The Rack: Stories Inspired by Vintage Horror Paperbacks

by Tom Deady (Editor), Will Errickson (Introduction), Max Booth III

It's 1980 and you have three crisp dollar bills in your pocket. You run to the drugstore, or maybe the supermarket, because you know The Rack will be there, waiting... that black wire rack, tempting you with the latest and best horror paperbacks and their lurid covers.

You spin it slowly, ignoring the grating squeaks that try to warn you of the dangers The Rack holds. You shiver as you take in the glossy covers: gothic mansions cloaked in fog, bulging eyes on blood-soaked faces, and all the creepy dolls you could ever wish for. You weigh the possibilities, pondering which nightmare to select, the vengeful vampire, the werewolf, demonic children, or perhaps parasitic insects?

It doesn't matter because The Rack will beckon to you long after the last page is turned. The Rack always contains new tales of terror by today's masters of horror. And The Rack is never done with you.

The twenty stories you're holding are throwbacks to those golden years of horror, presented to you by today's brightest stars in the genre. Giant spiders, haunted books, swarms of cicadas, killer bears, chemical spills, and so many more chronicles of carnage and camp await you.

And did we mention the creepy dolls?

So go ahead... spin The Rack, if you dare.

But don't say we didn't warn you.

Genres: Horror, Short Stories, Anthologies, Fiction, Adult, Halloween, Paranormal

414 pages, Paperback

First published September 3, 2024

About the author

Tom Deady's first novel, HAVEN, won the 2016 Bram Stoker Award for Superior Achievement in a First Novel. He has since published several novels and novellas. He has a Master's Degree in English and Creative Writing and is a member of both the Horror Writers Association and the New England Horror Writers Association. He resides in Arizona where he is working on his next novel.
Be sure to follow Tom on BookBub for the latest on sales: https://www.bookbub.com/profile/tom-d...

Reviews

[Peter · Rating 4 out of 5]

Anyone remembering the paperback rack in the supermarket? I do and this anthology brings back the time and is reminiscing those horror tales in a perfect way: My favorites were The Raft by Stephen King, Fuzzy Slippers by Jeff Strand, Irish Eyes by Bridgett Nelson (Citrisa literally sucked the life out of Zane), A Nightmare on Elm Lane by Richard Chizmar (everybody thought about Elm Street here) and Philip Fracassi's The Visitor (what an eerie mission for an exorcist). All stories were outstanding but those mentioned absolutely did it for me. Good to see that some authors remember the heydays of horror. The Rack was a vital part of it. Highly recommended!

[Benji's Books · Rating 3 out of 5]

A horror anthology I discovered on Kindle Unlimited, which serves as a collection of stories inspired by the age of horror paperbacks, found on "the Rack", a spinning shelf found in supermarkets, full of different worlds by different creators, most popular in the 1970s and 80s.

There were some hits and there were some misses, as with every anthology, but overall, a good collection. I didn't really get a "horror paperback" feel from most of these, but it was still a decent collection, nonetheless.

I might check out the Rack II once that releases...

[Horror Bookworm Reviews · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Horror Bookworm Recommendation
The Rack edited by Tom Deady
https://horrorbookwormreviews.com/

- A man takes on the task of clearing out and settling an estate. However, when his dark secret is revealed, a large collection of dolls within the home have other plans.

- When a couple decide to camp overnight at Reaper’s Bluff, they unintentionally encounter a “mad doctor’s” creation. Straight out of a 1950’s B-movie creature feature, the bizarre events following the confrontation is an unforgettable fight or flight experience.

- Sixty-two year old Agnes receives the perfect birthday gift. A set of bright orange colored fuzzy slippers. Be that as it may, when the slippers begin to violently growl, bite and eat, survival to see her next birthday begins.

The Rack, edited by Tom Deady, is a collection of stories inspired by Vintage Horror Paperbacks. These golden age mass market paperbacks from the late sixties to the early nineties were a dominate staple in horror fiction. This anthology pays homage to these wonderful paperbacks from hell.

From a not-so innocent raft lying on a calm lake to a beautiful silver-haired succubus to a heavy clawed creature seeking fleshy-food, these stories all share the common denominator of creating that old-school feeling of fear. Included is an all-star cast of authors: Ronald Malfi, Jeff Strand, Stephen King, Bridgett Nelson, Candace Nola, Laurel Hightower, Max Booth III, Rebecca Rowland, Richard Chizmar and Clay McLeod just to name a few. Damn, talk about a greatest hits album!

Strange and creepy, these talented authors string the written word together in a glorious terrifying way that will touch the heart of every horror fan. Offerings include creature features, paranormal ghosts, haunted houses, religious rituals and the worst horrors that nature has to offer, they all hide within the dark shadows of The Rack. I can already see those gruesome covers and smell those faded pages.

