Hurt People Hurt People: Volume 1

by Ben Young, Edmund Stone, Gage Greenwood

*Features an introduction by Kealan Patrick Burke*

Hurt is a cycle.

It is said that those who have experienced pain are more likely to inflict pain on others. Within these pages are four examples of the perpetual nature of trauma, and of horrific acts which breed human monsters.

A disgraced med student continues practicing surgery outside of the operating room.
A disfigured woman attempts to overcome her pain with horrifying results.
A working mom learns that running from her past only makes it more dangerous.
A ballet dancer tries to escape the trauma that shadows her.

As one tale bleeds into the next, and suffering begets suffering, they’ll each learn the true meaning behind the old adage…
Hurt people HURT people.

204 pages, Kindle Edition

Published September 12, 2025

About the author

Ben lives in the Cincinnati, OH area with his family and dogs, where he is currently working on more stories which may or may not ever see the light of day. He does not enjoy writing about himself, especially in the third person like this. Find him online at www.benyoungstories.com

Reviews

[TheConnieFox · Rating 4 out of 5]

✦ My Review & Rating ✦

Wow! This book is filled with deeply imaginative psychological stories that will keep you up at night! I was extremely impressed by the writing of the stories, the characters in the stories, and the psychological aspect of the stories. Each one was unique, beautifully written and well executed! I would consider this book to be more of a disturbing and psychological horror, than a jump scare horror type of book. All stories are very atmospheric, one of a kind, memorable and action packed! They were all twisty, suspenseful and unpredictable. They were all very well structured, eerie and picturesque. I definitely recommend this book to anyone who loves horror stories!! I give this a 4.5 stars rating out of 5!

✦ Thank You ✦

Thank you to the authors Ben Young, Leigh Kenny, Edmund Stone & Gage Greenwood for this digital ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review. All thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.

✦ Content Warnings ✦

Content warnings include body horror, disfigurement, psychological trauma, psychological abuse, violence, gore and self destruction themes.

✦ Who I think would enjoy this book ✦

I highly recommend this book to anyone who loves to read books by the authors Stephen King and Nick Roberts or the loves the movies “The Exorcist” and “The Shining”.

✦ Publication Date ✦

This book is expected to be published on September 12, 2025!

》* 。 • ˚ ˚ ˛ * 。° 。 • ˚《

❥ ୨⎯ Connie ⎯୧ ❥

ツ౨ৎ

[Maven_Reads · Rating 4 out of 5]

Hurt People Hurt People: Volume 1 by Ben Young is a chilling, visceral horror anthology of four interconnected stories that explore how trauma, pain, and suffering ripple outward as characters who have been hurt go on to hurt others in increasingly disturbing and psychologically intense ways. The book opens with Ben Young’s The Surgeon, a horrific tale of a disgraced med student obsessed with correcting his mother’s disfigurement through unauthorized surgery, and then threads into The Patient by Edmund Stone, Awabama by Gage Greenwood, and Tiny Dancer by Leigh Kenny, each story following someone whose trauma from the previous tale has reshaped their life and unleashed deeper horror in unpredictable ways. The stories are linked so that the victim in one becomes central in the next, illustrating the unsettling cycle suggested by the title: hurt people often hurt people.

From the moment I began reading, I felt the raw emotional weight of each narrative, where the horror is as much about the characters’ inner wounds as it is about the violent, gruesome events they endure and enact. The anthology is relentless in how it probes psychological trauma and its consequences: the brutal imagery and deeply human motivations behind each character’s actions made me feel their fear, anger, and confusion in a way that lingered long after I paused between stories. There are moments that are outright grotesque, and others that are haunting because they feel all too possible, rooted in grief, unresolved pain, and the desperate, messy ways people try to cope and survive.

Rating: 4 out of 5. I’m giving Hurt People Hurt People this score because its emotional ferocity and clever narrative architecture made the experience feel immersive, disturbing, and hauntingly memorable; it’s horror that sticks with you not just because of the violence, but because it asks you to confront how and why people can become the very things they feared.

