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The Evil Within
Praise for Evil Within... "Given that Carolyn McCray is one of our favorite thriller writers, we expected a lot out of The Evil Within... And we were not disappointed! First off, there isn't just one Carolyn short (a Harbinger story to boot), but two! Then we were pleasantly surprised at the range and talent displayed by the other authors. We definitely needed to keep the lights on to read this one! Great job!"-Thrillers RockTBook Reviewer The hiss of hot breath coming from inside the coat closet.The noxious odor of plastic smothering your face as you fight to breathe.The nagging feeling that someone is watching your every move...waiting.Vengeance. Misplaced trust. Pure evil.After reading these 9 chilling tales this Halloween, how many times will yousoothe yourself in the dark desperate to get rid of these chills? Acclaim for The Evil Within... "What an anthology! Each story gets under your skin and makes it crawl, which we don't think could be higher praise for a horror collection! From zombies to serial killers to ghosts, this anthology has it all. Be warned though, the last story, "Supper," is NOT for the faint of heart. We also strongly recommend reading this during the day, with plenty of people around!"-Your Need To Read Book Reviewer More by these Carolyn McCray aka Cristyn West--Plain Brunettes Beware. A Patterson style thriller with a dash of Hannibal.Amber Scott--Soul Search. The wolf inside...unleashed!Matt Posner--School of the Ages...we're not in Hogwarts anymore.Elena Book to Just Die For. A supernatural thriller.Patricia McCallum--Quick Kill. This killer must be brought to justice. Or else.Kelli McCracken--What the Heart Wants. Make your heart sing.
184 pages, Kindle Edition
First published October 25, 2011
16 people are currently reading
344 people want to read
About the author
Cristyn West
6 books164 followersI find catching serial killers (on paper of course), well... fun.
Do you really need to know anything more about me?
Ok, fine, I am also a veterinarian (for real, not just in my own head like the serial killer thing) and I find the thought of having a romance with a homo chiroptera pretty hot.
See? I told you, you didn't want to know anything else!
For the holidays I am giving away my Patterson-style thriller "Plain Jane" for FREE the only catch? You simply have to promise to give it away to 5 mystery-loving friends! And of course give an honest review here and on Smashwords: http://bit.ly/b60jVe
So head on over and grab your free copy... or 5 (I am even cool with you lying to co-workers and saying you bought it for them! #howcoolisthat!)
Thanks and enjoy
Do you really need to know anything more about me?
Ok, fine, I am also a veterinarian (for real, not just in my own head like the serial killer thing) and I find the thought of having a romance with a homo chiroptera pretty hot.
See? I told you, you didn't want to know anything else!
For the holidays I am giving away my Patterson-style thriller "Plain Jane" for FREE the only catch? You simply have to promise to give it away to 5 mystery-loving friends! And of course give an honest review here and on Smashwords: http://bit.ly/b60jVe
So head on over and grab your free copy... or 5 (I am even cool with you lying to co-workers and saying you bought it for them! #howcoolisthat!)
Thanks and enjoy
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Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
December 21, 2011
I am not a big fan of horror (especially the Final Destination, Friday the 13th, blood and gore stuff), so I was very happy to find out that The Evil Within was actually much more of a thriller than what I pictured horror books being. Maybe it is my own misunderstanding of the genre, but the short stories in this anthology were not gory for the sake of gore. In fact, they were extremely well-written stories that explored some of the depths of human psychology that makes the really good thriller/horrors work (Saw, Se7en, etc.).
There is a great mix of stories here... a detective story (by Crystin West) that could be used as a script for an episode of Law & Order: Criminal Intent (and with a unique, original twist that even the million episodes of Law & Orders haven't used, to my knowledge), a first-person account of escaping from being buried alive (by Amber Scott), the quick-hitting science-thriller about the results of stem-cell research (by Matt Posner), and one about the cleaning lady in a creepy, old church (by Kelli McCracken). Throw in a few love-stories-gone-wrong with ghosts, witches, and other evil forces (by Patricia MacCallum, Rachel Thompson, and Elena Gray) and this compilation is fantastically diverse.
