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F. Marion Crawford: The Dead Smile

“The Dead Smile” is a short story by F. Marion Crawford, first published in August 1899 in Ainslee’s Magazine and later included in the collection Uncanny Tales (1911). Set in an old Irish mansion, it unfolds the unsettling tale of the Ockrams, a family burdened by a cursed inheritance. Before his death, Sir Hugh—an old man both cruel and merciless—utters cryptic warnings to his son Gabriel and to his niece Evelyn, who intend to marry. Yet he takes his secret to the grave. From that moment on, the young couple’s happiness is overshadowed by a growing threat and an insistent summons that seems to rise from the family crypt itself.

Patricia Highsmith: A Clock Ticks at Christmas

“A Clock Ticks at Christmas,” a short story by Patricia Highsmith published in Mermaids on the Golf Course (1985), introduces us to Michèle and Charles, a wealthy Parisian couple whose life is turned upside down after Michèle’s chance encounter with a poor boy on Christmas Eve. Moved by the spirit of generosity of the Christmas season, Michèle invites the boy into her home and offers him help. However, the visit exposes fundamental tensions and differences in the couple, revealing their different perspectives on charity, trust, and the value of human relationships.

Harlan Ellison: Santa Claus vs. S. P. I. D. E. R.

“Santa Claus vs. S.P.I.D.E.R.” is a short story by Harlan Ellison, published in January 1969 in The Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction. Kris, a secret agent living hidden in the Arctic under the identity of Santa Claus, receives an urgent call that draws him into a confrontation with S.P.I.D.E.R., a mysterious organization with an eight-point plan to destabilize the world. Eight American political figures have been possessed and turned into puppets of the enemy. Kris must infiltrate and neutralize each phase of the conspiracy, using his arsenal of sophisticated gadgets and espionage skills, while uncovering the true intentions of this dangerous entity.

Robert Bloch: The Night Before Christmas

“The Night Before Christmas” is a short story by Robert Bloch published in 1980 in the anthology Dark Forces. Arnold Brandon, a struggling painter, receives a commission that could boost his career: to paint the portrait of Louise, the elegant wife of Carlos Santiago, an imposing and mysterious Argentine tycoon. From their first meeting, Santiago, with his commanding presence and shady past, provokes in Arnold a mixture of fascination and revulsion. As Arnold progresses with his work and Christmas approaches, the relationships between the three characters become increasingly complex, creating an atmosphere where power, jealousy, and secrets threaten to unleash a tragic storm.

H. P. Lovecraft: The Outsider

“The Outsider” is a short story by H. P. Lovecraft, published in April 1926 in Weird Tales magazine. It recounts the bleak existence of an isolated individual in an ancient, gloomy castle, completely cut off from the outside world and deprived of all human contact. Feeding on fragmentary and obscure memories, the protagonist lives in oppressive solitude, surrounded by shadows and books, unaware of his origins or his own appearance. Driven by a deep longing for light and contact with the outside world, he embarks on a reckless climb to the top of the castle, where he will have a shocking experience.

Philip K. Dick: Human Is

“Human Is” is a science fiction short story written by Philip K. Dick and published in 1955 in the magazine Startling Stories. Jill is a woman trapped in a marriage with Lester Herrick, a cold and emotionally abusive husband, an extremely rational scientist wholly devoted to his work. However, after being sent on a mission to the planet Rexor IV, Lester returns with a completely different attitude: kind, affectionate, almost unrecognizable. This change unsettles Jill, who begins to wonder what the true reason behind her husband’s transformation might be.