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Walking After Midnight: Tales for Halloween
Named one of Suspense Magazine's Best Books of 2014, Evan Camby's "Walking After Tales for Halloween" is a collection of six terrifying horror stories guaranteed to send chills up your spine. Read them by a bonfire on a chilly autumn night, or under a blanket by candle light. Whatever you do, don't look behind you."Hayride"The Schultz family's outing to an apple orchard goes terribly awry on the hayride from Hell."Hat Man"Graduate student Bernice is plagued by night terrors. As the horrible visions begin to invade her waking hours, she must fight for her sanity...and her safety."A Good Samaritan"Newlyweds Jake and Rita Wechsler take a journey down winding country roads in the Hudson River Valley, where danger lurks at every turn."Into the Abyss" A group of young girls decide to play with a Ouija board and discover that it might be more than just a board game."Walking After Midnight"When childhood friends Teddy and Joseph decide to revisit one of their old childhood haunts, the old town cemetery, they stumble upon true evil and must rely on each other to survive."Trick & Treat" Halloween enthusiast Shelley decorates and buys candy for the big night, hoping for lots of Trick-or-Treaters, but she quickly learns the meaning of the phrase "Be careful what you wish for."
76 pages, Kindle Edition
First published October 1, 2014
139 people are currently reading
340 people want to read
About the author
Evan Camby
6 books32 followersEvan Camby is the award-winning author of "Walking After Midnight: Tales for Halloween" series and the forthcoming "Midnight Frost: Chilling Tales for Winter Nights."
Camby's works are rooted in the gothic literary tradition and have elements of horror, thriller, mystery, and suspense.
Visit her website at www.evancamby.com.
Camby's works are rooted in the gothic literary tradition and have elements of horror, thriller, mystery, and suspense.
Visit her website at www.evancamby.com.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 81 reviews
October 4, 2020
4.5 Stars ⭐️
That last story was awesome!! I read this on kindle unlimited and then saw it was free so picked it up
HAT MAN - 2 Stars -
HAYRIDE - 2.5 Stars
THE GOOD SAMARITAN - 2 Stars
WALKING AFTER MIDNIGHT- 4 Stars
INTO THE ABYSS - 4.5 Stars
TRICK & TREAT 5 Stars
Happy Halloween 🎃🍁🍂
That last story was awesome!! I read this on kindle unlimited and then saw it was free so picked it up
HAT MAN - 2 Stars -
HAYRIDE - 2.5 Stars
THE GOOD SAMARITAN - 2 Stars
WALKING AFTER MIDNIGHT- 4 Stars
INTO THE ABYSS - 4.5 Stars
TRICK & TREAT 5 Stars
Happy Halloween 🎃🍁🍂
October 5, 2019
Halloween is drawing nearer and the author did a marvelous job to prepare your for it with her collection of 6 stories. In the 'Hat Man' Bernice is threatened by a mysterious man with a hat. 'Hayride' describes a ride you don't want to experience yourself. 'A Good Samaritan' warns you not to get tricked by someone lying in the middle of the road. 'Walking After Midnight' (one of my favourites) shows what happens when two buddies meet again after some years. 'Into The Abyss' deals with a Quija board and shows us why Lisa is a very special girl (liked the name of her aunt, Lilith). The last story 'Trick or Treat' is a real Halloween horror feast far better than the well known movies. This collection sets you in the mood for forthcoming Halloween. Well written, eerie, fine twists and highly entertaining. Absolutely recommended!
October 3, 2019
This was a new author to me and I was not disappointed with this book! There were lots of tense and spooky moments with all the stories. Normally with books that have different stories, I usually only like a few, but with this book I really enjoyed all the stories. There are only six stories in the book, but all them were very good.
Hat Man
Bernice keeps thinking she sees a man standing in the shadows with a hat on his head in her nightmares, but when she starts seeing him in the daytime is when she freaks out and she has a feeling that he is there to do her harm. When he starts to make his move closer to her is when she goes into fear mode and she wonders what the Hat Man wants with her.
Hayride
When the Schultz family goes out to an apple orchard they see a man with a hay wagon and they wonder if it is something new as they have never seen a hay wagon out in that apple orchard before. So when the family climbs aboard it will be a ride they will never forget!
A Good Samaritan
Jake and Rita Wechsler decide to travel down a country road, but when they see a body laying on the road, they wonder if they should stop and help the person, but they are wary as they do not know what to expect. They should have heeded their inner instincts as not all is what it seems.
Into the Abyss
Lisa along with her friends decide to play with a Ouija board while Lisa's aunt is sleeping upstairs. Lisa along with her three friends, Aimee, Hannah, and Jordan decide that the best place to play with the board would be in the basement. As they start playing, a loud clap of thunder booms outside of the house and the little light they had in the basement goes out. What comes from the other side is anybody's guess, but it is not friendly as when the lights go out, anything goes!
Walking After Midnight
Joseph and Teddy have known each other since they were kids, so when Teddy has his Fall break he decides to come visit Joseph in the small town of Cabin Creek. They both decide to visit a cemetery that they use to frequent when they were kids and they both decide to go at night. What they find and what they see makes for a spooky experience as anyone knows that creeping around a cemetery at night is never a good thing.
Trick & Treat
Shelley is all alone on Halloween night as her husband Danny has to work late, but she decorates her house and buys candy as she hopes that she will get plenty of kids that will come to her front door. When two children show up at her front door, she thought their Halloween outfits were cute as one has a devil mask and the other child has a burlap sack on their head with a drawstring around the neck. When they tell her "trick and treat" she thinks they are being funny and corrects them by saying "trick or treat". What Shelley doesn't realize is that evil can come calling in all forms and what is in store for her is beyond her imagination.
