What do you think?
Rate this book
Bury Me Cold & More Last Words
An uncanny snowfall revives a cattleman’s dead wife—with terrible secrets from beyond to spill like blood.
A plague-like curse infects the memories of its victims, forcing them to go viral in an increasingly grisly fashion.
Twin sisters share a psychic link nothing can sever, not even the cold of the grave.
Curiosity lures two stepbrothers into an imaginary haunted house—and the eager arms of its very real sole occupant.
Infatuations. Trespasses. Abominations. Resurrections. Jacob Steven Mohr’s second volume of pitch-black fiction kicks over moss-covered rocks and shows us all the awful things that squirm beneath. In fourteen tales—including the titular “Bury Me Cold”—this collection is living, bleeding proof that when the lights go off, terror always gets the last word.
A plague-like curse infects the memories of its victims, forcing them to go viral in an increasingly grisly fashion.
Twin sisters share a psychic link nothing can sever, not even the cold of the grave.
Curiosity lures two stepbrothers into an imaginary haunted house—and the eager arms of its very real sole occupant.
Infatuations. Trespasses. Abominations. Resurrections. Jacob Steven Mohr’s second volume of pitch-black fiction kicks over moss-covered rocks and shows us all the awful things that squirm beneath. In fourteen tales—including the titular “Bury Me Cold”—this collection is living, bleeding proof that when the lights go off, terror always gets the last word.
- GenresHorror
289 pages, Kindle Edition
Published January 17, 2025
About the author
Jacob Steven Mohr
24 books57 followersJacob Steven Mohr does not believe in human consciousness; his works emerge as though from the ether, fully formed and fully ominous. Selections of these can be observed in Cosmic Horror Monthly, Shortwave Magazine, Chthonic Matter Quarterly, Weird Horror Magazine, and The Best Horror of the Year Vol. 15. He exists in Columbus OH. Follow him everywhere @jacobstevenmohr.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews
January 21, 2025
Bury Me Cold is a haunting collection that refuses to be restrained by genre. While I usually like collections that stick to a specific genre, I was swept away by Mohr's range. From eerie sentient planets to ancient plagues, this book is an adventure to read. I can't say the stories are entirely unrelated: I was surprised and thrilled to catch shared motifs threading the collection together.
I loved the epistolary elements sprinkled throughout. My favorite pieces leaned into this storytelling technique, making my reading experience feel more immersive.
Bury Me Cold is well-deserving of it's titular place. This Western gothic builds suspense with mysterious letters, uncertain allies, and creaks in the night. Come prepared for monsters both real and fantastical!
Truth Serum is another standout for me, possibly my favorite from this collection. I got a healthy dose of creepypasta and Internet lost media rabbithole nostalgia. I loved reading through discord messages and police reports to piece the danger together.
I could go on, but I'll limit myself to one more. The Judgement put me in mind of ancient Abrahamic histories with a flavor all its own. The literary excerpts add an interesting academic atmosphere.
Bury Me Cold is absolutely worth a read, especially if you enjoy a genre versatility. I'm so grateful I got a chance to check this ARC out for free. I'm leaving this review of my own accord.
I loved the epistolary elements sprinkled throughout. My favorite pieces leaned into this storytelling technique, making my reading experience feel more immersive.
Bury Me Cold is well-deserving of it's titular place. This Western gothic builds suspense with mysterious letters, uncertain allies, and creaks in the night. Come prepared for monsters both real and fantastical!
Truth Serum is another standout for me, possibly my favorite from this collection. I got a healthy dose of creepypasta and Internet lost media rabbithole nostalgia. I loved reading through discord messages and police reports to piece the danger together.
I could go on, but I'll limit myself to one more. The Judgement put me in mind of ancient Abrahamic histories with a flavor all its own. The literary excerpts add an interesting academic atmosphere.
Bury Me Cold is absolutely worth a read, especially if you enjoy a genre versatility. I'm so grateful I got a chance to check this ARC out for free. I'm leaving this review of my own accord.
January 17, 2025
A hugely inventive and impressive horror collection that kept me on my toes throughout. I loved the variety and experimentation with boi e and it delivers chills too!
Full review - https://www.runalongtheshelves.net/bl...
Full review - https://www.runalongtheshelves.net/bl...
November 12, 2024
A beautifully crafted collection with a nice variety of stories so that any horror reader will find something they absolutely love. Mohr has a way with quickly building interesting settings and realistic characters, which makes each story come alive and hook its claws into you immediately. My favorites include the titular "Bury Me Cold," which is a heart wrenching epistolary, "Truth Serum," a strange found fiction told in a brilliant experimental way, "Threads for Flies," which was genuinely scary to me (and I'm a horror veteran), and "Only Bodies Wanted," which was a page turner sci-fi horror piece. Overall a truly great collection that I highly recommend!
November 5, 2024
I struggled with the writing style slightly at times, although I can't put my finger on why, but this did not take away from the fact that these stories drew me in and compelled me to finish them. They were haunting and mesmerising and even at times when I was struggling to read them, I'd only have to stop and suddenly realise I was hooked and needed to finish.
All of the stories were different enough that I feel compelled to review them separately:
Empty shells on a cold shore - the use of story telling in the second person made this story more eerie than any other point of view. It really put me, the reader, in the story which made it more creepy and personalised.
The dear darling things - one of my least favourites, but an interesting idea.
Bury me cold - I really like this one. It felt very much like an old school gothic tale. A dark tale very calmly told in way that slowly built tension.
We all go down together - I needed more from this story. It was interesting and puzzling and the uncertainty of what was happening made it a tense read. I don't know what else I needed from it, but it felt like there was a bigger story to be told with this one.
Colour on the lure - this one was very good. Octopuses fascinate me as well as creep me out.
The judgement - this one was one of my favourites which surprised me as it is not something I would normally read. It had a solid world build with a great little twist.
You won't remember this - I loved this one. It was scary and had me hooked from the start. I agree with the author that this one works better as a short tale as opposed to a novella. It made it more unique.
Threads for flies - a good story that would make a great film. Even the writing style felt cinematic in style.
Bag work - solid story but not one of my favourites.
Truth serum - this one creeped me out more than I care to admit and I loved it. I'm not always a fan of the author putting theirselves into the story but on this occasion it works very well and adds to the fear factor. If the films Smile and The Ring had a baby, this would be the result.
The ones who got away - I loved this story, although there were a few things that confused me about it.
It doesn't give anything back - this was a good story that kept the tension well.
The gunman ouroboros - intriguing but slightly confusing story. Not one of my favourites.
Overall, a good collection of stories.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
All of the stories were different enough that I feel compelled to review them separately:
Empty shells on a cold shore - the use of story telling in the second person made this story more eerie than any other point of view. It really put me, the reader, in the story which made it more creepy and personalised.
The dear darling things - one of my least favourites, but an interesting idea.
Bury me cold - I really like this one. It felt very much like an old school gothic tale. A dark tale very calmly told in way that slowly built tension.
We all go down together - I needed more from this story. It was interesting and puzzling and the uncertainty of what was happening made it a tense read. I don't know what else I needed from it, but it felt like there was a bigger story to be told with this one.
Colour on the lure - this one was very good. Octopuses fascinate me as well as creep me out.
The judgement - this one was one of my favourites which surprised me as it is not something I would normally read. It had a solid world build with a great little twist.
You won't remember this - I loved this one. It was scary and had me hooked from the start. I agree with the author that this one works better as a short tale as opposed to a novella. It made it more unique.
Threads for flies - a good story that would make a great film. Even the writing style felt cinematic in style.
Bag work - solid story but not one of my favourites.
Truth serum - this one creeped me out more than I care to admit and I loved it. I'm not always a fan of the author putting theirselves into the story but on this occasion it works very well and adds to the fear factor. If the films Smile and The Ring had a baby, this would be the result.
The ones who got away - I loved this story, although there were a few things that confused me about it.
It doesn't give anything back - this was a good story that kept the tension well.
The gunman ouroboros - intriguing but slightly confusing story. Not one of my favourites.
Overall, a good collection of stories.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
January 1, 2025
Jacob Steven Mohr's "Bury Me Cold & More Last Words" is an excellent collection of thirteen short horror stories and four poems, with an astute introduction by Rae Knowles. The stories are of the weird Thomas Ligotti/Gemma Files/ Matthew Bartlett type, solidly grounded on mood, original ideas, and atmosphere. The sense of the uncanny throughout is very strong, irrespective of length or subject-matter.
Most of the stories have been published before, in anthologies and magazines (such as Cosmic Horror Monthly and Chthonic Matter Quarterly), and a couple are available on Godless. Three are original to this collection, and one of them, the titular "Bury Me Cold," is worth the price of admission alone: a horror western tale, suspenseful and creepy as well as deliciously disturbing, it narrates the gradual erosion of a family home by supernatural forces. The ending reminded me of "The Monkey's Paw," but Pet Sematary vibes can be felt everywhere within the story.
Almost all of the stories begin in the thick of things, and get weirder and weirder. The opening story, "Empty Shells on a Cold Shore," is exemplary of this slow dive into eerieness both for the use of the second person and the incredibly unsettling imagery of body and skin horror. "The judgement" is a dark fantasy tale of witches and evil kings; although I generally don't like any kind of fantasy, I found the story engaging and very well-done. My favorites, however, were "threads for Flies," a stunning tale of two young stepbrothers making an unsettling discovery through Google Maps, about their own neighborhood; "Bag Work," a superb Poe-inspired revenge story about prizefighters; and "Truth Serum," a sort of literary creepypasta reminiscent of the best nightmarish tales of that horror genre.
Finally, a story I really enjoyed without really "getting" it fully, was "The Ones Who Got Away": great imagery (a boy falls into a beached whale, he's immediately brought out and he's been dead for weeks), very creepy (an old couple almost haunting a father and his young son on vacation), but I could not figure out the kind of "evil" it was going on and on about.
In sum, if you like variety, and stories with great build up to instense moments of dread, this collection will be right up your alley!
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Most of the stories have been published before, in anthologies and magazines (such as Cosmic Horror Monthly and Chthonic Matter Quarterly), and a couple are available on Godless. Three are original to this collection, and one of them, the titular "Bury Me Cold," is worth the price of admission alone: a horror western tale, suspenseful and creepy as well as deliciously disturbing, it narrates the gradual erosion of a family home by supernatural forces. The ending reminded me of "The Monkey's Paw," but Pet Sematary vibes can be felt everywhere within the story.
Almost all of the stories begin in the thick of things, and get weirder and weirder. The opening story, "Empty Shells on a Cold Shore," is exemplary of this slow dive into eerieness both for the use of the second person and the incredibly unsettling imagery of body and skin horror. "The judgement" is a dark fantasy tale of witches and evil kings; although I generally don't like any kind of fantasy, I found the story engaging and very well-done. My favorites, however, were "threads for Flies," a stunning tale of two young stepbrothers making an unsettling discovery through Google Maps, about their own neighborhood; "Bag Work," a superb Poe-inspired revenge story about prizefighters; and "Truth Serum," a sort of literary creepypasta reminiscent of the best nightmarish tales of that horror genre.
Finally, a story I really enjoyed without really "getting" it fully, was "The Ones Who Got Away": great imagery (a boy falls into a beached whale, he's immediately brought out and he's been dead for weeks), very creepy (an old couple almost haunting a father and his young son on vacation), but I could not figure out the kind of "evil" it was going on and on about.
In sum, if you like variety, and stories with great build up to instense moments of dread, this collection will be right up your alley!
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
January 14, 2025
Thank you to BookSirens and Jacob Steven Mohr for allowing me to read the ARC of this book.
This collection of stories was an unexpected rollercoaster of emotions. Some of the stories I wasn’t too excited about whether it was the general story or the format (there was a string of seemingly tied poems throughout that I could have done without since, in my opinion, they didn’t particularly add to the collection ). A lot of stories ended in a vague sort of way to assumedly “leave the reader wanting more”, but in many of these stories those endings came off as having been left incomplete. Alternatively, there were some stories in here that were so immersive, so well written, and so horrifying that I couldn’t put them down. That’s what really brought my ranking up with this collection. While there were some stories that just weren’t for me, there were many others in here that are going to live in my head rent free. A few of my favorites were: Empty Shells on a Cold Shore, Bury Me Cold, We All Go Down Together, You Won’t Remember This, Threads for Flies, The Ones Who Got Away, and It Doesn’t Give Anything Back. This collection was insanely diverse and very well done. Truly no two stories felt very alike and each delves into a different horror genre. If you’re looking to test out a variety of horrors, look no further.
This collection of stories was an unexpected rollercoaster of emotions. Some of the stories I wasn’t too excited about whether it was the general story or the format (there was a string of seemingly tied poems throughout that I could have done without since, in my opinion, they didn’t particularly add to the collection ). A lot of stories ended in a vague sort of way to assumedly “leave the reader wanting more”, but in many of these stories those endings came off as having been left incomplete. Alternatively, there were some stories in here that were so immersive, so well written, and so horrifying that I couldn’t put them down. That’s what really brought my ranking up with this collection. While there were some stories that just weren’t for me, there were many others in here that are going to live in my head rent free. A few of my favorites were: Empty Shells on a Cold Shore, Bury Me Cold, We All Go Down Together, You Won’t Remember This, Threads for Flies, The Ones Who Got Away, and It Doesn’t Give Anything Back. This collection was insanely diverse and very well done. Truly no two stories felt very alike and each delves into a different horror genre. If you’re looking to test out a variety of horrors, look no further.
January 12, 2025
Okay so I might be partial to this author, I’ve read just about everything he has written and have truly loved it, and once again he’s hit it out of the park. I received an advanced copy of this and honestly if you are into a little bit of spooky pick this up. If you are into a little bit of subtle horror…pick this up. Heck if you just have an horror itch that can’t seem to be scratched by anything… then pick up this book!!! I don’t want to give anything away, but these stories scratched the itch that has been driving me insane when it’s come to short fiction that really satisfies.
You should really pick it up, or give it to a friend who just needs some stories to snuggle up into while creepy noises are coming from their basement.
You should really pick it up, or give it to a friend who just needs some stories to snuggle up into while creepy noises are coming from their basement.
January 27, 2025
What a great collection of horrible (in the spooky way) stories! With a wide range of tales set in the distant past, and a possibly all too real future, there is something for everyone who enjoys being too scared to sleep properly in this collection. Though I will mostly attribute the sleeplessness to "Truth Serum", one of the stories that is keeping me up at night just to avoid *the* dream. My favorite in the collection is a solid two way tie between the title story "Bury Me Cold" and "You Won't Remember This", which both resonate with me in different ways. Highly recommend you pick this up if you enjoy scaring yourself as your mind fills in around the gaps that Mohr purposely leaves you, as no one is better at spooking you than you.
March 26, 2025
One of my favorite recent horror collections. Mohr's writing is beautiful and often wonderfully rhythmic. The stories are creative, with unexpected endings, and Mohr is deft at building tension. Every story in this collection is wonderful, but I had a few favorites:
"Bury Me Cold" - I do not normally care much for the epistolary format (and this story isn't *entirely* told in letters), but this one really blew me away. The writing is particularly lovely, and the see-saw of present and past builds terrifying tension.
"We All Go Down Together" - This was just a marvelously weird story, well-told.
"Truth Serum" - This story is the most effective "found footage" short story I have ever encountered. Tension so powerful it was actually hypnotic.
"Bury Me Cold" - I do not normally care much for the epistolary format (and this story isn't *entirely* told in letters), but this one really blew me away. The writing is particularly lovely, and the see-saw of present and past builds terrifying tension.
"We All Go Down Together" - This was just a marvelously weird story, well-told.
"Truth Serum" - This story is the most effective "found footage" short story I have ever encountered. Tension so powerful it was actually hypnotic.
February 12, 2026
that was a really solid collection, i enjoyed it a lot! will have to check out more of this author's work later.
faves: titular bury me cold, the judgement, threads for flies, the ones who got away, it doesn't give anything back. (this makes 5 out of 14 because, as i said, i enjoyed this book a lot)
faves: titular bury me cold, the judgement, threads for flies, the ones who got away, it doesn't give anything back. (this makes 5 out of 14 because, as i said, i enjoyed this book a lot)
Read
October 27, 2024I loved this collection of horror stories. If you weren't afraid of the dark before, then you might be now. I would not read right before bed but then I'm also a bit of a fraidy cat. It's scary in all the right places and I am definitely looking forward to reading more by MOHR.
October 29, 2024
This is a good book!
The individual stories show a great variety (with "You Won't Remember This" having some traits similar to "Bury Me Cold").
Though being advertised as "cosmic horror", I don't really get that expected feeling of existential threat in most of the stories. In my opinion, the terms "strange horror/strange fiction" and "body horror" are more appropriate most of the time.
The writing is very convincing - beautiful language, and the author manages to both make us emotionally connect with the people and than deeply scare us in few pages each. The stories are dreamlike-strange, nighmarish, sometimes grimy, some scenes made me shudder in a good way at trying to imagine them.
The "Notes About These Stories" section reflects about a story "Only Bodies Wanted", which does not appear in the collection; clearly an editorial error (but in which direction?).
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
The individual stories show a great variety (with "You Won't Remember This" having some traits similar to "Bury Me Cold").
Though being advertised as "cosmic horror", I don't really get that expected feeling of existential threat in most of the stories. In my opinion, the terms "strange horror/strange fiction" and "body horror" are more appropriate most of the time.
The writing is very convincing - beautiful language, and the author manages to both make us emotionally connect with the people and than deeply scare us in few pages each. The stories are dreamlike-strange, nighmarish, sometimes grimy, some scenes made me shudder in a good way at trying to imagine them.
The "Notes About These Stories" section reflects about a story "Only Bodies Wanted", which does not appear in the collection; clearly an editorial error (but in which direction?).
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
November 3, 2024
What an awesomely crazy book!! I loved it! Looking forward to reading more!
October 3, 2024
I really enjoyed everything about this collection of horror stories, it had everything that I was looking for. Each story worked well in the universe and collection. I enjoyed the way Jacob Steven Mohr wrote this and left me wanting to read more. The cover was beautifully done and glad it worked well overall.
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.
January 3, 2025
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Bury Me Cold is an exceptional collection, and not simply because the stories contained within are of a superb quality; the sheer breadth of voice and degree of versatility make Mohr and infinitely readable author. Whatever you like, he’ll serve it up to you, and likely with a wrinkle or twist you will appreciate but not expect. He mangles the realistic and the surreal, presenting each as smeared palette that is nonetheless aesthetically pleasing.
Despite the diversity of its themes and stories, what holds the collection together is Mohr’s ability to, like ink spilled into water, abruptly birth discomfort from the mundane, and to develop a rich, chameleonic voice over a short span. Couple this with his and natural creative instincts, and you have a superb collection. Not a single story in this Bury Me Cold misses, and if you couple this with the idea that there’s minimal thematic or situation overlap, that’s a truly impressive feat.
Full review: https://www.voguehorror.com/books/boo...
Bury Me Cold is an exceptional collection, and not simply because the stories contained within are of a superb quality; the sheer breadth of voice and degree of versatility make Mohr and infinitely readable author. Whatever you like, he’ll serve it up to you, and likely with a wrinkle or twist you will appreciate but not expect. He mangles the realistic and the surreal, presenting each as smeared palette that is nonetheless aesthetically pleasing.
Despite the diversity of its themes and stories, what holds the collection together is Mohr’s ability to, like ink spilled into water, abruptly birth discomfort from the mundane, and to develop a rich, chameleonic voice over a short span. Couple this with his and natural creative instincts, and you have a superb collection. Not a single story in this Bury Me Cold misses, and if you couple this with the idea that there’s minimal thematic or situation overlap, that’s a truly impressive feat.
Full review: https://www.voguehorror.com/books/boo...
January 26, 2025
The title and cover of this story collection grabbed me, since they both evoke imagery of winter-themed horror. This anthology is an intriguing combination of horror stories and poetry. My favorite stories were "The Dear Darling Things," "Bury Me Cold," "Bag Work," and "Only Bodies Wanted" - both the title story and "Only Bodies Wanted" were highlights that could be lengthened to novellas or even novels. Mohr's stories are stronger than his poetry, which veers more toward the abstract. In the same vein, the cosmic horror didn't grab me as much as the other stories. That being said, I really enjoyed the more experimental stories, particularly the ones written in second person or using mixed media/genres. I'm glad I picked this up and will keep an eye out for Mohr's short fiction.
Thanks to Quill & Crow and BookSirens for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Thanks to Quill & Crow and BookSirens for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
December 28, 2024
I really enjoyed most of the stories in this book (only the last one didn't work for me at all), which turned out to be a solid, entertaining and really chilling collection. And although all the stories can be classified as horror, they are quite varied: a western, ghosts, a mad doctor, possessions, echoes of Lovecraft, a mysterious house… definitely something for any horror fan. Among my favorite pieces were “Bury Me Cold”, “Threads of Flies” and “You Won't Remember This”. I had already read a few of Jacob Steven Mohr’s previous stories (as the excellent “1855”) and I knew he was a promising writer, but after reading this collection I think he’s not just a promise but already a reality and one of the most interesting new writers in the genre.
May 8, 2025
I discovered Jacob Steven Mohr through his short fiction. His pieces were standouts in various anthologies I'd read. When I saw that he was releasing a collection, I had to get it. Wow. This is brain food for the discerning reader, and everyone else who appreciates original stories that make you think, and that scare you in equal measure. This stuff is brilliant. And the foreword by Rae Wilde is beautifully written.
My favourites...
~The Judgment (genius, and the writing is mindblowing)
~Bag Work (brilliant, perfectly plotted revenge)
~Truth Serum (astonishing)
~Only Bodies Wanted (yikes)
~The Ones Who Got Away (so original)
I loved every word of this stunning collection. The writing is superlative.
Very highly recommended.
My favourites...
~The Judgment (genius, and the writing is mindblowing)
~Bag Work (brilliant, perfectly plotted revenge)
~Truth Serum (astonishing)
~Only Bodies Wanted (yikes)
~The Ones Who Got Away (so original)
I loved every word of this stunning collection. The writing is superlative.
Very highly recommended.
February 6, 2025
Full disclosure I'm friends with the author, but I doubt that would change my POV on this book. Mohr does an excellent job as with the rest of his short fiction of not showing you everything, of walking you right up to the edge of a horror and making you imagine it yourself. From a revenant on the other side of a door or a monster descending a staircase, so many of these stories sit with you because they go for dread over easy scares. "Threads for Flies" is a particular standout, about a kids who find their way into a haunted house that only appears on Google Maps.
May 28, 2025
Bury Me Cold & More Last Words is my first Jacob Steven Mohr read - it's clear that Mohr is excellent in his craft. The voice of these stories was finely tuned and that of an experienced writer.
Many of these stories reminded me of short stories I read in university, the ones you break down and discuss every fine detail. So much subtext and undertone to these shorts, and I do believe a lot can be pulled from these stories and dissected to draw different meaning for each reader.
For some reason, I felt like almost all of these stories were "manly" in the sense that I didn't quite connect to most of the characters and their reasons behind their actions, but this is not a negative critique, I should make that clear.
My favourite short stories in this collection have to be "The Ones Who Got Away" and "Only Bodies Wanted".
Many of these stories reminded me of short stories I read in university, the ones you break down and discuss every fine detail. So much subtext and undertone to these shorts, and I do believe a lot can be pulled from these stories and dissected to draw different meaning for each reader.
For some reason, I felt like almost all of these stories were "manly" in the sense that I didn't quite connect to most of the characters and their reasons behind their actions, but this is not a negative critique, I should make that clear.
My favourite short stories in this collection have to be "The Ones Who Got Away" and "Only Bodies Wanted".
Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews