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44 Cemetery Road
21 Tales of Horror and Imagination.
Evil waits. In the tangled rows of terrace houses, in the shifting shadows of watching trees, in the gleaming corridors of the shopping mall.
It hides in all shapes and guises. Meet the lustful seducer... a bloodthirsty vampire... the tongue-ripping cat... a deadly sexy maid... the knife-wielding psychopath.
It restlessly waits, in this spine-chilling selection of Tunku Halim's very best stories.
Evil waits. In the tangled rows of terrace houses, in the shifting shadows of watching trees, in the gleaming corridors of the shopping mall.
It hides in all shapes and guises. Meet the lustful seducer... a bloodthirsty vampire... the tongue-ripping cat... a deadly sexy maid... the knife-wielding psychopath.
It restlessly waits, in this spine-chilling selection of Tunku Halim's very best stories.
Paperback
First published January 1, 2007
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About the author
Tunku Halim
37 books56 followersTunku Halim has lived in the UK, Australia, the Philippines, Thailand and Malaysia. He worked as Legal Counsel for a global IT company before turning to writing.
Twenty books later, he is dubbed Asia’s Steven King. By delving into Malay myth, legends and folklore, his writing is regarded as ‘World Gothic’.
His novel, Dark Demon Rising, was nominated for the 1999 International IMPAC Dublin Literary Award whilst his second novel, Vermillion Eye, is used as a study text in The National University of Singapore’s Language and Literature course.
His short story has also won first prize in a 1998 Fellowship of Australian Writers competition. In Malaysia, he has had three consecutive wins in Malaysia's Star-Popular Readers’ Choice Awards between 2015 and 2017.
Twenty books later, he is dubbed Asia’s Steven King. By delving into Malay myth, legends and folklore, his writing is regarded as ‘World Gothic’.
His novel, Dark Demon Rising, was nominated for the 1999 International IMPAC Dublin Literary Award whilst his second novel, Vermillion Eye, is used as a study text in The National University of Singapore’s Language and Literature course.
His short story has also won first prize in a 1998 Fellowship of Australian Writers competition. In Malaysia, he has had three consecutive wins in Malaysia's Star-Popular Readers’ Choice Awards between 2015 and 2017.
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Displaying 1 of 1 review
June 14, 2025
Actual Rating 4 1/2 star
This was one of three books I borrowed from the Raja Uda Library. I've read this author before, so I knew I was in for a treat. This book contains 21 short stories, some taken from his previous books, along with a few new ones.
I enjoyed this book very much, although I’ll be honest, a few stories felt quite boring and overly wordy. Some were disturbing and creepy, while others echoed well-known old wives' tales with a clever twist at the end.
I admire this author for being bold in his storytelling. He doesn’t shy away from sensitive topics or sugarcoat issues just to cater to the general Malaysian audience, who may sometimes frown upon such frankness. The book has a "read it if you can handle it—or move along" vibe, and honestly, that adds spice to the experience. I found myself intrigued and drawn in by the author’s candid storytelling.
I’ll admit, some of the plot twists really caught me off guard. I didn’t see them coming, and in some cases, the direction of the story surprised me entirely. A few moments even made me laugh, especially with the witty wordplay, like:
“He glanced at Poh Ting... He slipped out of bed, his erection pointing the way...”
“His buffalo-like body...”
LOL!
Another thing I loved was the Malaysian essence woven throughout the stories. The use of local slang, multicultural influences, and diverse perspectives made the book even more enjoyable. I also admire how the author confidently writes from the point of view of characters from different races and religions, it added depth and realism to the stories. He is right about the VHS *winks* because VHS tells a good story.
That said, one thing I did notice is that nearly every story seemed to feature the same type of female character, typically the one who catches the protagonist’s eye or ends up in trouble. It would be nice to see a wider range of beauty standards and character types represented.
Overall, I truly enjoyed this book!
This was one of three books I borrowed from the Raja Uda Library. I've read this author before, so I knew I was in for a treat. This book contains 21 short stories, some taken from his previous books, along with a few new ones.
I enjoyed this book very much, although I’ll be honest, a few stories felt quite boring and overly wordy. Some were disturbing and creepy, while others echoed well-known old wives' tales with a clever twist at the end.
I admire this author for being bold in his storytelling. He doesn’t shy away from sensitive topics or sugarcoat issues just to cater to the general Malaysian audience, who may sometimes frown upon such frankness. The book has a "read it if you can handle it—or move along" vibe, and honestly, that adds spice to the experience. I found myself intrigued and drawn in by the author’s candid storytelling.
I’ll admit, some of the plot twists really caught me off guard. I didn’t see them coming, and in some cases, the direction of the story surprised me entirely. A few moments even made me laugh, especially with the witty wordplay, like:
“He glanced at Poh Ting... He slipped out of bed, his erection pointing the way...”
“His buffalo-like body...”
LOL!
Another thing I loved was the Malaysian essence woven throughout the stories. The use of local slang, multicultural influences, and diverse perspectives made the book even more enjoyable. I also admire how the author confidently writes from the point of view of characters from different races and religions, it added depth and realism to the stories. He is right about the VHS *winks* because VHS tells a good story.
That said, one thing I did notice is that nearly every story seemed to feature the same type of female character, typically the one who catches the protagonist’s eye or ends up in trouble. It would be nice to see a wider range of beauty standards and character types represented.
Overall, I truly enjoyed this book!
Displaying 1 of 1 review