All the stories moved at a fast pace with thrills and chills. There were quite a bit of tension throughout all the stories and I will be reading more by this author. Giving this book four "spooky" stars.
Hat Man
Bernice keeps thinking she sees a man standing in the shadows with a hat on his head in her nightmares, but when she starts seeing him in the daytime is when she freaks out and she has a feeling that he is there to do her harm. When he starts to make his move closer to her is when she goes into fear mode and she wonders what the Hat Man wants with her.
Hayride
When the Schultz family goes out to an apple orchard they see a man with a hay wagon and they wonder if it is something new as they have never seen a hay wagon out in that apple orchard before. So when the family climbs aboard it will be a ride they will never forget!
A Good Samaritan
Jake and Rita Wechsler decide to travel down a country road, but when they see a body laying on the road, they wonder if they should stop and help the person, but they are wary as they do not know what to expect. They should have heeded their inner instincts as not all is what it seems.
Into the Abyss
Lisa along with her friends decide to play with a Ouija board while Lisa's aunt is sleeping upstairs. Lisa along with her three friends, Aimee, Hannah, and Jordan decide that the best place to play with the board would be in the basement. As they start playing, a loud clap of thunder booms outside of the house and the little light they had in the basement goes out. What comes from the other side is anybody's guess, but it is not friendly as when the lights go out, anything goes!
Walking After Midnight
Joseph and Teddy have known each other since they were kids, so when Teddy has his Fall break he decides to come visit Joseph in the small town of Cabin Creek. They both decide to visit a cemetery that they use to frequent when they were kids and they both decide to go at night. What they find and what they see makes for a spooky experience as anyone knows that creeping around a cemetery at night is never a good thing.
Trick & Treat
Shelley is all alone on Halloween night as her husband Danny has to work late, but she decorates her house and buys candy as she hopes that she will get plenty of kids that will come to her front door. When two children show up at her front door, she thought their Halloween outfits were cute as one has a devil mask and the other child has a burlap sack on their head with a drawstring around the neck. When they tell her "trick and treat" she thinks they are being funny and corrects them by saying "trick or treat". What Shelley doesn't realize is that evil can come calling in all forms and what is in store for her is beyond her imagination.
All the stories moved at a fast pace with thrills and chills. There were quite a bit of tension throughout all the stories and I will be reading more by this author. Giving this book four "spooky" stars.
August 11, 2019
Good halloween fun
These stories were so fun! They sure put me in the Halloween spirit. This would be a good collection to revisit each year or anytime you need that Halloween fix.
These stories were so fun! They sure put me in the Halloween spirit. This would be a good collection to revisit each year or anytime you need that Halloween fix.
October 2, 2022
This is a great collection of fun, entertaining and creepy stories that's sure to put you in the Halloween spirit!
Hat Man Bernice is terrified. She keeps seeing a tall man donning a top hat, long black coat and a grisly smile. Is he a nightmare, an hallucination brought on by stress or is he something much more sinister?
Hayride The Schultz family is enjoying a day at the orchard picking apples, drinking hot cider and going on a hayride through the countryside. It sounds like the perfect fall day! Lets just say, things are getting ready to take a dark and unsettling turn for this unsuspecting family.
The Good Samaritan A newly wed couple are traveling down an isolated country road when they see a man lying in the middle of the road in need of help. They'll soon learn it doesn't always pay to be a Good Samaritan.
Walking After Midnight Two childhood best friends have drifted apart after choosing different life paths. Wanting to reconnect, they decide to relive their childhood by breaking into the graveyard at midnight. They'll come to find their friendship isn't the only things that's changed. So has the graveyard.
Into the Abyss Lisa just moved to a new school and is desperate to fit in. In order to make some friends, she hosts a sleepover. Her new friends want to break out the Ouija board and Lisa, despite her unease, relents. But this isn't your ordinary Ouija game board and these girls are getting ready to unleash something sinister.
Trick and Treat Shelley's favorite holiday is Halloween. That's why she went all out decorating her house and buying lots of candy. But, living out in the country, she hasn't had any trick or treaters for three years now. So image her excitement where she finally gets two. But there's something about these two boys that makes her uneasy, especially when they say "Trick and Treat." She's about to find out exactly what they mean by that.
Hat Man Bernice is terrified. She keeps seeing a tall man donning a top hat, long black coat and a grisly smile. Is he a nightmare, an hallucination brought on by stress or is he something much more sinister?
Hayride The Schultz family is enjoying a day at the orchard picking apples, drinking hot cider and going on a hayride through the countryside. It sounds like the perfect fall day! Lets just say, things are getting ready to take a dark and unsettling turn for this unsuspecting family.
The Good Samaritan A newly wed couple are traveling down an isolated country road when they see a man lying in the middle of the road in need of help. They'll soon learn it doesn't always pay to be a Good Samaritan.
Walking After Midnight Two childhood best friends have drifted apart after choosing different life paths. Wanting to reconnect, they decide to relive their childhood by breaking into the graveyard at midnight. They'll come to find their friendship isn't the only things that's changed. So has the graveyard.
Into the Abyss Lisa just moved to a new school and is desperate to fit in. In order to make some friends, she hosts a sleepover. Her new friends want to break out the Ouija board and Lisa, despite her unease, relents. But this isn't your ordinary Ouija game board and these girls are getting ready to unleash something sinister.
Trick and Treat Shelley's favorite holiday is Halloween. That's why she went all out decorating her house and buying lots of candy. But, living out in the country, she hasn't had any trick or treaters for three years now. So image her excitement where she finally gets two. But there's something about these two boys that makes her uneasy, especially when they say "Trick and Treat." She's about to find out exactly what they mean by that.
