The Christmas Bell: A Horror Novel by L.A. Detwiler

 

When Candace Mills, 26, heads home for the holidays to visit her mother and ailing grandmother, she's expecting a peaceful, dull Christmas. She has no idea, though, that a single Christmas ornament is about to send her into a whirling chasm of evil.

It starts with the Christmas bell, scratched and worn in one of Grandma Anne's boxes in the attic. Once they put it on the tree, Grandma Anne starts to say terrifying things and act strangely. Candace and her mother assume it's her dementia talking—until they start to have dangerous encounters with a fiendish being.

As the secrets of Anne's past involving her twin sister rise to the surface, the women face sinister horrors from a dark force looking for revenge.

This was a quick read, more novella length than novel.

Candace has not been home to see her mother in quite some time, and will come to regret this visit. All seems well at first, what could be nicer than catching up with old friends and seeing Grandma Anne for the holidays? Grandma has recently had to move in with her daughter (Candace's mom Marian) since she can no longer care for herself and keep up with her own home. Many of her belongings are banished to Marian's attic since there just isn't room. When Candace discovers the strange looking Christmas bell in one of her boxes she thinks it would be a nice thing to do for Grandma to put it on the tree. Turns out it wasn't nice, for anyone! Grandma has some very disturbing secrets and the bell is the catalyst that uncovers them, putting the whole family and Candace's friends in danger. I found the mother /daughter dynamic to be fascinating. Generations of women, going all the way back to Anne's mother did some pretty disturbing things that they convinced themselves was for the good of the family.

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About the author
L.A. Detwiler is a USA TODAY bestselling author and high school English teacher from Hollidaysburg, Pennsylvania. During her final year at Mount Aloysius College, she started writing her first fiction novel, which was published in 2015. She has also written articles that have appeared in several women’s publications and websites. L.A. Detwiler lives in her hometown with her husband, Chad. They have five cats and a mastiff named Henry.

Her debut thriller with Avon Books/HarperCollins, The Widow Next Door, was a USA TODAY Bestseller. The One Who Got Away releases February 19th with One More Chapter/HarperCollins, and The Diary of a Serial Killer's Daughter releases March 12, 2020

The Sign of the Beast by Joyce Carol Oates

 

The National Book Award–winning and New York Times bestselling master of psychological suspense returns with the story of a young boy’s sexual awareness disturbed by cruelty, obsession, and rage.

Eleven-year-old Howard was born with a birthmark on his cheek. His Sunday school teacher mockingly calls it the “sign of the beast.” Too hateful to be named, for Howard she is only Mrs. S——. And she’s as careless in causing him misery as she is willful in arousing his shame. All Howard can do is look away—until he realizes he can turn the aggression on its head. When the hunted becomes the hunter, what will happen next? 

This is a short story that popped up last Halloween (or the Halloween before?) on Amazon's home page as one of several offerings to prime members and kindle owners. It sounded good so I downloaded it and then promptly forgot all about it until I went to borrow a book from what used to be the lending library and was told I had to return this book first to "prime reading" before I can download another. It's short enough to read in one sitting, 40 pages or so.

I settled in to read it today, and was not particularly impressed. It's not especially scary or thought provoking and I could not relate to any of the characters. I'm not sure where one would find a church that allows Sunday school teachers to dress in low cut and too tight garb more suited to trawling for men before last call than teaching bible lessons other than this story. Surely the church ladies would have objected to her attire even without knowing she had a thing for young boys. The birthmark on Howard's face seemed unnecessary since without it Mrs. S would have found another reason to fixate on him or other boys but then I suppose it was required for the title of the story. I can't say I cared much what happened to Mrs. S or Howard for that matter.

2 out of 5 stars

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Joyce Carol Oates is a recipient of the National Book Award and the PEN/Malamud Award for Excellence in Short Fiction. She is also the recipient of the 2005 Prix Femina for The Falls. She is the Roger S. Berlind Distinguished Professor of the Humanities at Princeton University, and she has been a member of the American Academy of Arts and Letters since 1978. Pseudonyms ... Rosamond Smith and Lauren Kelly

Best Horror Novels of 2020

It was a tough choice but these are my picks for the best horror novels of 2020. If you have not read them yet, you are missing out. The title links will take you to the book synopsis, review, author info and Amazon page.

Snowball          Curse of the Pigman      Devil's Creek

Wormwood           Bad Parts                 Misfits

The Other People             In The Scrape          Until Summer Comes Around

Come Join The Murder          Dark Choir          Prepare To Meet Thy God

October's Gone by by Sean Platt and David W. Wright

From the bestselling authors of Yesterday's Gone, Karma Police, WhiteSpace, and more comes a new tense post-apocalyptic thriller that will leave you guessing until the very end.

On October 15, Elizabeth Coombs wakes up from one nightmare to find herself in another ...

Her husband and son have gone on a midnight fishing trip and the world outside has changed in subtle but unmistakable ways.

