Mischief Night Massacre: Ten Tales of Halloween

by Jason Parent

Halloween. For the costumed child skipping along a safe, well-lit street, pillow case chock full of candy, it is a night of magic and mischief, delightful frights met with sugar-toothed grins. But for the would-be revelers in these tales, Halloween is a horrifying ordeal the likes of which many will not survive. And those who do make it to November may wish they hadn’t.

In this collection, Jason Parent gathers ten tales that embody the holiday in ways surely to surprise and delight the most avid horror reader. From traditional settings like amusement parks, Halloween parties, and haunted houses to more obscure locales where you might think terror couldn’t possibly find you, each story will have you breathing a little faster, startling at every bump in the night.

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

244 pages, Paperback

First published September 24, 2024

About the author

In his head, Jason Parent lives in many places, but in the real world, he calls New England his home. The region offers an abundance of settings for his writing and many wonderful places in which to write them. He currently resides in Southeastern Massachusetts with his cuddly corgi named Calypso.

In a prior life, Jason spent most of his time in front of a judge . . . as a civil litigator. When he finally tired of Latin phrases no one knew how to pronounce and explaining to people that real lawsuits are not started, tried and finalized within the 60-minute timeframe they see on TV (it's harassing the witness; no one throws vicious woodland creatures at them), he traded in his cheap suits for flip flops and designer stubble. The flops got repossessed the next day, and he's back in the legal field . . . sorta. But that's another story.

When he's not working, Jason likes to kayak, catch a movie, travel any place that will let him enter, and play just about any sport (except that ball tied to the pole thing where you basically just whack the ball until it twists into a knot or takes somebody's head off - he misses the appeal). And read and write, of course. He does that too sometimes.

Please visit the author on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/AuthorJasonP..., on Twitter at https://twitter.com/AuthorJasParent, or at his website, http://authorjasonparent.com/, for information regarding upcoming events or releases, or if you have any questions or comments for him.

Reviews

[LIsa Noell "Rocking the chutzpah!" · Rating 4 out of 5]

My thanks to Corpus Press "what a name!" Jason Parent and Netgalley.
Jason Parent is one of those authors who I enjoy reading, to varying degrees. Sometimes I love what he's writing and others, maybe not so much!
I liked these short stories. Some were way better than others, but I didn't find a stinker in the bunch.
I really loved 2 of the tales and that's what made me leave a rating of 4 stars instead of 3.
The Vampire/war story really got to me. That was a 5 star read.

[Marie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Chills and Thrills!

I am not doing my traditional backstory as this book is filled with a collection of ten short stories so I am just going to list out a handful of stories that lay within along with a cryptic statement to give you a small idea of what is inside.

Russian Dollhouse:

An old abandoned house that friends go to check out on Halloween and they see horrific things that are worse than nightmares.

Keeping Up Appearances:

A robbery goes south when the homeowners are not what they seem to be.

A Not Not-So-Scary Halloween:

A sister and brother are visiting relatives in Florida for Halloween and their cousin tells them about the alligators that roam the area.

Ride Like the Devil:

A carnival ride that has got a bad rap as something bad happened in the past.

Last Halloween:

Something is hiding out in the woods that will cause some high school friends to wonder what they have stumbled across.

Thoughts:

The other stories in this book collection you will need to discover for yourself as they will take you to horror places that delve deep into the recesses of this author's mind!

The stories locked within these pages will give you chills and thrills as you read them as the author threw a little bit of every kind of spooky in this book! For a Halloween collection of stories all of these creepy tales have the atmosphere of all things Halloween. Giving this book four "Halloween Horrors" stars!

[Erin · Rating 3 out of 5]

ARC for review. Published September 24, 2024.

I’m giving this collection of ten Halloween stories 2.5 stars, rounded to three. Who will survive to see November? These were mostly just fair. A number of them seemed like they were for young adults, but for the language.

[kimberly · Rating 5 out of 5]

Mischief Night Massacre brings together ten short stories, many previously published but collected here for reader convenience. As the title and cover would lead you to believe, these stories are all about Halloween and there’s nothing that I love more this time of year than curling up with a good Halloween-themed horror collection. Before I go in to a short description of the stories, I want to start by saying how much I love the cover art. It gives off a vintage Halloween feel with a warm color palette and is seriously sinister.
Ok, let’s dive in.