I have to give a shout out to Larry Hinkle, Errick Nunnally, Gwendolyn Kiste and Steve Van Samson for making the back of my neck tingle. Wow! Amazing stories! And Rebecca Rowland for incorporating Judas Priest’s Better By You, Better Than Me into her eerie tale of terror. Horns up my friend! My favorite quote from The Rack comes from author Christa Carmen…”it’ll only hurt for a second”…

Thank you Tom Deady for giving life to this monster of an anthology. Fellow readers, spin that dime-store paperback rack and fall in love with old-school horror again, I did. A five star ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Horror Bookworm Recommendation.

[Brendon Lowe · Rating 4 out of 5]

Solid anthology of horror stories inspired by the pulpy 80s horror novels. There was not one story in this that I disliked. I think the lowest score I gave was 2.5 stars. The majority of these were 4 stars and a few 4.5 as well. We got big names in this and some lesser known indie authors as well. It's great to see the lesser names who I have been following for a while and get into a collection like this.

I will update this soon with my top stories from the collection, but it's well worth your time as it has a variety of horror elements used.

[Daniel · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.25 stars ...

This was super fun ...
most tales 4.0 - 4.5 stars.
By comparison, I was reading
'Bizarre of Bad Dreams' by Stephen King
simultaneously with this one.
This was considerably more enjoyable overall.

Bonus ...
I found some new authors to further explore!😁

[Stay Fetters · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Sweat poured from his jowls as the fists of a hundred dolls rained down upon the door to the attic."

I used to hate going to the grocery store as a kid. I would grumble and drag myself in, feeling like it was torture. But then one day, everything changed. I spotted a spinning rack filled with amazing, blood-dripping paperbacks that seemed to light up from the depths of hell. From that moment on, I became a fan of going shopping. I would spend my allowance on these beloved horror tales, slowly spinning the rack and devouring all the gory covers. It's a fond memory that I'll never forget.

As soon as I saw the cover of this book, I knew I had to have it. If you're a fan of bizarre horror paperbacks or just love horror in general, I highly recommend buying this book. The stories are fantastic and some even sent shivers down my spine. From creepy dolls to bones in the yard and prank phone calls, these stories don't disappoint. While some were better than others, overall, they make a great collection.

[Madeline · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent, nostalgic, and not a weak link in the chain. My favorites are from Cynthia Pelayo, Errick Nunnally, Max Booth III, Rebecca Rowland, and especially Richard Chizmar (because I am a sucker for stories where the remains of dead people are discovered on someone's property. Don't judge me!)

[Alan · Rating 5 out of 5]

The title says it all. This anthology contains modern day tales (plus a vintage Stephen King story) inspired by the horror paperbacks from the 70s and 80s, often found in the old style turning book racks. Inside are unimaginable monsters, scientific experiments gone wrong, salacious serial killers and more. Some authors mimicked the style in current day stories, while others placed theirs squarely in the time period. As with any anthology, some entries were better or more effective than others, but there wasn't a dud among the bunch. While a few stood out for me, my favorite was definitely the incredibly chilling "White Pages" by Clay McLeod Chapman. And that cover was just perfection! 4.5 of 5*

[Yolanda Sfetsos · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was lucky enough to get an ARC of this awesome and packed anthology. I have to admit that I took my time with it, savouring a handful of stories a night.

Here's what I thought of each story:

BLACK PAGES by Cynthia Pelayo: Great story and I really liked the ending.

OTHER THINGS HAVE HAPPENED by Ronald Malfi: This little odd and awesome tale delivered in many ways.

FUZZY SLIPPERS by Jeff Strand: As much fun as it was ridiculous. Poor Grandma.

THE RAFT by Stephen King: Always cool to read a King story.

THAT CHEMICAL GLOW by Larry Hinkle: I enjoyed this creepy little tale.

I AM A HOUSE DEMANDING TO BE HAUNTED by Mercedes M. Yardley: Whimsical. Grotesque. Macabre. Beautiful.

URSA DIRUO by Kristin Dearborn: Really intriguing small-time horror tale with an unexpected and cool ending.

A DEVIL WE USED TO KNOW by Johnny Compton: I found this one a little hard to get into.

IRISH EYES by Bridget Nelson: A total fever dream and a hell of a freaky ride.

THEY LOOK BACK by Candace Nola: Yikes! Didn't expect the twist in this one, but when it hits... creepy.

BLOOD OF MY BLOOD by Christa Carmen: A fun wedding story featuring a very different spin on vampires.

THE KEEPER OF TASWOMET by Errick Nunnally: I REALLY enjoyed this one. The main character really carried this creature feature.

