Movie Review - The Dollmaker

Argentina I 2025 I Horror, Thriller I 97 minutes

 Dripping with Lynchian style, The Dollmaker (Encantador; Argentina, 2025) is part charming, funny, decidedly weird and enjoyably bloody. Things are not all they seem to be in a cheerfully idyllic town that soon becomes a hotbed of female kidnappings. No one seems to care much about the missing women, including nerdy video store clerk and amateur dollmaker Tomás (Rodrigo Noya.) But when a new inspector comes to town determined to solve the disappearances, Tomás soon becomes the unlikely prime suspect. A horror film that becomes increasingly dark, gruesome, and unpredictable.

Available on VOD August 25

I was invited to watch a screener of The Dollmaker.

This is one of those what in the hell did I just watch kind of movies. The town is described as "cheerfully idyllic" but to me it was just plain bizarre. The "Diner" that serves hamburgers and typical American fare also seems to serve as the local dive bar, the video store is manned by workers dressed as boy scouts who tell you to always be prepared; there are counseling sessions in a multi-purpose building, and the police force is odd. 

The description on IMDB says "In a quiet village, a charming young man named Tomás leads a simple life: caring for his mother, working at the video store and town clinic, and collecting dolls. As women start disappearing, newly arrived Inspector Porter investigates." But I disagree. Tomás was not charming. He was not the kind of person that people would claim to be shocked if they found out he was a killer. He was gawky and awkward, your basic loner lacking social skills. To me, he seemed to be Argentina's version of Norman Bates. I'm not sure who was crazier, Tomás or his love interest who found him "charming."

Can anyone stop him before he adds to his doll collection? Does anyone not notice how weird he is? Is someone keeping his secrets for him? I guess you'll have to watch to find out, if you are in the mood for a surreal, slightly gory, trippy, gross-out horror.

Directed by: José María Cicala

Written by: José María Cicala, Griselda Sanchez

I rated this a 7 out of 10 on IMDB

View the trailer 

Produced by: Abril Cicala

Cinematography by: Martin Nico

Edited by: Cecilia Calarota

Music by: Nahuel Maeso

Starring: Rodrigo Noya, Griselda Sanchez, Lejo Garcia Pintos, Alejandro Baldoni, Santiago Domongues, Eduardo Calvo, Guillermo Zapata, Silvia Petri, Mario Alarcon, Arturo Puig

Nightmare Abbey 10 edited by Tom English

10th mammoth volume of the critically-acclaimed horror magazine/book.

Creepy GHOST STORIES & other WEIRD TALES!

FEAR IN FOUR COLORS (History of American Horror Comics, part 7)

12 terrifying tales by today's top writers!

New HORROR DELVE list: 13 Greatest pre-WWI horror tales

Another chilling visit to Bone Street!

Classic horror movie: Corman's THE HAUNTED PALACE

A new Magnus Supernatural Dog Tale

INDY (the Horror Husky) TAKES OVER!

Art by World Fantasy Award-winner Allen Koszowski

Heavily illustrated: movie stills, comic book covers, cool facts!

Get it now, fellow fiends!

This was my tenth visit to Nightmare Abbey, and as always I enjoyed my stay. This volume felt a little more atmospheric and darker than before. I say that with appreciation, not with disappointment.

 From the first tale, The Grinning Woman by Michael Kelly about a young man who was tormented by night terrors as a child, worsened by the stories his father told him, to the last story, Pardon Our Dust by Steve Rasnic Tem, about a mostly absentee father seeing his daughter off to college with a quick stopover in a hotel that is under endless construction. There was such a heavy, pervasive feeling of danger lurking in this gloomy hotel that is somehow staying run down even while it is being built up.

Other favorites were Mam Gu by Stephen Volk, The Revenant's House by Sean Hogan, and The Bane of Colmonell by Helen Grant.

Heavily illustrated and including glorious still shots from classic horror movies you may have missed out on, Nightmare Abbey continues to be both entertaining and informative. I loved the inclusion of a list of the top 13 Greatest pre-WWI horror tales, some of which I've read and others that I'm now excited to search for.

My thanks to Dead Letter Press for the finished copy.

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Infernal Tramps: Tales of Weird Terror by Alex Grass

 

"Neither his face nor his lips moved when he laughed. It was more a plague of laughter than the sound of it; a pervasion of the hearer's mind by hypnotic disease."

A boy discovers his father's oracular grotesque in a secret dungeon below their family funeral home.

An antique spiked collar transforms Philadelphia into a city that worships a dead dog.

A video game dominates the market for years and then disappears, except for one man's memories of its horrors.

A mother with a trunkful of hungry, inhuman babies tracks down the family that abandoned them.

The warden of a penal colony offers to pardon a murderer, but only if the inmate can find the antidote to the poison wine the warden gave him.

A wealthy young woman receives a surgical implant that delivers more than just a shapely body.

Step into a world of fleshly titillation and fresh terror, a dimension of blood and consequence. But buyer beware! Crack the spine and these dark tales are not so easily forgotten. And you may find yourself changing into a beast of insatiable hunger, a tormented sinner, a lunatic on the fringe.

Heed this warning, that what once is read cannot be unread. Turn back now, if you can, or else become one of the... Infernal Tramps!

In all honesty, I am not the target audience for these type of stories. While I do love short horror fiction, I need a definitive beginning, middle, and ending. Most of these stories had abrupt and ambiguous endings instead of satisfying conclusions. The writing style was more distracting than engaging.

As short as these stories are, there were still a few that I skimmed because they did not grab my interest within the first few pages, and for me that is something important to accomplish when you aren't writing a novel. If the story is going to end in four pages it needs to grab my interest within the first two. A few seemed more like ideas for a story than a completed effort. 

I did enjoy the satirical look at technology and excessive plastic surgery in The EP™ Implant. Likewise, I was thoroughly creeped out by "Odd Egg" which is what a woman finds herself in possession of after she comes home to find a strange man on her porch offering her a free carton of eggs.

You may enjoy more of the stories than I did, but the majority of them were not for me.

I received an advance copy to review.

More books by this author

The Women in White by Sarah Pekkanen

 

In 1964, four remarkable young women at a prestigious university became the subjects of parapsychology experiments by a visionary scientist. On the cusp of a historic breakthrough, the women mysteriously vanished and the program was erased from history. Decades later, Riley Bell, newly divorced and desperate for a fresh start, accepts a caretaker job for an elderly widow named Betty. Riley steps into a home that is frozen in another era - no microwave, television, or cell phones, and Betty has never heard of the internet. 

Why has Betty lived in such profound isolation for so many years, and why does she need Riley now? As the story unfolds across two timelines - Betty’s 1960s era of 5 o’clock martinis and high-stakes experiments, and Riley’s quest to uncover the truth about the missing women - old secrets rise to the surface. And the only way to survive is to confront the mystery that has lingered for sixty years.

