Escape: A Disturb Ink Books Anthology

by H. Dair Brown, Meg Belviso, Cherie Mitchell

A temporary escape from reality or the ticket to a world of nightmares? Anything's possible on the silver scream.

Step through the curtains and into the shadows of a regal movie palace of the 1920s. Find your comfy seat and get ready to enjoy Escape, the first installment of the Sinister Century series by Disturb Ink Books. From the terrifying, looping reels of the human imagination, this collection captures terrors both familiar and unimaginable...

Can a young girl escape from her troubled home life with help from a ghostly woman on the silver screen?The anxieties of a young couple’s first date are about to be overshadowed as an unseen force stalks the theater.A night out at the cinema should be a respite from one couple’s chilly, brittle marriage, but appearances can be deceiving.A dream date in the opulent Upper Grand Theater ends in a young woman’s worst nightmare.

Get ready for an experience where every scene leads deeper into the dark land where monsters dwell.



Edited by H. Dair Brown, this anthology weaves together spine-chilling horror and thriller tales from acclaimed and emerging authors, Cherie Mitchell, Meg Belviso, F. Malanoche, and Jane Doring.



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Disturb Ink Books publishes fiction that lurks in the haunted land where gothic horror and psychological thrillers meet.

58 pages, Kindle Edition

Published September 9, 2024

About the author

I write dark, genre-blurring fiction where secrets and dark deeds rarely stay buried forever. My novels and stories contain wily characters moving through the hidden currents of decades past and present. I strive to craft stories that unsettle without chasing jump scares or gore for shock’s sake. If you’re drawn to stories that echo instead of scream, give my work a look.

In addition to writing, I also edit anthologies, curating collections of quiet horror, twisty thrillers, and literary suspense that bring together a wide range of voices. I love shaping volumes where each story sharpens and deepens the others.

Find me on BookBub, Pinterest, Substack, and ReamStories, or listen to my audiobooks free on YouTube.

Thanks for stepping into the shadows with me.

—Dair (rhymes with “scare”)

Reviews

[Milt Theo · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Escape (Scary Cinema_The 1920s)" is the first entry in the Sinister Century anthology series by Disturb Ink Books. As the title says, it's about films and cinema theatres in the 1920s, when movies were exclusively in black and white, if they had sound they were called "talkies," and theatres were a much more significant affair than today. The anthology exploits all of these themes, offering four terrific short stories full of atmosphere and insight into the social issues of the day, with completely satisfying endings. The first story, "The Girl Who Smiled" by Meg Belviso, is a very cruel tale about a father-daughter relationship, mediated through the daughter's visits to the cinema. It's literally about escaping, and, though I don't condone the morality of the ending, I was emotionally pleased with it. "‘Shadow Tracer" by F. Malanoche is equally cruel: a couple on a first date express their feelings for each other, blissfully unaware of their participating in a bloody creature feature. "Dressed to See" by Jane Doring, another tale about a couple's visit to the cinema (though this time they're married), is a very weird tale of cosmic horror (probably), delightfully creepy in its ambiguity. "Unscheduled Intermission" by Cherie Mitchell is a great story of cosmic horror, very similar to the second story, though much more sinister in its implications and with a totally different ending. The first and the last story were my favorites.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Rachel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Book 1 of the Sinister Century anthology series offers readers four enjoyable dark tales themed around movies in the 1920s.

The Girl Who Smiled by Meg Belviso - Ruby grew up in the city, raised more by the people on screen at the picture shows than the father that continually left her there as he went off on his own exploits. She starts to notice the same girl in all of the movies, and it eerily seems that the girl has noticed her, too, and taken an interest. Spooky, with a satisfying ending.

Shadow Tracer by F. Malanoche - sweet Amador takes the lovely Juana on a date, hoping the spark he feels is reciprocated. Unbeknownst to the couples in the theater, a shadowy specter floats among them. And it's hungry. Great atmosphere and suspense. 

Dressed to See by Jane Doring - Ethel gets all dressed up to be seen at a movie premiere, but she secretly doesn't want to watch the show. Perhaps she had a feeling that during the film, things in the audience would get a bit...strange? A fun little slice of weird horror.

Unscheduled Transmission by Cherie Mitchell - Trixie has snagged a movie date with wealthy catch Robert, making all the girls she knows jealous. But the monster movie he takes her to see ends up a bit too realistic for her liking. Enjoyable creature feature with a nice twist. 

[Katie B · Rating 4 out of 5]

First of all, I love this cover!

Secondly, I'm really enjoying the short '90 minute read' format with this series. It's so easy for themed anthologies to get repetitive after a while, but by utilizing only four or five quick stories, these books never get stale.

The 1920's cinema setting with a supernatural twist makes for a ton of fun, and each of the stories was creative and unique. I look forward to checking out the rest of the series.

[F. Malanoche · Rating 5 out of 5]

Escape is a collection of fascinating stories that all take place in the corners of matinees and theaters in the golden age of film. The stories are entertaining and dark against the glamorous backdrop of the 1920s. The contrasts make the book beautiful!.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.