Elements of Darkness

Twist's Tales #4

by Michael Twist

Fifteen tales of psychological terror demonstrating mankind's darker side. Greed, revenge, malice, and antipathy weave their way through these stories that more often than not end with a twist and occasionally feature language and violence unseen in previous volumes of Twist's Tales.

Genres: Short Stories, Suspense

158 pages, Paperback

First published October 1, 2012

About the author

After eighteen years of teaching literature Michael Twist decided to try his hand at writing some of his own. Always fascinated by human nature, Michael's stories often focus on the decisions people make and the internal conflicts they experience in doing so.
Michael's short story "Ties That Bind" won the 2011 William Faulkner Riverfest Literary Competition. His short story "Americans Do Love Their Cars" won the 2011 Quid Novi Festival Writing Contest. Also in 2011, Michael placed second in the Writers' Journal, Write to Win Contest with his short story, "Nearly Perfect." In 2012 Michael placed two stories ("Tea in Chesapeake" and "Dear John") in the finals of the Thomas Wolfe Fiction Prize sponsored by the North Carolina Writers' Network as well as making the finals in the Press 53 Open Awards Competition with his short story "Out on a Limb." His micro-fiction has been short-listed numerous times in the Flash 500 competitions.
Michael lives near Sandy Oregon with his wife, two daughters and Labrador.

Reviews

[Zoeytron · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you like your tales laced with a hint of the dark side without resorting to the tiresome blood fests that are doing their best to become the standard, treat yourself to Elements of Darkness by Michael Twist. There is a great deal to be said for subtlety, and this author knows just how to plant the seed in your mind that slowly grows into something you may not want to see, but from which you cannot avert your eyes. Psychological horror is far superior to me than the ubiquitous blood and gore, or even the supernatural - and the former is what you will get with this anthology.

My favorites were Quid Pro Quo and Tom's Trial, both of which were chilling. The excellent James M Cain came to mind with a couple of the stories in this book. The influence of Poe was felt, as well. I hope to see more from this author.

[David Caldwell · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the fourth collection of short stories by Michael Twist. You do not need to have read the earlier volumes to enjoy these stories though.

Quite often I compare action/suspense stories to roller coaster rides. You can usually guess where the story is going but the fun comes from all the twists and turns in getting there. Michael Twist's stories remind me of another amusement park ride. Those free fall rides where they slowly lift your chair up a tower for a few stories and then let you drop. You fall for a few seconds and then the brakes kick in at what seems the last possible second and the ride is over. The stories slowly build the suspense(like lifting up chair high up into the air. Then you get the twist(that shocking drop that you know is coming but still gets you every time) and then it is over.

Some of the stories seem to stop suddenly. I can see why,but would not have minded if they had continued a little longer past the twist. With most collections, I usually really like one or two, really don't care for one or two and the rest are in that enjoyable middle. That really wasn't the case with this collection. I really liked 3 of the stories and enjoyed the rest. There were none that fell into the didn't care for that one category. my top Twist Tales(go go alliteration) were Quid Pro Quo, Gary's Home, and Time Is Money (not going to try and guess what that says about myself).

These stories don't necessarily fit into any one genre. I guess horror or suspense is closest. But really anybody that likes nice little stories with a twist, should give this collection a try. The individual stories rated either 3 or 4 stars.

[Kimberly · Rating 5 out of 5]

In his introduction, Michael Twist pays homage to some of the "classic masters" of literary horror fiction. Indeed, that is exactly what this collection of twisted tales does! Elements of Darkness is truly refreshing in that these tales penetrate to your very core with their depth and create an emotional punch without having to rely on slasher tactics to get the readers' attention. True terror comes from within--that clenching of your gut when the final "Aha!" moment is revealed.

Yes, there were some stories in this collection that were a little more "predictable", but the vast majority were overwhelmingly original, and stayed with me for days afterwards. Some of my personal favorites included:
--"Quid Pro Quo": A unique story of revenge. The main character, John Gage, immediately elicits our deepest sympathies. It's impossible NOT to feel for a man whe has faced what John has. Presented with the ultimate choice, this climatic conclusion will have you glued to your seat, mouth agape! :)
--"Time is Money": Extremely clever, well executed story. Again, Mr. Twist's flawless characterization demands your undivided attention. The finale in this one is a true gut-rencher!
--"Gary's Home": A story of nursing home resident's at the mercy of a very nasty individual....

Other standouts that I don't want to summarize for fear of giving away too much, include; "Coldest Bottle", "Tom's Trial" (I actually shuddered with the conclusion of this one!), "Siblings", and "Moneybag".

I urge anyone with an appreciation for creeping, dread-inducing stories to check out this outstanding collection from author Michael Twist.
(Disclosure: I won this copy from First Reads)

[Paul Montgomery · Rating 3 out of 5]

Synopsis: The good Mr Twist (what a wonderful name for these kind of stories) has brought to us fifteen tales, inspired by the works of the legendary Mr Poe. Fifteen tales, dipping into the darkness, touching on a variety of man’s vices. Fifteen tales, which set out to disturb, and sneak their way under the reader’s skin.

There’s a nice familiarity to the stories on offer here. By familiarity, please be assured that I do not mean “blatant rip off” – they’re not. Instead, they pay a nice tribute to earlier works by past masters in tone, if not in content. Twist plays with some classic themes, most notably and most frequently greed and opportunities with money. The suspense is well handled. The tension builds well, and there are some very good stories in the mix (personal favourites include Quid Pro Quo, Moneybag, Time is Money, Gary’s Home and Coldest Bottle – a good choice for a starter). There are, understandably, a couple of duffers – with One Can Only Hope being a clichéd piece of work which just doesn’t deserve to be in this compilation.
There’s no doubt that Twist is a very good writer. However (yes, there’s always a “however”. Welcome to my mind), whilst there are some good-great stories in there, there’s an awful lot of average/forgettable ones, where Twist’s storytelling skills lets down his writing ability.
Elements of Darkness is certainly worth picking up, and I’ll be looking out for future volumes. I would hope to see future selections of his short stories being sharper and of a better overall selection, matching the quality (or even exceeding) the best of this volume.

*I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review*

[Gaele · Rating 5 out of 5]

The offer for this collection of short stories was made with the understanding that I may not be able to complete - I'm a huge visually imaginative reader and just do not deal well with horror / dark titles. And frankly, I am more than okay with that. But, I do love this man's writing, his short stories are sublime, so it was more than worth the effort.

Again, Twist has managed to craft stories for this collection that are impeccably crafted, bringing tension and plot into a neatly formulated idea, and then spun off into an ending that is often wholly unexpected, and is always thought provoking. Deliciously deviant, these tales all deal with the darker elements of the human psyche: greed, cruelty, dishonesty and revenge Each story is unique unto itself, but combines to provide readers with a sense of futility: the resolutions are not neat and clearly defined, there really isn't a clear reward for the bad behavior.

These are stories that clearly show the depths to which a human being can sink, and provide with clear example, the futility of those darker impulses. Another winner in this series of short stories, Michael Twist has further cemented his place in my list of authors to recommend to readers and authors of short stories.

I received an eBook from the author for purpose of honest review. I was not compensated for this review: all conclusions are my own responsibility.

[Lisa · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have 2 ways of knowing I am reading a good book. The first is when I find myself reading every single word to get the full impact of the story. Usually I skip over words or read very quickly occasionally missing sentences. The second way is when I have an emotional reaction to what I have read, whether it be a chuckle, a racing pulse, or a tear does not matter. In reading "Elements of Darkness", provided to me by the author, I found myself reacting in both ways.

This collection of short tales reads like finely written literature, full of specific details, and I could see Twist's love of Poe and similar writers. Most had me thinking I knew the outcome and I was usually wrong. Despite some gruesome endings, I found myself smiling as I finished each twisted tale. Perhaps I am twisted! Two stories struck a nerve in me while reading them and I found myself having to wipe a tear or two - "Quid Pro Quo" simply because I am a parent and "Gary's Home" because the exquisite writing of details had me feeling as if I was there. By the end of both I was smiling simply because I didn't see the twist coming, and it usually involved Karma making a visit!

I can't wait to pass the book along to my children and friends... everyone needs a twist added to their daily lives!

[Evangeline Montoya · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really good collection of short stories although I would have liked a few of them to be longer. I liked how some of the stories were violent they didn't over do the blood and gore. I thought I figured out the twist endings before I got to them and was pleasantly surprised to find out I was wrong in most cases but a couple did leave me a bit confused. Over all good stories and I would recommend this book to anyone who likes suspense/horror.

[Conny · Rating 5 out of 5]

I got this book as a gift from the Author and its another winner. A collection of 15 short stories that touch on the darker elements of everyday life. I thoroughly enjoyed it, and just when I was sure I knew how a story would end I was completely taken by surprise. I had a hard time putting it down and ended up reading well into the night more than once. I can't wait to see what else Michael Twist will have in store for us readers.

[Enid · Rating 5 out of 5]

I found this book to be entertaining. I love a good horror book with a sinister twist and this book had story upon story that ended and left me with a smile. I wouldn't really even classify it as horror as it wasn't filled with blood and gore, just enough to make someone not used to horror cringe maybe.......lol, but it was really worth the read.

[Valerie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really good book! Makes you think about people or what you would you do in certain situations. Very dark and scary book.

[Kim · Rating 4 out of 5]

Synopsis:

A collection of fifteen tales have been brought together in this, the fourth offering of darkness, from Michael Twist. Each of the tales shines a light on the dark side of humanity and yet, they can stand alone in the shivers they cause. Fear is the prevailing subject in this volume of tales. Fear of losing a child, fear of losing one's identity, fear of losing independence or innocence - it all comes together under one roof in the Elements of Darkness. While some tales share slightly similar subjects, no two tales are exactly alike and offers the reader a variety of thrills and chills.

Review:

I was fortunate enough to receive the Kindle version of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review of the stories. I always intrigued by short story collections because there are times when a quick fix of horror right before bed will charge up the imagination for dreamtime. The best part of this story collection for me was that each one of them had enough individuality to maintain my interest throughout the entire book. The stories prey on some of the most basic fears an individual can face in his or her lifetime -losing a child, losing one's memory, being forgotten, and making wrong choices, just to name a few. There were a couple of stories that were both frightening and comical at the same time. They drew you in with promises of a lighthearted atmosphere only to turn around and belt you a good one when you weren't looking. Sneaky stories!

Overall, I was very entertained with the collection and will be reading some of the short stories again and again. Only one story didn't grab me in any way, shape or form and I can't honestly say what the root of the problem is. The story, Moneybag, started off with a lot of promise but I didn't feel like it really went anywhere at the end. It seemed as though the story was rushed in some parts. Although complete, I wasn't really affected by it. For me, two little gems were buried within the story collection. Both Puzzled and Gary's Home sent a shiver down my spine and made me feel very glad that I was at home instead of either settings in which the stories took place. These two didn't end how I expected them too and I admit that I was very pleasantly surprised by their endings and those of the other stories as well.

[Kristen Morris · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received an e-copy of this book with the understanding that I would read & review.

It was a pretty good bet that I was going to enjoy this collection of stories, if you say horror I say sign me up! And sign me up for any kind you've got :-)

As you can see by my 5 star rating I did love reading this set of tales that were so reminiscent of some of my favorite authors. I know there's supposed to be some Poe influences in here, but I see a lot of Shirley Jackson and Richard Matheson too. I loved the twists to be found and also the constant reminder that some of the greatest horrors are visited on us by other people or by ourselves.

The writing provides ample description of places & people without distracting from the meat of each story, and there are some here that will haunt for a long time!

A well-written short story is one of the finest pleasures, especially when one's reading time is usually reserved for a lunch break, this collection was a great read and I'm sure will merit a re-reading or two.

[Cheryl · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you Michael for gifting me a Kindle copy of Elements of Darkness.

I really enjoyed this book of short stories. They brought me back to my childhood waiting patiently for The Twilight Zone and Night Gallery to come on TV. These short stories reminded me of those great short stories as well as the great Edgar Allen Poe stories.

One of my favorites was the story about Klara, the soon to be mother. Reflecting on the world around her and the wonders that her soon to arrive child would be capable of attaining. She was thinking about how her child would go on to do wonderful things and contribute in a positive way to the world like most mothers do. She wants her child to have a good strong name and at the end of the short story, she comes up with the name that her child will have.

I look forward to reading more of Michael Twist's stories. They were full of "twists" and kept me entertained.

[Lonnie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you Michael for gifting me a Kindle copy of Elements of Darkness.

I have always been a big fan of short stories involving horror and this collection was an exceptional one. If you are looking for supernatural occurrence or gore, this is not the book you want. This book touches on the reader's emotional vulnerabilities and fears The 15 psychological horror tales serve as creditable examples of the darker elements of human nature. Aside from fear being the prevailing subject, these stories served as anecdotal example of Envy, Resentment, Greed, Malice, and Revenge and revealed to me that in a few situations, I might act in the same fashion. Admittedly, I am not a saint so the story of Quid Pro Quo left me saying I am in line with that.

Congratulations Michael, you are an excellent storyteller.

[Jennifer · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely enjoyed this book and must thank the author for kindly giving it to me as a gifted e-book. I read through this book really quick and have to say that some of these stories are truly twisted, but they are not gory or nasty. These stories threw me off and I enjoyed that! I love books that make me think or are not predictable at all!

My personal favorite is the story about the man that is soon to be married. Now that story threw me for a loop! I loved that and really was surprised. I would highly recommend this book to anyone. I think it would be perfect for airplane flights, long car rides, or anything that requires traveling. These stories are perfect for short stops so you can finish one story and move onto another easily. Thanks again for the opportunity to read this book and I had a lot of fun! :)

[Carl · Rating 4 out of 5]

This collection of short stories by author Michael Twist is very good. I can't really pick a favorite. Though different in their own way, they all were interesting and enjoyable stories. The author quickly drew you into the characters and their situations. I could easily picture these stories, with their twists, on a TV series like the old Twilight Zone. Some of them had me thinking of what I might do in these situations and most I would not even want to be close to these spots! Very readable and I agree with Twist's belief that "the elements of darkness that are most terrifying are those that prey on the mind." These stories do that.
I received my copy as a Goodreads giveaway. Many thanks!

