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Enter Tragedy: Grief and Other Horrors

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Enter Tragedy is a dark and atmospheric novel exploring themes of grief, horror, and the human struggle against inner demons. 9 tales of Grief, Loss, Death, Horror, Suicide, Despair, Violence and Hopelessness

Adler’s End - a dark historical horror novel following Arthur Nischke, a German immigrant burdened by a terrible curse. As he crosses the Atlantic aboard The Adler, he struggles against the monstrous force growing within him, fighting to hold onto his humanity before reaching America, where his future—and possibly his damnation—awaits.

Two Rounds - a tense post-apocalyptic thriller following a lone hunter navigating a world where even the dead won’t stay buried. As he struggles to provide for his family, he discovers that not only have humans succumbed to an unknown plague, but nature itself has turned against him—forcing him into an impossible fight for survival.

The Coat - a haunting tale of grief, memory, and the supernatural, following a widow who clings to her late husband's belongings as she struggles to move on. But as she donates his clothes and tries to heal, one item—a simple coat—refuses to stay gone, leading her to a chilling revelation about the nature of loss and the things we leave behind.

Lament - A poignant and haunting reflection on love, loss, and the passage of time, told through the eyes of a departed father who can only watch as his son grow. Bound to the world by an unbreakable bond, he remains an unseen witness to a life he can no longer touch—aching, loving, and lingering beyond the veil.

Intrusive - Conner is stuck in a loop of self-loathing and intrusive thoughts, sabotaging his own attempts to find happiness and fulfillment. This is the story of his dark spiral through the mundane moments of work, family, and personal disappointment, as he contemplates increasingly destructive choices.

The Weight of Silence - a story about a man grappling with the consequences of his choices, battling addiction and estrangement from his son. Haunted by a past filled with violence and regret, he seeks redemption and connection amidst a life spiraling out of control.

The Green Room - In a house haunted by anger and regret, a young boy discovers a mysterious green door in his bedroom, a portal to a world of endless toys and the comforting presence of his deceased grandmother. But this idyllic escape may come at a devastating cost in the real world, as tragedy unfolds and the line between reality and fantasy blurs.

Shadows Left Behind - a dark exploration of trauma, addiction, and inherited violence, following Kevin as he battles the demons of his past and struggles to break the cycle of abuse that threatens to consume his life and his relationship with his son. Haunted by the memory of his mother's murder and his own father's monstrous actions, Kevin must confront his inner demons to salvage what remains of his family and find a path toward redemption.

Hollow gaze - Haunted by the specter of Death after a series of devastating losses, a man struggles to cope with crippling panic attacks and the terrifying presence that no one else can see. As his world shrinks and his wife succumbs to grief, he must find a way to confront his inner demons and escape the relentless gaze of the faceless figure that threatens to consume him.

242 pages, Kindle Edition

Published April 30, 2025

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15 people want to read

About the author

T.D. Lawler

17 books37 followers

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Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews
Profile Image for Emily | TheHauntedShelf.
134 reviews42 followers
May 1, 2025
T.D. Lawler has such a beautiful way of writing the saddest stories.

This collection is raw and emotional, covering heavy topics that people struggle with in everyday life. The real horrors are the emotions we have to navigate each day, and the impact they have on not just the individual, but the people around them.

The empathy that he creates for the people in his stories is overwhelming, you feel like you’re going through every painful moment with them. It’s a hugely cathartic read for anyone who has ever struggled with grief or mental health issues.

*I received a free ARC from the author*
Profile Image for Lia's Haunted Library.
364 reviews50 followers
May 1, 2025
Suffering. Loss. Darkness. Grief.

This is what Enter Tragedy delivers. Lawler has a rare ability to tap into these emotions, crafting stories that leave you raw, shaken, and strangely grateful for the experience. His writing doesn’t just explore horror—it unearths it, making you feel every ounce of pain, sorrow, and fear as if they were your own.

Some of these stories may be fictional, but the emotions behind them are brutally real. Lawler doesn’t hold back; his horrors stay.

