The Vengeful Dead: A Supernatural Dark Horror Collection

by John James Minster

Before you embark on a journey of revenge, dig two graves.

But can silly graves truly contain every species of hate? The Vengeful Dead is eleven wholly different mini supernatural horror novels crafted to take even the most jaded horror fans on a spine-tingling rollercoaster ride deep into the dark realms.

Angels and demons, ghosts, graverobbing ghouls, pagan desert gods, animal possession, psychological horror, evil spirits, charming gigolos and pretty witches, ancient dark magic artifacts, frozen corpses, gangster hit men, blood-sucking freaks, a snuff film gone wrong, Heaven and Hell, Santa Muerte unholy death cult and a creepy clown Nothing is beyond Minster’s nightmare imagination. The living are capable of great good—and unimaginable evil—but in a world where dead doesn’t always mean gone, the evil dead with scores to settle are even worse.

One reviewer’s five-star rating and "So disturbing I could not sleep. Literally. It disturbed the sleep out of me."

Genres: Horror, Fiction

267 pages, Kindle Edition

First published May 1, 2023

About the author

JOHN JAMES MINSTER was born in Norristown, Pennsylvania. He commenced a successful international business career since the 1980s in the technology sector while publishing horror short stories in horror anthologies. In July, 2018, his first middle-grade full-length horror novel, Dreamjacker, which met with five-star reader reviews, was born of nightmares. Hellbender Books published The Undertaker’s Daughter, disruptive religious horror for mature audiences on Halloween, 2022, to enthusiastic professional and fan reviews.

As a child he walked in his sleep; his parents found him at the top of the stairs about to leap down, dreaming that he could fly. Every night since childhood he still talks and punches walls in his sleep during nightmares, which he describes as "Nightly mini horror movies. Terror is feeling dread at the possibility of something frightening; horror is the shock and repulsion of seeing the thing: Hello! This is my head every single night of my life—so no writer's block on the horizon or chance that I’ll run out of stories.”

Learn more at JohnJamesMinster.com

Reviews

[DA · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent collection of stories about the dead getting revenge. The author took this theme and delivered 11 darkly captivating tales that will give you the shivers. Each one unique with great characters that will pull at your heartstrings and make you angry. The most despicable characters I found were in Family Plot, Book of the Dead, Corpsicle and Magic 8 Ball. My favorites were Dog, Son of a Ghoul, Death Macabre and Casilda.
If you like revenge stories this is the collection for you!

[Lezlie The Nerdy Narrative]

Made it through 4 of the stories and these just aren't my cup of tea.

[Emily Lorié · Rating 4 out of 5]

A collection of horror stories guaranteed to get under one’s skin, The Vengeful Dead elicited numerous emotions from my twisted, yet sensitive soul.

These stories were filled with despicable characters, and for good reason. I read on high alert, hoping to the good Lord baby Jesus that they’d get what was coming to them. Did they? Maybe. Maybe not. Each story had a different outcome.

There were many circumstances and personas that made my skin crawl. Minster has a knack for creating hellacious villains and unnerving atmospheres.

I enjoyed dipping my toes into each of these worlds, despite the sometimes heartbreaking circumstances. They reflected real world tragedies and valid fears that many readers struggle through.

While I wouldn’t recommend this collection to sensitive readers (triggers galore), my fellow horror lovers will enjoy these stories, as they are reminiscent of familiar tropes while standing firmly on their own unique grounds.

My favorite was Death Macabre, as it reminded me of the worldview I grew up with, and aspects of the story I’ve been struggling to tell. It was beautiful, inspiring, gloomy, and brilliant.

I’ll leave you with this quote from Death Macabre:

“A weight, as if someone sitting at the foot of my bed would rouse me from sleep. But the vacancy within my heart refused, even thus, to be filled. I longed for the spirit-lifting euphoria which so long ago, yet felt like yesterday, had filled it to overflowing.”

[MeMe · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm a die-hard horror fan John James Minster had me scared once again. The Vengeful Dead will have you sleeping with your lights on and shades drawn all night. Eleven chapters consist of blood, guts, and gore in The Vengeful Dead. It's like a horror movie on paper. For all dark horror fans, The Vengeful Dead: A Supernatural Dark Horror Collection is a must-read. John James Minster's collection of short stories is full of violence and dark humor. Sure to linger in your thoughts after you read it. There's nothing more disturbingly fun than a short story that sends chills down your spine. This author achieved just that in 11 short stories. This was a very chilling read and I highly recommend it to anyone looking for a good chill. Get ready for John James Minster's The Vengeful Dead. Grab your popcorn, make sure you have something to hold on to, and buckle up for an ultimate experience.

[Sharron Joy Reads · Rating 5 out of 5]

A collection of supernatural horror stories, each one an exquisite little nugget of revenge and dark desire wrapped up in the blackest humour. They imagery is gory and shocking but the endings strangely satisfying.

A practical joke goes fatally wrong, a Doctor is paid back for the lives he took, a grave robber digs up the wrong person, a journal changes a will reading, cryogenic payback, a magician’s deadly obsession, a fatal attraction to wealth, a cult member’s mistake, beware dangerous dogs, a women’s journey to freedom and ending with a story of cosmic connectedness.

These are such fantastic tales, a short story collection to chill the heart, they live up to the adage “be careful what you wish for”.

Thank you John for the ebook to read and review. By the way the cover art is stunning.

[Paul Preston · Rating 4 out of 5]

They say that before you embark on a journey of revenge, you should dig two graves. With the stories in THE VENGEFUL DEAD however, sometimes two graves isn’t nearly enough, and other times one of the parties involved has already been dead and buried.
Truth be told, John James Minster writes some absolute bastards as characters. Their actions will piss you off and you will long for them to get their comeuppance. Within this book are ten* dark tales of lust, greed, and the unholy. A simple death is never the answer.
Some of the sexual gratification was over-the-top for me but it certainly got the point across about what types of people we were dealing with. There were a few places where humanity tried to shine through these lost souls and it made you think that maybe they deserved another chance before you grinned and hoped they got the screws put to them.
“Sanity is a fragile thing… Those who take it for granted, most people probably, have never had their holds on it tested. Mine was getting stretched to its maximum limit, forced to explore the very heart of evil and all its dark, diseased innermost recesses.” -Son of a Ghoul

*There are eleven stories in this book but the last story, Death Macabre, had nothing to do with with the evils that plague humankind but was a supernatural tale of hope which reminded me of The Shack by William Paul Young. It was nice and was a refreshing cleanse.

[Eunice · Rating 5 out of 5]

It's time to be scared again.

If you're looking for a book that will make you want to sleep with the light on and keep the shades drawn all night, look no further. This is it!💀

11 chapters of grisly tales, more blood, guts, and gore. It's like a horror movie on paper, which reminds me of my all-time favorite horror film-Thirteen Ghosts. If there is a novel that follows the story of all the thirteen ghosts in the movie, I think this one is it. So good! 👌

🆃🅷🅾🆄🅶🅷🆃🆂💭
𝗦𝗻𝘂𝗳𝗳
"𝘚𝘩𝘦'𝘴 𝘧𝘭𝘰𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘰𝘶𝘵𝘴𝘪𝘥𝘦 𝘮𝘺 𝘸𝘪𝘯𝘥𝘰𝘸. 𝘐'𝘮 𝘭𝘰𝘰𝘬𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘴𝘵𝘳𝘢𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵 𝘢𝘵 𝘩𝘦𝘳... ."

The descriptions in this chapter are quite gory and gruesome, so it’s hard to read them. It’s a little bit scary how realistic this could be. 😱

𝗕𝗼𝗼𝗸 𝗢𝗳 𝗗𝗲𝗮𝗱
"...𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘳𝘪𝘨𝘰𝘳-𝘮𝘰𝘳𝘵𝘪𝘴 𝘮𝘰𝘶𝘵𝘩 𝘴𝘭𝘰𝘸𝘭𝘺 𝘰𝘱𝘦𝘯𝘦𝘥, 𝘭𝘪𝘱𝘴 𝘱𝘶𝘳𝘱𝘭𝘦 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘳𝘶𝘣𝘣𝘦𝘳𝘺, 𝘵𝘰𝘯𝘨𝘶𝘦 𝘣𝘭𝘶𝘦."

