Horror – Book Reader Magazine

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End Time by Daniel Greene

End Time by Daniel Greene

Screams in the jungle are only the beginning…

Dr. Joseph Jackowski is a CDC disease research specialist deep in the jungles of the Congo witnessing the horrifying next phase in evolution.

Hell awaits Mark Steele and a team of counterterrorism agents sent to extract the personnel from the besieged US Embassy Kinshasa…

Gwen Reynolds, a Red Cross worker from Iowa, prepares for a disaster, but finds it on the streets of the District of Columbia.

United States Department of State Under Secretary Michael Kinnick is tasked with sweeping an embassy terrorist hostage situation under the rug.

The ruthless leader of a Congolese militia group, Jacobin Kosoko, races toward Kinshasa to find treatment for his dying son.

They all collide with the dead in what is to become the deadliest outbreak in human history. No character is safe. You will follow Special Forces teams, bands of survivors, religious fanatics, counterterrorism units, biker gangs, and farmers as the government tries to stem the tide of the dead and the nation is turned into a hellish landscape. Who will rise? Who will fall? The only certainty is the dead will rule over all.

Start the post-apocalyptic series perfect for fans of Nicholas Sansbury Smith, DJ Molles, Anthony Melchiorri, Tom Abrahams, and Mark Tufo.

Readers are calling the series: “…the best ZA in awhile period.” “Grueling choices, mixed with rapid-fire action, is a hallmark of this series.” “Greene has raised the stakes yet again and the suspense doesn’t stop.” “With every new book in the Saga the stakes get higher and the action explodes off the page.”

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Doorways Unforeseen by Mark Fuller Dillon

Doorways Unforeseen by Mark Fuller Dillon

Doorways lead to nightmares in prose and verse. Fear a bone-white church in a dead town of the captured and collected. Fight to escape from a barren farm where floating figures mob and kill. Steal into a cedar forest where a creature from the sky reaches out to shatter souls.

“DOORWAYS UNFORESEEN opens the door for the reader, and entices the reader in, with the collection of horror and paranormal stories…. I am a big fan of Mark Fuller Dillon and read whatever this author writes. Each story or poem is unique, and paints a picture of a story, no matter the format. A picture is worth a thousand words, but each word is worth so much more. One of my favorites that I kept coming back to is ‘A Flimsy Vinyl Door.’ Something about it, just made me read it repeatedly. And when I finished the book, I went back to that one.”
[Amys Bookshelf Reviews, Goodreads]

“It’s been my experience that the writers who write for themselves are the ones who ought to be read most by us. Mark Fuller Dillon is no exception. Mark wrote DOORWAYS UNFORESEEN because it was in him to write. He wrote it the way he did, in iambic pentameter, because that is exactly what he wanted to do. It sounds simple, but it isn’t. It’s actually difficult and quite gutsy. Of course, as is Mark’s habit, he wrote each word, each poetic phrase with the careful precision of a master craftsman. Like an Oulipian working within the confines of constraint he has managed to tell us truly terrifying tales. ‘They Collect,’ and ‘A Flimsy Vinyl Door’ in particular left me (and leave me still) both genuinely unsettled as a reader, and envious as a writer for whom poetry has remained an ever elusive talent. Rest assured that poetry has not eluded Mark Fuller Dillon.”
[Jason E. Rolfe, Goodreads]

https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/1641993

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Doorways Unforeseen by Mark Fuller Dillon

Doorways Unforeseen by Mark Fuller Dillon

“Mark wrote Doorways Unforeseen because it was in him to write. He wrote it the way he did, in iambic pentameter, because that is exactly what he wanted to do. It sounds simple, but it isn’t. It’s actually difficult and quite gutsy. Of course, as is Mark’s habit, he wrote each word, each poetic phrase with the careful precision of a master craftsman…. Within the confines of constraint he has managed to tell us truly terrifying tales. They Collect, and A Flimsy Vinyl Door in particular left me (and leave me still) both genuinely unsettled as a reader, and envious as a writer for whom poetry has remained an ever elusive talent. Rest assured that poetry has not eluded Mark Fuller Dillon.”
— Jason E. Rolfe, Goodreads.

