Points of Virtue #1 by P. A. Hayden/ Laurie Cunningham Lily Connors is a doctor; she saves people. But on her way back to London, she's haunted by everyone she's lost. As she looks into the hollow eyes of Death, she accepts that maybe she has different role to play. Adam is tired of having his life decided for him. But when a weekend away turns into the streets of London filled with monsters and Adam backed into a corner, his fate comes down to one final decision he doesn't want to make. |
Points of Villainy #3 by P. A. Hayden/ Laurie Cunningham It's the middle of the night. Hannah's dad says they're just going to Auntie Claire's for a visit, but they both seem really scared, almost like they're fleeing for their lives instead. Dirty Harry was his dad's hero, but Cal's hero was his dad. Cal spent his whole life trying to make his dad proud, but now that it's the end of the world, Cal realises he's spent his whole life letting everyone down. |
Points of Villainy #2 by P. A. Hayden/ Laurie Cunningham London is under attack. Monsters are destroying the city. Trapped in a pub with nowhere to go, a group of people are about to realize who the REAL monsters are. Ever since Sarah Winslow began her job at the United News Network, she's been looking for her big break. As she watches an army of terror break into the building, she's hopeful today might finally be her day. But it also might be her last day. |
Points of Villainy #1 by P. A. Hayden/ Laurie Cunningham "I'm inside." For years, Ethan's tried to ignore the people who want to keep him down and tell him he's a failure. But there's no ignoring the Faceless Man... Especially once he's inside. When Dylan puts on his cape and mask, a new hero arises: Tailwind Two! And just in time. While Dylan and his family flee from their house, Dylan's hero, Tailwind, fights the army of terror above their heads. But as new heroes arise, old heroes must fall. |
Reclamation by Bethany A Perry At twenty-three, all Adelaide has ever known is a society ripped apart by the virus. Though billions died, the freshly minted Cure is bringing the world back into balance. For once, she can think about moving out and falling in love, and not just about surviving the dead. Jack, Addyâs dad, decides to help the mayor with security rather than kick around his empty nest by himself. But when Jack uncovers a mystery more deadly than the infected appearing in the village, his need to solve it gets him framed for a crime he didn't commit and abducted. Adelaide sets out to save her dad, dragging her brother and his handsome boss with her. If Addy wants to seek out the life she deserves, she must save her dad from forces that dwarf them both and face her fear of everything but zombies. The first part of a trilogy, "Reclamation" is for readers who love character-driven literary sci-fi like "Station Eleven" and coming-of-age stories like "The Last of Us," with a healthy splash of adventure and romance. Plus zombies! |
Beneath Strange Lights by Vivian Moira Valentine Amelia Temple always knew she was different. Other. But that never stopped her from wanting moreâ especially her freedom. The Bureau of Extranormal Investigations, the shadowy government agency that has controlled her since birth, is finally allowing Amelia a pass to explore the small surrounding town where she is housed. Itâs 1954, and she quickly makes friends and begins to learn the rules of this strange society. Apparently, race matters. And girls arenât supposed to date girls. Yet the government looks the other way when it comes to locking kids up from birth and performing experiments on them because they have extra powersâkids like Amelia. Amelia and her new friends soon discover a conspiracy of so-called scientists running a bizarre experiment that threatens to unleash something terrible on her adopted hometown. As they begin to investigate, it becomes clear they must somehow stop the experiment before people die. But to do so, Amelia is forced to rely on what makes her different and decide just how human she wants to be. |
Locked out of Hell by his own demonic kind during 'The Event,' Purson has been hiding in plain sight as a human on Earth for a year. Hell now comes calling... |
Sister Grim Issue 1 by L. A. Cunningham Lily Connors wakes up in the morgue with no memories of the last three months since the event. She just wants to go home, but she's terrified her family isn't alive. But she's more terrified she'll kill them if they are. |
Minutes after 'The Event' destroys London, a group of injured and forgotten are quietly abducted for secret and diabolical purposes. All seen through the eyes of the main character. |
Points of Villainy/Points of Virtue by P. A. Hayden/L. A. Cunningham For weeks there have been encounters: people experiencing things they can't explain, horrors coming out of the shadows, people's worst fears come to life. Appearances have been increasing dramatically, until one day there is a surge. An army of terror appears and attacks Central London in what will forever be known as The Event. One Event. Two Anthologies. 16 people. 16 stories of terror. |
Grave Vengeance by Mitch Larkins Allyce thought when the most popular kids in school asked her to be their friend, she was finally going to come into their own. And then they murdered her. Now, ten years later on the anniversary of her death, Allyce has pulled herself from the grave for a long-awaited reunion with her so-called friends. |
Swallow the Moon by Bri Mooney In a dystopian world ruled by oppression and despair, two individuals find themselves caught in a treacherous web of power and forbidden love. Garrus is determined to salvage the remnants of his shattered world. As the last hope for a dwindling rebellion, he walks a precarious path, his every move shadowed by the ruthless Vampire King and his merciless regime. But when fate intertwined his destiny with that of SigrĂĂ°, the infamous killer fueled by a burning vendetta, everything changed. SigrĂĂ°, a legendary and deadly Vampire, has long harbored a deep-seated hatred for the Vampire King and his reign of terror. Her heart beats with a single purposeâto avenge the losses she has suffered. When a risky encounter at a livestock auction throws her and Garrus together, their agendas collide with electrifying force. Though their initial encounter is marked by enmity and mistrust, an undeniable connection flickers between them. As they reluctantly embark on a perilous journey, each driven by their own motives, Garrus and SigrĂĂ° must navigate a treacherous landscape of danger and deception. Their lives intertwine in unexpected ways, testing the limits of their loyalties and beliefs. Bound by circumstance, they find solace and strength in each other, gradually unraveling the layers of their hardened exteriors to reveal vulnerability and passion. In the face of an oppressive regime, their forbidden love becomes a beacon of hope and defiance, challenging the very foundations of their shattered world. In this dystopian tale of dual perspectives, enemies become unlikely allies, and the line between love and hate blurs amidst the chaos of revolution. â˘â˘â˘ STM is the first in a trilogy with dual POV featuring a paranormal tale of vampires and shifters in a dystopian setting. Some tropes are enemies to lovers, forced proximity, one bed, forbidden love, and why choose FFM. |
It Haunts the Mind and Other Stories by Nick Roberts Nick Roberts delves into the darkest corners of the soul, where horror meets raw emotion. Dive into the chilling depths of the human psyche with Nick Roberts, the acclaimed author behind bestsellers like The Exorcistâs House and Anathema. Presenting a collection of fifteen tales, It Haunts the Mind masterfully weaves horror with raw emotion, leaving an indelible mark on the reader's soul. From the malevolent presence in âSally Under the Bedâ and the eponymous âIt Haunts the Mindâ to the raw brutality of âThe Nooseâ and âThe Bitter End,â Roberts showcases his unparalleled ability to terrify. Yet, itâs not just supernatural dread that lurks in these pages. Stories like âThanks for Sharingâ and âThe Weeping Windâ delve into the very real horrors of addiction and grief, while âThe Paperboyâ and âVoodoo Bayâ introduce monsters that defy reality. John Durgin, author of The Cursed Among Us and Inside The Devilâs Nest, praises the collection, stating, âCome for the horror, stay for the heartbreaking emotion that bleeds into every page... It Haunts The Mind is that damn good.â James Aquilone, a Bram Stoker Award-nominated editor and writer, warns of the collection's potency: âNick Roberts has an uncanny ability to scare the bejesus out of readers... Highly recommended if you donât want to sleep in the dark again.â Perfect for aficionados of horror short stories, suspenseful tales, and narratives that explore the human condition, It Haunts the Mind is a testament to the power of storytelling, blending supernatural terror with the very real demons that haunt our lives. Whether you're drawn to tales of possession, substance abuse, or coming-of-age horror, this collection promises to both terrify and move you in equal measure. Proudly represented by Crystal Lake PublishingâTales from the Darkest Depths. |
The Girl in the Corn by Jason Offutt Beware of what lurks in the corn. Fairies donât exist. At least thatâs what Thomas Cavanaughâs parents say. But the events of that one night, when he follows a fairy into the cornfield on his parentsâ farm, prove them wrong. What seems like a destructive explosion was, Thomas knows, an encounter with DauĂ°r, a force that threatens to destroy the fairyâs world and his sanity. Years later, after a troubled childhood and a series of dead-end jobs, he is still haunted by what he saw that night. One day he crosses paths with a beautiful young woman and a troubled young man, soon realizing that he first met them as a kid while under psychiatric care after his encounters in the cornfield. Has fate brought them together? Are they meant to join forces to save the fairyâs world and their own? Or is one of them not who they claim to be? |
