The Third Floor by C. Dennis Moore

THEIR NEW HOME IS OUT TO GET THEM Welcome to Angel Hill, Missouri, a town that shot blood from the ground at its own groundbreaking. There are only two roads in or out of town, and everything within those borders is subject to the whims of reality. Those who grew up here are immune to the town's peculiarities. But Jack and Liz have just moved here, and for their young son, Joey, it's almost like coming home again. As the Kitches start settling into their new home, a large abandoned house in need of a lot of TLC, Angel Hill welcomes them the only way it knows how. Footsteps in the middle of the night. Voices on the phone. Their big empty house wasn't so empty after all. There's a presence, and it's growing stronger. And angrier. DOES MADNESS LIVE ON AFTER DEATH? A hulking figure stalks the halls while childlike voices whisper in mourning. And there's something unexplainable happening to Joey. His hair is shorter now, and his eyes . . . they didn't used to be that color, did they? And that birthmark on his neck looks more like a scar every day. Jack doesn't want to believe his own eyes, but for Liz the threat is all too real, and it's closing in. From the invisible shapes under the sheets, the eyes she feels on her constantly, and the banging coming from the third floor . . . is that something trying to get in? Or something wanting out? Welcome to Angel Hill.


The Third Floor by C. Dennis Moore
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

If you love a good ghost story then this is a must read. The Third Floor is the best haunted house story I have had the pleasure to read in quite some time. In fact the entire town has a long history of strange and creepy occurrences which adds nicely to the spooky atmosphere of the story. Also includes an additional short story at the end which I would rate 5 stars as well.


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Soul Hostage - Evil Takes A Backseat by Jeffrey Littorno

"Thomas and Joey have known a great deal of trouble in their lives. Through it all, they have been able to count on each another.

But everything starts to change when they meet Louis Stoaffer. Stoaffer spins an engaging tale of betrayal and downfall. For assisting the old man in getting his revenge upon a scheming wife and a treacherous business partner, Thomas and Joey will be rewarded with the means of making their dreams come true.
However, as the trio travels south to carry out Stoaffer's plan, the promised slice of heaven goes south as well. Nothing is as simple as it first appeared. Dreams become nightmares. Demons within and without must be confronted.

The final question is how far Thomas will go in order to save himself. Read this novel of paranormal horror to learn the answer"


What starts off as just another ordinary day for best friends Joey and Thomas (ordinary when you're a criminal that is) takes an unexpected turn when they grab a hostage who claims he can lead them to a score so big they'll never have to pull another robbery. Well as they say, what sounds too good to be true usually is, and this claim was no exception. Something is just not quite right about this hostage from the very beginning, and then it gets worse from there. A very enjoyable story with an ending I nearly didn't see coming until I was 80% finished with the book.
I received a complimentary copy to review.

Tales of the Strange and Grim - Andrew Hall

Description
"What if you could freeze time itself with a click of your fingers? Or held a bright bottle of juice in your hand that promised eternal youth? These are tales of the strange and grim, where cakes come to life and monsters lurk in the inky dark. Find out how a mild-mannered writer deals with a murderous alien, and what England would look like with a thoroughly modern tyrant on the throne. Delve into weird worlds where reality gets skewed at every turn – if not skewered completely. You'll never look at a blender the same way again"


Tales of the Strange and Grim certainly lives up to it's name. These short stories are most definitely strange, and definitely grim, although my favorite of the bunch "Peace of Cake" had a happier ending than most. As with most books of short stories some stand out and others are less impressive. In addition to Peace of Cake, I very much enjoyed "Tabitha" "The Feathered Man" and "Time Apart" You can't go wrong for the price, and I will be on the look out for more from this author.

Four Corners Dark - William McNally

Description
Out in the darkness, the demons and horrors of our imagination become all too real. Of those brave enough to leave the light and plunge into the world’s dark corners, none come back unchanged. Some don’t come back at all. Four Corners Dark offers up four very different tales of places where the darkness lingers, tempting you to step into the unknown.
In these tales by storyteller William McNally, a group of Mexican immigrants place their trust in the wrong coyote, or human smuggler, only to find their very souls at risk. A huckster with the ability to escape trouble by jumping realities discovers he may have made one jump too many. Two proud new homeowners find out too late they share their property with the ghost of a vengeful witch, and one man’s love for his son leads to a decision that changes both their destinies.
It’s easy to be brave in the light, protected by our warm, comforting electric light bulbs or the warmth of the sun. Only in the darkness do we discover the limits of our courage. Step out of the light, and into the stories of Four Corners Dark


Four Corners Dark contains 4 short stories and most definitely saves the best for last. If able to rate them separately I would have given 5 stars to the last story "The Spinning Wheel" Which reminded me of Ray Bradbury's Something Wicked This way Comes complete with mysterious carnival. It was my favorite.
 
The first 2 stories Engine Eighteen and Return to Nowhere were just ok. I felt that the endings could have been better resolved. The third story The Raven Mocker, was the longest of the 3 and although it was better than the first 2 stories It seemed a little stiff and some of the dialogue seemed unnatural. A bit of editing could have made this story flow along better. All in all not a bad book.
I was given a complimentary copy for review