ChrisHayton

Disclosure: I purchased this book from Amazon. I do not know the authors nor have I ever had any communication with any of them about this book or any other subject. The comments that follow are my own personal opinion. I received NO compensation of any kind, or from any one, to provide this review.

This book contains four separate horror novellas.

The first story “Blood Red Roses” by Russell James is set on a Mississippi plantation during the end of the Civil War. The story follows a fourteen year old boy sold to a cotton plantation after this father’s death. I found the characters and settings well described. The story was very interesting and moved along well. Commentary on the slaves and their treatment was well done. This was most enjoyable and I had difficulty putting it down.

The second story “Bootleg Cove” by Devin Govaere is set on the Chesapeake coast and involves a widowed mother trying to start her life over. This is a ghost story and the characters, human and ghost, are beautifully developed and the plot is unique. I enjoyed this novella and again had a hard time putting it down.

The third story “Linden Manor” by Catherine Cavendish is a gothic tale of ghosts and possession. The story evolves nicely and the characters are well developed. The story twists and turns into a tale far more intricate than you expect. This was a very well written and comfortable read. I enjoyed this story very much.

The fourth story “Castle by The Sea” by JG Faherty puts the reader in a carnival/castle setting. The story covers everything from dreams to time travel and has monsters, ghosts, and zombies. This was the only story I did not enjoy. The story was very scattered, and the twists and turns seemed forced. It did not flow smoothly and the attempt to create fear fell quite flat for me. It is not my preferred style of horror.