One of the most striking things about this collection is how personal it feels. You can sense Lawler in every story—his words carry weight, and his emotions seep through. Some horrors are drawn from real-life tragedies, others have a paranormal touch, but they all hit hard in ways that feel uncomfortably close. This is horror that doesn’t just unsettle—it devastates.

While the collection is deeply emotional, it never feels forced or manipulative. Instead, Lawler presents grief in its most honest form—messy, unpredictable, and relentless. His writing acknowledges pain without sugarcoating it, making this book as cathartic as it is unsettling.

Horror is personal, different for everyone. Yet Lawler’s stories touch on some of my biggest fears—both personal and those I see in my patients. Some stories wrecked me, some unsettled me, and some made me pause and reflect on how horror, at its core, is often just reality with the volume turned up.

Story Ratings:
• Adler’s End – 4.5/5
• Two Rounds – 5/5
• The Coat – 5/5 (My favorite)
• Intrusive – 5/5
• Lament – 5/5
• The Weight of Silence – 5/5
• The Green Room – 5/5
• The Hollow Gaze – 5/5
• Shadows Left Behind – 5/5
• The End – 5/5 (Punch to the gut.)
Profile Image for Bookish._.Banter.
124 reviews6 followers
May 2, 2025
Each of the stories takes you through a gamut of emotions & elicited some visceral reactions.

If you didn’t feel something when reading this, you may need to check your pulse!

Lawler pulls you in and shakes you around, and always makes you look over your shoulder. I was lucky enough to be selected to receive this collection as an ARC. And look forward to what T.D. Lawler puts out next!
Profile Image for BookMadLibrarian.
351 reviews25 followers
May 12, 2025
Travis’ latest work Enter Tragedy is a series of short stories (with 2 bonus stories that went on to inspire the rest of this collection). This collection is powerful for so many reasons- it deals with some of the most difficult situations that a person can go through and Travis’ ability to deal with these subjects in an authentic and raw way makes the stories hit home each time.

I consumed this book in one sitting. It made my heart hurt, made me cry, brought back difficult memories from my own childhood and life. When a book can call to you so hard and deeply, you know that it’s a powerful thing. Travis has created a series of stories that will leave you thinking about them long after you’ve put the book down. His ability to pack so much into such a short amount of words astounds me and the elements of horror and supernatural that he injects into some of the stories is done so seamlessly.

Here’s my top 3 stories but I could write an essay on each of the others too:

The Green Room deals with the death of a child at that hands of a domestic abuse incident. Travis creates an alternate world where this little boy enters a green room, a replica of his bedroom where he finds a chest of infinite toys. This chest distracts him from the memories of his parents fighting. What broke me as a parent is this line: “No more yelling. No more screaming, No more hitting”. The presence of the elderly woman in this alternate world and the child’s freedom from pain absolutely broke my heart.

The Coat focuses on a woman who has lost her husband and struggling to cope with grief. It will resonate with anyone who has lost a loved one. Travis’ capturing of the process of grief, the way it hits when you least expect it and the need to hold onto material things to keep their memories close to you left a hole in my heart. As someone who has lost someone very dear to them in the last year, this story lingers with me.

Lament tells the story of a deceased father watching his young son grow up, become a man, a husband and a father and ultimately die. Told from the perspective of the father, this story really just broke me in a way I’m not completely sure as to why. I think it’s the idea of being a parent who doesn’t get to be there and experience the child growing up that got me. This line will forever be in my head: “Because love and pain are forever entwined. Because life gives and takes without mercy.”

The bonus stories of The Hollow Gaze and Shadows Left Behind are amazing too and you will see the stories that they inspire in the collection.

So if you’re looking for something that will truly break your heart and leave you needing to lie down on the ground to process what you’ve read, Enter Tragedy is the short story collection to do it. Go check it out. Travis has also included a poignant afterword that we all need to read. Available now on indiereads.org

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Profile Image for Allison | crazypageturner.
280 reviews36 followers
May 1, 2025
Wowwww what a powerful collection of short stories and I am so grateful to have been able to read them so thank you to @t.d.lawler for sending me an ARC!

Stories about loss, grief, pain, guilt, regret, anger, self-loathing, depression, emptiness, even suicidal thoughts. And they all share one thing in common: death. Different writing styles in these stories make for even more interesting reads because you never know what you’re going to get. Each story really presses your emotional buttons and you can’t help but FEEL when you read them. Lawler sure knows how to bring you to your knees with emotions in ways so few can.

Ratings Below:

Adler’s End - ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫
Two Rounds - ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
The Coat - ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Intrusive - ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Lament - ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
The Weight of Silence -⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
The Green Room - ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Also included is his previous released stories that I’ve already read:

The Hollow Gaze - ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Shadows Left Behind - ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Profile Image for Jolene.
113 reviews12 followers
May 2, 2025
Enter Tragedy is a must-read for fans of supernatural horror with deep emotional depth. There is a blend of grief, fear, pain, and loss in a way that’s both terrifying and moving. His stories don’t just explore horror—they make you feel it, tapping into raw, real emotions that stay with you after you’ve finished reading.

What stands out is how personal each story feels, with emotions bleeding through every word. The collection explores grief honestly and unapologetically and allowing it to unfold naturally. It is such an experience that makes you reflect on the line between reality and horror.

If you want a collection that’s as emotionally impactful as it is chilling, Enter Tragedy will leave you haunted in the best possible way.
Profile Image for Nicole.
4 reviews
May 2, 2025
Be prepared to slip into some heavy emotional themes and situations! The writing style is unique to be sure, T.D. Lawler’s narrative makes you feel like you’re experiencing the character’s emotions with them! There are some supernatural tales and some very human tales that, either way, you can relate to.

If you’ve ever experienced any tragic events like the ones that make up these nine tales, you may feel some catharsis. That said, check out the trigger warnings! There is nothing happy in this book!
Profile Image for Andi (ittybittybookmama).
160 reviews6 followers
August 18, 2025
I may be a glutton for punishment but recently I have been longing for grief horror. Enter Tragedy was everything I was searching for. And although a short read I didn’t fly through this is. These felt like stories you really needed to sit with. The first story, Two Rounds, was probably my favorite. Absolute proof of how powerful a short story could be, packed full of the whole spectrum of emotions in a quick read. Lament broke me! I am a very emotional person so it doesn’t take much for a book to get to me, but I literally read this one blinking back tears. An absolutely beautifully tragic collection!
Profile Image for Tracey King.
Author 10 books5 followers
May 5, 2025
Nine tales of grief that are as tragic as they are captivating. Do not miss reading T.D. Lawler. These stories are almost therapeutic if you've experienced loss, and you can feel the emotions that he put into his writing. "Lament" was absolutely heartbreaking in a beautiful way. "Hollow Gaze" is another favorite as well as "The Coat". I highly recommend reading this book.
Profile Image for Josh White.
28 reviews5 followers
May 30, 2025
One of the reasons that I like horror more than any other genre is its ability to tell the most impactful stories. Not just stories that scare you, or make it hard for you to sleep, but rich emotional tales that explore the human experience. This collection is a terrific example of that. These stories are deeply personal and emotional, and simply would not resonate nearly as well if they were written in any other genre.

Case in point is “The Weight of Silence,” in which we see a man who has lived in abusive, emotionally distant life strive in vain to right his wrongs once it is already too late. In the hands of a traditionally genred author, this story is emotional, and perhaps the reader feels a small shred of sympathy for the man. But in the hands of Lawler, we find the man haunted by a presence as his remaining days spiral out of control, and we end up with a story far more emotionally haunting than it would’ve been otherwise. The same could be said for many of the other stories in the collection, like The Green Room. The ability to create deeply tragic and emotional stories is clearly a strength for Lawler, and one that we all benefit from when he leans into it in his writing.

The only thing stopping this collection from being a perfect example of what grief horror can be is, strangely enough, the lack of happiness in its pages. When I think of truly emotionally resonating stories, I think of the contrast between light and dark. But here, with nothing but darkness, we lose a tiny bit of the connection that will emotionally resonate with readers even more than it already does.

Even still, this is a really great collection. Now can somebody give Lawler a hug?
14 reviews1 follower
June 11, 2025
This book is a compilation of his short stories. The title is very telling for what you can expect. I related to some of these stories in ways I didn't expect. Travis has a way of putting into words things that we normally feel but keep to ourselves. I love his writing.
Profile Image for FictionHealsMe.
134 reviews4 followers
September 26, 2025
I started this book not knowing what to expect �� and it surpassed all of my expectations.
160 pages, 9 stories. Each one gripping from the very first page, vividly portraying different tales bound together by pain, grief, horror, despair, and death.

I felt every single story – I grieved, I mourned, I shivered. After each one I had to pause, to take a breath and recover.

A hauntingly artistic and powerful work that I would recommend to anyone who craves raw, deep, and painful emotions in their reads.
Profile Image for The ARC Bro.
51 reviews9 followers
May 22, 2025
🔥 BRO vs. ENTER TRAGEDY 🔥

🥊 The Book: A collection of short stories soaked in sorrow and steeped in the emotional aftermath of loss, regret, and internal collapse. Grief, tragedy, and emotional ruin are the main course here, and Lawler serves it cold.

💪 The Bro: I’ve thrown hands with Lawler before, but thus is his sharpest swing yet. I came in expecting solid writing, but was surprised by how confidently this one explores emotional terrain. Bleak, but thoughtful. Personal, but never preachy.



🥊 ROUND 1: First Impressions
• This is Lawler in his bag. The writing’s confident, restrained, and effective.
• Thematically tight—almost too tight. Every story points toward the same emotional wreckage.
• There’s beauty in the repetition, but also a bit of numbness if you binge-read them. You start craving contrast, some flicker of light to better appreciate the dark.



🥊 ROUND 2: In the Thick of It
• The Hollow Gaze and The Weight of Silence? Absolute bangers. Emotionally devastating and clearly connected—these two hit different. You can feel the author working through something.
• Intrusive had promise, but didn’t land. Great idea, just not the right delivery.
• Across the board, though, Lawler writes like he means it. Even the weaker stories feel like they come from somewhere real.



🥊 ROUND 3: Final Verdict
• Lawler’s at his best when he leans into grief as myth, as curse, as weight.
• The only thing keeping this from a knockout is the tonal flatline. Every story is tuned to the same tragic frequency, and after a while, the emotional hits start to blur.
• Still, if you’re in the mood for thoughtful melancholy wrapped in literary darkness, this collection’s got the goods.



🔥 FINAL BELL: The ARC Bro Scorecard 🔥
🥊 Unanimous Decision – Enter Tragedy doesn’t come to entertain—it comes to haunt. Lawler’s writing is sharper than ever, and while the emotional tone could’ve used more variety, the collection lands hard more often than not.
Profile Image for Deborah.
72 reviews17 followers
May 4, 2025
Raw, deep, emotional, powerful and gut wrenching collection of short stories that make you feel all sorts of way, sad, happy, grief, pain , they all tap into human emotions and feel relatable. They were all written in such a unique way. If I had to pick my favorite, I would say "Two rounds" was my absolute favorite.

Short book that is packed with a big punch!!! An absolute must read.
18 reviews
May 19, 2025
So glad I discovered this indie author. This collection of short stories was so engaging. Some of the stories were gut-wrenching, and they all sucked me right in.
Profile Image for Brigit (Cosy.horror.corner).
339 reviews23 followers
May 19, 2025
Firstly, thank you to the author for gifting me a copy of this digital ebook! I fell in love with that cover and requested a copy!

I really enjoyed these 9 short stories. I think grief horror overall needs a bigger spotlight, and it's one of my fav sub-genres of horror. We are taken on journeys of the psychological, where unexpected and clever forms of reflection on human suffering strike us at the core. We get to experience what it's like to lose a partner, a son, or one's own self through various choices or regrets. The inescapable reality of loss is confronting and challenging. As such, be mindful of trigger warnings.

I think the only reason I couldn't quite make it a 5☆ was that I couldn't connect emotionally. The content was prescribed as heart-breaking, diligently laid out, horrors spelled out, but the nuance somehow wasn't felt. This is just something I don't quite know how to explain other than it felt like cognitive grief. Which isn't a bad thing! I know people process grief and content very differently. That's just my personal experience. Try for yourself !

My favourite stories were: Lament, The Weight of Silence and The End.
Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews

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