This is not gentle horror: it’s psychological, interconnected, and powerful, best suited for readers ready to face stories that dwell on trauma, revenge, and humanity’s darker edges.

[Honey Dy · Rating 4 out of 5]

rounded off to 4.5 ⭐️

Discusses Trauma, S*x harassment, R*pe, so pls check trigger warnings ⚠️

📚✨ REVIEW: Hurt People Hurt People ✨📚

Where the hell should I even start?!

I honestly didn’t realise just how amazing Ben, Gage, and Edmund were as writers until now—but after this collection, I’ll be picking up anything they release in the future. As for Leigh? I’ve read plenty of her work already, so I knew she’d deliver (and of course, she did 💥).

Hurt People, Hurt People is SHARP. 🔪

This isn’t just a collection—it’s an experience.

Here, you have four stories, each intertwined in a way that explores the darkest corners of humanity and relationships.

Some are quiet and reflective, peeling back layers of pain and survival. Others go straight for the jugular with raw brutality....and yet, together, they create a balance that’s gripping, unpredictable, and impossible to forget.

While all four stories did hit me hard, two stood out for me: Awabama and Tiny Dancer. Both left me sitting in silence long after I’d finished, and I'm still chewing over their impact.

✨ Ratings & Titles:
🔪 The Surgeon by Ben Young — ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
🩸 The Patient by Edmund Stone — ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
🔥 Awabama by Gage Greenwood — ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️✨
🩰 Tiny Dancer by Leigh Kenny — ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️✨

If you love short, powerful reads that show the messy, complicated ways people hurt each other (and themselves), this collection is one you have to check out.

Huge thanks to Leigh Kenny for reaching out and giving me the chance to read this ARC 💕

[Emily Fleming · Rating 5 out of 5]

This one really blew me away! Four interconnected stories, each with its own intense mix of horror, grief and brutality. The characters are linked in unexpected ways and the emotional depth adds a powerful layer to the terrifying moments. Every story had me completely hooked and it’s hard to choose a favorite. They’re all amazing! It's a raw and unforgettable read and quite honestly one of the best author collaborations out there. I need more like this!

[Jyl Glenn · Rating 5 out of 5]

These stories are heavy in the right way, all circling around how people pass their pain along. It’s uncomfortable sometimes, but that’s kind of the point.

The writing feels real and raw in a way that fits the theme. No sugarcoating, no neat endings, just people trying and failing and trying again. It’s one of those books that makes you sit with it for a bit after you close it. 100 stars.

[Sarah Jules · Rating 4 out of 5]

'Hurt people hurt people.' We've all heard that phrase, right? Well, 'Hurt People Hurt People' is a very clever take on a very real phenomenon.

To quote Leigh Kenny - in the final story of the saga - 'Just more hurt people hurting people. On and on the cycle goes as humanity, the ultimate ouroboros, eats its own tail.'

If ever there was an advert for therapy, it's this book.

Each of the four stories was told in the author's distinct style, yet they flowed seamlessly together. Although the premise of each story was the victim in the previous story going on to be the perpetrator in the next story, it didn't feel repetitive in any way.

A mix of body, slasher(ish), and revenge horror, Hurt People Hurt People has a bit of something for everyone - and a great message: GET YOURSELF IN THERAPY, BEFORE IT'S TOO LATE!

[ScarlettAnomalyReads · Rating 4 out of 5]

Hurt people, well they usually hurt people..
This was four stories of that very situation, and how they unfold.

There are only four, but they were absolutely well done and unhinged, but I do have a favorite and its Ben Young's The Surgeon.
Super fucked up and not what I saw coming from Ben, but oh did I love it, this is something weird and dark and horrifying in a way I cant even tell you, but Ben did that for me with this little story.
I am still reeling a bit.

