The Haunting of Towne Point Mall: 10 Interconnected Tales of Psychological Terror

by Jason Fischer

From its opening in 1978, Towne Point Mall has been plagued with mysterious happenings to the few who were unfortunate enough to connect to the spirits residing within. Take a journey spanning four decades as the mall grows stronger from the evil force within its aging walls. Come visit the haunted bookstore, a department store that gives you all you ever desired, a hungry escalator, a janitor’s closet where death lives, a clothing store that offers more than the proprietor bargained for, and a theater that premiers a cursed film. Here, you will meet a deranged juggler, video games that bridge time, a skeletal boy that beckons more of its kind, a spider that was once a child, elves that have a score to settle, a collection of very special dolls culminating in the rebirth of the dead mall where dreams can change the future; all drawn together by the same malevolent entity.

Genres: Horror, Short Stories

414 pages, Paperback

Published October 29, 2023

Reviews

[Dana Jones · Rating 5 out of 5]

Each story left me wanting more

The Haunting of Towne Point Mall was exactly what I’ve been searching for. I’m used to having to hop around chapters based on my preferred type of horror stories, but I’m half way through and haven’t skipped one yet.

You know when you’re so excited to finish the page and flip to the next because you can’t wait to find out more? Every story has been like that. 10/10 recommend.

[Cory Brock · Rating 2 out of 5]

I really wanted to like this. The premise of the collection is neat, several short stories that are all connected by taking place in a haunted mall, but the execution just…wasn’t good.

My first issue is that, based on the name of the short story collection, the location of each story feels secondary. While all the stories technically featured the Towne Point Mall, they never felt like they actually took place in a mall. You could replace the location with something else, and I don’t think it’d change much.

The second reason this collection didn’t work for me, was how disjointed some of the stories felt. Another reviewer said it seemed like some of the stories were the result of two different ideas being mashed together, and that’s honestly an accurate description. The writing itself wasn’t bad (though the dialogue was a bit stiff at times), but there were a lot of what I assume were supposed to be shocking twists that ended up being very jarring shifts in the direction of many of the stories.

[Stacey Uffelman · Rating 2 out of 5]

Weird. The first nine stories had to do with the mall, and were slightly creepy, then the last story took place during a time when the mall was used for something else, and made little to no sense.

[A. · Rating 3 out of 5]

I reviewed this book for Reedsy Discovery.

I really didn't know what to expect from this collection of horror stories, but, if any of my readers know me, I love me a good horror collection. This collection has stories all tied together via a single location: the Towne Point Mall. The way different facets of the mall are surveyed reminds me a bit of the Night Gallery, with some Bradbury and some Junji Ito mixed in. Below are the points that I liked about the book, and a few that I did not like as much.


Things I liked:


1. The stories that I liked went above and beyond. I would say the three last stories in the collection are the best, and they include more of the "lore" involved with the mall. The last story, Are You Real?, was the best written of the bunch. It had those elements of Bradbury, and was like reading a Junji Ito story with more descriptions instead of images. I almost wish this story were longer - it would make a great short novel. Again, the best stories in this bunch were the ones that focused more on the lore of the mall.


2. I liked when the stories went all out on a fear. Without giving too much away, there are certain stories that either cause existential dread (The Bookkeeper, Expandning Room, Are You Real?), and cause one to squirm (The Film, Fan's Fiction). The focus that the author puts into those fears is really well done, especially considering that these stories often take place in either the mall or places without easy escape.


3. While some stories are sporatic in theme with the mall, I like how the lore of the mall seems to come full circle. We as readers are still not too sure of what is happening, but that's what can make this collection compelling.


Things I didn't like:


1. You could definitely tell which stories had more love and time put into them. The ones that didn't were obvious too. Some stories, especially the middle ones, felt like they were just tossed in to complete the collection, and had very little to do with the mall except for some brief mentions. Some stories seemed like multiple stories smushed together to create something. Honestly, I would have given the collection a higher rating if the better written stories were longer, and the others cut out.


