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Jack
A town steeped in tradition. A festival built on hope. A legend that refuses to die.
Charli Clarke never wanted to visit Brackenholt, a secluded town in the middle of nowhere. She never wanted to spend a weekend picking pumpkins. She never wanted to leave the city behind.
But her fiancé and twin brother had other ideas. They promised her countryside charm, crisp air, and a weekend of peace. What they got was something else entirely.
The town is too quiet. The villagers whisper the legend of ‘Jack.’ And as Halloween approaches, Brackenholt’s strange harvest ritual take a terrifying turn.
Charli soon realizes the festival isn’t about celebration. It’s about the feast.
And Jack is hungry.
Charli Clarke never wanted to visit Brackenholt, a secluded town in the middle of nowhere. She never wanted to spend a weekend picking pumpkins. She never wanted to leave the city behind.
But her fiancé and twin brother had other ideas. They promised her countryside charm, crisp air, and a weekend of peace. What they got was something else entirely.
The town is too quiet. The villagers whisper the legend of ‘Jack.’ And as Halloween approaches, Brackenholt’s strange harvest ritual take a terrifying turn.
Charli soon realizes the festival isn’t about celebration. It’s about the feast.
And Jack is hungry.
220 pages, Kindle Edition
Published July 23, 2025
12 people are currently reading
22 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews
July 28, 2025
The Masked and the Afflicted...
JACK: A Folk Horror Halloween Story
by R.P. Howley, Daniel Wilcocks
3 stars. In the quaint town of Brackenholt, children were on the streets playing "Jack" early, before the harvest moon...
Jack was an urban legend...
A small town custom...
Charli, Nate, and Alex had gone to the little town for the pumpkin picking festivities...
Checking into the ancient hotel...
The creepy desk clerk told the trio: Oh yes, it's going to be a bountiful harvest this year...
It was to be a full harvest moon this Halloween. Rare and blessed...
Next morning...
The three friends arrived at the pumpkin patch to help pick the crop. The pumpkins were very large...
Eerily...
There was a sinister scarecrow that seemed to be following Charli wherever she went, including their hotel...
There was some local lore to go with the entity...
They called the scarecrow Jack...
They say he comes alive and walks the pumpkin patch, flapping his arms to keep birds away from the crop...
After the days pumpkin harvesting...
The three went to the pub for dinner and drinks. The two guys got into the spirit of the season with the locals and got drunk...
Leaving the guys to their revelry...
Charli decided to go back to the hotel and got lost, ending up in an abandoned warehouse where she saw two kinds of people: the masked and the afflicted...
This was a very lightweight Halloween story for the season. I found it very hard to connect with what was going on. It lacked continuity in many places, and the word sweetie was used too many times and became quite annoying after a few pages. There was little or no explanation for some of the things happening in the story, leaving me at loose ends.
I read one review that likened this story to HARVEST HOME by Thomas Tryon, and that is why I picked it up. Not even! If you want a story the caliber of HARVEST HOME, read HARVEST HOME.
JACK: A Folk Horror Halloween Story
by R.P. Howley, Daniel Wilcocks
3 stars. In the quaint town of Brackenholt, children were on the streets playing "Jack" early, before the harvest moon...
Jack was an urban legend...
A small town custom...
Charli, Nate, and Alex had gone to the little town for the pumpkin picking festivities...
Checking into the ancient hotel...
The creepy desk clerk told the trio: Oh yes, it's going to be a bountiful harvest this year...
It was to be a full harvest moon this Halloween. Rare and blessed...
Next morning...
The three friends arrived at the pumpkin patch to help pick the crop. The pumpkins were very large...
Eerily...
There was a sinister scarecrow that seemed to be following Charli wherever she went, including their hotel...
There was some local lore to go with the entity...
They called the scarecrow Jack...
They say he comes alive and walks the pumpkin patch, flapping his arms to keep birds away from the crop...
After the days pumpkin harvesting...
The three went to the pub for dinner and drinks. The two guys got into the spirit of the season with the locals and got drunk...
Leaving the guys to their revelry...
