What do you think?
Rate this book
Unusual Occurrences
"A rising star in the genre" —Ronald Malfi, author of Senseless and Come With Me
"A vital part of this horror generation." —Brian Keene, author of Ghoul and The Rising
"Showcases a great writer AND the breadth of the genre." —Becky Spratford, RA for Horror
Glenn Rolfe's UNUSUAL OCCURENCES delivers chills, heartbreak, and small-town horror as only he can. This collection of dark stories— from a haunted coin ("Skull of Snakes") to murder mystery ("Abram's Bridge") to critters of all sorts ("Girl by Day" "Harry's Inevitable Extinction") to the author's personal take on his brother's passing ("The Rooster") and a Christmas story like something out of Natural Born Killers ("Welcome to Paradise")—will keep you turning the pages into the night, freaking you out one minute, and breaking your heart the next.
If you've not read Rolfe, this is one hell of an introduction!.
Track listing: 1. Out of Range 2. Abram's Bridge 3. The Fixer 4. Not Kansas Anymore 5. Skull of Snakes 6. Fire 7. Too Much of a Dead Thing 8. Harry's Inevitable Extinction 9. Halloween Worm 10. The Rooster 11. The House on Mayflower Street 12. Jackie Boy 13. Welcome to Paradise 14. Girl By Day 15. Boom Town
"A vital part of this horror generation." —Brian Keene, author of Ghoul and The Rising
"Showcases a great writer AND the breadth of the genre." —Becky Spratford, RA for Horror
Glenn Rolfe's UNUSUAL OCCURENCES delivers chills, heartbreak, and small-town horror as only he can. This collection of dark stories— from a haunted coin ("Skull of Snakes") to murder mystery ("Abram's Bridge") to critters of all sorts ("Girl by Day" "Harry's Inevitable Extinction") to the author's personal take on his brother's passing ("The Rooster") and a Christmas story like something out of Natural Born Killers ("Welcome to Paradise")—will keep you turning the pages into the night, freaking you out one minute, and breaking your heart the next.
If you've not read Rolfe, this is one hell of an introduction!.
Track listing: 1. Out of Range 2. Abram's Bridge 3. The Fixer 4. Not Kansas Anymore 5. Skull of Snakes 6. Fire 7. Too Much of a Dead Thing 8. Harry's Inevitable Extinction 9. Halloween Worm 10. The Rooster 11. The House on Mayflower Street 12. Jackie Boy 13. Welcome to Paradise 14. Girl By Day 15. Boom Town
- GenresHorrorShort Stories
340 pages, Kindle Edition
Published September 30, 2025
4 people are currently reading
77 people want to read
About the author
Glenn Rolfe
72 books629 followersGlenn Rolfe is a singer, songwriter, and author of over eighteen books. He has studied Creative Writing at Southern New Hampshire University, toured in a minivan with his punk rock friends, played the Hard Rock Cafe in Denver, hosted a radio show at Bates College, and dreams of surfing in the Pacific Ocean one day with his future pet goat.
He loves the books of Stephen King, Brian Keene, Ronald Malfi, Jack Ketchum, and Richard Laymon, the music of Bruce Springsteen, Oasis, Pre-Reputation Taylor Swift, Kiss, and Billy Joel, and soaking in the sun and eating pier fries at Old Orchard Beach.
His kids love him despite his weirdness, so who could ask for more?
He is hard at work on many more books and songs.
Stay tuned!
He is the author of When the Night Falls, Until Summer Comes Around, August's Eyes, Blood and Rain, The Window, and more. Stay tuned for his next thrilling Maine horror novel, The Siren of Groves Peak (2026)
Richard Chizmar, New York Times and USA Today Best Selling-Author of Gwendy’s Button Box, says of Rolfe’s Blood and Rain: “A wonderful throwback to the fun and bloody days of paperback horror glory!”
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 27 of 27 reviews
September 24, 2025
WOWZA! Gripping, chilling, dark, riveting, and horrific! Glenn Rolfe's Unusual Occurrences is a fantastic short story collection that delivers tales of horror ranging from vampires to the horrors only humans can deliver! With short story collections it is usually a mixed bag for me. I tend to enjoy some and don't care for others in short story collections. I enjoyed every single unique short story in this book!!!!! The horrors in this book come in all shapes and sizes with the stories being of various lengths. I loved the unease, the tension, the dread, and the darkness in the tales. Plus, none are too gory or scary so most readers will enjoy Unusual Occurrences.
Glenn Rolfe came on my radar when I read It Came From The Lake. That book had me wanting to read more of his books! I have been a fan of his writing ever since. Have you ever read an author and think 'I wish more people were reading this author's books' because their books are amazing? That is how I feel about Glenn Rolfe's books. This is the 6th book which I have read by Rolfe, and they have all been 4 to 5 star reads for me. I enjoy his writing, his plots, his small-town horror tales, and his fully fleshed out characters.
If you are looking for something in the horror genre, give Glenn Rolfe and this book a read! You can't go wrong! He is a great storyteller, and his books are bloody good! I highly recommend them!
Thank you to Victory Editing NetGalley Co-op and NetGalley who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All the thoughts and opinions are my own.
Read more of my reviews at www.openbookposts.com 📖
Glenn Rolfe came on my radar when I read It Came From The Lake. That book had me wanting to read more of his books! I have been a fan of his writing ever since. Have you ever read an author and think 'I wish more people were reading this author's books' because their books are amazing? That is how I feel about Glenn Rolfe's books. This is the 6th book which I have read by Rolfe, and they have all been 4 to 5 star reads for me. I enjoy his writing, his plots, his small-town horror tales, and his fully fleshed out characters.
If you are looking for something in the horror genre, give Glenn Rolfe and this book a read! You can't go wrong! He is a great storyteller, and his books are bloody good! I highly recommend them!
Thank you to Victory Editing NetGalley Co-op and NetGalley who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All the thoughts and opinions are my own.
Read more of my reviews at www.openbookposts.com 📖
October 5, 2025
Thank You Netgalley and Victory Editing Netgalley Co-op for an ARC of this book
So, I was never much of a short story consumer. Personally I had struggled to see the point. But this left me wondering what I've been missing out on all these years. It was just such a fun time and I loved the nostalgia these stories brought! This will teleport you back to the days of ghost stories around the campfire. Or Halloweens when people actually had to worry about razor blades in apples. An absolutely PERFECT addition to this year's spooky TBR!!
So, I was never much of a short story consumer. Personally I had struggled to see the point. But this left me wondering what I've been missing out on all these years. It was just such a fun time and I loved the nostalgia these stories brought! This will teleport you back to the days of ghost stories around the campfire. Or Halloweens when people actually had to worry about razor blades in apples. An absolutely PERFECT addition to this year's spooky TBR!!
October 20, 2025
As someone who loves and devours short story collections, especially the kind that deliver a great, chilling punch, I was eager to dive into ‘Unusual Occurrences.’
The good news is that the collection absolutely hits the mark in terms of atmosphere. There were certainly a few stories that managed to get under my skin and deliver that genuinely eerie feeling that leaves you covered in goosebumps. Hands down, Glenn has a real knack for setting a scene and instantly transporting you into a creepy, unsettling world. The general vibe is spot on.
However, having read some of this author's previous work, I struggled with the execution in places. While the spooky atmosphere initially draws you in, the stories had trouble sustaining that feeling for me. I think the issue lies mostly in the prose and the character dynamics. The dialogue often felt a bit too simple or superficial, lacking the complexity you'd expect in adult horror. Similarly, the writing style overall seemed to be missing a certain substance (or depth) that would make the characters feel like adults or real people and keep me fully immersed.
If you are looking for an easy to read collection with some good, creepy concepts and powerful mood setting, you’ll find a few gems here. But if you require rich, complex characterizations and highly polished dialogue to truly invest in a story, this collection might feel a little thin. It's an anthology with great potential and a good mood, but the writing style just didn't quite stick the landing for me personally.
Many, many thanks to Glenn Rolfe, Victory Editing, and NetGalley for the ARC. This is a voluntary review, reflecting solely my opinion.
