The Laundrette

Sometimes a story comes out of nowhere, fully formed, and kind of imprints itself into your brain.

This was the case with The Laundrette, a folk horror tale which was kindly published earlier this year by Macabre Magazine in the US (that link will take you to the story).

It speaks to my Scottish heritage, set in one of those lochside towns it sometimes seems time has forgotten, featuring a very unusual creature from Scottish folklore. It’s a bit grisly in places but the horror is more suggestive than direct.

I was hoping to see it in print - Macabre was a print magazine when I first submitted - but its elegant website better reflects the way people read these days, and I guess the story is more accessible this way.

The story marked a turn into a much grittier, realist style for me, which then resulted in me writing my first non-speculative novel in 2025 (more on that soon…)

The Laundrette is one of the my favourite things I’ve ever written. I hope you enjoy it.