October 20, 2020
Sometimes you just need a collection of creepy short stories before bed, especially on the run up to Halloween. 🎃
This consisted of the following tales:
- Hat Man
- Hayride
- A Good Samaritan
- Walking After Midnight
- Into The Abyss
- Trick & Treat
”Hat Man” was very reminiscent of the Creepypasta days, very Slenderman esque, so felt like a nice throwback.
”Hayride” has a final line which will stick with you long after you read it.
”A Good Samaritan” is probably my least favourite of the collection, it felt over and done with so fast even for a short story. The pacing felt better in every other story. Maybe I’ll benefit from a re-read of it at some point.
”Walking After Midnight” has one of those great endings you don’t see coming, that sends a genuine shiver down your spine.
”Into The Abyss” is a great little tale about a group of four young girls who decide to do a Ouija board at a slumber party. You can probably guess what ensues, but it’s done well!
”Trick & Treat” is the final tale in the collection, and this one is actually set on Halloween night! Perfectly encapsulated the mood I was looking for when picking up the collection.
This one is where you find out the difference between Trick OR Treat, and Trick AND Treat...
This consisted of the following tales:
- Hat Man
- Hayride
- A Good Samaritan
- Walking After Midnight
- Into The Abyss
- Trick & Treat
”Hat Man” was very reminiscent of the Creepypasta days, very Slenderman esque, so felt like a nice throwback.
”Hayride” has a final line which will stick with you long after you read it.
”A Good Samaritan” is probably my least favourite of the collection, it felt over and done with so fast even for a short story. The pacing felt better in every other story. Maybe I’ll benefit from a re-read of it at some point.
”Walking After Midnight” has one of those great endings you don’t see coming, that sends a genuine shiver down your spine.
”Into The Abyss” is a great little tale about a group of four young girls who decide to do a Ouija board at a slumber party. You can probably guess what ensues, but it’s done well!
”Trick & Treat” is the final tale in the collection, and this one is actually set on Halloween night! Perfectly encapsulated the mood I was looking for when picking up the collection.
This one is where you find out the difference between Trick OR Treat, and Trick AND Treat...
October 12, 2018
A quick collection of horror short stories. Some are creepier than others. These are the kind of stories that you should tell aloud over a fire. They're fun, short tales.
Hat Man - 2.5 stars. Creepy atmosphere, but ended abruptly.
Hayride - 2.5 stars. Another one I was enjoying until the end.
A Good Samaritan - 3 stars. Very creepy, but familiar story.
Walking After Midnight - 3.5 stars. I liked that we got to know the two main characters well enough.
Into the Abyss - 4 stars. Probably my favorite one.
Trick & Treat - 4 stars. Or maybe this is my favorite one!
Hat Man - 2.5 stars. Creepy atmosphere, but ended abruptly.
Hayride - 2.5 stars. Another one I was enjoying until the end.
A Good Samaritan - 3 stars. Very creepy, but familiar story.
Walking After Midnight - 3.5 stars. I liked that we got to know the two main characters well enough.
Into the Abyss - 4 stars. Probably my favorite one.
Trick & Treat - 4 stars. Or maybe this is my favorite one!
October 19, 2016
Ive been reading a few of these Halloween short story collections since Halloween is just around the corner, and so far this is my favorite.
These are dark stories (mostly) and aren't quite as predictable as many similar collections. My favorite story was GOOD SAMARITAN because it left a feeling of both horror and relief. You'd need to read the story to understand, but that one really got to me for some reason.
Overall the stories were all good, some very good. This is a really good collection to read if you're looking for Halloween stories, and it's a fairly quick read as well.
These are dark stories (mostly) and aren't quite as predictable as many similar collections. My favorite story was GOOD SAMARITAN because it left a feeling of both horror and relief. You'd need to read the story to understand, but that one really got to me for some reason.
Overall the stories were all good, some very good. This is a really good collection to read if you're looking for Halloween stories, and it's a fairly quick read as well.
December 4, 2019
This was a solid 3 stars for me. The writing is quite good, but Camby didn't really push the boundaries hard enough for me, and the 'twists' in a couple of the stories were a little cliched. Overall this would suit someone new to the genre, looking for some classic horror themes.
September 19, 2018
3.5 stars If you enjoy reading short scary stories that send a tingle down your spine, then you may want to read Walking After Midnight. A solid collection that were quick and easy to read. Some were better than others but they were all well written with an element of chilling fear factor.
April 30, 2025
Entertaining horror listening 👀🙄
This kindle ebook novella is from my Kindle Unlimited account book one of three
A number of Halloween horror stories each different with interesting characters lots of action, misdirection, and some violence leading to each conclusion 🤗🙃
I would this series and author to readers of Halloween horror stories novels 🏡😮 2025 👻🌜
This kindle ebook novella is from my Kindle Unlimited account book one of three
A number of Halloween horror stories each different with interesting characters lots of action, misdirection, and some violence leading to each conclusion 🤗🙃
I would this series and author to readers of Halloween horror stories novels 🏡😮 2025 👻🌜
September 2, 2025
A creepy collection of short stories to get into Halloween mood! There’s only 6 stories, but they are just enough to scare! Hayride and last story, Trick and Treat were my favorites! I can’t wait to read the next book!
June 26, 2016
Good, spooky stories.
October 5, 2022
This was a nice little collection of short horror stories. Though only the last one "Trick & Treat," actually took place on Halloween, the others felt at home to the spooky season. The best tale was "Hayride." While it was just a new take on a classic theme, it felt the most solid from start to finish. "A Good Samaritan" and "Walking After Midnight" were both good and creepy, but felt like the endings were rushed and they could have been fleshed out further. I was not familiar with Evan Camby before finding this book, but I would definitely consider checking out more of their works.