“Doorways Unforeseen opens the door for the reader, and entices the reader in, with the collection of horror and paranormal stories, along with prose. I am a big fan of Mark Fuller Dillon and read whatever this author writes. Each story or poem is unique, and paints a picture of a story, no matter the format. A picture is worth a thousand words, but each word is worth so much more.”
— Amys Bookshelf Reviews.

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Lovers’ Leap by Rikki Goodwin

Lovers’ Leap by Rikki Goodwin

Running an allegedly haunted bed & breakfast sounds a lot more fun to Hazel than her current dead end job, but a trip to inspect a property with her three best friends has unearthed way more ghosts than she was willing to deal with…and only some of them are hers.

Hazel is surprised but pleased when her high school sweetheart Finn suggests they and their significant others go in together on purchasing a B&B, but their weekend trip to visit a potential property has a rocky start. The current elderly (and bizarre) owners seem to take issue with their presence. Dizzy spells plague her and…was that a person she just saw in the mirror?
Both her boyfriend and Finn’s wife are also having a hard time coping with the creepiness of the place. They’d all assumed “haunted” was only a marketing strategy. Perhaps not. Finn, though, is resolute they’re overreacting, and insists on moving forward with the purchase, despite their misgivings. The expansive property might not be big enough to house both Finn and Hazel’s clashing personalities, or the secrets they’ve been keeping from each other.
They’ll have to put those issues aside though, when both of their partners suddenly start behaving erratically. Are they sick? Are they just tired of Finn and Hazel’s bickering? Or is something more sinister going on?
Fans of “So Thirsty” by Rachel Harrison and “Lucy Undying” by Kiersten White will enjoy “Lovers’ Leap” by Rikki Goodwin

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Legend Has It by DJ Slater

Legend Has It by DJ Slater

Soon-to-be college graduate Seth McCartney finds his love for his favorite October pastime – visiting haunted house attractions – fading. No matter what he does, he can’t recreate the thrills he felt as a kid and teenager. His best friend and fellow horror enthusiast, Peyton Fischer, has already moved on from this tradition and wants to help Seth do the same, but not without one final hurrah.
Over the years, rumors of an extreme haunted house have repeatedly surfaced, yet Seth has never been able to find it. The fabled place has ten stories of unrelenting horror from trap doors, hidden threats, and “actors” that can not only touch you, but remove you from the house. Each level becomes more challenging the higher you go, and only a select few have made it to the exit on the top floor.
Intrigued, Seth and his friends follow a lead to the elusive haunt’s doorstep. It’s everything Seth could’ve imagined to rekindle his passion. A foreboding atmosphere. High-end set pieces. Realistic effects. But there’s a reason this locale has a frightening reputation, especially when its hallways contain the depths of true terror and survival isn’t guaranteed.
Fans of “Hide” by Kiersten White, “The September House” by Carissa Orlando, and “The Haunting of Hill House” by Shirley Jackson will enjoy “Legend Has It” by DJ Slater.

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Nothing is Real by Kevin J. Kennedy

Nothing is Real by Kevin J. Kennedy

When author Kevin J. Kennedy began receiving unmarked boxes filled with journals and scattered notes from an unknown sender, he was baffled. But confusion soon gave way to obsession. The mysterious stranger’s story drew him in, each page revealing tantalising fragments of a man consumed by his perception of flaws in the universe—and by a haunting belief that nothing is real. As Kevin sifted through the cryptic entries, he became consumed—piecing together the puzzle, chasing the truth, and desperately trying to uncover why these journals had found their way to him.

A dark novella, told in epistolary fashion, where mystery unravels into an exploration of existentialism and nihilism.

“A mysterious, surreal, intelligent story, full of shadowy possibilities and deep contemplation. Makes one think.” Michael S. A. Graziano, author of The Divine Farce

“Nothing Is Real is a haunting chronicle of obsession, perception, and the possibility that reality itself may be nothing more than a fragile illusion.” Devin Cabrera, author of Welcome to Nightmare Island

“Nothing is Real is a phenomenal piece of writing. It is imaginative, thought-provoking, and raw. What’s more, it perfectly encapsulates the sheer madness of life in the modern world.” Lee Mountford, author of The Haunted series

“Kevin J. Kennedy blurs the lines between fiction and reality in this thought-provoking novella that will leave you just as unsettled as his traditional horror work.” James Kaine, author of The Dead Children’s Playgound

“An existential fever dream with a side of nihilism, Kennedy takes no prisoners as he plucks at the thread of circumstance and human nature. Am I even real?” Leigh Kenny, best-selling author of Cursed and Hush, My Darling.

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Memory Loss by Bob Price

Memory Loss by Bob Price

Investigative journalist Vernon Bass had uncovered something dangerous—so dangerous that a powerful figure wiped his memory clean, resetting him to infancy. Dumped in a foreign country and left for dead, Bass survives and returns to the UK, relearning his native language and slowly piecing together fragments of his past. But the last five years remain a void.

Desperate to reclaim his lost memories, Bass agrees to participate in a radical experiment involving a machine designed to communicate with the human soul. What begins as a quest for truth becomes a metaphysical journey that challenges everything he thought he knew—not just about his investigation, but about himself.

As Bass confronts his soul, he uncovers secrets that transcend memory and reality, leading him into a realm no one could have imagined.

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THE BLOOM by Angie

THE BLOOM by Angie

A forgotten town. A buried past. A legacy that refuses to stay dead. When Ava Jameson returns to Hampton, she thinks she’s facing old memories. But something deeper is stirring. Something rooted in the land, in blood, and in the silence between generations. As time passes and new life begins, the line between protection and possession blurs. Some things grow in darkness… and some were never meant to bloom.

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In The End by GJ Stevens

In The End by GJ Stevens

Imagine waking up with the hangover of all time as someone pounds on your door telling you to get out quick. You have to evacuate, but to where? From what?

Their terrifying flight to safety is not guaranteed. Behold the undead risen.

For lovers of nightmarish settings, reluctant heroes, and action-packed adventures. With over 500 reviews, they can’t all be wrong!

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Straw Girl by Brigid Barry

Straw Girl by Brigid Barry

To believe in that other world, she must first learn to believe in herself.
The signs were always there.
The footsteps.
The cries.
The melancholy music from a faraway place.
Though Melissa Roberts lives alone, she chooses not to believe in superstitions. Locked in the rational prison of her closed imagination, she must open her mind and soul to that other place before it’s too late.
For the voices are rising.
The footsteps draw closer.
Until the music is deafening.
She must prepare herself. She must become the Straw Girl. They are coming for her.

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The Reigns of Terror: Love by Jack Reigns

The Reigns of Terror: Love by Jack Reigns

Fall head over heels with Romantic Horror by reading four chilling tales of love gone scarily right.

Grave Romance tells the story of a teenage ghost hunter who finds his soulmate, but not in the way he expected.

Stuck behind bars, one broken-hearted and traumatized woman yearns for the girlfriend she left on the outside in Longing.

A cosmic horror encounter leaves a young woman enamored and obsessive. What won’t she do to prove her devotion? Follow her journey in Love Letters from Kadath.

In the story Eat, My Lovely, a woman named Natasha is separated from her friends after a rockslide in the woods and is rescued by a strange man who takes her captive.

The Reigns of Terror is a multi-volume collection of horror shorts, each exploring a different theme. Love is the eighth volume, and others include the themes of Family, The Woods, Ghosts, Demons, Magic, Science, and Western horror. Find them all on Jack Reigns’ author page. The Reigns of Terror can be read in any order. Choose your favorite fear and dive right in!

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The Failure Murders by Dalton Lewis

The Failure Murders by Dalton Lewis

Kara Grey, alcoholic teenager, spent her mornings, evenings, and weekends writing a novella…and everyone hated it. She crashes and blacks out. Later she wakes up in a strange cabin with her friends watching the Super Bowl, but Nicole Jax, the lead character from her novella, shows up to attack her and her friends for failing to perfect her story. What follows is a wild ride through Darklake, Illinois as Kara and her friends combat ghosts, deal with betrayal and villainy on all sides, and might just find the perfect story.

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In A Season Of Dead Weather by Mark Fuller Dillon

In A Season Of Dead Weather by Mark Fuller Dillon

In a season of dead weather, the mind clutches at reality; but what does it find instead? Madness, or monsters? Ghosts, or things more terrible than ghosts? Illusions, or invasions? Dreams, or the darkness at the end of all nightmares? One thing is clear: these are tales that echoes tell, in a season of dead weather.

The weird, the uncanny, the strange: these are the local conditions of dead weather.

And these are stories based on dreams and nightmares, on things barely glimpsed in the moonrise, on places perfectly normal by day but haunted by the light of winter stars.

Along with stories that appeared in “All Hallows” (edited by Barbara and Christopher Roden) and in the ROC anthology, “Alone on the Darkside” (edited by John Pelan) are tales that have never seen the light — but now, as daylight fades, the stories can be told.

(May be too intense for younger readers.)

“Mark Fuller Dillon is an original talent, whose precise use of language, obliquely disturbing imagery and meticulous world building single him out as a writer to watch.”

[Peter Tennant, BLACK STATIC #35.]

“There are themes of love and loss, misunderstanding, and a diminishing sense of identity throughout this collection which link the stories strongly. The bleak landscape clearly inspires the author, and his descriptive prose of rural communities in the grip of a Canadian winter will have you shivering; yet despite this there is a warmth of experience here which brings the characters to life, proving the author not only writes beautifully, but also has a lot to say. I was entranced by this book, and I read it in one sitting. These are powerful yet subtle three-dimensional tales from an original mind, and Mark Fuller Dillon deserves a greater readership.”

[Martin Cosby, author of DYING EMBERS]

“I enjoyed this collection, not least because I felt I was sharing the imaginative world of someone who doesn’t seek easy answers or rely on obvious gimmicks.”

[David Longhorn, editor of SUPERNATURAL TALES]

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The Wordsmith by Alan Ayer

The Wordsmith by Alan Ayer

Walt Erickson has achieved a level of success most novelists can only dream of—yet the way he’s reached this point in life is the stuff of nightmares.

With his agent, an associate, and a particularly unique typewriter by his side, Walt’s creative process is much more sinister and merciless than the average writer’s. The lengths to which one man will go to achieve fame and notoriety give a chilling glimpse into what humans are capable of, regardless of the moral consequences.

The Wordsmith is a thrilling and darkly innovative story of suspense, one that will force you to wonder if we can ever truly know the whole story behind the people we love. Is it possible to unearth the darkest details of ourselves and still come out alive?

As Walt’s hunger for fame continues to grow, and his girlfriend begins to suspect the unsettling truth behind his words, the tenuous threads holding Walt’s life together begin to fray.

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Psychic Echoes: Mary Jameson Book 2: A Supernatural Thriller by J.P. Alters

Psychic Echoes: Mary Jameson Book 2: A Supernatural Thriller by J.P. Alters

Mary Jameson is a young woman with a unique gift – the ability to communicate with the dead. But despite her powerful abilities, all Mary wants is a normal life. She has a loving fiancé, a beautiful home and great friends, and she’s determined to leave her paranormal past behind.
That is, until Detective Jay Santiago calls on her for help. A young boy has gone missing, and Jay is convinced that Mary’s powers could be the key to finding him.

With children and animals her soft spot, Mary is torn between her desire for a normal life and her deep compassion for those in need.

As Mary reluctantly delves back into the supernatural world, she realizes that the stakes are higher than ever before. Danger lurks around every corner, and she must use her powers to navigate a web of secrets and deception to uncover the truth behind the missing boy.

Will Mary be able to find him before it’s too late? And at what cost to her own safety and sanity? Find out in this gripping supernatural thriller, full of twists and turns that will keep you on the edge of your seat until the very last page.

Why not grab your copy while you can at the discounted price of 0.99c?

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Unnatural Selection by Simon Whitmore

Unnatural Selection by Simon Whitmore

When an ancient feud between the Mitclani and the Urbat—ancient vampires and age-old werewolves—finally spills out onto the streets of the world, many are caught in the crossfire; the victims either turned, brutally murdered or taken as food. Those left find themselves scavenging by day and fighting off Mitclani raiders at night. Alone and desperate, five occupants barricade themselves in a house in one of London’s elite neighbourhoods. They all have separate agendas but one common goal. Staying alive during the day is relatively easy, if you’ve got the right weapons, but keeping death from the door at night is another thing altogether. And, as if keeping blood-hungry vampires out wasn’t enough, to top it off the full moon is only days away, meaning the square could soon be rife with menacing wolves. It is survival of the fittest, where any moment an attack from otherworldly beings with large teeth and sharp claws is a possibility.

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The Darkest Passages – the sequel to The Darkest Gift by Len Handeland

The Darkest Passages – the sequel to The Darkest Gift by Len Handeland

Fabien Levesque has endured intense suffering since his creator and ex-lover, Stefan, turned him into a reluctant vampire. Stefan forces Fabien to use humans as a never-ending blood supply, almost driving Fabien to insanity. After pleading for release, Stefan finally agrees but prohibits Fabien from creating another vampire. Despite this, Fabien disobeys and falls in love with Laurent Richelieu, who Fabien turns into his vampire companion. Stefan returns, intending to destroy the newly created vampire, but accidentally destroys Fabien instead. After escaping Paris to avoid Stefan’s anger, Laurent finds a new home in New Orleans. There, he encounters Fabien’s spirit, and together, they devise a plan to inhabit the body of Jack Devereaux, a man who looks identical to Fabien and is currently in a relationship with Laurent. Jack is also a good friend of Raphaella. They hypnotize Raphaella and summon the spirits of Stefan’s victims to help destroy him and send him to the fiery pits of hell. Although they succeed, Raphaella discovers that Fabien has overtaken Jack’s body and summons Stefan’s spirit back. The nightmare continues as the vengeful voodoo priestess Raphaella seeks retribution.

Together, their formidable evil allows Stefan to possess the body of Fabien’s lover, Laurent Richelieu. Forced to flee the city and the man he loves, Fabien leaves New Orleans and finds refuge in San Francisco, where he crosses paths with the enigmatic vampire royalty, whose motives are as mysterious as their power, and a renowned deadly vampire hunter, whose skills are as lethal as his reputation.

The path to united vengeance becomes clear as Fabien discovers his powerful allies share his desire to defeat Stefan. Yet, the challenge remains: persuading Raphaella to use her voodoo magic to free Stefan’s spirit from Laurent’s body.

If he fails, mortals everywhere will become innocent victims of Stefan’s unrelenting blood lust, his insatiable hunger for human life leading to a massacre of unimaginable proportions. Soon, his army of vampires, a relentless force of darkness and death, will destroy all of humanity, plunging the world into eternal night.

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The Darkest Gift by Len Handeland

The Darkest Gift by Len Handeland

Jack Devereaux is struggling to come to terms with his sexuality. Finally, he meets someone who seems to be his perfect match: the refined and mysterious Laurent Richelieu. However, their courtship is not the typical romance but one plagued by horrifying experiences involving paranormal phenomena and vampirism. Jack’s sanity is tested as he delves deeper into this mysterious world. As he spends more time with Laurent, he uncovers a dark secret that could have dire, life-altering consequences. Is Laurent’s love for Jack genuine, or is there a more sinister plot involving two vampires from Laurent’s past—Stefan and Fabien? Can “Queen Raphaella,” the self-described Voodoo High Priestess from Haiti, help alter Jack’s fate, or is he destined to become a vampire, either at the hands of Stefan or Laurent?

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