Charli decided to go back to the hotel and got lost, ending up in an abandoned warehouse where she saw two kinds of people: the masked and the afflicted...
This was a very lightweight Halloween story for the season. I found it very hard to connect with what was going on. It lacked continuity in many places, and the word sweetie was used too many times and became quite annoying after a few pages. There was little or no explanation for some of the things happening in the story, leaving me at loose ends.
I read one review that likened this story to HARVEST HOME by Thomas Tryon, and that is why I picked it up. Not even! If you want a story the caliber of HARVEST HOME, read HARVEST HOME.
July 23, 2025
3☆
Jack was a bit like The Ruins by Scott Smith and a bit like Harvest Home by Thomas Tryon. The small town with dark secrets of Harvest Home and the plants infecting you of The Ruins kind of vibe, heavy on the plants part.
I did not get the scare me or give me the shivers type of read that I was hoping for. It was an ok read that was easily devoured in an afternoon.
Jack was a bit like The Ruins by Scott Smith and a bit like Harvest Home by Thomas Tryon. The small town with dark secrets of Harvest Home and the plants infecting you of The Ruins kind of vibe, heavy on the plants part.
I did not get the scare me or give me the shivers type of read that I was hoping for. It was an ok read that was easily devoured in an afternoon.
July 22, 2025
Nate, Charli and Alex head out to the old country for the Jack Harvest. They arrive at their hotel and are greeted by a creepy looking man.
Charlie is less than impressed with all the pumpkin paraphernalia. I really disliked her character throughout this book!
Things are not as they seem. Nate and Charli argue. A walk back to the hotel by herself in the dark and all hell breaks loose.
I enjoyed the humour running through this book. There are cult vibes and elements of folk horror. It is the perfect book for spooky season.
Charlie is less than impressed with all the pumpkin paraphernalia. I really disliked her character throughout this book!
Things are not as they seem. Nate and Charli argue. A walk back to the hotel by herself in the dark and all hell breaks loose.
I enjoyed the humour running through this book. There are cult vibes and elements of folk horror. It is the perfect book for spooky season.
July 15, 2025
This was a fun Halloween creature feature. I loved the setting, a middle of nowhere town, and the fact that they seemed to worship pumpkins. It felt very unique in it's story telling, though towards the end it did feel like it was a dragging a little bit. I was still madly invested though and I look forward to reading more of the Twisted Tales books as they drop!
I did find the characters a bit annoying, I get that two of them were NQR for a bit of the story, but it felt like Charlie was the butt of all the jokes for her brother and fiancé, which irked me a bit, but that's personal issues not writing issues. This was a quick read and I did enjoy it quite a lot.
I did find the characters a bit annoying, I get that two of them were NQR for a bit of the story, but it felt like Charlie was the butt of all the jokes for her brother and fiancé, which irked me a bit, but that's personal issues not writing issues. This was a quick read and I did enjoy it quite a lot.
July 9, 2025
The most interesting part of this read for me is that I’m as basic as they get when it comes to pumpkin 😂
Give me alllllll the pumpkin EVERYTHING so the fact our FMC hated even the smell of it was fascinating. Although I couldn’t relate to Charli in that regard, I loved how strong of a character she was. I love a foul mouthed fighter.
The legend of Jack and the sleepy town were Halloween perfection. Thinking of taking a trip this fall to a small town during harvest season? You may want to think again.
Thank you to the author for the eARC!
Give me alllllll the pumpkin EVERYTHING so the fact our FMC hated even the smell of it was fascinating. Although I couldn’t relate to Charli in that regard, I loved how strong of a character she was. I love a foul mouthed fighter.
The legend of Jack and the sleepy town were Halloween perfection. Thinking of taking a trip this fall to a small town during harvest season? You may want to think again.
Thank you to the author for the eARC!
July 9, 2025
Okay, so wasn’t sure when I started this but it was an amazing read. To be honest, my favourite of 2025 so far. This is like Goosebumps on steroids. It has all the classic thrills that I loved watching Goosebumps and Are You Afraid of the Dark elevated to the next level. You feel for the characters as they pull you in and Chaos unfolds as to what was suppose to be a romantic weekend. The way the story is paced including the ending will leave a lingering effect with you. Can’t wait to read more of the Twisted Tales collection. If they are half as good as the debut of Jack they will be Amazing. This is the start of the next scaretacular series that will keep you hooked.