There’s a freak storm, strange lights in the sky, sounds that don’t seem right, and something lurking outside her rental cabin — something that should not be.

At first, Liz tries to tell herself it’s all in her head, symptoms of her mental illness, symptoms she tries to treat with pills. The same pills her abusive husband derides her for taking.

Maybe she’s just on edge because, in two days, she secretly plans to take her son and leave with her best friend, going far away where her husband can never hurt them again.

Everything will be okay, she tells herself.

But then her son returns home alone with no idea where his father is.

Just one problem, she knows her son is lying.

The boy KNOWS what happened. Why isn’t he telling her?

 

The first thing I want to say is that I enjoyed this book. I need to say that before I sound like I'm complaining. At the time of this review there is no description or synopsis on Goodreads, only a cover photo. When I started this book I did not realize it was part of a series, and I prefer to avoid series.

While this says it is a "stand alone" on Amazon  or possibly a prequel to the series as per another reviewer I do feel like I would have better understood certain things if I was acquainted with the other books.

I did like the characters, and did feel for the abused wife who as much as she wanted to protect her special needs son from his father, was mostly too weak to do anything about it, having suffered her own abuse as a child and thus continuing the cycle. The weird storm was creepy but I felt lost in trying to understand what the monsters and clicking were about. 

There is lots of suspense and tension filled moments in this well written story but I am not entirely convinced it is a stand alone.

I received a complimentary copy for review.

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The Dead Boxes Archive by John F. Leonard

 

The Dead Boxes Archive is a chilling collection of short horror stories and horror novellas. Together for the first time in one volume, seven tales from the critically acclaimed Dead Boxes series.

Dead Boxes are scary things. Wonderful and dreadful secrets hiding themselves in plain view.
On the surface, they often appear to be ordinary, everyday objects. Items which are easily overlooked at first glance. Perhaps that’s just as well because the Dead Boxes are as far from ordinary and everyday as you can get. They hold miracle and mystery, horror and salvation, answers to questions best not asked and directions to places better left unfound.

This collection offers an insight into some of these delightfully eerie articles. A stunning omnibus of old school inspired horror, the brooding and ominous variety. Not to say that there isn’t a little gore and gruesome in the mix. But one of the beauties of horror is that it comes in many forms. Blood and guts don’t need to be stars of the show for a story to be dark and disturbing. Something that will stay with you long after the reading is done.

There are five tales that are available to buy as individual books and two more with limited availability. The exceptional Linger is previously only published in the charity horror anthology, Diabolica Britannica. The Screaming Mike Hawkins Story is new for this collection.

Some of these stories were new to me, others I have had the pleasure of reading previously. I really enjoyed most of them, but Burtbridge Boys was just not my cup of tea.

Of all the stories Night Service is my favorite, and is actually one of the best short stories I've read this year. It's the most wonderful time of the year. Christmas is approaching and there's no need to worry about the cold weather. Luke and Jessica plan to keep each other warm, and tonight's the night. It's the end of their third date and Jessica has invited Luke to come home with her. This must be his lucky night! Of course it would be better if he could afford a taxi. Wandering the streets looking for a bus stop well past midnight can put a damper on things. So can boarding a bus with a handful of unsavory characters. Things start to get uncomfortable before the bus even arrives, but once it does, well you'd have to be more brave than I am to board it. The ride is less than smooth and the destination is not at all the type of excitement Luke had been hoping for. The night service might not take you where you want to go but it will take you on a ride you'll never forget.

I loved the way the author turned the ordinary every day event of a bus ride into something extraordinarily terrifying.

Call drops 

Oddly enough, telephones have often been a source of nightmares for me. I do mean that literally, not just that I dislike talking on the phone. In my dreams it's a land line of the old fashioned rotary dial type. In this story it's a cell phone. A simple older slider model with no inner workings and no service provider that somehow manages to ring anyway, bringing brief but disturbing messages for it's new owner. The first time the phone rings it's shocking, as is the information Vincent is given by the disembodied voice when he answers the call. Further calls lead to far more gruesome discoveries. This was a short but shuddersome read that I would recommend to all who love horror and dark fiction.

Doggem was another story that I have read previously, and I enjoyed revisiting it here

It's been 20 years since I was the parent of a kindergartener, but I still remember my son coming home with a stuffed toy and a note from the teacher telling me it was our turn to host said toy for the weekend, and to record in it's diary the events of our time together. I don't remember what we shared with the class but I do remember keeping quiet about our cat dragging it to the litter box in an attempt to bury it or maybe murder it. Perhaps the cat sensed something? In this short story Doggem goes home with a very special boy. George is to host Doggem for the entire 6 week school break. This is more than enough time for Doggem to become privy to dark family secrets that even little George has yet to discover.
Is there such a category as whimsical horror? If not, I think the author has invented it. This was an enjoyable read that would have fit in perfectly as an episode of Amazing Stories or Tales from The Darkside.

