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.

Get a copy

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

Get a copy

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. 

Get a copy

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. 
Get a copy

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