Told on two timelines, the present day and 1964, when women aspired to be Betty Crocker, (is that why a main character is named Betty?)  this is the story of four young women who endured psychological torture under the guise of parapsychology experiments at a prestigious university.

In the present day, Riley is homeless and penniless, living in her car until she is offered the position of live in caretaker of one of these women, now elderly and in a wheelchair from a terrible accident. Betty wants Riley to help her reconnect with her former friends.

I love a good historical fiction mystery, and I enjoyed the first half of this book a great deal. Betty's point of view from 1964 was especially compelling, as was learning what her friends went through as the experiments became more and more grueling. It was heartbreaking and tragic to find out what happened the day these friends separated. Three of these four ladies were married, but of course all three husbands were too cowardly to stand up for their wives until one finally did when it was too late.

 I was less interested in Riley and her marital discord. The eventual reveal of who has resurrected these experiments and the reasoning behind it left me wanting a better explanation. All in all, an enjoyable read even if parts of it bothered me.

My thanks to St. Martin's Press for the e-ARC.

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About the author

Carry Me to My Grave by Christopher Golden

Maggie Wise will take your eyes.

When Malcolm was growing up, the local kids made up that chant about his mother, claiming she was a witch. He and his siblings did their best to ignore it. Now, Maggie is dying, and those same siblings have left Malcolm and his sister-in-law Violet to hold a vigil at her bedside.

But they’re not as alone as they think they are. A dark figure waits and watches from beneath the willow tree across the street. Hundreds of miles away, an ancient evil stirs in its burrow under a farmer’s cornfield. Across the country, other buried things begin to dream in anticipation of Maggie’s demise. On her deathbed, the old woman elicits a promise from Malcolm, her youngest child―when she dies, he and Violet must return her body to her birthplace in Shediak, Maine.

From the moment she takes her last breath, before her remains are even loaded aboard the baggage car of the Imperial Limited, there are forces trying to stop Malcolm from fulfilling that promise. Violence erupts on the train, evil preys on its passengers, and once the sun goes down, those long-buried things are coming to make Maggie Wise pay for her past. God help anyone who stands in their way.

Malcolm and his siblings grew up in the shadow of their mother's reputation as the town's witch. Now she is on her deathbed and Malcolm is left to care for her alone with his sister-in-law Violet, while his brother and sister seem happy to ignore her, leaving it all on Malcolm's shoulders. This is more than just an emotional burden. Fulfilling Maggie's last request to be buried in her birthplace will set off a gory, savage bloodbath as ancient evil beings try to prevent Malcolm from this task while on a killing spree of anyone who crosses their path.

I am always excited to read a new Christopher Golden, and this one did not disappoint. Carry Me To My Grave is an action packed, fast paced, supernatural train ride through family dysfunction, ancient curses, sibling rivalry, and heartfelt sacrifices. How the author could manage to fit a love story into the midst of all this death, destruction, and blood splatter is beyond me, but he did it. 

I cared so deeply for these characters and was heavily engaged in the juxtaposition of the selfishness of some vs. the selflessness of others. The dangers that lurked around every corner had my heart in my throat, and the suspense was almost too much to bear.

My thanks to St. Martin's Press for the invitation to read an advance copy.

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About the author

Thorns by Gregory Bastianelli

A deadly contagion spreads throughout the world, while scientists grapple to find a cure before it's too late...

Dr. Monica Cucinotta works on the front lines of a hospital in Cassino, Italy, dealing with a deadly contagion that causes thorns to erupt along the surface of the body. When Monica becomes infected with the virus and must leave the hospital, she begins a journey across the dark landscape of a pandemic world where she meets the best and worst of humanity that tests her belief in science and faith as she struggles to return home to her loved ones.

 

 Thorns is the name of the fast spreading, highly contagious disease that is rapidly causing suffering and death across the globe. There is no cure, there is no treatment.

 Hospitals are overrun, businesses are closed, nobody is allowed to be out in public without a valid reason. Food is scarce, funerals are not allowed, bodies are piling up. One courageous doctor who stayed on at the hospital, choosing to live there so as not to infect her family, gets fired when it is learned she has contracted Thorns. This is her story as she tries to make her way home in such perilous times.

Along the way, she will reflect on how she came to be in this situation, looking back on her choices with both resolve and regret. She will be met with kindness, contempt, and several dangers as she comes into contact with survivors and other infected people while coming to terms with the probability of her own death.

 I usually avoid books that revolve around pandemics, diseases, viruses, etc but being a fan of the author's previous works, I could not keep myself away from this one. Highly recommended to those who are ready to handle it. It may be a difficult subject for some. This is an anxiety inducing medical horror that brings stark reminders of those first early, panic-stricken days of Covid, except that unlike COVID, there have so far been no survivors.

My thanks to Flame Tree Press for the ARC

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About the author

Home Sick by Rhiannon Grist

“The symmetry should have tipped me off.”

After a violent incident at work, Tamsin goes looking for a fresh start in a remote cottage far away from her old life. Here she could make real friends, find a job she loves, become a whole new person, even.

But the solitary cottage is actually a semi-detached, with only a thin wall separating her from a total stranger. Her neighbour is an enigma. Dowdy one moment, vivacious the next, but always wearing an unnerving smile. Tamsin can’t shake the feeling that there’s something wrong with her, especially when she starts experiencing disturbances in her own home.

As the locals share strange stories about her house, and her barely contained paranoia spirals out of control, Tamsin begins to suspect that the past she was so desperate to escape might never let her go.

 

Tamsin has always felt less than. Unwelcome, unwanted, or just ignored. After an incident at work, she left her job, her home, and even her town without a word to anyone. Wanting a fresh start, she buys a cottage sight unseen, based solely on photos and a description on a website.

When she moves in, she discovers it is not as described. In fact, it is a duplex and another woman is living right on the other side of the wall. A strange woman who bangs around at all hours of the night but is rarely seen.

Homesick felt like a combination of folk horror and psychological study of a woman who felt acute rage, shame, and alienation at every slight by others, whether real or imagined. If she was indeed "homesick" it was for a time and place that never really existed for her.

Throw in some creepy rumors about the previous residents of the cottage and what may have become of them, along with the weird happenings Tamsin is experiencing in her not so happy home and you've got a recipe for a spooky good time. 

4 out of 5 stars

My thanks to Rebellion Publishing Ltd for the e-ARC

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About the author

Kevin J. Kennedy presents Backwoods

Civilization ends where the back roads begin.

Beyond the highways and city lights lie forgotten places where old grudges fester, dark secrets are passed from generation to generation, and outsiders are rarely welcome. Deep in the mountains, forests, hollers, and farmlands, something waits in the shadows.