Our Own Unique Affliction by Scott J. Moses Our Own Unique Affliction is the story of Alice Ann, a dejected immortal who longs for her life in the sun. Navigating guilt, loss, family, meaning, murder, and all that comes with the curse of living forever. An existential bleak, quiet until it's not, hallucination on duality, rife with fangs, empathy, blood, and grief. "Unexpected and grim, Scott J. Moses' Our Own Unique Affliction is the most inventive and bombastically gruesome vampire story I've read since The Light at the End by John Skipp and Craig Spector. An exquisitely written meditation on grief, family, and trauma told with such empathy and care. I feel broken after reading this book, and I applaud Scott for obliterating my soul with such grace and tenderness." - Eric LaRocca, author of Things Have Gotten Worse Since We Last Spoke and Other Misfortunes "Scott Moses writes from a place of pure empathy, the result of which is a story that pulls the reader in with deceptive ease, putting them through the emotional wringer, culling fear from every page. A tightly written fever dream of bloodlust and family ties, grief, rage and the eternal hunt." - Laurel Hightower, author of Crossroads and Below "Moses gives us not only complicated and relatable characters, but also cinematic scene-setting coated with pathos and grit. Our Own Unique Affliction forces readers to face that often circumstance is the only thing separating us from the monsters." - J.A.W. McCarthy, Shirley Jackson Award nominated author of Sometime Weâre Cruel and Other Stories "Moses tenders a vampire's origin and fate in the skin of a mood-soaked tragedy, embraced by bloody nights and unyielding regrets. Fans of Paul Tremblay's The Pallbearers Club should sink their fangs in before sunrise." - Hailey Piper, Bram Stoker Award-winning author of Queen of Teeth "An interesting psychological twist on the vampire narrative. Definitely a fun read." - Charlene Elsby, author of Hexis, Psychros, Menis |
Office Politics: A Story of the Apocalypse by L. R. J. Allen Richard is the last man alive. He has survived the super-flu known as Shaking Stevens when the rest of the world perished. He has survived when his family has not. He has survived with no survival instincts. He spends his days rummaging through the remnants of society as loneliness and anger set in. That is, until, his wanderings lead him back to his place of work. It is familiar, it is comforting, it is routine. Until, one day, his desk-phone rings. From the author of Among Other Things comes a tale of survival and hope in the most dire of times, and what a man must do to remain sane. Includes two previously unpublished stories Keep off the Grass and Coin Toss at Acheron Station |
The Sweet, the Spooky, & The Terrifying by Rachel Ann Hubert Three short stories for every aspect of Halloween. One sweet. One spooky. And one terrifying. Included in this book: Alone Together (The Sweet): The story of a college student determined to ostracize himself from everyone else around him. When he gets an unwanted guest for the night though, he'll soon see that being invisible isn't all that bad. And that sometimes it's worth stepping outside your comfort zone and shushing that negative voice inside your head. The Monster Within (The Spooky): Jules is starting over in a new town, new house, new everything. But this town isn't all it seems. While she tries to start fresh, memories from her previous life start trickling in. What is she running away from? And what is running away from her... The Ouroboros (The Terrifying): It started as a tickle. A tickle that became an itch. And itch at the back of his throat that not only could he not ignore...but that he could not escape |
A Ritual of Bone by Lee C. Conley 'Only valour and steel can stand against the rising dead' Arnar is a land of warriors, its people as stalwart as the stones themselves. In a land of dark forests and ancient hill forts, a forgotten evil is awoken by curious minds. The Great Histories and the Sagas say nothing of this evil, long passed from the memory of even the studious scholars of the College. For centuries, the scholars of Arnar have kept these records and preserved the knowledge and great deeds of a proud people. The story of these peoples forever chronicled in the Sagas of the Great Histories. But now the evil spreads and the dead walk in its wake, terrible creatures roam the night and even the spirits are restless. The Dead Sagas could perhaps be the final chapters of these great records. Many threads entwine to tell this Saga, interweaving the tales of those who played their part in the search for answers and ultimately their fight for survival. Amid plague, invasion and terror, the inexorable rise of the dead sends a kingdom scrabbling to its knees. This dark fantasy epic combines dark malign horror and gritty survival adventure as the Dead Sagas unfold in a world where honour and renown is all, where beasts and savages lurk in the wilderness, and where sword, axe and shield is all that stands between the living and the grasping hands of the dead. |
The Cursed Among Us by John Durgin It has been twenty years since the serial killer known as The Black Heart Killer terrorized the town of Newport in 1979. Life mostly returned to normal after the killer was captured. All the townspeople have to do is stay out of the woods where the bodies were abandonedâtheir chests ripped open, and their hearts torn out... Howie Burke and his friends decide rules are meant to be broken. Thatâs what fifteen-year-old kids do. On a beautiful fall day, they decide to go out in the woods to film a horror movie when they stumble across a mysterious grave. What they donât know is that they are about to release an evil on the town unlike anything in their home-made movies. They will soon uncover the secrets of the Black Heart Killer, and what it truly means to be cursed. Praise for The Cursed Among Us "Hidden graves, black magic, town legends, and intrepid teenagers - this one has it all, in bloody spades. Durgin's debut manages the impossible: a punchy and gripping horror-thriller sprawled across two decades, crafted with dark obsession and drenched in nostalgia for the golden years of supernatural slasher films." - Felix Blackwell, author of Stolen Tongues âA remarkably malevolent debut that will leave you reaching for your talisman. Durgin takes all the right risks and proves nobody is safe in this impressive coming-of-age novel about a small town with a dark past.â - Joshua Marsella, author of Hunger For Death âThe Cursed Among Us is a horror novel with its heart in the right placeâready to be ripped out! Containing surprising and sometimes stunning emotional depth, this homage to â90s B-movies and supernatural documentaries explores the agony of growing up and holding onto friendships when the world seems determined to rip everything you love apart.â - Joseph Sale, author of Dark Hilarity "The Cursed Among Us' is a coming-of-age, small town horror blast, one that I think a lot of people will really enjoy." Steve Stred, Splatterpunk-Nominated author of Sacrament and Mastodon. |
Now, and the Hour of Death by Karen Lykkebo Five short tales of the eerie, tragic, and macabre. Three friends venture into an abandoned church, unaware the foundation is haunted. An expert in the occult is asked to remove a presence from the beach. Two survivors of the zombie apocalypse watch a final sunset together. Two lovers will do anything to keep their home and love safe. A serial killer is on the loose, but his step is watched by more than his victims. |
The Haunting of Heatherhurst Hall by Sebastian Nothwell American heiress Kit Morgan is heartbroken at the wedding of her dearest school-friend. At her lowest moment, she is rescued from her agonies by the mysterious and alluring Alexandra Cranbrook, sister of a visiting English baronet. Alexandra is beautiful, charming, and effortlessly beguiling. Kit cannot help but fall in love with her. When Sir Vivian Cranbrook proposes marriage, it seems natural for Kit to acceptâif only to live with the woman she desperately loves. But the Cranbrookâs ancestral home of Heatherhurst Hall is not all it seems. The attic is forbidden. Strange scratching noises echo from within the walls. Wraiths stalk the corridors by night. And worst of all, Alexandraâs love has turned to scorn. Still, Kit is determined to earn her happily-ever-after and save the Cranbrooks from the horrors of Heatherhurst Hall. If only she could know Alexandra loved her in return. ~ The Haunting of Heatherhurst Hall is a Gothic romance rife with horror and heartache, wherein an American heiress makes an ill-advised marriage to bring herself closer the woman whoâs stolen her heart. |
The Book and the Blade by A.B. Finlayson A perfect story for fans of Gaiman and Pratchettâs GOOD OMENS, SHAUN OF THE DEAD and THE WORLDâS END. Arthur Crazy is drunk and seeing ghosts. This is not a metaphor. The dead are walking and talking, and it doesn't matter that Arthur doesn't believe in them. They believe in him. Too drunk to recall how he stumbled upon his nascent power, Arthur is burdened with newfound heâs the only one who can hear the unfinished business of every dead guy in York, and heâs the only one who can help. As forgotten legends and lost demons stir all over the cobbled streets and snickelways, Arthur finds himself at the centre of an unfolding mysteryâa light in the desert, a fart at a funeralâand he is about to discover that an unfortunate surname isn't the only thing that makes him stand out. Arthur just wants to sober up, have a kebab, and go home, but his conscience is knocking loud and clear, demanding he open the damn door. He may not be the hero the dead need, but heâs the one theyâre stuck with. Besides, one of those ghosts seems kind of cute. |
Strange Tales of the Macabre by E. Reyes Immerse yourself in E. Reyesâ haunting worlds with this spine-chilling collection exploring humanityâs encounters with the eerie and the unknown. A group of friends break into a home and are in for a night of unsuspected terror. A teen discovers a true crime book that no one else remembers. A young girlâs doll becomes a conduit for ancient evil. A pair of clowns turn to the supernatural to save a failing thrill ride. These and other unsettling tales await⌠Step into the unexplainable with Strange Tales of the Macabre |
The Love Song of Nathan Crane by E. Reyes Nathan Crane, a handsome and charming young man, becomes fixated on Christine Romero, a stunning woman who catches his eye. Despite his initial attempts to woo her, Christine repeatedly rejects Nathan's advances, and he spirals into a dangerous obsession. As Nathan's obsession with Christine intensifies, he reveals his dark side. His once-charming demeanor is replaced with menacing and possessive behavior, and he becomes determined to make Christine love him, even if it means keeping her all to himself. Nathan's solution to his problem is extreme and violent, leading him down a dangerous path. As Christine becomes aware of the extent of Nathan's obsession and his true nature, she is forced to fight for her life and her freedom. As the story unfolds, Nathan's obsession with Christine reaches a fever pitch, leading to a final confrontation that will leave readers on the edge of their seats. This gripping novel explores the dark side of obsession and the lengths some people will go to in order to get what they want. |
The House on Moon Creek Avenue by E. Reyes âA haunted house story that will give you The Conjuring vibes.ââKashaâs Book Sematary Fleeing an abusive boyfriend, Cindy moves into her late grandmotherâs creepy old house with her young daughter. At first, the home is comfortable and nostalgic. But soon, ghosts randomly appear day and night, doors open and close, a streak of bad luck begins, and Cindy and her daughter have unsettling nightmares. Cindyâs mental state is pushed to the edge. When Cindyâs video recording of paranormal activity goes viral, she gets the attention of famous ghost hunters. With nowhere else to turn, Cindy accepts their help to find and eliminate the source of the haunting. Can Cindy and the team of paranormal investigators survive the haunting of The House on Moon Creek Avenue? Praise for The House on Moon Creek Avenue: âE.Reyes plays with all the readersâ senses to invoke chills.ââJamie Stewart, author of Trick or Treat âI couldnât put it down.ââIseult Murphy, author of 7 Days in Hell âIf you're looking for a spooky haunted house story that'll give you the creeps, reach for this one!ââSpooky Octopus Reads |
The Halloween Grindhouse: An Anthology by E. Reyes âIf you love horror⌠you must read this book.ââJulie Hiner, author of Final Track On Halloween night, four friends use a new app that takes users to random weird, creepy, and haunted locations. The location generated for them is an abandoned house in a sketchy neighborhood. Inside, they discover a series of VHS tapes, each revealing a blood-curdling tale that pushes the boundaries of fear and darkness⌠Encounter a terrifying zombie uprising born from the depths of drug cartel torture chambers. Navigate a haunted house alongside a group of unsuspecting friends, where the supernatural lurks around every corner. Witness the brutal karmic justice delivered by an evil entity on Mischief Night. And hold your breath as a kidnapped girl struggles to escape the twisted clutches of a monstrous captor and his sinister grandmother. From supernatural nightmares to the macabre realities of human evil, each story in this anthology offers a unique and harrowing journey, filled with twists that will keep you on the edge of your seat. So, dim the lights and brace yourself for a heart-stopping descent into the darkest corners of The Halloween Grindhouse. Praise for The Halloween Grindhouse âThis was a fun read. Think Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark adult version. Great concept.ââStephanie Reads Reviews âThis book has it all. E. Reyes has definitely caught my attention and has left me thirsty for more!ââRose Devours Books Reviews âE. Reyes enthralled me with this Halloween themed collection. ...I found a new favorite author.ââAndrew Robert, contributor to Slice of Paradise âIf you're looking for a bloody book for this Halloween season, you can't go wrong with this one.ââMichael R. Goodwin, author of Smolder âI adored this⌠if you're a fan of old school horror movies/vibes, then this is highly recommended.ââH. Everend, author of Cursed Legacy |
