Summary

“Best New Horror” follows the movements of a man named Eddie Carroll, who is the editor of an anthology called America’s Best New Horror. Eddie receives a manuscript from Harold Noonan, who wants Eddie to include the piece, which is by a man named Peter Kilrue, in the anthology. Eddie is taken enough with the story that he contacts Noonan and agrees to take on the piece, which is titled “Buttonboy: A Love Story” and details an extremely violent kidnapping encounter that a young girl has wherein an extremely large man holds her hostage alongside a boy with smiley-face buttons pinned on his eyes.

Eddie manages to trace Peter’s whereabouts to the Poughkeepsie, NY area, and attends a horror writing conference there, assuming that Peter will be in attendance. Eddie is given an impromptu invite...