THE LAST CALL OF THE CICADA by Gwendolyn Kiste: A whimsical and lovely, horrific tale about a small town. And cicadas. So many cicadas.

MIGHTIER THAN BULLETS by Laurel Hightower: This story takes the awful real-life horror of school shootings and gives it an unbelievable twist. SO freaking GOOD.

LOUD AND CLEAR by Max Booth III: Interesting tale.

BETTER BY YOU, BETTER THAN ME by Rebecca Rowland: What a fever dream this one turned out to be!

A NIGHTMARE ON ELM LANE by Richard Chizmar: Hooked from start to finish!

THE VISITOR by Philip Fracassi: So creepy. Another one I enjoyed immensely.

LIPS LIKE A SCYTHE by Steve Van Samson: Not bad.

WHITE PAGES by Clay McLeod Chapman: Very nostalgic.

As I said above, this book is jam-packed full of nostalgic, fun and super creepy stories that I enjoyed. A lot. And there are quite a few that will stay with me for a long time.

I want to thank Erin Al-Mehairi for sending me a copy.

[Mylene · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you, Tom Deady, for including my favorite reading memories and I would love to see Part 2 of the Rack! I can only think of the library as the sole remaining place that young people have for experiencing the immense joy we had spinning the rack to find the latest reading treasure. That is a shame!

Like all anthologies, there were some hits and some misses but as a whole, I really enjoyed this! (I also think Lynne Hansen killed it with the cover.)

Introduction by Will Errickson: Great introduction to the point of this collection and themes. I had the same reading experience in the same exact timeframe as Errickson. Memories!!!

Black Pages by Cynthia Pelayo: Although I found this short story on the dull side, this author seems to be very prolific and has some other work that I will probably enjoy. 3/5

Other Things Have Happened by Ronald Malfi: I’ve had this author on my reading list for quite some time and have never gotten around to reading any of his works. That needs to change immediately. Captivating piece about a spider and her prey. Creepy undercurrent. 4.5/5

Fuzzy Slippers by Jeff Strand: Absolutely awesome! Best line of 2024: “so this was fuzzy slipper incest!” Strand does it again with his excellent horror comedy. 5/5

The Raft by Stephen King: The is one of many reasons university courses are dedicated to studying the works of Stephen King. A story that was the best part of Creepshow 2. A tale about the dangers of teenage reckless, it mixes many of the standards we now take for granted in a slasher movie: abandoned beach and lake, summer wild abandon, underage sex, typical teenage characters and tropes, among others. The monster itself is somewhat reminiscent of the Blob and its kills are brutal and bloody. All great fun and campy gore. 5/5

That Chemical Glow by Larry Hinkle: Scary Larry had a great little story here. Loved the characters. Think a mix of C.H.U.D and the Hills have Eyes. Larry got me when imagining a large, filthy rat with too many teeth in its mouth. Yikes! 4.5/5

I am a House Demanding to be Haunted by Mercedes M Yardley: I can see this being a story for someone who loves whimsy and the abstract. Although very well written with gothic flair, this wasn’t a story for me. 2/5

Ursa Diruo by Kristin Dearborn: I did not see this one coming. The last 5 pages made this story evolve from a well-written, but fairly standard nature vs people story, into something much more intriguing. Never heard of Dearborn before but she is one to check out. 4/5

A Devil we Used to Know by Johnny Compton: I have “The Spite House” on my reading list but have not gotten to it yet. This short story was a good introduction to the author. Although not completely enamoured with the story, you can see the author is gifted. The meaning was much more intriguing than the actual surface story and he kept it short. 3.5/5

Irish Eyes by Bridgett Nelson: Wicked little faerie tale. Very enjoyable! 4.5/5

They Look Back by Candace Nola: I was going to say that I did not know it was THIS hard for men to do the laundry and then this story turn into a wild WTF moment. Just brutal but loved it. I have several books from Candace Nola on my reading list and need to get to them ASAP. Great twist ending 5/5

Blood of my Blood by Christa Carmen: I usually don’t care too much for vampiric lore but this was fun. Never heard of this author but I wish to know more now. A perfect rating for a story is appropriate when the final quote is: “Weber’ will look way better on a specialty bottle than it would at the end of my name,” Addie said and smiled. She grasped her sisters’ hands. “I don’t want to waste any of this... come on, let’s get on with the celebration”. Although Addie had brothers, they were almost non-existent in the story and the women handled everything. Loved the irony and how Addie wanted to keep working for her family business regardless of being female when Marcus was looking for a housewife to raise his brood. It seems to be that vampires have the right idea 5/5

The Keeper Of Taswomet by Errick Nunnally: This one is very hard to judge. At various points in this story, I was immersed, engaged, and intrigued while also being bored and wondering how many more pages there were. Some parts I loved and some parts dragged. That being said, it was solid on the uniqueness and the horror of the story. 3.5/5

The Last Call of the Cicadas by Gwendolyn Kiste: Yeah… just did not connect to three women =cicadas. I’m sure some other people enjoyed this, but it did nothing for me. I have several works from Kiste, so I’ll see if it was just the subject matter or the author. 3/5

Mightier Than Bullets by Laurel Hightower: Excellent short story which ended on a pitch perfect note! A story about a school shooting. 5/5

Loud and Clear by Max Booth III: Liked the idea behind this one and Lynne was a particularly colourful character. It came across as a dark comedy in places but the story started to fall apart near the end, in my opinion. 4/5

Better by You, Better than Me by Rebecca Rowland: Clever title using the Judas Priest/Spooky Tooth song which was used as part of the pushback against heavy metal in the 80s. The inference was that Judas Priest used subliminal messaging to incite teenagers to kill themselves. Similar themes and plot used in this short story. Although well-written, it just fell flat for me. 3/5

A Nightmare on Elm Lane by Richard Chizmar: A nice play on a NightMare on Elm street. For some reason this short story reminded of “Big Surprise”by Richard Matheson mixed with any Scooby Doo episode that featured Old Man Jenkins. Very enjoyable read with a perfect ending. 5/5

The Visitor by Philip Fracassi: Excellent title for the story. I have several titles written by Fracassi on my reading list and I have no idea why it has taken me so long to get to them because every single time I read one of his short stories, I am blown away at how good he is. This is a must read short story that leaks dread and terror. 5/5

Lips like a Scythe by Steve Van Samson: This was quite the badass story with a B-movie monster of the week vibe, and over-the -top characters (aka Heather Finch) that have a sense of comedic timing. Very fun read! 4.5/5

White Pages by Clay McLeod Chapman: Clever little story! Reminded me of all of the prank calling we did in the 1980s. Chapmans comment that you can be basically be anyone until the day your name is added to the White Pages was very astute. 4/5

[unstable.books · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a collection from some heavy hitters in horror. I loved it!

[Alex Wolfgang · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's oddly refreshing to read a horror anthology that's just meant to be straight up fun. Laughed out loud at a number of these. Even the creepier ones had a campiness to them that held the whole book together. if you enjoy paperbacks from hell you'll like this.

[Michelle Sherrier · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was such a fun anthology! So many great authors in here, as well as some new to me authors that I can’t wait to check out. My top 3 favorites in the collection were Fuzzy Slippers by Jeff Strand, The Raft by Stephen King, and Irish Eyes by Bridgett Nelson. Highly recommend this one to anyone who is a fan of bite sized horror stories!

[Lee-ann Oleski · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Rack is a nod to the spinning racks crammed with those mass market paperbacks you would find in various drugstores, grocery checkout lanes and airport kiosks back in the 80’s. It’s a collection of short stories from some of today’s indie authors, as well as a reprint of The Raft from Stephen King, the one who introduced me and so many others to the world of horror.

“𝙰𝚕𝚕 𝚋𝚘𝚘𝚔𝚜 𝚜𝚑𝚘𝚞𝚕𝚍 𝚋𝚎 𝚛𝚎𝚊𝚍, 𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝚢𝚘𝚞 𝚔𝚗𝚘𝚠, 𝚖𝚊𝚢𝚋𝚎 𝚝𝚑𝚒𝚜 𝚒𝚜𝚗’𝚝 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚜𝚝𝚘𝚛𝚢 𝙸 𝚗𝚎𝚎𝚍 𝚝𝚘𝚍𝚊𝚢, 𝚋𝚞𝚝 𝚖𝚊𝚢𝚋𝚎 𝚒𝚝’𝚜 𝚊 𝚜𝚝𝚘𝚛𝚢 𝚝𝚑𝚊𝚝 𝚜𝚘𝚖𝚎𝚘𝚗𝚎 𝚎𝚕𝚜𝚎 𝚗𝚎𝚎𝚍𝚜.“
-𝘊𝘺𝘯𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘢 𝘗𝘦𝘭𝘢𝘺𝘰

Here are some of my favorites, but don’t get me wrong, this whole collection was solid and there is something for everyone within these pages 🙌.

💀𝗙𝘂𝘇𝘇𝘆 𝗦𝗹𝗶𝗽𝗽𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝘣𝘺 𝘑𝘦𝘧𝘧 𝘚𝘵𝘳𝘢𝘯𝘥-
What can I say? If you have read any of Strands work, you KNOW your gunna be laughing out loud at some point. This one was no exception, with that signature dark humor and a reminder to be careful to double check your order when shopping for gifts 🎁

💀𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗥𝗮𝗳𝘁 𝘣𝘺 𝘚𝘵𝘦𝘱𝘩𝘦𝘯 𝘒𝘪𝘯𝘨-
I mean, what’s more nostalgic than this?! It was so magical to be transported back to the first time I read this story back in junior high school. It has definitely stood the test of time

💀𝗧𝗵𝗲𝘆 𝗟𝗼𝗼𝗸 𝗕𝗮𝗰𝗸 𝘣𝘺 𝘊𝘢𝘯𝘥𝘢𝘤𝘦 𝘕𝘰𝘭𝘢-
Not sure what to say about this one, but think creepy and dolls… 👀

💀𝗠𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁𝗶𝗲𝗿 𝗧𝗵𝗮𝗻 𝗕𝘂𝗹𝗹𝗲𝘁𝘀 𝘣𝘺 𝘓𝘢𝘶𝘳𝘦𝘭 𝘏𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵𝘰𝘸𝘦𝘳- Laurel has easily become an auto buy author for me. Her storytelling does not disappoint 🙌. With the supernatural mixed in with the unfortunate horrors of the world, this one gives new meaning to nightmare fuel, when a teacher is forced to confront an active school shooter 🏫

💀𝗔 𝗡𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁𝗺𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗼𝗻 𝗘𝗹𝗺 𝗟𝗮𝗻𝗲 𝘣𝘺 𝘙𝘪𝘤𝘩𝘢𝘳𝘥 𝘊𝘩𝘪𝘻𝘮𝘢𝘳- After 3 human hands are found in the family backyard, an investigation ensues, seen thru the eyes of a seventh grader. Loved the ending! 🖐️

💀𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗩𝗶𝘀𝗶𝘁𝗼𝗿 𝘣𝘺 𝘗𝘩𝘪𝘭𝘪𝘱 𝘍𝘳𝘢𝘤𝘢𝘴𝘴𝘪- Another auto buy author 🙌. I was at the edge of my seat reading this one! Father Hall is sent to a home to bless it from the evil that has been terrorizing the family when he comes face to face with the Visitor. Man did I ever want this to be a longer story! Fracassi created the atmosphere perfectly 👌

I’m so glad I had the opportunity to read this one and I highly recommend it for those of you who love anthologies, want to be introduced to some new authors or just want that feeling of nostalgia from spinning the rack….. Giving this one ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

[Tasha · Rating 5 out of 5]

5/5 Stars
Make sure to go grab your copy of The Rack before October!!! Perfect spooky season read at a camp fire or late at night. The Rack is like Scary Stories To Tell In The Dark all grown up. A collection of 20 short stories. A little bit of everything in this one and is a true blast from the past. Each story is unique and well written. Some are creepy, spooky and funny. Very well done!!
Black Pages by Cynthisa Pelayo 5/5
Other Things Have Happened by Ronald Malifi 5/5
Fuzzy Slippers by Jeff Strand 4/5
The Raft by Stephen King 4/5
That Chemical Glow by Larry Hinkle 4/5
I Am A Haunted House Demanding To Be Haunted by Mercedes M.Yardley 5/5 This is my favorite one out of all of them.
Ursa Diruo by Kristin Dearborn 4/5
A Devil We Used To Know by Johnny Compton 4/5
Irish Eyes by Bridgett Nelson 4.5/5
They Look Back by Candace Nola 3.5/5 This one reminded me of the movie Tales From The Hood lol.
Blood Of My Blood by Crista Carmen 3.5/5
The Keeper Of Taswomet by Errick Nunnally 3.5/5
The Last Call Of The Cicada by Gwendolyn Kiste 4.5/5
Mightier Than Bullets by Laurel Hightower 4/5
Loud And Clear by Max Booth III 4/5
Better By You, Better Than Me by Rebecca Rowland 4/5
A Nightmare On Elm Lane by Richard Chizmar 4/5
The Vistor by Philip Fracassi 3.5/5
Lips Like A Scythe by Steve Van Samson 5/5
White Pages by Clay McLeod Chapman 5/5 This is also my favorite lol!! This one really took me back. :)

[Quentin Wallace · Rating 4 out of 5]

Who didn't love the horror paperback rack at the drugstore? Lurid covers and terrifying stories were right there, all in a row! (Plus, there was usually some sex thrown in as well, very important for the young teen reader, dontchaknow.) I have very fond memories of those novels, particularly the Zebra brand with all of their skull laden covers. I always think of Richard Laymon and William Johnstone when I think of the Rack, although the authors were too numerous to mention. Most of the books were just pot boilers, but who cared? It was hard to find better entertainment for the price.

This collection did a good job of recreating those days. While some of the stories I thought didn't quite fit the "genre" they were going for, some nailed it.

If you remember those forbidden paperbacks, this is worth a read.

[Nicole · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a fantastic anthology of short stories. If you like 80s nostalgic stories...this is for you. Not all stories are over the top with the nostalgia but they all have the FEEL of those classic horror stories from that era. There are a lot of stories here and most of them were 4 or 5 stars for me...there was only one I didn't really like and that's impressive in a collection from so many different authors.

My favorite stories were:

Black Pages
The Keeper of Taswomet
Mightier Than Bullets

Special call out to Fuzzy Slippers which was just the most ridiculous and fun time...I didn't LOVE it like the three above but loved it for different reasons.

Would absolutely recommend this to horror fans looking for those old school 80s horror vibes.

[Svea Neitzke · Rating 5 out of 5]

I finished The Rack Anthology! All of the stories are amazing! They are all vintage styled horror stories you would find in the grocery store during the 70s-90s. The first story establishes the sense of nostalgia that each story brings. It's called Black Pages by Cynthia Pelayo. It made me happy and sad at the same time. Like the main character's mom, my mother loved horror paperbacks. I loved watching her read them, and I would ask questions about them when I was a child. For a different mood, Jeff Strand's Fuzzy Slippers had me cracking up. It's so darkly humorous. I also enjoyed the handful of creature features that this anthology has. I had a great time reading this!

[Sarah DeRosa · Rating 5 out of 5]

A rare moment ensued in my reading journey upon the completion of this anthology. I felt satisfied and thoroughly enjoyed each and every story upon reflection. Specifically, I hold "The Raft" by Stephen King close to my heart as it revisits childhood nostalgia for me from watching Creepshow 2 at a young age. This collection of short stories has a stellar table of contents that features of the best horror and indie horror authors to date. The theme also doubled as a trip down memory lane as it nodded to vintage horror paperbacks, which I always observed my mother reading.
I would like to highlight both Bridgett Nelson's story "Irish Eyes" as well as Jeff Strand's titled "Fuzzy Slippers" as they were two of my favorites. Candace Nola also brought it with an unsettling work called "They Look Back", which creeped me out beyond belief. Overall, this is in my top five favorite anthologies to date.

[Brian James Lewis · Rating 5 out of 5]

THE RACK: Stories Inspired by Vintage Horror Paperbacks
Edited by Tom Deady
10/1/2024
Greymore Publishing
Reviewed by Brian “Skull” Lewis

Hello Horror fiends, it’s your old pal Skull, with a seriously boss horror anthology put together by cool editor and all-around fine human being, Tom Deady! The Rack pays tribute to the thing that seduced many of us into reading and writing horror. We had a favorite located in a supermarket, drugstore, or newsstand that seemed to wait for us. Squeaking, wobbling, and jam packed with mass market paperbacks, The Rack drew us in with all the lurid covers and back cover hype. Seduced, we opened the books, started reading, and were hooked for life.

Tom Deady’s intention with this anthology is to bring us back to that special time in our lives when we fell in love with horror, and The Rack delivers. Not just a pale imitation, The Rack expands upon the foundations built by the likes of Richard Matheson, Anne Rice, and Stephen King, whose story The Raft is included in this awesome anthology alongside work by: Christa Carmen, Larry Hinkle, Philip Fracassi, Mercedes M. Yardley, and Richard Chizmar, just to name a few. Your old pal Skull also seriously loves that cover artwork by none other than Lynne Hansen and there is a great intro by Will Erickson of Paperbacks from Hell fame that kicks things off right. But enough of me rattling my bones, let’s take a peek inside!

Larry Hinkle takes us to a chemical wasteland in That Chemical Glow where survival seems to be coming to the unfit and their steadily growing number of teeth, while Errick Nunnally has us charging through Florida marshes after a creature that shouldn’t exist in The Keeper of Taswomet. Mercedes M. Yardley delivers ethereal, Shirley Jackson vibes with I Am a House Demanding To Be Haunted and Christa Carmen introduces us to a family with special traditions that will not be broken by an insecure groom who doesn’t get it in Blood Of My Blood. Philip Fracassi delivers a chilling thriller about a priest determined to set a house to rights despite terrible weather that would have kept most folks off the road. But good intentions or otherwise, he finds himself in a very bad spot because the Quinns already have The Visitor staying with them. Will a bible be enough protection?

For better or worse, I always run into one story in every anthology I read that hits me just right and becomes Skull’s favorite story. In The Rack that story is Mightier Than Bullets by Laurel Hightower. I didn’t know how much I needed to read this story until I read it. Many of us use Horror to escape the hard realities we all have to face, but Hightower takes on the real modern-day horror of school shootings with class and a wonderful understanding of children. Ms. Ballard is a kindergarten teacher who listens, and most importantly, lets young imaginations run free in search of a way to defend themselves in case of an attack. “Ballard’s Battalion” will take on the challenge, not just cower under their desks hoping and praying that the adults in charge will eventually fumble onto a solution. Why not annihilate out of control hatred with something even more powerful? Ms. Ballard isn’t some kind of redneck radical handing out guns and clubs to five-year-olds, that would just add to the problem. What she does is nurture something far more terrifying than an assault rifle, something most adults blocked out of their lives a long time ago. Many grown-ups feel that they’re superior to children and their silliness. The element of surprise has helped win many battles, but just wait ‘til you see the weapon little May comes up with! Be prepared that Mightier Than Bullets may cause you to cheer loudly and wake up your cats. It might even make you shed a few tears, as I did because it’s such a damn fine story.

Damaged Skull Writer and Reviewer gives The Rack a hearty 5 STAR RATING! I’d also like to apologize for not being as quick as I hoped with my review of this wonderful kickass anthology that I believe everyone should go out and buy a copy of immediately. What happened is that I got so caught up in The Rack my original drafts of the review were running into thousands of words. I wanted to share how every single story in here is a winner and how much fun it was to meet some of you online during the virtual release party and a great podcast. But I knew that nobody was going to read a 10-page book review and my wife helped by saying, “if nobody ever gets to see your review, then it really won’t matter what you think. Go get the damn thing done!” Good advice. So here we are with something that I hope whets your appetite for short horror stories that pay tribute to the past and show us that there is a lot to look forward to in the future. Now I must go, because The Rack is calling…

Want more information about Tom Deady? Then head on over to https://www.tomdeady.com/ or find him over on Facebook at https://facebook.com/tomdeady
Interested in getting some awesome artwork or a cool cover for your upcoming release? Then get in touch with Lynne Hansen at www.LynneHansenArt.com
About your reviewer:
When darkness falls Brian James Lewis becomes his alter ego, Skull, and burns the midnight oil reading and reviewing recent arrivals to his lair, the Skullcave! You can catch up with him on social media at: https://facebook.com/DamagedSkullWrit... where he’d really appreciate some follows to get more exposure for Indy horror writers and presses!
You can also find him on: X/Twitter@skullsnflames76
And we’re also on Goodreads and leave reviews on Amazon under the mortal’s name Brian James Lewis
Until next time, be well, stay safe, and keep reading independent horror!

[Chris DiLeo · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved it. I discovered horror when I was eleven and I dove into the deep waters of my father's horror collection—King, Straub, Etchison, Matheson, Jackson, McCammon, and so many pulpy horror paperbacks with garish, bloody covers. That's where I live, man, that's my heart. This collection brought me right back to those days when all I wanted to do was escape into a book and turn those pages fast as I could, escaping my own fears as characters faced down theirs.

[Neil · Rating 2 out of 5]

Quite meh really. Nothing that stood out as being very good fun to read. I’ve forgotten what most of them were about now, which is a bad sign!

[Janet (iamltr) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Its always hard for me to review anthologies, because not to be mean, but one will always like some stories more than the others. But this time, I got a winner as I liked almost all of these.

Going into this review, yall should know that this was not really that scary, nor that gory, or even really dark. But the writing was superb and the idea of the short stories was good.

My favorite story was Jeff Stand's Fuzzy Slippers.

The one I already have read hundreds of times was Stephen King's The Raft

And my least liked one was Rebecca Rowland's Better by You as it did not read smoothly.

So to end this, if you want to read short not really overly scary stories this Halloween season, this one will be good to read.

[Allison | crazypageturner · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 rounded down

Wow! What a great anthology. I don’t think I’ve read an anthology before and I am so glad I started with this one. This was nearly perfect. A great variety of weird, supernatural, scary, tense, gripping and just plain enjoyable stories! Some favorites would be Fuzzy Slippers, The Raft, Irish Eyes and Nightmare on Elm Lane!

Ratings for each:

Black Pages by Cynthia Pelayo ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫
Other Things Have Happened by Ronald Malfi ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Fuzzy Slippers by Jeff Strand ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
The Raft by Stephen King ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
That Chemical Glow by Larry Hinkle ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
I am A House Demanding To Be Haunted by Mercedes M. Yardley ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫
Ursa Diruo by Kristin Dearborn ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
A Devil We Used To Know by Johnny Compton ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫
Irish Eyes by Bridgett Nelson⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
They Look Back by Candace Nola⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫
Blood Of My Blood by Christa Carmen ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫
The Keeper Of Taswomet by Erick Nunnally ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
The Last Call Of The Cicada by Gwendolyn Kiste ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Mightier Than Bullets by Laurel Hightower ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫
Loud and Clear by Max Booth III ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Better By You, Better Than Me by Rebecca Rowland ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫
A Nightmare On Elm Lane by Richard Chizmar ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
The Visitor by Philip Fracassi ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Lips Like A Scythe by Steve Van Samson ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
White Pages by Clay McLeod Chapman ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

[Ashley · Rating 4 out of 5]

Black Pages - 1/5
Other Things Have Happened - 4/5
Fuzzy Slippers - 3/5
The Raft - 4/5
That Chemical Glow - 2/5
I Am a House Demanding to Be Haunted - 3/5
ursa diruo - 3.5/5
a devil we used to know - 2.5/5
irish eyes - 3.5/5
they look back - 5/5
blood of my blood - 4/5
the keeper of taswomet - 4/5
the last call of the cicada - 3/5
mightier than bullets - 2/5
loud and clear - 2.5/5
better by you, better than me - 2/5
a nightmare on elm lane - 3/5
the visitor - 5/5
lips like a scythe - 3.5/5
white pages - 4/5

Overall, it falls a little flat, but the stories that are good are GOOD. would actually love a full novel of the visitor. a nice little collection and very easy to get through, if you're looking for something spooky and fast paced. Each story has a little mix of everything but there are a lot of creature features!

[Lisa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Immediately my memories went back to the rack in the tiny general store on the island where I spent my summers growing up: I remember it had a copy of At The Mountains Of Madness, with fascinating cover art. I really have no clue how it belonged there, between the romance novels and spy thrillers.

This was a super fun collection with lots of variety and lots of new names (to me). Highly enjoyable, highly recommended.

[Elisabeth Zook · Rating 5 out of 5]

A perfect horror anthology that brings back classic scares in a new way! I’ll have a more in depth review up soon.

[Jesse · Rating 3 out of 5]

Like a 3.5, I'd say due to the haziness of the concept as executed. I can absolutely recall the feel of being in a used-book store's back room and coming across their horror shelf, replete with piles of Stephen King and John Saul and somehow, Guy N. Smith's Killer Crabs, now going for $50 on Amazon, $175 for the pb in the size I read it. (Turns out he made a series out of it, more or less Jaws with smaller predators.) But I'm not sure what precisely we'd say constitutes the feel of what the back cover describes as "those golden years of horror," since a central part of it, at least that I've gleaned from reading Paperbacks from Hell and all but two of the books that have been issued so far (not to mention everything King had written, including the Bachman books, by the time I left for college in 1984), is a spirit of shameless cash-in on what hit big, 1973-75, spiced with flourishes of arty invention: monster animals, exorcisms, haunted whatevers, something that seems like what King is doing, and not in a spirit of particular self-consciousness, in the way that every boom is best discerned in retrospect. (I can't conceive of a single period aesthetic that contains, say, The Nest, The Tribe, The Spirit, and The Auctioneer, to choose four entries with similarly-structured titles.)

So literalizing whatever we want to call that aesthetic runs into conceptual issues akin to, I dunno, maybe recreating the whole 60s garage-rock sound and aesthetic in 1982? (Probably a bad analogy, since I love a bunch of those second-gen bands.) But that worked for me here only sporadically. Some of the authors seem to have interpreted the brief as mandating that they literally set their stories in the 80s or drop direct allusions, with Cynthia Pelayo's opener, disappointingly, being essentially just a roll-call of Paperbacks from Hell titles. A couple of the other entries feel unfinished or dashed-off, though with decent monsters. Prize of the bunch is King's actually-from-the-80s "The Raft," which remains a bone-freezer this many years on and whose oil-slick monster gets referenced in a couple of the other stories. The best past-as-pastiche job was Clay McLeod Chapman's white-pages crank-call tale, where *69 opens up a world of hurt, and Laurel Hightower's plea for more flexible kindergarten teaching (let's call it that), Kristin Dearborn's bear story, Ronald Malfi's extremely unreliable narrator, and Richard Chizmar's story of unexpected discovery resonating the most. Not bad overall, but it highlights how hard it always is to self-consciously recreate something that was unconscious in the first place.

According to Goodreads, and I did my best to be scrupulous about recording, I read 249 books in 2024, this being the final one, which I finished around 8:30pm. Onward.

[Isabelle · Rating 1 out of 5]

Couldn't get past the first story - way too many botched sentences and grammatical errors. Having to read the typo "grocery stories" was enough horror for me for one night.

[Aaron B · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good collection

The Rack reminds me of the drugstore paperbacks of my mispent youth in Tennessee. Some good stories by outstanding authors make reading this fun. Best wishes.