A Plague of Pages was new to me, and showcases the peril of the written word in more ways then one. What if horror stories came true? And does the power to turn them into reality reside within the writer or the pen? Is it something that can be passed from one generation to the next? This was one of the gorier and creepier reads in this collection.

Linger  tells the story of a man who never knew his father, suddenly inheriting all of his money and a huge house full of bizarre objects. Is this the act of a repentant man wanting to make things right on his death bed? Or are their more sinister reasons for this last minute generosity afoot? 

The Screaming Mike Hawkins Story is the tale of a blues man with a life as fascinating as any legend of  Robert Johnson, the Mississippi blues singer who purportedly sold his soul at the crossroads and his life, although not cut short, came to a most horrific end.

I received an advance copy for review

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Bone Harvest by James Brogden

 

Struggling with the effects of early-onset dementia, Dennie Keeling now leads a quiet life. Her husband is dead, her children are grown, and her best friend, Sarah, was convicted of murdering her abusive husband. After Sarah's tragic death in prison, Dennie has found solace in her allotment, and all she wants is to be left to tend it in peace. Life remains quiet for twelve years, until three strangers take on a nearby plot and Dennie starts to notice unnatural things. Shadowy figures prowl at night; plants flower well before their time. And then Sarah appears, bringing dire warnings and vanishing after daubing symbols on the walls in Dennie's own blood. Dennie soon realises that she is face to face with an ancient evil - but with her dementia steadily growing worse, who is going to believe her?

This book sat in my kindle for a bit, and when I got around to starting it, I first thought I must have the wrong book. I read a little, then put it down and read the synopsis again.  I wondered what in the world orgies with dead bodies, cannibalism and deserters from the war could possibly have to do with a woman suffering early onset dementia all on her own with her husband and children gone....so I left this book alone for a while. Eventually I picked it back up  even though it did not seem to be my type. At last I made it to Dennie and her allotment. The three strangers who show up to take on the neighboring allotment are from a religious cult, and they are here to resurrect their ancient god, leaving a path of death and destruction in their wake. Everyone seems easily swayed by these charismatic newcomers, all except for Dennie and her dog who are the first to suspect all is not as it appears to be. Before long it seems that Dennie will have to be the one to save the day, for even as the dementia begins to claim her, she still has the ability to see what others can't. By this time I was deeply invested in the story and it's characters, and was glad I did not give up on the story during it's unexpected beginning. There is lots of gore and bloodshed in this supernatural horror but also a lot of heart as one character grapples with what he may be willing to sacrifice to save his child.

4 out of 5 stars

I received a complimentary copy for review. 

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About the author

James Brogden is a writer of horror and dark fantasy. A part-time Australian who grew up in Tasmania and the Cumbrian Borders, he has since escaped to suburbia and now lives with his wife and two daughters in the Midlands, where he teaches English. When not writing or teaching he can usually be found up a hill, poking around stone circles and burial mounds. He also owns more lego than is strictly necessary.

His short stories have appeared in various anthologies and periodicals ranging from The Big Issue to the BFS Award-Winning Alchemy Press. His most recent novel, ‘The Plague Stones’ was published by Titan Books in March 2019, and his new novel ‘Bone Harvest’ is due in November 2020. Blogging occurs infrequently at jamesbrogden.blogspot.co.uk, and tweeting at @skippybe

Twelve Days Of Christmas Horror by Rick Wood

 

From a sadistic secret Santa gift, to a murderous telekinetic fairy, to a nativity full of the undead… you’ll find a horror treat for all twelve days of Christmas!

This collection of 12 short stories was frightfully festive. While not all were my cup of eggnog I did particularly enjoy Track Santa and the clever way it was spread over 3 installments through out the book. The Christmas Card Trap was also chilling fun, as was learning what poor scrooge went through in A Christmas Carol: The Aftermath. I have just learned there is a second volume of Christmas horror stories from this author and I'm very likely to buy it as well. 
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includes the following twelve stories:

The F**ked Up Fairy

Twas the Night Before Murder

The Nativity of the Living Dead

The Christmas Card Trap

Secret Santa for the Sadistic

Track Santa parts 1, 2 and 3

Elf on a Shelf

The Mince Pie

The Christmas Cannibal

A Christmas Carol: The Aftermath

The Half That You See Edited by Rebecca Rowland

 

“Believe nothing you hear, and only one half that you see.”
-The System of Dr. Tarr and Prof. Fether by Edgar Allan Poe (1845)

Poe’s classic tale told of a state of the art hospital boasting a curiously experimental treatment, but things were not as they seemed. In The Half That You See, twenty-six writers from around the globe share their literary optical illusions in never before seen stories of portentous visions and haunting memories, altered consciousness and virulent nightmares, disordered thinking and descents into madness. Take a walk down the paths of perception that these dark fiction raconteurs have tunneled for you, but keep a tight grip on your flashlight: the course twists and turns, and once you’re on route to your destination, there is no turning back. That which creeps about in the poorly lit corners of the human mind has teeth, and it’s waiting for you.

