Horror story about old spy and ?Alien/monster in suburban UK

May 8, 2024 7:45 AM

I'm trying to remember the name/author of a story that I'm fairly sure I read in a 'Best Horror of the Year' anthology (edited by Ellen Datlow). It concerns a spy or member of some security force in the UK trying to get someone to take seriously the presence of an alien or monster that security forces had been tracking, but had now lost track of due to retirement or bureaucracy or similar. I think the monster lives in a suburban house and was impossible to kill. There may have been some kind of code word that would set it on an unstoppable killing spree? I also remember something about how it could walk through oceans? I've had no luck googling, and I can't currently access my big pile of BHOTY anthologies. Does this sound familiar to anyone? It's driving me crazy and I'd love to re-read it.
posted by sedimentary_deer to Society & Culture (3 answers total)

This sounds generically rather like a Charles Stross story. There are others who write somewhat in this vein, too, and I could see authors like Ian Tregillis, Nick Setchfield, or Dan O'Malley possibly being the author, though (as far as I know) those last three have all not published near as much as Stross, and unsure about short stories. Good luck!
posted by cupcakeninja at 10:36 AM on May 8 [2 favorites]

Best answer: "Shay Corsham Worsted" by Garth Nix in The Best Horror of the Year Volume 7. Fantastic story! I always forget the name as well because it's so different. I hope this helps!
posted by mdrosen at 10:49 AM on May 8 [6 favorites]

Response by poster: That's the one - thanks mdrosen! And for the recommendations cupcakeninja!

Realise that I read it in 'Nightmares: a New Decade of Modern Horror', which is another excellent anthology. Also, i don't have BHOTY volume 7 so obviously need to remedy that - although it seems a little hard to find in the UK :) Excellent work askmetafilter - thanks!
posted by sedimentary_deer at 11:06 AM on May 8 [2 favorites]