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Ghost Camera
A small number of cameras have the ability to capture ghosts on film. This gift comes at a steep price; the ghosts are resentful and hungry, and the cameras offer them a rare chance to reach their favourite prey… humans.
Jenine didn’t know any of this when she found an abandoned Polaroid camera in a lighthouse. At first she assumes the ghostly shapes in the photos are a glitch or a prank – but then the spirits begin to hunt her down, and she’s forced into a deadly race to free herself from the camera’s curse.
Jenine didn’t know any of this when she found an abandoned Polaroid camera in a lighthouse. At first she assumes the ghostly shapes in the photos are a glitch or a prank – but then the spirits begin to hunt her down, and she’s forced into a deadly race to free herself from the camera’s curse.
118 pages, Kindle Edition
First published July 29, 2014
544 people are currently reading
7060 people want to read
About the author
Darcy Coates
69 books14.1k followersDarcy Coates is the USA Today bestselling author of more than a dozen horror and suspense novels.
She lives in the Central Coast of Australia with her family, cat, and a collection of chickens. Her home is surrounded by rolling wilderness on all sides, and she wouldn't have it any other way.
You can hear about her next book by joining her newsletter: www.darcycoates.com/updates
She lives in the Central Coast of Australia with her family, cat, and a collection of chickens. Her home is surrounded by rolling wilderness on all sides, and she wouldn't have it any other way.
You can hear about her next book by joining her newsletter: www.darcycoates.com/updates
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 610 reviews
February 16, 2025
I really could not 'click' with this one. The dialogue between Jenine and Bree felt incredibly awkward and strained. And the story itself was not believable. You find a creepy camera and take pictures that show scary spirits, and you keep doing it, even before finding out more about it? And then Richard kept telling them no, no, no and basically just left the Jenine to die, even after his own negative experiences and subsequent guilt over past failed instances...but then suddenly is on board? Then the story progresses into this fast-paced cat and mouse game with angry spirits. I just didn't care for any part of this book. It was very basic, bland and, weakly executed ghost fare. It never found a decent flow or had any part of it developed coherently to where the reader would want to keep investing their time. I'm giving this a 3 star review, not for the content, but because I felt the quality of the writing itself was adequate.
January 19, 2022
Ghosts Galore!
Backstory:
Jenine is attending a wedding and wants to get better pictures of everyone so she goes into a lighthouse that is not far from the wedding party, but while in there she finds an old polaroid camera. Jenine picks it up as she decides that maybe she would like to have instant pictures so she decides to take a couple of pictures from it since the camera still has film.
But what Jenine doesn't know is that she opened up a pandora's box as the camera is not only old but is unique in that the pictures it takes contain ghosts. When Jenine is looking at the photos she has taken with the camera and sees the ghosts in the pictures she takes them to her friend, Bree to make sure that it is not some kind of photo glitch. The two of them realize that the camera is dangerous when the ghosts start following Jenine around and then they start making contact with her.
When the ghosts start getting more aggressive is when Bree springs into action and hunts down a paranormal ghost hunter, but even a ghost hunter might not be able to help as when the ghosts cross over into this world there might not be no way to stop them!
Thoughts:
This was a great short ghost story that has lots of atmosphere and ghost action! Author, Darcy Coates has always been a great ghost story teller and when I want to dip my toes in a haunted house or the haunted realm I usually seek out her books.
This book was no exception as it keeps the pace going with the characters (Jenine and Bree) plus the ghost action intensifies as the story moves along! One more "Coates" book to add to my ghost collection. Giving this one four Paranormal Photo stars!
Backstory:
Jenine is attending a wedding and wants to get better pictures of everyone so she goes into a lighthouse that is not far from the wedding party, but while in there she finds an old polaroid camera. Jenine picks it up as she decides that maybe she would like to have instant pictures so she decides to take a couple of pictures from it since the camera still has film.
But what Jenine doesn't know is that she opened up a pandora's box as the camera is not only old but is unique in that the pictures it takes contain ghosts. When Jenine is looking at the photos she has taken with the camera and sees the ghosts in the pictures she takes them to her friend, Bree to make sure that it is not some kind of photo glitch. The two of them realize that the camera is dangerous when the ghosts start following Jenine around and then they start making contact with her.
When the ghosts start getting more aggressive is when Bree springs into action and hunts down a paranormal ghost hunter, but even a ghost hunter might not be able to help as when the ghosts cross over into this world there might not be no way to stop them!
Thoughts:
This was a great short ghost story that has lots of atmosphere and ghost action! Author, Darcy Coates has always been a great ghost story teller and when I want to dip my toes in a haunted house or the haunted realm I usually seek out her books.
This book was no exception as it keeps the pace going with the characters (Jenine and Bree) plus the ghost action intensifies as the story moves along! One more "Coates" book to add to my ghost collection. Giving this one four Paranormal Photo stars!
February 8, 2025
3 stars
short review for busy readers:
A haunted Polaroid camera -- what a great idea for a ghost tale! The ghosts were quite well done in this one, if OTT at the end, and the lore of the camera enjoyably inventive. Too bad everything else is substandard. The writing and dialogue are rather clumsy and the setting threadbare due to the scant environmental detail.
in detail:
I don't know about you, but I like my paranormal stories with a ton of setting atmosphere to really feel the creepy vibes when they start rising, because it's always those small changes in the environment that clue us in to paranormal activity.
When reading "Ghost Camera," I mostly got a feeling of emptiness. There wasn't nearly enough substance to the world, and I couldn't even accurately picture the initial, highly important scene when the camera is discovered in an old lighthouse.
It also doesn't help that the two young women protags are so interchangeable that I had a hard time remembering who was who. Their dialogue is wooden and rather grating after a while, like listening to two college girls shooting breeze while a crazed murderer lurks right at the window. (Teen slasher movie?)
They seem to not be phased much by the creeping dark until they're told the damned thing is deadly. THEN they worry. (Yep, teen slasher) 🙄
The best sections were the actual haunting parts. And it seems as if Ms Coates was far more interested in that than the rest, as that's where the detail and inventiveness shows.
Her spectres are palpable, unique and highly defined. If I might say, better defined than in Simone St James novels, which I generally give very high ratings to.
The lore of the camera is competently delivered and interesting. However, I thought the parapsychologist the women contact was far too taciturn than a real one would be in that instance.
This was my first Darcy Coates and although I wasn't overly impressed, I'll be giving another of works a try at some point just to see if this one was a rush job or rather typical.
short review for busy readers:
A haunted Polaroid camera -- what a great idea for a ghost tale! The ghosts were quite well done in this one, if OTT at the end, and the lore of the camera enjoyably inventive. Too bad everything else is substandard. The writing and dialogue are rather clumsy and the setting threadbare due to the scant environmental detail.
in detail:
I don't know about you, but I like my paranormal stories with a ton of setting atmosphere to really feel the creepy vibes when they start rising, because it's always those small changes in the environment that clue us in to paranormal activity.
When reading "Ghost Camera," I mostly got a feeling of emptiness. There wasn't nearly enough substance to the world, and I couldn't even accurately picture the initial, highly important scene when the camera is discovered in an old lighthouse.
It also doesn't help that the two young women protags are so interchangeable that I had a hard time remembering who was who. Their dialogue is wooden and rather grating after a while, like listening to two college girls shooting breeze while a crazed murderer lurks right at the window. (Teen slasher movie?)
They seem to not be phased much by the creeping dark until they're told the damned thing is deadly. THEN they worry. (Yep, teen slasher) 🙄
The best sections were the actual haunting parts. And it seems as if Ms Coates was far more interested in that than the rest, as that's where the detail and inventiveness shows.
Her spectres are palpable, unique and highly defined. If I might say, better defined than in Simone St James novels, which I generally give very high ratings to.
The lore of the camera is competently delivered and interesting. However, I thought the parapsychologist the women contact was far too taciturn than a real one would be in that instance.
This was my first Darcy Coates and although I wasn't overly impressed, I'll be giving another of works a try at some point just to see if this one was a rush job or rather typical.
September 4, 2025
3 ⭐
Honestly, I almost gave it a 3.5 out of 4 because I honestly found the idea of a Polaroid that takes pictures of ghosts interesting, but 1) the ending seemed super forced and out of place. And 2) what the hell does the cover mean? It has nothing to do with the story 💀
Even so, it was quite entertaining, although I was expecting a little more, to be honest.
Honestly, I almost gave it a 3.5 out of 4 because I honestly found the idea of a Polaroid that takes pictures of ghosts interesting, but 1) the ending seemed super forced and out of place. And 2) what the hell does the cover mean? It has nothing to do with the story 💀
Even so, it was quite entertaining, although I was expecting a little more, to be honest.
March 25, 2022
5 extremely creeped out stars.
After finding an old polaroid, Jenine discovers that it can capture the picture of ghosts. But the problem is that now her life is in danger and with the help of her friend Bree, they must try to find a way to save themselves before it's too late.
Whoa. Coates has done it again. I can't stop looking over my shoulder and I would be surprised if I lose sleep tonight. That was a great scare. It's super short and a quick read, but will really creep the hell out of you.
Age recommendation 16+
It's pretty scary IMO.
After finding an old polaroid, Jenine discovers that it can capture the picture of ghosts. But the problem is that now her life is in danger and with the help of her friend Bree, they must try to find a way to save themselves before it's too late.
Whoa. Coates has done it again. I can't stop looking over my shoulder and I would be surprised if I lose sleep tonight. That was a great scare. It's super short and a quick read, but will really creep the hell out of you.
Age recommendation 16+
It's pretty scary IMO.
April 12, 2019
Ghost Camera by Darcy Coates is an audible book I borrowed with KU. A gal finds an old Polaroid camera that takes picture with ghosts in them. Each picture gets creepier! Her and her friend try to get answers but when they do the answers its are not what they expected! Creepy!
