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The Writing on the Wall: A Horror Tribute to Iron Maiden
Step into a nightmare forged in riffs, shadows, and blood.
Inspired by the iconic music of Iron Maiden, seventeen of horror’s boldest voices summon the darkness behind the lyrics—where prophecy is punishment, time is a curse, and death wears many faces.
Whether you’re a die-hard fan or a disciple of dread, these stories are charged with raw energy, dark imagination, and unholy rebellion. They’ll grip you like a power chord and drag you screaming into the abyss.
Up the Irons. Lock the doors.
The writing is on the wall.
Will you dare to read it?
Stories by Joseph Murnane, Jyl Glenn, Heather Ann Larson, Jason Mecchi, Jay Bower, JG Faherty, Joshua Ginsberg, Kay Hanifen, Killian H. Gore, Mari Pittelman, Matthew R. Davis, MJ Mars, Paul Taegel, Richard Wall, Spencer Keene, Stacie Herrington, and Steve Zisson.
Foreword by Thomas R. Clark
Inspired by the iconic music of Iron Maiden, seventeen of horror’s boldest voices summon the darkness behind the lyrics—where prophecy is punishment, time is a curse, and death wears many faces.
Whether you’re a die-hard fan or a disciple of dread, these stories are charged with raw energy, dark imagination, and unholy rebellion. They’ll grip you like a power chord and drag you screaming into the abyss.
Up the Irons. Lock the doors.
The writing is on the wall.
Will you dare to read it?
Stories by Joseph Murnane, Jyl Glenn, Heather Ann Larson, Jason Mecchi, Jay Bower, JG Faherty, Joshua Ginsberg, Kay Hanifen, Killian H. Gore, Mari Pittelman, Matthew R. Davis, MJ Mars, Paul Taegel, Richard Wall, Spencer Keene, Stacie Herrington, and Steve Zisson.
Foreword by Thomas R. Clark
273 pages, Kindle Edition
First published October 3, 2025
2 people are currently reading
10 people want to read
About the author
Jyl Glenn
20 books40 followersJyl Glenn is a horror writer, editor, formatter, narrator, and mentor. She collects creepy art, writes really depressing poetry, loves dogs, and has an affinity for pink dinosaurs. She is forever a New Yorker who happens to live in Tulsa now.
To connect with Jyl on social media, you can find her on Facebook or on Instagram as @_delightfully_unhinged_ or sign up for her newsletter at www.jylglennwrites.com
To connect with Jyl on social media, you can find her on Facebook or on Instagram as @_delightfully_unhinged_ or sign up for her newsletter at www.jylglennwrites.com
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
September 29, 2025
I admit up front that I'm not an Iron Maiden fan (so I neither got Thomas R. Clark's cryptic foreword nor am I in a position to explain why the name "Edward" crops up so often in the stories lol), but I definitely am a hardcore fan of good horror tales whatever the inspiration - and this anthology is literally teeming with quality stories deeply informed by metal music, replete with fascinating, dark twists! 17 wide-ranging horror stories in total, most of them by names I easily recognized and always celebrate for their creative takes on favorite horror themes.
The anthology opens immediately with a military horror tale, Steve Zisson's "Die With Your Boots On," about honor and sacrifice, revolving around a pair of old boots feeding on moments of honorable death in the battlefield; are they cursed or evil? The poignant ending was genius, and I highly recommend the tale as an example of how horror can be both entertaining and deeply serious!
"Still Life" by JG Faherty puts a mysterious pool center stage in his tale; a traumatized painter discovers it, and his artistic imagination blooms thanks to the cursed place - at what cost, however? Well, read and find out!
Jyl Glenn's "Hallowed be Thy Name" is a triumph of religious horror: a couple of sisters growing up in a deeply religious household try to find independence and freedom; punishment, however, is just a closet door away; the build up to the creepy and very disturbing ending was excellent!
"I’m a Mover" by Mari Pittelman is an atmospheric story of bloody rituals, vacation horror, and flesh-hungry creatures; "Strange World" by Killian H. Gore was absolute fun to read, a cunning spin on the story of a familiar horror icon!
Stacie Herrington's "Another Life," about three female interns exchanging stories after work, is by far the subtlest story in the volume, inviting the reader to grasp the true meaning between the lines! One of my favorites.
"Aces High" by Spencer Keene gives gambling even more of a bad name, placing his story in a haunted(?) casino, where winning is worse than losing; beautiful and hopeful ending though! "Fear of the Dark" by Heather Ann Larson is a deliciously sweet witchcraft tale with strong dark fantasy vibes, though the sweetness caries its own rage within.
