Other Atrocities

by William F. Gray

OTHER ATROCITIES is the first collection of short fiction from William F. Gray (author of THE DEVIL WITHIN US ALL and OUR FATHERS' BURDEN), featuring stories that range from rural slashers (WHATEVER IT TAKES) to zombie apocalypses (ROT), hoarding gone wrong (THE MAZE OF MEMORIES), and even what happens when you take penny pinching one step too far (BANG FOR UR BUCK).

140 pages, Kindle Edition

Published August 5, 2025

About the author

William F. Gray is the bestselling author THE DEVIL WITHIN US ALL, a small town horror novel inspired by the evil average people are capable of on an everyday basis. Taking cues from his own experience and the world at large, Gray creates horror that attempts to worm itself into your heart as well as your mind. His self-published debut THE MAN BEHIND THE DOOR tackles themes such as grief, trauma, and addiction through the lens of a ghost story, the main character of which is inspired by his own late father, while his latest effort OUR FATHERS' BURDEN is Appalachian horror that focuses on the stigma that still surrounds mental health issues, especially amongst men.

He currently lives in West Virginia with his wife, son, and daughter while working as a Lead Pharmacy Technician. His hobbies include reading, playing video games with his wife, and playing music.

Reviews

[Stephanie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you to the author for providing a review copy.

Congratulations to William F. Gray for writing the best short story collection I've read so far this year. There are a good variety of stories here, a couple of which are among the best I've read this year. Last Showing made me cry, while A Night of Horrors was both unique and entertaining. A very strong collection from one of the best indie authors out there. 5 stars

Whatever It Takes ⭐⭐⭐.75
Highway Hypnosis ⭐⭐⭐⭐.5
Go Out and Play ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Rot ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
The Maze of Memories ⭐⭐⭐⭐.5
A Night of Horrors ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Something's Wrong With the Fish ⭐⭐⭐⭐.5
Last Showing ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
bang for ur buck ⭐⭐⭐⭐

[Milt Theo · Rating 5 out of 5]

William Gray's "Other Atrocities" is the author's debut short story collection, containing nine stories, the focus mostly on male anxieties, conveyed through supernatural and psychological horror.

Two of them I'd already read before ("Go Out and Play" and "Rot"), and even on a second reading the payoff was definitely worth it: "Go Out and Play" still shocks with its twisty ending, taking child kidnapping to an entirely unexpected direction, and "Rot" reverses the concept of infection, and applies it in a deeply disturbing manner. Loved them both! However, the gem of the collection is the opening long story of "Whatever It Takes," about a young delivery guy who ends up delivering a package in the middle of nowhere, and gets implicated in satanic rituals, chased by psychos, and offered an insane choice! "Highway Hypnosis," the story that follows is an intricate supernatural tale of time loops and highway accidents. The remaining five stories cover a wide range of themes: from cursed games ("A Night of Horrors") and hoarding troubles ("A Maze of Memories"), to unexpected culinary issues with the fish catch ("Something's Wrong with the Fish"), what kind of film to watch while drowning in despair (the superb and very moving "Last Showing"), and, finally, the high cost of living... as a miser ("bang for ur buck").

Whether you're reading his short tales or his novels, William Gray has proven again and again that he delivers, so trust the man: he's the gift that keeps on giving! I recommend the collection very highly!

[Breanna · Rating 4 out of 5]

Other Atrocities is a chilling, twisted collection that pulls no punches. William Gray takes readers into the darkest corners of horror, blending shocking violence with unsettling atmosphere. Each story leaves you uneasy, never knowing what’s coming next. If you enjoy raw, unapologetic horror that pushes boundaries, this book is absolutely worth picking up.

[Ian Gielen · Rating 5 out of 5]

A rich tapestry of tales that entertain, unsettle, and tug at the heartstrings, William showcases the full breadth of his talent here with deceptive ease.