Well crafted stories of grief and loss, love and heartbreak, marital discord, freak accidents, murderers and more. All of the stories veer off what appears to be their expected path to morph into something dark and unusual. If The Twilight Zone and Tales of the Unexpected had a baby then The Half That You See would be their offspring. There are so many wondrous tales inside but I will just touch on a few of my favorites.

 Winnebago Indian Motorhome By Tonka written by Eddie Generous In which a man replaces a much beloved childhood toy that had been lost to a fire. Of course this replacement is not quite as innocent as the one he possessed all those years ago.

Prisoner by T.M. Starnes Finds poor Virginia, kidnapped and imprisoned below ground with no food or water as the approaching wolves howl ever closer.

Falling Asleep In The Rain by Robert P. Ottone is a sad and twisted tale of the memories that haunt poor lonely Clay who is always alone, even in a crowd.

Imaginary Friends by Nicole Wolverton I've just always had a thing for stories that involve creepy little kids. Kids are scary anyway aren't they? 

Safe as Houses by Alex Giannini Gets extra points from me for starting on an  unseasonably warm Halloween afternoon as Carrie and Will's marriage begins to crumble.

Cauterization by Mack Moyer is a story of sex and drugs and regret that is both heartbreaking and horrifying.

Elsewhere By Bill Davidson  is a story about a man who would just like some peace and quiet and alone time. Wouldn't we all? Colin may have found his bliss.. elsewhere

Old Times by Mark Towse is a story of overcoming addiction... and being overcome by addiction.

Raven O' Clock by Holly Cornetto Reminds me of the old adage you sleep in the bed you make. Poor Jeff has lost his way and is seeking comfort he may not be worthy of. Sometimes you need to accept your consequences, learn from them and be a better person... or else.

Officer Baby Boy Blue by Douglas Ford was a creepy story that begins when a boy is in the emergency room and makes the acquaintance of a less than comforting police officer.

There are many more stories contained in this book. These are but a few of my favorites. I would recommend this anthology to all lovers of horror and dark fiction.

I received an advance copy for review.

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Wormwood by Chad Lutzke and Tim Meyer

 

For some kids, Long Lake, Georgia is home. But for fourteen-year-old Baker Gray, it’s just another stop, another town in another state. Because of his mother’s nomadic lifestyle, he’s never had a best friend, never kissed a girl, and he’s certainly never met anyone like Cassandra Larsson--the enigmatic, older girl whose idea of fun blurs the line between right and wrong. Being hopelessly led by emotions he’s never felt, Baker finds himself plodding along dark paths paved by the girl he thinks he may love--a road to self-destruction, where vigilante justice is encouraged and bloodshed is an art form.

 Baker is the new kid in school, as he has almost always been. Dragged behind his single mom from job to job and town  to town, never staying long enough to settle in. He has never seen a point in making friends since they just end up left behind when it's time to move on. It seems like this time may be different for him when he meets Seb and they hit it off, but then they meet Cass who takes an interest in both of them. Teenage hormones make them an easy target for an older girl with a charismatic personality and an evil intent. Cass is pretty, smart, and dangerously manipulative. If you are on her good side there isn't anything she won't do for you, and I do mean anything, no matter how sick. If you are on her bad side....well that is a terrifying place to be. This coming of age tale leads down a dark and deadly tension filled path and I loved it.

5 out of 5 stars

I received an advance copy for review

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About the authors

Tim Meyer dwells in a dark cave near the Jersey Shore. He's an author, husband, father, podcast host, blogger, coffee connoisseur, beer enthusiast, and explorer of worlds. He writes horror, mysteries, science fiction, and thrillers, although he prefers to blur genres and let the story fall where it may.
You can follow Tim at https://timmeyerwrites.com
Or like his Facebook page here: www.facebook.com/authortimmeyer

Chad Lutzke has written for Famous Monsters of Filmland, Rue Morgue, Cemetery Dance, and Scream magazine. He's had dozens of short stories published, and some of his books include: OF FOSTER HOMES & FLIES, STIRRING THE SHEETS, SKULLFACE BOY, THE SAME DEEP WATER AS YOU, THE PALE WHITE, THE NEON OWL and OUT BEHIND THE BARN co-written with John Boden. Lutzke's work has been praised by authors Jack Ketchum, Richard Chizmar, Joe Lansdale, Stephen Graham Jones, Elizabeth Massie and his own mother.

He can be found lurking the internet at www.chadlutzke.com

Terror of Breakspear Hall by F.R. Jameson

 

What excruciating tortures await them within Breakspear Hall?

