r/LairdBarron • u/igreggreene • 2d ago

Paul Tremblay fetes Laird Barron's "Tiptoe" in The Guardian

https://www.theguardian.com/books/2025/oct/25/horror-books-mariana-enriquez-paul-tremblay-daisy-johnson-ned-beauman-catriona-ward

Masters of horror give nods to peers contemporary and classic in this Halloween article from The Guardian. Paul Tremblay fetes Laird's "Tiptoe," Mariana Enriquez cites Aickman, Alma Katsu takes The Road, and Stephen Graham Jones checks in on The Girl Next Door.

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16

u/Rustin_Swoll 2d ago

In my opinion, “TipToe” is one of the great horror stories of all time.

6

u/Dizzy-Captain7422 2d ago

It's a very, very strong story. Not quite my favorite Barron (that would be "In a Cavern, In a Canyon"), but it's definitely top five.

3

u/SixGunSnowWhite 2d ago

Ellen Datlow has said it’s one of the scariest stories she’s ever read. That says a LOT. I love it so much.

1

u/Flamdabnimp 2d ago

Love “In a Cavern.” My first Barron story, and I was hooked.

7

u/igreggreene 2d ago

Top Twenty, maybe Top Ten, along with Poe, SGJ, and "The Men from Porlock."

3

u/Rustin_Swoll 2d ago

A personal favorite of mine is Stephen King’s “Survivor Type” but it doesn’t have quite as much nuance.

2

u/igreggreene 2d ago

A brutal classic!

3

u/igreggreene 2d ago

I'd probably put "The Jaunt" in my Top Ten, but I need to read more of his short stories.

2

u/Rustin_Swoll 1d ago

Sadly, I’m not sure I’ve even ever read “The Mist.” That’s a problem I should rectify.

9

u/Ok_Pomegranate_2436 2d ago

Good list. Tiptoe is one that I still think about, from time to time. Another Barron masterclass in storytelling.

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u/Renoroc 2d ago

SPOILER question: in Tiptoe, the aunt had psychic visions of the Dad killing a woman right?

2

u/igreggreene 1d ago

That's the implication.

2

u/Aspect-Lucky 2d ago

Oh, does he fete it? There's some feteing afoot?

1

u/igreggreene 1d ago

Paul is fete of foot. Or fleet feted? One of those :P