"Wrathchild" by Joshua Ginsberg is a coming-of-age story, about boyhood and the loneliness of growing without a father; but as it progresses, it becomes a multi-layered, suspenseful tale of betrayal and role models. "Bring Your Daughter to the Slaughter" by MJ Mars is a creepy tale of Faustian bargains, stalking, and bad timing.
Paul Taegel's "Remember Tomorrow" dives deep into near future sci-fi horror, blending crime thriller tropes with the issue of trust in a AI-enhanced society; can one trust even oneself under these conditions? The ambiguous ending gave me some trouble, but the story is certainly another favorite of mine.
"Flash of the Blade" by Matthew R. Davis, told in second person, reads like a slasher-on-a train - with a twist! "The Evil That Men Do" by Kay Hanifen is a riveting supernatural revenge tale, with religious lore thrown in, to come up with an engrossing narrative of dead wives and guilty husbands. "Rime of the Ancient Mariner" by Richard Wall is a majestic tale of weird fiction about cursed music and deadly magic, a reading experience unlike any other in the book; difficult to summarize, but worth discovering first-hand.
"Mark of the Beast" by Jay Bower goes straight for the throat, putting a little girl in a basement where she has to prepare herself for "making babies" with her captor, The Beast; only her body is not ready yet, so several cringy moments follow. Who's the Beast? What does he want? OK, that was messed up big time!
Jason Mecchi's "Back in the Village" is a fast-paced tale of unreliable narrators and time loops; and last but certainly not least, Joseph Murnane's "Wasted Years" is about recovering what one has lost by making conventional but ultimately wrong life choices; the recovery, however, has a price, and it takes a ghost living in music to convey the message. The story provides a fitting ending to the volume, and brings everything home in the best of ways!
The editors have done an incredible job, curating a terrific horror anthology I unreservedly recommend. If you're an Iron Maiden fan as well, you'll love all the hidden references!
The anthology opens immediately with a military horror tale, Steve Zisson's "Die With Your Boots On," about honor and sacrifice, revolving around a pair of old boots feeding on moments of honorable death in the battlefield; are they cursed or evil? The poignant ending was genius, and I highly recommend the tale as an example of how horror can be both entertaining and deeply serious!
"Still Life" by JG Faherty puts a mysterious pool center stage in his tale; a traumatized painter discovers it, and his artistic imagination blooms thanks to the cursed place - at what cost, however? Well, read and find out!
Jyl Glenn's "Hallowed be Thy Name" is a triumph of religious horror: a couple of sisters growing up in a deeply religious household try to find independence and freedom; punishment, however, is just a closet door away; the build up to the creepy and very disturbing ending was excellent!
"I’m a Mover" by Mari Pittelman is an atmospheric story of bloody rituals, vacation horror, and flesh-hungry creatures; "Strange World" by Killian H. Gore was absolute fun to read, a cunning spin on the story of a familiar horror icon!
Stacie Herrington's "Another Life," about three female interns exchanging stories after work, is by far the subtlest story in the volume, inviting the reader to grasp the true meaning between the lines! One of my favorites.
"Aces High" by Spencer Keene gives gambling even more of a bad name, placing his story in a haunted(?) casino, where winning is worse than losing; beautiful and hopeful ending though! "Fear of the Dark" by Heather Ann Larson is a deliciously sweet witchcraft tale with strong dark fantasy vibes, though the sweetness caries its own rage within.
"Wrathchild" by Joshua Ginsberg is a coming-of-age story, about boyhood and the loneliness of growing without a father; but as it progresses, it becomes a multi-layered, suspenseful tale of betrayal and role models. "Bring Your Daughter to the Slaughter" by MJ Mars is a creepy tale of Faustian bargains, stalking, and bad timing.
Paul Taegel's "Remember Tomorrow" dives deep into near future sci-fi horror, blending crime thriller tropes with the issue of trust in a AI-enhanced society; can one trust even oneself under these conditions? The ambiguous ending gave me some trouble, but the story is certainly another favorite of mine.
"Flash of the Blade" by Matthew R. Davis, told in second person, reads like a slasher-on-a train - with a twist! "The Evil That Men Do" by Kay Hanifen is a riveting supernatural revenge tale, with religious lore thrown in, to come up with an engrossing narrative of dead wives and guilty husbands. "Rime of the Ancient Mariner" by Richard Wall is a majestic tale of weird fiction about cursed music and deadly magic, a reading experience unlike any other in the book; difficult to summarize, but worth discovering first-hand.
"Mark of the Beast" by Jay Bower goes straight for the throat, putting a little girl in a basement where she has to prepare herself for "making babies" with her captor, The Beast; only her body is not ready yet, so several cringy moments follow. Who's the Beast? What does he want? OK, that was messed up big time!
