The dark history of Ireland is on display with visceral imagery and hand-drawn illustrations in this second Terror Triptych. Generations of blood haunt the fair farm of Clairy in the first tale, Legacy. What will it take to appease an ancient Gaelic God?
The second story ferries the reader to the Aran Islands, where The Dead House -or whatever resides inside- calls to young Clara.
The trio of terror ends with the Dungeons Under Dublin, hiding dark secrets and spirits that thirst for revenge.
Fallon does it again with a nice compilation of horror short stories, this time set in Ireland. First, the visual aspect of the book. The cover combines images that relate to the three stories, which is excellent. Inside, you'll find some hand-drawn images that make you wonder what the story is going to be about. I enjoyed the poems at the start of each section. They are twisty and dark and give a nice preview of what we should expect in the short story below.
A quick review of each story without spoilers.
Legacy was immediately my favorite, with folklore, farmland, old ghost stories, and families turning against one another (while also trying to protect one another). I could visualize the house and land well, and enough gore that drove home that haunted historic feel.
The Dead House was equally chilling but very different. The image next to the poem of a deranged rabbit had me instantly curious. We get an instant look at an old, broken-down house, which draws in not only the reader but also a young girl who tries to remember the house's history and who used to be there. The girl is warned not to go to the house, but we all know where this is going. It only makes her want to know more. Strange dreams call her to the house, and the rest is history.
Finally, we have Dungeons under Dublin, which starts off with a chilling vibe of a young security guard meeting an older guard who has been there for many years. At first I'm not sure their relationship is going to be ok, but they end up being friendly and sharing tales of the tunnels with one another. The older guard, Paddy, has a gross scalp thing going on that makes me cringe, but we later learn the reason is not hygiene related. James is the younger guard, and together they are forced to walk through dark tunnels under an old dungeon. The tunnels lead to secrets that burst through, exposing Paddy's past, and doing some real ghostly damage in the process.
Great details throughout. Can't wait to see what Fallon does next in this series of short horror stories.
Really enjoyed this set of shorts from Kasey Fallon. The stories were the right length, tightly written and built in a spooky environment that is such an important part of horror stories. Dungeons under Dublin is particularly well done.
Each story is preceded by a short poem and an illustration from the author that sets the scene for the upcoming narrative. Worked quite well.
I leave this review as my thanks to the author and BookSirens for an ARC.
Kasey Fallon is back with a follow up in the Terror Triptych series named Ireland. The Ireland book caught my eye with the dark and twisted cover. The book consists of 3 stories that are set in Ireland.
Legacy, The Dead House and Dungeons under Dublin are all short reads that will definitely chill you to the bone. The stories are well written and extremely descriptive. OnceI started the book I didn’t want to put it down. I absolutely love Fallon’s writing. I can’t wait to read more.
Sometimes, you really can judge a book by its cover. That’s what initially drew me to Ireland by Kasey Fallon, a collection of three chilling horror stories set against the backdrop of Ireland’s haunting landscapes. The dark, atmospheric cover perfectly captured the vibes I was searching for, and the promise of Irish settings only added to its allure.
The collection features three distinct stories—Legacy, Dead House, and Dungeons Under Dublin. Each story begins with a poem that sets the stage with goosebump-inducing verses, immediately immersing you in a world of suspense and dread. The themes explored in these tales hit all my favorite horror tropes:
- A farm household grappling with offerings to ancient gods (Legacy),
- An abandoned house that erases the memories of those who enter it (Dead House),
- And eerie dungeons brimming with undead prisoners (Dungeons Under Dublin).
Fallon’s writing is masterful, balancing rich descriptions with a creeping sense of dread. Even when the ending of a story felt inevitable, the tension was so skillfully maintained that I couldn’t help but hope for a twist to spare the main characters I’d grown to care about.
This collection is a testament to tasteful, well-crafted horror. The poetry, the unique tropes, and the Irish settings work together beautifully to create stories that linger in your mind long after you’ve closed the book.
If you’re a fan of atmospheric horror that combines folklore with a touch of the macabre, Ireland by Kasey Fallon is a must-read.
WOW. Incredible story!!! Caught my interest from the first page. Addictive, intense, well written book. Fasy paced read with twists and turns throughout. Five stars!!!!!!
I picked up this book as something quick and a little different to dive into. I've always had a deep love for Irish lore, stories, and history. Growing up, I was completely fascinated by everything Irish; Ireland has always been a dream destination for me. With a bit of Irish in my roots (I’m a proud Canadian mixed breed!), I’ve always found the culture and land so beautiful and captivating. So, when I stumbled across this book, I knew I had to read it.
The book is made up of three short stories, and I finished it in just over a day (though let’s be honest #ToddlerMomLife means reading time comes in short bursts). I really enjoyed the pacing of each story and the writing style. I read it all in my head with an Irish lilt, which just made the whole experience even better. The landscapes were described so vividly, especially for short stories... it really pulled me in.
Each story brought a fresh take on Irish folklore and horror. The first was rooted in eerie farmland folklore, the second took a unique spin on the haunted house trope, and the third was a chilling dive into the dark history of Dublin’s underground tunnels. All three stories gave me different vibes, but they were all beautifully tied together with elements of art and poetry. It was honestly so well done.
If you’re thinking of picking this up, I highly recommend getting the physical book instead of the e-book (which is what I read). I feel like the experience would be even more immersive in print... this one definitely deserves to be held and flipped through.
I really enjoyed this read and give it a solid 4 stars. Thanks for the ride! It was a wonderfully haunting little journey.
A Terror Triptych: Ireland contains three very creepy stories, all set in Ireland, along with appropriate illustrations. It's fun read on a night alone and I really enjoyed it. I read the whole book in one sitting.
Thank you NetGalley and Kasey Fallon for the opportunity to read the advance copy of this book.
I loved these short horror stories based in Ireland. Growing up with a family with an Irish heritage, I loved being able to relate and place myself in the setting…until I didn’t want to be in the setting anymore!
These stories were quick and easy to read but also disturbing, in the best way.
Thank you Kasey Fallon, Falcon Lit and NetGalley for the ARC. All opinions expressed are my own.
Spooky and perfect for Halloween!! The stories were vivid and well-written and the characters felt realistic. I liked that some of it was written in a way where you could hear the accents. I wish there was a pronunciation guide, I did have to look up how a few of the names were pronounced.
Definitely a quick, fun read for the spooky season.
I've never read a book like this, so the fact that I finished it in one sitting. Shows you just how dang captivating it is. All the stories stem from the dark history of Emerald Isle, Ireland.
The first short story was about the fair farm of the Clairy family & some long-standing traditions that revolved around Lughnasadh, which is in the beginning of harvest season. This ritual had been going on for 200-plus years around this time. This was quite frightening—how far this family was willing to go to please the Gaelic god.
Dungeons Under Dublin is about an old prison with an abandoned wing; these guards just should have stayed the heck out of it. What Paddy one of the guards experiences is downright freaking disturbing! The story intertwines history into it as well. Freakish, insanely, disturbing to say the least.
Revolves around the old, dilapidated house called This Dead house, which has an energy that has been drawing poor little Clara. After waking up from a horrible nightmare about the Dead House, Clare grabbed one of her mama's knitting needles and went to go join the party. If you're into short stories with a little horror in them, this one's a gripping quick read. Highly recommend!!*I received this as an ARC reader and am leaving my unbiased review.