It's all fun and games until someone loses an eye...
From the award-winning author of 28 Years Haunted comes...
EYE FOR AN EYE
Ghastly Press presents a collection of ghastly suspense novellas from the twisted imagination of award-winning horror author B.D. Prince.
COMMITTED When a 1950s housewife suspects her husband of having an affair, she struggles to prove her suspicions and her sanity. Quarterfinalist, ScreenCraft Cinematic Short Story Competition
EYE FOR AN EYE When two college sophomores make an emergency stop for fuel during a cross-country road trip, they discover how the wrong decision in the wrong town can mean the difference between life and death. Or something far worse...
B.D. Prince was raised in Michigan before moving to California in his twenties to pursue screenwriting and a tan. The dark fiction and comedy writer credits these proclivities to growing up near a cemetery and being endowed with a freakishly long funny bone.
Prince got his start writing humorous greeting cards and penning one-liners for Joan Rivers. Now an award-winning author and screenwriter, Prince won the 2024 Imadjinn Award for the novel "28 Years Haunted." Having published numerous short stories, his recent novella collection, "Eye for an Eye," and his new short story collection "13 Ghastly Tales" (October. 7, 2025), B.D. Prince is currently writing a new horror novel and developing projects for film and television.
You can find this review and all my others over at Read Book. Repeat
Two short stories, sure to make your skin crawl. In the first, a wife is sure that her husband is cheating...isn't he? The situation only gets worse when she finds herself institutionalised. In the second, two friends are on a cross-country road trip when they're dangerously close to running out of fuel. They find themselves at a small gas station unable to pay. The crime of pump and run couldn't have that much of a penalty...could it?
I devoured BOTH of these stories. I honestly could not put this book down. Both stories, while completely different to each other in plot, carried the same insurmountable feeling of isolation, anxiety and fear.
In committed I was astounded at how well Prince was able to write someone experiencing gaslighting. Throughout the story, I found myself wondering at different times whether the wife was wrong, even though I KNEW that she wasn't. I've, unfortunately, experienced gaslighting before and Prince wrote this SO well. I was screaming at the woman to leave, to run, to get out, but of course she couldn't hear me. And in the age that this was set, I'm guessing around the 1950s, leaving just wasn't an option. The anxiety I felt for her, and anger I felt at the husband, and the fear of the times was real. Heart in my throat, I couldn't stop turning the pages even though my anxiety was quite high. I had to know; I had to see what happened. The fact that this kind of thing actually happened, and in a not-so-distant past, is actually quite terrifying. Knowing that your husband, the person you love, could not only do this to you, make you feel crazy (which, believe me, is such an awful thing to experience), but that they could also have you committed on top of that. It's terrifying. Prince really brought the atmosphere and the stifling feeling of being isolated and trapped with this one.
In Eye for an Eye, the title story, the isolation was one of a different kind. This was a physical isolation, of being cut off completely, not being able to contact anyone and potentially becoming trapped because your car has almost run out of fuel. Ending up in a way out of the way little town that lives in the past, where modern things just don't work, in this day and age, is a terrifying thought. The terror in this one is brought by the feeling of being chased, of knowing that you're gonna be caught, and of the most basic human fears that I can personally think of. This one is a little gruesome and it works so well for the story. Again, this gruesomeness pulls on a basic human fear that everyone I know has. The feeling of hopelessness is so strong in this one, of knowing that you can keep fighting, but it's honestly not gonna do you any good.
What both of these stories held, for me, was basic human fear. How many of us are afraid that the person we chose, the person we love, will betray us so badly? That they'll throw us to the wolves and not give a damn? How many of us have been or are afraid that we're losing our minds? Have you ever driven on a long haul drive and thought "damn, did I put enough fuel in?" getting caught out in a remote area, especially in Australia, is a very possible thing, it could actually happen. Prince did such an amazing job of weaving fear, anxiety and isolation into these stories and I was here for every single word. I can't wait to see what he does next because I'll be on that straight away! I also loved that these stories, while short, were both the perfect length for the story being told. There was no lull in pacing because the page count was short, yet the stories felt full and complete. I love a short story that feels done and while it may leave you with some questions at the end, it doesn't leave you feeling unsatisfied.
If you're in the market for a shorter read to round out those reading goals, you want short stories that are satisfying and complete, and you just wanna feel some fear about situations that could actually happen, give this one a go!! I thoroughly enjoyed it. So much so, that I stock it in my online bookstore!
I've only ever started a review with the following words one other time, so this is rare:
WHAT THE HELL DID I JUST READ?!?
I met Bryan on Facebook (where else), and we immediately hit it off. Despite him being a Red Wings fan, he's a cool guy, and a really good writer - and storyteller.
Which brings me to EYE FOR AN EYE and a repeat of, "What the hell did I just read?"
The first story - "Committed" - is what would happen if The Twilight Zone and the movie Gaslight were somehow thrown together; and Bryan did so masterfully. Throughout the story, you are kept wondering, "Is she crazy?", "Is he cheating?", and, "What's the end game?" And what an end game - not at all what you you'd expect, or see coming.
The second story - "Eye For An Eye" - yeah, I have no words to describe how completely messed up this one was; in an enjoyable way. I have to say, you may want to slap Bryan across the back of the head when you finish it though. If you've never driven down a road, or highway, that has absolutely NOTHING for miles, this story may not have the same punch. I have, and let me tell you, the stories you make up in your head are nothing compared to this one. What happens if you need gas, and wind up is a podunk town with it's own rules - the worst being Exodus 21:24 - "An eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth, a hand for a hand, a foot for a foot"? Read and find out - and maybe take a different road next time.
Now, if I had one complaint about this book, it's this: I WANT MORE ! !
And you will too - pick this one up; but be prepared to want more as well.
This collection delivers two short stories that completely pull you in and refuse to let go!
The first story started a little slow for me, and at first I wasn’t sure where things were heading. But honestly, I think that added to the experience because I felt myself spiraling right alongside Charlotte. When she ended up where she did, I genuinely thought there was no possible way things could turn around or that she’d ever get justice. I was fully prepared for heartbreak… and then that ending HIT. My jaw was literally on the floor. I didn’t see it coming at all.
The second story follows two college girls on a cross-country road trip who stop for gas in the absolute worst place imaginable. The atmosphere was so unsettling and tense that it felt like they had wandered straight into a sundown-ish town nightmare. I was anxious the entire time as everything unraveled. The suspense was incredible, but wow, that ending frustrated me in the best and worst way because the cliffhanger left me needing more immediately.
I had the pleasure of meeting BD Prince at 2 book events! If you read this review, I told you I was going to put it on top of my TBR list!
This was my first B.D. Prince book and will not be my last! Trying not to give any spoilers, Each story took place in a different era and captured them perfectly, one was a more mild horror and the other in your face! Eye for an eye story had some wicked scenes and I can’t wait to check out more by Mr. Prince!
Read in just 1 day, first book by him and couldn't put it down. Got it at a book fair where I got it and got it signed and LOVED it. Will be reading more now!
"Eye for an Eye" is an engaging, well-written volume containing two novellas by B.D. Prince. This was my first exposure to the author's work, and I was impressed on several levels, from the creativity to the quality of the storytelling.
Although the two stories are very different, they share one crucial element: In both cases, the protagonist feels trapped and disoriented by an extreme situation, and is struggling to find a way out. Prince does an exceptional job of conveying the horror and panic that arises in both these situations. He knows how to make the reader feel trapped, right along with his characters. Just as impressive is his command of tension, keeping the reader wondering until the end whether the protagonist will extricate herself from her dire predicament.
In the first story, "Committed," Prince keeps us unsure whether the protagonist is mentally unbalanced, the antagonist is simply cruel, or both. The protagonist is equally uncertain, adding to the air of chaos. Is she being gaslit? Where is the line between justified concern and paranoia? It's difficult to tell.
The second selection, "Eye for an Eye" is a highly original story in which Prince sketches out an intriguing world - and does so effectively, even in the size constraints of a novella.
Prince does a great job of keeping his narrative conversational. I was able to read it aloud without getting tripped up and losing the flow. His prose is effortless rather than stilted or forced. The description, woven nicely into the action and dialogue, is strong but not overdone, propelling the story forward rather than making it drag. The author also does a good job getting inside the characters' heads, allowing us to feel their confusion, anxiety, anger, and desperation.
I will definitely be looking for more works by this author. Highly recommended.
This is the second book I've read of his. I went back to the first one I read just so I could look up any of his other books. I love good short horror stories. I don't like the ones that are all wordy,I don't want to figure out what a author is trying to make scary by putting out 5 pages of words that are supposed to be figured out describing something. Then on to another 7 pages of word diarrhea. A author is supposed to write the story, I'm not trying to figure out what a person is trying to make scary by a bunch of words. This book was so good, and the first one I read, that I'm going to add them to my library. I got it as free to read subscription. When I find a writer that brings me in the story like this author can, well I've got to own that author books. The last story about 2 young ladies taking a road trip and getting caught up in a town that seriously takes the "eye for a eye,a tooth for a tooth" to the extreme. I would say the moral of that story is carry cash and funny try to drive off with gas you haven't paid for. Especially if that small town has people walking around with missing teeth. I'm happy I going this author and if you like really good short horror stories, you'll finish every page. Great read! ❣️
Both these stories are engaging in different ways. Author BD Prince creates a mounting sesnse of doom with each. 'Committed' is a period piece with grand-scale gaslighting leading to a terrifiying result. Disturbing behavior elements left me sure that I would open my eyes at night and see someone standing over my bed! 'Eye for an Eye' explores the nature of horror on a different level, delving into creepy back-woods- justice -gone -wild and playing on my fears of being stranded and cut off someplace with no help in sight!
The first story is unsettling in the sense that it could have really happened. Charlotte is a housewife who loves her husband, but he’s gotten up to some shenanigans, and he’s not thrilled that Charlotte has found out. What will he do to protect his reputation and get rid of his problems? Prepare to be infuriated!
The second story is kind of like Nothing but Trouble in a very non-funny and terrifying way. Almost convinced me to always carry cash…
If you’re look for a quick, fun read to hit that reading goal before the end of the year, pick this one up!
Eye for an Eye by B. D. Prince is a collection of two novellas, and though the book is slim, there is nothing thin about either of the stories—they both pack a punch. I read it in one evening because I couldn’t put it down.
The first one is entitled, “Committed.” It is about an overly possessive housewife and the husband who is gaslighting her. The way he ultimately solves the problem of the wife he no longer wants is nothing short of chilling when you realize how easy this would be to do to someone. But, as the title of the book suggests, he gets his.
The other novella, entitled, “Eye for an Eye,” employs two horror tropes—two college students driving cross-country and running out of gas in a tiny town in the middle of nowhere, and small-town law quick to arrest and jail. The girls’ California sensibilities don’t fly in this town, but rather, dig them in deeper. My hat is off to Mr. Prince for wringing every last drop of horrific goodness from these cliched tropes— the story could easily have been a yawner, but the author breathes new life into them with a deftness that was nothing short of astonishing. I just couldn’t read it fast enough and I even held my breath for some of it. My takeaway from this story? Never, ever take a long road trip without $100 in cash in your pocket.
Stephen King would be proud to have written these stories. This book is a beautifully penned page-turner that you will want to read again…and again.
Eye for an Eye serves up two short, sinister tales that hit hard and fast. The first story, Committed, dives deep into psychological horror. Set in what feels like the 1950s, it captures the terror of being gaslit so convincingly, I found myself doubting reality right alongside the protagonist. The tension builds like a pressure cooker—claustrophobic, maddening, unforgettable.
The second tale, Eye for an Eye, shifts gears into physical isolation. Two friends on a road trip make one bad call at a creepy gas station in the middle of nowhere. It’s eerie, it’s grim, and it taps into that primal fear of being cut off from the world—and completely at someone else’s mercy.
Both stories had my heart racing and my brain screaming. Gruesome, grounded, and unsettling in all the right ways. Also, that cover art? A perfect hint at the darkness inside.
I picked up a signed copy of this book at the Imaginarium Convention, and my husband and I read it on our road trip home. What an excellent purchase if you don't mind being spooked when driving in the middle of nowhere. As a horror writer myself--one who is also inspired by what I experience on road trips--I absolutely adored the story Eye For an Eye. It was totally creepy and makes you ponder what you would do in the same situation. The first story Committed is also wonderful, reminiscent of Twilight Zone or Hitchcock. Throughout the story, the reader is left pondering whether the MC is actually mentally ill or just having a breakdown. I didn't see the end coming, and I loved it! My only complaint with this collection is there were only two. I wanted more! Pick this book up for a spooky read. Maybe not just before a road trip though.
I picked up this book while on a day trip to Frankenmuth and boy am I glad I did! I couldn't put this one down, I just had to know what happened next. The stories are fast paced which I love and I look forward to reading more from this author.
Eye for an Eye features two novellas. The first centers on a young wife who is institutionalized by her husband, but she gets her revenge! The second is about 2 college girls on a road trip who stop in the wrong nowhere town for gas and end up sucked into the town’s sinister justice system. Be sure to check these out! Prince knows how to write a story that grabs you from the beginning and keeps ahold long after the story is finished.
This novella was fun! Two stories in one book, love it! Very quick and easy to read. Both stories are entertaining but the second one is my favorite. I rated it 3.8 stars only because the first story fell a little short for me and in the second story, the way the friend spoke was crazy! I laughed at her but cringed a few times from how she would speak. Overall I'd say this was a well written, fast paced novella worth a read!