I don't want to spill too much, but each of these stories were good, but together, they sung and built off of each other in a way that they never could have alone, and kind of like the title says, hurt people hurt people, and these stories of hurt people, hurting people built and exploded in the same way dangerous way that line of thinking usually does.

Its not always on purpose, but its always a insane blowup, where does anyone ever really win ?
Hurt People Hurt People was a entirely emotional collection that showcased how dark it can be.

[Karen · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a collection of four stories by four amazing authors

The Surgeon
The Patient
Awabama
Tiny Dancer

Hurt people hurt people. it's an unfortunate fact of life. Each story in this collection connects to the next in a seamlessly unique experience. The stories are powerful, horrifying, gripping, and traumatizing. I was pulled in by The Surgeon and hooked for the rest of the book. This one will stick with you for a while.

[Milt Theo · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh my god, seriously? Is anyone sane in this book? OK, sure, the four people figuring centrally in the four stories of the volume have been traumatized, suffer from PTSD, they are survivors in one way or another, each one's trauma somehow connected to the trauma of the others - but their brutal actions are the outcome of hallucinations and delusions of such complexity, the border separating reality and imagination isn't merely blurred - these people totally smash it, bursting through the doors to a cruel and bleak world of their own invention!

The opening story, Ben Young's "The Surgeon," sets the stage for what's to come: the tale is practically impossible to summarize without spoilers, so I'll just say that it's a very nasty and sick tale, the disturbing elements going up a level once you reach the ending and read those monstrous lines which put everything into the darkest of perspectives. Though it appears ro be mostly about a weird mother-son relationship, one which turned the son into a horrifying human monster, in truth I think it's about trauma masquerading as love, and infecting others as a virus of paranoia, delusions of grandeur, and obsession.

Picking up from Young is Edmund Stone's "The Patient," a revenge tale of sorts, about a woman who wants to pay back the first tale's Surgeon, who messed with her and disfigured her for life. This one develops slowly from a loud symphony of abuse and murder, to a subtle and sad story of mental collapse and self-destruction. The ending, like a knife slowly penetrating the heart, certainly impresses with its profoundly sobering grasp of trauma.

Gage Greenwood's "Awabama" is the story of Amber, wife of a caring husband and mom of a teenage girl, whose marriage is struggling after she got attacked and mentally never fully recovered. Amber's reality is collapsing, and noone picks up on it until it's by far too late. Greenwood's story was my favorite, since I love grief horror in all its many varieties, and this one builds on loss and grief for oneself with great subtlety and skill, to reach a shocking ending of incredible power and emotional impact.

Finally, Leigh Kenny's "Tiny Dancer" continues Greenwood's story, focusing on one very special character, and going Black Swan on her via a very clever use of the competitive aspects of ballet. The story is a virtuoso performance of the volume's theme, showing clearly how trauma perpetuates itself if left unchecked.

I enjoyed the stories immensely, and recommend the book especially to readers who find themselves in a reading slump: it will knock your socks off!

[Robin Ginther-Venneri · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hurt People Hurt People: Volume 1
By Ben Young, Edmund Stone, Gage Greenwood, and Leigh Kenny
Publisher: Narrowed Eye Books
Publication date: September 12, 2025
ASIN: B0FLHD7MRY
Page Count: 194

Star Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Skull Dread Rating: 💀💀💀 (because therapy is scarier than monsters sometimes)

Triggers: Body horror, disfigurement, trauma, self-harm, gore, violence, psychological abuse

This anthology is basically a group project where everyone actually pulled their weight and then used it to bludgeon you emotionally. Four authors, four interconnected stories, one relentless theme: pain doesn’t just scar, it metastasizes. Victims morph into villains, trauma mutates into terror, and the cycle spins on like a blood-soaked carousel you can’t get off.

Ben Young’s The Surgeon kicks things off with a disgraced med student who decides facial reconstruction practice on unwilling participants is a good résumé builder. Edmund Stone’s The Patient flips the script, letting one of his victims take her swing at revenge, proving the line between survivor and monster is thinner than a scalpel’s edge.

Then Gage Greenwood comes in with Awabama, which is equal parts grief horror and emotional gut punch. A mother barely holding it together spirals into a nightmare that’s brutal because it feels all too possible. Finally, Leigh Kenny wraps things up with Tiny Dancer, a ballet-driven descent into obsession that says “sure, pirouettes are nice, but have you tried generational trauma?”

Individually, these stories are sharp and brutal. Together, they form a chain reaction of trauma that’s clever, haunting, and disturbingly satisfying. The connective tissue between them makes every callback hit like a ghost of the story before. It’s rare to see an anthology so seamless that it reads like one novel carved into four jagged pieces.

What Did I Just Walk Into?
A trauma relay race where each baton is covered in blood, tears, and bad decisions.

Here’s What Slapped:
Seamless connections between stories
Equal parts grotesque and gut-wrenching
Every author brought their A-game

What Could’ve Been Better:
Nothing, unless one of them also wanted to throw in a free therapy voucher with purchase.

Perfect for Readers Who Love:
Body horror with brains
Anthologies that actually connect
Watching human monsters be made, not born

Reviewed by Robin for Robin’s Review

[Brandon Reviews Books · Rating 5 out of 5]

**ARC Review**
Title: Hurt People Hurt People
Authors: Ben Young, Edmund Stone, Gage Greenwood, Leigh Kenny
Genre: Horror
Rating: 5-Stars

Hurt People Hurt People is one of the most unsettling and powerful books I’ve ever read. Each short story is steeped in dread and suspense, pushing readers to confront difficult questions about humanity, society, and even themselves. While each story stands on its own, together they weave a seamless, overarching narrative that highlights how even the smallest actions can ripple into life-changing consequences.

The Surgeon by Ben Young follows a young doctor determined to achieve his dream of becoming a surgeon, no matter what the cost, while The Patient by Edmund Stone throws readers into a chilling escape from a hospital, with a protagonist armed with nothing by a scalpel. In Awabama by Gange Greenwood, a mother struggles to piece her life back together after a vicious attack, her emptiness haunting every attempt at normalcy. Finally, Tiny Dancer by Leigh Kenny explores the fragility of ambition and identity as a college student confronts the trauma threatening her future.

What sets this collection apart is not just the individual strength of each story, but the way the four authors build upon one another’s work, layering horror and emotional weight until the book becomes impossible to shake. I found myself dreading the next page, not because of poor writing, but because of how deeply the horror and tension resonated. The emotions this book evokes go far beyond a casual thrill; they linger, disturb, and make you think long after the page.

Hurt People Hurt People is a masterful collaboration and an absolute must-read for horror fans. It kept me awake at night, unsettled and uneasy in the best way possible. Brilliantly written, hauntingly executed—5 stars without hesitation.

[Jordan · Rating 5 out of 5]

For some people, trauma is something that can be dealt with, even if it takes awhile. For others, trauma defines them; it breaks them and changes their life irrevocably. In Hurt People Hurt People, we meet four people whose trauma completely rewrote their lives and dramatically changed their world.

In The Surgeon, a man recalls watching his father abuse his mother to the point of disfiguring her. Now a doctor, his only mission is to fix his mother's face, no matter the cost. He just needs to practice first....

Next is The Patient. Rona was a victim of our Surgeon's practice. Now horribly disfigured, she goes on the hunt for the man who ruined her life. And she'll find him, even if she has to go through innocent bystanders to get there....

Then we meet Amber, a mother who was simply at the wrong place at the wrong time. Attacked by the Patient, she's doing her best to try and move on from the trauma. But "The Beast" won't leave her alone, but maybe her hallucinations are a good thing! Maybe next time, she can stop the attack from ever happening, and no one will get in her way to fix this mess....

And finally, Charlie. The girl who survived her best friend's mother's crazy rampage as a child. Charlie is in college now, and she has to get this dance scholarship and get out of dodge. Maybe then she can outrun her trauma, and she won't let anyone take that away from her....

This was an excellent set of stories, and I loved how they connected back to each other! Even the last one had a fun little Easter egg in it that made everything really come full circle. As soon as I saw who was collaborating on this, I knew it was going to be a knockout, and yet I was still blown away by how good it was!

Now, here I am shouting at Ben to MAKE A VOLUME TWO!!!!

[Alison Faichney · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another great collection. Feels like I’m on a roll with the short stories lately. Hurt People Hurt People is four short, yet interconnected stories where each author shows us how a seemingly random act of violence can have reverberations for generations. I didn’t realize the stories would follow the same thread so this was a nice surprise.

The Surgeon by Ben Young was great. I loooooved Stuck and Home so I knew I’d vibe with this one. This one has a bit of mind bending in it which definitely enhanced the tale. The Patient by Edmund Stone was a solid, fast paced story about a woman who awakens in the hospital after a vicious attack. She escapes, seeking revenge for what was done to her. Awabama by Gage Greenwood was (as usual 😭) a brutal tale about a woman hosting a sleepover several weeks after being brutally victimized. GG has always excelled at breaking the hearts of his readers and nails that here, too. There’s a certain repeated phrase he uses and it’s like a bomb dropping. Leigh Kenny’s Tiny Dancer brings things full circle. It follows the auditions for a prestigious dance college. The physical horror wasn’t nearly as terrifying as the psychological destruction Kenny was incurs on her characters and subsequently readers.

All told, great collection. I’d expect no less since I’ve read and vibed with all four of these authors, but it’s still nice to affirm that with more great stories. I would love to see this series continue. The writing is solid and the authors did a nice job writing stories that manage to keep a common denominator without being over saturated in the theme.

[SpookyKat · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was absolutely blown away by this. When Ben mentioned this eons ago, I was stoked and I was not disappointed!

We start with Ben's story, where we are introduced to the Surgeon. You want to hate this guy because he is out there doing some crazy shit... but also, his ultimate goal is to help his mom, who suffered quite a bit in life. How can you not love that?

Next we have, Edmund bringing us the story from the eyes of the patient that had the misfortune of being under the Surgeon's knife. Already feeling for her due to those circumstances, we get a peek into her childhood which is enough to break your heart.

Gage follows with the story of a woman who was attacked by the patient in the previous story. Amber is a wife and a mother who is just trying to live a normal life after her attack. Unfortunately the hallucinations of her attacker are too much and while fighting back the beast, she ends up hurting her family.

And wrapping this up in a beautiful package, Leigh fast forwards us a few years with the story of a child who witnessed the acts of Amber in the story before this. Although she tries to keep her trauma at bay, it proves to be too much. She is at peace with letting her trauma win.

WOW.

This was such an incredible read. These 4 brilliant authors brought this together flawlessly. It is an absolute must read and takes a spot in my top reads for the year.

Hurt people out there hurting people is a terrifying reality. What can we do? Fight our traumas. Don't let them win.

[Kimberley Kraft · Rating 5 out of 5]

Trauma isn’t isolated, it’s a ripple effect.
Hurt people hurt people, whether they want to or not. It bleeds.

Ben’s story comes out the gate swinging, completely balls to the wall. A seemingly sociopathic doctor performing surgery to help a loved one? There ain’t no love like a trauma bond. This flashback gives Norman Bates, and I’m here for it.

Edmund’s story follows with the victim of the aftermath of Ben’s. Oh boy, is this lady HURT. Rampage, delusion, all of it!! The traumas of being in a hospital setting are eerie for anyone, let alone someone being abused and hurt, only leading to more HURT!

Gage’s story, HEARTBREAKING. The victim from the last story is a troubled mother, suffering PTSD. She tries so hard to push through for her daughter but ends up pushing all reality out of her mind. It’s TRAGIC and I LOVED it.

Leigh’s story wraps up this wonderful collaboration. After a fateful day from the last story, the MC is in her own world of trouble. Her life changes at a young age and her actions as an adult are altered by the chaos. What will she do to hold the last shred of her identity? Find out at the end 👀

This intertwining of a cascading effect was just, perfect. Watching the problems of everyone’s life unfold was utterly insane.
Hurt people, hurt people, whether they want to or not. It’s gripping, page turning, and I was utterly floored how these four individuals teamed up to make such a seamless stream of stories flow together.
No doubt a 5/5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

[Kayla Frederick · Rating 5 out of 5]

It’s true what they say: hurt people, hurt people. This collection of four stories explores the idea of how trauma can lead a person to accidentally (or not so accidentally) hurt others.

The Surgeon: A med student desperate to help his mother performs facial reconstruction on some unfortunate women.

The Patient: A woman dealing with her recently butchered face, takes to the streets to confront her demons.

Awabama (My favorite in the collection): In an emotional rollercoaster of a story, a Mom tries to handle the trauma of her assault but winds up in an unfortunate situation at her daughter’s sleepover.

Tiny Dancer: A girl who survived the events at a sleepover slaughter tries to bury her demons in dance, but when another girl steals her routine, and her chance at a future, the demons take control.

The collection was impactful because it showed not only the tragic choices the MCs made but also the things that made them human. The things they desperately wanted to do with their lives and the things that they lost because of their trauma. The characters tried their best to cope with it all but sometimes, it’s just not possible.

Real food for thought.

[Wendy York · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hurt People Hurt People
👃👃👃👃👃 5 noses

By
Ben Young Edmund Stone Gage Greenwood & Leigh Kenny

As a self proclaimed Leigh Kenny stalker, I knew that I would be in awe of her contribution to this collection. But I was NOT ready for the impact that the other 3 stories would have on me as well! Gat dammit!

I read this (in one day) last week and had to sit with it for a bit to compose my thoughts. Young, Stone, Greenwood and Kenny put together a grossly beautiful and tragic depiction of how trauma is carried and passed on to the next. The chain reaction that happens when hurt people hurt people. A masterful representation of how trauma can turn to terror but also how, underneath it all, there’s a real human who never deserved what happened to them.
Tragic. Gut wrenching. Gory. Intense. Perfect.

Maybe I have just been under a rock, but I have never read a collab like this where each author carries a character from the previous story into their own. All 4 were so cohesive yet insanely unique! The character overlap was executed with perfection and was so fckng satisfying!

Releases September 12th! Put it on your list!

[Stephanie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Hurt People Hurt People is an anthology exploring grief, trauma, and the sometimes violent actions that result from the pain of victimization. Four authors share stories of what happens when each of their main characters is hurt in horrific ways, both physically and mentally. Ben Young’s opening tale, The Surgeon, kicks things off with a young doctor whose future in surgery looks extremely bright. If only he could focus on healing patients and less on fixing the one person who is most important to him. The Patient, by Edmund Stone, continues the story of a victim of the surgeon, who must cope with the injuries that were inflicted upon her. She lashes out at several people, one of whom is the main character in Gage Greenwood’s Awabama, who goes on to terrorize the young girl in Leigh Kenny’s Tiny Dancer.

Each story was fantastic and portrayed the deep confusion, fear, and frustration that victims are often left with. The concept that trauma contributes to people’s behavior is well-studied, and this antho tapped into that with brilliant, bloody results. My favorite aspect was how the authors built upon the stories and linked them throughout. I highly recommend this one!

[unstable.books · Rating 4 out of 5]

The four stories of Hurt People Hurt People are all about the survivors of separate traumatic experiences. The unique way each story is connected to the other is a testament to the fact that one persons trauma is often connected to that of others. Nothing happens in a vacuum. This book is a show and tell of redemption, revenge and brutality. Is anyone ever really okay? And do the atrocities they faced give them license to go fully unhinged? This collection explores all these themes and more. Ben Young's "The Surgeon", Edmund Stone's "The Patient", Gage Greenwood's "Awabama" (arguably the most heinous) and Leigh Kenny's "Tiny Dancer" are all related tales and we find out how by the end. This book is in parts shocking and grotesque', so as always, be responsible for your own consumption if triggers are a concern for you. Hurt People Hurt People examines how trauma can spiral out of control when those individuals are left to their own devices. Thank you Ben for sending me an ARC. You can pick this up when it publishes September 12, 2025!

[Sharron Joy Reads · Rating 4 out of 5]

Four interlinking stories of psychological horror that weave deeply traumatised characters through hell with flashbacks and terrifying hallucinations. These beautifully illustrate how damaged people damage others often unintentionally and perpetuate the cycle of trauma.

It is impossible to give a detailed synopsis of each of the four stories without spoilers so here’s a short snappy overview of each.

The Surgeon
A surgeon gives his mother the face she deserves after years of devotion.

The Patient
After years of abuse and a final violent act against her Rona has a mission to locate the Surgeon and find peace.

Awabama
The victim of a random knife attack is determined to get her life back to normal by arranging the annual sleepover for her daughter and friends.

Tiny Dancer
Charlie is a brilliant dancer even though a traumatic event haunts her, she wants that dance scholarship and she will get it whatever the cost.

Deeply disturbing and violent throughout these stories depict real human monsters and show how they are often created.

[Ian Gielen · Rating 5 out of 5]

A book of four interconnecting stories based around horrific events and trauma cycles, this one not only tells an effective horror story arc but is also true to real life in that events that traumatize someone can impact all those that come in contact with them and can spiral outward in a raindrop like event.

The book kicks off with Ben Young's, "The Surgeon" which revolves around a disturbed young man who has studied to become a surgeon with the aim of fixing his mother's face which had been damaged by an abusive husband. The only problem is, he doesn't have any morals around what he does to achieve that aim.

Following that is Edmund Stone's, "The Patient" in which one of the victims of the Surgeon seeks revenge but all goes horribly wrong as her mental health spirals out of control in spectacular fashion.

Gage Greenwoods, "Awabama" is next and is genuinely upsetting and tragic but is done brilliantly, telling the tale of Amber, a victim of the previous story's character who is struggling to maintain homelife and deal with the aftermath of her ordeal and finds that when it's time to return to work, that she is just not ready. When the pressure on her mounts from her family and work, it culminates in some heart-breaking events that stuck with me well after this book was read.

The book ends with Leigh Kenny's, "Tiny Dancer", once again starring a character affected by Amber in the previous one that showcases a character that succumbs to her trauma and mental health issues after one event causes her to go downhill fast.

Overall, this was an amazing book that really shows what four talented authors can do when they put they're heads together to create something horrifyingly beautiful. Volume 2 can't come quick enough.

[Alysha Yuhas · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hurt People Hurt People
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Ben Young
WOW! Strong Bates Motel vibes with Ben's uniqueness. Love love love a story that keeps you guessing until the very end and leaves you gobsmacked! Ben has such an amazing way of doing his research, captivating and immersing you fully in his twisted tales!

Edmund Stone
Starts off strong with an utter sense of dread and anxiety. Fast paced and thrilling with a lot of "oh wow!" And "holy shit!"

Gage Greenwood
I have officially been emotionally traumatized by Gage, can you point me to where I get my compensation?

Wha...Holy fuck. *Emotional Damage* - that's it. Thats the review.

Leigh Kenny
"Oh.. Holy shit, is that?... no way!... Omg is that!?!?!.... Holy shit!!!!!" Leigh really wraps this all up so perfectly I can't even put in to words! What an absolutely phenomenal anthology !!!!!!

[Rhiannon · Rating 4 out of 5]

A beautiful yet slightly disturbing collection of suspenseful four short stories that interlock brilliantly. Each author writes their own unique take on 'hurting people' in such a clever way that it sticks with you.

The stories are truly horrific, in ways that will genuinely keep you awake due to how well they've been written. They take hold of your mind, and I genuinely thought about each one for a day or so before reading the next. I wanted the full effect from them, and boy, did they do their job.

The interconnecting tales fill you with body horror, violence, grief, and not forgetting, the good old additives of trauma! Would it be a horror story if it didn't? Although the writing styles vary, this doesn't take away anything from how brilliant this book is - in fact, it only adds to the build-up to make this collection of stories so good. They fit together so well!

[Craig · Rating 4 out of 5]

The title may give it away, but these are stories of hurt (and traumatised) people hurting other people due to what's happened to them, and seeing how far it escalates. 4.5 / 5

It's mainly psychological horror here, but there is still plenty of action complete with blood and gore to please all kinds of horror fans, plus all of the stories move at a good pace to keep you wanting more. Additionally, all four stories are linked together, which adds backstory to the following story. This, for me, adds another layer to the collection and makes it enjoyable to read and better than a standard short story collection. I can't really say too much about the plot without spoilers so I'll just say it's well worth the read and I normally don't go for short story collections.

[L.M. Kaplin · Rating 5 out of 5]

When I heard Ben Young, Edmund Stone, Gage Greenwood, and Leigh Kenny got together for a collaborative book called Hurt People Hurt People, I knew I needed it right away. The concept alone is compelling. Trauma doesn’t stop when the story ends, it lingers and festers until it resurfaces like a wound that refuses to heal. What sets this book apart is not just the captivating stories, but the way they connect—a victim in one story becoming the antagonist of the next, creating a seamless chain reaction of horror.

I don’t have any triggers, but if I did, this book made me realize it would be medical horror. (Thanks Ben)

[Jen Ramsden · Rating 5 out of 5]

Is this four different stories, or one big story told by four different voices? However you look at it, this is a real in-depth look at how trauma can be passed through people, twisted and changed as individual lives are affected. All four authors are amazing storytellers, and their talent really shines through as you feel every moment of the terror and horror of these stories, and what the characters are put through, both with their traumatic events and how it continues to haunt their lives. This is an eye-opening book that really highlights how trauma begets trauma. More please!

[Sophie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I recieved this book as an arc for an honest review.
First off I absolutely LOVE the concept behind this book, that the people who have been hurt go on to hurt others. I loved following the butterfly effect of chaos from each persons pain and how they deal with it. Each story was heartbreaking or brutal and written very well, I have to say I particularly loved the last story as Charlie was a badass, very confused and troubled but badass nonetheless. 5 stars for this one, every author absolutely knocked it out of the park!!

[Liz Hargrove · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was honored to receive an ARC of this great collection. This hits the shelves on the 12th and you are not going to want to miss this. I loved each story and highly recommend this to everyone.
Four stories of different people dealing with trauma that are linked together. At what lengths will someone go to deal with their traumatic experiences? This is not a self help book and the title says it all.
Thank you Edmund Stone for letting me read this before it comes out. I absolutely loved it 🖤

[Leighah · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a clever way to do a book. To have different authors work together so that their stories are different, and yet they are also connected, which was brilliant. The way each story bleeds into the others is really well done. Each tale is horrific in its own way, and yet you still kind of agree with the bad guys. I seriously couldn't pick a favourite in this collection as they were all so different, which made them all a great read.

[Pages_Of_TheGrimRaven · Rating 5 out of 5]

I gotta say, even though this is a book on the smaller side, it hacked, slashed and cut deep dishing out so much mental torment and raw to the bone emotional and physical pain!

I thought this read to be unique, I really liked how each author wrote up their own part of the book, which all linked and came together as one story.
You don't often come across an interconnected short story book and this one was brilliantly executed, fierce, psychologically agonizing and brutal!