Red: The spine-tingling vigilante gruesome fairy tale of Red Riding Hood

by Annalee Adams

Twisted into a picture of darkness, Red carries with her the souls of the lost girls.

Thrown into a trafficking ring at such a young age changed something inside of her. The sorrow in place of her heart seeks one thing and one thing only, revenge.

Seeking to right the wrongs of a blood-chilling world, Red lures each of her captors into a spiralling battle of justice and fear.

Can she destroy those that took her innocence? Or will they seek her out and stain her innocence one final time?

Gruesome Fairy Tales Book 3 - Red Riding Hood.


A murderous story of revenge and justice

127 pages, Paperback

Published August 6, 2023

About the author

Annalee Adams lives in England with her Husband, two children and a zoo worth of animals. She loves a good strong cup of tea or coffee, plenty of chocolate and binge watching her shows on Netflix.

Annalee began The Celestial Rose series while at University. She spent much of her childhood engrossed in fictional stories. Starting with teenage point horror books and moving up to the works of Stephen King and Dean Koontz. However, her all-time favourite book is Lewis Carroll's, Alice in Wonderland. Which explains her mindset quite well.

Join Annalee on TikTok, she posts regular videos and is slowly getting the hang of BookTok! You can find her under the name of: @author_annaleeadams

Find out more at: www.AnnaleeAdams.biz

Twitter: https://twitter.com/AuthorAnnalee

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/authorannale...

Reviews

[Jaye Winkley · Rating 5 out of 5]

Annalee is such a talented author!!

I read this as part of the Gruesome Fairytales book which I received from a monthly book box. Gruesome is in the title, these are not ‘dark’ fairytale retellings, they are short horror stories loosely based on a classic fairytale storyline, in this case Red Riding Hood. This tale follows our FMC “Red”, who is enacting her revenge on her prior captors, a family, namely the brothers, father & uncles, who abducted and abused young girls as part of a “family business” and used the girls to entertain clients etc. It is disturbing!! especially to hear the snippets of her past and know what is coming in Wolf (the prequel) but it is very well written and Red is a badass character for having the courage she does!! The story follows her aiding girls in her prior situation, attempting to unalive the brothers meanwhile working as a trainee detective on the case of the murders. It is fast paced and has one hell of a twist!! I was suspicious but I hoped I was wrong🫣 d

Don’t go into these stories expecting a happy ending …

[Carrie O’Leary · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the first book I’ve read / listened to by this author, but I have to say that I thoroughly enjoyed it. I was in the mood for something quick and on the dark side before embarking on the long haul of the last Crescent City book and I’m so glad I took the time out to listen. Our heroine is badass from the start of the story having pulled herself out of a very bad start in life. And she’s out for revenge. I loved every single word, every single gruesome detail. I cannot wait for Wolf. When I get a minute I’ll be looking out for the Hansel and Gretel books too. Highly recommended if you like your fairytales on the very dark side.

[Megan Wintrip · Rating 5 out of 5]

Jesus Christ the opening line made me spit out my cup of tea. (Swipe to see).

This is a harrowing story about Red. Once upon a time Red was a young girl who was taken, passed around, sold and abused by the Payne family, but it's not just her..it's other girls too.

After getting found by the police she becomes close with Detective Monroe and his wife, they treat her like their own.

Will Red get her revenge and live happily ever after? What will become of her? Is everything as it seems?

This was such a great story, I couldn't stop reading, I would have read it all in one sitting if I wasn't buddy reading it 😂.
It also got me in the feels when Red met little 6 year old Mia 😭.

Absolutely brilliant. And the twists that keep twisting 👀👀.

I can't wait until there are more of the gruesome tales released!

[Areadingsunflower · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm not going to lie and say this series is the best written or edited, but it is an entertaining story nonetheless. I must say, though, out of the 3 so far, this one is the best by comparison. My compulsion to get the 4th book when it is released is strong, so that should say enough right there. Haha! They are fast-paced and short enough that the investment is worth it to me. So, with that, I do recommend this series of horror fairy tales.

[Dorothy Tomkinson · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a ride! From start to finish this leaves you almost breathless from tension, pace and the twists and turns. I found myself cheering Red on and wanting to get the vengeance she deserved.
I will definitely be looking up the other books by Annalee ❤️

[Angela Williams · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book

[Debz78 · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book grabs you from the very first page and doesn't let go. The opening is so powerful, that it's impossible to put the book down. The author creates a chilling and terrifying world that will stay with you long after you've finished.
At the center of this gripping narrative is Red, a brave but profoundly broken FMC exacting retribution to those who caused her pain. She's a survivor of a horrific child trafficking ring, a hell created by depraved men who revel in pain and abuse. Her story is one of unimaginable trauma, but it’s also one of resilience. Her savior, a cop named Monroe, takes her under his wing, training her to become a rookie detective.
The plot is a masterclass in suspense, twisting and turning like a corkscrew roller coaster. This isn't a dark fairy tale; it's a genuine horror story that will evoke a powerful emotional response. The pain of each child in this story is palpable, and when Red meets Mia, it's a moment that will break your heart.
But that ending! It's a cliffhanger that will leave you reeling!
Like seriously Annalee!!!
This series is a must-read for anyone who appreciates a dark, emotionally charged thriller. You won't be disappointed.

[sadies_bookstack · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is book 3 in Annalee’s Gruesome Tales and it is just that! No romance, no love interest, no morally grey MMC’s they are all black beasts!

