Driven ceaselessly, hypnotically forward by a powerful, deeply felt narrative force, the stories in this debut collection pull off that rare trick of captivating the reader, while twisting the form into truly new shapes. Comprising, compelling stories made memorable by an imagist’s flair for photographic observation and unsettling, often startling, emotional landscapes, Darker With the Lights On introduces a mesmeric new literary talent with seismic potential. "One of the most startlingly brilliant and original debuts I've ever read. Hayden is one hell of a talent." – David Collard Driven ceaselessly, hypnotically forward by a powerful, deeply felt narrative "Very, very fine fictions, which captivate and seduce the reader ... Beautiful, luminous, and written with poetic economy and precision." – David Winters