And Cannot Come Again: Tales of Childhood, Regret, and Innocence Lost

"One of the most accomplished and eloquent British horror writers is Simon Bestwick, and here is a feast of his work." --Ramsey Campbell Funny, frightening and moving, the stories in Simon Bestwick's new collection explore how our childhoods mark us, our regrets haunt us, and how our innocence is sometimes lost--and sometimes taken away. A young policewoman is drawn into a dreadful bargain. Murdered girls walk the streets of Manchester beside their still-living friends. Tormented children call on an urban legend for help, and the events of a long-ago summer and first love return with lethal consequences for four childhood friends. All this and more besides, in these fifteen short stories and novelettes from the author of The Faceless and The Feast of All Souls.

About the Author :
Simon Bestwick was born in Wolverhampton back in the '70s, but his family moved to Manchester when he was two and he lived in the area up until 2014, when he moved to Liverpool. In 2015 he moved to the Wirral with the author Cate Gardner, and in 2016 they got married. His school years were horrible. His college and University years were great. He graduated with a 2:1 degree in 1996 and realized what he wanted--needed--to do was write. A succession of dead-end and/or soul-killing jobs followed--office worker, fast food operative, WP operator, training administrator, call centre worker. Now, finally, he is self-employed and doing what he loves. So far he has published three novels, a chapbook, and four short story collections. Two new novels are forthcoming and he's working on others, not to mention a screenplay. He is represented by Tom Witcomb at the Blake Friedmann Literary Agency.

Review :
"Bestwick is brilliant." --The Guardian "One of the most accomplished and eloquent British horror writers is Simon Bestwick, and here is a feast of his work." --Ramsey Campbell "Simon Bestwick goes to places least traveled and brings back diamonds soaked in the blood of the psyche. His stories don't aspire to sermon; like all good fiction their integrity, their bravery command their own unique survey of the human condition. That places Bestwick in a rarefied group. This collection is a treasure." --Usman T. Malik, British Fantasy and Bram Stoker Award-winning author of The Pauper Prince and the Eucalyptus Jinn "Simon Bestwick shines a light on the dark places in the human heart." --Erica L. Satifka, British Fantasy Award-winning author of Stay Crazy "Simon Bestwick's fiction is like a neat incision--seeds are planted--the cut is sewn up. You're very aware that something dark is still growing under the skin." --Colleen Anderson, author of A Body of Work "Simon Bestwick's stories are sharp, bleak, odd, full of grief and grace. If you only know him from his novels, this will be a treat (though you very much should read those, too); if you don't know him at all, then for God's sake, treat yourself. In a genre full of unsung treasures, his song deserves to be heard." --Gemma Files, author of Experimental Film "Simon Bestwick is a master of unsettling stories about people effectively haunted by themselves. While often uncomfortable or even gruesome, these tales of regret and accumulated pain are always compelling and resolutely human." --Tim Major, author of Machineries of Mercy and Snakeskins "The stories in Simon Bestwick's extraordinary collection And Cannot Come Again are revelations--uneasy, often bleak and always necessary. Bestwick reaches far and deep to illuminate the deep wounds we all share and might otherwise try to forget--terrifying and enlightening us in almost the same breath." --David Nickle, author of Eutopia and Volk