Reviews

The Horror Collection: Turquoise Edition by Steve Stred, Tom Deady, DE McCluskey, Richard Clive, Daemon Manx, Candace Nola, Callum Pearce, Sarah E. England, Ashley Lister, Greg F. Gifune, Mark Towse, Graham Masterton

ericarobyn's review

adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious sad tense medium-paced

4.5

The Horror Collection: Turquoise Edition presented by KJK Publishing is a collection of tales that will pull on your heartstrings, make you physically ill, and leave you wishing you had a nightlight for your room before you turn in for the night.

My favorites from the collection include:

• Snow Angels By Greg F. Gifune
• What the Dark Does By Graham Masterton

Per usual, here are my notes on each tale!

On Site by Steve Stred – 

When a YouTube personality and her boyfriend arrive to visit the setting of one of her favorite movies, they’re spooked by the creepy woods, but that doesn’t stop their filming. 

This one is so quietly unsettling! At each turn, I was so ready for a jump scare, but what we actually get is so much better! 

Music Box Dancer By Candace Nola – 

After the murder of her mother, this teenage girl is rocked by grief. Finding comfort in a music box her mother had gifted her, she remembers something else her mother said about the music… 

This tale is an amazing mix of quiet grief horror mixed with brutal body horror! What a tale! The line about wet laundry gave me the shivers! 

A Grim Fairytale By Callum Pearce –

Going camping to try to see a fairy, these three teens are looking to have one more adventure together before they graduate. They have absolutely no idea what terrors lie ahead.

These poor kids were so innocent and so easily lured into a trap. This tale made me unreasonably sad. I so badly wanted them to have a nice time!

The World Turned Red By Daemon Manx –

After a terrifying event, this group is forced to fight for survival. One day, a run to look for medicine goes sideways when they can’t help but fight for what’s right. 

This tale will get your blood pressure going! 

iBola By DE McCluskey –
CW: Vomit

When testing a new piece of video game tech that goes into the body goes very wrong, the two inventors are left scrambling to try to cover it up. But first, they need to get their devices back…

Holy, body horror! Or “body” horror I should say, as the author pointed out, “It was a push to even call some of them bodies.” This tale made me feel so ill. By far the sickest I’ve ever felt while reading! 

3am and Wide Awake By Sarah E. England  – 

Just a moment into listening to a tale of a hypnosis that this troubled doctor performed, she already regrets asking him what was wrong… 

This one had some It Follows vibes! I loved it!!

Definitely Not Haunted By Ashley Lister – 

Finding a listing for a doll that’s definitely not haunted, this man buys it for his abusive mother that he is caring for. But was the listing telling the truth? 

Oh my gosh. After reading this, I just want to go listen to the Ghosted! by Roz Hernandez podcast for some of the haunted doll segments! What a dark tale. People who are afraid of dolls, beware! 

Beans for Supper By Tom Deady –
CW: child abuse

Growing up with a terribly abusive father, this man is trying to come to terms with information he learns about his old man. But knowing more only leads to more darkness. 

This tale is so difficult to read, content-wise. I was stuck between cringing out of sympathy pain and wanting to rage at the horribleness of it all. 

Snow Angels By Greg F. Gifune – 

A man determined to save his daughter from the town she’s living in with her mother will stop at nothing to achieve his goal. Along the way, he knows he’s going to face many obstacles, but he’s ready!

Oh, the gaslighting here was intense! When you start to see the cracks in the facade of the characters, things get wild! There were SO many twists and turns here! 

What the Dark Does By Graham Masterton – 

Still reeling over his childhood trauma this man is still terrified of the dark many years after his nightmares had come to life. Finally opening up to someone about it, he’s led to a woman who may just understand what had happened. But oh, the dark isn’t finished with him yet. 

The premise behind this one is interesting! Playing in everyone’s childhood fears, this one goes very, very dark. 

A Sense of Belonging By Mark Towse –
CW: childbirth 

A wild blend of memories of childhood, recent traumas, and new hallucinations and nightmares create this horror drama!

Down, Bitch By Richard Clive – 

A girl who just wants to be herself is targeted by nasty bullies. Spending the afternoons with stray dogs, she starts calling them her pack. One day, her experience proves once and for all that her pack is better than the humans.

What a horrible and blood-boiling tale of harassment and abuse. My heart broke for her over and over again. 

My Favorite Passages from The Horror Collection: Turquoise Edition –

All eyes watching her, whispers filling the tent, crawling across her skin like spiders.
— Music Box Dancer By Candace Nola

The place she intended to call home, until the day she died, was made up of lots of scavenged items as though everything that was ever lost had found its way here to this place. It would now provide shelter for this broken-hearted woman.
— A Grim Fairytale By Callum Pearce

The vision and Bobby’s sullen face blended together as the memories dissolved, like the serene surface of water once disturbed and now rippling back into focus.
— Snow Angels By Greg F. Gifune

“This town has secrets, Bobby.”
“Show me one that don’t.”
—Snow Angels By Greg F. Gifune

In the dark, stories come to life, just like puppets, and dressing-gowns.
— What the Dark Does By Graham Masterton

To feel alone amongst the many was one thing; to be left alone was another thing entirely, something she savoured.
— Down, Bitch By Richard Clive

My Final Thoughts on The Horror Collection: Turquoise Edition –

Just when I thought these collections couldn’t get any more dark! These tales took things into grief horror territory in many creative ways, whether that was the loss of a loved one or the loss of their world as they knew it.

Horror fans, this is yet another collection from KJK Publishing that you need on your shelves!