RUSSIAN DOLLHOUSE:
The old house on Waterford Lane has been abandoned for years. Eager to impress her crush, Kit goes to the house with a group of friends for a harmless Halloween prank but they end up walking in to a house of horrors.

DIA DE LOS MUERTOS:
A war veteran with PTSD is living in Mexico and wanders out amongst the Day of the Dead celebrations to get a drink but things end in a bloody showdown.

EASY PICKINGS:
Two bullies get their comeuppance on Halloween night when they choose the wrong kid to pick on.

KEEPING UP APPEARANCES:
A group of criminals use the anonymity of Halloween and its masks to rob the homes of old, rich people and end up getting a little taste of their own medicine.

A NOT NOT-SO-SCARY HALLOWEEN:
Danielle and her brother Robby are trick-r-treating in the suburbs of Orlando while their cousin regales them with horror stories about the local alligators…

RAIN:
When a rainstorm traps Georgie and his brother inside the house on Halloween night, their dad starts to tell scary stories. It’s up to Georgie to decide if they’re real or not.

BLACK:
Max and Rose’s marriage is falling apart and it’s going to take a lot more than a trip to Frightmare to fix it… or will it?

RIDE LIKE THE DEVIL:
Taye goes to the local carnival with his sister and her boyfriend where there are rumors of a ride that some people didn’t come out of last year…

PULP:
In the longest story of this collection, there’s a bit of a mash-up between Scream and Groundhog Day where Jaime must learn to trust his instincts if he wants to survive the party in the woods.

LAST HALLOWEEN:
When two girls go out trick-r-treating and run in to a couple of boys from school, they decide to get drunk in the woods but something is lurking out there and they may not make it out alive.

In these stories, readers will find haunted houses and the undead, monsters and creepy kids, lots of blood, some Hannibal Lecter vibes and many nods to iconic horror films, and of course lots of tricks and treats. My personal favorites are honestly hard to choose when it comes to such a strong collection but I would put Russian Dollhouse, Easy Pickings, Rain, and Black at the top.
This is a wonderful Halloween collection that is perfect for readers who enjoy the dark and macabre. The imagery is sharp and visceral so readers beware!

Thank you Corpus Press for the digital copy in exchange for an honest review! Available 09/24/2024 ❤️‍🔥👻🏚️

[Barbara Behring · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed most of the stories in this anthology. Some of them actually were pretty scary!

[Horror Reads · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you're looking for a horrifying anthology featuring Halloween stories, this collection is one you'll definitely want to read.

These tales of terror all take place on Halloween and they feature almost every great scary trope you could ask for. There are murderous creatures, ghosts, supernatural situations, and human monsters.

Featuring the kinds of stories you'd want to tell around a campfire on a stormy fall evening, this anthology will disturb and delight your horror hearts with blood curdling stories of madness, mayhem, and blood.

From Russian Dollhouse which is a fantastic haunted old house story with a slasher - like twist to a story set during the Day Of The Dead celebrations in Mexico featuring an ex soldier with PTSD and a taste for human blood, to a sociopathic bully and his friend who will be taught a very bloody and painful lesson. There's something in here to love for everyone if you're a horror fan.

These stories will give you goosebumps and get your heart racing. I highly recommend it.

I received a copy of this book from the author. This review is voluntary and is my own personal opinion.

[Ga.selle (Semi-hiatus) Jones · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Some horrors stay with you forever."

3.8🎃✨

Russian doll - 3✨
Dia de los Muertos - 5✨
Easy Pickings - 5✨
Keeping Up Appearances -5✨
A Not Not-So-Scary Halloween -2✨
Rain - 2.5✨
Black - 5✨
Ride Like The Devil -3.5✨
Pulp -4✨
Last Halloween - 3✨


Spooky-Kookie, creepy tales to get you into the Halloween mood 🎃 reminiscent of Scary stories to tell in the dark meets Are You Afraid Of The Dark? Campfire stories 🔥

[Irene Well Worth A Read · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's no secret that Halloween is my favorite holiday and these stories are a perfect way to kick off spooky season.

In these tales you will step into an abandoned house that suddenly looks like the most expensive haunted attraction you've ever seen, take a haunted hayride with a couple whose marriage is on the rocks, attend a killer Halloween party, watch a bully regret his attempt to steal candy from the wrong kid, go on a carnival ride where rumor has it some people are never seen again, and more.

