to explore asexuality in erotica, who knows what kind of creative brew can be brought to the table by the right author. This quibble aside, Dark Rainbow represents most queer gender identities and sexualities, making it an apt selection for any queer horror fan.

Like almost any collection of short stories, Dark Rainbow is a bit of a mixed bag. That’s not to say there aren’t moments and ideas that radiate—because there certainly are—rather, some stories simply don’t shine as brightly as others. Alas, the wonderful thing about a collected work is that you can skip over a story if it isn’t your cup o’ tea.

Although each story in Dark Rainbow runs roughly ten to fifteen pages, nearly all of them contained characters that were worth developing beyond this publication. Which is to say, that if there is a second installment of Dark Rainbow, I don’t think anyone would bat an eyelash if it ran longer. That said, each story was a pretty quick, fun read. In fact, I found myself picking up the book (especially whenever I had a few minutes of downtime that I would have otherwise used to scroll through social media), knowing that a story could be completed in just one sitting. Given the pace and content of Dark Rainbow, it is just as good a fit for the casual lunchtime reader as it is for couples who like to spice things up by reading erotica aloud to each other.

Even if queer horror is not quite your thing, there is one story that’s worth even the straightest cis-person’s time: Lindsay King-Miller’s “Think of Me.” Moving from provocative and challenging to brooding and morose with relative ease, King-Miller’s writing is wonderfully controlled in its grip. “Think of Me” alone makes Dark Rainbow worth adding to your Amazon wishlist.

Published by Riverdale Avenue Books in October 2018, Dark Rainbow is now available in digital and paperback.