October 7, 2025
It all started so quickly. The attack of the pumpkins.
2 ½ stars. I saw another reviewer refer to R.P. Howley' and Daniel Willcocks' "Jack: A Folk Horror Halloween Story of Scarecrows, Rituals, and Rural Terror (Twisted Tales Book 1)" [henceforth to be called "Jack" and only "Jack"!] as a "very lightweight Halloween story." Well, I think that descriptive is not only fair and downright accurate, but probably even a bit generous. Even though there is mention after the book is finished (and several other bits are added) that the goal of writing this book was in part to deliver "R.L.Stine's 'Goosebumps'-like stories for adults", well, somewhere I can't help but think this falls far short of that target. First of all, because Stine has sold enough over the years to lay claim to producing a given level of quality and secondly, this story was at best a weak attempt at some kind of folkloric horror that just never worked for me.
A full Harvest Moon on Halloween. Rare and blessed are these days.
While we're on the topic - which is convenient since this is a book review - I've said it about other offers before and I'll say it here, too: it's a bad sign when you're reading a book and you dislike the protagonist so much that you actually begin looking forward to any upcoming scenes that may feature his or her permanent demise … which granted by definition usually means permanent but you never know. And in this book, Charli Clarke is such a mind-numbingly annoying whiner - even her usually doting fiancé says at one point: "I'm having the best time with you moaning at every given opportunity" - that I really didn't enjoy getting to know her at all. Now don't misunderstand me: I not only found no kinship with Charli but honestly no one in the cast did much for me even if others were at very least more open-minded about the whole "three-day escape to a backwater pumpkin-obsessed town". When folks are more interesting AFTER they've been zombified and exist only to obey the commands of their unnatural and evil ruler, well, that again does not bode well for your reading experience.
There’s no ‘I’ in ‘pumpkin picking.’
In terms of the book itself, there was really nothing very special about the formulation or execution. It's not full of egregious errors, no, but it either drags on or becomes so repetitive that I was truly bored in parts. Really about the only time I felt an uptick in my interest was when our villain, Jack, ups and does his over-the-top, decidedly cartoonish spiel ... even though that would have been worth a lot more if we had had really ANY information about "his" origins and what have you. Still, in all (un)fairness, the book overall lacks any kind of defining moment that would make me think "hey, I'll remember this bit for a long time", instead just kind of ambling along with some of the most obvious "highlights" at the end that I've seen in a while. But hey, harvesting those pumpkins sure was fun, am I right?
Amidst the shambling afflicted, she saw him. A lone shadow propped on his crucifix.
Also, help me out here: does anyone know where this story took place? With the descriptions of the houses - or better said, cottages - in the village with their thatched roofs, I obviously considered this to be taking place in ye olde jolly England (incl. any variation thereof with apologies to the Scots, Irish, Welsh, Northern Irish, and that small bit out in the ocean that I can't remember what it's called). Yet, whenever we mentioned getting the luggage out of the car it's described as a trunk and not a boot. Soooo… Ble oedden ni? Honestly, I wound up googling if pumpkins were even grown, um, there, where my scepticism is justified as the interweb states very clearly that you need a "warm, sunny spot in fertile moisture retentive soil" to grow them. Now that latter bit seems okay but sunny AND warm at the same time? Hmm…
It’s safe to say, I am not fucking OK.
Overall then the whole set-up - best friend of one twin marrying said twin's sister (ick!!!) - just again did not really vibe with me. There was also far too much. Choppy. Structure. Of. Short. Sentences. That. Was. Not. Well. Executed. And while we're listing our grievances, I was also confused by some parts of the entire cult situation and/or mythos. For example, like when Jack cries out that he had spent centuries defending against carrion. This struck me as very odd since carrion is the decaying flesh of dead animals. Not really a vibrant threat when it comes down to it really, though apparently he was pretty handy when it came to hungry crows. I was also not enamored to see that around 10% of the book I paid for was, well, not the book I paid for, which after a disappointing read just is all the more frustrating.
We are the blessed, and in the awakening of the power we shall receive our true bounty.
So bottom line is that if you prefer your horror not all that bloody and just kind of want to find a few city-slickers from… New York? London? Giggleswick (about 90 minutes NW of Leeds)? almost meet their doom (or maybe they still do, he cackled with an oft-repeated PAH!), then this might be just for you. For myself, I prefer a bit more of a challenge when reading, a bit more actual depth to what I've read, and not just waiting and hoping that the whiny stuck-up b*tch eventually gets eaten. Oh well, to each their own. Say, speaking of eating: are you gonna finish the rest of your seeds there, huh?
2 ½ stars. I saw another reviewer refer to R.P. Howley' and Daniel Willcocks' "Jack: A Folk Horror Halloween Story of Scarecrows, Rituals, and Rural Terror (Twisted Tales Book 1)" [henceforth to be called "Jack" and only "Jack"!] as a "very lightweight Halloween story." Well, I think that descriptive is not only fair and downright accurate, but probably even a bit generous. Even though there is mention after the book is finished (and several other bits are added) that the goal of writing this book was in part to deliver "R.L.Stine's 'Goosebumps'-like stories for adults", well, somewhere I can't help but think this falls far short of that target. First of all, because Stine has sold enough over the years to lay claim to producing a given level of quality and secondly, this story was at best a weak attempt at some kind of folkloric horror that just never worked for me.
A full Harvest Moon on Halloween. Rare and blessed are these days.
While we're on the topic - which is convenient since this is a book review - I've said it about other offers before and I'll say it here, too: it's a bad sign when you're reading a book and you dislike the protagonist so much that you actually begin looking forward to any upcoming scenes that may feature his or her permanent demise … which granted by definition usually means permanent but you never know. And in this book, Charli Clarke is such a mind-numbingly annoying whiner - even her usually doting fiancé says at one point: "I'm having the best time with you moaning at every given opportunity" - that I really didn't enjoy getting to know her at all. Now don't misunderstand me: I not only found no kinship with Charli but honestly no one in the cast did much for me even if others were at very least more open-minded about the whole "three-day escape to a backwater pumpkin-obsessed town". When folks are more interesting AFTER they've been zombified and exist only to obey the commands of their unnatural and evil ruler, well, that again does not bode well for your reading experience.
There’s no ‘I’ in ‘pumpkin picking.’
In terms of the book itself, there was really nothing very special about the formulation or execution. It's not full of egregious errors, no, but it either drags on or becomes so repetitive that I was truly bored in parts. Really about the only time I felt an uptick in my interest was when our villain, Jack, ups and does his over-the-top, decidedly cartoonish spiel ... even though that would have been worth a lot more if we had had really ANY information about "his" origins and what have you. Still, in all (un)fairness, the book overall lacks any kind of defining moment that would make me think "hey, I'll remember this bit for a long time", instead just kind of ambling along with some of the most obvious "highlights" at the end that I've seen in a while. But hey, harvesting those pumpkins sure was fun, am I right?
Amidst the shambling afflicted, she saw him. A lone shadow propped on his crucifix.
Also, help me out here: does anyone know where this story took place? With the descriptions of the houses - or better said, cottages - in the village with their thatched roofs, I obviously considered this to be taking place in ye olde jolly England (incl. any variation thereof with apologies to the Scots, Irish, Welsh, Northern Irish, and that small bit out in the ocean that I can't remember what it's called). Yet, whenever we mentioned getting the luggage out of the car it's described as a trunk and not a boot. Soooo… Ble oedden ni? Honestly, I wound up googling if pumpkins were even grown, um, there, where my scepticism is justified as the interweb states very clearly that you need a "warm, sunny spot in fertile moisture retentive soil" to grow them. Now that latter bit seems okay but sunny AND warm at the same time? Hmm…
It’s safe to say, I am not fucking OK.