Jason Mecchi's "Back in the Village" is a fast-paced tale of unreliable narrators and time loops; and last but certainly not least, Joseph Murnane's "Wasted Years" is about recovering what one has lost by making conventional but ultimately wrong life choices; the recovery, however, has a price, and it takes a ghost living in music to convey the message. The story provides a fitting ending to the volume, and brings everything home in the best of ways!
The editors have done an incredible job, curating a terrific horror anthology I unreservedly recommend. If you're an Iron Maiden fan as well, you'll love all the hidden references!
October 5, 2025
I'm not typically a fan of Iron Maiden, but Jyl Glenn's new anthology caught my attention, thanks to the diverse range of talented authors. Among the 17 stories, Hallowed be Thy Name by Jyl Glenn stood out. It's a haunting narrative about two sisters raised in a rigid religious environment, with only one surviving. The story's conclusion is sure to leave readers pondering. This anthology is a must-read, featuring an array of captivating tales.
October 12, 2025
This was a fantastic read, even for someone like myself that isn’t big on music, so you can rest assured I was blind to everything but who Iron Maiden is, I don't think I needed to be a die hard fan to enjoy this at all.
Fantastic collection and thank you for letting me check it out!
I am only going to pick out my top three, it was HARD.
Hallowed Be Thy Name By Jyl Glenn are we shocked I loved a good story about religious horror ? These authors seem to have my number here lately lol I felt for the girls, growing up in a religious family and trying to figure out what and who you are at the same time, and that’s before we throw in the real horror, that ending took me out, holy crap.
I’m a Mover by Mari Pittelman, okay so I was not expecting that and I need more by Mari. This had monsters, blood and the worst part all on vacation. The vibes on this were on point and you are seriously missing on something amazing if you don't check this story out.
Wasted Years by Joseph Murnane this one got me in the gut, I don't know why I’m always blindsided by how hard Josephs work hits, even if its only a short story and this one was no different, all about trying to recover what you think you missed out on, those life regrets from making one choice or another and what might have been. And is that is a horror on its own, but Joseph’s spin on it is something you need to read to fully feel, wow.
All in all this was a fantastic collection and again don't let not being a music person put you off, these stories are fantastic with or with out that knowledge.
Fantastic collection and thank you for letting me check it out!
I am only going to pick out my top three, it was HARD.
Hallowed Be Thy Name By Jyl Glenn are we shocked I loved a good story about religious horror ? These authors seem to have my number here lately lol I felt for the girls, growing up in a religious family and trying to figure out what and who you are at the same time, and that’s before we throw in the real horror, that ending took me out, holy crap.
I’m a Mover by Mari Pittelman, okay so I was not expecting that and I need more by Mari. This had monsters, blood and the worst part all on vacation. The vibes on this were on point and you are seriously missing on something amazing if you don't check this story out.
Wasted Years by Joseph Murnane this one got me in the gut, I don't know why I’m always blindsided by how hard Josephs work hits, even if its only a short story and this one was no different, all about trying to recover what you think you missed out on, those life regrets from making one choice or another and what might have been. And is that is a horror on its own, but Joseph’s spin on it is something you need to read to fully feel, wow.
All in all this was a fantastic collection and again don't let not being a music person put you off, these stories are fantastic with or with out that knowledge.
October 21, 2025
While not a diehard fan of Iron Madien, this book rocked it! Jyl assembled a top-notch group of horror writers to make this horror tribute. Each of these 17 stories are great and fun to read. Not knowing much about the band didn't matter as each story was able to draw you in on its own merits and keep you invested. My top three favorites were- I'm a Mover by Mari Pittleman, bloody and fun creatures; Hallowed be Thy Name by Jyl Glenn, a different and dark take on religious horror; and a 2nd person POV by Matthew R. Davis that gives us a slasher on a train. In all, it was a blast getting to see what each author brought to the table.
October 3, 2025
Writing
A woman returns home and faces secrets she has forgotten. Rhianna makes a new friend who may be hiding secrets. A young girl of the beast in her home. These and other frightening tales
A woman returns home and faces secrets she has forgotten. Rhianna makes a new friend who may be hiding secrets. A young girl of the beast in her home. These and other frightening tales
October 1, 2025
TITLE: The Writing on the Wall: A Horror Tribute to Iron Maiden
AUTHOR(S): Jyl Glenn and Joseph Murname, editors
GENRE: Horror
PAGES: 273
FORMAT: Ebook
PRICE: $2.99
Hey there, book lovers! It’s your old pal, Ninetoes, coming to you from Ninetoes Loves Books Headquarters. Today, I look at Jyl Glenn and Joseph Murname’s The Writing on the Wall: A Horror Tribute to Iron Maiden. I have coffee in my system and my thinking cap on, so let’s get to it!