2. Some of the "twist" endings of certain stories, especially the middle stories, felt forced, as if trying to give the reader a jump scare that had little to do with the rest of the plot.


3. Some of the dialogue was stiff, again especially in the middle stories (i.e. the ones that had a little less love put into them).

While I am disappointed in the misses, the hits of this collection make up for it. I recommend this collection for the spooky evenings, especially those coming up in the dark nights of winter.

Note:

*One thing I will mention: there is a lot of body horror, and the use of disfigurement as horror as well. Please be aware of this when going to read this collection. I, personally, am not a huge fan of disfigurement in the horror genre. It is for this reason also that I did not give this book a higher rating.

[Shan · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book for the first few short stories. This was mainly because they were just the right length, they weren't too hard to understand, and they surprised me. A specific one that I LOVED was The Bookkeeper. It had me on the edge of my seat throughout, and I honestly have some nightmares about it (which is good for a horror book).

For the second half of the book I lost interest. The stories were too long for me to keep interest, and the writing got harder to understand and the concepts were therefore hard to understand. I would say this downward turn happened at Fashionation.

My last comment is I don't really understand how these stories are "Psychological Terror". I think they are more accurately "Roughly Related Short Scary Stories."

Despite this, I still enjoyed reading this book and found it entertaining.

[Robert Jr. · Rating 1 out of 5]

Well, if you were looking for an anthology of horror stories that happen in the same mall throughout its existence, this isn’t it. The stories are so-so feeling like Twilight Zone episodes but without the moral core. The stories also occur in isolated stores, a theater, or the backrooms of the mall meaning they could have happened anywhere, they did not feel in any way mall-centric. I was disappointed with this one. I do not recommend it.

[Scott King · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a great book. I at first thought it would be scary in a traditional sense, but it isn't. It's actually worse. A quick scare comes and goes, but this book sticks with you. There is real desperation in the characters, and you can feel it. Their connection to the world is so fragile that any wrong move and it's well...trouble. The biggest problem is that you can relate, and it makes you rethink your decisions. Highly recommend.

[Dawn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wow, I'm still working through my feelings after reading these stories. All of the characters are having a rough time in life, but then the mall and its monsters turn the screws. The author did a great job getting you to care about the characters in each short story. My favorite is Presence from the Mall. The end is a gut punch.

[Paula Esmo · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved the interconnected stories.

I really liked being able to read the different perspectives each story provided, because it nurtured the idea of the mall as a whole. And I also found clever horror elements in each story, which made me want to keep reading more.

[Katherine · Rating 1 out of 5]

I guess I was expecting more? Or at least was expecting the stories to actually give me some creepiness vibes, but really it was just some short stories that were supposed to be ultimately connected for a bigger picture or mystery? Nothing really made sense honestly

[Ida · Rating 4 out of 5]

I just can NOT get over the Mall's "floor plan," shown in the first few pages. IT HAS NO BATHROOMS. 🤣

[Samantha · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this book. Terror is the right word for these stories. The building dread this author creates sneaks up on you. It cuts deep. It will keep you up at night if you let it.

[Brian J · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very creative well paced entertaining stories with a bit of local suburban type nostalgia for those who miss those scenes and days.

[Kelly Thomas · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book. Its a fairly quick read. There are real feelings of fear and deep unease.

[Bethany Marcus · Rating 5 out of 5]

This author is wildly creative. His stories are like none I've read before. There is so much to like in this book. There is something that happens in a spider web, and I can't shake the image.

[J · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really enjoyed this spooky lil book. All of the stories were very unique and memorable! Thank you to the author and goodreads for the giveaway.

[Lisa Robison · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was an okay read. I think it was not meant for me though.

[Randee · Rating 3 out of 5]

Uneven,

[Diana Dunlap-lewis · Rating 4 out of 5]

Definitely worth reading once. Strange little stories that will have your skin crawling and some may give you nightmares.