October 17, 2019
A little bit of creepiness
This book was just the perfect dose of chilling, except I finished feeling not quite satisfied. I wanted a few more stories. On the other hand, this would be perfect to read in one sitting on a Halloween night. I wasn't scared, but the stories were certainly creepy. I am interested now to read other things by this author, though, so overall, this one belongs in the good book category according to me.
This book was just the perfect dose of chilling, except I finished feeling not quite satisfied. I wanted a few more stories. On the other hand, this would be perfect to read in one sitting on a Halloween night. I wasn't scared, but the stories were certainly creepy. I am interested now to read other things by this author, though, so overall, this one belongs in the good book category according to me.
October 13, 2025
As much as I wanted to love this book, it just didn’t do it for me. I couldn’t help comparing it to Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark from my childhood and honestly, that one did it better. Most of the stories here felt like watered-down versions of tales I’ve already heard before. There were a couple of good ones that really stood out, but I wish those had been expanded and made the main focus. I get that it’s a short story collection, but there were just too many that didn’t land. Overall, this one completely missed the mark for me.
October 2, 2020
I wanted to enjoy this collection of spooky short stories, but there wasn't a single one that didn't leave me scratching my head at the end, trying to make sense of a story that didn't make any sense (except maybe the last one). I came on to goodreads after reading each story trying to figure out wtf happened, but sadly none of the reviews were helpful either. Idk. But it's available for free on Amazon.
November 19, 2024
Fun read
This was a fascinating collection of spooky short stories. It's quick moving. It was a fun and enjoyable read. Awesome!
This was a fascinating collection of spooky short stories. It's quick moving. It was a fun and enjoyable read. Awesome!
October 17, 2021
Spooky short stories!! 👻🎃
November 2, 2023
Fun, spooky stories. 👻 A few of them ended abruptly - letting you make up your own ending.
The Hay Ride and Trick + Treat were my favorite.
The Hay Ride and Trick + Treat were my favorite.
September 30, 2021
I enjoyed this book, for the most part.
Although, it left me disappointed; Most of the stories were unfinished and needed more story.
My rating for each story:
Hatman - 4 stars (Ended too soon)
Hayride - 3 stars
Good Samaritan - 4.5 (Ended too soon)
Walking After Midnight - 3 stars (Needed more story but had atmosphere)
Into the Abyss - 4 stars
Trick & Treat - 4.5 stars
October 5, 2020
This is a good book to read in October. 6 short (very short) horror stories that puts one in the mood. You won’t find anything new or original but it was a fun read anyway.
October 4, 2024
This was a great, little, spooky collection that did have me pretty tense and creeped out. The endings felt rushed and some very abrupt and felt unfinished.
The book however could really use an editor or at least a proofread. It was riddled with errors which was distracting and made the book feel unfinished and time not taken to really put effort into a quality final draft before clicking publish.
I loved the stories, I just couldn’t get past how many errors there were. It really felt like this was a first draft that was hastily published. The story “Into the Abyss” for example had several spots were it said “Lisa friend” when referring to Lisa like it was written before character names were picked and when the author went back to add the names she didn’t bother deleting the word “friend.” In addition to word typos like this there were multiple spelling errors, punctuation errors, and missing words/incomplete sentences. Had this been proofread and these basic errors corrected, this would’ve easily been a higher rated collection. I hope the author puts more effort into polishing her final work in the next books in the series. I’ll likely read more in this series, I just hope they aren’t as full of errors as this one and detract from the overall quality.
Review per story:
Hat Man
2 stars
This was ok for me. It just felt disjointed and not well executed. It had great potential and the idea of a creepy, dark figure people can pass through and who can alter himself was great. I felt like there was a lot of info missing here and the story needed a little more development. Definitely creepy, but definitely could’ve been much creepier with a little more development on who or what hat man was. It ended very abruptly and didn’t make sense. The ending actually contradicts itself with the cop noting one version the friend disappears then two sentences later we get blood splatter, then the next sentence another version. I’m not sure what happened here.
Hayride
3 stars
This has a surprise twist ending I didn’t see coming, also a touch sad, also a bit confusing. I had to read it a couple times to make sure I got what the author was getting at. Interesting concept just not developed well or executed well. I’d have bailed long before the family did, actually I wouldn’t have taken a ride with a creepy guy in an orchard to begin with. It didn’t make sense why the farmer got so upset once the ending was revealed both with the family and his wife so that was an odd point. Overall it was a ok little twisted story, not so much creepy. Needed a little more story to eliminate confusion and issues with the turn it took.
A Good Samaritan
5 stars
This and the last story were by far my favorite. This one was full on creepy beginning to end and that rental car stressed me out. For once a character in a horror story was smart. Bonus points. It definitely gave me chills and was too realistic to something that could actually happen so the creepiness was on point. The open ending upped the scare even more. Normally I don’t like cliffhangers but in this case it worked to set an eerie tone. It’s a pretty common story and not original, but it was still well done and felt the most developed and completed.
Walking After Midnight
3.5 stars
This one had another twist ending that was an interesting surprise. While I felt something was off with the town and Joey and wondered if it would turn out like it did, I wasn’t completely sold on the idea so the ending was still a decent surprise. This one I also wish had more background after the resolution to explain some things and felt like a little more story couldn’t really taken this story to a new level. Another abrupt ending with some plot holes. If Teddy grew up here, how is he not aware of all this already? It doesn’t make sense he wouldn’t know anything about this cemetery or what goes on in the town since it’s his hometown. Also with a cliffhanger ending, it left me with a few questions of what came next and why, but not so much I didn’t feel like I had a solid stopping point. It did make me feel bad for that poor drifter.