In these chilling tales, travelers become prey, families guard unspeakable traditions, and entire communities hide horrors that have endured for centuries. Ancient forces lurk beneath the wilderness, twisted killers roam isolated roads, and the land itself seems determined to consume anyone who dares enter. Here, help is miles away, escape is never certain, and every wrong turn can become your last.

From cursed Appalachian valleys and remote Ozark towns to forgotten forests and desolate plains, some of horror's darkest nightmares emerge from places untouched by the modern world. The monsters of the backwoods are many—some human, some not—but all are deadly.

Featuring an unforgettable lineup of horror authors, Backwoods explores the terror that thrives far from civilization, where the trees grow thick, the roads disappear, and the screams go unheard.

Because out here, you're on their land.

Backwoods contains a spectacular lineup of some excellent authors, and hot damn, I was excited to read this one.

Not all of the stories were new to me, but not only am I ok with that, I was thrilled to see one of my favorite folk horror stories of all time included here, so let me start right off by telling you about The Corn Maidens by Brian Moreland. In 1933, a 14-year-old girl was ostracized by her community. Physically tossed, kicking and screaming while she begged not to be turned away from her family, though they did nothing to protect her. Her crime? A gift that they, in their ignorance, believed to be evil. I envy you if this will be your first time reading this one.

Another favorite was Consumption by Ronald Kelly, told in a down home folksy way. This is the story of a terrible occurrence suffered by Pap Wilson on his way home from digging ginseng, and the bloody aftermath that follows.

Sick 'Un by Elizabeth Massie begins in a one room school house where the new teacher, Miss Jones is trying to ascertain the whereabouts of a missing student. Nobody else seems to be concerned. When she discovers that there is a history of missing students in one particular backwoods family, she decides to pay them a visit. Of course, no good deed goes unpunished.

A young couple's long peaceful drive down the back roads of Maine takes a dangerous turn in The Archer by Glenn Rolfe. If your car ever breaks down on a lonely stretch of road, trust no one!

A man who feels he has been wronged by a neighbor's trespassing goats seeks revenge and finds himself cursed in The Mountain Witch of Old by Josh Davis. Let that be a lesson to you, we all need to get along with our neighbors.

A young man with an abusive father uncovers a shocking secret in The Perfect Hiding Place by Dawn DeBraal. 

I enjoyed all of the stories, but these were my absolute favorites. Whether you like your horror to feature creepy creatures, supernatural beings, strange customs, or mere mortal psychos, there is something for you in the Backwoods.

 My thanks to KJK Publishing

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Movie Review - New Year’s Absolution

 

"New Year's Absolution" follows a group of long-time friends as they gather for their annual New Year's Eve party, where they exchange anonymous resolutions that have brought excitement and change to their lives in the past.

However, this year, a dark resolution - "Kill Someone" - creates chaos when it falls into the hands of Jacob, a stressed police officer, who believes it's a threat against him. What follows is a series of tragic events, leading to escalating tensions, cover-ups, and death. As deep buried secrets come to light, the festive celebration descends into a chaotic and bloody night, forcing the survivors to make a chilling decision...

I was invited to watch an early screener of New Year’s Absolution.

A group of friends gather for their annual New Year's party to eat, drink and be merry. It's all fun and games until someone is left to bleed to death in this outrageous horror/comedy from director Nick Leisure, arriving on VOD from Scatena & Rosner Films on July 14, just in time for Christmas in July.

"The film poses a terrifying question: What if your New Year's resolution wasn't to improve your life—but to take someone else's? Blending suspense, horror, and shocking twists, New Years Absolution turns a familiar holiday tradition into a deadly game of obsession, revenge, and murder."

 In their usual tradition, each friend will anonymously add a resolution to be selected at random. Whoever pulls it out of a hat must adhere to it. This year, when it's Jacob's turn to select, his resolution simply states "Kill Someone." Who would write such a thing? And Why? Was it as random as it's meant to be or was it intended for Jacob all along? Because conveniently, Jacob is a cop who brought a loaded gun to this party.

There were a few laughs and gallons of blood in this frightfully festive seasonal horror. It presents a dark but humorous look at secrets, friendships, and betrayal. I had a lot of fun watching this one and trying to guess who, if anyone, would survive to ring in the new year because, frankly, I did not trust any of these people.

New Year's Absolution stars Michael Copon (One Tree Hill), Josh Gilmer, and Joel Brady (Men in Black 3) alongside Rafael Siegel, Shala White, Victorya Brandart, Siddalee Diaz, and Lamondo Hill II. The film is written by Damion Stephens, produced by Justin Nesbitt, and executive produced by Adam Secondo and Russ Wyluda. 

Watch the trailer

Thirst by Darren Simpson

Nobody talks about the strange happenings in Maimsbury. No one speaks of the hooded figures glimpsed in the woods, nor the children's game that went so horribly wrong. But most of all, nobody dares whisper their doubts about the river they have worshipped for centuries.

Like everyone in Maimsbury, Gorse is used to the sacrifices made every spring to the River Yeelde. The life of a farm animal - in return for a year of plenty - seems a fair trade. That is, until a tragedy leads Gorse to a blood-curdling discovery.

Because this year is a Brim Year, and after giving so much, the river needs more than an animal's life to sate its thirst...

* Trigger Warning (non-graphic) animal abuse *

 Three young friends are playing a game in the woods, but only two of them will ever make it home. The villagers of  Maimsbury hold an ominous secret. They know why people disappear from time to time.
Then there is Faye, a girl from a different town where crops have failed, hunger is rampant, and her family is starving. She sees her mother eating less and less so that the few pitiful scraps they have can be shared by Faye and her little brother. She is determined to go out on her own to find work. She makes her way to Maimsbury, where food and work seem plentiful, but so is the danger to outsiders this year.

Thirst is a YA coming-of-age folk horror that pulled me in immediately. The strange customs that everyone is willing to go along with unquestioningly begin to falter when one teen discovers the much darker reason his mother has for making sacrifices to the River Yeelde. I loved the atmosphere and the message about making hard choices and standing up for what you believe in, even when the odds are against you, as one teen discovers that just because it's the way things have always been done doesn't make it right.

My thanks to Pushkin Children's Books.

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About the author

Bad Things Happen Here by Mark Morris

 In 2004 a group of six students, who have newly arrived at university and quickly become friends, are beset by supernatural forces, which seem to centre around a 5th floor room in an otherwise innocuous student hall of residence. So insidious and terrifying is their ordeal that one of the six commits suicide, an act which drives an irreparable wedge between the rest.

Twenty years later, the remaining five friends are all living very different lives. Hannah Prentice is a divorcee with two children, the youngest of whom is being badly bullied at school, and a mother who is showing the first signs of dementia; Jess Maple is a professional artist, who is just about to break into the big time; Steve Lazenby is a successful architect, whose eight-year-old daughter is suffering from delusions and nightmares; Max Bradshaw is a self-employed plumber, happily married with three children, whose fourteen-year-old son has fallen in with the wrong crowd; and Michael Vance, bohemian and charismatic at university, is now a drug-addicted vagrant, who harbours a terrible secret…

Although the five friends have not been in contact for almost two decades, they are gradually drawn back together when their lives begin to fall apart. What happened to them twenty years ago seems to be seeping back into the present, affecting not just them this time, but their children, their partners, their loved ones.

As the terrifying visions, the violence and the madness escalate, they must mobilise forces and once again confront the horror in Room 55

Former college besties who have not seen each other since a tragedy drove them apart twenty years ago are suddenly besieged by dark forces from the past.

Told on two timelines, the story begins in the present day, where Hannah, Jess, Steve, Max, and Michael are living very different lives, when Michael appears at Hannah's door out of the blue with a dire message. 

"It was in me, but it's out. warn the others."
This is the catalyst for a string of terrifying events that not everyone will survive.

We learn through flashbacks about the strange occurrences that took place twenty years ago in the creepy haunted dorm room on the fifth floor, where "bad things" have happened, but it's the present day where the true evil is manifesting now that Michael can no longer contain the entity.

I was most engaged with Max, Hannah, and Steve's points of view, mainly because they all had families and children who were involved in some of the scariest scenes. There were some things in particular that happened to Hannah's mom that I am not sure I'll ever get over! If you are in the mood for an unnerving supernatural horror, this is for you.

My thanks to Flame Tree Press for the paperback ARC.

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Kevin J. Kennedy Presents The Horror Collection: Jewel Edition

 In The Jewel Edition, the 32nd book in The Horror Collection series from Kevin J. Kennedy, terror takes on many forms: cosmic, grotesque, psychological, and deeply human. Across a haunting array of stories, ordinary people are pushed beyond their limits, confronting ancient evils, unraveling realities, and the consequences of their own darkest desires.

From cursed transformations and body horror that strips away identity to isolated landscapes where survival breeds monstrosity, each tale explores the fragile line between humanity and something far more disturbing. Gods that devour, parasites that mimic, and objects that think and control all serve as reminders that horror is not just something we face; it’s something we can become.

Blending folklore, cosmic dread, and visceral terror, this collection delivers relentless nightmares where redemption is uncertain, reality is unstable, and even love and memory may not be enough to save us.

If you're in the mood for something grim and ghastly, this horror anthology is bursting with 19 stories of madness and the macabre, sure to horrify and entertain. I have several favorites to tell you about.

The first story sets the bar high with I'm Not Bad by Elizabeth Massie, in which a terminally ill woman who is worried about who will care for her disabled sister once she's gone agrees to take part in an experiment on death.

Just A Fly by Mark Towse is a weird and wacky, gross-out, love triangle. She loves him, but he loves a fly. Does the fly have feelings too?

Another favorite was Used Dentures for a Steal by Viggy Par Hampton, in which a Grandma decides to buy dentures online rather than waste money on a dentist. So what if they're used? They seem to be in pretty good shape. What could go wrong?

Eternal Ever Since Wednesday by Brian Hodge brought back some fond memories of childhood snow days, and at first, it seems the kids in this story will be enjoying their days off too. Except the snow doesn't end, supplies are running out, and people who used to be neighborly are turning against each other.

Beholder by Graham Masterton is about a disfigured child who has been sheltered from the cruelty of the world by her mother. She is led to believe that she is so beautiful that anyone who sees her may try to hurt her out of a jealous rage. This may have seemed to her mom like a good way to protect her, but the consequences are deadly.

Osteodentia by Ryan Colley gave me the heebie jeebies. I hate dentists and anything teeth related, but I felt terrible for this man who underwent an experimental procedure because he was ashamed of his smile.

Blood Drive by Harrison Phillips is a cautionary tale that may have come too late. Self-driving smart cars are already here. What if they are smarter than their owners?

Sigils by Mark Morris is another story that takes place in the midst of a blizzard. I do love a good storm story. A snowbound family is trapped by the weather, and with a sickly grandma upstairs in bed. Dad has gone to try to get help but hasn't returned. Now there is a strange figure outside in the garden who doesn't seem bothered by the knee-high snow, and little sister is getting creepier by the day.

All the stories were great, but those were my favorites. There is something for everyone here, whether you like body horror, ghostly entities, or a touch of sci-fi and humor.

My thanks to KJK Publishing for the e-ARC.

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Table of Contents

I’m Not Bad By Elizabeth Massie

Just a Fly By Mark Towse

The Temple of Ugghiutu By Jeffrey Thomas

Parody By Jeff Strand

Beyond Hell’s Patch By Brian Moreland

Used Dentures for a Steal By Viggy Parr Hampton

Truth Decay By William Meikle

Eternal, Ever Since Wednesday By Brian Hodge

Beholder By Graham Masterton

Every Magician Has To Start Somewhere By Gord Rollo

The Shadow Over Posillipo By Francesco Spada

Memories In The Skin By S.E. Howard

Black Secrets By M.P. Norman

Osteodentia By Ryan Colley

Blood Drive By Harrison Phillips

The Exterminator By Nenad Mitrović

Snakehandler By Ronald Kelly

Sigils By Mark Morris

Where Demons Roost By Richard Clive

422 pages, Kindle Edition

First published May 5, 2026

The Siren of Groves Peak by Glenn Rolfe

Groves Peak, Maine, is home to a dark secret. The successful lobstering community is ready for summer, but a murder at sea changes everything. People are dying in the small coastal town, and the lobstermen are on edge.

Only one man knows the truth. His closet of skeletons is about to open, and no one is safe. Not even his daughter or her best friend. As a supernatural fury, homegrown dangers, and buried secrets coalesce into a series of real-life nightmares, friendships are tested, and heroes will fall. The Siren of Groves Peak reveals the true monsters in us all.

 

The residents of Groves Peak Maine, have kept a secret for generations. They know why their small coastal town flourishes and why their lobstermen always have the most bountiful catch, even when others catch next to nothing. For some, it's just the way of life. For others, the secret is more than they can bear. One man has taken it upon himself to betray The Siren of Groves Peak, and now her rage knows no bounds. 

I loved the small coastal town setting. Was I meant to feel more sympathy for the Siren than those who faced her wrath? I don't know, but I did. She may have gone overboard seeking her revenge against some who never wronged her, but she was just a poor, lonely creature who couldn't help what she was. The bargain she struck with the lobstermen was a deal they made willingly, and she kept her promises. There were only a very few of her victims that I felt anything for. Some of the humans were more monstrous than the siren.

This was a fast-paced story with themes of drug addiction, alcoholism, and murder in addition to the mythical folklore aspects. Flawed characters with intriguing backstories made the multiple points of view work well. If you're in the mood for a seafaring horror, this one comes ashore just in time for your summer beach read. The body count and blood flow will rise as high as the tide if the siren has her way.

My thanks to Flame Tree Press for the paperback.

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Movie Review Hacked: A Double Entendre Of Rage Fueled Karma

Hacked premiered at the Gasparilla International Film Festival, where it took home the Award for Best Focus on Florida Feature Film, and went on to screen at Popcorn Frights Film Festival, FilmQuest, the Chattanooga Film Festival, Celluloid Screams, and the Soho Horror Film Festival.

Available on DVD and VOD June 2 from S&R Films

The Rumble family's dream of buying their first home turns into a nightmare when Florida's most elusive hacker, "The Chameleon", steals their life savings. But this hacker messed with the wrong family. The bank fails them. The police can't help. Furious and desperate, they plot a revenge-fueled take down of the hacker, determined to make him pay for every life he's destroyed. What started as a financial tragedy soon spirals into a fast-paced, darkly comedic adventure to reclaim their money-and their dignity. Revenge has never been this much fun! 
 

I was invited to watch an early screener of the comedy/horror Hacked: A Double Entendre Of Rage Fueled Karma

In watching it, I was more repulsed than amused, but I know some people are into that.

Mark and Amy Rumble are in the process of buying their very first home when they accidentally wire their entire life savings to a hacker while mistakenly thinking they are making a deposit on a house.

Together, they and their sons set out to get revenge in this far-fetched, over the top comedy where even Santa Claus gets in on the action. When they manage to catch up to the hacker that law enforcement has failed to capture for years, the torture begins.

If you enjoy gross-out comedy and are amused by bodily functions and outlandish situations, this might be for you. Should you decide to watch it, I would love it if you come back here and let me know what, if any double entendre you discovered, because I just don't see it or know why they added it to the title.

Watch the trailer here

The film stars The Walking Dead alum Chandler Riggs, Owen Atlas (Little Evil), Collin Thompson, Richard Riehle (Office Space), Katelyn Nacon (The Walking Dead), Shane Brady (Breathing Happy), and NHL Hall of Famer and Founder of the Tampa Bay Lightning Phil Esposito. Based on true events that happened to Director Shane Brady and Producer Emily Zercher.

The Girl in Green by Staci Layne Wilson

 She is ten years old. She loves storybooks, puppies, and murder.

Her mother knows. She has always known. And still she runs with her, steals for her, looks the other way—because she is her little girl. Because somewhere beneath those flat, patient eyes is the child she once rocked to sleep.

Isn’t she?

In the gritty, pre-everything America of the early 1980s, a mother and daughter are leaving a quiet trail of bodies across state lines. When a dangerous man steps into their orbit and the police close in from behind, the mother faces the question she has spent a decade outrunning.

What is she raising? What has she always been raising? And what happens when her daughter decides she’s better off alone?

The Girl in Green is a razor-edged psychological thriller that lives in the space between devotion and horror. Because the most terrifying thing about a monster isn’t what it does. It’s how much you love it.

 Set in the 1980s, Beth and Amy are a mother-daughter duo on the run from police. The headlines are filled with the violent crimes of what the media has dubbed Kid Vicious and Bonnie Rotten. Not since the Bad Seed has a little girl been so cold and manipulative. Amy seems to have no human emotion whatsoever, but she has learned how to mimic them to get what she wants. Victims never see her switchblade coming until it's too late.

Beth knows there's something wrong with Amy, but instead of trying to seek help for her, she becomes an accomplice. Constantly on the move from one seedy hovel to the next, this is the only life they have known since Amy was born.

The backstory of Beth's childhood and the events leading up to her becoming a pregnant runaway were just as disturbing as her present situation of being the mother of a 10-year-old serial killer. Amy seems completely devoid of humanity and filled with pure evil.

I do need to warn you that there is animal cruelty in this book. I am unable to tell you how graphic it is because when I reached that part, I skipped ahead several pages. I can't handle reading about any kind of animal cruelty or torture, and if it had happened earlier in the book, it would have landed in my DNF pile, but I was several chapters in, so proceed with caution. This book is dark, gritty, and in your face harsh.

My thanks to Crystal Lake Publishing/Sinister Smile Press for the e-ARC

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Twisted Tales to Tell in the Night Edited by Stephanie Rose

 

Return to the streets where fall leaves crunch underfoot and the glow of a harvest moon lights your way.

From the new trick-or-treaters to the big kids who know which houses give out the full-size bars, these tales deliver all the thrills of Halloween night in bite-sized pieces.

In the tradition of Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark, each author brings their own deliciously twisted take on the season. Some stories will make you squirm, others will send an icy chill down your spine. Whether you crave the nostalgia of flickering jack-o'-lanterns or the shock of something moving in the shadows, this collection invites you to savor Halloween every night of the year because for some of us, October never lets go.

I love Holiday horror and especially stories set on or around Halloween. I'm always on the lookout for new Halloween anthologies, even when my TBR is overflowing. I happened to notice this one when I went to update my profile on Book Sirens (which oddly still lists my social reach at less than a third of what it is) and decided to request it. After a couple of days, when it was neither approved nor declined, I withdrew my request and decided to stick with the mountain of ARCs I already have. A week later, it showed up in my email anyway, so here we are.

Why am I telling you so much about the process of getting this book instead of just getting on with a review? Because I'm struggling with this one. Not because there aren't some great stories here, but because I am not sure what age group the target audience is meant to be. Some of the stories seem to be written for young children. Others seem geared more towards a teenage audience, like those who outgrew Goosebumps and moved on to Fear Street. So while I enjoyed several stories, I'm not sure what age group to recommend it to.

A few of my favorites were The Trap Door by Skylar Crowter, in which 2 teens set out for their last ever night of trick or treating, now that they feel they are too old. They plan to make the best of this final time by starting at the home of the street's oldest and kindest resident, where full-sized candy bars are always guaranteed. When they get there, the lights are off and something is very wrong in this house.

Scare Of A Lifetime by Joseph Buckly- A man who tries to outdo himself year after year with the best Halloween decorations in town is on the hunt for something spectacular to display in his yard this year. He will impress the neighborhood if it's the last thing he ever does.

When Leaves Burn by Donna Taylor-Who doesn't love the sharp crackle of freshly fallen leaves? It's one of the best parts of the season. But there are rules to abide by in Autumn Hollow and there are consequences for gazing up at the trees in the month of October.

Trick Or Treatment by Hayley Newlin - A woman in an abusive marriage with a man who has been experimenting on her like a mad doctor finds that revenge can be electrifying.

Back Home Again by Alan Dellascio A man who had Halloween ruined for him as a child takes his daughter trick-or-treating in his old neighborhood.