Simone and her brother are con-artists. They target the rich and corrupt, making them pay for their crimes. One night, after pursuing a mark to a casino, Simone is attacked on the street. In the aftermath, the two siblings find themselves spirited towards Breakspear Hall. A gothic mansion whose master has tried everything to keep visitors out.
From her first glance of this dark, foreboding building, Simone knows it could spell doom for both of them…
Within the walls is a history of demonic rituals and human sacrifice. Yet, if the house welcomes you, it’s a home which can offer your greatest desires and ensure every darkest craving can be sated. Although as it does, it elicits a terrible price. One which will drain away your soul and leave you a broken husk.

However, it’s when you try to leave that it inflicts its most appalling punishment.
Trapped inside, Simone knows she has to save herself and her brother. But what can she possibly do against the unspeakable evil of Breakspear Hall?

A brand new haunted house novel you won’t be able to put down!


A STANDALONE instalment in the Ghostly Shadows Anthology series!

This book was a slow starter for me. It took a while to get going, and I could not relate to the characters. Simone and her brother Robin share an unnaturally close relationship, and they make their living conning others. Neither seemed to have any redeeming qualities and try as I might I was not as invested in the story as I would have been, if there had been anything likable about either of them. I did not really care for the way any of the characters were described. It is at about a third of the way through the book when they finally arrive at Breakspear Hall after a con goes wrong. The pace picks up and it begins to get creepy when the brother and sister get separated in the house and are told they've spent the evening doing things they have no memory of. Things take a very strange turn from there and it seems there is no escaping the house. I did enjoy the ending even though this was not the type of "haunted house" story I was expecting.

I received a complimentary copy for review.

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Murder Run by John Hunt

Kyle didn't like being told what to do. When his brother demanded that he get himself home right now, no stopping, no passing GO and no collecting two-hundred dollars, the order didn't sit well with him. So, he stopped at a bar in an unknown town. He met a girl. They drank, left, did drugs together, and when he awoke in the morning, her decapitated head lay in his lap. As he pieces together what happened the night before, a police cruiser rolls in behind him. From that moment, the chase is on. What Kyle doesn't know is that he isn't the only killer in town.

Kyle is recently out of jail and already finding trouble. I'm not sure exactly what's wrong with Kyle but at the very least he has an impulse control disorder and anger issues. Kyle doesn't seem to know what's wrong with him either since he often can't believe the things he has done, but it doesn't stop him from doing worse. This time, there is more than the cops to worry about. When Kyle kills a girl he meets at the bar he has to run not just from the law but from the local biker gang who wants revenge. With the cops and the gang hot on his trail he wanders onto a property where strangers are always unwelcome and are generally never seen again should they choose to trespass. 

There's lots of guts and gore through out and it's not just just the blood spilled  by Kyle everywhere he goes. I raced through this book excited to find out who if anyone would survive.

I received a complimentary copy for review.

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About the author

A busy father of four with a dog and cat, John Hunt lives and works in Guelph, Ontario, Canada. He has had nine short stories published in various anthologies and is a member of the Horror Writers Association. He is the author of Doll House, The Tracker, the apocalyptic novella, Balance, Off The Grid, and short story anthology 4 Shots of Horror. He is also a co-host on the Movies of the Damned!! podcast.
 

Dead Woman Scorned by Michael Clark

 

She's back, and they’ll regret what they’ve done.

Mildred Wells had a miserable life that carried over to a lonesome death. In the end, they betrayed her - played her the fool. She was the last to know, but there's still time to catch up. She'll formulate her painful plan as they live their lives in blissful ignorance.

With no more family, only vengeance drives her; in fact, it’s all she has. She would have rather rested in peace, but for Mildred, dying isn't so easy.

This is a sequel to The Patience of a Dead Man in which a recently divorced man sinks the last of his savings into a dilapidated old house, in hopes of fixing it up to turn a profit. Unbeknownst to him there is the ghost of a child and a bloodthirsty revenant on the property.

In part 2 we learn more about Mildred and her childhood, and how she came to be such an undead force to be reckoned with. This is a brutal tale of a cult leader, rituals, and supernatural beings. There is a wondrous gothic atmosphere and a touch of historical fiction well blended together in a mix of revenge from beyond the grave. I think it could read well as a stand alone novel but for best enjoyment I would suggest you read book 1 first.

4 out of 5 stars

I received a complimentary copy for review.

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About the author
Michael Clark was raised in New Hampshire and lived in the house The Patience of a Dead Man is based on.

He now lives in Massachusetts with his wife Josi and his dog Bubba.
The Patience of a Dead Man is his first novel, and Dead Woman Scorned is his second. Stay tuned.