May 6, 2023
A simple, yet effective ghost story from Darcy Coates.
Janine finds a Polaroid camera at the top of a lighthouse and then discovers that it can capture images of ghosts...
I found this to be a rather generic, predictable and clunky read. The dialogue between the main characters was awkward at its very best.
Regardless of these things, it was a pleasant read and I'll be sure to try more of Darcy Coates' work.
Janine finds a Polaroid camera at the top of a lighthouse and then discovers that it can capture images of ghosts...
I found this to be a rather generic, predictable and clunky read. The dialogue between the main characters was awkward at its very best.
Regardless of these things, it was a pleasant read and I'll be sure to try more of Darcy Coates' work.
July 7, 2017
No. NO. F*** NO! NO. NO. F*** THIS BOOK, NO!
It's broad daylight, it's 2PM and I'm freaking the F*** out!
I need to clean my house for a cookout tonight... I don't want to go ANYWHERE near the shadows of my hallway. I'm about to fling all the doors and blinds open and be like SUNSHINE EVERYWHERE BITCHES!
Don't mind me Ghosties, I am not even here.
I'm just minding my own business, please don't find me.
This book, freaked me the hell out.
So this woman finds a camera. In a creepy abandoned light house. Where a boy had died. No F***ing thank you.
She takes an innocent picture with it of a wedding receiption she's attending, and than finally goes home. To her three cats. I like cats. I love cats. I have three cats. I AM CAT LADY.
She never tells us the cats names, which I found irritating. If you love your babies, you give names! You don't just sat, cats, the cat, the largest cat, blabla cat cat cat.
I love cats.
She looks at the picture (it was taken with the creepy polaroid camera) and notices something strange. Many somethings strange. Multiple ghost like apparitions on said picture. At this point, I'd be freaked out, and looking at the camera like...
She tells her smart friend, Bree, her smart friend takes a picture of Jenine (our MC), maybe Bree isn't so smart after all. They look at the picture together and... well... I'd be freaking out at this point, I'D BE CRYING AT THIS FREAKIN POINT. I'd BE SMASHING THE CAMERA LIKE NO!
I'd be on my friend like, WTF!?!?!?!?
When they looked at the picture they saw a woman...
NO. NO. NO. NO. NO.
So this idiot, Jenine goes home. Bree tells her to not look at the photos and go home, she'll be over after work. Of course Jenine downs some wine and thinks she should check out her apartment, and see if there is anything living there with her.
....WHO THE HELL WOULD DO THAT? WHO WOULD WANT TO KNOW WHAT IS IN THEIR HOUSE? Bree comes over to look at the photos & I'm sitting here thinking. WHY DID YOU STAY IN THAT HOUSE AFTER SEEING THOSE PHOTOS?!?!??
I wouldn't be in that house for a second longer. Oh but it doesn't matter, as the pictures continue to be developed you can see something, a pattern. The ghosts are starting to look at her. The ghosts are starting to reach for her, and they look pissed.
Clearly this camera is pissing them off, get rid of it! But no, she goes to get more film for the camera to further investigate. As she is leaving the old house that she got the film at she decided to snap a picture. Yup, great idea Jenine!
The photo develops... I'm cringing, I'm cringing so hard.
They go out to a little picnic and Jenine starts FEELING things, so just before they are about to leave, they get in the car and Jenine takes a picture... WHY CANT SHE STOP TAKING PICTURES?
It continues, things are getting worse, so they go to a professional for help. At first he refuses, but finally, reluctantly he comes to help. He basically tells them,
So the guy who helped them
Now this is the scariest part in the entire book to me. I have a huge phobia to this. I can't do crawlers, nope, nope, nada, uh uh. I cannot freakin do things CRAWLING towards me. HELL NO F*** NO, NO NO NO NO NO
Does anybody remember Legion with this crazy old lady? AND HOW SHE CRAWLED? GAH I can't even.
Anyways... the scariest scene ever in this book. NO NO NO NO NO NO.
And than finally we are at the end of the book, where they end up
Scariest part? As I'm reading this in broad daylight, I swear someone walked by my living room window. I even got up and looked outside, and around the outside of the house, nobody was there. I hate this book, but I love it so much. It scared me and it was written so well.
It's broad daylight, it's 2PM and I'm freaking the F*** out!
I need to clean my house for a cookout tonight... I don't want to go ANYWHERE near the shadows of my hallway. I'm about to fling all the doors and blinds open and be like SUNSHINE EVERYWHERE BITCHES!
Don't mind me Ghosties, I am not even here.
I'm just minding my own business, please don't find me.
This book, freaked me the hell out.
So this woman finds a camera. In a creepy abandoned light house. Where a boy had died. No F***ing thank you.
She takes an innocent picture with it of a wedding receiption she's attending, and than finally goes home. To her three cats. I like cats. I love cats. I have three cats. I AM CAT LADY.
She never tells us the cats names, which I found irritating. If you love your babies, you give names! You don't just sat, cats, the cat, the largest cat, blabla cat cat cat.
I love cats.
She looks at the picture (it was taken with the creepy polaroid camera) and notices something strange. Many somethings strange. Multiple ghost like apparitions on said picture. At this point, I'd be freaked out, and looking at the camera like...
She tells her smart friend, Bree, her smart friend takes a picture of Jenine (our MC), maybe Bree isn't so smart after all. They look at the picture together and... well... I'd be freaking out at this point, I'D BE CRYING AT THIS FREAKIN POINT. I'd BE SMASHING THE CAMERA LIKE NO!
I'd be on my friend like, WTF!?!?!?!?
When they looked at the picture they saw a woman...
NO. NO. NO. NO. NO.
So this idiot, Jenine goes home. Bree tells her to not look at the photos and go home, she'll be over after work. Of course Jenine downs some wine and thinks she should check out her apartment, and see if there is anything living there with her.
....WHO THE HELL WOULD DO THAT? WHO WOULD WANT TO KNOW WHAT IS IN THEIR HOUSE? Bree comes over to look at the photos & I'm sitting here thinking. WHY DID YOU STAY IN THAT HOUSE AFTER SEEING THOSE PHOTOS?!?!??
I wouldn't be in that house for a second longer. Oh but it doesn't matter, as the pictures continue to be developed you can see something, a pattern. The ghosts are starting to look at her. The ghosts are starting to reach for her, and they look pissed.
Clearly this camera is pissing them off, get rid of it! But no, she goes to get more film for the camera to further investigate. As she is leaving the old house that she got the film at she decided to snap a picture. Yup, great idea Jenine!
The photo develops... I'm cringing, I'm cringing so hard.
They go out to a little picnic and Jenine starts FEELING things, so just before they are about to leave, they get in the car and Jenine takes a picture... WHY CANT SHE STOP TAKING PICTURES?
It continues, things are getting worse, so they go to a professional for help. At first he refuses, but finally, reluctantly he comes to help. He basically tells them,
So the guy who helped them
Now this is the scariest part in the entire book to me. I have a huge phobia to this. I can't do crawlers, nope, nope, nada, uh uh. I cannot freakin do things CRAWLING towards me. HELL NO F*** NO, NO NO NO NO NO
Does anybody remember Legion with this crazy old lady? AND HOW SHE CRAWLED? GAH I can't even.
Anyways... the scariest scene ever in this book. NO NO NO NO NO NO.
And than finally we are at the end of the book, where they end up
Scariest part? As I'm reading this in broad daylight, I swear someone walked by my living room window. I even got up and looked outside, and around the outside of the house, nobody was there. I hate this book, but I love it so much. It scared me and it was written so well.
January 6, 2022
Jennine finds an abandoned camera in a lighthouse. Not just any camera, but a Polaroid. She takes a picture of the wedding reception below and waits for it to develop. She notices something is wrong with the picture. There seems to be a ghost hovering in the bushes. Jenine and her best friend, Bree, realize the camera is capable of capturing the dead. With each click of the camera, the dead become aware of Jennine and the living world. This was a nice ghost story. Just the right amount spooky.
😺😺😺
😺😺😺
August 30, 2024
Darcy Coates is one of my fav authors, This novella was published and now republished with a compilation of short stories. The ghost camera synopsis enticed me to purchase. Finding a camera that reveals ghosts, I’m in. It made me want to breakout the old Polaroid lol. The creepy, scary story left me wanting more, I loved everything about it. The other tales were good, some better than others. With spooky season coming,I highly recommend. Next year I will add this to my reading playlist of a story a day counting down to Halloween.
Read
August 24, 2024DNF at 50%. This is one of my all-time favorite authors, but I thought it was one story following the same characters... but every few chapters, it's a set of new characters. So, it seems to be a collection of short ghost interactions and stories.
July 17, 2024
Usually short story collections are very hit and miss for me, but this newly packaged collection from Darcy Coates was impeccable. This was actually my first taste of Coates writing and let me tell you-I'll be back, with bells on. There were some stories that were definite favourites and some that weren't as enjoyable, but all brought something that allowed me to see what Coates was made of, just what her writing was all about.
Ghost Camera was a great opener and brought the creep-factor. A haunted item that allowed the user to see ghosts. But as with all cursed objects, the camera is dangerous to the user. The more you use it, the more the ghosts can see you and will hunt you down, and to the previous owners, kill them.
A woman is involved in a plane crash as the sole survivor. This was my second favourite story. The descriptions of the crash, the dead passengers and the ominous force watching her from the forest shows that Coates has a wide range of skill to bring in the genre. My eyes were peeled to the pages, the only thing more intense was the gasps coming from my mouth at the ending.
My favourite story was the last. A woman and her daughter move into their new home, ready for a fresh start. When she discovers a box of six old VHS videotapes sealed in a box, she finds that her inquisitive nature gets the better of her. She sits down to watch the first tape, ignoring the warning that says If you watch the tapes you will regret it. I mean, why do people ignore that kind of warning? I don't get it. The visceral nature of what is contained on those tapes mean that Coates has a forever fan in me.
Ghost Camera was a great opener and brought the creep-factor. A haunted item that allowed the user to see ghosts. But as with all cursed objects, the camera is dangerous to the user. The more you use it, the more the ghosts can see you and will hunt you down, and to the previous owners, kill them.
A woman is involved in a plane crash as the sole survivor. This was my second favourite story. The descriptions of the crash, the dead passengers and the ominous force watching her from the forest shows that Coates has a wide range of skill to bring in the genre. My eyes were peeled to the pages, the only thing more intense was the gasps coming from my mouth at the ending.
My favourite story was the last. A woman and her daughter move into their new home, ready for a fresh start. When she discovers a box of six old VHS videotapes sealed in a box, she finds that her inquisitive nature gets the better of her. She sits down to watch the first tape, ignoring the warning that says If you watch the tapes you will regret it. I mean, why do people ignore that kind of warning? I don't get it. The visceral nature of what is contained on those tapes mean that Coates has a forever fan in me.
March 22, 2024
3.5 rounded up. A quick spooky read. It was so short though that it didn't feel fully fleshed out and the characters fell a little bit flat and unrealistic. Plot was a tad rushed but overall a fun short read if you're looking for something in that category.
December 6, 2016
Short story, not a novel. No thrills and chills, only groans and yawns. Terrible dialogue. If I read "babe" one more time I was just marking it as dnf. The dialogue was just awful. This was a very quick read, but definitely not worth the time spend reading. Predictable. "happy ending". This wasn't even remotely scary.
I tried to enjoy Darcey Coates books. I really wanted to. But they are dreadful. So poorly written, terrible dialogue, poor sentence structure, either overly described with boring details or completely lacking description. But the worst? This book isn't even remotely scary and to call it "Gothic" is an insult to Gothic writers.
I tried to enjoy Darcey Coates books. I really wanted to. But they are dreadful. So poorly written, terrible dialogue, poor sentence structure, either overly described with boring details or completely lacking description. But the worst? This book isn't even remotely scary and to call it "Gothic" is an insult to Gothic writers.
April 22, 2017
An enjoyable romp in the supernatural
This was a short, fast paced, unusual story. I hadn't heard of the ghost camera theme before and it certainly peaked my interest. Has anyone else explored this idea?
This was a short, fast paced, unusual story. I hadn't heard of the ghost camera theme before and it certainly peaked my interest. Has anyone else explored this idea?
October 25, 2018
daha fazla korkmak isterdim ama hafif yollu bi ürkmek de yetti. cadılar bayramı aşığı biri olarak şiddetle tavsiye edeceğim hızlı okunabilen bir hayalet kitabıydı. aynı yazardan devam...
October 2, 2017
This is the first book I have read by this author and it has definitely made me want to read some more of their work. While it was not wildly scary or anything it was the type of story I would want to read during the month of October for Halloween. Things start off rather slowly and benign but start to take on a life of its own as you find out more about the camera which is the main focus of things. The characters are alright even if they are a little thin as far as who they are, you get some glimpses of personality which at least allow you to form an opinion about them. This is a relatively short piece and a fast read because it does hold your interest, if you like ghost stories that is.
Jenine is attending a wedding and decides that she would like to create a photo album for the bride that has candid shots of the wedding party and not just the posed shots taken by the wedding photographer. In order to do this she goes to the lighthouse located close by to take an overhead shot and stumbles across a Polaroid camera. She tries the camera out and finds that it still works but the picture does not only capture the guests who can be seen but some uninvited ghostly guests as well.
Jenine takes the camera to her friend Bree and shows her what it does putting her friend in jeopardy as well though she does not know it at the time. As ghosts seem to be coming closer and things seem to be getting scarier the women try to find help for their situation. But what can they do when they seem to have opened a door to the other side.
There is enough tension and suspense that you should enjoy this short look into the supernatural. I would give this a thumbs up and say go for it!
Jenine is attending a wedding and decides that she would like to create a photo album for the bride that has candid shots of the wedding party and not just the posed shots taken by the wedding photographer. In order to do this she goes to the lighthouse located close by to take an overhead shot and stumbles across a Polaroid camera. She tries the camera out and finds that it still works but the picture does not only capture the guests who can be seen but some uninvited ghostly guests as well.
Jenine takes the camera to her friend Bree and shows her what it does putting her friend in jeopardy as well though she does not know it at the time. As ghosts seem to be coming closer and things seem to be getting scarier the women try to find help for their situation. But what can they do when they seem to have opened a door to the other side.
There is enough tension and suspense that you should enjoy this short look into the supernatural. I would give this a thumbs up and say go for it!
October 10, 2017
love, love,, love this book. I love Darcy Coates and all her stuff. This one was a different breed and totally awesome. read it and then read it again and again
July 10, 2024
4 stars.
This collection of short stories are scarier than most that I have read. I am a huge fan of Stephen King, but I find most of his stories much fluffier than these. Spooky and creepy, most of these stories were too short. Ghost Camera could have been expanded into a full length novel, while A Box of Tapes could probably be made into a horror film (which I wouldn't be able to watch). Overall, this was a solid and entertaining read.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review this book.
This collection of short stories are scarier than most that I have read. I am a huge fan of Stephen King, but I find most of his stories much fluffier than these. Spooky and creepy, most of these stories were too short. Ghost Camera could have been expanded into a full length novel, while A Box of Tapes could probably be made into a horror film (which I wouldn't be able to watch). Overall, this was a solid and entertaining read.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review this book.
October 11, 2024
This is an excellent collection of short stories for the creepy season! The first and most memorable is “ghost camera”. This is the author’s first work and has been published before. A woman picks up a Polaroid camera at a wedding and the pictures she gets with it doesn’t show just the living guests. The situation quickly turns sinister. This and the other stories are well crafted and spine chilling.
July 30, 2024
“Ghost camera” is a re-release of the novella combined with other short stories with similarly eery and spooky subject matter.
This was a refreshing read, the combination of several short stories made for a very quick read allowing time for a pause or a rest throughout the reading journey.
I enjoyed the haunting themes throughout and definitely got the creeps a few times! Each story ranges from mildly disturbing to downright terrifying so there’s definitely a selection for all tastes here.
Thank you to Darcy Coates, Poisened Pen Press and NetGalley for the EARC!
Publish date: July 30th 2024
This was a refreshing read, the combination of several short stories made for a very quick read allowing time for a pause or a rest throughout the reading journey.
I enjoyed the haunting themes throughout and definitely got the creeps a few times! Each story ranges from mildly disturbing to downright terrifying so there’s definitely a selection for all tastes here.
Thank you to Darcy Coates, Poisened Pen Press and NetGalley for the EARC!
Publish date: July 30th 2024
February 4, 2025
I liked it, it's entertaining. It doesn't really bring anything new to the ghost cam theme. But even with all the clichés it manages to create a disturbing enough atmosphere.
Maybe the ending felt too abrupt and underdeveloped, I feel like I need more answers and context about some of the ghosts.
★★★★☆
Maybe the ending felt too abrupt and underdeveloped, I feel like I need more answers and context about some of the ghosts.
★★★★☆
December 20, 2021
A simple, creepy premise executed very well. Loved it! Not quite a 5, but definitely a strong 4. I’ve heard great things about Darcy Coates, and she didn’t disappoint. It felt a lot liking watching a good episode of a horror anthology TV series: spooky, short and sweet, with zero fluff to be found. Recommended for ghost story fans looking for a fun twist on the sub-genre.
September 8, 2024
omg
because the book i was reading also had many short stories from the same author there was a lot more pages and i finished at like 200+% of the book
but they were really good
i loved the descriptions and the plot twists and basically the overall plot and i think that the author did well in the buildup to the plot twists
would def read again love love love <3
4 stars because the only problem was that the main story (ghost camera) felt a little anticlimactic but ig its not easy to fit a horror/thriller into 100 pages :>
because the book i was reading also had many short stories from the same author there was a lot more pages and i finished at like 200+% of the book
but they were really good
i loved the descriptions and the plot twists and basically the overall plot and i think that the author did well in the buildup to the plot twists
would def read again love love love <3
4 stars because the only problem was that the main story (ghost camera) felt a little anticlimactic but ig its not easy to fit a horror/thriller into 100 pages :>
October 8, 2020
This is the exact kind of horror story I can get behind. Short. Creepy. Suspenseful. Just a few characters I can love right away. And just all-around perfect. It's a short little novella. Around 120-130 pages or about a 2-hour audiobook. And it's just perfect. As a writer of short horror stories and novellas (just a couple of short novels for me! :D), This is an absolutely perfect book for me.
I loved the characters, and the story was awesome. Also, our main character has 3 cats. How can I not love that? I have a cat of my own and I love him, even if he is a little asshole half the time. Seriously. He doesn't understand how much it hurts when he tries to play fight. ugh. Nothing is more irritating than sitting here minding my own business and suddenly having claws digging into my arm. Does anyone have any advice on how to get him to knock it off?
Anyway! Back to the book review!
I got legit chills while listening to this. Especially when the ghosts would touch the main character or appear in the pictures? I was so creeped out. That was some good stuff right there. You know a book is good when it creeps out a horror writer. :D
It was wonderful. I need this book in a physical copy. It needs to be on my bookshelf with my other horror books. But it's $13! ugh! I'm gonna have to wait on it. But I need it! adulting is hard!
anyway! I highly recommend! Perfect for horror fans looking for a novella!
I loved the characters, and the story was awesome. Also, our main character has 3 cats. How can I not love that? I have a cat of my own and I love him, even if he is a little asshole half the time. Seriously. He doesn't understand how much it hurts when he tries to play fight. ugh. Nothing is more irritating than sitting here minding my own business and suddenly having claws digging into my arm. Does anyone have any advice on how to get him to knock it off?
Anyway! Back to the book review!
I got legit chills while listening to this. Especially when the ghosts would touch the main character or appear in the pictures? I was so creeped out. That was some good stuff right there. You know a book is good when it creeps out a horror writer. :D
It was wonderful. I need this book in a physical copy. It needs to be on my bookshelf with my other horror books. But it's $13! ugh! I'm gonna have to wait on it. But I need it! adulting is hard!
anyway! I highly recommend! Perfect for horror fans looking for a novella!
March 9, 2021
Darcy Coates is one of my favorite authors of really chilling ghost stories. The main characters are likeable and relatable, which allow the reader to feel empathy for them when they find themselves in a situation they cannot control, and which you know is headed for a really unfavorable outcome. These are young people and they did something that kids that age would do and this helps to reminds us that if this bore any resemblance of reality, it could potentially happen to anyone. The storyline is unpredictable. All in all, this is a goose bump producing, don’t want it to end… good read.
October 30, 2017
A fine ghost story
I think part of what made this story work so well was it's length. It scared me; but I think any longer woul_ have taken me beyond being scared; instead being terrified. The ending was a surprise. All all : a nice little ghost story.
I think part of what made this story work so well was it's length. It scared me; but I think any longer woul_ have taken me beyond being scared; instead being terrified. The ending was a surprise. All all : a nice little ghost story.
March 27, 2015
The characters in this were okay, and I felt quite sorry for Jenny, as she was obviously scared.
This was an okay ghost story, which had one or two creepy moments. The length was just about right, as if it had been any longer, I would have started to feel bored.
This was an okay ghost story, which had one or two creepy moments. The length was just about right, as if it had been any longer, I would have started to feel bored.
April 1, 2022
The word “Adorkable” is used
August 2, 2024
4.5 stars
The nitty-gritty: Twilight Zone-esque stories make up this top-notch collection by veteran horror author Darcy Coates. Scary, unsettling and emotional, read this with the lights on.
I don’t read short story collections very often, but I’m so glad I picked up Ghost Camera, because it was excellent! Darcy Coates is one of my go-to authors and this collection perfectly exemplifies why I love her stories so much. The collection consists of two novellas and seven short stories full of creepy atmosphere, ghosts, and otherworldly creatures, and I’m going to highlight my favorites below.
Ghost Camera
The titular novella was actually written back in 2014, and Coates decided to redo parts of it for this new edition. The story follows a photographer named Jenine who discovers an unusual—and very dangerous—Polaroid camera. Jenine is taking photos at a wedding and decides to take a shot of the guests from the top of a nearby lighthouse. She discovers an old, abandoned Polaroid camera at the top and randomly aims it at the guests below, just to see if it works. Later she looks at the photo and sees something odd: vague white shapes appear amongst the guests, forms that weren’t there when she took the photo.
When she shows the photo to her friend Bree, they decide to take photos of themselves to see if these “ghosts” show up again. Not only are there unexplained figures in the photos, but the ghosts are staring right at Jenine—and they’re getting closer to her in each photo Bree takes.
Ghost Camera is surprisingly scary and cinematic, and I could see this working well as a TV show, maybe in the vein of The Twilight Zone. There’s something about ghosts showing up in photos that makes my skin crawl, and this story has an eerie, goosebump-inducing feel to it.
Death Birds
Ryan is an ER nurse and has seen his fair share of death. He also sees death birds everywhere he goes. You see, about twenty years ago, large bird-like creatures started appearing whenever someone was about to die. Since then, they are a familiar sight, and they don’t actually kill you, they are simply harbingers of death.
One day at work, the ER staff is shocked when a huge number of death birds congregate in the hospital. It’s not uncommon to see three or four or five at a time, but a hundred? Ryan braces himself for something big, but it’s not what he was expecting.
Like many of Coates' stories, Death Birds blurs the line between dimensions. I loved the ominous death birds, whose presence sets everyone on edge. It’s a great idea made even better because the author includes an emotional backstory for Ryan that adds an extra layer to the story.
Untamed Things
This is probably my favorite story of the bunch. Ana is on a plane, traveling to her cousin’s wedding where she will be a bridesmaid. But something goes terribly wrong, and the plane crashes in a remote part of the Arctic, killing almost everyone on board. Everyone except for Ana and a mysterious woman named Chloe, who appears out of the rubble to help her.
Coates does an amazing job (maybe too amazing!) describing the horrors of a plane crash, so right away the reader is on edge and braced for the worst. Once Ana realizes she’s alive but has to trek through the snow to get to the plane’s cockpit, another threat appears. Chloe is such an interesting character. I had so many theories about who she was, but I was wrong on all accounts. This is an unsettling story with a gut punch emotional ending, and I loved it!
Cathedral
This is a short story about a husband and wife who are taking a drive one day and come upon a huge cathedral in the middle of nowhere. They decide to go inside to check it out, but that is a big mistake.
Coates set the tone by describing the old, dusty cars littering the parking lot of the cathedral, which gives the reader a clue about what’s to come, although I have to admit I was surprised by the sinister turn the story takes. This is one of those stories where the characters are about to do something stupid, but there’s no way to stop them since you’re just the observer.
The rest of the stories are just as good. Darcy Coates is a talented writer, and many of these stories involve characters who make the wrong choices, therefore getting themselves into awful situations. Most of them do not have happy endings, but they do linger after you’ve finished reading. I found her ideas to be unique and fresh, and I think this would be the perfect collection to read during spooky season. Once again I’m so impressed with Coates’ writing skills, and I cannot wait to see what she does next.
Big thanks to the publisher for providing a review copy.
The nitty-gritty: Twilight Zone-esque stories make up this top-notch collection by veteran horror author Darcy Coates. Scary, unsettling and emotional, read this with the lights on.
I don’t read short story collections very often, but I’m so glad I picked up Ghost Camera, because it was excellent! Darcy Coates is one of my go-to authors and this collection perfectly exemplifies why I love her stories so much. The collection consists of two novellas and seven short stories full of creepy atmosphere, ghosts, and otherworldly creatures, and I’m going to highlight my favorites below.
Ghost Camera
The titular novella was actually written back in 2014, and Coates decided to redo parts of it for this new edition. The story follows a photographer named Jenine who discovers an unusual—and very dangerous—Polaroid camera. Jenine is taking photos at a wedding and decides to take a shot of the guests from the top of a nearby lighthouse. She discovers an old, abandoned Polaroid camera at the top and randomly aims it at the guests below, just to see if it works. Later she looks at the photo and sees something odd: vague white shapes appear amongst the guests, forms that weren’t there when she took the photo.
When she shows the photo to her friend Bree, they decide to take photos of themselves to see if these “ghosts” show up again. Not only are there unexplained figures in the photos, but the ghosts are staring right at Jenine—and they’re getting closer to her in each photo Bree takes.
Ghost Camera is surprisingly scary and cinematic, and I could see this working well as a TV show, maybe in the vein of The Twilight Zone. There’s something about ghosts showing up in photos that makes my skin crawl, and this story has an eerie, goosebump-inducing feel to it.
Death Birds
Ryan is an ER nurse and has seen his fair share of death. He also sees death birds everywhere he goes. You see, about twenty years ago, large bird-like creatures started appearing whenever someone was about to die. Since then, they are a familiar sight, and they don’t actually kill you, they are simply harbingers of death.
One day at work, the ER staff is shocked when a huge number of death birds congregate in the hospital. It’s not uncommon to see three or four or five at a time, but a hundred? Ryan braces himself for something big, but it’s not what he was expecting.
Like many of Coates' stories, Death Birds blurs the line between dimensions. I loved the ominous death birds, whose presence sets everyone on edge. It’s a great idea made even better because the author includes an emotional backstory for Ryan that adds an extra layer to the story.
Untamed Things
This is probably my favorite story of the bunch. Ana is on a plane, traveling to her cousin’s wedding where she will be a bridesmaid. But something goes terribly wrong, and the plane crashes in a remote part of the Arctic, killing almost everyone on board. Everyone except for Ana and a mysterious woman named Chloe, who appears out of the rubble to help her.
Coates does an amazing job (maybe too amazing!) describing the horrors of a plane crash, so right away the reader is on edge and braced for the worst. Once Ana realizes she’s alive but has to trek through the snow to get to the plane’s cockpit, another threat appears. Chloe is such an interesting character. I had so many theories about who she was, but I was wrong on all accounts. This is an unsettling story with a gut punch emotional ending, and I loved it!
Cathedral
This is a short story about a husband and wife who are taking a drive one day and come upon a huge cathedral in the middle of nowhere. They decide to go inside to check it out, but that is a big mistake.
Coates set the tone by describing the old, dusty cars littering the parking lot of the cathedral, which gives the reader a clue about what’s to come, although I have to admit I was surprised by the sinister turn the story takes. This is one of those stories where the characters are about to do something stupid, but there’s no way to stop them since you’re just the observer.
The rest of the stories are just as good. Darcy Coates is a talented writer, and many of these stories involve characters who make the wrong choices, therefore getting themselves into awful situations. Most of them do not have happy endings, but they do linger after you’ve finished reading. I found her ideas to be unique and fresh, and I think this would be the perfect collection to read during spooky season. Once again I’m so impressed with Coates’ writing skills, and I cannot wait to see what she does next.
Big thanks to the publisher for providing a review copy.
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