The good news is that the collection absolutely hits the mark in terms of atmosphere. There were certainly a few stories that managed to get under my skin and deliver that genuinely eerie feeling that leaves you covered in goosebumps. Hands down, Glenn has a real knack for setting a scene and instantly transporting you into a creepy, unsettling world. The general vibe is spot on.
However, having read some of this author's previous work, I struggled with the execution in places. While the spooky atmosphere initially draws you in, the stories had trouble sustaining that feeling for me. I think the issue lies mostly in the prose and the character dynamics. The dialogue often felt a bit too simple or superficial, lacking the complexity you'd expect in adult horror. Similarly, the writing style overall seemed to be missing a certain substance (or depth) that would make the characters feel like adults or real people and keep me fully immersed.
If you are looking for an easy to read collection with some good, creepy concepts and powerful mood setting, you’ll find a few gems here. But if you require rich, complex characterizations and highly polished dialogue to truly invest in a story, this collection might feel a little thin. It's an anthology with great potential and a good mood, but the writing style just didn't quite stick the landing for me personally.
Many, many thanks to Glenn Rolfe, Victory Editing, and NetGalley for the ARC. This is a voluntary review, reflecting solely my opinion.
November 3, 2025
This one was already published in September. Yes, I'm that far behind.
I love short horror stories —you are probably tired of hearing me say that, but I just can't get enough of them. I am so glad I chose Unusual Occurrences for my first read of the month.
Within the first sentence or two at the start of each story, I was instantly engaged and eager for more. That is a most impressive skill that not all possess, to be able to come up with that perfect sentence that a reader can't walk away from.
These stories have been previously published before being collected here, but I had only read one of them in the past. It still packed a punch for me as a reread, and that is rare. Most stories were new to me, and I enjoyed every single one of them.
Glenn Rolfe has a gift for hooking the reader immediately as he weaves tales of vampires, ghosts, aliens, UFOs, and more in this excellent collection of dark fiction that delivers shivery chills one minute and a heart-breaking gut punch the next.
I love short horror stories —you are probably tired of hearing me say that, but I just can't get enough of them. I am so glad I chose Unusual Occurrences for my first read of the month.
Within the first sentence or two at the start of each story, I was instantly engaged and eager for more. That is a most impressive skill that not all possess, to be able to come up with that perfect sentence that a reader can't walk away from.
These stories have been previously published before being collected here, but I had only read one of them in the past. It still packed a punch for me as a reread, and that is rare. Most stories were new to me, and I enjoyed every single one of them.
Glenn Rolfe has a gift for hooking the reader immediately as he weaves tales of vampires, ghosts, aliens, UFOs, and more in this excellent collection of dark fiction that delivers shivery chills one minute and a heart-breaking gut punch the next.
December 5, 2025
4.25/5 stars.
Admittedly, I don't read short stories too often. I normally end up wishing that the stories lasted longer and sometimes it's a gamble between stories.
Generally, I actually really enjoyed most of these ones. There were a couple that I found I didn't care for as much but I don't think any of the stories were bad or poorly written. Even the stories that I didn't love as much, I still found myself enjoying. On the flip side, there were a handful that I really loved and honestly wanted more of! I think my favorite was "Welcome to Paradise" and I could've read a whole book about this one.
This was the first book that I've read by Glenn Rolfe and I was pretty impressed by the writing and tone that he developed. This book made me curious enough to check out some of his other works (that I'll hopefully get around to reading soon). Even though some of these stories were pretty dark, they didn't feel heavy to me. They still felt easy to read, if that makes any sense at all.
I think if you're a fan of horror short stories, you will definitely enjoy this one. Even if you're like me and you don't normally read short stories, I still think this book has something to offer to you and it deserves a chance!
Thank you to NetGalley and the author for the ARC. All opinions are my own!
Admittedly, I don't read short stories too often. I normally end up wishing that the stories lasted longer and sometimes it's a gamble between stories.
Generally, I actually really enjoyed most of these ones. There were a couple that I found I didn't care for as much but I don't think any of the stories were bad or poorly written. Even the stories that I didn't love as much, I still found myself enjoying. On the flip side, there were a handful that I really loved and honestly wanted more of! I think my favorite was "Welcome to Paradise" and I could've read a whole book about this one.
