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Horror In The Highlands: Collected Horrors From The Ozarks
"Deeply atmospheric and evocative, Beauchamp provides a consistently dark and foreboding collection that drips with Southern Gothic" - Ryan Thomas Labee, author of Killing My Flesh Without You, and Editor-In-Chief of Pyre Magazine.
"Beauchamp is a masterful weaver of horrors who works in prose the way Bosch and Goya work in oils. The Ozarks are teeming with unfathomable, long-forgotten terrors great and small, and the Missouri author will ensure they're all embedded in your psyche by the time you've read Horror In The Highlands"- Jon Steffens, author of God In The Hills
Coming home to seek solace in the isolated foothills of a land he thought he knew, a Vietnam veteran finds only madness...
A boy turned feral from growing up alone among the gorges and hollers stumbles upon a mysterious fungus with terrifying properties...
His son dying of cancer, a desperate father turns to mountain medicine to save him, but the cure he seeks always comes at a cost...
Often overshadowed by their smoky cousins to the east, the Ozark Mountains hide within its verdant, dome-shaped hills abominations and horrors that have spawned countless generations of folk tales and campfire stories.
Ozark native Richard Beauchamp takes us on a haunting tour of his stomping grounds with this collection of stories centered around those seemingly bucolic foothills to reveal a rich, untold history written in blood.
"Beauchamp is a masterful weaver of horrors who works in prose the way Bosch and Goya work in oils. The Ozarks are teeming with unfathomable, long-forgotten terrors great and small, and the Missouri author will ensure they're all embedded in your psyche by the time you've read Horror In The Highlands"- Jon Steffens, author of God In The Hills
Coming home to seek solace in the isolated foothills of a land he thought he knew, a Vietnam veteran finds only madness...
A boy turned feral from growing up alone among the gorges and hollers stumbles upon a mysterious fungus with terrifying properties...
His son dying of cancer, a desperate father turns to mountain medicine to save him, but the cure he seeks always comes at a cost...
Often overshadowed by their smoky cousins to the east, the Ozark Mountains hide within its verdant, dome-shaped hills abominations and horrors that have spawned countless generations of folk tales and campfire stories.
Ozark native Richard Beauchamp takes us on a haunting tour of his stomping grounds with this collection of stories centered around those seemingly bucolic foothills to reveal a rich, untold history written in blood.
257 pages, Kindle Edition
Published April 19, 2024
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162 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 24 of 24 reviews
April 6, 2024
Horror in the Highlands by Richard Beauchamp
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫
Beauchamp keeps on getting better and better. This is a self-published collection, which makes it even more impressive. In this Lovecraft-meets-Barron collection, Beauchamp unleashes ten tales that are unapologetically macabre, unsettling, and riveting. A must-read for fans of the weird, the cosmic, and the occult.
May 27, 2024
This was a pretty interesting collection. All of the stories were of a tales being told around a campfire flare. It concerns the horror that takes place in the backwoods and hollers of America. The stories kind of give me the same feel as the Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark series.
April 19, 2024
This short story collection delivers exactly what the title promises, no more no less: an assortment of short horror tales, drawn from Ozark lore, thick with rural atmosphere and heavy in local idioms and attitude. It's essentially a collection of ten tales of folk horror, told with authenticity and stellar storytelling skills. They're all enjoyable, suspenseful, and fast-paced. My favorites were the opening story, "The Blight At Bull's Gap," a real page-turner of a story, about racism, revenge, and deception; "Dirty Thirty," about family troubles and their solution; and the closing story, "Viridian," a depraved tale of carnage set deep in the woods. Special mention should be made of Mike Harper's illustrations: truly creepy pieces of work!
