Where Furnaces Burn

Where Furnaces Burn is a collection of urban noir fiction and occult detective stories set in the industrial landscape of the West Midlands. It won the 2013 World Fantasy Award and cemented Joel Lane's place as one of the most important and distinctive British writers of the weird.

Format: Paperback / softback
Publication date: 12 October 2023
Publisher: Influx Press

Winner of the 2013 World Fantasy Award, Joel Lane's collection of short stories, Where Furnaces Burn, is a mesmerizing exploration of the supernatural and the macabre. Set in the West Midlands, the casebook of a police officer delves into a series of enigmatic incidents that hint at a hidden world of dark magic and ancient cults.

In the first story, "A Young Woman Needs Help in Finding the Buried Pieces of Her Lover... So He Can Return to Waking Life," a young woman seeks the assistance of a police officer to locate the remains of her deceased lover, who has been trapped in a coma for years. The officer must navigate through a maze of supernatural forces and ancient rituals to unravel the mystery and bring the lover back to life.

In the second story, "Pale-Faced Thieves Gather by a Disused Railway to Watch a Puppet Theatre of Love and Violence," a group of thieves gather by a disused railway to watch a puppet theatre performance that depicts a dark and violent love story. However, the performance takes a sinister turn when the puppets come to life and begin to enact the story's brutal acts.

The third story, "Why Do Local Youths Keep Starting Fires in the Ash Woods Around a Disused Mine in the Black Country?" explores the mysterious fires that have been burning in the ash woods surrounding a disused mine. The police officer must investigate the fires and uncover the secret cult of machine worship that is responsible for the arson.

The fourth story, "A Series of Unexplicable Deaths Uncovers a Secret Cult of Machine Worship," follows the investigation of a series of inexplicable deaths that are linked to a secret cult of machine worship. The officer must navigate through a web of lies and deceit to uncover the truth and bring the cult to justice.

The fifth story, "When a Migrant Worker Disappears, the Key Suspect Is a Boy Driven Mad by Memories That Are Not His Own," explores the disappearance of a migrant worker and the suspicion that a boy, driven mad by memories that are not his own, is the key suspect. The officer must navigate through a complex web of lies and deceit to uncover the truth and bring the suspect to justice.

The final story, "Among the Derelict Factories and Warehouses at the Heart of the City, an Archaic God Seek Out His Willing Victims," takes the reader into the heart of a bustling city, where an archaic god seeks out his willing victims. The officer must navigate through a web of supernatural forces and ancient rituals to uncover the truth and bring the god to justice.

Where Furnaces Burn blurs the line between occult detective stories and urban noir fiction, offering a glimpse of the myths and terrors buried within the industrial landscape. Lane's writing is characterized by his vivid descriptions and intricate plotlines, which keep the reader engaged and intrigued until the very end.

First published in 2012, Where Furnaces Burn has since become a true modern classic of weird fiction, cementing Lane's place as one of the most important and distinctive British writers of the weird. The collection showcases Lane's talent for creating immersive and atmospheric worlds, and his ability to blend elements of horror, fantasy, and mystery into a seamless and compelling narrative.

In conclusion, Where Furnaces Burn is a must-read for fans of supernatural and horror fiction, as well as anyone who is interested in exploring the darker corners of the human psyche. Joel Lane's writing is masterful, and the collection offers a glimpse into the myths and terrors buried within the industrial landscape.

Weight: 286g
Dimension: 200 x 130 x 30 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781914391095