Murder and Machinery

Lock the doors and switch the power off!

Tales of deadly machinery have long fascinated us, from Edgar Allan Poe's classic pendulum to the Terminator films.

Murder and Machinery pays homage to this tradition, offering you gripping tales following this theme but set in different times and places, from colonial America and London during the First World War to dystopian futures on this planet and beyond. Never before has an anthology brought tales of science fiction and suspense together in such a terrifying way, showcasing the nightmarish imagination of authors who know how to play on the reader's fears and who share those fears of uncontrollable machines, or perhaps even more frightening, of fellow humans mastering technology for their own evil purposes. A word of advice before you start. By all means, settle down in your living room and let this anthology of technological terror and mechanical madness enthral you, but first, you might want to lock your doors and switch the power off at the mains. Best keep it low-tech tonight. Trust me. I hope you have candles?

★ Crime
★ Sci-fi / Steampunk
★ Horror
★ Suspense
★ Historical

The Secret Zeppelin - Duncan Richardson
#Selfie - Linda Brucesmith
Fargan's Termination - Paul Williams
A Little Kindness Goes a Long Way - Chisto Healy
The Box - Sarah Jane Justice
The Wheel - Michael Picco
The Wedge - Kurt Newton
Tenterhooks - Cameron Trost
Leonora - Danielle Birch
Vanitas - James Dorr
Don - Steve Dubois
Foul Beasts - Karen Bayly
A Whole New World - KG McAbee
Suicide Blonde - Paulene Turner
Driverless - Robert Bagnall
The Screen in the Sky - Kerilee S. Nickles

Praise for Murder and Machinery:

"16 thrilling tales of terror and technology that feel like Black Mirror episodes in print form... If you're looking to get a bit paranoid about the cool machinery and gadgets you are surrounded by, give this awesome anthology by Black Beacon Books a shot! Giving it five stars was a no-brainer!"
- Jack Wells, 5-star Goodreads review

"Anxiety about machines taking over our existence and eventually becoming the catalyst for our destruction as a species is not a new concept. However, it is one that seems to have been shoved to the back of the fear line in the last decade, the dark fiction genres instead overrun with zombies, serial killers, and spirit possessions. We've forgotten, it seems, that the scariest creatures are the ones we usher willingly into our own homes. Luckily, the authors of Murder and Machinery: Tales of Technological Terror and Mechanical Madness are here to remind us. In a potluck of dystopian, steampunk, and sci-fi-inspired horror, Murder and Machinery has something for every speculative fiction fan, especially those for whom creepiness is best served on cold metal."
- Rebecca Rowland, Ginger Nuts of Horror / 5-star Goodreads review

"This is an awesome and eclectic collection of tales by authors drawn from all over the globe. I was blown away by the quality of the writing and how well every story utilized the theme... Hints of Crash (by J.G. Ballard)..."
- Anthony Ferguson, 4-star Goodreads review

"A collection of morbid tales sure to make one think. From a love gone wrong, a take on Don Quixote, to the insanity of artificial intelligence gone terribly off. Masterful writing to read again and again."
- Shane Patrick Lagrange, 5-star Goodreads review