Facebook @michaelclarkbooks
Instagram @michaelclarkbooks
Twitter: @mikeclarkbooks

It Came from the Multiplex: 80s Midnight Chillers

Welcome to tonight's feature presentation, brought to you by an unholy alliance of our spellcasters at Hex Publishers and movie-mages at the Colorado Festival of Horror. Please be advised that all emergency exits have been locked for this special nostalgia-curdled premiere of death. From crinkling celluloid to ferocious flesh--from the silver screen to your hammering heart--behold as a swarm of werewolves, serial killers, Satanists, Elder Gods, aliens, ghosts, and unclassifiable monsters are loosed upon your auditorium. Relax, and allow our ushers to help with your buckets of popcorn--and blood; your ticket stubs--and severed limbs; your comfort candy--and body bags. Kick back and scream as you settle into a fate worse than Hell. Tonight's director's cut is guaranteed to slash you apart.
 

This was a fun read, with all of the stories sharing a theme of movie theaters or drive ins in the heyday of 80s classic cheesy horror films. There are aliens, serial killers, demons who steal souls through movies and then possess their victims, and more. Some of the stories were scary while others were more of a nostalgic and campy good time. As someone who grew up in the 80s spending most Friday nights at the drive in theater and most Saturday mornings in the video store poring through the new releases on VHS this was like a trip back in time to my youth.

4 out of 5 stars

I received a complimentary copy for review.

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The Scarecrow and Other Stories by G. Ranger Wormser

 

This October, feel the terror of a woman’s touch with one of horror’s best kept secrets…

Shadow House Publishing kicks off MACABRE MISTRESSES, a series devoted to women horror authors and their unique contribution to the field, with a landmark collection by an unjustly neglected author.

THE SCARECROW AND OTHER STORIES, by G. RANGER WORMSER, is the most disturbing book that you have never read! This suppressed collection of death, demons, and desire ranks the author alongside Shirley Jackson and Joyce Carol Oates as a mistress of literary dark fiction. Surprisingly modern, these minimalistic, knife-edged fear fables tackle sexism, prejudice, and cruelty. They speak as powerfully to readers in the 21st century as when first published. We are proud to unleash this long-neglected collection to haunt–and challenge–a new generation.

Gwendolyn Wormser was an unacknowledged mistress of psychological horror, haunting atmosphere, and adroit social criticism. Her deeply introspective stories of sentient scarecrows, shapeshifters, and specters also revealed the daily terror and abuse that women suffered in the early 20th century. Neglected since their 1918 publication, these twelve numinous nightmares are deeply unsettling, lyrical, and uncanny…they are also grim, decadent, and beautiful.

Edited by supernatural fiction author and critic WILLIAM P. SIMMONS, this long overdue monument to an unsung horror heroine includes a comprehensive Introduction discussing the author’s distinctive approach to supernatural fiction.

This author was previously unknown to me except for the title story that I enjoyed in an anthology that I read a couple of months ago. Gwendolyn Wormser should have been an important voice in horror yet was somehow largely overlooked until now.  Written in the days before shock and gore was the formula, and blood and guts the norm, her stories are suspenseful and eerie. The writing is haunting and lyrical, full of atmosphere and and rich with emotion.

I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys dark fiction from days gone by.

I received a complimentary copy.

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The Scarecrow and Other Stories Table of Contents:

Here There Be Monsters
The Scarecrow
Mutter Schwegel
Haunted
Flowers
The Effigy
The Faith
Yellow
China-Ching
The Wood of Living Trees
Before the Dawn
The Stillness


About the Editor: William P. Simmons is a supernatural fiction author, critic, & journalist. Eight of his stories earned Honorable Mentions in The Year’s Best Fantasy & Horror. By Reason of Darkness was praised by Publisher’s Weekly & All Hallows & Cemetery Dance. Graham Masterton, Hugh B. Cave & T.M. Wright have endorsed his fiction, and he has interviewed such authors as Richard Matheson, F. Paul Wilson & Caitlin Kiernan.

MACABRE MISTRESSES is a series of classic and rare supernatural fiction from the ‘shocking ladies’ who transformed the tale of terror.

SHADOW HOUSE PUBLISHING preserves our horror heritage with authoritative and affordable special editions of quality supernatural literature.

Second Chances by P.D. Cacek

 

It has been four years since the first Travelers came back, and in that time their numbers have grown. There is still no explanation for their existence, but for the most part they have been accepted into society and given special protection under the law. There are those, however, who see these Imposters as a threat to both their lives and their faith. The True Borns believe in "One Body, One Soul" and will do everything and anything in their power to put an end to the Travelers. 

This is the sequel to Second Lives in which lives that were cut short return from the dead, not as newborns and not with new lives, but in the bodies of the recently deceased.

They are called the Travelers, and although there are more of them than ever, and they have been given more rights and protections, there are still those who believe they are an abomination.

I loved the start of the story when we first meet the soon to be "traveler" but as the book progressed she was less of a main character than I had hoped. The plot mostly moves on to a group of religious zealots and a woman who is willfully ignorant of her child's mental instability. I was not nearly as emotionally invested in this sequel and it's new characters. This was just an ok read for me when compared to my love for the first book.

3 out of 5 stars

I received an advance copy for review

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About the author
Patricia Diana Joy Anne Cacek (December 22, 1951, Hollywood, California) is an American author, mostly of horror novels. She graduated with a B.A in Creative Writing from California State University, Long Beach in 1975

Ink by Jonathan Maberry

 

From New York Times bestselling author Jonathan Maberry comes a standalone supernatural thriller Ink, about a memory thief who feeds on the most precious of dreams.

Tattoo-artist Patty Cakes has her dead daughter's face tattooed on the back of her hand. Day by day it begins to fade, taking with it all of Patty's memories of her daughter. All she's left with is the certain knowledge she has forgotten her lost child. The awareness of that loss is tearing her apart.

Monk Addison is a private investigator whose skin is covered with the tattooed faces of murder victims. He is a predator who hunts for killers, and the ghosts of all of those dead people haunt his life. Some of those faces have begun to fade, too, destroying the very souls of the dead.

All through the town of Pine Deep people are having their most precious memories stolen. The monster seems to target the lonely, the disenfranchised, the people who need memories to anchor them to this world.

Something is out there. Something cruel and evil is feeding on the memories, erasing them from the hearts and minds of people like Patty and Monk and others.

Ink is the story of a few lonely, damaged people hunting for a memory thief. When all you have are memories, there is no greater horror than forgetting.

First I have to say I was thrilled to pieces when I found out that the setting for Ink is Pine Deep. Although this is a stand alone book and you need not have read the Pine Deep Trilogy to enjoy it you are missing out on some of the best horror fiction of all time if you have skipped it. You'll also wonder what the "trouble" is they keep referring to that Pine Deep has suffered through in the past, and that Val and Crow have managed to survive.

I don't believe the description of this book does it justice. It calls Monk Addison a private investigator. Oh No. Nope. What a boring and inaccurate description for such a complex character. A psychic vampire has come to Pine Deep. It does not need the memories of others to survive, but it revels in them. Especially in the deepest darkest most painful or life altering experiences they have had. It also gets some sort of twisted sexual thrill out of the suffering of others. Stealing their memories allows it to experience them as if they were his own, and he also has the ability to exert mind control over others, getting them to do his bidding.

All fans of  the trilogy need to read this book, and  if this is your first visit to Pine Deep I would recommend that you read the earlier books.

5 out of 5 stars

I received an advance copy.

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Ghost Road Blues/Dead Man's Song /Bad Moon Rising

About the author
JONATHAN MABERRY is a New York Times best-selling and five-time Bram Stoker Award-winning author, anthology editor, comic book writer, magazine feature writer, playwright, content creator and writing teacher/lecturer. He was named one of the Today’s Top Ten Horror Writers. His books have been sold to more than two-dozen countries.

Midnight in the Pentagram Edited by Kenneth W. Cain

 As the clock’s pendulum steadily counts down towards the midnight hour, the growing scent of brimstone hangs heavy in the air. The universal symbol of all that is evil, the pentagram, or the inverted pentacle, has been carved in the hardwood floor. Its shape is often described as the goat of lust attacking the Heavens with its horns during the witches’ sabbat. Five obsidian candles flicker as the incantations begin. Who will be summoned during this unholy evening? Will it be Baphomet? Or Belial? Maybe even Lucifer himself? The roof timbers groan. Stressed plaster drops to the floor. The demon approaches, holding its ancient grimoire filled with evil stories, written in blood…and here they are.

From the depths of hell Midnight in the Pentagram has risen to entertain you with stories steeped in evil and simmered in fear. Demons frolic among humans, sometimes with their own purpose, or perhaps inadvertently summoned by middle school girls who never expected their ritual to wield such results. 

Demons are not the only beings looking to lead you astray, beware too the people who accept you into their twisted family when you are at your most vulnerable, such as occurs in one of my favorite stories in this book The Corn Maidens by Brian Moreland. I think I could best describe this as  Midsommar meets Dark Secret of Harvest Home but scarier. Father Macleod by Tony Tremblay was another of my favorites about a priest who attempts to rid his nephew of the demon that has possessed him. Another story of possession of a stranger type was Legion Cast Forth by Robert Ford in which demons are driven from their human hosts and into the swine belonging to Cletus the pig farmer. But Cletus is tired of this low paying deal and wants to strike a new bargain. Speaking of demonic possession Diminishing Returns by P.D. Casek takes a look at what may happen if a demon possessed someone with Alzheimer's disease.

Witches' Night by Owl Goingback was another of my favorites. When kids meet up in the cemetery with a spell book one night what could possibly go wrong?    The Other by Laurel Hightower was another possession story with a creepy twist.  Hellseed by Tim Curran was like a folktale, what happens when you bargain with witches and don't pay up? Babyteeth by Azzura Nox  begs the question, what could lead a mother to kill her baby? Was it only post partum depression? My Body by Wesley Southard features bloody good fun and delicious food with a dark side as one restaurant reviewer/critic discovers.  Discovering Mr Jones by Cameron Ulam is the story of  a junk hauling crew who discover an unexpected and unwelcome surprise in a hoarder's home . The Gods of our Fathers by Todd Keisling  Is the story of poor Mary who has lost her mother and does not belong in Christian school.

