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The Jar and Other Stories: A Collection of Extreme Horror
The kids go into the bounce house, but when they come out…they’re not kids anymore.
When a cam girl drives to the nearest grocery store, her GPS navigator takes her to another far more interesting location.
Very pregnant Teresa has all her stuck-up friends coming for her baby shower, but there’s one guest who wasn’t invited, and his gift is most a jellyfish.
The billionaire’s mansion has many dark hallways but at the end of one of them you’ll find a curious array of artifacts, including Elvis Presley’s excrement, President Kennedy’s brain-bucket, and one other thing that really takes the cake…
After forty years of writing demented horror fiction, Edward Lee is still truckin’, and he invites you to pull up a chair and spend a few more evenings in his world…
When a cam girl drives to the nearest grocery store, her GPS navigator takes her to another far more interesting location.
Very pregnant Teresa has all her stuck-up friends coming for her baby shower, but there’s one guest who wasn’t invited, and his gift is most a jellyfish.
The billionaire’s mansion has many dark hallways but at the end of one of them you’ll find a curious array of artifacts, including Elvis Presley’s excrement, President Kennedy’s brain-bucket, and one other thing that really takes the cake…
After forty years of writing demented horror fiction, Edward Lee is still truckin’, and he invites you to pull up a chair and spend a few more evenings in his world…
- GenresHorror
226 pages, Kindle Edition
Published March 24, 2024
6 people are currently reading
39 people want to read
About the author
Edward Lee
268 books1,455 followersLibrarian Note: There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name.
Edward Lee is an American novelist specializing in the field of horror, and has authored 40 books, more than half of which have been published by mass-market New York paperback companies such as Leisure/Dorchester, Berkley, and Zebra/Kensington. He is a Bram Stoker award nominee for his story "Mr. Torso," and his short stories have appeared in over a dozen mass-market anthologies, including THE BEST AMERICAN MYSTERY STORIES OF 2000, Pocket's HOT BLOOD series, and the award-wining 999. Several of his novels have sold translation rights to Germany, Greece, and Romania. He also publishes quite actively in the small-press/limited-edition hardcover market; many of his books in this category have become collector's items. While a number of Lee's projects have been optioned for film, only one has been made, HEADER, which was released on DVD to mixed reviews in June, 2009, by Synapse Films.
Lee is particularly known for over-the-top occult concepts and an accelerated treatment of erotic and/or morbid sexual imagery and visceral violence.
He was born on May 25, 1957 in Washington, D.C., and grew up in Bowie, Maryland. In the late-70s he served in the U.S. Army's 1st Armored Division, in Erlangen, West Germany, then, for a short time, was a municipal police officer in Cottage City, Maryland. Lee also attended the University of Maryland as an English major but quit in his last semester to pursue his dream of being a horror novelist. For over 15 years, he worked as the night manager for a security company in Annapolis, Maryland, while writing in his spare time. In 1997, however, he became a full-time writer, first spending several years in Seattle and then moving to St. Pete Beach, Florida, where he currently resides.
Of note, the author cites as his strongest influence horror legend H. P. Lovecraft; in 2007, Lee embarked on what he calls his "Lovecraft kick" and wrote a spate of novels and novellas which tribute Lovecraft and his famous Cthulhu Mythos. Among these projects are THE INNSWICH HORROR, "Trolley No. 1852," HAUNTER OF THE THRESHOLD, GOING MONSTERING, "Pages Torn From A Travel Journal," and "You Are My Everything." Lee promises more Lovecraftian work on the horizon.
Edward Lee is an American novelist specializing in the field of horror, and has authored 40 books, more than half of which have been published by mass-market New York paperback companies such as Leisure/Dorchester, Berkley, and Zebra/Kensington. He is a Bram Stoker award nominee for his story "Mr. Torso," and his short stories have appeared in over a dozen mass-market anthologies, including THE BEST AMERICAN MYSTERY STORIES OF 2000, Pocket's HOT BLOOD series, and the award-wining 999. Several of his novels have sold translation rights to Germany, Greece, and Romania. He also publishes quite actively in the small-press/limited-edition hardcover market; many of his books in this category have become collector's items. While a number of Lee's projects have been optioned for film, only one has been made, HEADER, which was released on DVD to mixed reviews in June, 2009, by Synapse Films.
Lee is particularly known for over-the-top occult concepts and an accelerated treatment of erotic and/or morbid sexual imagery and visceral violence.
He was born on May 25, 1957 in Washington, D.C., and grew up in Bowie, Maryland. In the late-70s he served in the U.S. Army's 1st Armored Division, in Erlangen, West Germany, then, for a short time, was a municipal police officer in Cottage City, Maryland. Lee also attended the University of Maryland as an English major but quit in his last semester to pursue his dream of being a horror novelist. For over 15 years, he worked as the night manager for a security company in Annapolis, Maryland, while writing in his spare time. In 1997, however, he became a full-time writer, first spending several years in Seattle and then moving to St. Pete Beach, Florida, where he currently resides.