Nightmare Realm by Leigh Kenny- Friends head out to a Halloween attraction in hopes that it will be scarier on Halloween than it was on opening night. Be careful what you wish for.

These were my favorites; your mileage may vary.

My thanks to Book Sirens and Stephanie Rose

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Stories:

DO YOU KNOW THE BUNNY MAN? by Angela Sylvaine

THE TRAP DOOR by Skylar Crowter

SCARE OF A LIFETIME by Joseph Buckley

IT LURKS by Zelda Zito

THE HAUNTING OF THORNWOOD CEMETERY by Maria Giakoumatos

WHEN LEAVES BURN by Donna Taylor

NO STRINGS ATTACHED by V. Castro

TRICK OR TREATMENT by Haley Newlin

BACK HOME AGAIN by Alan Dellascio

NIGHTMARE REALM by Leigh Kenny

THE MAN WHO WOULD BE DEATH by Greg Patrick

SPECTER HALLOWEEN by Briana Morgan

MALLRAT by Rikki Goodwin

THE THIRTEEN THINGS YOU FOUND IN YOUR TRICK OR TREAT BAG by Gwendolyn Kiste

How to Survive Camping #2 The Lady in Chains by Bonnie Quinn

Every year, campground manager Kate sends out a pamphlet titled “How to Survive Your Camping Experience.” It includes a list of rules to help campers have an enjoyable experience and hopefully survive any encounters with the campgrounds other…inhabitants.

With the campground in the throes of a bad year, it will take more than a list of rules to keep everyone safe. Monsters that were previously lying dormant are starting to stir, and they’re waking up hungry. Among them is the Lady in Chains, a creature feared by both human and inhuman things alike.

Her reappearance creates an upheaval in the balance of power in the campground by renewing an old grudge with the harvesters, who are willing to sacrifice anyone they get their hands on in order to gain an advantage. On top of all this, the Man with the Skull Cup has started taking an unusual interest in Kate. But with the harvesters on the prowl, the Lady in Chains hunting her down, and a sinister spider infestation, Kate is going to need all the allies she can get, even if those allies aren’t actually…human. 

Spring has sprung, summer is on the way, and the Goat Valley Campground is ready to welcome another season of campers. They should be fine as long as they read the rules. Kate, the manager, has always sent out a pamphlet on how best to deal with any supernatural beings in order to survive any they may encounter. 

As usual, there are those who don't take it seriously, but worse, this is a bad year for the campground with entities that Kate has not had to deal with before. How many campers and dwindling family members can one manager be expected to save every year? Surely not all of them. This year, not even the townspeople are safe from supernatural deaths, so what chance do the campers have?

This was a fun read that solidifies my decision to keep out of the woods. It's funny, creepy, and not too gory, although some people do get liberated from their body parts. If your vacation plans include camping this year, this is the book to bring.

My thanks to  S&S/Saga Press for the e-ARC

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Headlights by C.J. Leede

Every instinct tells him to run. Every memory tells him he can’t. Special Agent Daniel Stansfield is ready for a change. Burnt out and defeated by the job, it’s his last day with the FBI. But before he can turn in his badge, he’s summoned back to Denver, the city he ran from four years ago, with a chilling message: it's happening again.

Seemingly innocent people are waking up on the side of the highway, with no memory of how they got there, wearing the skin of victims they've allegedly never met. And they each share one haunting detail: a strand of a stranger’s hair is tied around their tongue.

Now Daniel is pulled back into the gruesome cycle, and every clue leads him deeper into the shadows of his own past. He will have to confront the ghosts of his traumatic childhood and face what’s been hunting him all along— before he and the people he loves become the next victims.

 

Special Agent Daniel Stansfield suffered trauma at a very early age that has shaped the rest of his life. As he is preparing to re-enlist he is pulled back into an unsolved murder case when it appears the unknown serial killer has started again. New victims have turned up, and people are found covered in blood and wearing the skin of these corpses with no memory of what has happened or why they would have been involved.

Pretty freaky right? Well, it would have been if it had been more about the victims and the killer and less about the investigation and the agent's memories and visions. It started off strong, but it turned into more of a slow burn mystery that, for me, never reached its full potential. There are loads of references to The Shining, but that's not enough to back up the claim that it is "Perfect for fans of The Shining and Longlegs."  I loved the author's previous book and was hoping to feel the same about this one, but I just can't. It goes off in so many directions that I began to lose interest. You may enjoy it more than I did.

My thanks to Tor Nightfire for the advance paperback.

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Make Me Better by Sarah Gailey

An exclusive invitation.

A remote island infamous for its miraculous ecology.

A once-in-a-lifetime chance to fix everything that's broken.

But sometimes growth requires sacrifice....

WELCOME TO KINDRED COVE.

Celia is so tired of being alone. All she wants is to have a family—to belong to someone. That's why she's going to Kindred Cove for the annual Salt Festival held by the secluded community that lives there. They promise that healing is possible. They promise that transformation is inevitable. There is no grief at Kindred Cove, because there is no suffering. Nothing is ever lost.

Celia knows that, at that mysterious island surrounded by that impossible, ever-growing reef -- she will find herself.

She’s ready to be healed. She’s ready to be transformed.

She's ready to believe.

 

Celia is grieving a loss, and through a support group, she learns about a wellness retreat that she hopes will help her to heal. When she arrives, there is some conflicting information on whether visitors have ever been allowed to remain. If they have not stayed on, where exactly did they go? Because some former guests have never returned home.

I was expecting more of a folk horror than what I got out of this book. This is more a story of cult-like behavior and how someone like Celia, with her past trauma and desperation to belong somewhere, could be ripe for conversion.

There are many points of view and several timelines that bounced around too much for my taste. It was very slow going for not a whole lot of payoff at the end.

You may enjoy it more than I did, but this book was just not for me.

My thanks to Tor Books for the paperback.

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Accumulation by Aimee Pokwatka

 

A twisty, searing, conversation-starting novel about a filmmaker-turned-housewife who moves into her dream house and is forced to consider whether it's the house or herself that is haunted.

When documentary filmmaker turned stay-at-home mom Tennessee Cherish moves into the dream house her husband bought for her, a brighter future seems to be on the horizon. Even if her husband is frustratingly absent due to his new high-paying job. Even if their two young children begin acting out in strange ways. Even if she feels lonelier than ever.

Distracted by the endless details that come with moving into a new town, a new house, and new schools, Tenn doesn’t notice when odd things begin happening at home. The faucet that runs at all hours. The creepy doll that seems to show up in every room. The human tooth they found in the floorboards.

As the kids’ outbursts and the strange events start to escalate, the family finds themselves increasingly caught in loops, repeating everyday actions with dangerous—and then devastating—effects. Tenn realizes she must find the source of what is haunting her family, before it kills them all.

Taut and twisty, scary and searing, Aimee Pokwatka’s Accumulation lays bare the high price women pay for the promises of domesticity and motherhood, and the many ways in which families can be haunted.

Ward has recently gotten a new, higher-paying job and moved to what is supposedly his wife Tenn's dream home with their two children. I say "supposedly" because, although the home is much larger than what they had, it doesn't seem to be in good shape and is never really presented as anyone's idea of a dream home. Tenn has had some issues in the past with depression, and this is meant to be a fresh start for the family. Instead, everything goes rapidly sour as the children start behaving strangely, things go missing, silhouettes appear to be watching from the sidelines, and Tenn gets caught in a repeating loop of chaos. Trying to flee the house only seems to make matters worse. Is it really a haunted dream home, or is it Tenn herself who is haunted?

I always enjoy haunted house stories. When you throw in creepy happenings among kids, it really gets my adrenaline going. Particularly when I am not sure if you need to protect the children or need protection from the children. I have often times complained about repetitiveness in horror, but being caught in a loop worked for me in this book. I loved Tenn, and I loved to hate her husband, Ward. So many times I just wanted to smack him and say step up! But I guess all haunted house stories need a useless husband to make things worse before they can get better.

My thanks to G.P. Putnam's Sons for the e-ARC

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The Caretaker by Marcus Kliewer

 EXCITING OPPORTUNITY:

Caretaker urgently needed. Three days of work. Competitive pay. Serious applicants ONLY.

Macy Mullins can’t say why the job posting grabbed her attention—it had the pull of a fisherman’s lure, barbed hook and all—vaguely ominous. But after an endless string of failed job interviews, she's not exactly in the position to be picky. She has rent to pay, groceries to buy, and a younger sister to provide for.

Besides, it’s only three days’ work…

Three days, cooped up in a stranger’s house, surrounded by Oregon Coast wilderness.

What starts as a peculiar side gig soon becomes a waking nightmare. An incomprehensible evil may dwell on this property—and Macy Mullins might just be the only thing standing between it, and the rest of humanity.

Follow the Rites...

Macy Mullins is trying to support herself and her younger sister since their father's death. She is drowning in unpaid bills and threats of eviction when she answers an ad for a three-day job as a caretaker. The pay is great but there's a catch. She thought she would be taking care of a person. Instead, she is meant to follow a bizarre regimen of timed tasks. There are consequences for failing a task within the allotted time, and they increase in severity with each failure. Macy does not believe in any of these consequences; it all sounds to her like the ramblings of a troubled mind. She accepts the job and becomes a believer.

I was so excited when I received an invitation to read this! I loved the author's first book and can't wait to see the movie they are making from it. The Caretaker is also being made into a movie, and there are a few changes I hope they will make for the screen.

I loved the premise of this book. The house and wooded land it sits on are creepy. The tasks that must be completed are not physically difficult, but emotionally challenging. The atmosphere was delightfully spooky. What hampered my enjoyment was the repetitiveness and the back and forth between Macy and her sister who was not even there; it was just a running commentary in Macy's head. It made me want to skim the parts where Macy imagined what her sister would say about every situation. Don't let me dissuade you from reading it. Lots of people enjoyed it more than I did, and you might too. This was just an ok read for me.

My thanks to Atria/Emily Bestler Books/12:01 Books

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Come Sing for the Harrowing by Dan Coxon

 The newest collection from award-winning writer, Dan Coxon, Come Sing for the Harrowing, is a terrifying menagerie of the strange and weird. Unsettling, poignant, and always masterfully crafted, these 16 stories are a feast of folk horror where the fine line between the mundane and the malevolent is blurred beyond repair.

With five never-before-published stories as well as tales featured in publications such as Beyond the Veil and Great British Horror 7, this collection is a tour de force from one of the most talented rising stars in the horror fiction landscape.

Come Sing For The Harrowing is a collection of 18 stories, some of which were previously published but all of which were new to me.

A few of them ended so abruptly that I did wish there had been a little more, but I mostly enjoyed these weird and wondrous tales.

Some of my favorites were The Wives of Tromisle in which an estranged mother and daughter reunite when the mother needs help preparing for an expected but unusual occurrence for a woman her age.

Bring Them All Into The Light is an unnerving tale of a man who becomes obsessed with a cottage he sees while on a family vacation. After much arguing, his wife agrees with his decision to purchase it and move in. It is not their dream home, and his compulsion to build on the land will bring horror to them all.

A bullied child seeks revenge from beyond the grave in Bumblethatch.

The title story Come Sing for the Harrowing is a chilling tale of a young man who takes a job to pay his mother back the $200 he owes. Unfortunately, he will find out that he is paying so much more than that.

A camping trip with friends after a bad breakup is full of creepy happenings in Needles And Pins. 

The Darkness Below is another story of a family outing that goes horribly wrong for all involved when the son gets separated from his parents and sister in a touristy cave attraction.

A son leaves his father at a care home called Gorphwysfa, which translated means resting place. There will not be much rest for either of them once they separate.

If you enjoy dark fiction and strange tales, this is for you.

4 out of 5 stars

My thanks to Clash Books for the e-ARC

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Movie Review - Souls Chapel

 MTS Pictures is proud to announce the North American release of their latest feature, Souls Chapel, an indie horror-western inspired by the real-life legend of an early 1900s reverend who practiced the occult. The film is now available from Desktop Entertainment on DVD and VOD platforms, including Apple TV, Amazon Prime Video, and Fandango at Home.

Inspired by the real-life legend of an early 1900s reverend who practiced the occult, Souls Chapel follows a drifter, who, while chasing rumors of gold, takes shelter from a brutal snowstorm inside a small church known as the Souls Chapel. As the night deepens, he learns the church, its clergy, and the land itself are bound to something dark and deadly.

Directed by and starring Jack C. Young, Souls Chapel also stars genre favorite Brian Bremer (Pumpkinhead, Society) alongside Adriana Curtsinger, Jermey Boggs, Gage Carnes, Joseph McDowell, and Molly Gill. 

I was invited to watch a screener of Souls Chapel.

It's an unknown point in time. The world has moved on from what it once was. Ray, a drifter, is making his way through the hills of old Kentucky in search of gold he has heard rumors about. He encounters a strange entity that promises him gold if he finds a mysterious icon and brings it back to him. After accepting the challenge, Ray finds himself in the middle of a terrible storm, from which he seeks refuge in a small church known as Souls Chapel. As things begin to unfold, Ray learns that church clergy are not who they seem, and that the chapel’s grounds are cursed with a presence of dark magic. Ray must not only survive the night but complete his task and make it out alive.