Into the Abyss
1 star
This was my least favorite. It felt like it was trying too hard to be creepy and it was just too expected and dull. The only thing missing was someone jumping out yelling boo. It also didn’t make sense. I felt like it was trying to mash three or four ideas together and just fell flat for creepy or original. The ending didn’t make sense at all to me and just wasn’t well put together. This story probably had the most errors too. Felt very hastily done and like a very stereotypical Ouija Board story that was halfway thought out with little effort.
Trick & Treat
4 stars
This was my second favorite and easily could’ve been a 5 star story had it not been so full of errors and had some plot holes. It was the second most error riddled in the collection. This one was definitely creepy and I felt the panic the MC did easily. Creepy kids who creepily look at each other? Hard pass. Candy is out. Side note, a place where kids don’t trick or treat after 7 pm/sunset? Don’t ring the bell over and over if the lights are off. That actually sounds pretty good. Lights out mean candy’s out y’all. Get off my lawn. I digress. This story was great for scare factor and pace. It was genuinely a heart racing kinda story. While I knew those kids were bad news and I’d have been like oh heck no seeing old time costumes clearly not from my lifetime, the extent of their story was great. I also loved that the movie playing is Halloween with Laurie hiding in the closet when they show up. Great foreshadowing there. Well done. The plot holes I didn’t like were the husband acting like he didn’t believe her and how skeptical he was when by the end his secrets are revealed. It didn’t come across like he was acting, it came across like he truly didn’t believe her because nothing was wrong then suddenly a curveball ending that doesn’t quite fit is thrown in. Also, how the house was sold and previous owned just seemed to walk away script free. Minor things though that were annoying but tolerable for a good spooky story build up. While the ending was meh and disjointed, the build up made for a good intense, situation. The building tension after the kids come by definitely saved this story from being a meh one. My biggest question, why is the attic the only room that locks from the inside? And why does someone have an attic that locks from the inside? If I’d seen that when looking at a home to buy, that’d be a nope, creepy house vibes I’m out situation.
Overall besides the lack of editing and being full of errors, this was a good spooky to creepy collection. Very enjoyable story wise just hard to trudge through with the errors. Great short read and great campfire stories to keep on hand and read. Definitely has me interested in reading the read of the volumes in the series. Recommend for a quick creepy read.
The book however could really use an editor or at least a proofread. It was riddled with errors which was distracting and made the book feel unfinished and time not taken to really put effort into a quality final draft before clicking publish.
I loved the stories, I just couldn’t get past how many errors there were. It really felt like this was a first draft that was hastily published. The story “Into the Abyss” for example had several spots were it said “Lisa friend” when referring to Lisa like it was written before character names were picked and when the author went back to add the names she didn’t bother deleting the word “friend.” In addition to word typos like this there were multiple spelling errors, punctuation errors, and missing words/incomplete sentences. Had this been proofread and these basic errors corrected, this would’ve easily been a higher rated collection. I hope the author puts more effort into polishing her final work in the next books in the series. I’ll likely read more in this series, I just hope they aren’t as full of errors as this one and detract from the overall quality.
Review per story:
Hat Man
2 stars
This was ok for me. It just felt disjointed and not well executed. It had great potential and the idea of a creepy, dark figure people can pass through and who can alter himself was great. I felt like there was a lot of info missing here and the story needed a little more development. Definitely creepy, but definitely could’ve been much creepier with a little more development on who or what hat man was. It ended very abruptly and didn’t make sense. The ending actually contradicts itself with the cop noting one version the friend disappears then two sentences later we get blood splatter, then the next sentence another version. I’m not sure what happened here.
Hayride
3 stars
This has a surprise twist ending I didn’t see coming, also a touch sad, also a bit confusing. I had to read it a couple times to make sure I got what the author was getting at. Interesting concept just not developed well or executed well. I’d have bailed long before the family did, actually I wouldn’t have taken a ride with a creepy guy in an orchard to begin with. It didn’t make sense why the farmer got so upset once the ending was revealed both with the family and his wife so that was an odd point. Overall it was a ok little twisted story, not so much creepy. Needed a little more story to eliminate confusion and issues with the turn it took.
A Good Samaritan
5 stars
This and the last story were by far my favorite. This one was full on creepy beginning to end and that rental car stressed me out. For once a character in a horror story was smart. Bonus points. It definitely gave me chills and was too realistic to something that could actually happen so the creepiness was on point. The open ending upped the scare even more. Normally I don’t like cliffhangers but in this case it worked to set an eerie tone. It’s a pretty common story and not original, but it was still well done and felt the most developed and completed.
Walking After Midnight
3.5 stars
This one had another twist ending that was an interesting surprise. While I felt something was off with the town and Joey and wondered if it would turn out like it did, I wasn’t completely sold on the idea so the ending was still a decent surprise. This one I also wish had more background after the resolution to explain some things and felt like a little more story couldn’t really taken this story to a new level. Another abrupt ending with some plot holes. If Teddy grew up here, how is he not aware of all this already? It doesn’t make sense he wouldn’t know anything about this cemetery or what goes on in the town since it’s his hometown. Also with a cliffhanger ending, it left me with a few questions of what came next and why, but not so much I didn’t feel like I had a solid stopping point. It did make me feel bad for that poor drifter.
Into the Abyss
1 star
This was my least favorite. It felt like it was trying too hard to be creepy and it was just too expected and dull. The only thing missing was someone jumping out yelling boo. It also didn’t make sense. I felt like it was trying to mash three or four ideas together and just fell flat for creepy or original. The ending didn’t make sense at all to me and just wasn’t well put together. This story probably had the most errors too. Felt very hastily done and like a very stereotypical Ouija Board story that was halfway thought out with little effort.
Trick & Treat
4 stars
This was my second favorite and easily could’ve been a 5 star story had it not been so full of errors and had some plot holes. It was the second most error riddled in the collection. This one was definitely creepy and I felt the panic the MC did easily. Creepy kids who creepily look at each other? Hard pass. Candy is out. Side note, a place where kids don’t trick or treat after 7 pm/sunset? Don’t ring the bell over and over if the lights are off. That actually sounds pretty good. Lights out mean candy’s out y’all. Get off my lawn. I digress. This story was great for scare factor and pace. It was genuinely a heart racing kinda story. While I knew those kids were bad news and I’d have been like oh heck no seeing old time costumes clearly not from my lifetime, the extent of their story was great. I also loved that the movie playing is Halloween with Laurie hiding in the closet when they show up. Great foreshadowing there. Well done. The plot holes I didn’t like were the husband acting like he didn’t believe her and how skeptical he was when by the end his secrets are revealed. It didn’t come across like he was acting, it came across like he truly didn’t believe her because nothing was wrong then suddenly a curveball ending that doesn’t quite fit is thrown in. Also, how the house was sold and previous owned just seemed to walk away script free. Minor things though that were annoying but tolerable for a good spooky story build up. While the ending was meh and disjointed, the build up made for a good intense, situation. The building tension after the kids come by definitely saved this story from being a meh one. My biggest question, why is the attic the only room that locks from the inside? And why does someone have an attic that locks from the inside? If I’d seen that when looking at a home to buy, that’d be a nope, creepy house vibes I’m out situation.
Overall besides the lack of editing and being full of errors, this was a good spooky to creepy collection. Very enjoyable story wise just hard to trudge through with the errors. Great short read and great campfire stories to keep on hand and read. Definitely has me interested in reading the read of the volumes in the series. Recommend for a quick creepy read.
November 1, 2018
These are some really good, creepy stories!!!! A good, fun Halloween read! I read this on Halloween night and seriously scared myself from answering the door for fear of trick or treaters! The stories reminded me of spooky stories you would tell around a campfire! My favorite was the Hay Ride....that ending was super creepy!!!!
October 6, 2017
Perfect for a foggy night!!
I really enjoyed this collection!! I am an avid horror reader, and I love short stories. This collection killed it! I will definitely be checking out the rest of her books!!!
I really enjoyed this collection!! I am an avid horror reader, and I love short stories. This collection killed it! I will definitely be checking out the rest of her books!!!
November 5, 2020
I have never read this author before and will likely read more in the future because the stories got progressively better as I read the book. The rating of 4 stars given is rounded up from an average of 3.6 stars based on each story individually. None of the stories are really scary but they all have at least a feeling of menace or darkness to them that makes for a good Halloween read. There are 6 stories of varying length to give you an atmospheric night.
"Hat Man" gets a 2 from me because it never really seemed to fully jell. The story was rather generic, with nothing new as far as the subject. The characters are bland but serviceable, but only just. The ending was however very anticlimactic for me, I expected more.
Graduate student Bernice is plagued by night terrors. She is having horrible visions that begin to invade her waking hours and mean she must fight for her sanity and safety.
"Hayride" I gave 2.3 stars. This comes across as the typical family outing with a pre-teen. The characters are pretty good even though they have no major build-up. There is a very good twist ending that has been used before but is still effective for this particular story.
The Schultz family decide to take out to an apple orchard. While there they also decide to take a hayride which turns into a trip into hell.
"A Good Samaritan" garnered 4.4 stars even though it is one of the shortest stories. Even though the characters are a bit nebulous you still feel like you know who they are and what they are about. There is a nice sense of tension as the story builds particularly with the lighthearted banter that we meet them. The ending is unsurprising but that's alright because I expected it.
Newlyweds Jake and Rita Wechsler take a journey down winding country roads in the Hudson River Valley, where danger lurks at every turn.
"Walking After Midnight" got 4.3 stars for giving me a surprise I did not even consider. You get a little build on the characters and who they are and were in the past. The story is a nice look into small-town life from both sides.
Childhood friends Teddy and Joseph decide to revisit one of their old childhood haunts, the old town cemetery, they stumble upon true evil and must rely on each other to survive.
"Into the Abyss" received 3.4 stars from me. The characters were lackluster and frankly not interesting, so I really didn't care one way or the other what happened to them. No real surprise as to how it ended this time.
A group of young girls decide to play with an Ouija board and discover that it might be more than just a game.
"Trick & Treat" was the perfect ending and gets a big 5 stars. The characters are no more defined here than anywhere else but I still could feel apart of what was happening. The story hits to the heart of what the season can be when you really think about what it stands for.
Shelly is a major Halloween enthusiast and decorates and buys candy for the big night, hoping for lots of Trick-or-Treaters, but she quickly learns the meaning of the phrase "Be careful what you wish for."
I enjoyed this book and could have read it much more quickly but decided to kind of savor each story over a couple of days. I think anyone would enjoy this book from kids to adults.
"Hat Man" gets a 2 from me because it never really seemed to fully jell. The story was rather generic, with nothing new as far as the subject. The characters are bland but serviceable, but only just. The ending was however very anticlimactic for me, I expected more.
Graduate student Bernice is plagued by night terrors. She is having horrible visions that begin to invade her waking hours and mean she must fight for her sanity and safety.
"Hayride" I gave 2.3 stars. This comes across as the typical family outing with a pre-teen. The characters are pretty good even though they have no major build-up. There is a very good twist ending that has been used before but is still effective for this particular story.