[Rebecca · Rating 5 out of 5]

After I read the first three books of short stories by Twist and I had to check this one out as well. All of Twist's books of short stories are all intriguing and full of interesting. The difference with this book is that they aren't necessarily all people I would want to meet!

These stories take a darker turn, and there are sinister plots and corrupted characters. Everyone has flaws, but some of these people are downright scary. But it isn't a horror book with graphic, gory sequences.

The scary part is really how normal everyone seems on the surface and how the darkness is buried within. Because everyone has a dark side, and these characters could be people who sit next to you at work or people you see every day on the bus.

Sometimes the spookiest part is what is left unsaid.

[Lisa (Book Break with Lisa) · Rating 3 out of 5]

Elements of Darkness is a collection of short stories that take you into the dark side of human nature. I won this book and was sent it under the understanding that I would read and review it. I am unable to complete the book, I need more story to develop to really capture my interest.
Twist presents some interesting situations and characters but the stories just never seem to develop either plot or character fully. The few that I read left me slightly confused but wanting more. I felt a glimpse of what could be a great story but also felt that I was missing some major details. I enjoyed Twist's writing style and would definitely recommend this book to people who enjoy short stories.

[Brandi · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was my first time reading anything by Michael Twist. I must say, his name is quite indicative of his stories...twisted. Some were extremely dark, others a bit lighter but every story had an unexpected twist at the end. All the stories were well written; enjoyable to read. A great book of short stories to keep handy when you can't commit to long periods of reading time. Would definatley recommend as worth picking up--enough so, that I will most likely search for the other installments.

[Tamara aka SoMysteriousLee · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received this in mid-June, and I'm sorry to have been so lax in getting it read and reviewed! 15 tales with twists, turns, some incredible acts of revenge, and just down-right entertaining. I enjoyed them all! My favorites are Tom's Trial, Quid Pro Quo, Money Bag, Dead Ringer, Gary's Home, Like Clockwork, Ticker, One Can Only Hope and Siblings. Not that the others weren't clever or enjoyable, those are just the ones that I thoroughly liked! You've made a fan out of me!

[Tara · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received a copy of the anthology Elements of Darkness from the author and I am giving my honest opinion. Normally, I don't read anthologies, but I am so happy that I read this collection. I'm a sucker for anything dark and twisted and these stories delivered. I didn't expect some of the endings and had quite a few, I didn't see that coming moments. Overall, the tales were fascinating and I would definitely recommend Elements of Darkness.

[Angel · Rating 5 out of 5]

at first I thought that this was one big story, but came to find it was many different and odd stories. it reminded me a little like the "Twilight Zone". It was definitely a good solid book. i will be back to read the other "Twists" books. oh yes I won this book in a give away from good reads and Michael Twist. thanks for the good reading. it really mad me stop and think about somethings. thank you for the chance to read your book Peace Angel

[Jennifer · Rating 3 out of 5]

Michael Twist is a talented author and has a gift for storytelling. The stories seemed real, and sucked you in. The twists were fantastic, and often chilling.

The only improvement would be a more thorough editorial job and professional publication. The errors and typesetting were sometimes distracting from the stories.

Note: I received this book for free through Goodreads First Reads.

[Jenny · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's a wonderful collection of horror stories based on mistakes humans make and how greed and corruption lead to horrific ends. This collection is for readers who are interested in the human side of horror instead of the paranormal.

* I received this book from the author in exchange for a honest review.*

[MollyK · Rating 3 out of 5]

*** Author gifted in exchange for a review.
I’m a bit biased because short stories are not really my thing. This anthology to me, was not bad, but also not great. The stories really reminded me of the 80s TV series Tales from The Darkside. And just like the episodes from that show, the stories in this anthology were sometimes silly, sometimes f**ked up and sometimes a literary gem.

[Herb · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was gifted this from the author in exchange for a fair and honest review.

The majority of the endings to these stories took me by complete surprise. My favorite story was Gary's Home.

I really enjoyed these short stories and look forward to reading more from this author in the near future.

[Johanna Sawyer · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was a collection of short stories with ending that had a twist to it. A few of them I read and excuse my language but WTF! I'm not a big fan of anthologies but I thought these were pretty good.

[Anna · Rating 3 out of 5]

It is a psychological horror book, it is not really scary as it is creepy and makes you hopes things like that don't happen to you. I appreciated reading the short stories that just creep you out and make you wonder how peoples minds really work!

[Rachella Baker · Rating 5 out of 5]

this was really good,i will have to read this again,i always miss something,im really glad I won this book from goodreads,i hope to read more just like this one.

[Mary · Rating 3 out of 5]

collection of short stories loved some