Ghosts, Goblins, Murder, & Madness: Twenty Tales of Halloween

By: Rebecca Rowland - editor

Narrated by: Kyle Walton

Featuring 21 different voices hailing from five different countries and 11 states, Ghosts, Goblins, Murder, and Madness is certain to strike a chord with every horror aficionado.

Devil's Night, Day of the Dead, and Halloween have been celebrated around the world in one form or another, beginning with the ancient Celts more than 2,000 years ago. For some revelers, it's a time for guising, or dressing up in elaborate costume; for others, it's a time for practical jokes and mischief; and for some, it's a reverent occasion to acknowledge the thin line between earth and the spirit world.

In this same vein, the stories in this collection provide a wide-angle lens at what comprises the unique expanse of horror fiction today. From hobgoblins and apparitions, to haunted dwellings and cursed possessions, to good intentions gone awry and evil ones turned on the perpetrator, these 20 tales will unsettle, frighten, tickle, and caution, and in the end, listeners may take heed before ever again accompanying their children trick-or-treating, striking up conversations in anonymous chat rooms, or fortifying their homes in an attempt to prevent Halloween vandalism.

Stories:

• "Asking for It" (JR Pepper)
• "Tenants" (George Plank)
• "Foul Treats" (Jon Steffens)
• "The Boatman’s Rhyme" (Neil May)
• "Gate Night" (Nick Manzolillo)
• "Dear Dead Jenny" (Ian McDowell)
• "Alone on Halloween" (Michael Gore)
• "Home" (Lewis Crane)
• "The Bathroom Mirror" (Kenneth Stephenson)
• "Small Bites" (Rebecca Rowland)
• "The Hermit of Singer’s Creek" (J. Tonzelli)
• "Three Spirits" (Daniel Loubier)
• "Not This Girl" (Michel Sabourin)
• "The Dark" (Jacquelynn Gonzalez)
• "Trapped" (Alice La Roux)
• "The Residents" (Tyson Hanks)
• "Clutch of Death" (Danielle Bailey)
• "bad.dreamer84" (Louis Stephenson)
• "October Surprise" (David Grove)
• "Masks" (David Garrote and Jean Cleaver)

©2018 Dark Ink Publishing (P)2018 Dark Ink Audio

Depressing

These stories are an incredible drag. The first one is about a boy whose childhood friend gets run over by a car after their first kiss, and the others I listened to weren't any better. Maybe later stories are better but I was so turned off by the first three that I'll never know, I couldn't finish.

Maybe the editor should have selected 15 instead

Several of the stories were depressing and not really Halloween. Some felt redundant to each other. Only a few stood out and I will keep the book. But if you are looking for a Halloween theme you may be disappointed.