This was the first book that I've read by Glenn Rolfe and I was pretty impressed by the writing and tone that he developed. This book made me curious enough to check out some of his other works (that I'll hopefully get around to reading soon). Even though some of these stories were pretty dark, they didn't feel heavy to me. They still felt easy to read, if that makes any sense at all.
I think if you're a fan of horror short stories, you will definitely enjoy this one. Even if you're like me and you don't normally read short stories, I still think this book has something to offer to you and it deserves a chance!
Thank you to NetGalley and the author for the ARC. All opinions are my own!
September 30, 2025
I've said it repeatedly: I love short horror stories - and this is precisely why! Every one of the fifteen tales in Glenn Rolfe's collection is tightly plotted, fast-paced, and totally engrossing! The stories are long, rich, and dark, but also heavy on raw emotion and chockfull of delightfully eerie moments of creepiness. It's simply amazing how Rolfe manages again and again to pack an entire novel's horror into a short story! The style is reminiscent of Lansdale and early King, the themes covering aliens, vampires, ghosts, haunted houses, and cursed objects. I read the book in a day's time, eager to dive into another thrilling display of Rolfe's storytelling!
Four stories are worth expanding on a bit more. "Out of Range," the opening story, was, just, holy, what a bleak alien invasion story! It never actually crosses into sci-fi territory, limiting itself to mentioning a signal from space after which the internet no longer works, and it's written as a post-apocalyptic, dystopian tale of a family waiting for the end, with some twists on the way. The following story, "Abram's Bridge," in lesser hands would have been turned into a novel, perhaps even romance; Rolfe cuts all the fluff and ends up with a riveting ghost story of revenge, abuse, and teenage boys playing detectives. The cast is larger than usual for a story of this size, but every little detail counts. The end is incredibly satisfying. "Skull of Snakes," the fifth story, revolves around a cursed coin found by a kid in 1989. Rolfe's attention to detail in this one is simply astounding, not to mention the late 80s feel, the gritty dialogue, and the young male friendship atmosphere. Finally, "Jackie Boy," about a mother's love for her son, and her son being a disgusting pervert (though of the non-sexual sort), is an unsettling feat of brilliant characterization. Special mention should be made of "The Rooster," of which I'm unsure whether it's fiction: told in first-person, it recounts the narrator's loss of his brother to cancer. Devastating.
I highly recommend the collection, it pulls you in and doesn't let go till the end!
Four stories are worth expanding on a bit more. "Out of Range," the opening story, was, just, holy, what a bleak alien invasion story! It never actually crosses into sci-fi territory, limiting itself to mentioning a signal from space after which the internet no longer works, and it's written as a post-apocalyptic, dystopian tale of a family waiting for the end, with some twists on the way. The following story, "Abram's Bridge," in lesser hands would have been turned into a novel, perhaps even romance; Rolfe cuts all the fluff and ends up with a riveting ghost story of revenge, abuse, and teenage boys playing detectives. The cast is larger than usual for a story of this size, but every little detail counts. The end is incredibly satisfying. "Skull of Snakes," the fifth story, revolves around a cursed coin found by a kid in 1989. Rolfe's attention to detail in this one is simply astounding, not to mention the late 80s feel, the gritty dialogue, and the young male friendship atmosphere. Finally, "Jackie Boy," about a mother's love for her son, and her son being a disgusting pervert (though of the non-sexual sort), is an unsettling feat of brilliant characterization. Special mention should be made of "The Rooster," of which I'm unsure whether it's fiction: told in first-person, it recounts the narrator's loss of his brother to cancer. Devastating.
I highly recommend the collection, it pulls you in and doesn't let go till the end!
September 17, 2025
Unusual Occurrences is a collection of fifteen short horror stories that span an impressive range of subgenres, from aliens and vampires to zombies to the horrors of human nature, etc. The variety makes the book exciting to read because there truly is something for everyone.
What impressed me most was how quickly each story pulls you in. Even the shortest pieces feel complete and effective, with twists that are often completely unpredictable. The writing is sharp, engaging, and keeps the tension high throughout the collection.
This is the kind of book you can pick up for a quick read and still come away feeling fully immersed. A strong, well-crafted anthology that horror fans will definitely enjoy.
What impressed me most was how quickly each story pulls you in. Even the shortest pieces feel complete and effective, with twists that are often completely unpredictable. The writing is sharp, engaging, and keeps the tension high throughout the collection.
This is the kind of book you can pick up for a quick read and still come away feeling fully immersed. A strong, well-crafted anthology that horror fans will definitely enjoy.
November 25, 2025
I love horror short stories and this was a really solid collection! I thought the writing was strong and I found myself becoming totally immersed in the stories.
My personal favorite was The House on Mayflower Street. You take a house that’s rumored to be haunted and add in a host of creepy dolls - what’s not to love?
Overall I really enjoyed this, and can’t wait to read more from this author!
My personal favorite was The House on Mayflower Street. You take a house that’s rumored to be haunted and add in a host of creepy dolls - what’s not to love?
Overall I really enjoyed this, and can’t wait to read more from this author!
October 7, 2025
Thanks to Glenn Rolfe for this short story collection of true horror. I feel like I never know what to expect with short story collections, as it’s not my usual go to, but these surpassed my expectations. They’re gruesome and scary and I really liked the varying lengths of stories. Some were short but sweet, some were just lengthy enough to feel like a full book. All were intriguing and kept your attention. Very impressed and definitely looking to read more from this author!
September 24, 2025
A tightly written collection that encompasses Glenn's vision of horror. Weird and wild at times. Brutal and heartfelt. He's got it all going on. Not a single dud here. Not only did I enjoy not knowing what was coming next, but the varying lengths of the stories really worked, too. I feel like a lot of thought has gone into their placement. Definitely a great place to start if you are knew to Glenn's work.
Easy five stars.
Easy five stars.
November 17, 2025
✨👻🧟🏚️𝕭𝖔𝖔𝖐 𝕽𝖊𝖛𝖎𝖊𝖜🏚️🧟👻✨
Unusual Occurrences by Glenn Rolfe is a collection of dark stories about aliens and ghosts and nature and monsters of all sorts. Though the topics are speculative or supernatural, the characters and themes like family, grief, and fear are relatable, the language was casual, like a friend - probably wearing a band tee - telling a story, and the collection was overall a fun read.
The stories and my brief commentary:
Out of Range: This is why I still collect DVDs and physical books.
Abram’s Bridge: If he is Li’l Ron and his grandpa is Big Ron, is his dad Medium Ron? No. It’s Greg.
The Fixer: I love anything with a Monkey’s Paw/Pet Sematary vibe.
Not Kansas Anymore: Baaaa-aaaa-t! (In Matt Berry voice)
Skull of Snakes: I like folklore but don’t love the Native American curse of it all
Fire: Tough choices are tough.
Too Much of a Dead Thing: Every LARPer and every tabletop gamer mentioning anything gets that question. “Like Dungeons & Dragons?”
Harry’s Inevitable Extinction: This is why we choose the bear.
Halloween Worm: That’s one introspective bully. “I got no real friends.”
The Rooster: Fuck cancer.
The House on Mayflower Street: How do the creepy dolls always get you?
Jackie Boy: That escalated quickly.
Welcome to Paradise: I didn’t know Bob Ross did any boat paintings.
Girl by Day: Creature by night. Aren’t we all?
Boom Town: I don’t know if it’s the mentions of Stephen King or if my brain would have done it anyway, but even though it’s not the same thing, I can’t stop thinking about the section in The Stand where King describes in a few sentences or paragraphs what’s happening to various (non-main character) people around the country. No great loss.
Thank you to NetGalley, the author, and the Victory Editing NetGalley Co-op for the review copy for my unbiased opinion.
October 9, 2025
This is a collection of 15 stories all ranging from monsters, paranormal, Armageddon, alien invasion, cannibalism, and other horrific tales. Some of these had me holding my breath as I read. Others I found myself with my hand over my mouth in shock. Here are a few of my favorites.
“Abram’s Bridge” is a story about a boy who befriends a girl who frequents the local bridge. in time they grow to know each other and share dark secrets that have been hushed for years.