The collection starts off strong with "Whatever It Takes", the longest of the stories in which a Ricky, a high school dropout signs up as a delivery driver only to find himself at the end of one particular run at a run-down farm in the middle of nowhere. He finds out too late that it might very well be the last package he ever delivers.
From there, things take a turn to the supernatural in Highway Hypnosis when a couple driving home late at night hit someone running into the middle of the highway. They soon find out things are not what they seem.
Afterwards come a range of stories focusing on the psychological side of things (Rot and bang for ur buck) to some quicker creepy stories with strong twists (Something's Wrong With The Fish, Go Outside And Play).
My personal favourites were "A Night of Horrors" where a group of young teenagers find a boardgame in the woods and get more than they bargained for when they begin to play it and the tear-jerker "Late Showing" which I still think about days after finishing the collection.

It's not often you come across a collection this impressive and I would highly recommend this one without hesitation.

[Terry · Rating 5 out of 5]

Audiobook review

These stories were great. Really creepy good!
Whatever it takes to somethings wrong with the fish. A longer tale to a shorter tale.
The build up and then boom there it is.
The narrator Martin Wurst was really good. Kept the tempo, the tension & plot really well. Good voice to listen to as well.

Great all rounder

[Brooke’s Books · Rating 4 out of 5]

“The lies we tell ourselves.”

William Gray has quickly become one of my favorite horror authors. I’ve yet to read a book of his that I didn’t enjoy. This collection is no exception. It features a wide range of tales, with a dash of the supernatural and a sprinkle of psychological horror. The writing is immersive, pulling you into each world without sacrificing the depth of the characters. The characters feel real, making the endings land even harder. You’re left with the sense that you’ve only glimpsed the edges of something darker, and that’s what makes the book work so well. Every story is distinct and designed to leave an impression. Rot and Whatever It Takes are my favorites, and seem to be the popular picks. With Rot, I especially enjoyed the unique take on an otherwise overdone trope. If you’re looking for a solid read that you can’t go wrong with, go grab a copy!

I appreciate William for sending me an electronic copy of his book.

[Lisa LaFontaine · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book very much. Written by William Gray this is an accumulation of several short stories. Other Atrocities is just about 4 short hours in Audible . The chapters or short stories are just that.. short. The shortest story is a little over 6 minutes. Having said that, be careful going too fast because before you know it you will be in the next story and you don’t even realize it. As any collection of short stories, there will be some that are very good but others you will not care for as much. One of the reasons I like this type of books because in several minutes you are done and can move on to the next story.
The narrator Martin Wurst is amazing telling us the story. He knows exactly when to emphasize some of the sentences and when not to. I also heard a few changes with his tone of voice which makes it easier to follow on who is talking in each story.
My favorites: The Maze of Memories and Bang for Your Buck.
Thank you for the ARC!

[Ali O · Rating 5 out of 5]

Other Atrocities by William F. Gray
Narrated by Marty Wurst
🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

This is an amazing collection of 9 short horror stories.
They are all very different and all extremely entertaining. There’s supernatural, psychological horror, zombies and even slashers!

I loved all 9 of the stories, but a few of my top reads are:

• Whatever it Takes
• Highway Hypnosis
• A Night of Horrors
• Last Showing

I listened to the audio version and the narrator did a fantastic job!! I really enjoyed the listen!
This book is well written and super engaging!

*I highly recommend the read/listen!!*

[Dan Mckeithan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Awesome collection of short horror stories. They cover the full gamut--slashers, infection, the woods, and time loops. Each story gives a great glimpse into the characters in that universe and the situations they find themselves in. You'll find yourself looking for more at the end. My favorites were "Whatever it takes" and "A night of horrors". Can't wait to read more from him.

[Ali · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good mix

Usually I have the misfortune of picking up short story collections with more misses than hits but this one was a pleasant surprise! There were plenty of dark themes, a zombie troupe turned on its head and a fun spin on a 'Jumanji' like game.
Its a short collection, easy to fly through and enjoy

[sara · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another win from Gray, this collection is full of his signature mix of humanity in horror with his delightfully deadpan tone. Other Atrocities managed to transport me into each world with a few words and a couple of pages.

[Amanda Ruzsa · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was an excellent collection of stories. While all of them sit with you after you’ve read them, a few will likely never leave my brain. From slasher to zombies, from claustrophobic to absolutely bleak, each of these stories are brought to life with Gray’s skillful characterization and world-building. BANG FOR UR BUCK, HIGHWAY HYPNOSIS, and WHATEVER IT TAKES—they live with me now.