If I had to pick one favorite it would be Rain, If you ever had your trick or treating canceled by the weather, and you think you're over it now that you are a mature adult, this will bring it all back. Georgie was so looking forward to being the Incredible Hulk, and trick-or-treating with his best friend. The rain has totally ruined his plans. But as his father begins to tell him a scary story about another dark and stormy night in the past, things take a terrifying turn.

This was a fun and freaky read with more treats than tricks that I would recommend to anyone who loves Halloween or those like me who keep Halloween in our hearts all year long.

My thanks to the author for the complimentary copy.

[Steve Stred · Rating 5 out of 5]

*Huge thanks to Jason Parent for sending me a digital ARC of this one!*

Ah, Halloween.

That wonderful time where spooks, ghosts and goblins get to dance around the neighborhood’s, get candy and pretend to be a regular kid doing regular kid things. And guess what? It’s only six weeks away! Well, at least it is, at the time of writing this!

And that also means two things will be happening in the horror literature world – a lot of exciting releases and many, exciting collections focused on the theme of Halloween. Jason Parent is one such author, but he smartly decided to get the book out in advance of Halloween, which frankly is prudent, as you don’t want to get lost in the deluge of releases.

I’m a huge fan of Jason’s work, whether it be short stories, novella’s or full-length releases, so when I saw this one was launching and he was looking for reviewers, I messaged ASAP.

What I liked: As mentioned, within this collection are ten short stories that deal specifically with Halloween. Parent does a wonderful job of mixing things up between kids, teens and adults and because of this, the stories don’t feel repetitive, nor recycled. I read this on a recent flight, while reading Garrett Boatman’s newest collection, so it was great to bounce back and forth between those two, as they were very differently themed.

Highlight for me were;

‘Easy Pickings’ – massive bully, Trevor, and his forced sidekick, Rascal, are on the prowl on Halloween night, stealing candy from the little kids. They’re having a blast until they run into Jack and his imaginary friend, Jacob. This story was fast-paced and had me on the edge of my seat. I knew something was going to be revealed, but when it was, wow! Parent went totally off the rails with this story.

‘Rain’ – crazy, heavy rain falls on Halloween, disappointing two young brothers who want to go Trick or Treating. To ease their sadness, their dad tells them a scary story, but nothing prepares them for a knock on the door and the ‘costumed’ folks standing on their porch. This felt like an X-Files episode that never aired. Amazing.

‘Black’ – an emotionally weighted story, this one followed a husband who recently had some heart issues, and his wife, while they go to a haunted theme park. He’s been cheating on her, but realizes he’s been an asshole and decides to make things right. Unbeknownst to him, his wife knows and she’s dealing out revenge in secret. The layers within this one were spot on and the anxiety that Jason created as our main character begins to fight for his life was unnerving.

‘Last Halloween’ – what starts as your standard story – two female friends want to Trick or Treat one last time before considering themselves too old – takes a turn when they run into two male friends and they decide to go to the woods and get drunk. Some odd noises begin and not long after, the darkness collects. Again, another highly unnerving story that had me absolutely captivated.

From start to finish, Parent gives us such solid characters to root for, characters we want to see survive, even when we know the story they’re in is unsurvivable.

What I didn’t like: A few stories felt a tad long, but that might be more that I was bouncing around between two different collections. Saying that, I noticed a dip in pacing a few times.

As well, though needed to showcase the deplorability of some of the characters, I did find a few specific words to be a bit off putting and wished a different word had been used.

Why you should buy this: Parent writes like a bat out of hell on the best of days, but when focused solely on the horror that can be conjured around Halloween, this collection rampaged within my Kindle in the best way possible. Every story had me glued to the screen/page and every story had me emotionally invested, which is always a highlight when dealing with a collection.

Another home run by an author that should be on everyone’s ‘must-read’ list!

[Kate Victoria RescueandReading · Rating 3 out of 5]

Great spooky collection of Halloween tales! I was saving this one for Spooky Season and reading it just before the 31st really helped set the creepy vibe! Some of the stories take on classic concepts, others explore new territory. There’s a good mix for everyone to enjoy.

Thank you to NetGalley, the author, and Corpus Press!

[Nadia · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rating: 4/5 Stars

"Mischief Night Massacre: Ten Tales of Halloween" by Jason Parent is a solid collection of short stories that captures the eerie essence of Halloween in an entertaining, though sometimes uneven, package. From haunted houses to sinister amusement parks, each tale offers a different slice of Halloween horror, ensuring there's a little something for every type of horror fan.

The collection starts off strong with "Russian Dollhouse," which I found to be one of the highlights of the anthology. The suspense was palpable, and the supernatural elements combined well with teenage antics to create a genuinely chilling atmosphere. I also appreciated "Easy Pickings" for its gory, revenge-driven plot—it was short, sharp, and highly satisfying.

Parent’s writing excels at building atmosphere and setting the scene, which is evident in stories like "Dia de los Muertos" and "Rain." He weaves psychological horror with vivid, unsettling imagery that effectively brings out the best of the spooky season. Whether it's trick-or-treating in neighborhoods filled with secrets or dark family dynamics taking a twisted turn, Parent does a good job creating relatable scenarios with eerie twists.

While not every story in the collection was a complete hit, most were highly enjoyable, and even the less impactful ones had moments of effective tension and horror. "Pulp," for example, had an interesting setup that merged horror tropes with a Scream-meets-Groundhog Day concept, though it seemed to lose some focus along the way. Similarly, "Last Halloween" had promising elements, but the ending didn't quite land with the impact I was hoping for.

Despite these few shortcomings, the collection does an excellent job of exploring Halloween traditions through different horror lenses, from haunted amusement parks to unexpected twists on classic trick-or-treating. Parent knows how to create moments that make you hold your breath, and his knack for blending gore with psychological thrills gives these tales a fresh yet familiar feel. "Ride Like the Devil" and "Keeping Up Appearances" were both standout pieces, with great tension and effective twists that left a lasting impression.

Overall, "Mischief Night Massacre" is an enjoyable Halloween read, perfect for those looking to curl up with a collection of spooky tales during the autumn season. Though not every story hit the mark for me, the collection offers enough scares, twists, and Halloween nostalgia to keep fans of horror entertained. If you love creepy anthologies and enjoy a mix of psychological and supernatural horror, this book is well worth a read.

The ARC of this book was provided by NetGalley and Corpus Press in exchange for an honest review.

[Dave Musson · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love me a creepy anthology. And, in a world where those types of movies don’t seem to get made any more then thank goodness for books!

This collection of Halloween-themed short stories was my experience of the work of Jason Parent and I doubt very much it’ll be my last. His writing is tight, well-paced as crisp, while his stories don’t hold back on either the guys, the gore or the scares. His storytelling has a natural quality that makes a mockery of the unnatural things that happen in them.

I thought it was worth giving some thoughts on each of the tales collected here…

Russian Dollhouse: creepy and fun, a previously old and condemned house back to life for Halloween and playing sick games where it knows your biggest fears. Who will make it out?

Dia de los Muertos: what starts as a tale of PTSD for a war veteran takes a quite wild and gorey turn that was a lot of fun! Violent, nasty and satisfying.

Easy pickings: blood-soaked comeuppance for a nasty bully on Halloween. Very gory and very fun.

Keeping up Appearances: first half a little laboured but the second half really sings. Nasty and gory, and scary too. Halloween robberies gone wrong!

A Not Not-So-Scary Halloween: very well done, loved the punchline!

Rain: creepy story of a rainy Halloween night. It took a little while to get going, but the payoff was good with a disorientating and scary ending.

Black: a tale of revenge that was a little silly and far-fetched but fun all the same. Nice final line too.

Ride Like The Devil: very short and sharp story of a scary amusement park ride in the company of folk you don’t like. It was fine, not as good as the others.

Pulp: the longest story in the collection. A Halloween night of pranks, murder and pop culture references galore. This felt like it ran away from itself and ended up being a bit clunky and clumsy. Fun idea, but it didn’t quite hit for me.

Last Halloween: a weird little one to end it. Didn’t really do much for me sadly.

Overall, a no-brainer to read at this time of year, and one that I would absolutely recommend to fans of horror anywhere. Get your mischief managed with this fun collection!

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the review copy!

[Alice 🔮 · Rating 1 out of 5]

Arc provided for review

This was my first book by this author and I think ones enough…

Despite being classed as an Adult horror it read like a goosebumps book with swear words and slurs. The stories that centred around children were especially immature. Just because the characters are kids does not mean the story should read like a kids book.