Of note, the author cites as his strongest influence horror legend H. P. Lovecraft; in 2007, Lee embarked on what he calls his "Lovecraft kick" and wrote a spate of novels and novellas which tribute Lovecraft and his famous Cthulhu Mythos. Among these projects are THE INNSWICH HORROR, "Trolley No. 1852," HAUNTER OF THE THRESHOLD, GOING MONSTERING, "Pages Torn From A Travel Journal," and "You Are My Everything." Lee promises more Lovecraftian work on the horizon.
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
April 16, 2024
I tend to really enjoy Edward Lee's work, especially his novels but his collections in my opinion can be very hit-and-miss. They tend to have stories I really enjoy and some others that are so ludicrous and insane that it's hard for me to vibe with them.
GPS:
When a cam girl and her 'boyfriend' are invited to housesit her uncle's place for the week, they soon set up their equipment only to be communicated by a spirit of the dead via the Ouiji board... Who is Jerry and why has he given the two an address to a place that shouldn't exist? Deb is curious and with the GPS having found its location, it's all steam ahead! But this might end up being a journey they'll both regret.
I really liked the concept of this one and I'll admit the atmosphere to this story is pretty well done. But I found this to be incredibly underwhelming all the same. I did enjoy the start of this story and the scene where Deb travels to this mysterious location in her car, but other than that it struggles with a few scenes that are either there to shock the reader or to make us laugh. Unfortunately, this story wasn't for me, but I'm sure there are others who will get a kick out of this one. 4/10
The Baby Shower:
Teresa is having a baby shower but when the other guests don't arrive she becomes worried. but when a mysterious stranger who wasn't invited comes inside with a jellyfish, she and her friends wish that nobody had bothered to come at all.
Edward Lee has written a really nasty and unforgiving novella that is a nice concept piece connected to the Infernal series. It's a brutal tale where disciples of Lucifer have to kidnap people down into hell for a brief time to torture and humiliate them for his entertainment. It's a simple idea with some very graphic and creative scenes of violence. It's a shocking and horrifying piece with a really satisfying ending. 8.5/10
A Very Bad Day in Hell:
John Holmes has always been a waste of space, a liar, and a fraud, all he's ever been good for is working in porn and having a huge cock. But now he's in trouble, a group of people want a good amount of hell notes from him, and all John can do is sell his cock. But today isn't going to be any ordinary day in hell, it's going to be his unlucky day.
Edward Lee has written a comedic story that is hilarious, outlandish, and awfully gruesome. Stories about a person having the worst day of their lives is a common trope, but combine it with the Infernal series, and you get something funny and disturbing. It's a gross little story with a couple of graphic scenes, but it still manages to be amusing. The ending however was quite a surprise but a terrific twist nonetheless. 9/10
6-Thirteen:
Westmore after getting contacted by a prostitute who participates in occult studies, is curious but in denial that he can indeed get pictures of a brief spatial shift to get evidence that hell actually exists. So, when a 7-Eleven is replaced by a 6-Thirteen he ends up getting more than he bargained for.
Edward Lee has written a fun and brilliant story, where two opportunists hope to get pictures taken from a spatial shift to become rich. It's a chaotic story with plenty of humor, graphic and brutal imagery, and a horrifying ending. I really enjoy the Infernal series but I do find the stories that link into that series can be very hit and miss, but this is by far one of the better ones! 9/10
The Bounce House:
Miles an arrogant sexist, son of a bitch has brought the largest bounce house on the market for his son's birthday. But when he and his wife Becky try it out before heading out to get their son's cake, they soon realize they're in for a nasty surprise.
I've already reviewed the original publication for this story, so if you want to read my thoughts here's my review. https://www.goodreads.com/review/show.... 1/10
The Jar:
Alex is an NFT artist and believes that digital will replace oils for good. Sombrack a billionaire and his girlfriend have hired him to produce pieces for his art collection. But when Alex is invited to look at a curious and horrifying collection of bizarre objects hidden within a vault, he soon realizes that something strange is going on here and it all has to do with a massive penis contained in a jar.
Edward Lee has written a fun story that has been specially produced for this collection. It's a very crude and eerie little piece with a fucked up ending. Sombrack and his girlfriend's relationship is disturbingly funny, but seeing just how mean-spirited they are towards one another at times is surprisingly quite unsettling. I should have seen the twist from a mile off, but I'm glad I didn't. It's not an amazing story, but it's fun. 8/10
Overall: 39.5/60
GPS:
When a cam girl and her 'boyfriend' are invited to housesit her uncle's place for the week, they soon set up their equipment only to be communicated by a spirit of the dead via the Ouiji board... Who is Jerry and why has he given the two an address to a place that shouldn't exist? Deb is curious and with the GPS having found its location, it's all steam ahead! But this might end up being a journey they'll both regret.
I really liked the concept of this one and I'll admit the atmosphere to this story is pretty well done. But I found this to be incredibly underwhelming all the same. I did enjoy the start of this story and the scene where Deb travels to this mysterious location in her car, but other than that it struggles with a few scenes that are either there to shock the reader or to make us laugh. Unfortunately, this story wasn't for me, but I'm sure there are others who will get a kick out of this one. 4/10
The Baby Shower:
Teresa is having a baby shower but when the other guests don't arrive she becomes worried. but when a mysterious stranger who wasn't invited comes inside with a jellyfish, she and her friends wish that nobody had bothered to come at all.
Edward Lee has written a really nasty and unforgiving novella that is a nice concept piece connected to the Infernal series. It's a brutal tale where disciples of Lucifer have to kidnap people down into hell for a brief time to torture and humiliate them for his entertainment. It's a simple idea with some very graphic and creative scenes of violence. It's a shocking and horrifying piece with a really satisfying ending. 8.5/10
A Very Bad Day in Hell:
John Holmes has always been a waste of space, a liar, and a fraud, all he's ever been good for is working in porn and having a huge cock. But now he's in trouble, a group of people want a good amount of hell notes from him, and all John can do is sell his cock. But today isn't going to be any ordinary day in hell, it's going to be his unlucky day.
Edward Lee has written a comedic story that is hilarious, outlandish, and awfully gruesome. Stories about a person having the worst day of their lives is a common trope, but combine it with the Infernal series, and you get something funny and disturbing. It's a gross little story with a couple of graphic scenes, but it still manages to be amusing. The ending however was quite a surprise but a terrific twist nonetheless. 9/10
6-Thirteen:
Westmore after getting contacted by a prostitute who participates in occult studies, is curious but in denial that he can indeed get pictures of a brief spatial shift to get evidence that hell actually exists. So, when a 7-Eleven is replaced by a 6-Thirteen he ends up getting more than he bargained for.
Edward Lee has written a fun and brilliant story, where two opportunists hope to get pictures taken from a spatial shift to become rich. It's a chaotic story with plenty of humor, graphic and brutal imagery, and a horrifying ending. I really enjoy the Infernal series but I do find the stories that link into that series can be very hit and miss, but this is by far one of the better ones! 9/10
The Bounce House:
Miles an arrogant sexist, son of a bitch has brought the largest bounce house on the market for his son's birthday. But when he and his wife Becky try it out before heading out to get their son's cake, they soon realize they're in for a nasty surprise.
I've already reviewed the original publication for this story, so if you want to read my thoughts here's my review. https://www.goodreads.com/review/show.... 1/10
The Jar:
Alex is an NFT artist and believes that digital will replace oils for good. Sombrack a billionaire and his girlfriend have hired him to produce pieces for his art collection. But when Alex is invited to look at a curious and horrifying collection of bizarre objects hidden within a vault, he soon realizes that something strange is going on here and it all has to do with a massive penis contained in a jar.
Edward Lee has written a fun story that has been specially produced for this collection. It's a very crude and eerie little piece with a fucked up ending. Sombrack and his girlfriend's relationship is disturbingly funny, but seeing just how mean-spirited they are towards one another at times is surprisingly quite unsettling. I should have seen the twist from a mile off, but I'm glad I didn't. It's not an amazing story, but it's fun. 8/10
Overall: 39.5/60
September 22, 2024
I was very pleasantly surprised to see that each of the stories has connections to the "Infernal" series.
August 15, 2025
Extreme horror and a little dark humor
November 16, 2025
great collection. My favourite was The Bounce House, it was brilliant.
December 7, 2025
Fun time as usual.
lol moments. Purposely absurd at points.
lol moments. Purposely absurd at points.
June 14, 2024
Loved it
I was sceptical at first about this read, only as I'm not a fan of short reads. But I should of known that a Mr Lee book would never let me down. This is filled with stories that only Mr Lee could write, with some horrendous details of death and destruction. My favourite of the stories was "Thirteen" where a sceptic is not only shown proof but was immersed in its truth. Amazing graphic stories, written to make you shudder. Recommended.
I was sceptical at first about this read, only as I'm not a fan of short reads. But I should of known that a Mr Lee book would never let me down. This is filled with stories that only Mr Lee could write, with some horrendous details of death and destruction. My favourite of the stories was "Thirteen" where a sceptic is not only shown proof but was immersed in its truth. Amazing graphic stories, written to make you shudder. Recommended.
June 25, 2024
Mr. Lee fails to ever disappoint! I loved this collection of short stories. They are sickening, vile, twisted, and wonderful! The Bounce House was my favorite! I don't think I laughed so hard in quite som time! If you are a fan of Lee, don't miss out on this little gem.
May 10, 2024
Great collection! I already read the Baby Shower in another collection The Obituaries, but it's a great reread and The Bounce house was awesome.
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews