Horror Over the Handlebars: A Yankee Scares Connecticut Horror Anthology

by Gevera Bert Piedmont, John Opalenik (editor), J.P. Behrens

Small, but Scary

Twenty-one carefully curated tales set in Connecticut span the gamut from dark fairy tale to possessed objects, from Dungeons & Dragons games that overlap into real life to aliens among us. Kids on bikes ride through these pages, confronting themselves, nature, and the general weirdness of Connecticut in the ’80s and ’90s.

Meet bullies, saviors, ghosts, weirdos, and sweethearts, dreamed into existence by some of the most innovative horror writers of Connecticut, and a chosen few from elsewhere.

INCLUDES STORIES BY: JP Behren * Warren Benedetto * Sasha Brown * Tom Deady * Agrimmeer DeMolay * Dale W. Glaser * Michael Gore * T.L. Guthrie * Charles Montgomery * Matt Moore * Tom Moran * Kurt Newton * Judith Pancoast * Joe Russell * Rob Smales * Benjamin Thomas * Margret A Treiber * M. Tyler Tuttle * Anne Woods

287 pages, Kindle Edition

Published June 13, 2024

About the author

Gevera Bert Piedmont is a neurodivergent cyborg swamp witch living on the edge of a frog pond in Connecticut with her spouse, cats, and an impressive collection of rubber lizards.

Bert has an MFA in creative writing and belongs to HWA, Connecticut Authors and Publishers Association, and New England Horror Writers.

Reviews

[Rebecca · Rating 5 out of 5]

“We were all kids on bikes once,” notes John Opalenik, referring in his foreword to the genesis of his collaboration with Gevera Bert Piedmont of Horror Over the Handlebars. In reading any of the tales the anthology offers, we are instantly transported back to that period when we didn’t have to come home until the streetlights came on. All of the stories in HOtH are spot on as far as the theme goes, but there are a handful that stood out as particularly strong. Tom Deady’s “Out There” is set during a meteor shower that is anything but picturesque. Dale W. Glaser’s “P.E.T.E.” is reminiscent of Stephen King’s Firestarter in all the best ways. Rob Smales’ “Nathan’s Night at Norwich” is a simultaneously sweet and unnerving exploration of tabloid ghoulies and urban legends.

If you were born in the 60s, 70s, 80s…hell, even the early 90s, PICK THIS ONE UP. It is a lovely bout of nostalgia peppered with chills, and as a proud (but aging) Gen X-er, I am grateful for the reprieve from 21st Century adulthood it offered me.

[H.J. Swinford · Rating 4 out of 5]

I know two of the authors in this book and that's super cool.

Overall this was a strong short story collection. Some were better than others, but I enjoyed myself!

[LO Loverun (A. Lavas Lead) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rating my experience: 4 out of 5

Overall, I really enjoyed Horror Over the Handlebars, which offers a solid range of takes on its theme. Several stories stood out to me. "19 Miles From Millstone, June 17th, 1988" follows Mollie and Grace venturing where they shouldn't. "Below The Surface, We Can Only Imagine" involves high school friends meeting at a flooded quarry where something else might be beneath the surface. "Biker Gang" takes place in a post-Hurricane Gloria neighborhood, where a young girl discovers something unique left by the storm. "Forever Children" digs into core childhood fears, while "Nathan's Night At Norwich" is like a fun 80s horror flick. There are plenty more great stories (apologies to those I didn't mention), but I'm writing this on my lunch break. My only criticism is that it's almost "too big of a meal" sometimes, and the recurring motif of kids on bikes, though it fits well with the 80s nostalgia, is mildly repetitive. That said, if you're into sometimes-cozy, East Coast horror, I recommend this anthology.

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