The Schultz family decide to take out to an apple orchard. While there they also decide to take a hayride which turns into a trip into hell.
"A Good Samaritan" garnered 4.4 stars even though it is one of the shortest stories. Even though the characters are a bit nebulous you still feel like you know who they are and what they are about. There is a nice sense of tension as the story builds particularly with the lighthearted banter that we meet them. The ending is unsurprising but that's alright because I expected it.
Newlyweds Jake and Rita Wechsler take a journey down winding country roads in the Hudson River Valley, where danger lurks at every turn.
"Walking After Midnight" got 4.3 stars for giving me a surprise I did not even consider. You get a little build on the characters and who they are and were in the past. The story is a nice look into small-town life from both sides.
Childhood friends Teddy and Joseph decide to revisit one of their old childhood haunts, the old town cemetery, they stumble upon true evil and must rely on each other to survive.
"Into the Abyss" received 3.4 stars from me. The characters were lackluster and frankly not interesting, so I really didn't care one way or the other what happened to them. No real surprise as to how it ended this time.
A group of young girls decide to play with an Ouija board and discover that it might be more than just a game.
"Trick & Treat" was the perfect ending and gets a big 5 stars. The characters are no more defined here than anywhere else but I still could feel apart of what was happening. The story hits to the heart of what the season can be when you really think about what it stands for.
Shelly is a major Halloween enthusiast and decorates and buys candy for the big night, hoping for lots of Trick-or-Treaters, but she quickly learns the meaning of the phrase "Be careful what you wish for."
I enjoyed this book and could have read it much more quickly but decided to kind of savor each story over a couple of days. I think anyone would enjoy this book from kids to adults.
November 10, 2021
I love horror short stories and in my search for Halloween fiction, get the chance to check out indie authors. Walking After Midnight: Tales for Halloween won Suspense Magazine's Best Books of 2014 award and upon reading you can tell Camby is a skilled writer. Her stories evoke classic horror tales you'd share around a bonfire on an October night, yet have enough of a twist to make them stand out on their own. That being said, there was only one story explicitly about Halloween. Despite that disappointment, Camby's stories are worth a read if you like horror short stories.
"Hat Man"
Bernice is haunted about a shadowy figure wearing a hat. I liked the Slenderman vibes and the creepy atmosphere. However, this ended too abruptly. 2/5
"Hayride"
A family visit to a farm involves a hayride gone awry. Although not Halloween, it's fitting for the October season and will appeal to fans of ghost stories. I liked the twist ending too. 4/5
"A Good Samaritan"
Newlyweds on their way to their honeymoon spot a strange man laying in the middle of the road and grapple with helping him or not. This trope has been overdone, yet Camby suggests something more sinister. However, I wish there was a little more info for the reader. 2/5
"Walking After Midnight"
The title story follows a college student returning to his hometown of Cabin Creek where he reconnects with his childhood friend. Known to the sheriff as the Midnight Boys for trespassing on the local cemetery as kids, they decide to revisit that memory only to find something rising up from the grave. I enjoyed the characters, how Camby fleshed out the town, and the horror factor. And the ending was unexpected. 4/5
"Into The Abyss"
A group of middle school girls at a sleepover play with an Ouija board and summon something malevolent. As cheesy, predictable, and forgettable Ouija board stories can be, I was surprised how Camby does enough with the ending to give it some impact. Great atmosphere and a chilling ending. 4/5
"Trick + Treat"
The final story is actually about Halloween! And it's probably my favorite one of the six. A woman known for her yard haunts in the city has now moved out with her husband to the countryside where there are no trick-or-treaters. Until tonight when two kids knock on her door, saying "trick and treat," unbeknownst to her that it's an ominous message. Overall, it's a fantastic Halloween story that captures the magic and horror of the holiday. 5/5
Overall: 3.5 stars
"Hat Man"
Bernice is haunted about a shadowy figure wearing a hat. I liked the Slenderman vibes and the creepy atmosphere. However, this ended too abruptly. 2/5
"Hayride"
A family visit to a farm involves a hayride gone awry. Although not Halloween, it's fitting for the October season and will appeal to fans of ghost stories. I liked the twist ending too. 4/5
"A Good Samaritan"
Newlyweds on their way to their honeymoon spot a strange man laying in the middle of the road and grapple with helping him or not. This trope has been overdone, yet Camby suggests something more sinister. However, I wish there was a little more info for the reader. 2/5
"Walking After Midnight"
The title story follows a college student returning to his hometown of Cabin Creek where he reconnects with his childhood friend. Known to the sheriff as the Midnight Boys for trespassing on the local cemetery as kids, they decide to revisit that memory only to find something rising up from the grave. I enjoyed the characters, how Camby fleshed out the town, and the horror factor. And the ending was unexpected. 4/5
"Into The Abyss"
A group of middle school girls at a sleepover play with an Ouija board and summon something malevolent. As cheesy, predictable, and forgettable Ouija board stories can be, I was surprised how Camby does enough with the ending to give it some impact. Great atmosphere and a chilling ending. 4/5
"Trick + Treat"
The final story is actually about Halloween! And it's probably my favorite one of the six. A woman known for her yard haunts in the city has now moved out with her husband to the countryside where there are no trick-or-treaters. Until tonight when two kids knock on her door, saying "trick and treat," unbeknownst to her that it's an ominous message. Overall, it's a fantastic Halloween story that captures the magic and horror of the holiday. 5/5
Overall: 3.5 stars
May 1, 2024
I did not know what to expect from this collection, as Evan Camby is a new-to-me author. Before reading this book, I tried reading another author's horror short story collection, and it was terrible. Walking After Midnight: Tales for Halloween was recommended to me as a suggested book, so I went for it.
Long story short, I am now following Evan Camby on Goodreads, and I will be reading more by this author ASAP. I mean this as the highest compliment, but Evan Camby does not write like your typical indie author. Evan has a seasoned voice and is a highly effective storyteller. I felt like I was reading peak Stephen King. I went in with low expectations, and I was blown away by the strength of this collection. Every story is a slow burn that ends with a punch.
My favorite story in the collection was "Walking After Midnight".
Long story short, I am now following Evan Camby on Goodreads, and I will be reading more by this author ASAP. I mean this as the highest compliment, but Evan Camby does not write like your typical indie author. Evan has a seasoned voice and is a highly effective storyteller. I felt like I was reading peak Stephen King. I went in with low expectations, and I was blown away by the strength of this collection. Every story is a slow burn that ends with a punch.
My favorite story in the collection was "Walking After Midnight".
September 19, 2017
The stories in Walking After Midnight are short and simple in a good way. They feel like tales you'd tell a friend to pass the time while you’re driving down a lonely lightless road at 1am. They remind of the classic creepy books from my childhood like Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark or, well, Scary Stories For Sleep-Overs. They could even be episodes from Are You Afraid of the Dark.
The book is a quick read and while the stories won’t necessarily frighten you, they will certainly get you in the Halloween mood.
Hat Man
The first story is actually the weakest of the bunch on its own. It borrows too many images from Slenderman, Freddy Kreuger and Shadow People mythology without adding anything new. Even so, an anthology often works best as the sum of its parts and Hat Man, when viewed as part of the book as a whole, adds that essential “boogeyman” element to the Halloween season.
Hayride
Who doesn’t love an autumn hayride? It’s an integral part of any trip to an orchard or harvest festival. Just make sure that the ride is actually supposed to be part of the attractions.
A Good Samaritan
Everyone knows someone, or knows someone who knows someone, who has met a person in apparent need on a lonely road and felt that creeping anxiety that something wasn’t right...
Walking After Midnight
In the titular story, a man returns to the small rural town he left many years ago. While reminiscing with an old friend, he gets an idea to visit an old, forgotten graveyard the two of them used to explore when they were kids. As they tromp through the old tombstones, they soon realize they are not alone in the dark. But it’s just the old sheriff giving them a hard time, isn’t it?
Into the Abyss
Ouija boards are just a goofy toy invented in the 1890s as a parlor game. Despite all the moral panic, a piece of cardboard with numbers on it and a little wooden planchette can’t actually summon spirits, can it? This is a story about Halloween, so no points for guessing.
Trick & Treat
Shelley loves Halloween (don’t we all?) Unfortunately she and her husband live way, way out in the middle of nowhere. Despite all her spooky decorations, no trick-or-treaters ever come. Until tonight.
Walking After Midnight is an eerie, quick read. An appetizer to get you ready for more as the days grow short and the wind starts to smell of autumn leaves.
The book is a quick read and while the stories won’t necessarily frighten you, they will certainly get you in the Halloween mood.
Hat Man
The first story is actually the weakest of the bunch on its own. It borrows too many images from Slenderman, Freddy Kreuger and Shadow People mythology without adding anything new. Even so, an anthology often works best as the sum of its parts and Hat Man, when viewed as part of the book as a whole, adds that essential “boogeyman” element to the Halloween season.
Hayride
Who doesn’t love an autumn hayride? It’s an integral part of any trip to an orchard or harvest festival. Just make sure that the ride is actually supposed to be part of the attractions.
A Good Samaritan
Everyone knows someone, or knows someone who knows someone, who has met a person in apparent need on a lonely road and felt that creeping anxiety that something wasn’t right...
Walking After Midnight
In the titular story, a man returns to the small rural town he left many years ago. While reminiscing with an old friend, he gets an idea to visit an old, forgotten graveyard the two of them used to explore when they were kids. As they tromp through the old tombstones, they soon realize they are not alone in the dark. But it’s just the old sheriff giving them a hard time, isn’t it?
Into the Abyss
Ouija boards are just a goofy toy invented in the 1890s as a parlor game. Despite all the moral panic, a piece of cardboard with numbers on it and a little wooden planchette can’t actually summon spirits, can it? This is a story about Halloween, so no points for guessing.
Trick & Treat
Shelley loves Halloween (don’t we all?) Unfortunately she and her husband live way, way out in the middle of nowhere. Despite all her spooky decorations, no trick-or-treaters ever come. Until tonight.
Walking After Midnight is an eerie, quick read. An appetizer to get you ready for more as the days grow short and the wind starts to smell of autumn leaves.
September 23, 2018
Halloween Hounds should take notice.
Prior to this short collection I was not familiar with Miss Camby's work. I was lucky enough to pick this up for free, although, knowing now the quality of these stories, I would gladly have paid. In fact, the moment I finished I went to Miss Camby's website and purchased Tales for Halloween 2. I love horror, I love Halloween, and I love seeing new and vital authors who are helping to keep the spirit of the season alive. Thank you, Miss Camby. I loved your first collection and don't doubt in the slighest that I'll enjoy the second just as much. Ray Bradbury would be proud.
Prior to this short collection I was not familiar with Miss Camby's work. I was lucky enough to pick this up for free, although, knowing now the quality of these stories, I would gladly have paid. In fact, the moment I finished I went to Miss Camby's website and purchased Tales for Halloween 2. I love horror, I love Halloween, and I love seeing new and vital authors who are helping to keep the spirit of the season alive. Thank you, Miss Camby. I loved your first collection and don't doubt in the slighest that I'll enjoy the second just as much. Ray Bradbury would be proud.
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