Not only did I enjoy this anthology immensely, it has also opened me up to wanting to explore more in a reading genre that is outside my typical comfort zone. It is fun to get inside the heads of characters in these thrilling situations, much more so than the visual experience of watching horror movies. The Evil Within has made me realize that my distaste for horror MOVIES shouldn't necessarily carry over to a distaste in horror BOOKS. I am glad I was able to ease myself into the genre with these shorts and look forward to reading more.
I loved the twists and turns. I tend to figure out twists early in thriller movies (I knew the twist in the Sixth Sense and Fight Club far earlier than most people), but a few of these completely caught my off-guard. I highly recommend this for fans of thrillers, ghost stories, and spooky tales. I also recommend this for folks, like myself, who maybe tend to swim in more happy, fantasy-laden waters of the literature spectrum. None of these stories drove me to complete fear, but a few of them definitely creeped me out and made me turn on a few extra lights at 5AM (which, in some ways, is worse than just pure fear).
I can't wait to see what anthologies the Indie Book Collective throws out next!
There is a great mix of stories here... a detective story (by Crystin West) that could be used as a script for an episode of Law & Order: Criminal Intent (and with a unique, original twist that even the million episodes of Law & Orders haven't used, to my knowledge), a first-person account of escaping from being buried alive (by Amber Scott), the quick-hitting science-thriller about the results of stem-cell research (by Matt Posner), and one about the cleaning lady in a creepy, old church (by Kelli McCracken). Throw in a few love-stories-gone-wrong with ghosts, witches, and other evil forces (by Patricia MacCallum, Rachel Thompson, and Elena Gray) and this compilation is fantastically diverse.
Not only did I enjoy this anthology immensely, it has also opened me up to wanting to explore more in a reading genre that is outside my typical comfort zone. It is fun to get inside the heads of characters in these thrilling situations, much more so than the visual experience of watching horror movies. The Evil Within has made me realize that my distaste for horror MOVIES shouldn't necessarily carry over to a distaste in horror BOOKS. I am glad I was able to ease myself into the genre with these shorts and look forward to reading more.
I loved the twists and turns. I tend to figure out twists early in thriller movies (I knew the twist in the Sixth Sense and Fight Club far earlier than most people), but a few of these completely caught my off-guard. I highly recommend this for fans of thrillers, ghost stories, and spooky tales. I also recommend this for folks, like myself, who maybe tend to swim in more happy, fantasy-laden waters of the literature spectrum. None of these stories drove me to complete fear, but a few of them definitely creeped me out and made me turn on a few extra lights at 5AM (which, in some ways, is worse than just pure fear).
I can't wait to see what anthologies the Indie Book Collective throws out next!
December 2, 2011
The Evil Within Anthology
The Evil Within, the first Indie Book Collective Anthology, written by Amber Scott, Cristyn West, Kelli McCracken, Matt Posner, Patricia McCallum, and Elena Gray is a fantastic, "fear fest" compilation. I was able to read this quickly and was completely enthralled from beginning to end.
Dirt Nap by Amber Scott: Buried Alive? When Darby wakes to find herself wrapped in plastic surrounded by dirt, she doesn't let panic set in, knowing her oxygen is limited. After breaking free, the confusion sets in and she calls her best friend. As the memories unfold, she learns the truth of what happened, and of Zombies. *grins*
Dark Lullaby by Cristyn West: I just loved this one. When a twelve year old is being stalked by a serial killer, a world reknown profiler steps in to solve the case. Murder hits a little too close to home before the clues are fully clear. Awesome!
Screaming Skin by Matt Posner: One heck of an imagination that left my own skin crawling. Exactly how things can go wrong in the research industry. Brilliant!
The Face of Evil by Kelli McCracken: Sometimes Churches hold the evil within. Leslie knew there was something odd about this church, but when a demon tries to take her soul, she got more than she bargained for just being a cleaning lady. *Demons Beware*
Coffee Shop by Patricia McCallum: This one had me wondering. A beautiful young girl falls for gorgeous guy. They meet everyday in this coffee shop where he walks Rose home. The curiosity begins when this man proposes, but doesn't want her to tell anyone, "yet". Hmmm. Wonder why that is. Then WHAM! Sure enough he comes in with another girl, and completely ignores Rose. She's left with no choice but to infuse her rage into his Latte. Ooops, Rose isn't exactly who she seems to be neither! What a surprising ending, so not what I was expecting.
There Are No Monsters by Rachel Thompson: What can I say? I didn't know Rachel had it in her, but boy she did, and she didn't disappoint me neither. Sasha has just watched her fiance' kill himself in a gruesome way. Sent to a psych ward, she meets Dr. Charlie. Working through the monsters from her past, surprising revelations are made and the truth is found; there are indeed monsters! Phenomenal! Another great twist at the end to have your mind reeling *heehee*.
Highland Chills by Elena Gray: This is one that was so captivating, I actually would love to see this as a full out novel. From falling in love with ghosts to possession, oh yeah! I'm so hungry for more!
Supper by Cristyn West: Holy-Throw-Me-Right-Into-A-Wrong-Turn-Movie! I loved this. My stomach was actually turning as I envisioned this supper, and could so see it playing out in my mind's eye. In my head I was screaming, "Don't eat it! Just Don't!" Awesome ending too. Could so see this one in a movie, for sure!
The overall theme of this book couldn't have been said better than by the title itself. The Evil Within is a brilliant compilation of gory, get your heart pumping stories. I strongly recommend this book! Once you get your hands on it, you will see exactly what I mean.
Hands down 5 Stars!
The Evil Within, the first Indie Book Collective Anthology, written by Amber Scott, Cristyn West, Kelli McCracken, Matt Posner, Patricia McCallum, and Elena Gray is a fantastic, "fear fest" compilation. I was able to read this quickly and was completely enthralled from beginning to end.
Dirt Nap by Amber Scott: Buried Alive? When Darby wakes to find herself wrapped in plastic surrounded by dirt, she doesn't let panic set in, knowing her oxygen is limited. After breaking free, the confusion sets in and she calls her best friend. As the memories unfold, she learns the truth of what happened, and of Zombies. *grins*
Dark Lullaby by Cristyn West: I just loved this one. When a twelve year old is being stalked by a serial killer, a world reknown profiler steps in to solve the case. Murder hits a little too close to home before the clues are fully clear. Awesome!
Screaming Skin by Matt Posner: One heck of an imagination that left my own skin crawling. Exactly how things can go wrong in the research industry. Brilliant!
The Face of Evil by Kelli McCracken: Sometimes Churches hold the evil within. Leslie knew there was something odd about this church, but when a demon tries to take her soul, she got more than she bargained for just being a cleaning lady. *Demons Beware*
Coffee Shop by Patricia McCallum: This one had me wondering. A beautiful young girl falls for gorgeous guy. They meet everyday in this coffee shop where he walks Rose home. The curiosity begins when this man proposes, but doesn't want her to tell anyone, "yet". Hmmm. Wonder why that is. Then WHAM! Sure enough he comes in with another girl, and completely ignores Rose. She's left with no choice but to infuse her rage into his Latte. Ooops, Rose isn't exactly who she seems to be neither! What a surprising ending, so not what I was expecting.
There Are No Monsters by Rachel Thompson: What can I say? I didn't know Rachel had it in her, but boy she did, and she didn't disappoint me neither. Sasha has just watched her fiance' kill himself in a gruesome way. Sent to a psych ward, she meets Dr. Charlie. Working through the monsters from her past, surprising revelations are made and the truth is found; there are indeed monsters! Phenomenal! Another great twist at the end to have your mind reeling *heehee*.
Highland Chills by Elena Gray: This is one that was so captivating, I actually would love to see this as a full out novel. From falling in love with ghosts to possession, oh yeah! I'm so hungry for more!
Supper by Cristyn West: Holy-Throw-Me-Right-Into-A-Wrong-Turn-Movie! I loved this. My stomach was actually turning as I envisioned this supper, and could so see it playing out in my mind's eye. In my head I was screaming, "Don't eat it! Just Don't!" Awesome ending too. Could so see this one in a movie, for sure!
The overall theme of this book couldn't have been said better than by the title itself. The Evil Within is a brilliant compilation of gory, get your heart pumping stories. I strongly recommend this book! Once you get your hands on it, you will see exactly what I mean.
Hands down 5 Stars!
December 19, 2011
This horror anthology was a total unexpected thrill ride! From one story to the next, the reader is thrilled, chilled and thoroughly terrified. From Amber Scott's foray into betrayal and deadly consequences to Cristyn West's bone chilling and horrifying saga of a family gone so very wrong, you can expect the feel the terror to the marrow of your bones.
Every story has it's own merits and all of them carry the chill factor. I was thrilled by the return of Cristyn's Kent Harbinger in her second offering in the book. Matt Posner's chilling tale of science goes wrong brings to mind the obsession science has with genetic experiments and the horrifying results. From ghosts to monsters to just plain crazies, this anthology has something for everyone. Believe me when I say, you want the lights on when you are reading and may need them after you have finished!
Every story has it's own merits and all of them carry the chill factor. I was thrilled by the return of Cristyn's Kent Harbinger in her second offering in the book. Matt Posner's chilling tale of science goes wrong brings to mind the obsession science has with genetic experiments and the horrifying results. From ghosts to monsters to just plain crazies, this anthology has something for everyone. Believe me when I say, you want the lights on when you are reading and may need them after you have finished!
December 19, 2011
This horror anthology was a total unexpected thrill ride! From one story to the next, the reader is thrilled, chilled and thoroughly terrified. From Amber Scott's foray into betrayal and deadly consequences to Cristyn West's bone chilling and horrifying saga of a family gone so very wrong, you can expect the feel the terror to the marrow of your bones.
Every story has it's own merits and all of them carry the chill factor. I was thrilled by the return of Cristyn's Kent Harbinger in her second offering in the book. Matt Posner's chilling tale of science goes wrong brings to mind the obsession science has with genetic experiments and the horrifying results. From ghosts to monsters to just plain crazies, this anthology has something for everyone. Believe me when I say, you want the lights on when you are reading and may need them after you have finished!
Every story has it's own merits and all of them carry the chill factor. I was thrilled by the return of Cristyn's Kent Harbinger in her second offering in the book. Matt Posner's chilling tale of science goes wrong brings to mind the obsession science has with genetic experiments and the horrifying results. From ghosts to monsters to just plain crazies, this anthology has something for everyone. Believe me when I say, you want the lights on when you are reading and may need them after you have finished!
May 4, 2012
This is an awesome anthology of short stories. The first one alone had me biting my nails waiting to find out if she was what I thought she was. These authors are so good at giving you enough information that you already know your characters and are on the journey with them with in the first page or so. These are intense, horror stories with enough wit and charm to keep you turning those pages quicker and quicker until your reach the satisfactory end of each wonderous delight of a tale. I just loved this book and would recommend it to anyone that just loves those stories that will have you checking your closet and even your family members to see if they are a monster.
thank you
thank you
April 27, 2012
I purchased this book for my kindle for only 99 cents. What a great deal it turned out to be. Sometimes, I am just in the mood to read short stories. I don't want to commit to a long novel. But I still want the stories to be well written and interesting. This book was everything I was hoping for.
The first story in the book Dirt Nap grabbed my attention right away. Told from the point of view of a woman who wakes up buried in the dirt, the reader doesn't know immediately what has happened, because the woman has forgotten how she got there. This was a good story, that was interesting, and has you rooting for the victim.
Dark Lullaby was another great story. A profiler hunts down a serial killer of children. He is a quirky, offbeat character that I really liked. The story had a great twist at the end, that I did not see coming.
Screaming Skin was a good concept, and unique. But I just didn't connect with the narrator.
The Face of Evil was a good, scary story. Although like in many horror stories, you wonder why Leslie didn't leave the church the first time she got scared there. Why keep going back to a place that doesn't feel right to you, especially when you are all alone and it is night time.
Coffee Shop this one was intriguing. It was hard to figure out what was really happening, and what was fantasy in the beginning.
There Are No Monsters this story could have been so much scarier than it was. A demonic possession story with an interesting twist. It got a little silly towards the end, when the demon stopped being abstract and started physically crawling into and out of people.
Highland Chills is it a ghost story or a time travel story? Reincarnation? Demonic possession? The story was good, but not really scary to me.
Supper a family of cannibals living out in the wilderness. It is a common theme in horror stories. But this one had a few twists that I didn't see coming. I really enjoyed reading it and wish it was longer. The only bad part was at the end, when it said to read the next part of the story, you have to get the authors novel and it will be included at the end of the book. Otherwise, a great story.
The first story in the book Dirt Nap grabbed my attention right away. Told from the point of view of a woman who wakes up buried in the dirt, the reader doesn't know immediately what has happened, because the woman has forgotten how she got there. This was a good story, that was interesting, and has you rooting for the victim.
Dark Lullaby was another great story. A profiler hunts down a serial killer of children. He is a quirky, offbeat character that I really liked. The story had a great twist at the end, that I did not see coming.
Screaming Skin was a good concept, and unique. But I just didn't connect with the narrator.
The Face of Evil was a good, scary story. Although like in many horror stories, you wonder why Leslie didn't leave the church the first time she got scared there. Why keep going back to a place that doesn't feel right to you, especially when you are all alone and it is night time.
Coffee Shop this one was intriguing. It was hard to figure out what was really happening, and what was fantasy in the beginning.
There Are No Monsters this story could have been so much scarier than it was. A demonic possession story with an interesting twist. It got a little silly towards the end, when the demon stopped being abstract and started physically crawling into and out of people.
Highland Chills is it a ghost story or a time travel story? Reincarnation? Demonic possession? The story was good, but not really scary to me.
Supper a family of cannibals living out in the wilderness. It is a common theme in horror stories. But this one had a few twists that I didn't see coming. I really enjoyed reading it and wish it was longer. The only bad part was at the end, when it said to read the next part of the story, you have to get the authors novel and it will be included at the end of the book. Otherwise, a great story.
December 12, 2012
I'll add/edit this post as I read through the stories because 3 in, I love some and don't love some.
1. Loved the first one because it was so different. A classic genre with a twist by changing the point of view.
2. Meh. I didn't hate it, but I definitely didn't love it. I think it was either too long for a short story or there wasn't enough potential for a long story.
3. Lord it's awful. I felt like I was watching a really, really, REALLY bad tales from the crypt story. Bad.
4. And the rest...ranged from meh to why am I continuing reading this.
The ONLY reason this gets a two is the first story.
1. Loved the first one because it was so different. A classic genre with a twist by changing the point of view.
2. Meh. I didn't hate it, but I definitely didn't love it. I think it was either too long for a short story or there wasn't enough potential for a long story.
3. Lord it's awful. I felt like I was watching a really, really, REALLY bad tales from the crypt story. Bad.
4. And the rest...ranged from meh to why am I continuing reading this.
The ONLY reason this gets a two is the first story.
April 27, 2012
ok so this book was pretty good until the last story, Highland chills, was more of a paranormal romance novel with very predictable character names and plot. The rest of the book was great and the Except from "Supper" was fantastic, think i will be buying that whole book soon.
September 2, 2012
I was pleasantly surprised by this book. I wasn't sure what to expect since I had never read anything by any of the authors before. I'm glad I did read it. The stories are good length and interesting.
October 11, 2012
it was ok.... well written short stories. Quick book to read when your " in between" reading and searching for another long novel.
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews