The Horror Collection: Morte Edition

The Horror Collection #21

by Kevin J. Kennedy, Nick Roberts, Devin Cabrera

The 21st book in The Horror Collection series brings you a plethora of new stories from some of the industry's best authors.

Genres: Horror, Short Stories, Anthologies, Fiction

479 pages, Kindle Edition

Published January 2, 2025

About the author

Kevin J. Kennedy is a horror author, editor, and anthologist. He is the owner of KJK Publishing and runs the bestselling 'The Horror Collection' series. He is the author of Halloween Land, The Clown and Nothing is Real.

He lives in the heart of Scotland with his beautiful wife, three cats, Carlito, Ariel and Luna, and a Pomchi called Orko. He can be found on Facebook if you want to chat with him.

Reviews

[Milt Theo · Rating 5 out of 5]

"The Horror Collection: Morte Edition" is the 21st volume in Kevin Kennedy's Horror Collection series; they're invite-only and the stories are handpicked by Kennedy himself. Incredibly, the quality is consistently very high across all volumes, and the authors are always representative of the best indie horror has to offer. Volume 21, branded "The Morte Edition," is huge (literally, at almost 400 pages), with nineteen stories of varying length by well-established authors. Theme-wise, it's about death, murder, and revenge - though the volume covers all kinds of horror, from supernatural tales to extreme horror. To keep the review reasonably short, I'll go straight to the stories:

-"Turkey Teeth" by Harrison Phillips: a gross and horrific tale about liposuction, teeth implants and other miracle cures in Turkey (or more correctly, as Miranda, the main character herself, notes, "Türkiye"). The Substance meets Extreme Makeover.
- "I’m Still Here" by Brian Moreland: A deranged serial killer (well, deranged more than usual) decides to make art out of unsual material; Arizona State Trooper Jill O’Rourke stumbles upon his new artwork and tries to stop him. This novellette is full of suspense and terror, and the ending surprised me.
- "Bachelorette Party Bloodbath" by Jason Nickey: A sort of a slasher/revenge story, wherein Trevor a gay young man is invited to a bachelorette party as the token "gay man"; he demurs at first but his workmate Stacey, also invited, convinces him to tag along. Big mistake.
- "Survival" by Veronica Smith: A road accident ends up raising a serious moral dilemma - to the detriment of the survivors.
- "Thin Air" by Christina Bergling: Hiking to the summit is not easy, especially if the company gets on your nerves. But apparently there are easy ways out.
- "Haunted by 'Macho Man' by Randy Savage" by Steve Stred: A ghost story about wrestling, wrestlers, and wrestling reporting. Like a wrestling match, the story jumps around and ends with reason going out the window (if you've read this story, sorry for the pun).
- "The Double Date" by D.W. Hitz: Jason finds a gift certificate in his mailbox, a free dinner for four at a new steakhouse. He picks up his friends and they go. Yep, you guessed it: big mistake. However, this is actually a well-done ghost story, not raw extreme horror (as I thought it'd be; and what's up with the puns?).
- "Blood in Bloom" by Nick Roberts and Ju Collins: Rafting and cryptids - need I say more?
- "I See You" by Lucretia Stanhope: Reminiscent of Stephen King's "The Boogeyman," but with coulrophobia.
- "My Neighbour Tom" by Elizabeth J. Brown: One of my favorite stories of the volume, crazy neighbors in suburbia; this felt like watching the mystery horror TV series "The Watcher" in one go. With a cat.
- "Itsy Bitsy" by Devin Cabrera: People with arachnophobia please leave the chat. Size does matter in this case.
- "The Corn Keeps Pace" by Leigh Kenny: Another favorite! Folk horror and urban legend with a nice ending.
- "Running on Empty" by MJ Mars: The main body of the story reminded me of Tyler Jones' "Criterium" (a must-read), but without the bike. Otherwise, it's a revenge story, supernaturally inflected, about Robbie, the best runner in school: he's taking part in a fundraiser running race for Adrian, a gay young man who was found murdered. Robbie and Adrian had an intimate moment, Adrian told, but Robbie is straight and it never happened. Right?
- "One Last Entry" by Shaun Hutson: A cursed book meant for Caroline, a specialist in the occult, is placed instead in the mailbox of James, her friendly neighbor. Man, those neighbors can be nosy.
- "Black Eyed" by Callum Pearce: Yikes, what a creepy story - black eyed children! And they're huuuungry.
- "Thresholds" by JP Behrens: a tale of fae horror; loved the ending!
- "The Pennyroyal Dossier" by Dexter McLeod: cave horror in "found footage/epistolary" format. Probably my top favorite story of the bunch, because I have a soft spot for the genre.
- "Neonatal" by Matthew A. Clarke: A shocking story about someone with intent to kill entering the neonatal ward, but with a twist! Another favorite - a very smart and well written story by Matt Clarke, who never dissapoints.
- "Come Outside" by James Kaine: the creepiest story in the volume! So much tension and suspense - It Follows meets The Mist; in other words, watch out for that ending!

And that's it: 19 stories, all gems, all different from each other, with maddening twists and satisfying endings. If you crave a break from long novels, or just enjoy shorter works, you can't go wrong with the new Horror Collection volume!

[ScarlettAnomalyReads · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is 5 stars, no questions asked, I have read almost everything that KJK has, and I own almost all but a few digitally, so when I say this is the best so far, I mean it.

This was so wild, I actually felt a little scared for once and that never happens, paranoid yes, but scared? Pfft

I received this as an ARC but will be buying, I had to email KJK part way though telling him how amazing this was.

So I am also going to have to name off more then the usual when I say these were my favorites, because I cant just pick two.

Turkey Teeth by Harrison Phillips
What the actual fuck, I have never heard that term, but i know exactly what they were describing.
But to be fair, was it really that bad of a end? I kinda liked it, not so black and white lol .

Bachelorette Party Bloodbath by Jason Nickey
Again, so fucking satisfying , I wasn't sure who was going to make it out alive and until the very last page, I still wasn't sure lol
There was one point in the story where I really thought a few things about who the actual villains were and I loved being so uncertain for once, and I was a tiny bit wrong lol

My Neighbor Tom by Elizabeth J Brown
This was so fucked up, while I suspected what was going on with Tom, to actually read it and the follow through left me , well it left me something, cant say or it spoils lol
This was fantastically written to the point I was the MC, hell I was doubting her too, and I was reading the story

Running on Empty by MJ Mars
This was so fucking satisfying, the ending, the horror, I could not stand a specific character, which you will see if you read it , MJ made me hate him, with just words, amazing.

Itsy Bitsy by Devin Cabrera
I did not have a spider issue, but now I might.
I cant even say anything else about this one, but hello new issue to add with dolls lol

My stand out hands down favorite story though was
Blood in Blood by Nick Roberts and Ju Collins
I screamed at them not to go on the stupid raft trip, and also I may have been a little uncharitable to Dewey at the start of the story . Then I screamed at them, not that side of the water, no one freaking listened.
This story was my favorite for the simple fact, of the ending, I know how horror goes, but I was punched straight in the gut by that ending, I think I'm still sorting that one out lol

The Corn Keeps Pace by Leigh Kenny
This is the last one I'm going to talk about, i swear but good freaking lord, this was horrifying.
Also living in the south i have avoided corn mazes hay mazes etc, just incase, and you know, i haven't died yet, coincidence? Maybe



I don't know how else to sell this to you guys other then, If you don't buy or read a single collection released this year, you HAVE to at least read this one, and its available on KU.

Get it, I'm buying the paper copy soon. know how else to sell this to you guys other then, If you don't buy or read a single collection released this year, you HAVE to at least read this one, and its available on KU.

Get it, I'm buying the paper copy soon.

[Karen · Rating 5 out of 5]

I just love these collections that Kevin Kennedy puts together. There are so many amazing stores in this one, some by authors I know and love and some that are new to me. I love finding new authors. I absolutely loved all the stories, but some of my favorites were Itsy Bitsy, My Neighbor Tom, Come Outside, Blood in Bloom, Bachelorette Party Bloodbath, Survival and Haunted by "Macho Man" Randy Savage.

Keep doing these collections, Kevin. I need more, lol

[Lisa Lee · Rating 5 out of 5]

Bibliophilia Templum review
https://bibliophiliatemplum.wordpress.com
The Horror Collection: Morte Edition is book 21 in the incredible The Horror Collection series from KJK Publishing. Herein are 19 stories of death and the dead penned by a group of talented horror authors. This eclectic collection of tales vary in style and intensity, from the suspenseful and chilling “Survival” by Veronica Smith, to the psychological horror of Lucretia Stanhope’s “I See You,” to the brutal and riveting classic creature horror of “The Corn Keeps Pace” by Leigh Kenny.

With 19 stories in all, I can’t to justice to all of them without writing a book myself, so while I enjoyed all of them, I will mention a few that stood out for me.

“Turkey Teeth” is an extreme horror level story by Harrison Phillips that stood out for me due to its disturbing originality. It has poignant subtext speaking to self-perception and the world of elective procedures, but that’s just the foundation for an unexpected twisted horror.

Brian Moreland’s “I’m Still Here” quickly goes from chilling suspense to gripping and gruesome terror. This one raised my blood pressure, spiked my adrenaline, and really got to me.

“The Pennyroyal Dossier” by Dexter McLeod is a fantastic story superbly written as a compilation of transcripts and documents detailing the ominous discovery in a subterranean cave and the horrors it unleashes. Brilliant ending. I loved this one.

Honorable mention to “Bachelorette Party Bloodbath” by Jason Nickey, which is NOT the cheesy slasher story the title implies; “Itsy Bitsy” by Devin Cabrera, which IS in fact a creepy and horrifying spider horror story of epic chill-factor; and “Thresholds” by JP Behrens, which is an engrossing, evocative, and haunting folkhorror tale that is wonderfully written.

But, of course, there’s so much more. Tales of suspense and dread and terror, of human monsters and the relentless dead. These stories will raise your brows, chill your insides, and have you gasping out loud. A highly recommended read.

[Joan Smith · Rating 5 out of 5]

This collection is the second best I have read this year. All the stories are tight and flow as smooth as cutting thru butter or a smooth brandy.

Many of the stories gave me emos. Itsy Bitsy by Devin Cabrera will have you jumping like Ron Wesley the next time you see a spider.

Kevin J. Kennedy did a great job creating this collection. Many authors I read there work when it comes out or as soon as I can. He did introduce me to many new authors I plan on reading more of as well. One last entry by Shaun Hutson is by one of my new favorite authors. That twist, Woah. Read to find out more about these stories.

[Jenny Coyne · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great anthology from KJK Publishing! This is my first collection I've read from them and definitely won't be my last. While some of the stories were more thriller than horror, I loved them all. Some of the authors were already on my list of favorites and some were new to me. I hope some of them appear in the other anthologies!

[Ashley Hana · Rating 5 out of 5]

Literally my favourite anthology ever. And THREE!!!! stories that scared the shit out of me. And it's rare I find a single thing that scares me anymore. I'm Still Here, The Pennyroyal Dossier and Come Outside had me so on edge. Though these are the ones that scared me, it's not to take away from any of the other stories. Most of the others were absolutely AMAZING, still. Sure, as is typical with an anthology there's one or two I disliked, but I suppose that's part of it. But this selection of stories is *chefs kiss*. I cannot wait to check out more of these authors!

[Veronica Smith · Rating 5 out of 5]

Death is not always the end.

Although I have a story in this book, I am only reviewing all the other stories except for mine.

Morte means death. I knew these stories would contain stories of death and murder, but in these stories you can find many strange and horrible way to die. Fright and terror, coupled with insanity made my heart race. There is plenty of the blood and gore that you've come to love with all The Horror Collection anthologies. Every THC book is amazing and this one is no different. I started reading it last night and finished reading it just now. I couldn't put it down!

I enjoyed all the stories but a couple stood out as my ultimate favorites:

My Neighbour Tom by Elizabeth J. Brown
Running on Empty by MJ Mars

[Jen Ramsden · Rating 5 out of 5]

A fabulous mixture of short stories by some of the best indie authors around! Kevin J Kennedy has managed to create a Collection that seamlessly flows from one horrible tale to another. Very enjoyable!

[Alison Faichney · Rating 4 out of 5]

Solid collection of horror! There were several new to me authors in this bunch and it’s always nice to discover some fresh writers. I enjoyed all of the stories and the majority of them I ranked fairly highly. The collection varies from human horrors to more supernatural terror and I really found the collection hit its stride when the more paranormal stories began. This is fairly reflective of my own reading preferences, of course.

My favorite stories were:
The Double Date by D.W. Hitz
I See You by Lucretia Stanhope
The Corn Keeps Pace by Leigh Kenny
Running on Empty by MJ Mars
The Pennyroyal Dossier by Dexter McLeod (this was my personal favorite of the collection)
Come Outside by James Kaine

But, to reiterate all of the stories were well done. They felt rounded and complete and were all over the map both geographically and with the various horror tropes present. Many of these could easily be expanded into longer books, but most of the stories felt finished.

There are a few potential trigger warnings (child harm for one) so please check if sensitive to certain content.

I’d recommend this collection to anyone looking for a solid horror anthology or hoping to discover some new-to-them authors.

[Emily Haynes · Rating 5 out of 5]

Morte

A Bachelorette party takes a dark turn for the attendees. Kevin is haunted by a wrestler but has no idea why. Will sees someone. Who are they? What do they want. These and other tales of death and hope.

[Andrew Kurtz · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Many Faces of the Grim Reaper

 Morte (death), is the topic of this Horror Collection by one of the Masters of Horror, Kevin J. Kennedy.

  In these stories you will be enthralled by the many forms that the Grim Reaper takes.  

  Kennedy takes average everyday situations and gives them a horrifying twist.  

  You will never look at a liposuction the same again.  Meet a serial killer who is much more than he seems to be. A bachelorette party that turns into bloodshed.  A hiking trip where death is the third hiker.  Even trying to survive from a tragic car accident cannot save you from the hands of death.  Dead wrestlers don't stay in their graves, burger restaurants are only an illusion for terror, and a rafting trip gone wrong brings you to an island where a monstrous creature devours you.

  These are only a taste of the horror you will experience as you read these tales.

[Stephanie · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Horror Collection: Morte Edition is a fantastic anthology of stories centered around death. There are many familiar favorites, but I was also introduced to wonderful new authors whose work I’ve never read before. This anthology will appeal to a wide audience, as there is a variety of horror sub-genres, including weird, folk horror, body horror, found footage, and monsters both supernatural and human.

[Vanessa Hoyles · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a really good book of short horror stories this was, especially enjoyed Harrison Philips short story Turkey teeth, was Very original and liked it a lot was very different loved the ending definitely don't want plastic surgery after reading that lol

[Sophie · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a solid collection of short stories, with plenty of variety in horror from people to giant spiders. I enjoyed how many authors were in this collection as it allowed me to sample some new to me authors. There was obviously a story or 2 that I didn't connect with but there was still plenty to enjoy here. For me there was 2 personal stand out stories which are 'I'm still here' by Brian Moreland which was a creepy little blood bath based in a truck stop diner featuring a cop and a killer and the other story is 'bachelorette party bloodbath' by Jason Nickey which honestly the title does a pretty good job of describing the story. Great read ful of interesting stories.

[Sandra Vdplaats · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars. I received a review copy from the author for which I would like to thank him. 🌷

This review has taken a bit longer than I expected - unfortunately my Kobo gave up on me ; and this week I was finally able to read and review the book after transferring the epub to my new ereader.

I am a big fan of horror and have had the pleasure of buying, reading and reviewing previous anthologies from KJK Publishing.
This is the latest edition, and in it the Grim Reaper plays a starring role in more ways than one.
A warning: it is best not to read this book on an empty stomach or immediately after dinner or breakfast: there are quite a few splatter/gore horror stories in this collection, readers must have a strong stomach. :)-

Although I can appreciate a certain amount of splatter horror, my preference in the horror genre lies elsewhere. (hence the 4.5 stars -)
I really liked the first story, about a woman undergoing liposuction. I really liked the twist at the end. Another story in this volume that I really liked is "Survival", where a woman tries to survive all night after a serious car accident. You witness her struggle to make it through the night, but what happens at daybreak is 'no spoilers ':)-
In Thin Air isn't it the lack of oxygen at the summit where the danger lies, and after reading about a night out for dinner, or attending a Bachelorette party you might soon lose your appetite....
For the true horror lover, there is bound to be something in this bundle. Another great selection. Highly recommended 4 stars.

[Leighah · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you are looking for a solid selection of creepy tales, you can't go past any of the Horror Collections books. This one is I found is darker in the topic of death, but very well written. Once again, each story varies to cover every aspect of death. I was so excited to see a piece written by Shaun Hutson as he has been a favourite of mine since I was a teenager. My personal favourite was The Pennyroyal dossier by Dexter Mcleod, with its found footage format that was really well done.

[Dan Lawson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Still my favorite. You gotta own this.

[Ali O · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Horror Collection: Morte Edition
Presented by Kevin J. Kennedy
Narrated by Todd Waites
🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

This is a really cool anthology of short horror stories by 19 different amazing authors! Each story is original and all are well written. There was lots of creep, excitement, craziness and intensity in each story! So many of these stories sucked me in fast!!
I love that I found some authors I hadn’t read before!

A few of my top standouts are:

-Turkey Teeth by Harrison Phillips
-Bachelorette Party Bloodbath by Jason Nickey
-Survival by Veronica Smith
-The Double date by D.W. Hitz
-Itsy Bitsy by Kevin Cabrera (my number one story, even though I’m terrified of spiders!! 🕷️)
-Black Eyed by Callum Pearce
-The Pennyroyal Dossier by Dexter McLeod
-Neonatal by Matthew A. Clarke
-Come Outside by James Kaine


I was lucky to listen to the audio version and loved the narrator!! He did a fantastic job!
**Overall, this is such a fun collection to check out!! I definitely recommend the audio version!**

[Jules Terry · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Morte Edition brought such a fun twist to death. Well, as fun as death can be for a someone not experiencing it… right? Some of these stories had such a unique look at tried-and-true tropes that had me doing a ‘heck yeah!’, there is body horror, cosmic, cryptids, and more. I really enjoyed getting to see some new names mixed in with the big dogs.

[Tracy Wright · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really liked the Morte Edition. There was only one story in the whole book that didn’t keep my attention and I had to not finish. Each story had a different subject matter. I couldn’t say which was my favorite…

[Svea Neitzke · Rating 5 out of 5]

Kevin J. Kennedy creates another excellent anthology! Though there are many sub-genres featured, the theme remains the same: death. Each story deals with it differently. I really enjoyed all of them, but two were my favorite. The first is "I'm Still Here" by Brian Moreland. This one didn’t make me nostalgic for living in the Southwest at all. This story is disturbing and fantastic! I also liked how he incorporated Native lore into it as well. The other one is "Come Outside!" by James Kaine. This one set dread right into my soul, leaving me slightly paranoid. This ghost is relentless!

[Amanda Elizabeth Myers · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love Kevin Kennedy!!! He is a phenomenal author and he puts out the best anthologies ever! Every story in this book is great!!

[Sara Rothery · Rating 5 out of 5]

I do love this collection of short stories. They really do stop and make you think. Some good additions to this one. Well worth a read.

[Mark · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Horror Collection: Morte edition, is the latest edition to the Horror Collection. All of these were well-written and well-narrated--having listened to the audio version.
Three stories stand out as particularly interesting.
1. I’m Still Here" by Brian Moreland.
2. Survival written by Veronica Smith.
3. The Double Date" by D.W. Hitz.

[Beverly Laude · Rating 5 out of 5]

Every anthology compiled by Kevin J. Kennedy is well worth reading. This one is great! The word "morte" means death, so be prepared! The book contains stories by some of my new favorite authors and I found a few more that I will definitely be following.

"Turkey Teeth" convinced me (again) that plastic surgery isn't worth the price you pay (and I don't mean money!). "Running on Empty" is a great tale of revenge mixed with the hubris of a top athlete. You have stories with creepy spiders (be warned!), clowns (same!), questions about mental health, Randy Savage (really?), a creepy creature or two and a double date gone wrong.

The creepiest to me were "Blood in Bloom" with a river rafting trip from hell and "Come Outside", which will live in my mind for a long, long time.

If you enjoy your horror in short spurts or just want to find some new and amazing authors to follow, grab this one (or any of the others by KJK Publishing). You well be entertained and will find yourself looking over your shoulder at the smallest sound!

[Haley · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the first collection I have read from KJK Publishing and it will not be the last! Kevin J. Kennedy did a great job of creating a high-quality collection with some of the best Indie authors. It introduced me to some new authors that I will definitely be reading more of.

In this anthology, you will find a variety of horror sub-genres such as supernatural, folk horror, found footage, creatures, and more. Each story is unique and keeps you guessing.

Some of my favorites are:
"Blood in Bloom" by Nick Roberts and Ju Collins
“I See You” by Lucretia Stanhope
“My Neighbour Tom” by Elizabeth J Brown
“Running on Empty” by MJ Mars
“Come Outside” by James Kaine

However, there truly isn’t a bad story in the bunch. If you’re a lover of horror, this anthology is for you! Thank you to KJK Publishing for providing a copy. ☠️

[Erica Robyn Metcalf · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Horror Collection: Morte Edition presented by KJK Publishing is another incredible anthology! I had an amazing time reading through it, but five particular stories really stood out to me.

My favorite tales include:
The Double Date by D.W. Hitz
My Neighbour Tom by Elizabeth J. Brown
Thresholds by JP Behrens
The Pennyroyal Dossier by Dexter McLeod
Come Outside by James Kaine

My gosh, this was a wild collection! Each tale was so unique and so darkly fun. The five favorites I pulled out have been sticking with me for weeks now, coming up at least once a day when something random reminds me of them.

Horror fans, you gotta pick up this collection!

Check out my full review here: https://www.ericarobynreads.com/the-h...

[Sammi Dyer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Kevin J Kennedy has managed to create a huge collection of themed short horrible stories in this anthology series. The stories are all uniquely different and are quite enjoyable. The Horror Collection: Morte Edition is a collection of death written by some well known names in the horror indie community some of which are my personal favorites like Leigh Kenny, D.W. Hitz, MJ Mars, Matthew A Clarke, Devin Cabrera and James Kaine not to mention the others I haven’t read anything by until this book. Of those authors I’ve found more authors I really like, but don’t trust me. Grab a copy and dive into the pages of death and more, so much more and decide for yourself. Me personally, I can’t wait until the next book in the series.

[Lallen · Rating 1 out of 5]

Well, I at least read every story. A collection of authors trying too hard to write. Some of the descriptions of people, places, things drag on forever and add nothing to the story. The stories tend to be more stupid than scary