Speculative fiction is by definition in the vanguard of contemporary writing and particularly suited to the short story form. This fifth volume of Strange Tales from Tartarus includes seventeen new stories by eight British and nine North American authors, some well-known and others up-and-coming in the field. As in previous volumes in this series, a wide range of literary strange fiction is represented here, from the science fiction of Charles Wilkinson's and "The Investigation of Innocence, and " to the historical fantasy-horror of Elise Forier Edie's and "You Go Back, and " to the stream-of-consciousness, psychological weirdness of Andrew Apter's and "The Man Who Loved Flies and " to the evocative sleight of hand that is Mark Valentine's and "Yes, I Knew the Venusian Commodore. and "These are, by any measure, superb short stories, and it is hoped that Strange Tales V will further the cause of contemporary speculative fiction and help introduce it to a wider audience.Containing: and "The Investigation of Innocence and " by Charles Wilkinson and "Julie and " by L.S. Johnson and "The Grave House and " by Steve Rasnic Tem and "A Life in Plastic and " by Andrew Hook and "Bardo Thodol Backup File and " by Jacurutu:23 and "More Than India and " by John Howard and "You-Go-Back and " by Elise Forier Edie and "Stranger Must Go and " by Douglas Penick and "Beatrice Faraway's Christmas Tale and " by Paul Bradley and "Henge and " by David Rix and "Yes, I Knew the Venusian Commodore and " by Mark Valentine and "Mary Alice in the Mirror and " by Yarrow Paisley and "The Taxidermist's Tale and " by Tara Isabella Burton and "The Man Who Loved Flies and " by Andrew Apter and "Purses and " by Nathan Alling Long and "Look for the Place Where the Ivy Rises and " by Tom Johnstone and "McBirdy and " by David McGroarty.