I love an anthology. I love good Heavy Metal. I REALLY love when the two come together, such as with this book. Jyl Glenn and Joseph Murname curated seventeen stories plus a foreword by Thomas R. Clark. The reading list is as follows:
Foreword • Thomas R. Clark
Die With Your Boots On • Steve Zisson
Still Life • JG Faherty
Hallowed be Thy Name • Jyl Glenn
I’m a Mover • Mari Pittelman
Strange World • Killian H. Gore
Another Life • Stacie Herrington
Aces High • Spencer Keene
Fear of the Dark • Heather Ann Larson
Wrathchild • Joshua Ginsberg
Bring your Daughter to the Slaughter • MJ Mars
Remember Tomorrow • Paul Taegel
Flash of the Blade • Matthew R. Davis
The Evil That Men Do • Kay Hanifen
Rime of the Ancient Mariner • Richard Wall
The Number of the Beast • Jay Bower
Back in the Village • Jason Mecchi Wasted Years • Joseph Murnane
These stories are by the rising stars on the horror scene, and each and every story is excellent in its own right. Each author chose their favorite Iron Maiden song (or title), and gave it their own unique spin. The stories are dark, some extra bloody, and all of them will give you something to think about.
Three stories stuck out to me the most: “Hallowed Be Thy Name” by Jyl Glenn, “Fear of the Dark” by Heather Ann Larson, and “Rime of the Ancient Mariner” by Richard Wall. Of these three, the one I found to be the most thought-provoking was Rime of the Ancient Mariner. The setup and follow-through were fantastic! Please keep in mind, these are my personal preferences. I would never want to sway yours.
I can honestly say this is the kind of book Iron Maiden fans have been waiting for, and this anthology left me wanting MORE!
This book is perfect for indie horror fans, Iron Maiden Fans, and fans of quality writing!
I give this 5+bookmarks out of 5!
AUTHOR(S): Jyl Glenn and Joseph Murname, editors
GENRE: Horror
PAGES: 273
FORMAT: Ebook
PRICE: $2.99
Hey there, book lovers! It’s your old pal, Ninetoes, coming to you from Ninetoes Loves Books Headquarters. Today, I look at Jyl Glenn and Joseph Murname’s The Writing on the Wall: A Horror Tribute to Iron Maiden. I have coffee in my system and my thinking cap on, so let’s get to it!
I love an anthology. I love good Heavy Metal. I REALLY love when the two come together, such as with this book. Jyl Glenn and Joseph Murname curated seventeen stories plus a foreword by Thomas R. Clark. The reading list is as follows:
Foreword • Thomas R. Clark
Die With Your Boots On • Steve Zisson
Still Life • JG Faherty
Hallowed be Thy Name • Jyl Glenn
I’m a Mover • Mari Pittelman
Strange World • Killian H. Gore
Another Life • Stacie Herrington
Aces High • Spencer Keene
Fear of the Dark • Heather Ann Larson
Wrathchild • Joshua Ginsberg
Bring your Daughter to the Slaughter • MJ Mars
Remember Tomorrow • Paul Taegel
Flash of the Blade • Matthew R. Davis
The Evil That Men Do • Kay Hanifen
Rime of the Ancient Mariner • Richard Wall
The Number of the Beast • Jay Bower
Back in the Village • Jason Mecchi Wasted Years • Joseph Murnane
These stories are by the rising stars on the horror scene, and each and every story is excellent in its own right. Each author chose their favorite Iron Maiden song (or title), and gave it their own unique spin. The stories are dark, some extra bloody, and all of them will give you something to think about.
Three stories stuck out to me the most: “Hallowed Be Thy Name” by Jyl Glenn, “Fear of the Dark” by Heather Ann Larson, and “Rime of the Ancient Mariner” by Richard Wall. Of these three, the one I found to be the most thought-provoking was Rime of the Ancient Mariner. The setup and follow-through were fantastic! Please keep in mind, these are my personal preferences. I would never want to sway yours.
I can honestly say this is the kind of book Iron Maiden fans have been waiting for, and this anthology left me wanting MORE!
This book is perfect for indie horror fans, Iron Maiden Fans, and fans of quality writing!
I give this 5+bookmarks out of 5!
October 13, 2025
Was given the pleasure of reading this anthology and what a fun read! A tribute to Iron Maiden but you don't need to be a fan to enjoy the stories.
A lot of new authors I haven't heard of and all came up with some fantastic and creepy reads, something for everyone. Not a single bad story in it which is not usually the case. Definitely recommend for those looking for a few creepy reads over Halloween as well!
A lot of new authors I haven't heard of and all came up with some fantastic and creepy reads, something for everyone. Not a single bad story in it which is not usually the case. Definitely recommend for those looking for a few creepy reads over Halloween as well!
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews