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A Thrilling Year in Short: 13 Stories to not Read in the Dark
The thirteen stories contained within these pages can be startling.
Demons, angels, zombies and werewolves. Killers, stalkers and victims abound. Each story will hold you in its thrall until the chilling end. As stated before, these stories will startle you, yet each one is enticing enough to keep you turning the page.
309 pages, Paperback
Published October 1, 2024
1 person is currently reading
5 people want to read
About the author
S.M. Sykes
17 books18 followersS.M. Sykes is a multi-genre author with a relentless imagination, a taste for the catastrophic, and a deep love for the strange corners of speculative fiction. Whether it’s a world-ending apocalypse, invading dragons, twisted fairy tales, or the quiet terror of what lurks in the dark, Sykes crafts stories that pull readers to the edge of the unknown—and dares them to look over the side.
Best known for The Blue Series—including Eyes of Blue, A Dim Blue, Loss of Blue, and A Faded Blue—Sykes blends post-apocalyptic grit, emotional depth, and character-driven tension into an expansive universe filled with Deaders, spores, survivors, and the haunting cost of memory. The series has grown into a reader-favorite world with spin-offs like Lives of Blue: Stories from the Unseen and Starfall: First Days of the Apocalypse.
Outside of the Blue universe, Sykes continues to push genre boundaries. He’s tackled dark fantasy with Fantasy Slayer, a sword-and-dragon saga set in a broken, high-magic Earth; psychological horror with First Snow a dark Oz retelling in Blood Stained Bricks; a locked-room thriller in The Countdown; and cosmic-leaning monstrosities in Living Adjacent, his original anthology series showcasing new voices in horror.
Sykes is also the creator and editor behind SMSykes Anthologies, an emerging imprint dedicated to curated collections of horror, fantasy, and speculative fiction from independent and up-and-coming writers. He is passionate about building spaces for community, collaboration, and fresh storytelling—especially stories that explore fear, survival, and the human spirit under impossible pressure.
When he’s not writing, Sykes is usually building something—crafting new worlds, 3D-printing models for upcoming releases, designing promotional art, or supporting local events and libraries across Delaware. He works closely with his wife Tanya, who runs LetMeTryItCrafts, to bring bookish gifts, handcrafted art, and limited-edition collectibles to readers at conventions and fairs.
With dozens of projects in development, Sykes shows no signs of slowing down. He doesn’t pick genres—he picks catastrophes—and his readers have learned to expect the unexpected.
Best known for The Blue Series—including Eyes of Blue, A Dim Blue, Loss of Blue, and A Faded Blue—Sykes blends post-apocalyptic grit, emotional depth, and character-driven tension into an expansive universe filled with Deaders, spores, survivors, and the haunting cost of memory. The series has grown into a reader-favorite world with spin-offs like Lives of Blue: Stories from the Unseen and Starfall: First Days of the Apocalypse.
Outside of the Blue universe, Sykes continues to push genre boundaries. He’s tackled dark fantasy with Fantasy Slayer, a sword-and-dragon saga set in a broken, high-magic Earth; psychological horror with First Snow a dark Oz retelling in Blood Stained Bricks; a locked-room thriller in The Countdown; and cosmic-leaning monstrosities in Living Adjacent, his original anthology series showcasing new voices in horror.
Sykes is also the creator and editor behind SMSykes Anthologies, an emerging imprint dedicated to curated collections of horror, fantasy, and speculative fiction from independent and up-and-coming writers. He is passionate about building spaces for community, collaboration, and fresh storytelling—especially stories that explore fear, survival, and the human spirit under impossible pressure.
When he’s not writing, Sykes is usually building something—crafting new worlds, 3D-printing models for upcoming releases, designing promotional art, or supporting local events and libraries across Delaware. He works closely with his wife Tanya, who runs LetMeTryItCrafts, to bring bookish gifts, handcrafted art, and limited-edition collectibles to readers at conventions and fairs.
With dozens of projects in development, Sykes shows no signs of slowing down. He doesn’t pick genres—he picks catastrophes—and his readers have learned to expect the unexpected.
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Displaying 1 of 1 review
January 14, 2026
This collection of 13 horror short stories, each tied to a month of the year (with two for December) offers a fascinating and creative framing device. I chose to read one story per month, and it added an extra layer of enjoyment seeing how each story connected to the season and mood of that time of year.
As a whole, the collection offers a wide variety of horror subgenres, making it easy for different readers to find something that appeals to them. Some stories are genuinely fun and entertaining, while others miss the mark, resulting in noticeable variation in overall quality.
The writing style may feel juvenile to some, with minimal and often lackluster descriptions and occasionally choppy flow. More significantly, the book is in serious need of editing. The copy I read contained frequent grammatical and typographical errors, which repeatedly pulled me out of the stories. In addition, several stories appeared in different typesettings without any clear purpose or explanation, adding to the distraction.
Overall, this is a creative and ambitious collection with moments of enjoyment, but one that would benefit greatly from stronger editing and refinement.
As a whole, the collection offers a wide variety of horror subgenres, making it easy for different readers to find something that appeals to them. Some stories are genuinely fun and entertaining, while others miss the mark, resulting in noticeable variation in overall quality.
The writing style may feel juvenile to some, with minimal and often lackluster descriptions and occasionally choppy flow. More significantly, the book is in serious need of editing. The copy I read contained frequent grammatical and typographical errors, which repeatedly pulled me out of the stories. In addition, several stories appeared in different typesettings without any clear purpose or explanation, adding to the distraction.
Overall, this is a creative and ambitious collection with moments of enjoyment, but one that would benefit greatly from stronger editing and refinement.
Displaying 1 of 1 review