In Bloom

Creature Feature

by Paul Tremblay, A.T. Chandler (Narrator), Dara Rosenberg (Narrator)

There’s something in the water in this hallucinatory short story by Paul Tremblay, bestselling author of The Cabin at the End of the World and The Beast You Are.

Journalist Heidi Cohen is in Cape Cod investigating the sources of recurring toxic algae blooms along the coast. A local named Jimmy has his own theory for her. Every year the fetid growth gets worse—but it’s been going on longer than anyone knows. Decades ago, something happened to Jimmy that he’s never forgotten. Is Heidi ready for the real story?

Paul Tremblay’s In Bloom is part of Creature Feature , a collection of devilishly creepy stories that tingle the spine and twist the mind. They can be read or listened to in one petrifying sitting.

Duration: 1 hours, 2 minutes.

Genres: Horror, Short Stories, Audiobook, Fiction, Novella, Science Fiction, Fantasy

2 pages, Audible Audio

First published September 26, 2023

About the author

Paul Tremblay has won the Bram Stoker, British Fantasy, the Sheridan Le Fanu, and Massachusetts Book awards and is the author of the New York Times bestselling Horror Movie, The Beast You, Are, The Pallbearers Club, Survivor Song, Growing Things, Disappearance at Devil’s Rock, A Head Full of Ghosts, and the crime novels The Little Sleep and No Sleep Till Wonderland. His novel The Cabin at the End of the World was adapted as the Universal Pictures film Knock at the Cabin. His short fiction and essays have appeared in the New York Times, Los Angeles Times, Entertainment Weekly online, and numerous year’s-best anthologies. He has a master’s degree in mathematics and lives outside Boston with his family. He is represented by Stephen Barbara, InkWell Management.

Reviews

[Shelley's Book Nook · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm at a loss as to why this story has such a low rating. I know it really wasn't exactly horror and it read more like science fiction but in a really creepy way and I enjoyed it. I think I found it kinda scary because maybe this could happen, not exactly like in the book (I'm not a moron) but our environment here on Earth is really bad off and the results will be devastating if we don't continue to try and do some damage control. And in some ways, this story really reminded me of the cheesy 50s horror flick, The Blob.



I get that not everyone loves baseball but I do so I am the right reader for this book, and I really liked the imagery and ambiguous ending. So, I am an outlier once again but I am on the YAY! side.

[Peter · Rating 5 out of 5]

Heidi does an interview with Jimmy Lang. He escaped an algae plague in 1983. What happened back then? Why vanished his father? Is the current situation safe? Paul Tremblay comes up here with an excellent modern version of Swamp Thing 2.0, a nostalgic view into the past with baseball and family time before terror strikes. It's not a monster. It's something undefined, more a blob than a creature. Can anyone escape? Environmental horror at its best. Written in that inimitable style only Paul Tremblay is able to write. Love his prose, the precise building up a a plan, the characters, the setting, the horror sneaking in through a side entry. Very enthusiastic about this one and can highly recommend it!

[LTJ · Rating 2 out of 5]

“In Bloom” by Paul Tremblay is a quick novella I’ve meant to read for a while now. Part of Amazon’s “Creature Feature” collection in 2023 right around Halloween time, I’ve had my eye on reading something by Tremblay due to how popular he is in the horror genre. He didn’t disappoint with his writing skills in this short story but unfortunately, this left me wanting more.

Before I begin my review, I found a few trigger warnings while reading. They were…

- Pandemic
- Quarantine

If any of these trigger you, please do not read this book. Moving along, this book started with promise since there will always be something creepy with algae and anything that belongs in a swamp. I enjoyed the initial slow burn hoping it would eventually pay off once the horror hit but it took longer than usual.

All the descriptions and major horror parts were okay but there was more emphasis on relationships and their dynamics when I wanted more of the scary stuff. It’s a decent story and don’t worry, I won’t ruin anything for you but it was a bit disappointing. As I kept reading, I would have loved to have known more about the initial horror that sparked this book but it kept me in the dark for the most part with no real explanation of why things happened and where it ultimately ended up.

Another thing that irked me is that the ending came abruptly out of nowhere just when the horror hit again. I'm unsure if this is the start of it continuing in another book or if this was a “one and done” situation due to this special Amazon collection. Either way, I do not like endings done this way, even if it’s just a short story.

I give “In Bloom” by Paul Tremblay a 2/5 since I wanted more horror and less relationship talk. There is a decent horror idea here and the setup was there for it to be something special but unfortunately, this fell flat for me. This will not discourage me from reading more of Tremblay’s work since I love his writing style but at just 35 pages, this didn’t deliver for me as I had hoped. It’s my least favorite short story in this Amazon collection as I enjoyed “The Pram” by Joe Hill and “Ankle Snatcher” by Grady Hendrix a lot more than this one.

[Barbara · Rating 3 out of 5]

Four years ago, we moved to the west coast of Florida. Beyond the subject of hurricanes, there is concern for sea turtles and algae blooms. It was the algae bloom threat that I was not anticipating. For some months this past spring, there was talk of some “blobs” approaching the west coast of Florida. I discovered there’s more worry about than just red tide.

Hence, when I saw author Paul Tremblay’s contribution to the Creature Feature Collection, “In Bloom” I was 100% in.

Tremblay’s bloom is on the East Coast, in Cape Cod. His bloom wasn’t causing nasty coughs and bronchiolar irritation. Given my imagination of what I thought that blob approaching Florida could do, Tremblay fell a bit short. It’s a short story though, so I give him credit for taking on the subject that piqued my interest. I’ve read other of his works, and this is not one of his best. Still, it’ worth a listen!

[Nancy · Rating 3 out of 5]

3 ⭐️

I’m starting my spooky season reading early this year by wrapping up the Creature Feature collection I didn’t get to finish last year. This was my least favorite of the bunch, though still a decent read.

[Zain · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not as Exciting.

Heidi studies the algae that grows in ponds and streams and on the surface of the beach.

She has come across a new strain of algae that is poisonous and causes hallucinations.

This book is slow moving and boring at times. There are times when you are unable to keep your eyes open.

The book will not be able to keep you awake for long periods. You take naps throughout it.

And this is a sad thing because this is a short story. A very short story. Yet, it reads like a long story.

The ending saves it.

Two stars. ✨✨

[Rachel Hanes · Rating 4 out of 5]

Beware of the algae infested water! ☠️

This is Book #4 in the Creature Feature collection which is available on Amazon Prime/Kindle Unlimited. With this short story, the more I thought about it, the more I ended up liking it. No, I wasn’t scared or shaking, but it did leave me creeped out and left me me thinking. And with that thought- I will never go near algae coated water again!

In this story, Heidi is investigating the toxic algae that is blooming along the coast. Heidi interviews a man named Jimmy about the algae, and he sure has a story to tell- but is it believable? Is this toxic algae taking over?

At only 35 pages, this is another story that I recommend in this collection! I have two more books to go, and I can’t wait to see what I read next!

[Kay · Rating 3 out of 5]

In Bloom is the fourth book I read in this collection and the least scariest IMO.

Jimmy recalls his childhood experience of toxic algae that grows near a field of America's favorite pastime. ⚾ Not a bad story but I didn't love it as much as the others.

Part of Creature Feature collection. It comes with audio. Free with Prime or KU. 35 pages/1hr 2 mins

[Anne · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not for me.
Baseball bores me to tears, and while one of the main characters purports to hate it as well, that's what a massive chunk of the story revolves around.
They say baseball is as American as apple pie.
I say, keep your baseball and give me the pie.



A journalist with unresolved feelings toward her roommate interviews a man about an event he witnessed as a child.
He spins her a tale about his now-deceased father and the contentious relationship they had due to his dad's unlikable personality...and the fact that he forced him to play baseball. Their last day together was at a local game where some kind of supernatural swamp blossoms did something that he's still trying to understand to this day.



The ending is...abrupt.

[Brandon Baker]

DNF. After trying and failing to slog through Pallbearers Club, his latest collection, and now this- I think I’m going to officially call it quits with Paul Tremblay.

Edit:
I enjoyed everything prior to Pallbearers Club for the most part. Cabin At The End Of The World is still one of my favs and where I felt he used the ambiguity best.

[Fifi’s Bookshelf · Rating 1 out of 5]

This was so dumb 😭 this is the third of the creature feature installments I’ve read so far (I plan to read all of them) and Grady Hendrix and Josh Malerman’s were two of the best horror I’ve ever read, then there’s this. This was such a massive downgrade compared to the other two so far. This was so unscary I would’ve laughed if I weren’t so annoyed.

[Sarah ♡ (let’s interact!) · Rating 2 out of 5]

In Bloom wasn’t really one for me, I’m afraid.
I liked the descriptions of the toxic algae blooms, the author had clearly done his research into toxic plants and parts of it were well-written. However, it was reading like the main character’s research notes/ a monologue. It felt like a mixture of ideas that could have been executed better over a longer story.
The 2 star rating is purely down to personal preference… The best part was honestly the ending, where the story finally, and suddenly, hit its peak with horror and then was over. Maybe I was hoping for more focus on the creature/monster, I’m not sure here. Was left feeling like I wanted more.

Book 4/6 of the Creature Feature horror collection.

[Dez the Bookworm · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not scary at all...

I mean, the writing itself was decent but the story lacked any kind of thrill. I was half way through before the backstory fell away and something began to take shape.

I honestly just felt like I went on a sight seeing tour. I enjoyed the retelling of a story for a few pages but then was back to being bored unfortunately.

[NZLisaM · Rating 2 out of 5]

Creature Feature is a collection of six Amazon-Original scary stories, each focusing on a different monster, penned by well-known authors in the horror and thriller genres. This is story 4/6.

In Bloom by Paul Tremblay – 1.5 Pumpkins 🎃.5

Jimmy relates a story to reporter Heidi of when he was 12 years old in 1983 and encountered a swamp-like monster.

This was my first experience reading Paul Tremblay, so I have a question – does he always write so technical? Because I was struggling not to nod off. For example, when the description of the creature contained words like ‘amorphous flagella' I'm rolling my eyes as opposed to being terrified. And do characters in a short story really need so much irrelevant backstory? The ambiguous ending did arouse my curiosity, but it was tedious to get there.

I'd like to thank Netgalley, Amazon, and Paul Tremblay for the e-ARC.

Available Now!

[Ron · Rating 4 out of 5]

Some of Tremblay's best descriptive short story writing is here, but the ending feels as if it drops out of nowhere. It's over before it should be. Still, 4 stars because the earlier writing is very good. The story actually isn't scary. It's simply told well from a young son's perspective through time and memory.

[Ginger · Rating 2 out of 5]

Welp, that was underwhelming.

The ending felt unfinished, the plot was a bit boring, and I’m not sure if I’m a fan of Paul Tremblay’s writing.
It feels too scholarly or descriptive that I lost emotion while reading this. For me, there’s no suspense, tension or creep feel to In Bloom.

Since this is the first time I’ve read something by him, I’ll check out more books to get a better idea on whether it was the story or the writing for me.

[PattyMacDotComma · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5~3★
“From the apex of the Bourne Bridge, almost 150 feet above the Cape Cod Canal, the undulating, fluorescent-green water bullying the shores looks alive. “

Blue-green algae is nasty stuff. Farmers in Australia are notified when there is too much algal bloom in creeks and rivers, making the water unsafe for people or livestock. This story takes it to a popular summer spot in the northeastern part of the US.

People live there year-round as well, and where this story takes place, there is no sewerage system, only septic tanks, and because of the algae, the government is cracking down and demanding expensive systems that treat the waste water.

“For the already fiscally struggling population who lived on the Cape year-round, the climate projections were as dire as the economic reality. Between the new septic system, skyrocketing real-estate taxes, and their increasing medical needs and costs, Heidi’s parents couldn’t afford to stay. They sold the place while they still could.”

Heidi is a journalist, with no thought of giving in to the pressure from her parents to move to Florida with them. Instead, she decides to visit the Cape and investigate the story.

She is given the name of a man who will give her the “definitively bizarre account” of the bloom tragedy in 1983. She meets Jimmy Lang in a café, where he gives her the story of his life, beginning in childhood, growing up with his baseball fanatic father.

That part is the pretty straight-forward history of an unathletic son who can never please his father. It does eventually get to the bizarre tragedy, and I’m sure that will appeal to creature-feature readers.

I think I would enjoy something else by the author, but this didn't grab me.

Thanks to #NetGalley and Amazon Original Stories for the copy for review from the #CreatureFeature Collection.

[Deborah · Rating 1 out of 5]

Boring

There isn’t anything I found interesting about this story. For some reason baseball was thrown into this. I’m sorry but it was awful to me.

[Berengaria · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5 stars

short review for busy readers:
This Amazon Original story featuring a monstrous algae bloom happening in present time and a similar event in the '80s would have been gripping enough, and bizarre enough, to sustain an entire short story.

But it seems the author, Paul Tremblay, didn't think the algae was enough, and added in a bunch of relationship bla bla and texting sweetie pie and 'it's complicated' speeches. Unnecessary forays into baseball games of days gone by and backstory on both of the main characters also wasted copious amounts of story real estate.

The whole thing reads like a pastiche excerpt from a WIP novel draft.

Good writing, good creep, but needed an editor with a red pen and a phone to keep it firmly in the "Creature Feature" lane.

[Provin Martin · Rating 4 out of 5]

FREE FOR AMAZON PRIME MEMBERS

i’m not gonna lie. This was a great story, but I felt like the ending was the ending of the first chapter to a great book. I need more!

[Phrynne · Rating 3 out of 5]

The fourth story in the Creature Feature Collection features horror from an environmental source. Strangely it is not set in our future of global warming as most of this type of stories are but originates in 1983.

The story is told by someone who was a child there that day when toxic bloom on the lake produced noxious gases which made many people sick. He also remembers something much stranger which came from the lake and is presumably still there.

Not really horror, just a bit spooky but interesting and well written.

Thanks to Netgalley for the opportunity to read and review this book.

[Adrienne L · Rating 3 out of 5]

This would have been better if it didn't take until the 50% mark for something to actually happen. Guess what, Jimmy? I don't care about baseball either.

[Chris Lee (away) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Environmental horror with a fun story and a tad bit of nostalgia. Sign me up!

Heidi is a Cape Cod journalist who is writing a story about a recent uptick in algae blooms in the area. A local named Jimmy has a story to tell Heidi that may seem too fantastical to believe. Back in the 80’s, Jimmy witnessed something horrific at a baseball game that has haunted him for decades. Will Heidi believe what he has to say and publish the story? She may not have the opportunity to do so.

This short story was pretty exciting, but I really enjoy old monster movies such as The Blob, Attack of the Killer Tomatoes, The Stuff, etc. All the campy stories where an experiment goes wrong and is released to the populous. I was surprised at how much nostalgia and backstory the author was able to pack into this short and where it ultimately ended up. The creature is multi-faceted and causes a unique array of ailments on its victims.

I enjoy how varied the creature feature collection is, and this one was a fun standout.

Ratings so far:
1. Best of Luck
2. It Waits in the Woods
3. In Bloom
4. The Pram
5. Ankle Snatcher

📝 | Extra | 📝’s
❖ The story between father and son was effective.
❖ The creature was interesting and unique.

🎵| Soundtrack |🎵
❖ H.I.M. – Join Me in Death

⭐ | Rating | ⭐
❖ 4 out of 5

[Helga · Rating 2 out of 5]

Ok, I have a question. Who tagged this as horror? The only scary thing about this book was the use of all the difficult-spelling, big scientific words.

[BookishKB · Rating 2 out of 5]

👎🏽👎🏽👎🏽

This one started and ended rather lame.
I also really disliked the audiobook narration for this one. Specifically the male narrator.

[Margo Laurie · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a much gentler read than I expected (it's part of a horror short story collection on Amazon) but interesting.

[destiny ♡ howling libraries · Rating 4 out of 5]

I mean, logically, I guess I can see why this has such a low average rating, but something about it really worked for me. I think part of it is because it feels so plausible, and part of it is because I actually loved the ending. I saw it coming from a mile away, but in a good way, and watching it unravel was just a lot of fun.

———
bookstagram | booktok | blog | storygraph

[Krysta ꕤ · Rating 1 out of 5]

I can always count on Paul Tremblay to give me nothing. 🙂

I can’t even tell you what this was about cause I wasn’t even paying attention. it seems like there’s some sort of toxic algae that’s the focus of this one, but it wasn’t interesting or creepy and if I wasn’t dedicated to reading all the short stories from this creature feature collection I would’ve dnfed this.. like what was the point? I guess to waste my time apparently.

[Kaylah · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 l!!

[Samantha · Rating 1 out of 5]

So I saw one review that said the baseball element was boring, however that was the least boring part of the whole story. The rest was just…a waste of my time, honestly. Abrupt endings can work if done right, however this just felt unfinished. It felt like when you don’t meet a deadline and you have to turn in what you have. Like, there’s being vague and then there’s just refusing to explain anything or give a proper ending.

Just nonsense. I’m extremely disappointed because I’m a fan of his work and he can and has done better than this. This, in my opinion, is him phoning it in.

I said what I said.