This is a horrifying story that will leave you scratching your head. It is like a roller coaster ride through hell. That last scene- will haunt you for days to come🥶🤢

𝗦𝗼𝗻 𝗼𝗳 𝗮 𝗚𝗵𝗼𝘂𝗹
"𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘨𝘶𝘺 𝘩𝘢𝘥 𝘱𝘢𝘴𝘴𝘦𝘥 𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘤𝘰𝘭𝘥, 𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘤𝘦𝘥 𝘵𝘰 𝘸𝘢𝘵𝘤𝘩 𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘧𝘢𝘮𝘪𝘭𝘺 𝘴𝘭𝘰𝘸𝘭𝘺 𝘣𝘭𝘦𝘦𝘥 𝘵𝘰 𝘥𝘦𝘢𝘵𝘩, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘸𝘢𝘵𝘤𝘩 𝘛𝘢𝘯𝘬 𝘦𝘢𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘪𝘳 𝘣𝘰𝘥𝘺 𝘱𝘢𝘳𝘵𝘴."

You know that moment when you are reading a book and your stomach just won't settle down? Well, this chapter is one of those chapters. You've been warned.
There’s an emotional level to this chapter that I didn’t expect.

𝗠𝗮𝗴𝗶𝗰 𝟴 𝗕𝗮𝗹𝗹
Cheers to a break from all the gore and grisly stuff we've read so far!
This chapter is unlike all the gruesome and gory stuff that you've read in the previous stories. I did enjoy reading this, though.

𝗖𝗼𝗿𝗽𝘀𝗶𝗰𝗹𝗲
Geez, I'm not gonna lie, it was pretty intense. I found myself thinking about that ending for a good hour after I finished. I'm feeling like I need more.

𝗠𝗮𝗴𝘂𝘀
"𝘔𝘢𝘨𝘨𝘰𝘵𝘴 𝘵𝘶𝘮𝘣𝘭𝘦𝘥 𝘧𝘳𝘰𝘮 𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘰𝘱𝘦𝘯 𝘮𝘰𝘶𝘵𝘩 𝘢𝘴 𝘢 𝘭𝘰𝘸, 𝘨𝘳𝘢𝘯𝘶𝘭𝘢𝘵𝘦𝘥 𝘨𝘳𝘰𝘢𝘯 𝘪𝘴𝘴𝘶𝘦𝘥 𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘵𝘩, 𝘴𝘱𝘦𝘦𝘤𝘩 𝘢𝘵𝘵𝘦𝘮𝘱𝘵𝘦𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘳𝘰𝘶𝘨𝘩 𝘢 𝘮𝘰𝘶𝘵𝘩𝘧𝘶𝘭 𝘰𝘧 𝘪𝘯𝘴𝘦𝘤𝘵𝘴."

This was a real page-turner! This is the type of story that you want to read over and over. I can't wait for more.
Hopefully, this will be turned into a novel one day with more twists and turns.

𝗙𝗮𝗺𝗶𝗹𝘆 𝗽𝗹𝗼𝘁
" 𝘐𝘵 𝘴𝘭𝘰𝘸𝘦𝘥 𝘵𝘰 𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘢𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘤𝘢𝘮𝘦𝘳𝘢, 𝘳𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘢𝘭𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘴𝘪𝘯𝘪𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘳 𝘨𝘳𝘪𝘯 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘥𝘶𝘭𝘭 𝘧𝘪𝘭𝘮𝘺-𝘦𝘺𝘦𝘥 𝘧𝘢𝘤𝘦 𝘰𝘧 𝘢 𝘭𝘪𝘷𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘥𝘦𝘷𝘪𝘭."

You know when you read a book and the author makes you think “Wow, that was crazy”? That’s what happened as I finished this book. Did not see that coming 😳😱
Just when you thought you had them figured out, a plot twist hits.
This was a real mind-bender.

𝗬𝗼𝘆𝗼 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗰𝗹𝗼𝘄𝗻
If you think clowns are just children's play, then read this and think again.Make sure you don’t miss a single page of this story.

𝗗𝗼𝗴
This part made me cry (and also made me want to hide under a blanket in the dark).

𝗖𝗮𝘀𝗶𝗹𝗱𝗮
Creepy. Dark. Erotic. Twisted.
Not for the faint of heart, but if you can handle it, give it a shot. We're not here to judge, we're here to explore.

𝗗𝗲𝗮𝘁𝗵 𝗠𝗮𝗰𝗮𝗯𝗿𝗲
Lighter story. Lighter vibe. Here's a chapter that's not all blood and guts. A different kind of horror story.


Congratulations! You’ve made it through every chapter of this book without squirming, or head spinning because of all the gore and gruesomeness. Looks like you have a taste for the macabre and it won’t be long before you’re having nightmares based on some of the stories in this book. But don’t worry, they aren’t true 😉

[Rose Auburn · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Vengeful Dead is a collection of 11 short horror stories, which, overall, as the title implies, have the connecting theme of revenge from beyond the grave.

The Vengeful Dead is an addictive and readable anthology. The book will not change your life, but it will afford you a solidly entertaining, full-throttle, gore-laden few hours, and I enjoyed galloping through it.

The stories do occasionally lack depth. However, there are contrasts in form and perspective and the acts of vengeance are certainly inventive and frequently loaded with a tongue-in-cheek, dark comic energy.

Notwithstanding, the level of horror, sex, and gruesome mayhem will probably not be for all readers, there is a strong sexual element running through most of the narratives and Minster does provide a caution to this effect.

The opener, Snuff, has an old-school, 80s schlock-horror vibe, and the second, Book of the Dead, is nastily creepy. Minster happily and knowingly peppers his stories with several traditional horror tropes albeit twisted in some cases. The reader is immediately aware of this and it makes The Vengeful Dead a reassuring and often, amusing, reading experience.

Son of a Ghoul was personally, the strongest, along with Corpiscle. Magic 8 Ball was neatly done if a touch obvious. Magus was an interesting premise and the beginning was deceptively well-written.

There are a few that are shamelessly far-fetched and visually over-the-top. Family Plot being one of those redolent of a low-budget, B-movie, hammer house of horror pastiche, but in a good way.

Yoyo the Clown was unpleasant but required more focus. Dog was a departure in tone and the slightly archaic tenor, certainly in the first few pages, was a nice contrast. Minster takes the reader to the 17th century Venezuela with Casilda and I sense he had a lot of fun writing this one, playing with post-medieval symbolism and stereotypes.

The final story, Death Macabre has a more serious aspect. It is not horror so much, as otherworldly and surreal. Further, there is no ghastly retribution in this tale but quite the opposite. I did wonder if its placement in the collection was correct, but upon reflection, and given the subtle shift in spirit, pardoning the pun, I think it was the right tale to conclude with.

If you’re relatively broad-minded and fancy some no-holds-barred gory horror, The Vengeful Dead is well worth a look.

[pastiesandpages - Gavin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you @johnjamesminster for the ebook 🙏👍

I've taken my time over this short story collection of horror stories. There are eleven tales within from what can only be described as the nightmarish imagination of the author.

Forget trigger warnings. This entire book is a freaking trigger 🤣😱. If you're easily offended or scared then this isn't the book for you.

If horror is your bag and you've been jaded with your latest reads then turn the pages of this themed collection if you dare 😱. Unspeakable acts lead to the dead exacting horrific revenge.

With tales of blood and gore and depravity to make you sick, psychological horror to scare you to the point of insomnia and laced throughout with undertones of religions and beliefs to make you question reality and what happens to our souls this is your every nightmare come to life.

From a snuff movie gone wrong, through gravediggers, ghosts & ghouls, witches and death cults, the most frightening demonic dog you'll ever meet, cryogenic cadaver scares, and supernaturally assisted magical illusions, this book will teach you to be wary of arcane artifacts, satan worshippers, knife wielding maniacs, monsters and outwardly pleasant gigolos.

I felt sick. I felt scared. I felt curious. I was on the edge of my seat every time I knew something terrible was about to happen to someone.
There are some deep intellectual themes going on amidst the terror. It's not just horrific for the sake of it. And there are some truly horrible characters. They're well written to make us hate them and their actions. Several times I wanted them to get what was coming to them. And then the vengeance was so much worse than I imagined 😱. I almost felt sorry for them. Almost.

Dark horror? Hell yeah it's dark. I had to read other books in between the stories so that I wasn't overwhelmed 🤣😱

[Kelly Reitmeier · Rating 4 out of 5]

TW: This novel is a collection of horror stories that vary in nature from the supernatural to the grotesque. It touches on everything from religion to rape and reader discretion should be advised.

11 horrifying tales lies within the pages of this novel. Each story is a twisted, grotesquely horrifying story of the dead getting their revenge.

Minster sets an unsettling and disturbing atmosphere that keeps you on the edge of your seat. His writing leaves you uncomfortable enough to squirm in your seat but the suspense is so thick you need to keep turning pages.

This is the type of book that will make you question what type of person you are and will have you looking over your shoulder as sinister characters are brought to life with each passing paragraph.

Disturbing stories include themes such as; (at the risk of getting stalked by a certain cryonics lab for using the word) cryonics, magic, smut films, religion, family, pets and more.

Thank you to the author for the anxiety inducing gifted copy in exchange for review.

[Amy · Rating 1 out of 5]

The first story was enough to turn me off. I love horror, but this wasn't scary, it was gross and cheap. It's an offense to the genre. The writing, in comparison to my recent novels, felt equivalent to a really good creative writing student's - fine sentence construction but simple and bland.

Tackling heavy subjects like misogyny can be done meaningfully but this felt like sensationalism for shock value. Do you want to read a little psychopath watch a snuff film of an underage girl? That's the first story.

Authors have creative freedom but shouldn't use it gratuitously. This story sought attention for the wrong reasons. The missed opportunity for any psychosociological depth left the story shallow and tasteless; it was unrealistic and unbelievable, it wasn't scary, it was just effing disgusting, it offered sensationalism over substance, and reinforced stereotypes of the single female character.

The story was shit. Thanks, I hated it.

[Robin Ginther-Venneri · Rating 5 out of 5]

Overall, The Vengeful Dead: A Supernatural Dark Horror Collection was the perfect read for all horror fans alike. From the violence to the darkly humorous stories, John James Minster truly crafted a collection of short stories that will keep you thinking long after you’ve put down the book. It’s hard to believe that someone could write and send such disturbingly fun chills down your spine in 11 short stories, but this author did it. I personally gave this book a Dread Factor rating of 4 out of 5 and highly recommend it to any reader looking for a chillingly good time. So, get yourself some popcorn, make sure you have something to hold on to whenever something unexpected pops up, and get ready for an otherworldly experience with The Vengeful Dead: A Supernatural Dark Horror Collection by John James Minster.
P.S. I couldn’t do the clown I chickened out on that one.

[Dana Halek Damato · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a collection of eleven short horror stories. It took me awhile to get through this, but only because I had to recover from each story, before I could start another. If you love stories of the macabre justice o0f the evil dead, this definitely fits the bill. Ghosts, graverobbers, she-demons, ancient dark magick, frozen corpses and all manner of evil spirits will haunt you whether you are awake or asleep. Make sure you say your prayers, before you go to bed, when you read these frightful tales.

[Brian James Lewis · Rating 5 out of 5]

THE VENGEFUL DEAD
John James Minster
May 1, 2023
Reviewed by Brian “Skull” Lewis
Hello dear readers, it’s your old pal Skull with The Vengeful Dead, an awesome collection of short horror stories by John James Minster. This book yanks readers out of their chairs, slams them against the wall, and drops them on the floor in a terrified heap with a new understanding of the darkness all around us. From perverted teenagers trying to become online sensations, to a creepy cult that targets rich, middle-aged nerds, all will find out that the saying “where there’s a will, there’s a way” can be made horrifyingly true by those who somehow defy the finality of death to exact revenge. Minster’s work feels all the more real because he uses actual places as the locations of his stories so there’s no wishy-washy small town in the middle of nowhere that the reader has to construct in their heads. You’re in Jim Thorpe, Pennsylvania with a man having the most amazing time of his life, or on the mucky bank of the Schuykill River amongst a pile of junk while a lifeless body sinks below the dark water…Intrigued? Good! Now let’s go visit The Vengeful Dead.

Son of A Ghoul is my favorite story in this collection, not because I’m a big fan of grave robbing but because the mix of super technology and old school money making is awesome. Grave robbing has been going on since time began and it’s still going on today. But the narrator of this tale explains how high-tech things have become in his profession. However, when these robbers cross an ancient curse during one fateful night, they learn the hard way that what you don’t believe in can hurt you. Logic flies out the window as the impossible rears its very ugly head. Anyone for a trip to the remotest parts of Alaska?

Magic 8 Ball Online dating sites have made for some successful relationships, but they also open the door for predatory types with agendas that don’t mean anything good for their victims. Gabe thinks he’s in paradise when he meets a woman who’s half his age, loves having sex, and seems to love him too. Not only that, but due to a creepy yard sale held by one of her friends, he becomes the owner of a Magic 8 Ball that’s helping him build his stock portfolio. Sounds great, right? What could possibly go wrong? Turns out, a whole lot. Gabe’s nirvana turns nightmare when it’s discovered that he has a fatal illness, or does he?

Magus. Why is a Jewish American male walking the streets of Palestine alone? Because he is seeking the best illusions to use in his magic show, of course. Sam Magus is a Las Vegas based magician who needs to knock his crowds out of their chairs or face the consequences. A proud and arrogant man, being the new owner of a talisman that enables him to do whatever he wants makes for astounding performances but also opens up a dark side that gets hungrier with each show. Blood sacrifices are demanded, and not just any old person will do. It must be someone Magus truly loves How long can this twisted relationship of murder and flash go on?

Book of the Dead After doing prison time for granting patients with debilitating conditions the opportunity to end their suffering, Dr. Merrick Arthur Bicko gets released. Unfortunately, his newfound freedom isn’t a source of joy. Stripped of his credentials, Bicko can’t practice medicine anymore, which also means he can’t kill people under the guise of helping them. In an effort to scratch the itch to kill anything, the doctor becomes a tree removal technician. At first, he enjoys his work and the money he makes doing it, but trees don’t show emotion or the totality of human death. So, he decides a new course, becoming a contracted killer for the American prison system. And like an over the hill rockstar returning to the business after hiatus, Bicko is back! He’s got a new drug and some new plans, and the prison wardens love him. Executions are going smoothly, they look good, he works cheap. On a more spiritual level, the darkness is rolling in. Bicko is being haunted by his victims in a rather unique way and there’s only one way to redeem himself. Is that a motor starting in the distance? I wonder what for?

Family Plot When Jayden Bonner sets his sights on getting himself a sugar mamma, he gets a whole lot more than he expected. Arabella’s family is so incredibly rich, they could light their cigars with hundred-dollar bills if they wanted to. But there is a lot more to this family than their bulging moneybags and luxurious estate that just happens to contain a family cemetery with tons of CCTV cameras all over the place. Bonner might be a sham lover with his eyes on the prize, but he’s far from the worst manipulator in this twisted pile of diamond studded cow pies. Like they say, it’s the quiet ones you need to watch out for.

Damaged Skull Writer and Reviewer gives THE VENGEFUL DEAD by John James Minster a FIVE STAR REVIEW! This is a massively intense reading experience that will terrify you with its realness, but you won’t be able to put it down. Definitely a book for mature readers and not those who are squeamish or puritanical, this is horror at its finest. So close to the bone, so chilling with the feeling that it could be happening right next door. I mean really, how well do you know your neighbors? Available at Amazon.com and many of your favorite booksellers. Get yourself a copy and tell them your old pal Skull sent you.
For more information about John James Minster, please visit www.JohnJamesMinister.com

[Stephanie Jamison · Rating 5 out of 5]

THANK YOU JOHN JAMES MINSTER for bringing back that spooky feeling I haven't had since my younger years.
That familiar but almost forgotten feeling of reading a horror book under blankets, wide eyed, afraid of getting out of the safe bed to get to the light switch, to walk down that long, dark hallway to get to the bathroom.
You have reunited me with what I thought was a lost pasttime.
What a creepfest!
May have to invest in some Depends for your books.
-Stef*

[Theresa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Spine Chilling or Darkly Humorous? You Decide! I was on the edge of my seat while also laughing, what can I say, my sense of humor is a little whack. John did a masterful job writing these stories and if you’re ready for a skin-crawling good time, you should check them out! These stories will be on my Spooky September reading list for years to come!

[Lauren Vick · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow, this collection of stories will have you scared to go to bed at night! Detailed and graphic, each story is better than the last! Perfect for those who love gore, and being extreme horror.

[Suzanne Paul · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good bunch of short stories to put you in the mood for fall. Cozy up grab a cup of tea and read!

[Amanda · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Vengeful Dead by John James Minster is a well crafted collection of 11 dark horror short stories. These stories are of the dead getting revenge and contain violence, sex, and dark humor.
If you’re a dark horror reader, then these stories are for you, but not for the weak soul.
I enjoyed them all.
Thank you John for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

[Jules Fier · Rating 5 out of 5]

Pretty much enjoyed this, have not read a horror anthology like this in a long time. Reminds me of many old school horror anthology movies and if you are craving some good old school horror anthology, can't go wrong with this book. Made me think of some like Tales from the Crypt or Masters of Horror or Fear Itself and some of the old school horror anthology movies, pretty much has sex and violence in it.

[Katy The Sleepy Reader · Rating 5 out of 5]

Having already been aware of this author, I immediately accepted this book when he reached out.
I love a good collection of horror stories and this one did not disappoint.

There are eleven chapters of macabre stories with blood and guts galore. The stories vary in topics. A magician with a deadly obsession, beware dangerous dogs, a fatal practical joke, and many more, you will not get bored reading this book. If you love stories that are shocking yet somehow satisfying in the end, then this is the book for you.

[Michele Eskelin · Rating 4 out of 5]

The stories in this book provided a new perspective on karma. I feel that so many of the “bad people” get away with their crimes with minimal repercussions. But, what if “bad people” get awash in karma and I just don’t know about it? What if the just desserts they are served are so shocking and horrific that none of us hear about it? Maybe we assume that some seem to be immune to justice based only on our anecdotal observations. The book was so versatile; it had everything from golems to magicians to eugenicists to cryogenics. Some of these stories have stuck with me, especially Son of a Ghoul. The book is terrifying and isn’t for the faint of heart. This author has repeatedly churned out spiritual allegories in his writings and I recommend his work to those with a penchant for horror and intellectual stimulation.

PS - This book also has a surprise in it for those who read the author's first book, the Dreamjacker Volume 1.

[Samantha Knapp · Rating 3 out of 5]

Overall, I like this book. The beginning felt a little rough, but it quickly found its footing. The stories were fun and creepy as hell. The dead truly got their vengeance in most of the stories. Except the last two stories, which felt like they belonged in another collection as they differed in theme and story formula. But I really liked the last two stories also. There's only one story that irked the hell out of me and it was because it required nearly every single person in the story to behave differently than they would in reality, and since that is not the point of the story, or a plot point, it irked me. With a little tweaking that story would be pretty good as well.

[Alex Grist · Rating 5 out of 5]

John gives us one of the most creepy and consistently entertaining collection of short stories I've read. The theme of vengeance and revenge is used throughout and yet not one story feels stale. This read like Tales From The Crypt turned up to 11, racking up the blood sex and gore yet felt very nostalgic of anthologies past. This is in my top short story collections along with Stephen King's Night Shift.

[Jules Fier · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoyed this horror anthology pretty much. Pretty much old school like some of the old horror anthology movies and stories I used to enjoy. Many of the characters in the story are pretty realistic. If you like Tales from the Crypt or Night Gallery or even Creepshow you could or would enjoy this. If you are in the mood for some horror anthology you cannot go wrong with this but also only if you are ok with some sex and violence

[Kathy (McDowell) Miller · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked most of the stories. I think some of them would make good horror movies.
What drove me nuts about this obviously self-published book were the number of misspellings, missing prepositions, single line-spacing, and the lack of text justification. I know, it's petty, but it's very distracting. And it leads to bad reviews.

[Sammi Dyer · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Vengeful Dead by John James Minster is eleven complete different supernatural stories that are quite good and will have you looking forward to the next hair raising tale. I definitely recommend this collection.

[Joe Marrare · Rating 5 out of 5]

This compilation of short horror stories penned by J.J.Minster is not for the faint of heart. Minster's wit, humor, and skullduggery shines in every aspect of his work. If you enjoy deadly revenge, macabre intrigue, and edge of your seat terror, this one's for you. Joe Marrare.

[Jen Self · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely devoured this book! The author's writing is just stellar..... it's like watching movies, instead of reading stories! Atmospheric, visceral and disturbing in the best ways! Looking forward to reading more from John James Minster!

[Alyssa Hosto · Rating 2 out of 5]

DNF. Not poorly written...just not my cup of tea. Also, kind of repetative creep-factors from one story to the next.