Meshkwadoon: Book 2 by Alex Tilley The offering. Nightmares and scars remain the only fragments of a Summer veiled by death. As Autumn dawns, Natasha and Yuuta are left to fend for their sanity in a world that pulls them back to their demanded destiny. Shattered fragments are forced together in this tale as the search for a missing little girl brings the world of the living to the crossing of the spirit. In this twisted continuation of the story of Meshkwadoon, there is no escape from the monsters whose exaltations are through the offerings of the flesh |
The Dragonâs Reign: Heart of the Depths by Tim Mullins After his mother suffers a life-altering brain injury during a tragic accident, Andy books two tickets aboard The Heart - a luxury cruise ship built for the super-rich, to give her the holiday she had always dreamed of. Shortly after the ship sets sail, catastrophe hits the mainland and the pair can only watch as the life they left behind is turned to ash. The Heart continues out to sea, hoping to put some distance between its passengers and the devastated mainland, but as the ship ventures into deeper waters Andy soon realizes that the ocean may not be the safe haven the ship's Captain first thought... For something lurks below, and now it's rising from the depths... Set during the events of The Dragonâs Reign, this short-story will tell a heartfelt tale about a mother and son that will test their definition of love as they learn just how far they will go for family. |
One Road In by Hannah R. Palmer 'Some say, at night, you can see glowing eyes of fire between the trees, watching. Waiting...' Sadieâs younger brother Ben went missing 5 years ago. No one knows where he went. No one knows who, or what, took him. So explain the look of guilt on Sadieâs face when her mother called with the best news possible: Ben has come home. What does Sadie know about his disappearance? And what has her brother brought home with him? Thereâs something on the small island off the coast of Rose Bay, and its glowing amber eyes are making its presence known. Sadie needs to reconcile what happened all those years ago with where she finds herself now, before it has the chance to tear her family, and her hometown, apart again. |
The Exorcistâs House by Nick Roberts This psychological thriller follows a family to their Appalachian farmhouse, where they encounter an unimaginable horror. In the summer of 1994, psychologist Daniel Hill buys a rustic farmhouse nestled in the rolling hills of West Virginia. Along with his wife and teenage daughter, the family uproots their lives in Ohio and moves south. They are initially seduced by the natural beauty of the country setting. That soon changes when they discover a hidden room in the basement with a well, boarded shut and adorned with crucifixes. Local legends about the previous owner being an exorcist come to light, but by then, all Hell has broken loose. This 1990s horror novel is perfect for fans of family thriller books, stories of demonic possession, exorcism fiction, the occult, or thrillers like The Exorcist, A Head Full of Ghosts, and The Amityville Horror. Proudly represented by Crystal Lake PublishingâTales from the Darkest Depths. |
Blanky by Kealan Patrick Burke In the wake of his infant daughter's tragic death, Steve Brannigan is struggling to keep himself together. Estranged from his wife, who refuses to be inside the house where the unthinkable happened, and unable to work, he seeks solace in an endless parade of old sitcoms and a bottle of bourbon. Until one night he hears a sound from his daughter's old room, a room now stripped bare of anything that identified it as hers...except for her security blanket, affectionately known as Blanky. Blanky, old and frayed, with its antiquated patchwork of badly sewn rabbits with black button eyes, who appear to be staring at the viewer... Blanky, purchased from a strange old man at an antique stall selling "BABY CLOSE" at a discount. The presence of Blanky in his dead daughter's room heralds nothing short of an unspeakable nightmare that threatens to take away what little light remains in Steve's shattered world. Because his daughter loved Blanky so much, he buried her with it. A new novella from the Bram Stoker Award-Winning author of SOUR CANDY and KIN. |
Sour Candy by Kealan Patrick Burke At first glance, Phil Pendleton and his son Adam are just an ordinary father and son, no different from any other. They take walks in the park together, visit county fairs, museums, and zoos, and eat together overlooking the lake. Some might say the father is a little too accommodating given the lack of discipline when the child loses his temper in public. Some might say he spoils his son by allowing him to eat candy whenever he wants and set his own bedtimes. Some might say that such leniency is starting to take its toll on the father, given how his health has declined. What no one knows is that Phil is a prisoner, and that up until a few weeks ago and a chance encounter at a grocery store, he had never seen the child before in his life. A new novella from the Bram Stoker Award-winning author of THE TURTLE BOY and KIN |
The Ghosts of Thorwald Place by Helen Power A Mystery Scene Magazine 2021 Editor's Pick Trust No One. Especially Your Neighbors. Rachel Drake is on the run from the man who killed her husband. She never leaves her safe haven in an anonymous doorman building, until one night a phone call sends her running. On her way to the garage, she is murdered in the elevator. But her story doesnât end there. She finds herself in the afterlife, tethered to her death spot, her reach tied to the adjacent apartments. As she rides the elevator up and down, the lives of the residents intertwine. Every one of them has a dark secret. An aging trophy wife whose husband strays. A surgeon guarding a locked room. A TV medium who may be a fraud. An ordinary man with a mysterious hobby. Compelled to spend eternity observing her neighbors, she realizes that any one of them could be her killer. |
Foundations by Richard Holliday HOW DID STREETS IN THE SKY BECOME THE TOWER OF TERROR FEARED FOR DECADES? Foundations is yet another page turner that I simply couldn't put down. It brilliantly explored the origins of the world in which Nightmare Tenant is set, and the author has excelled at giving the reader another wonderful story. Foundations is a thrilling period tale setting up the origin story to the creepy psychological thriller, answering questions and leaving some lingering in the mind! An exciting and engaging precursor. If you enjoyed Nightmare Tenant, Foundations lays the groundwork in another exhilarating adventure! And if you've not yet read Nightmare Tenant, then Foundations is just the start of a thrilling and creepy story in an unusual and effective setting Stephen Norris is a young man in a new job with an almost-famous architect at the turn of the 1970s. Quickly immersed in the murky world of town planning, he finds the transition from drawings and blueprints to brick and mortar is night and day. A discovery of ruins on the site of a state-of-the-art new tower block brings him into conflict with the construction workers, in particular the foreman, Peterson. Lurking inside the ruins is an ancient power are lost spirits. They channel through Norris, imbuing him with power to do the right thing and save their legacy. Within the modern world of the 1970s, complexities of life cloud Norrisâ judgment. Those closest to him â friends, family, even the girl he loves â are dragged with him into a whirlpool of mistrust, deceit, danger and lies. All seems lost when the forces of darkness â money and progress â appear to triumph and obliterate the past. Instead, the darkness unleashes the lost spirits who turn vengeful at this defilement of their mortal remains. Norris must battle these forces and save the woman he loves from being a prisoner of Chivron Towerâs new nightmare tenant⌠Foundations is the precursor to the novella Nightmare Tenantby Richard Holliday. Length: 20,000 words |
Nightmare Tenant by Richard Holliday WHERE OCCUPANCY BECOMES POSSESSION⌠The chilling prologue left me hanging and I had no idea what was going on â so I just had to read on! I know the world, I spent most of my life driving past those flats, so I totally get the inspiration! Top notch horror with some brutal but satisfying scenes. Really enjoyed it, didnât see some of the twists coming! Very effective! Loved the setting and reasons behind its hauntedness. I finished reading Nightmare Tenant in one sitting. Thatâs one block I wouldnât want to live in! For years, Chivron Tower was abandoned and left to rot as the world turned. It loomed in the skyline a desolate, abhorred ruin; a forgotten relic of the past. That was how it should have stayed. But now, the Tower has been resurrected and shown a renewed lease of life, ready for a new generation of families to move in. Everyone in the community is celebrating this achievement. Councillors, developers, residents all applaud the regeneration of this unloved eyesore. Except for one member of the community. The one who still lives in Chivron Tower, unknown to all. The one who never left. The lone occupantâs way of life is under threat by these new invaders with their new ideas â sullying their idea of urban perfection cast in steel and concrete. Great hope for this restoration is soon to be extinguished. The mysterious tenant is angry, is without mercy and is hungry. It feeds on suffering, making things go bump in the night. It brings more victims to its lair. The warnings it gives turn to torment it revels in. Joel Barton and his family find they are trapped, with the last remaining residents, good and bad, as they realise escape means confronting a⌠NIGHTMARE TENANT |