Alex Hartwell's Blog

 

Quiet TerrorsPublished 5/25/25

From the author of Summer Bloody Summer and House of Dead Children comes five dark tales that linger long after reading the last page.

In "One More Day," a grieving mother uses forbidden magic to undo the unthinkable — but some losses refuse to stay buried.

"Letter From An Old Flame" reveals a man’s twisted confession that will freeze your blood — and prove that some horrors hide in the most mundane of places.

"A Quiet House in a Lonely Field" traps a family inside a creeping nightmare, where a parasitic fungus feeds not just on flesh but on minds.

"Mirror Men" thrusts you behind closed doors in the White House as the President confronts a terrifying new enemy—monsters who wear human faces, and who could be anyone.

And in "Meat's Meat," the world has turned savage. When society collapses and the land dies, a man must face horrors far worse than hunger.

If you crave horror that grips you by the throat and never lets go, this collection of dark, twisted tales will keep you up long past midnight—because some nightmares refuse to end.

Check out the e-Book edition right here!

 

Summer Bloody SummerPublished on 3/7/25

"What if he survived somehow? I mean, is that so crazy?"

Athena and her high school friends thought they were in for the perfect summer opportunity—a week in the Tennessee wilderness, cleaning out a house for their favorite teacher, Mr. Harris, in exchange for a life-changing payout: their entire college tuition paid in full.

The catch? The house belonged to Mr. Harris’s father, Harold -- a man whose name had been splashed across national news.A man who kidnapped three teens and kept them in cages, with only two surviving to tell the tale.

And Harold? According to police, Harold was dead.

But the moment Athena and her friends arrive, something feels off. Shadows move in the trees. The power flickers. The smell of rot lingers in the air. The group tries to brush off their unease, cracking open beers, lighting a bonfire, and turning the eerie, abandoned house into the backdrop for one last reckless night before adulthood.

But what they don't know is that their summer dream's about to turn into a waking nightmare. They are being hunted by someone lurking in the woods -- someone coming to claim them one by one and drag them into the darkness.

Trapped in the wilderness with no escape and no way to call for help, Athena and her friends must fight if they want to survive.

A relentless slasher drenched in tension, dread, and brutal horror, SUMMER BLOODY SUMMER is for fans of classic ‘80s slashers, psychological terror, and stories where no one is safe.

Check out the e-Book edition here and the trade paperback coming soon!

What Readers Are Saying About SUMMER BLOODY SUMMER:

Alex has a knack for combining psychological terror with the brutality of 'in your face' horror…reminded me of the classic 80s slashers, the ones I grew up with and loved, while at the same time still bringing in that freshness and terror to the table.

 A bloodbath of supernatural proportions.

I found myself constantly losing the breath I didn't know I was holding. This story is intense, eerie, non-stop and wonderfully brutal. Hartwell has taken the typical slasher trope and added his own twist to it.

 

House of Dead ChildrenPublished on 12/10/24

From the author of VILE, TERRIBLE THINGS and THE DEAD HEAR NOTHING comes a terrifying new novel about a young family trapped in an American nightmare.

When Matt Villarreal moves his family into a sprawling, gothic mansion in hopes of a fresh start, they expect a new beginning. What they find instead is the body of the previous tenant, hanged in the living room, leaving behind a cryptic warning: "I couldn't leave."

Matt, his wife Heidi, and their children, Bradley and Sarah, soon realize their dream home hides a nightmarish secret—beneath the creaking floors and shadowed hallways lies a portal to the land beyond death itself. As the boundary between the realms of the living and the dead begins to blur, malevolent forces stir within the house.

The Villarreal family must unravel the dark history of their home and confront the horrors that dwell within. 

But time is running out, and if they fail, they will face a fate far worse than death.

Check out the e-Book edition and the trade paperback (available soon) on Amazon!

 

The Dead Hear NothingPublished on 10/15/24
From the author of VILE, TERRIBLE THINGS comes ten new terrifying extreme horror stories sure to give you nightmares . . .
A band's first tour goes awry when they are stranded in the desert, stalked by savage, animalistic beasts. A psychopathic bully attends his high school reunion to butcher the classmates who escaped his wrath twenty years ago. A grieving father investigates rumors that his daughter has risen from the dead to feed on the living.

These are just a few of the shocking and terrifying extreme horror stories contained within these pages.
Dare to read these stories? Know this: you may never sleep again.

Stories included:
- Running Dry- The Dead Hear Nothing- Vic- Porcelain Ghosts- A Very Important Date- Their Boy- The People v. Darrell Sanders- Family Blood- Hole in the Head
Check out the Amazon e-Book edition and the trade paperback right here!

 

Vile, Terrible ThingsComing 9/3/24

Do you like blood, murder, and mayhem? You’re in luck! This bone-chilling collection includes eleven of Alex Hartwell's biggest and bloodiest stories.

In "Mother," Sasha's world shatters when her controlling mother returns from the grave, eager to pick up where she left off. "To Catch A Beast" is a heart-pounding tale of survival in which stranded strangers are stalked by a bloodthirsty monster. In "Yellow Eyes," on a desolate stretch of Route 66, Tank, Rachel, and their young son face off against a family of terrifying werewolves.

These and many more terrors await those brave enough to open this book. VILE, TERRIBLE THINGS is a must-read for fans of boundary-pushing extreme horror that explores the darkest corners of the human psyche.

VILE, TERRIBLE THINGS is a must-have for every extreme horror fan.

Book Trailer

Get ready to be consumed . . .

 

 

Hole in the Head

Published on June 2nd, 2023

"My dear, I have something you simply MUST see -- "

Unleash your fear and immerse yourself in Hole in the Head, the anticipated new collection by Alex Hartwell containing three never-before-seen horror stories.

Feel the scorching desert heat and sense the primal terror of "Running Dry," where a band's first tour turns into a nightmarish struggle for survival against a horde of animalistic hunters. There's no escape, but their one redemption just might lurk in a stranger's deadly secrets.

In "The Dead Hear Nothing," a desperate man convinces a grieving father to unearth his daughter's remains. Unexplained deaths have rattled the small town, and the only apparent salvation is to drive a wooden stake through her heart.

Finally, in "Hole in the Head," two women find themselves held captive by a psychotic would-be doctor and his gruesome agenda. Will they triumph over his sadistic game, or will their minds become mere vessels of horror?

Make no mistake, these stories aren't for the squeamish.

Still interested? By all means, proceed.

But don't say I didn't warn you . . .

Check out HOLE IN THE HEAD on Amazon today!

Family Blood

Published on January 2nd, 2021

Meet the Lord Executioner of the Fortress.

Harry’s an ordinary guy put into some terrible circumstances. After the fall of society, he’s reluctantly found his niche as Father’s premier murderer of dissidents in the Fortress. Despite his success, he is haunted by the blood on his hands.

But the surface of this seemingly peaceful society is about to shatter as hidden forces are unleashed. Caught in the middle, Harry must make the ultimate decision: continue living in oppressive conformity or take a stand for freedom, even if it means putting his revolutionary son and loyalist daughter in danger.

Join Harry on a heart-pounding journey through a violent and unpredictable world, where every decision could mean the difference between life and death.

Check out FAMILY BLOOD on Amazon today!

 

Unholy Terror

Published on November 18th, 2020

Return again to the world of Hartwell’s Horrors, the bone-chilling short story collections that have horrified, terrified, and disturbed the world!

First, witness the horror of "We Are the Dead," where a security guard in West Virginia reports that the dead have returned to life and are marching toward City Hall. Can anyone survive the onslaught of the undead?

In "Unholy Terror," a pair of parapsychology majors study a real-life house of horrors where a God-fearing Christian girl hacked her husband into bits. As they delve deeper into the dark history of the house, they begin to realize that they may have bitten off more than they can chew.

And finally, in "To Catch a Beast," a group of strangers find themselves stranded in a hospital during a winter squall. But as they wait for rescue, they discover that they are being hunted by a terrifying monster with a blood-soaked vendetta. Can they survive the night and make it out alive?

Check out UNHOLY TERROR on Amazon today!

Stories Included:

- “We Are the Dead”

- “Unholy Terror”

- “To Catch A Beast”

What Readers Are Saying About UNHOLY TERROR

Three unusual horrific stories...fresh, eerie and strange stories with a good shot of horror inside. Really recommended stuff!

- GoodReads reader

 

Death's Perfume

Published on November 9th, 2020

Come to a place where the line between reality and nightmare blurs, and every breath you take is laced with the scent of death.

Patrick Grill is a man consumed by loneliness, until a mysterious woman named Ashley appears on his doorstep. She offers him a tantalizing escape from his mundane existence.

But as he follows her through the winding streets of his hometown, Patrick begins to realize that something is not quite right. Her intoxicating scent draws him closer and closer to Wilmington Cemetery, where the gravestones loom like sentinels in the darkness. And as he learns the true nature of Ashley's intentions, he finds himself drawn into a web of unspeakable horror and terror.

In this chilling 54-page novella, the talented author weaves a tale of seduction, betrayal, and death that will leave you breathless.

So come along for the journey, if you dare. Follow Ashley into the heart of darkness and discover the terrifying secrets that await you in the company of the dead.

Just be warned: once you enter the cemetery gates, there may be no turning back.

Check out DEATH'S PERFUME on Amazon today!

What Readers Are Saying About DEATH'S PERFUME

 Intriguing and entertaining in its strangeness. Recommended!

- GoodReads reader

 

Restless Dead

Published September 30th, 2020

Step into a world where nightmares become a chilling reality, where the darkness holds untold horrors, and where the line between life and death is razor-thin.

In "Mother," an old woman returns from beyond the grave, determined to prey upon her family in a haunting tale of supernatural terror. "You Will Disappear" tells the story of a demon-haunted teen who must confront the shadowy figure who has plagued his family for generations. And, in "Yellow Eyes," a young couple must save their son from a family of werewolves preparing to perform a dark and terrifying ritual.

From the twisted mind of master storyteller Alex Hartwell, this collection features gripping tales of horror crammed with haunts, monsters, blood, and terror.

Brace yourself for a spine-tingling journey through the macabre and the grotesque, where fear lurks around every corner.

Stories Include:

- Mother

- A Warning Upon My Deathbed

- It's Not Her

- Hawking the Dead

- You Will Disappear

- Yellow Eyes

- The Entertainer

Check out RESTLESS DEAD on Amazon today!

What Readers Are Saying About RESTLESS DEAD

What a twisted and macabre imagination. Hats off...really recommended. If you want to meet eerie restless dead this is your book!

- GoodReads reader