August 22, 2024
I enjoyed this book of short horror "mythology" stories from the Ozark region. The stories were enjoyable and the author did a great job at putting them together on paper. The drawings included were also a neat addition for each story. Some of the stories might be a little much for those with a week stomach, but for those who do not, i recommend this book.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
September 16, 2024
This collection of Ozark horror was an absolute delight. The author is very obviously intimately familiar with the setting and the lore of the area. Nothing felt out of place or awkwardly forced. The writing was picturesque while still feeling authentic in regards to the characters. The land itself felt like its own character in many of these stories.
October 15, 2024
Wow! Really good writing his stories
April 6, 2024
Notes from a Decaying Millennial:
I received an ARC of this book from the author, in exchange for an honest review
This is not a Paid Review
-
Horror in the Highlands - Collected Horrors of the Ozarks is the latest work from author Richard Beauchamp. We the readers are given a personal invitation to experience a region that the author knows intimately. The deep connection the author has with the Ozarks are made clear through prose describing areas and details of the Ozarks, with a familiarity akin to him talking about his right arm or his face.
This is not a mere collection of stories that the author has set in a specific region. With each story you delve deeper and deeper into a place where the air is heavy with history. The stories are not solitary paths, but like the vast cave systems and the waterways of the Ozarks, are all connected.
As you read each new tale, Beauchamp finds new and creative ways to stab you in the gut with terror and a growing sense of High Strangeness, and more than once mercilessly breaking our hearts. The Stories weave together, moving through different eras. Themes of Cosmic Horror, Folk Magic, and the many “haints and boogers” are worked into this collection. The effect on the reader, when the scale and scope is realized is sudden and powerful. It’s the difference between viewing an accumulated mass of cloth, and realizing what is before is a Quilt of massive size, the colors and patterns of the patches blending together in such a way that your gut clenches and your eyes refuse to look directly at it. Dark Thread, the color blood and pain running ties this work together. Beauchamp does not shy away from what that thread represents. The Horrors wrought by humans, by colonizers. The devastation visited on the environment, and the cruelties and hatred visited on people. The Illustrations by Michael Harper, that introduce each tale, rich and attention grabbing.
Beauchamp writes with a deep love for his home. At a surface level I am reminded of the way Lovecraft wrote about his home in Maine. That’s where the similarity ends. The Horror that the author writes, comes not from a fear to accept his homes history, but from embracing it.
I received an ARC of this book from the author, in exchange for an honest review
This is not a Paid Review
-
Horror in the Highlands - Collected Horrors of the Ozarks is the latest work from author Richard Beauchamp. We the readers are given a personal invitation to experience a region that the author knows intimately. The deep connection the author has with the Ozarks are made clear through prose describing areas and details of the Ozarks, with a familiarity akin to him talking about his right arm or his face.
This is not a mere collection of stories that the author has set in a specific region. With each story you delve deeper and deeper into a place where the air is heavy with history. The stories are not solitary paths, but like the vast cave systems and the waterways of the Ozarks, are all connected.
As you read each new tale, Beauchamp finds new and creative ways to stab you in the gut with terror and a growing sense of High Strangeness, and more than once mercilessly breaking our hearts. The Stories weave together, moving through different eras. Themes of Cosmic Horror, Folk Magic, and the many “haints and boogers” are worked into this collection. The effect on the reader, when the scale and scope is realized is sudden and powerful. It’s the difference between viewing an accumulated mass of cloth, and realizing what is before is a Quilt of massive size, the colors and patterns of the patches blending together in such a way that your gut clenches and your eyes refuse to look directly at it. Dark Thread, the color blood and pain running ties this work together. Beauchamp does not shy away from what that thread represents. The Horrors wrought by humans, by colonizers. The devastation visited on the environment, and the cruelties and hatred visited on people. The Illustrations by Michael Harper, that introduce each tale, rich and attention grabbing.
Beauchamp writes with a deep love for his home. At a surface level I am reminded of the way Lovecraft wrote about his home in Maine. That’s where the similarity ends. The Horror that the author writes, comes not from a fear to accept his homes history, but from embracing it.