Overall then the whole set-up - best friend of one twin marrying said twin's sister (ick!!!) - just again did not really vibe with me. There was also far too much. Choppy. Structure. Of. Short. Sentences. That. Was. Not. Well. Executed. And while we're listing our grievances, I was also confused by some parts of the entire cult situation and/or mythos. For example, like when Jack cries out that he had spent centuries defending against carrion. This struck me as very odd since carrion is the decaying flesh of dead animals. Not really a vibrant threat when it comes down to it really, though apparently he was pretty handy when it came to hungry crows. I was also not enamored to see that around 10% of the book I paid for was, well, not the book I paid for, which after a disappointing read just is all the more frustrating.
We are the blessed, and in the awakening of the power we shall receive our true bounty.
So bottom line is that if you prefer your horror not all that bloody and just kind of want to find a few city-slickers from… New York? London? Giggleswick (about 90 minutes NW of Leeds)? almost meet their doom (or maybe they still do, he cackled with an oft-repeated PAH!), then this might be just for you. For myself, I prefer a bit more of a challenge when reading, a bit more actual depth to what I've read, and not just waiting and hoping that the whiny stuck-up b*tch eventually gets eaten. Oh well, to each their own. Say, speaking of eating: are you gonna finish the rest of your seeds there, huh?
June 6, 2025
This book got me out of a three month reading slump. It is has the nostalgic feeling of 90s horror, and it is such so captivatingly suspenseful.
I am such a big fan of Willcocks's writing style, and while this is his first time writing with R.P. Howley, their writing styles merge so perfectly.
The best quality of this novel is the main character, Charli, she was such a joy to follow and she helped ground the entire experience. There is a single quote that still stays with me "This is how women end up with a documentary based on them." If that doesn't encapsulate what this story is, then I don't know what is.
There could easily be a documentary about the world in this book, and I would consume it so quickly. Cannot wait to see what more comes from this pairing.
I am such a big fan of Willcocks's writing style, and while this is his first time writing with R.P. Howley, their writing styles merge so perfectly.
The best quality of this novel is the main character, Charli, she was such a joy to follow and she helped ground the entire experience. There is a single quote that still stays with me "This is how women end up with a documentary based on them." If that doesn't encapsulate what this story is, then I don't know what is.
There could easily be a documentary about the world in this book, and I would consume it so quickly. Cannot wait to see what more comes from this pairing.
June 5, 2025
Interesting read for those Halloween lovers amongst us. A bit reminiscent of Thomas Tyron's 1973 Harvest Home but on speed dial and very much it's own little slice of horror. Well written, well paced and the reader can almost smell the cloying odor of pumpkin gone bad. Gag worthy in some descriptions but nothing that would turn the faint of heart away. All in all, a chilly little read worthy of a look-see.
I received a copy of this book via the author and am voluntarily leaving my opinion of the tale
I received a copy of this book via the author and am voluntarily leaving my opinion of the tale
July 14, 2025
This is your typical urban (actually rural) legend story with a healthy dose of good old fashioned horror mixed in. A seemingly innocent Halloween ritual in a backwoods town turns into a horror fest featuring pumpkins and a particularly nasty scarecrow.
The story moved along with few hitches. It is a very readable book, easily read in one day. The characters are not very complex but fit well into the story.
There are apparently at least two more books in this series and I look forward to reading them.
The story moved along with few hitches. It is a very readable book, easily read in one day. The characters are not very complex but fit well into the story.
There are apparently at least two more books in this series and I look forward to reading them.
June 5, 2025
This is a thrilling read.
Wonderful well written plot and story line that had me engaged from the start.
Love the well fleshed out characters and found them believable.
Great suspense and found myself second guessing every thought I had continuously.
Can't wait to read what the author brings out next.
Recommend reading.
I read a complimentary advance copy of the book; this is my voluntary and honest review.
Wonderful well written plot and story line that had me engaged from the start.
Love the well fleshed out characters and found them believable.
Great suspense and found myself second guessing every thought I had continuously.
Can't wait to read what the author brings out next.
Recommend reading.
I read a complimentary advance copy of the book; this is my voluntary and honest review.