There were little moments of horror that were disgusting and the descriptions of the creatures and deaths were well done so if there was more of that and less of the characters giving each other wedgies (🙄) this would have been a better rating

(There was use of the R-slur)

[Kevin Austin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Jason Parent's Mischief Night Massacre is more than just a collection of horror stories; it's a carefully curated exploration of the darkest corners of the human psyche. Each tale within this anthology delves into profound themes, such as the fear of the unknown, the consequences of our actions, and the enduring power of evil.

One of the most impressive aspects of Parent's writing is his ability to create a sense of dread and suspense that builds gradually, pulling the reader deeper and deeper into the terrifying world he has crafted. The stories are paced perfectly, with moments of respite interspersed with heart-stopping sequences that leave you gasping for breath.

The characters in Mischief Night Massacre are both relatable and unforgettable. They are ordinary people thrust into extraordinary circumstances, forced to confront their fears and limitations in ways they never imagined. Their struggles and triumphs are both inspiring and heartbreaking, making it impossible not to become emotionally invested in their fates.

In addition to its strong character development and atmospheric storytelling, Mischief Night Massacre also boasts a variety of horror subgenres, from classic haunted house tales to more modern explorations of psychological terror. This diversity ensures that there is something for everyone, whether you prefer jump scares or slow-burn suspense.

Overall, Jason Parent's Mischief Night Massacre is a masterful blend of horror, suspense, and psychological depth. It's a collection that will stay with you long after you've finished the final page, a testament to Parent's skill as a storyteller and his ability to craft truly terrifying tales.

[Paperbackdanny · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to Jason Parent for providing me with an early copy of his latest work in exchange for an honest review! I thought that now that it’s September, it’s time to get into the Halloween mood. This book seemed perfect for that and it definitely was.
The book was very well paced and did an excellent job of telling entertaining stories in a short amount of pages. I thought that the stories were in-depth and detailed, and that the characters were written in a way that made their actions and thoughts realistic and believable. I think that all the stories were strong, but some stood out to me including Russian Dollhouse, Rain, Black, and Pulp. I also liked that each story felt different and unique despite revolving around Halloween.
This is a strong collection of short stories that are perfect for getting into the Fall and Halloween mood. The book is dark, gory, and also manages to sneak in effective humor. I definitely recommend reading this book when it releases on September 24th.
@Paperbackdanny on Instagram

[His Ghoul Friday (Julia) · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was epic!

Mischief Night Massacre was fiendishly difficult to put down. All 10 stories were really well-written, so well-written that I was constantly on edge. The characters are amazingly fleshed out and I loved how eerie the world-building was. There was also plenty of horror pop-culture references which made it so much more fun to read!

My favourite of the collection was Russian Dollhouse, which was the first story. It did a fabulous job of setting the whole tone of the collection, and it really kicked in my flight-or-fight response 😆. Plus it has everything you want in a Halloween story, trick-or-treating, spooky houses, and gore!

Highly recommend checking out Mischief  Night Massacre, reading this was a perfect start to spooky season!

A big thank you to the author for the copy!

[ScarlettAnomalyReads · Rating 4 out of 5]

Had to get my glasses and pen out for this one. ( for notes lol)

I Loved it.

I always try to pick one or two stand out stories and this was hard but
Russian Dollhouse is living rent free in my head yall.

If you recall seeing me say something about mannequins nothing me this week , this little short story is what tipped me over the edge of paranoia, gave me the spooky vibes from a horror movie called The curse of Sleeping Beauty, those things concern me greatly lol.
I'm not saying they are real, but I am saying I give them a healthy respect, just incase. ( tie this in with, I just finished anothrt book heavy on the mannequins and I'm loosing it lol)

Add in the fact I also listed to the audiobook by Author Ben Farthing I found a lost hallway in a dying mall, and it's been a long week for my brain, thankfully I only have to worry about maybe my funko getting me.

Second was Easy Pickings, this one wasn't scary but it was so so so satisfying. I hated the MC and loved every single second of it.

I want to keep listing my favorites from this but there are only ten, and I can't tell you about all of them, then what would you get to read?
This is such a good pre Halloween read, and releases September 24th!
I really really reccomend this one for a spooky good read for October

4/5 Stars
Jason Parent
Mischief Night Massacare
Ten Tales of Halloween

[Janalyn, the blind reviewer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Mischief Night Massacre written by Jason Parent is just 10 more examples of why this author is my kindred spirit. I love horror with supernatural creatures something the author put in almost every book. All you have to do is read Paul or Easy Pickings to see the kind of great talent the author has. He takes things that are innocent and before the book is over you will be fearing it in this one we get 10 stories all different all awesome and it makes for one great anthology. Ever since I read the authors first book I knew he would be a go to author and he has been for a few years now and don’t see that stopping. What a great read and one I definitely recommend. #NetGalley, #TheBlindReviewer, #MyHonestReview, #JasonParent, #MischiefNight,

[Nicola (deathandthemacabre) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Mischief Night Massacre contains 10 Halloween Tales - from human monsters to things that only come out in the dark.. you're bound to find a story that grabs your interest. It's a great book for Halloween season, especially if you prefer short tales of the macabre.

> 𝑹𝒖𝒔𝒔𝒊𝒂𝒏 𝑫𝒐𝒍𝒍𝒉𝒐𝒖𝒔𝒆:
A group of friends go into an abandoned old house on Halloween night where other kids had previously gone missing years earlier.. and shortly find out why..

> 𝑫𝒊𝒂 𝑫𝒆 𝑳𝒐𝒔 𝑴𝒖𝒆𝒓𝒕𝒐𝒔:
A PTSD stricken war veteran takes part in a "Day of the Dead" celebration, only he has a secret he plans to unleash..

> 𝑬𝒂𝒔𝒚 𝑷𝒊𝒄𝒌𝒊𝒏𝒈𝒔:
Some friends bump into a kid carrying a bag of severed body parts, and only him and his "imaginary friend" know how they got there..

> 𝑲𝒆𝒆𝒑𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝑼𝒑 𝑨𝒑𝒑𝒆𝒂𝒓𝒂𝒏𝒄𝒆𝒔:
A home invasion goes awry when the masked thieves break into a house with some very strange inhabitants..

> 𝑨 𝑵𝒐𝒕 𝑵𝒐𝒕-𝑺𝒐 𝑺𝒄𝒂𝒓𝒚 𝑯𝒂𝒍𝒍𝒐𝒘𝒆𝒆𝒏:
When Danielle gets freaked out whilst trick or treating with her brother and cousin, things take an unexpected turn..

> 𝑹𝒂𝒊𝒏:
Stuck at home on Halloween night because of a storm, a family are surprised when they get some very strange trick or treaters at their door..

> 𝑩𝒍𝒂𝒄𝒌:
A couple visit a Halloween tourist attraction with a very deadly outcome..

> 𝑹𝒊𝒅𝒆 𝑳𝒊𝒌𝒆 𝑻𝒉𝒆 𝑫𝒆𝒗𝒊𝒍:
Taye and his sister visit the local carnival when they realise it isn't safe..

> 𝑷𝒖𝒍𝒑:
One by one, Halloween party go-ers are murdered, which of them is the culprit?

> 𝑳𝒂𝒔𝒕 𝑯𝒂𝒍𝒍𝒐𝒘𝒆𝒆𝒏:
Four teens go off drinking after trick or treating, finding themselves in the middle of a terrifying vortex of creatures..

I did really enjoy this book of horrors. Some of the stories way better than others. This is a great book for horror newbies or for teenagers wanting to get into the genre. It's wonderfully written, super descriptive, and the stories are fun and unique!

[Chiara Cooper · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a great Halloween collection with so many varied stories, but all set at Halloween.

Although I thought a couple of the stories were a bit long, losing a bit of the suspense, I enjoyed them all anyway, and some of them were so entertaining, I was amazed!

Amongst the stories, there’s a slasher with a twist, an apparently cosy rainy afternoon with the family, the unmissable haunted house and every possible thing you can think of regarding Halloween, but every one of them with unexpected turns and elements that make this collection the perfect read for spooky season!

So, no matter what your favourite trope is, if it’s about Halloween you’ll find it here, but what you get is much more!

Thanks to the author for a copy and this is my honest opinion.

[Christine Harrold · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a solid collection of horror short stories all centered around Halloween.

Jason Parent has created a collection that the reader can consume like a bag of Halloween candy, you can’t stop at consuming just one, there is something for everyone, and some are not your favorite.

A fast paced, tense and bloody choice of stories, aimed at readers who are fans of brutal and furious slasher movies. The language, pace and style felt YA, like Adam Cesare’s Clown in a Cornfield series.

My faves of the group were the opener, Russian Dollhouse, Rain and Keeping up Appearances.

This collection would be best appreciated on a dark and windy night in October.

[Svea Neitzke · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a collection of 10 stories surrounding all things Halloween. The first one is Russian Dollhouse. It starts out as if it’s supposed to be YA, but it takes a hellish path through a haunted house that feeds on their worst nightmares. This sets the mood for everything else. All of the characters in the stories are fair game. Another one that I really liked was Easy Pickings, where bullies get what’s coming to them. Most of the stories are long. I didn’t mind it because of how engaging the stories are. The longest one is Pulp, which is kind of a Halloween Groundhog’s Day with a murder mystery angle. It’s a fun slasher with plenty of dark humor. Each story will definitely keep you company and live in your head, especially during the spooky season. 

[Crystal DeBoard · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is my second book by Jason Parent and I always enjoy his writing style. Mischief Night Massacre is a collection of 10 stories. I enjoyed all. My top two were Russian Dollhouse and Last Halloween. This is a great book for Spooky Season.

[Kalyn Stockman · Rating 3 out of 5]

Mischief Night Massacre by Jason Parent
✨
This is a fun collection of Halloween Night horror short stories. Though they are short stories, the author does a great job with giving enough character building to be invested in the story.

There are a lot of (intentionally) POS characters in here and a lot of horrifying revenge.

I felt that some stories lacked in explanation, some dragged on, but most were just right.

Stories 2 and 3 stood out to me, and story 8 was the most unsettling.

Overall a good time!
✨

[Becca · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you so much to Jason Parent for the e-ARC of Mischief Night Massacre!


Mischief Night Massacre! has 10 short stories that are perfect for the Halloween season! In this collection, we celebrate the holiday in all of our favorite ways — by trick or treating, going to the local haunt and/or amusement park and having a few drinks at a party.

Mischief Night Massacre! provides several different horror tropes/sub-genres. Within the pages, you’ll find the usual culprits: ghosts and slashers, along with a Black Widow.

Some of the stories will hit, while others might not (depending on your tastes & all that) — however, you’re bound to find some goodies in this collection. & as a whole, it’s a perfect addition for your spooky season TBR! My favorite stories from Mischief Night Massacre! were “Russian Dollhouse”, “Black” & “Pulp”!

[DH_reads_horror · Rating 4 out of 5]

10 Halloween themed short stories from Jason Parent that superbly capture the mood of Halloween. I liked every story in this collection, but there are a few that really stood out for me:

Dia De Los Muertos - a veteran suffering from PTSD is not an easy target for criminals during Day of the Dead celebrations.
Easy Pickings - two bullies try to steal candy from a child who has a very angry imaginary friend.
Rain - don't open your door to trick-or-treaters on a stormy Halloween night.
Pulp - a costumed killer stalks a Halloween party.

Mischief Night Massacre is released on 24th September. Jason Parent kindly sent me this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

[Kim Pelletier · Rating 1 out of 5]

Thank you NetGalley for giving me an advanced e-arc of this book to review! Unfortunately I’m giving this book a 1 out of 5 star rating because I could not get into it at all and had to DNF 80 pages in. The concept seemed really good and interesting to me, and I was really excited to read some spooky short stories in and around Halloween, but as the stories played out it was just… not what I was expecting. The stories were quite dark and gorey and graphic, more than I was expecting, and actually had me feeling gross reading them and not in a good way that some spooky/horror stories can do. Some of the language used was also not up to my cup of tea, the third? or fourth story drops a lot of r-words which I’m not comfortable with at all.

Overall, if you’re looking for dark, gore-filled and at times gruesome stories for Halloween this would totally be the perfect book for you! But if you were hoping for just spooky and creepy short stories like me, avoid it at all costs because this is not it. Thank you again NetGalley!

[Milt Theo · Rating 4 out of 5]

Having just finished a Halloween short story collection, one which I enjoyed immensely, I probably went into "Mischief Night Massacre" with rather too high expectations. Jason Parent's collection is a good read, deeply immersed in the Halloween spirit and celebrating all aspects of that day of the year, but only a few of the ten stories included worked for me in that format: the ideas and the settings are wonderful and attractive, but most of the stories are just too long! Though there's rarely too much of a good thing, in this case the length takes most of the tension and the suspense out of the story. At least it did for me: "Dia De Los Muertos," for example, one of my favorites (about a veteran with PTSD, whose experiences overseas brought him face to face with the supernatural - I love this kind of stories!), could have been a tremendously good horror story were it half the length it is; by the time I finished it, it felt like a joke that took too long to get to the punchline and I'd lost interest in the ending. On the other hand, "Pulp," by far the longest tale in the collection, employs a sort of gimmick to keep the story running after it literally ends several times! So perhaps Parent's style is purposefully structured around long story length: it's neither a misstep nor optional. But it's difficult for an author to sustain an atmosphere of dread (necessary, I suppose, to the ambience of Halloween horror stories) when it's clear that the story has made its point and the reader expects closure. Another instance: the opening story, "Russian Doll House," a terrific haunted house tale with very sinister twists despite the young adult overtones. I couldn't help wondering why, once the young friends go into the house (which has taken lots of pages already), an entire series of new trials was needed to underline the same point again and again; that said, this would not be a "Russian Dollhouse" otherwise.

Almost all the stories have been previously published, though they've been revised for this publication. Two of them stood out for me, in spite of the problems with pacing and length: "Rain" and "Black". The first gave me chills: it's about a dad trying to tell a scary story to his young sons on Halloween night, and getting continuously interrupted by strange events. I thought the dad would have been the key to the story, due to the (ultimately misleading) humorous tone, but nope: this was a proper horror story with no humor at all. I loved it! The other story, "Black," employed a very smart technique to offer a nasty twist in the end: it's told almost entirely from the point of view of a husband who's been cheating on his wife; just before the end, the point of view changes and we get the chance to see things from the wife's perspective. This was a very enjoyable story, one which all readers will appreciate for its entertainment value.

In sum, this is a collection lots of people will probably enjoy; the fact that Parent's style is not for me means little, when the tales are obviously well-crafted and rich in detail and intelligent dialogue.

[Pan | Book Reviews and Recommendations · Rating 5 out of 5]

Call your boss and say you are ill, send your kids at grandma's, open your secret stash of treats, get that pumpkin spice tea brewing, get under your beloved blanket and put on some mellow spooky vintage jazz.

Then grab Jason Parent's new 'Mischief Night Massacre :Ten tales of Halloween' and get ready to immerse yourself into the most beautiful time of the year.


Halloween is upon us dear reader and the author made sure to deliver all the tricks and definitely all the treats in this marvelous collection of short stories. I'm so lucky to have the honor or taking a chance to take a peek first. 


This wonderful bouquet of 10 horrors will take you on a journey through all things macabre and spooky and make you fall in love with Halloween as it feels like reading all your favorite episodes of Creepshow and Tales from the Crypt. 


Dive into themes of haunted houses, monsters, Halloween parties, ghosts and cemeteries, new and old forgotten lore all coming back to life from the exquisite writings of Jason Parent. 


I lost myself and almost soiled my pants with the creepily delicious tales 'Rain', 'Pulp' and 'Easy Pickings',each one of them tapping into a childhood fear of mine. 


If you haven't felt scared lately, I guarantee you that by the end of this book, you will be definitely be looking behind your back as the sense of unease slowly creeps in... and every creaking sound sends shivers down your spine. 


I loved reading this dark delight, perfect for Halloween nights, and I'm definitely going to dive into more of Jason Parent's spooky stories. 

[Graveyardreads Book Reviews · Rating 5 out of 5]

Mischief Night Massacre By Jason Parent
Halloween never sounded scarier than these chilling short stories by Jason Parent. From start to finish, this kept me on edge with goosebumps.
Here's a few examples:

Four teenagers dare each other to approach a house that's known to be abandoned. However,on this Halloween night, the house comes to life with dark intentions.

A sadistic bully gets what's coming to him after meeting a small child and his imaginary friend.

An innocent scary Halloween story turns all to real for a family.

Carnival rides are always fun unless it's Halloween.

A big applause for Jason Parent. Each tale became more eerie and intense as I read on. I highly recommend this for a perfect Halloween evening.
Rating 5 stars 🌟