This collection of short stories collects 12 stories by Uschi Gatward, who sadly died soon after publication. The stories cross various themes and styles but have a bit of an overall feeling of foreboding or folk horror. This is most keenly true in Beltane which put me in mind of the Wicker Man, but also in other stories. Some of them have only the slightest of plot, so the mood created is the key. ( )

Uneven, but Some of Interest
Review of the Galley Beggars limited edition black cover paperback edition (2021)

[3 rating, rounding up from an average rating of 2.5 out of 5 for the 12 stories]
Uschi Gatward's first short story collection contains stories that are mostly of two styles. The main style is one of straight reportage of events. Sometimes, these are of a dystopic nature such as the opener futuristic The Clinic and the police state My Brother is Back. Often they are chronicles of events, such as attending a May Day Fair, going to the seaside, rescuing a bird from a chimney, playing a backgammon game etc. These latter ones do not often build up much drama or suspense. They're well written but I often failed to engage in the story. A few others had characters for which I had no sympathy, which caused further disengagement.

There were however two stories that really stood out here. First there was Oh Whistle and with its cryptic text which required some amount of de-cyphering in order to follow. Second was Lammas, a historical fiction looking back on events in 1892. Both of these were in a more experimental style which I found much more intriguing that the stories of straightforward reportage. Oh Whistle and was particularly clever with the way its style mirrored its topics of espionage.

1. The Clinic (2014) *** Vague story of an apparent future dystopic society where a couple tries to hide their gifted daughter from the authorities.
2. My Brother is Back (2016) *** A Muslim detainee (who has apparently been imprisoned somewhere in the USA) is released back to his home country in the UK without any money. This is based on the true-life story of Syed Talha Ahsan, per the interview with author Uschi Gatward linked below.
3. Oh Whistle and (2016) **** Cryptic story with various characters identified only by one-letter codenames who are engaged in two plotlines. One relates to a Union vs. Management intrigue. The other relates to a possible terrorist underground being spied on by the authorities. This story is available at The White Review (April 2016) where it was first published online.
4. Beltane (2017) ** A couple from London attend a May Day Festival in the countryside. There are extremely detailed descriptions of the activities, but nothing really happens. There is a hint of a Wicker Man burning which adds the only level of suspense, but only by association.
5. The Bird (2014) *** A couple returned from their honeymoon sort out their wedding presents and money while debating what to do about a bird stuck down their chimney.
6. On Margate Sands (2015) *** Two female students are having a beach holiday and go to the Fairgrounds nearby. The only drama is in the search for a house decorated with shells that one of them remembers from their childhood.
7. The Crèche (2013) ** A group of mothers and young children spend a day at a seaside outing.
8. Lurve (2017) * Random story of some wannabe artists or hangers-on going to art gallery parties.
9. Lammas (2021) **** Telegraphic telling of the Lammas Day Riots of 1892 with some flash forwards to later years with elderly survivors looking back. Note: Link also defines what the Celtic word Samhain means (see next story).
10. Samhain (2016) *** A family goes to a park and then makes preparations and dresses up for Samhain (Celtic Halloween). There is no real plot here, but the atmosphere is captured well. I had to look up what conker means.
11. What's for You Won't Go by You (2019) * Tedious story of two drink and drug addicts recovering from opiate abuse with methadone.
12. Backgammon (2020) ** Some friends get together for an evening and play backgammon.

I read English Magic in its limited edition release available to supporters of the Galley Beggar Press' Galley Buddy subscription program.

Other Reviews
Exquisitely Eerie Withholding by Lara Pawson at The Guardian, July 29, 2021.
Book Review by Electra Nanou at Book Breath, September 16, 2021.

Author Interview
An Interview with Uschi Gatward at Wasafiri, January 1, 2017. ( )