Souls Chapel gets off to a slow start and relies heavily on narration and dialogue for most of the movie. When Ray takes shelter in the chapel and meets the rest of our cast of characters, what should feel ominous is diminished by a lack of quality acting. I would love to name at least one actor who truly shined in their role, but am unable to do so.

The script was well written, and the cinematography did a great job of conveying the mood and atmosphere, making for a visually appealing film. The fact that it was more talk than action and the sometimes lackluster delivery of lines left me mostly disengaged from the movie. You may enjoy it more than I did but I am taking it as a bad sign that several other reviews I have seen are only posting the press release instead of saying what they thought about this movie.

I gave this film 5 out of 10 stars on IMDB

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Mad Mabel by Sally Hepworth

Meet Mad Mabel

Elsie Mabel Fitzpatrick is eighty-one years old. She's lived on her idyllic street, Kenny Lane, for sixty years--longer than anyone else. Aside from being a curmudgeon who minds everyone else's business, few would suspect that Elsie has a past that she has worked exceedingly hard at concealing. Because when it comes to murder, no one ever suspects little girls or old ladies. And Elsie Mabel Fitzpatrick, once a little girl and now an old lady, has a strange history of people in her life coming to a foul end.

When a new little girl (talkative, curious, nosy) moves into the neighborhood and stops at nothing to befriend Elsie, her carefully-constructed life threatens to come crashing down as the secrets in Elsie's past start coming to light. Who was "Mad Mabel" fifty years ago? Who is Elsie Fitzpatrick today? And if the past has a habit of repeating itself, who has the most to lose?

Told with Sally Hepworth's twists, humor, charm, and heart, MAD MABEL is a novel that weaves past and present together--through the power of justice and redemption, and all the way to its stunning conclusion.

I took a break from reading horror when I was invited to read the newest Sally Hepworth, because I have enjoyed the four books I have read by her previously. In my opinion, this is her best work so far. Elsie Mabel Fitzpatrick is 81 years old and living a quiet life on a peaceful street in a friendly neighborhood. She's also keeping a secret. When she was fifteen years old, she was tried and convicted of murder. Was she really guilty? Was the nickname Mad Mabel that the other kids tormented her with throughout her childhood valid? When one of her nosy neighbors starts trouble, it puts everyone's safety at risk.

The majority of the book is an amusing read full of Elsie's sarcastic wit and sardonic, biting humor, which is a welcome relief since it is interspersed with her tellings of the events of her traumatic past. Suddenly, around the 90% mark, I had my heart ripped out near the unexpected climax and conclusion. Everyone should be lucky enough to have a grandma like Elsie, and Elsie deserved far better than the childhood she got. Blamed by her father for a multitude of sins that were never her fault, he encouraged the cruelty and ridicule that she suffered. She felt so real to me I wanted to go back in time and give her a hug. This is a book with all the feels. 5 stars doesn't seem like enough for this well-crafted tale.

My thanks to St. Martin's Press for the e-ARC

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The Widows of Winding Gale by Kealan Patrick Burke

For the people on the rugged Irish island of Winding Gale, life has always been hard. Now in the wake of the second World War, the island is dying, the young taken away by death or the appeal of better lives elsewhere, leaving behind only a handful of adults.

But on the night the men of the island disappear while fishing in uncharted waters, the women of Winding Gale are forced into a conflict with something both new and unfathomably old.

A strange greenish mist rolls in, cutting the island off from the mainland. Spiral symbols appear in the sand, fashioned from dead fish and stones. Seductive voices lure people from their homes to walk into the sea. Ancient ships materialize in the fog. And specters of the past will rise to take their vengeance in blood.

Because this is Samhain, a time when the veil between the living and the dead is thinnest, and there is something rising from the deep that will thrust the women of Winding Gale into a war against an unspeakable evil few of them may survive.

I can always count on Kealan Patrick Burke to pull me out of a reading slump. When I opened The Widows of Winding Gale, it lifted me out of the slumpiest slump I've ever slumped before.

I loved everything about this book, from the isolated island setting to the 1940s time period and the impending spookiness of Halloween. Most of all, I loved the characters. A small group of tenacious women and their husbands who have endured the hardships of living on the island with only occasional deliveries of goods from the mainland. The men of the island are currently off on the fishing boat. This is not an unusual part of island life, except that this time they have ventured out farther than they have ever been, and they have caught more than fish. There is something in their net that is beyond belief, and there is something in the sea that wants revenge. As the women await their husbands' return long past the time they were expected back, the fog rolls in, bringing something sinister that the women will have to face on their own.

Fast-paced and expertly written in such a way that I could picture the island, smell the sea, and feel the terror. I was so heavily invested in this eerie and heartbreaking tale that it was as if  I experienced every dashed hope and tragedy that ever befell the current and past inhabitants of the island. 

5 out of 5 stars

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Morsel by Carter Keane

The Blair Witch Project meets The Ritual, with a generous helping of The Menu, in Morsel, a delicious folk horror novella perfect for fans of T. Kingfisher, Cassandra Khaw, and Paul Tremblay.

Lou did what the children of parents with back-breaking, poor paying jobs are supposed to do; pulled up her bootstraps, went to college, and got an office job with coworkers who won’t stop talking about their multi-level marketing scheme disguised as self-betterment.

Determined to lift her ill mother out of poverty before it's too late, and in the spirit of climbing the corporate ladder, Lou accepts an assignment in the rural hills of Ohio. She quickly finds herself stranded in the middle of nowhere with a sabotaged truck, a dog she’s determined to keep safe, and something stalking her through the ancient Appalachian woods.

If she can’t escape the woods in time, she’ll come face to face with the fact that her job isn’t the only thing that wants to eat her alive.

Morsel is a chilling testament to the burden of generational poverty and the all-consuming nature of capitalism, where the monster and the monstrous, in the end, are not the same.

 First, I have to say that it was the cover and the comparison to The Ritual that made me accept the invitation to read this book. I loved The Ritual, but I hated Blair Witch. Still, I don't get the comparison. I guess they took that liberty because something happens in the woods. Oh well.

Morsel gets off to a very slow start. So much so that I was just about to decide that this book may not be a good fit for me. I was wavering around the 30% mark when it suddenly got downright scary, and I was hooked.

There is a lot going on in this story all at once, sometimes a bit too much. The gist of it is that Lou is struggling to pay bills and wants to help out her overworked mom. She accepts an assignment to go out in the middle of nowhere to survey a home. Once she gets there, her life is in danger, but is it really the monster we were expecting from the synopsis or something else? It's hard to tell because Lou has some memory gaps and is an unreliable narrator. The story is frequently interrupted by a "podcast" concerning others who have gone missing in the woods. The ending was confusing to say the least. I mostly enjoyed the middle third of this book, but the slow start and crazy ending made this just an ok read for me.

My thanks to Tor Nightfire for the gorgeous paperback.

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