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Passing Time: Nine Short Tales of the Strange and Macabre
Nine dark fiction stories that may just give you nightmares.
A man lives to regret Passing Time. A father will do anything to save his son in Expiration Date. An author finds out her worst nightmare is back in The Devil’s Song. A woman gets more than the claim fee when she takes out vampire insurance in Luna Black.
In Dining in Hell, the Death Valley Diner becomes the wrong place to stop.
A serial killer wants to add another file to his collection in The Vegas Screamer. In Eating Mr. Bone, an undertaker could meet an unfortunate end. A con man meets his first ghost in Land of the Free. And will truth be set free in The Letter?
A man lives to regret Passing Time. A father will do anything to save his son in Expiration Date. An author finds out her worst nightmare is back in The Devil’s Song. A woman gets more than the claim fee when she takes out vampire insurance in Luna Black.
In Dining in Hell, the Death Valley Diner becomes the wrong place to stop.
A serial killer wants to add another file to his collection in The Vegas Screamer. In Eating Mr. Bone, an undertaker could meet an unfortunate end. A con man meets his first ghost in Land of the Free. And will truth be set free in The Letter?
- GenresHorror
73 pages, Kindle Edition
First published March 11, 2013
49 people want to read
About the author
Ellie Garratt
4 books75 followersSpeculative fiction writer. Join me as I write my way through the strange, macabre, and fantastical.
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Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews
March 18, 2013
I'm not usually the type to devour books in one sitting, but these brief and engaging tales kept me reading. The stories ranged from short to very short, but even in a few pages she set up an intriguing plot and characters. My favorite was Dining in Hell, so fascinating I could hardly blink until I was finished. I only wish it was longer, it seems like there was a lot more to that story! The short dark tales reminded me a lot of the Twilight Zone or Stephen King shorts. Definitely worth the read.
June 21, 2013
The art of writing effective short stories is knowing how to sketch the promise of a premise, and then letting it go. Ellie Garratt's collection of nine horror and spec fic tales fulfills this criterion through well-crafted prose and superb storytelling.
Some of the stories start by establishing the fantasy nature of their worlds up front while other stories catch the reader unaware when the unexpected soon punches through normality and alters what at first seems plausible into delightfully disturbing worlds.
Garratt's stories hold two additional bonuses: First, many of the tales are laced with dark humor that is integral, never gratuitous, and that makes the tellings fun to read. The other bonus is the thoroughly modern amorality of the worlds she creates. They're like a blend of Flannery O'Connor's sense of the grotesque -- sans the Catholic conscience -- and then laced with the absurdist ethos of a Carson McCullers.
But these stories are uniquely Garratt, and all the more intriguing because this Brit author has a natural ear for American idiom (many of the tales take place stateside) and a wonderful knack for rendering American pop culture into shades of the macabre.
Highly recommended for fans of horror fantasy, and never trite even when she tackles the obligatory staples of zombies, vampires, and serial killers.
Some of the stories start by establishing the fantasy nature of their worlds up front while other stories catch the reader unaware when the unexpected soon punches through normality and alters what at first seems plausible into delightfully disturbing worlds.
Garratt's stories hold two additional bonuses: First, many of the tales are laced with dark humor that is integral, never gratuitous, and that makes the tellings fun to read. The other bonus is the thoroughly modern amorality of the worlds she creates. They're like a blend of Flannery O'Connor's sense of the grotesque -- sans the Catholic conscience -- and then laced with the absurdist ethos of a Carson McCullers.
But these stories are uniquely Garratt, and all the more intriguing because this Brit author has a natural ear for American idiom (many of the tales take place stateside) and a wonderful knack for rendering American pop culture into shades of the macabre.
Highly recommended for fans of horror fantasy, and never trite even when she tackles the obligatory staples of zombies, vampires, and serial killers.
July 26, 2017
From the awesome cover to the beautiful interior (did I just say beautiful about an ebook and mean it? Why, yes I did) to the gorgeous writing, this collection delivers. One of my gripes about ebooks is they typically look like a terribly typed middle school book report and that takes away from the overall reading pleasure. Not PASSING TIME. Each story was titled with an elegant font, and small graphics were included throughout. This may seem like a small thing, but it adds to the reader's experience. It's the difference between trying to read in a car while driving over a bumpy road, and reading while sitting in your favorite comfy chair with nothing to bother you. Smoooooth.
As for the stories, I so enjoyed them. Elegant, tight prose, strange and macabre ideas to chew on, and twists I didn't see coming. Since they are short stories, I was able to read them in my limited free time and be transported away to strange places and odd people. Great book, highly recommended for a nice escape from reality.
As for the stories, I so enjoyed them. Elegant, tight prose, strange and macabre ideas to chew on, and twists I didn't see coming. Since they are short stories, I was able to read them in my limited free time and be transported away to strange places and odd people. Great book, highly recommended for a nice escape from reality.
July 3, 2013
Ellie Garratt’s Passing Time contains tense and enjoyable horror stories.
Each short story sends a little chill down the reader’s spine and has a nice twist that is sometimes foreseen and other times not.
I enjoyed the moral of “Passing Time” in how we shouldn’t let time just pass us by. “Expiration Date” had a delightful blend of horror with science fiction. “The Devil’s Song” is a writer’s worst nightmare. “Luna Black” was perhaps my favorite story, and I loved how vampires and insurance featured in it. “Dining in Hell” seemed like a story that could come right out of a Stephen King novel. “The Vegas Screamer” has a unique twist on a serial killer. The office can be killer in “Eating Mr. Bone.” I loved how the supernatural comes to life in “Land of the Free.” And the last story, “The Letter” reminds the reader to be very careful what they wish for.
Overall, Passing Time by Ellie Garratt is a nice collection of horror stories, and I look forward to reading more of Garratt’s work.
Each short story sends a little chill down the reader’s spine and has a nice twist that is sometimes foreseen and other times not.
I enjoyed the moral of “Passing Time” in how we shouldn’t let time just pass us by. “Expiration Date” had a delightful blend of horror with science fiction. “The Devil’s Song” is a writer’s worst nightmare. “Luna Black” was perhaps my favorite story, and I loved how vampires and insurance featured in it. “Dining in Hell” seemed like a story that could come right out of a Stephen King novel. “The Vegas Screamer” has a unique twist on a serial killer. The office can be killer in “Eating Mr. Bone.” I loved how the supernatural comes to life in “Land of the Free.” And the last story, “The Letter” reminds the reader to be very careful what they wish for.
Overall, Passing Time by Ellie Garratt is a nice collection of horror stories, and I look forward to reading more of Garratt’s work.
September 11, 2013
This book is filled with delicious bite-sized morsels of horror sure to please any palate. The only bad thing about the book was that it ended! Seriously, I'd have been very happy to keep reading more stories from this talented author. The book reminded me of when I was in grade school and horror novels weren't available for kids (pre-Goosebumps era) but scary short story compilations were. I adored those creepy little stories, and I loved Ellie Garrat's book just as much. Her stories are fascinating and chilling without resorting to obvious gore or violence. Plus, there are some new and original takes on zombies and vampires that impressed me.
Of the nine stories, I liked "Eating Mr. Bone" the best. As with the other stories, it starts off quickly and has twists and turns the reader could never expect. Each story is mysterious and riveting in its own right, but "Eating Mr. Bone" ended with an ironic and blackly humorous flourish that was right up my alley.
Of the nine stories, I liked "Eating Mr. Bone" the best. As with the other stories, it starts off quickly and has twists and turns the reader could never expect. Each story is mysterious and riveting in its own right, but "Eating Mr. Bone" ended with an ironic and blackly humorous flourish that was right up my alley.
September 7, 2013
Passing Time is a book of nine short stories consisting of What ifs, Imagine That, and I Never Saw that Coming. Tales of human monsters looking for the next victim or even worse, looking to become rich by any means necessary. Time guides each story. And dark alleys where the screams come from.
I encounter few books that are cerebral, that challenge me. Most have discernible plots that, while enjoyable, don’t make me think. Passing Time pulled me from my easy chair and dared me to expand my senses. The stories left me at the juncture of What Just Happened and Holy Crap.
To me, it compares to anthologies by some of my favorite authors, Arthur C. Clarke, Isaac Asimov, and one book about ghosts that I dearly wish I could find again.
Do you enjoy a book that swallows you from the first line of the first story? Love the cover so much that you just know the contents are just as great? Ready to read?
Pick Passing Time. Just don’t read it after dark. Cuz it’s a scream.
I encounter few books that are cerebral, that challenge me. Most have discernible plots that, while enjoyable, don’t make me think. Passing Time pulled me from my easy chair and dared me to expand my senses. The stories left me at the juncture of What Just Happened and Holy Crap.
To me, it compares to anthologies by some of my favorite authors, Arthur C. Clarke, Isaac Asimov, and one book about ghosts that I dearly wish I could find again.
Do you enjoy a book that swallows you from the first line of the first story? Love the cover so much that you just know the contents are just as great? Ready to read?
Pick Passing Time. Just don’t read it after dark. Cuz it’s a scream.
March 25, 2014
I only occasionally dip into short stories, preferring to get stuck into a full length novel rather than skip from story to story. However, when I do venture into the shorter, I sometimes come up trumps, and this book is one of those occasions.
The first thing that strikes me as a lover of books is the quality of the publication. I only wish all publishers would set such a high standard. Everything from the cover design to the internal formatting are a high quality showcase for the high quality writing it contains.
It is, as the subtitle suggests, a collection of nine short stories, and they certainly live up to their billing as strange and macabre. I have to say that the author has come up with some wonderfully twisted and bizarre ideas, all of which are executed in a thoroughly engaging style.
These are memorable stories. I highly recommend this book to any reader, and look forward to more from the same author.
The first thing that strikes me as a lover of books is the quality of the publication. I only wish all publishers would set such a high standard. Everything from the cover design to the internal formatting are a high quality showcase for the high quality writing it contains.
It is, as the subtitle suggests, a collection of nine short stories, and they certainly live up to their billing as strange and macabre. I have to say that the author has come up with some wonderfully twisted and bizarre ideas, all of which are executed in a thoroughly engaging style.
These are memorable stories. I highly recommend this book to any reader, and look forward to more from the same author.
February 25, 2015
Passing Time is an enjoyable collection of horror shorts. The situations the characters find themselves in are bizarre and creepy. The prose is engaging and most of the tales take a surprising twist at the end. My favorite stories are "Dining in Hell," "Luna Black," and "Eating Mr. Bone." "Dining in Hell" tells about a car-load of strangers running from a zombie apocalypse who stop at a Death Valley Diner filled with Russians. "Luna Black" is a deliciously creepy vampire tale about some characters who want to become vampires. In "Eating Mr. Bone" a woman nearing retirement from her job with an undertaker learns some interesting details about her family history and takes on a new sort of life. If you enjoy short takes on the macabre and bizarre, you should find something to like in Passing Time.
May 18, 2013
Passing Time is a wonderfully written collection of dark and eerie tales. Each story has its own way of gripping your soul. Some are short and intense, and others lure you down a long twisted path. You're left wondering about your own mortality, what you would do for love, and what terrifies you the most. As a writer, I was particularly paralyzed by "The Devil's Song."
My two favorite stories were "Expiration Date" and "The Vegas Screamer." The first takes place in a future where cloning is possible. You never have to lose someone you love. The second frightening tale is about a serial killer that has a chilling collection. Though each story has a strong and unique voice, this one stood out with its Stephen King feel.
I can't wait to read more from Ellie Garratt.
My two favorite stories were "Expiration Date" and "The Vegas Screamer." The first takes place in a future where cloning is possible. You never have to lose someone you love. The second frightening tale is about a serial killer that has a chilling collection. Though each story has a strong and unique voice, this one stood out with its Stephen King feel.
I can't wait to read more from Ellie Garratt.
April 17, 2015
A host of short uncanny stories; Goths and their fascination with vampires; A distant, yet familiar, scruffy old man, who becomes strangely fascinating for the first time in 38 years with his battered and worn brief case. A dead and rotting away son, telling his story to the reader while sitting in a doctor’s surgery? A ghastly fictional character that will not allow the writer to be rid of him. An exorcism for a patriotic spirit causes unexpected problems for a charlatan medium. They're all here in abundance. All sorts of weird a whacky tales in: Passing Time.
July 23, 2015
This is a fantastic collection of stories with a macabre edge and more than a drop of wry humour. The opening title story is a sobering look at what happens if we let life pass us by. We then meet vampires, zombies, a serial killer and even Santa, and Garratt manages to put a fresh twist on each of these character types. With some of the stories being told by seemingly ordinary people, we get to see how they deal with the bizarre events that come their way, and I would definitely have read longer versions of stories like Luna Black and Dining in Hell. Highly recommended!
May 25, 2013
Ellie has an engrossing style that sucks you in and nails you to each story. I had shivery echoes of the Twilight Zone while reading these creepy stories. Her style is very sensitive and you feel the emotions and thoughts of the characters very well as you ready. Perfect book to have with you on your e-reader to read over and over during long trips, or on those quiet, atmospheric nights at home when you are up late.
Next anthology, please!!
Next anthology, please!!
June 19, 2013
I don't normally read this genre, but this is a tightly-written collection of dark and chilling stories. Each story is told from the first person point of view. There are a variety of twists and turns in these macabre pieces, and lots of wry, twisted humour too.
Amongst other things, these stories touch on topics of mortality, cloning, vampires, zombies, a serial killer, and other-worldly entities.
Lovers of dark fiction are in for a real treat!
Amongst other things, these stories touch on topics of mortality, cloning, vampires, zombies, a serial killer, and other-worldly entities.
Lovers of dark fiction are in for a real treat!
June 12, 2013
From the alluring cover to the final twist, the author pulled me into an eerie world I won't soon forget. Each intriguing tale is populated with creepy characters in cleverly plotted settings that kept me turning the "virtual" page. What I truly enjoyed, was the unexpected turn each tale would take, heightening anticipation. My only complaint is the number of stories in this brilliant collection - I would have devoured twice that many!
June 8, 2013
The cover and description lured me in, and I’m glad they did. I enjoyed this collection of tales by Ellie Garratt. I liked them all and my favorites include “The Letter,” “The Vegas Screamer,” and “Eating Mr. Bone.” The author keeps true to her word with the “strange and macabre.” The writing is tight and the book is a fast read.
June 4, 2013
This is a great collection of tightly-written stories that will unbalance you. Some of them start off with a mainstream feel and subtly slide into the macabre; others start at the depths of bizarre and remain there. The Devil's Song and Eating Mr Bone were my favourites. Not something to read just before bedtime though!
July 27, 2013
Fantastic! Just the right amounts of suspense, horror and not too much gore! The Passing Time collection reminds me of "Alfred Hitchcock Presents: Stories That Scared Even Me," which I read many years ago. Well told tales that will make your skin crawl!
September 14, 2015
This is definitely a dark collection. Horror fans, eat your heart out. Thriller lovers, this is totally for you. Great story building, fun dynamics, wonderful range of tales, and some amazing suspense.
Content warning: Gore, language, horror themes. Appropriate for adults.
Content warning: Gore, language, horror themes. Appropriate for adults.
March 9, 2013
I am reading this book
March 21, 2013
Eerie and twisted stories. Some were so gripping I was literally on the edge of the couch. You made my mind work, Ellie. Can't wait to see more!
June 2, 2013
I really liked this book. Being a fan of The Twilight Zone, the unusual mix of stories kept me entertained and wondering what was coming next.
Definitely worth a read.
Definitely worth a read.
July 10, 2013
Creepy good!!
Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews