The Darkroom (After Dark series, 34)
Gerard Ross, illus. Steven Woodman
Lothian 1999

The popularity of horror series such as "Goosebumps" has led to plenty of similar books published for the early teens. Some of these are very good: ripping stories that excite and challenge the reader. Others are just pretty nasty and exploit a vulnerable market.

The "After Dark" series is an Australian effort that has been consistently good throughout its 34 books so far. It is edited by Gary Crew, a popular author who has won 4 Children's Book of the Year awards, and who has contributed several of the titles.

The two latest, "The Grandstand" and "The Darkroom", maintain the standard but in quite different ways.

"The Grandstand" by Gary Crew, is a typical Mad Murderer story with a social outcast suspect, disappearing children and grizzly fates at the ending. It is told by a retired policeman to his grandchildren but it could just as easily be any child telling creepy stories to scare friends.

The storyline is fairly predictable and it lacks the sudden and unexpected twists that you would normally find in these tales. But it still builds the tension and, with Peter Holland's atmospheric illustrations, creates enough of a spooky mood to entertain.

"The Darkroom" seems to work much better, because the reader can see that something threatening is coming through the whole story, but is surprised by what. Gerard Ross has us follow the central character, Annie, as she gradually discovers the secret of her dead father's camera. He had told her, before he died, that a good photographer and a good camera could look into people's souls. Annie gradually unravels the hidden secret of his old Leica camera and discovers how caught up in the mystery she is. The ending is open enough to give the reader something to think about well after finishing the book.

One of the main concerns about many recent children's horror series is the overuse of violence and blood-drenched descriptions. Neither of these books relies on graphic details of gore to make their points - they simply don't need them. They build their stories on the thoughts and emotions of realistic people.

The "After Dark" series includes titles by some of Australia's best children's and Young Adult writers: Robin Klein, James Moloney, Isobelle Carmody, Jenny Pausaker among them. These two titles maintain the high standard of the series and offer a much more literate and well written alternative to many other offerings on the Horror shelves. 

Review by David Beagley

© 1999 David Beagley