June 19, 2024
"Horror In the Highlands - Collected Horrors From The Ozarks" is an outright showstopper of Southern Gothic frightfulness that cleared out me absolutely captivated from begin to wrap up. Richard Beauchamp's narrating ability is unparalleled, weaving stories that are profoundly unsettling however oddly lovely in their haziness.
The collection drenches perusers into the ghostly scenes of the Ozark Mountains, where each story unfurls like a chilling disclosure of the region's covered up fear. Beauchamp's exposition is luxuriously climatic, bringing out a sense of fear that waits long after the final page is turned. His capacity to mix old stories with modern horrors is commendable, making a story embroidered artwork that feels both ageless and exasperatingly pertinent.
What struck me most was Beauchamp's command over dialect and symbolism. Like a gifted painter, he strikingly delineates the frequented foothills and their inhabitants, whether human or otherworldly. Each story may be a confirmation to his authority of anticipation and the grotesque, making "Horror In the Highlands" a must-read for any fan of scholarly frightfulness.
Additionally, the collection's differing qualities in topics and characters guarantees there's something for each frightfulness aficionado. From old curses to modern-day franticness, Beauchamp investigates the darkest corners of human nature and the extraordinary with break even with artfulness.
In conclusion, "Horror In the Highlands" is more than just a book; it's a travel into the heart of fear, made by a essayist at the tallness of his powers. I profoundly prescribe this collection to anybody who pines for spine-tingling stories that wait within the intellect long after the lights go out. Plan to be frequented, excited, and totally entranced by Richard Beauchamp's chilling stories from the Ozarks.
The collection drenches perusers into the ghostly scenes of the Ozark Mountains, where each story unfurls like a chilling disclosure of the region's covered up fear. Beauchamp's exposition is luxuriously climatic, bringing out a sense of fear that waits long after the final page is turned. His capacity to mix old stories with modern horrors is commendable, making a story embroidered artwork that feels both ageless and exasperatingly pertinent.
What struck me most was Beauchamp's command over dialect and symbolism. Like a gifted painter, he strikingly delineates the frequented foothills and their inhabitants, whether human or otherworldly. Each story may be a confirmation to his authority of anticipation and the grotesque, making "Horror In the Highlands" a must-read for any fan of scholarly frightfulness.
Additionally, the collection's differing qualities in topics and characters guarantees there's something for each frightfulness aficionado. From old curses to modern-day franticness, Beauchamp investigates the darkest corners of human nature and the extraordinary with break even with artfulness.
In conclusion, "Horror In the Highlands" is more than just a book; it's a travel into the heart of fear, made by a essayist at the tallness of his powers. I profoundly prescribe this collection to anybody who pines for spine-tingling stories that wait within the intellect long after the lights go out. Plan to be frequented, excited, and totally entranced by Richard Beauchamp's chilling stories from the Ozarks.
April 18, 2024
From haints and boogers to witches, ancient gods, granny women, and cryptids, whatever your favorite flavor of horror is, Richard Beauchamp provides it with his latest collection, albeit with his unique and brilliant style. Horror in the Highlands: Volume One: The Low, Dark Places collects ten short stories that dive into the darkness lurking within the hills and hollers of the Ozarks. Beauchamp beautifully blends local folklore with cosmic and human horrors to create a tapestry of terror that feels like the natural and inevitable progression of the early practitioners of this style of writing, such as Algernon Blackwood and Wade Wellman. Deeply atmospheric and evocative, Beauchamp provides a consistently dark and foreboding collection that drips with Southern Gothic. With a palpable sense of dread on every page that builds throughout each story, his vivid writing style is reminiscent of Cormac McCarthy and William Gay mixed with the eldritch horror of H.P. Lovecraft. Many readers will come to Horror in the Highlands for the scares but will stay for the psychological depths and exploration of the darkest corners of the human heart, which Beauchamp provides in copious amounts. This is a collection every horror reader and writer will want to pick up and have on their shelves. I personally cannot wait for Volume Two or whatever else Richard has up his oh-so-talented sleeves next.
August 2, 2024
Have you ever wandered deep into the woods and wondered if maybe you’d crossed into a place beyond reality? Have you heard trees whisper in the dark; heard a brook laugh at your insignificance in the grand scheme of the universe? Have you ever stood on a quiet road through the woods and felt something watching you back? Then Horror in the Hills is going to be right up your alley. Richard Beauchamp has a gift for building eerie atmosphere and stomach-churning revulsion, and he uses both to weave his dark and haunting tales in this collection. My personal favorites were “The Howler,” “Old Winona,” “Dirty Thirty,” and the pairing of the starting and ending stories: “Blight at Bull’s Gap” and “Viridian,” which brings the reader back in a beautifully warped circle. What’s more, however, is that throughout these dark and mesmerizing stories, I could sense the deep love and affection that Beauchamp has for the Ozarks, for their sylvan beauty and the scabrous remnants of expired industries. This collection will leave a lovely paradox in your mind: both a desire to visit these ancient wilds, and a deep terror if you do, these eldritch spaces will never let you go.
April 23, 2024
There is a blight upon these hills. Right from the start in the introduction, you are let in on the fact that you’re in for a wild ride.
Within the first story alone you see examples of the worst that people can do to others, based on prejudice.
From there Beauchamp weaves tales of magic, old gods, monsters (both human and non), guilt, revenge, comeuppance, regret, carnage and so much more.
His obvious love for his home area and its rich history and tales comes through strong throughout.
Every tale gives us the readers something new to ponder on, and I found the whole book to be very entertaining and engrossing. Beauchamp does an excellent job of making all his characters fully realized, along with their individual tales, putting you right inside them as if you’re there hearing the first hand accounts yourself.
If you are a fan of things like Wrong Turn, Old Gods of Appalachia, or just a good back woods yarn, then this is for you. I, for one, thoroughly enjoyed this.
Within the first story alone you see examples of the worst that people can do to others, based on prejudice.
From there Beauchamp weaves tales of magic, old gods, monsters (both human and non), guilt, revenge, comeuppance, regret, carnage and so much more.
His obvious love for his home area and its rich history and tales comes through strong throughout.
Every tale gives us the readers something new to ponder on, and I found the whole book to be very entertaining and engrossing. Beauchamp does an excellent job of making all his characters fully realized, along with their individual tales, putting you right inside them as if you’re there hearing the first hand accounts yourself.
If you are a fan of things like Wrong Turn, Old Gods of Appalachia, or just a good back woods yarn, then this is for you. I, for one, thoroughly enjoyed this.
May 11, 2024
Richard Beauchamp entices you with his introduction, as if he were seating you next to a cozy fire. As his masterful storytelling unfolds, you’re buckled in, a voyeur’s seat to a wonderful sampling of southern gothic folk horror. Ten creepy legends that seem pulled from the bowels of America’s heartland by this Ozark native. Each story is delightfully disturbing in its own way. As soon as I finished the book, I had to go right back to the second story, God in the Holler, to read it again. I can’t detail the desperate tragedy of it without giving it away, but it’s that kind of story that sticks with you. The entire collection is captivating and satisfying. A thoroughly enjoyable read!
April 2, 2024
This was such a fun book to read. I enjoy collection's of short stories. But when an author connects multiple stories within a collection, well thats super cool. This book did this beautifully. I definitely felt like I was in the movie " the hills have eyes" and could almost hear the banjo's playing. I loved how the speaking was written to give that feeling that you were actually there. Im looking forward to reading more from this author.
August 30, 2024
This was a nice change in horror for me!
This was a nice little mix of scary stories and some folk lore. It gave me a refreshing break from the normal extreme horror that I read. This collection isn’t gore but has nice scary campfire stories. The story that stood out for me the most has been God in the Holler. It’s a take about a boy with cancer whose father takes great lengths in order to make him feel better. This story will more than likely stay with me for a long time!
This was a nice little mix of scary stories and some folk lore. It gave me a refreshing break from the normal extreme horror that I read. This collection isn’t gore but has nice scary campfire stories. The story that stood out for me the most has been God in the Holler. It’s a take about a boy with cancer whose father takes great lengths in order to make him feel better. This story will more than likely stay with me for a long time!
April 19, 2024
Ten short stories blend horror and humor against the mysterious backdrop of the Missouri Ozarks. These tales delve into the eerie secrets of the backwoods, which should or should not be revealed. The book concludes with a clever twist that I found satisfying. This is both an entertaining and chilling read that I thoroughly enjoyed.
October 31, 2025
a collection of short horror stories from deep in the woods of the Ozarks.
I was looking for something spooky along the line of Appalachian folklore. the first story did not dissapoint! however all the stories after that were a struggle. the writing was odd and at times difficult to follow. I really wanted to enjoy this one. but it wasn't for me
I was looking for something spooky along the line of Appalachian folklore. the first story did not dissapoint! however all the stories after that were a struggle. the writing was odd and at times difficult to follow. I really wanted to enjoy this one. but it wasn't for me
April 4, 2024
This was a great collection of creepy tales, and as a fan of Appalachian horror this was right up my ally. Well written and interesting. A short read that will be added to the few books I do re-read from time to time.
April 18, 2024
Maybe im an overthinker but these were not just horror stories, these were real things that happened in someones life(maybe the author) and turned into palatable horror stories to help let some stuff off the chest. At least thats how it read. Good satisfying read.
April 3, 2024
Wow what a collection of stories which will shock you and maybe even scare you. Follow each of them to see how they will get on. Brilliant work
April 21, 2024
There are many horrors around some you don't see until it's to late.
May 3, 2024
Loved it… TBC
October 12, 2024
I really enjoyed these ten well-crafted tales of backwoods horror. Beauchamp does an amazing job of creating atmosphere and tension and hits with the gory, nasty bits at just the right time.
June 11, 2025
Love love
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
June 1, 2024
I spent a lot of my childhood in the Ozark mountains, and have always been intrigued by the myths and legends of the area. So I jumped on a chance to read and review Beauchamps's Horror in the Highlands, a collection of horror stories set in the Ozarks.
I was drawn in by the quality of the writing and the authenticity and detail in the descriptions of the area. My three favorites were:
The Howler-This one had an amazing monster. I love the description of it; it was horrifying, but I felt for it too.
Ol Winona-Some more delightfully horrifying imagery. Beauchamp really succeeds in that area. I always love a good story of a bad guy getting his just desserts.
Ride the Lightening-A moonshiner delivers some special shine to a weird cult in the woods, and chaos ensues. This story is wild, with more of Beauchamps's vivid imagery and writing.
Horror in the Highlands is a must read for horror fans familiar with the Ozarks. You really feel like you're there when you're reading this one. And if you're not familiar with the Ozarks, it's still an exceptionally written and solid collection. I really recommend this.'
Content warnings for animal death in some of these stories.
I received a free copy of this in exchange for an honest review.
I was drawn in by the quality of the writing and the authenticity and detail in the descriptions of the area. My three favorites were:
The Howler-This one had an amazing monster. I love the description of it; it was horrifying, but I felt for it too.
Ol Winona-Some more delightfully horrifying imagery. Beauchamp really succeeds in that area. I always love a good story of a bad guy getting his just desserts.
Ride the Lightening-A moonshiner delivers some special shine to a weird cult in the woods, and chaos ensues. This story is wild, with more of Beauchamps's vivid imagery and writing.
Horror in the Highlands is a must read for horror fans familiar with the Ozarks. You really feel like you're there when you're reading this one. And if you're not familiar with the Ozarks, it's still an exceptionally written and solid collection. I really recommend this.'
Content warnings for animal death in some of these stories.
I received a free copy of this in exchange for an honest review.
Displaying 1 - 24 of 24 reviews