This is a very dark take on Little Red Riding Hood. The Wolves are a family of child sex trafficker’s they are disgusting excuses for human beings.

Our FMC (Red) was kidnapped as a child by the wolves, she’s rescued by the police and and joins the force when she is older. That’s Red’s day job by night she is s vigilante exacting her revenge.

This is only a short story (2 hours of play at normal speed) but my god does it pack a punch. Annalee is there spinning her web of words and I was the fly caught in the centre. It’s definitely not for the faint of heart but it was so good.

I can count on one hand how many Audiobooks I’ve listened to but Carla C. Emmons did an amazing job, with the perfect tone, inflection where needed and just the right amount of emotion.

I will warn you this does end on a cliffhanger that I completely didn’t see coming!! Really invested in Red’s story so cannot wait for book 4 Wolf!

if you’re looking for something a little different then you should definitely pick this up!

[Mrs F K · Rating 4 out of 5]

Super dark, twisty turny and a great ending

[Lizz Hanson · Rating 5 out of 5]

So I've read a few of Annalee's books now as I think she is a fantastic horror writer!
And this one did not disappoint, it was so good! It was dark, gritty, gory and at times so scary and sad.
I was hooked from page one, I read this I'm an hour, it's only a short book, but it packs a punch. Dealing with very dark subject matter, so check tws, but its done on a way that doesn't detract from how awful it is. Our fmc red is an butt kicking heroine, who I was rooting for every step of the way!
And that ending, damn!! I did not see that coming.
Absolutely fantastic

[Hayley Anderton · Rating 4 out of 5]

Phew, this was dark! Like the others in the series, though, it kept me turning the pages (even though sometimes I felt like I didn't want to!) A difficult read in many places, but also an exciting one.

[Iain Benson · Rating 4 out of 5]

I had to knock a star off this because I wanted MORE! I now have forty-thousand questions about what happens next. I mean, really Annalee. You can't stop it there and expect five stars.

Our eponymous main character, Red, is hunting child sex traffickers whilst masquerading as a rookie police detective. She has a friendly father figure police detective showing her the ropes and never really seems to do a full day's work. They sure eat a lot of breakfast, though.

This is a dark, gritty thriller. Red is an excellent character; Monroe is as a tired, down at heel detective, drawn with care. Annalee gives us a strong female main character with a traumatic past. Her lethal reasons are not only justifiable and understandable, but downright applaudable. We only see three murders coming into the story well after her killing spree began.

Now the reason for losing a star. This is because I wanted a denouement. Not wanted. Needed. I'd already worked certain things out, and to have the dramatic ending stop there left a hole. Had it been a physical book, I'd have been staring at the inside back cover to see if it had invisible ink on it. I can't tie Annalee to a bed and demand she rewrites the ending, as this is illegal and a story by Stephen King, so my only punishment for having me scream at the end of the book "You can't stop there!" is to drop a star. You brought it on yourself, Annalee. Muwahahaha.

Seriously, go and read this book. It's great. It's not a long read (devoured in two sittings).

[Ciara Hartman · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars. - So this short story (red riding hood type) was a neat concept. Kinda reminded me of the mindfvck series. A female vigilante that’s happy to torture and kill the men who once abused her. However, she seemed to go into this without a well thought out plan and kept getting caught as she was trying to eliminate these men and save the children they were trafficking and killing. The ending of the book confused me a bit and did not give me closure. At. All. So… good concept, just not sure how I feel about the execution. (TW’s: this book deals with child trafficking and has many elements discussed regarding what was being done to those children. Very explicit content as the vigilante took her own form of justice as well)

[Benny Doem · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a journey! From the start its action packed and tells the story of Red, a detective fighting to bring justice to the world. But she’s more than a detective, she was once one of the kidnapped girls bought up in a trafficking ring. Determined to destroy the traffickers, she turns into her very own hero, a vigilante, and enjoys carvings wolves into the chests of her victims.
This books was well written, an interesting and important topic, and I enjoyed how Annalee based it around Red Riding Hood, making her own Gruesome Fairy Tale.
⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️

[Lisa Sparkle · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a good book, it just made me feel very uncomfortable and introduced me to themes that i've realised I don't enjoy reading (gruesome murder of children/child sex slaves/child snuff films). I really liked Red, the character, but found some of her exclamation points at the end of her thoughts perhaps not in character with the 'Red' i had in my mind - unless she was upbeat and i missed that part of her personality. However, I loved the general story and the mega twist at the end. I'm excited to read the next book.

[Emmagard · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is another scary one for me, and I mean that ending 😭
Adams can transform you into another world and wrap you up in its characters. The best book I’ve read from this series! I truly enjoyed it 10/10.

[Emmagard · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is another scary one for me, and I mean that ending 😭
Adams can transform you into another world and wrap you up in its characters. The best book I’ve read from this series! I truly enjoyed it 10/10.

[Sharon Jackson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Can there ever be justice? I hate to say it but I was with Red on this. In my head I certainly wanted her to get her way. A walk on the dark side indeed!

[Sarah · Rating 5 out of 5]

Gruesome fairy tale indeed!

I absolutely loved this book, I cannot wait to read Wolf with that ending making me beg for more. 10/10!

[Fiona · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh my goodness!!!

Annalee, I was not expecting that!! But it was definitely a good short read.
I didn't even have any suspicions.

[Dani (piggindani_reads)]

Review coming soon