July 18, 2025
I couldn’t imagine a more well written horror story. I didn’t want to put the book down once I started reading it which is hard when you’re at work. I probably would have turned into one of the pumpkin people because I love pumpkin. Charli though was great and her disdain for pumpkin made it even better. At the end of the book I was thrown for a loop because the ending was left open and man has my imagination run wild to think of the possibilities that could happen.
July 23, 2025
Gripping, spooky and suspenseful! A very well-written book with wonderfully-interesting characters. The tension builds at just the right pace as the story unfolds. Will keep you swiping the pages furiously. GREAT start to a new series! Absolutely worthy of your TBR list!
*I received a complimentary ARC of this book from in order to read and provide a voluntary and honest review, should I choose to do so.
*I received a complimentary ARC of this book from in order to read and provide a voluntary and honest review, should I choose to do so.
June 13, 2025
How's this?
The beginning of “Jack” immerses you in a classic horror movie atmosphere, expertly crafted to draw you in. But just when you think you know what to expect, everything flips like a scythe slicing through a rotten pumpkin. It’s a thrilling mashup of Alien and Midsommar, with a twist that feels like Jeepers Creepers has been invited to the party. Get ready for a wild ride!
The beginning of “Jack” immerses you in a classic horror movie atmosphere, expertly crafted to draw you in. But just when you think you know what to expect, everything flips like a scythe slicing through a rotten pumpkin. It’s a thrilling mashup of Alien and Midsommar, with a twist that feels like Jeepers Creepers has been invited to the party. Get ready for a wild ride!
June 15, 2025
A lively, fun, and thoroughly enjoyable read that harks back to the best of small-town American horror. This is playful supernatural horror at its best—full of atmosphere, suspense, and a sense of creeping unease. With a unique twist that keeps things fresh, it’s an engaging and imaginative story that both entertains and unsettles in equal measure.
July 12, 2025
If you're looking for a delightful, grown-up take on Goosebumps, this book hits the mark! I had a great time reading it, though I do regret that it was not saved for a Halloween read to fully embrace the eerie vibes. I’m excited to see what else Howley & Willcocks have in store.
July 23, 2025
Wow, what a ride. I absolutely loved this story and couldn't put it down. Definitely my kind of horror and highly recommended. The story had me gripped from the start, and as it reached a crescendo, I couldn't read it fast enough. An exceptional read from the beginning to the end.
October 16, 2025
A super fun, perfect for October, Halloween themed read!!
I saw someone describe it as Goosebumps on steroids & that’s definitely a fair assessment!
If you love spooky season, creepy small town horror, and Jack o Lanterns THIS ONE is for you!!
I saw someone describe it as Goosebumps on steroids & that’s definitely a fair assessment!
If you love spooky season, creepy small town horror, and Jack o Lanterns THIS ONE is for you!!
June 7, 2025
It takes me back to the days of collecting all the Goosebumps books as a child... but bloodier, stranger, and way, WAY more gross! Already looking forward to the next Twisted Tale!
November 14, 2025
Proper, old-school horror, with engaging characters, and creepy rising tension, and a thrilling finale. Ideal for Halloween, but perfect any time of year. Highly recommended.
July 25, 2025
This book was like goosebumps but for adults, a freakishly fun supernatural horror with 90's vibe, perfect for Halloween lovers 🎃
It was a spirited and thrilling read and I enjoyed following the menacing story with the main character, Charli, weaving her way through this strange unknown rural town and the townsfolk that reside there.
Who/what is this urban legend, Jack?
After reading this I will not be able to look at a pumpkin the same way 🎃
It was a spirited and thrilling read and I enjoyed following the menacing story with the main character, Charli, weaving her way through this strange unknown rural town and the townsfolk that reside there.
Who/what is this urban legend, Jack?
After reading this I will not be able to look at a pumpkin the same way 🎃
July 23, 2025
Charli, her twin brother, and her fiance take a weekend trip to Breckenholt. It is harvest season in Breckenholt. Charlie sees things no one else does. Everyone is acting strangely, and pumpkins are everywhere. Creeptastic spine crawling read.
Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews