Review: Never Wake edited by Kenneth W. Cain and Tim Meyer

Never Wake edited by Kenneth W. Cain and Tim Meyer Crystal Lake Publishing (September 2023) 314 pages; $16.99 paperback; $5.99 e-book Reviewed by R.B. Payne All the stories in this anthology are let-me-horrify-you good. Some are visceral, some are psychological, some are spiritual, and some are simply LET ME GIVE YOU A TOUR OF MY … Continue Reading! “Review: Never Wake edited by Kenneth W. Cain and Tim Meyer”

Review: The Headsman by Cristina Mirzoi

The Headsman by Cristina Mirzoi Independently Published (January 2022) 41 pages; $3.50 e-book Reviewed by R.B. Payne One of the joys of living abroad is meeting new writers and connecting as storytellers. Living in Europe, that means meeting poets, writers, and artists from various countries and cultures.  Cristina Mîrzoi is Romanian and English and also … Continue Reading! “Review: The Headsman by Cristina Mirzoi”

Review: Dark Tales of Sorrow and Despair by Jack Darby

Dark Tales of Sorrow and Despair by Jack Darby Independently Published (November 2021) 337 pages; $14.99 paperback; $2.99 e-book Reviewed by R.B. Payne Reviewer’s Note Many of you know I relocated to Paris, France in 2018. Here, I am connecting with like-minded authors who specialize in dark fiction whether it be horror, thriller, or science … Continue Reading! “Review: Dark Tales of Sorrow and Despair by Jack Darby”

Review: Cats of the Pacific Northwest by J.W. Donley

Cats of the Pacific Northwest by J.W. Donley Dark Forest Press (July 2021) 74 pages; $6.99 paperback; $2.99 e-book Reviewed by R.B. Payne Most horror fans learned about horror through seemingly innocent fairy tales read to us by loving parents before bedtime. Illustrated in fanciful colors on glossy paper, and lit by golden lamplight, we … Continue Reading! “Review: Cats of the Pacific Northwest by J.W. Donley”

Review: Bloody Walls – A Collection from a Fractured Mind by Thomas Scopel

Bloody Walls: A Collection from a Fractured Mind by Thomas Scopel Independently Published (July 2019) 236 pages; $7.99 paperback; $0.99 e-book Reviewed by R.B. Payne A corpus is technically defined as a collection of a single writer’s work or grouped writings about a particular subject—in this case, Thomas Scopel and his horror scrivenings. Given there are … Continue Reading! “Review: Bloody Walls – A Collection from a Fractured Mind by Thomas Scopel”

Review: To The Bones by Valerie Nieman

To the Bones by Valerie Nieman West Virginia University Press (April 2019) 204 pages; $19.99 paperback; $11.49 e-book Reviewed by R.B. Payne At the core of every person, there is a twisted black seam which offsets the good that we might do. Some call it original sin. Others recognize it as karma. It is a swirling … Continue Reading! “Review: To The Bones by Valerie Nieman”

Review: Every Foul Spirit by William Gorman

Every Foul Spirit by William Gorman Crystal Lake Publishing (October 2019) 112 pages; $9.99 paperback; $2.99 e-book Reviewed by R.B. Payne In horror fiction, there are often remote towns and villages such as Oxrun Station (Charles L. Grant), Cedar Hill (Gary Braunbeck) and even Ulthar (H. P. Lovecraft). In these wicked places on the backroads of … Continue Reading! “Review: Every Foul Spirit by William Gorman”

Review: Hollow Heart by Ben Eads

Hollow Heart by Ben Eads Crystal Lake Publishing (November 2019) 156 pages; $11.99 paperback; $3.99 e-book Reviewed by R.B. Payne If you like your horror fast and furious and your gameplay unrelenting, then Hollow Heart by Ben Eads will suit your fancy. In this telling of the birthing of a cosmic horror, the subtext is minimal, … Continue Reading! “Review: Hollow Heart by Ben Eads”

Review: Grim Harvest by Patrick Greene

Grim Harvest by Patrick Greene Lyrical Underground (September 2019) 197 pages; $7.85 paperback; $4.99 e-book Reviewed by R.B. Payne Grim Harvest by Patrick C. Greene is the second novel of “The Haunted Hollow Chronicles,” a planned series centering on Ember Hollow, an isolated community in the American heartland where cell phones and the internet simply don’t … Continue Reading! “Review: Grim Harvest by Patrick Greene”

Review: The Last Ghost and Other Stories by Marie O’Regan

The Last Ghost and Other Stories by Marie O’Regan Luna Press Publishing (April 2019) 148 pages; $11.99 paperback; $5.99 e-book Reviewed by R.B. Payne O, modern reader, do you think you are too sophisticated to fear a wistful Gaussian blur hovering above your bed in the dead of night? You tell yourself it doesn’t exist. It … Continue Reading! “Review: The Last Ghost and Other Stories by Marie O’Regan”

Review: Horror Fiction from Gothic to Post-Modern – Critical Essays edited by Michele Brittany and Nicholas Diak

Horror Fiction from Gothic to Post-Modern – Critical Essays edited by Michele Brittany and Nicholas Diak McFarland and Company (February 2020) 236 pages; $45 paperback; $20.99 e-book Reviewed by R.B. Payne Horror fiction is a popular genre for millions of readers, but are these tales of terror and fear worthy of academic analysis? Of course they … Continue Reading! “Review: Horror Fiction from Gothic to Post-Modern – Critical Essays edited by Michele Brittany and Nicholas Diak”

Review: Miscreations edited by Doug Murano and Michael Bailey

Miscreations: Gods, Monstrosities & Other Horrors edited by Doug Murano and Michael Bailey Written Backwards (February 2020) 342 pages; $29.95 hardcover; $16.95 paperback; $3.95 e-book Reviewed by Sadie “Mother Horror” Hartmann I clearly remember a debate that transpired last summer on social media about anthologies. An author wondered about the future of anthologies because it seemed … Continue Reading! “Review: Miscreations edited by Doug Murano and Michael Bailey”

Review: Night of 1,000 Beasts by John Palisano

Night of 1,000 Beasts by John Palisano (April 2018) 208 pages; $14.95 paperback; $2.99 e-book Reviewed by R.B. Payne The scariest things at a ski resort are normally daily ticket prices, $20 hot dogs, and the prospect of a twisted ankle or broken neck. This is hardly true in the gripping Night of 1000 Beasts by John … Continue Reading! “Review: Night of 1,000 Beasts by John Palisano”

Review: Nightmare’s Eve by Stephen H. Provost

Nightmare’s Eve by Stephen H. Provost Black Raven Books (February 2018) 266 pages; $13.95 paperback Reviewed by R.B. Payne Presented for your consideration are sixteen Twilight Zone-inspired tales and ten dark poems in Nightmare’s Eve by Stephen H. Provost. Paying homage to Rod Serling, these stories are told in a highly omniscient style that slips between character … Continue Reading! “Review: Nightmare’s Eve by Stephen H. Provost”

Review: Here’s to My Sweet Satan by George Case

Here’s to My Sweet Satan: How the Occult Haunted Music, Movies and Pop Culture, 1966-1980 by George Case Quill Driver Books (March 2016) 210 pages; $16.67 paperback; $8.69 e-book Reviewed by R.B. Payne “1971. I drop the turntable needle onto black vinyl and slip on headphones. I lounge on the waterbed. Later, after a few hits off … Continue Reading! “Review: Here’s to My Sweet Satan by George Case”