I received this ARC copy through NetGalley and could not be more excited about it. Mia Dalia hits on very human fears, insecurities, love, loyalty, and insecurity. I continue to tell my wife about the different stories and how creepy cool they are. She even takes something as innocuous as plastic pink flamingos and makes them a subject of horror. I have already recommended this book to many people and absolutely will be reading this again in October.

A friend who really knows her Science Fiction (thank you Sue !) recommended to me ‘Arrokoth’, a recent short-story by Mia Dalia. I thoroughly enjoyed it. The plot, the characters, the futuristic setting, the moral ambiguity. So I was delighted to receive from NetGalley a collection of short-stories from this author. A collection due to be re-published this month by Brigid’s gate Press, after an initial publication early in 2024 by Annuli Press.

This collection of eight pieces is aptly described by the publisher as:

“ …a uniquely terrifying collection of dark psychological fiction, featuring novelettes and short stories that range from horror to suspense to mystery to coming of age thrillers.”

I’m not usually a reader of the so-called horror genre, but like many readers, I have at times enjoyed the likes of Steven King and Dean Koontz. In such books, the horror merely provides the background, with the readers pleasure coming from the plot and character development and sometimes elements of moral dilemma. This collection of short-stories fits comfortable into such a description.

They are all memorable for one reason or another. Many with a slow building of dread, emanating from sinister or perhaps supernatural entities. The backdrop is utterly normal, humdrum, everyday life. The United States, small towns, larger cities and the daily ebb and flow of life. Work, relationships, family, school, neighbours and so on. Characters in these stories are often faced with a choice, alongside issues of truth, honesty, trust, love and loss. And consequences…

The stories are not directly related to each other although they could be. Is the small town set in the past in one story now part of the encroaching city in other stories ? Are the remote and sinister woods in the title story now the straggly, unkempt city park in another story. Is the nefarious element that inhabits each story, or at least the minds of the protagonists, possible the same ? According to the authors notes, No. The stories, apart from the final piece, are not intended to be directly related. Although I still wonder if subconsciously they just might be…

The main characters are memorable and vividly portrayed, even given the limited space of a short story. They are predominantly young; ordinary children, teens and young adults. Often from difficult backgrounds or dysfunctional families. The stories tend to have a moral decision at some point. And this defines the story ending. Some are upbeat. Others provide closure albeit with sadness. Others are more surprising, unexpected or ambiguous. All are satisfying.

The authors use of language is particularly apt in developing the atmosphere in each story.

“A profound absence of sound. No animals rustling about. No birds. Nothing”

Occasional humour !

“The house snuck up on him. Or rather it stood perfectly still as houses tend to, waiting for him to notice it, and then it said Boo !”

At times a reflection of modernity:

“…people of his generation, when struck with the inexplicable, he photographed it.”

Other times, chilling:

“It was the kind of thing you could not un-see…”

Small descriptions place the stories in time and place. Perhaps in the 80s with cassette tapes, a video store and certain movie references. More recent settings are indicated by mobile phones, Netflix, Facebook. Small but reliable clues.

Amongst the dread, there are some particularly incisive and almost moving descriptions. For example when a lonely young character reflects on books:

“..the way simple words could add up and turn into wonderful adventures like plain bricks making up an impressive building”

Although the background context is sometimes a bit of a cliche (small town America, anonymous big cities) I think they work in lulling the reader (or certain characters ?) into a false sense of normality. How could dreadful things happen in such mundane places and everyday circumstances ? But they do…

I’m not usually a short-story reader, but this collection is great. The characters, plots, and endings. A memorable collection. I wish the author all the very best from this re-publication. Whether it be Science Fiction, Horror or some other genre, I look forward to reading more from her.

This is a compelling and well-crafted collection of tales that offers readers a journey into madness and horror.

From its opening pages, the book establishes a captivating, intriguing, and creepy tone that draws the reader in and maintains their engagement throughout.

I really enjoyed this read and highly recommend ..

A collection that successfully elicits an atmosphere of pervasive dread, rather than aiming for direct scares, Smile So Red and Other Tales of Madness presents a series of thoughtful snapshots of the ugliness that can fester in the hearts of ostensibly regular people.

The horror here is definitely of a psychological bent and, more often than not, the most disturbing elements of each story are the depths to which the protagonists themselves might sink.

The Trunk, appearing towards the end of the collection, is an absolute standout. Unpacking themes of guilt and reinvention, this story will definitely leave readers ruminating on the ways in which they succeed or fail in reconciling with their own pasts. This thoughtful exploration of character is a strength across all of the stories in the collection, and it’s clear that Dalia has a real talent for capturing the voice and personality of her characters. The titular novelette, Smile So Red, is another highlight.

Taken as a collection, however, the pacing of this release often felt quite sluggish, with five of the eight stories of novelette length (in this case, between 45-55 pages). A greater variation in length from story to story may have provided much needed peaks and troughs to the reading experience.

On a line level, the writing is spare and direct. However, there is a fair amount of redundancy in the prose, and it is evident that Dalia has a penchant for returning to favoured turns of phrase.

Several of the stories display a distinct lack of confidence in the reader, and Dalia displays a tendency towards directly stating intended themes, rather than allowing the reader to unpack those layers themselves. A greater degree of intentionality in the choice of sensory descriptors, allegory, and ostensible themes may have provided similar guidance to readers, without feeling too on-the-nose.

All that said, Dalia has an undeniable talent for crafting characters which feel flawed in an authentically human way, with the kind of moral ambiguity that keeps the reader on the backfoot, never quite sure who they can safely trust. I'm very interested to see how this translates to her longer fiction.

Marketing this collection simply as ‘horror’ may be setting readers up for disappointment, and despite the occasional supernatural elements, this collection may find more appropriate readership among fans of psychological thrillers.

Thank you to NetGalley and Brigids Gate Press for providing this digital reviewer copy, in exchange for my honest opinion.

The premise for this novella and short stories seemed intriguing however only a few stood out for me as a horror enthusiast.
There were two stories that were a stand out for me and they were Blues For The Soul and The Devils Chord with a captivating plot and a sense of unease and suspense. The rest of the stories didn't quite land for me and have led me to giving the book an average rating as a result.
Thankyou to Netgalley and Brigids Gate Press for an arc of this book.

These stories do have a very goosebumps feel to them and I did like each one in their own way. Some of them felt like retellings of stories such as smile so red, looking at human greed, desperation and how much a person would sacrifice to get the life they want. Blues for the soul was my favourite, maybe because I can easily find children scary or maybe because it has a little supernatural element.

Smile so red and other tales of madness - Mia Dalia

This is described as a collection of dark psychological fiction. And it didn't disappoint. What i loved about this was the collection of stories, each may leave you wanting a bit more but equally we're enough in their own right. Each piece was thought provoking in its own way but so easily read.

I really enjoyed each read within this book and it was genuinely such a good intrusion on my thoughts. I won't spoil it but tou will notice something as you make your way through which was a satisfying surprise.

I'd recommend the authors notes also, they are quite short but a nice insight into the creation of each tale.

This was a very easy ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5

I received this anthology of short stories as an ARC from NetGalley.

The anthology is made up of short stories, of different lengths and genres but all with a common theme - madness or losing the plot.

I would recommend this to certain readers, especially horror readers.

Smile So Red and Other Tales of Madness is a fever dream I didn’t want to wake up from—claustrophobic, surreal, and dripping with dread. Mia Dalia has crafted a collection that feels like cracking open a diary you were never meant to read: raw, fragmented, and deeply unsettling in the best way.

Each story spirals in its own direction, but they’re all united by that gnawing undercurrent of instability—the sense that reality is just a thin veil waiting to tear. Dalia leans hard into psychological horror, the kind that makes you second-guess not just the narrator, but yourself. I found myself rereading passages not because I didn’t understand them, but because I wanted to sit longer in the discomfort.

The madness in this collection isn’t always loud. Sometimes it creeps in sideways. Sometimes it giggles. Sometimes it smiles too wide. And that’s what makes it so effective—these aren’t just horror stories, they’re invitations into beautifully cracked minds.

If you like your horror dark, literary, and laced with poetic unease, Smile So Red delivers. It’s sharp. It’s strange. And it’ll echo in your head long after the final page.

An imaginative collection of stories from author, Mia Dalia. The author put me in the creepy woods, in the dark basement, in the hidden depths of the suburbs, and back in the beat of the gritty city. Chilling, Heartbreaking, moving, and dark in the best way. A mind-bending journey through various styles of stories. This collection has something for everyone. Can't wait to read more from this Author. Thanks NetGalley.

This collection of short stories was amazing for want of a better word. I loved each and every story contained within and couldn’t put it down. I have to say I can’t really pick a favourite, despite being a werewolf fan, because each story stood out and stuck with me long after finishing. This is perfect to have around when you need a quick scare or have time to kill and want well executed horror tales with immersive writing and memorable tales.
As always thank you to Brigid’s Gates Press for the advanced copy to review, my reviews are always honest and freely given.

Enjoyable horror anthology with Magnus Archives vibes. My favourite short stories were "Smile so Red" which really creeped me out and "Trunk" which made me so uncomfortable because who doesn't hate basements! I also really enjoyed some of the stories being connected to each other and expanding on "Smile so Red"; that was such a standout element for me.

This was a dark and twisty read and each story had its own psychological element to scare and creep you out.

Thank you to NetGalley for the e-ARC!

"Otherworldly beings, Bogdan believed, should have the decency to look otherworldly. For if they should look like us, how can we tell the monsters apart?"

Genre: Horror/Thriller
Themes:
- descent into madness
- mystery
- suspicious basement suitcases

This collection of stories was a joy to read. The opening story, 'A Smile So Red' set the scene well for the rest of the stories, and their common theme of a descent into madness. Each story was well paced and the endings weren't overly predictable, the descriptions felt detailed enough to build a picture but not too heavy handed and the language used was evocative. There was a great variation in the stories with similar themes throughout and some being within the same universe. I enjoyed the final story also linking back to the first.

Some of the endings did, however, feel a little rushed and I would have enjoyed a little more lead up and after the final crescendo of the story.

I'll definitely be looking out for more of this author as it was my first time reading them!

I went into Smile So Red and Other Tales of Madness expecting a spooky short story collection. What I got was a psychological rollercoaster that somehow managed to be haunting, heartbreaking, and darkly funny all at once. Mia Dalia doesn’t just write horror — she dissects the human mind with a scalpel made of words.

The opening novella Smile So Red sucked me in like quicksand. “There’s something hungry in the silence of abandoned places,” one line reads — and yep, that set the tone perfectly. Anton’s descent was eerie and immersive, like watching a fever dream spiral into a nightmare. Dalia knows how to twist a story just enough to leave you unsettled without ever relying on cheap thrills.

I enjoyed this so much I’ve already gone digging for more by Mia Dalia — her voice is sharp, original, and unforgettable. This is the kind of horror that stays with you.

Huge thanks to NetGalley and Anuci Press for the ARC. I’ll be thinking about lawn flamingos, creepy trunks and earworms for a while.

I find that short story collections can often be quite a mixed bag. Usually, there are a handful of stories that resonate deeply with me, while others leave me feeling less enthralled. However, this particular book was nothing short of extraordinary! I was captivated by every single story and found myself unable to set it down. The characters were incredibly well fleshed out, which is a remarkable achievement considering the brevity of each tale! I was particularly enchanted by the themes woven throughout, and I appreciated how a couple of the narratives subtly intertwined, creating a richer reading experience.

That said, there was a minor drawback: I did notice a tendency toward repetition in some sentences. The recurring use of the word “carapace” began to feel a bit jarring, and I couldn’t help but note the instances where a character would shake their head as if trying to erase memories like an Etch A Sketch. While these weren't significant flaws, I believe the stories could benefit from a bit of reworking to alleviate that sense of redundancy. Still, I must admit, the Etch A Sketch simile does add a delightful touch!

The settings of these stories were another highlight, boasting vividly depicted locations that exuded an eerie ambiance. Each setting brimmed with potential for spine-tingling suspense, yet I felt the tales themselves ultimately fell a shade flat. They weren’t bad by any means; they simply didn’t ensnare my attention as thoroughly as I yearned for them to. This lack of engagement is crucial, especially in the realms of horror or mystery, where the emotional grip of a story can make all the difference.

I also pondered whether a longer format might have allowed for greater investment in the characters and plots. I’ve experienced a similar sentiment with romance novellas and short stories, so perhaps this is a common thread in other genres as well? For me, having that extra time to become immersed in a narrative is essential. Just a theory, but it certainly deserves consideration.

A mixed bag! I found myself disinterested in the first few stories, to the point I almost DNF’d. But there were a few stories in the middle, especially the one centered on the Devil’s Chord, that hooked me. The writing was easy to understand and get into, with some flowing better than others.

Smile So Red and Other Tales of Madness is a chilling collection of noir short stories that delves into the darker corners of the human psyche. Each story explores the blurred boundaries of morality, where good and evil intermingle and certainty quickly unravels.

The characters are layered and compelling. Deeply flawed and often morally ambiguous, they move through a world of secrets, betrayal, and psychological unrest. Their choices drive the narrative forward in unsettling and unpredictable ways.

This is a tightly written, immersive collection that leans into dread rather than overt horror. Smile So Red doesn’t just entertain—it lingers. Readers looking for psychologically rich, atmospheric storytelling will find plenty to admire here.

4 stars

Dalia is a new to me author, so I wasn’t quite sure what to expect. However, I was pleasantly surprised to find that I actually enjoyed every story in this book, which is rare for me with anthologies. I usually find one or two that I dont care for. The tropes run the gamut and were all very fun to read.

Small towns and suburbs become terrifying, the woods turn deadly, the kids are not all right, and the graffiti smiles follow you home.
An excellent collection of twisted nightmares. The author deftly maneuvers between horror, thriller, and mystery, although most of these tales of madness lean toward the former. 
This may not be for everyone, but fans of slow-burn, original, literary, dark psychological fiction are going to love this. I'm excited to check out more work by this author.
Highly recommended!