In Second Sight by Allan Leverone a blind woman has a most successful ocular transplant surgery and sees more than she ever wanted to, and perhaps more than she can stand.

All of these and more await you in the pentagram, enter if you dare.

5 out of 5 stars

I received an advance copy for review.

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Everyone Is a Moon: Strange Stories by Sawney Hatton

 

From Sawney Hatton, the devilishly inventive mind who brought you the acclaimed Dark Comedy novel DEAD SIZE and the YA Noir novella UGLYVILLE, comes 12 twisted Dark Fiction tales featuring a magical finger, a cannibalistic memorial, an extreme piercing parlor, a Space Age monastery, a budding serial killer, and more.

Presenting three new, never-before-published stories, as well as re-mastered versions of earlier works, this collection is sure to disturb and delight readers who like to play in the dark. (Warning: contains some graphic material.)

Stories include "The Good Touch,” "Cutting Remarks,” "The Boy Who Cried Alien,” “Pet,” "In Memoriam the Ostrich,” "The Mortality Machine,” "The Lord Is My Rocket,” "The Beholder,” "Mr. Gregori,” “FYVP,” "The Dark at the Deep End,” and "Suitable for Framing."

I read horror for the scares. I'm all about the chills and less about the shock factor or the gore. Not that gore bothers me, it just doesn't terrify me. So with that in mind I took no heed of the "graphic material" warning, and plowed ahead. Not all of the stories were my cup of tea but I did  love the first 3. In The Good Touch we meet two friends with very different personalities. One quite selfish and the other his polar opposite. Perhaps that is why their friendship works. But when one comes into possession of a gift from God it sparks a jealousy in the other that is the undoing of both.

Cutting Remarks is the story of a bullied housewife who at last finds happiness in her marriage. It was both humorous and darkly disturbing. The Boy Who Cried Alien was another dark comedy, if only someone had explained about the birds and the bees to this boy it may have avoided such a catastrophe.

 When I got to the 4th story Pet I put the book down and almost didn't finish it. I am not a fan of animal cruelty. I don't care how many people may get beheaded or dragged to hell in any book but I need you to leave the animals alone.  To me the only saving grace to this story is that no such animal exists on this planet. I don't mean that it was badly written because it wasn't. It's just my own personal limit of what I choose to read. I do not actively seek out animal abuse stories and I guess this is what the graphic content warning was for.

I liked The Mortality Machine, in which a couple who is running out of time together don't really make the most of what they have left. I loved Mr Gregori who is the lonely ghost haunting an apartment, watching people move in and out but never being able to engage with any of them.. until now.

So although every story was not a hit with me, that is the joy of short stories, take what you like and leave the rest.  I would recommend this collection to all who have a dark sense of humor and those with a stomach for disturbing subject matter.

I received a complimentary copy for review.

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About the author

Sawney Hatton is an author, editor, and screenwriter. Other incarnations of Sawney have produced marketing videos, attended all-night film festivals, and played the banjo and sousaphone (not at the same time). As of this writing he is still very much alive.

A Seed in a Soil of Sorrow by Keith Anthony Baird

 

When the death cult calls ... what are you running from?

The path to the Viridian Chapter is paved with many sorrows. It's a sect which sits on the site of a brutal atrocity, and one which harbors numerous dark secrets. Leader, Hans Lehmann, is a visionary bestowed with remarkable abilities, with followers who are prepared to offer their lives in exchange for his promise of a utopia.

On the cusp of autumn, a lone seeker arrives to discard his former life and embrace his rebirth as a chapter disciple. Stark lessons within a strict regime are the lure for those who have been traumatized by their uncaring past. The promise of a doomsday ascension through the waste of flesh proves at odds with a union between two souls who must flee the confines of the commune, if their love is to stand a chance of being fully realized.
But will the inner circle elite discover this betrayal and exact a terrible retribution, or will they escape the clutches of the sect's unstable originator and lift the lid on the culture of violence within? 

I went into this short story totally blind, not even having read the synopsis. I don't normally do that, nor do I often stray from the horror genre. I knew only that it was a short story, which as I've said many times, I'm rather addicted to those. So with that being said it becomes immediately apparent that a man with a troubled past has found his way to a death cult looking for a sense of belonging that he has never experienced.

"Even though I was angry with him he was still the only person I admired, and the broken part of me that had brought me to him in the first place was stronger than the rest of me back then"

At first glimpse it seems he will become just another lost soul in a long list of disciples, but then he meets a woman who makes him reconsider, and he begins to plan an escape.

It's hard to say much more without giving anything away but you could have knocked me over with a feather when the ending came, I was that surprised.

4 out of 5 stars

I received a complimentary copy for review.

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