“The Fixer” had me holding my breath as the suspense grew throughout the story. A married couple has lost a son and become shattered being in their everyday life. The father meets someone who says he can bring his son back, but what price will he have to pay?
“Too Much of a Dead Thing” is a harrowing story about survival. Gary and his friends are doing their best to avoid being eaten by some monstrous zombie like creatures. What’s causing it? Alien mutations…a virus…government experiments?
“Harry’s Inevitable Extinction” was a comedic story about Harry being given a job. Half payment up front, but is that enough for what he’s about to encounter?
“The Rooster” is a personal reflection by the author regarding the battle his brother had with cancer. This story for me was deeply moving and a beautiful tribute to his brother and the time they had together til the very end.
“The House on Mayflower Street” is a creepy story about two kids who decide to explore an abandoned house. What they don’t know is…it’s not really abandoned! This story freaked me out and is definitely an example why I don’t like macabre toys!
“Girl by Day” is a captivating tale of a girl and her fascination with meat. But something strange always happens in this small town on the nights when there is a full moon!
All of these stories were really well written, but those mentioned above were my absolute favorites! I even caught myself mouthing “wow” a few times while reading. I loved this collection and I think you will too! Go grab it now!!
“Abram’s Bridge” is a story about a boy who befriends a girl who frequents the local bridge. in time they grow to know each other and share dark secrets that have been hushed for years.
“The Fixer” had me holding my breath as the suspense grew throughout the story. A married couple has lost a son and become shattered being in their everyday life. The father meets someone who says he can bring his son back, but what price will he have to pay?
“Too Much of a Dead Thing” is a harrowing story about survival. Gary and his friends are doing their best to avoid being eaten by some monstrous zombie like creatures. What’s causing it? Alien mutations…a virus…government experiments?
“Harry’s Inevitable Extinction” was a comedic story about Harry being given a job. Half payment up front, but is that enough for what he’s about to encounter?
“The Rooster” is a personal reflection by the author regarding the battle his brother had with cancer. This story for me was deeply moving and a beautiful tribute to his brother and the time they had together til the very end.
“The House on Mayflower Street” is a creepy story about two kids who decide to explore an abandoned house. What they don’t know is…it’s not really abandoned! This story freaked me out and is definitely an example why I don’t like macabre toys!
“Girl by Day” is a captivating tale of a girl and her fascination with meat. But something strange always happens in this small town on the nights when there is a full moon!
All of these stories were really well written, but those mentioned above were my absolute favorites! I even caught myself mouthing “wow” a few times while reading. I loved this collection and I think you will too! Go grab it now!!
October 26, 2025
Each of these 15 stories were unique and fun. I think if I had to choose, the first one is still my favorite. It’ was a great pick for an opening for a collection of short stories.
The author did a great job of describing the settings and drawing you in. Another thing I really liked is the titles of the stories. They really make you intrigued about what is to come.
A solid collection of short stories and I look forward to reading more.
The author did a great job of describing the settings and drawing you in. Another thing I really liked is the titles of the stories. They really make you intrigued about what is to come.
A solid collection of short stories and I look forward to reading more.
October 2, 2025
1.5 out of 5
I was so excited when I was approached by this author to review his book. I’ve not read short horror stories before but I love horror and spend far too many of my nights on the No Sleep subreddit. It seemed like the perfect opportunity and author to use as a gateway into short horror. Part of me feels as if I am losing my mind seeing all of these 4 and 5 star reviews because while the potential was there, as were the ideas/plots (minus The Thing rip off), the book was riddled with inconsistencies and grammatical errors. To the point that it confused the character’s actions, who was where and when, what was happening, how there was such an extreme jump in setting, and more.
A lot of the stories had plots that I could see really going somewhere. Most of them had incredible potential in my opinion. But too many of them fell short. Either they moved too fast without enough substance, or they dragged on too long for description sake and didn’t have a true horror, or even thriller, plot.
Glenn Rolfe attacked so many different horror genres. He focused heavily on creature features which is my absolute favorite, but there was also crime, cannibalism, aliens, and ghosts.
There was a lot of negatives for me as a reader. Pop culture references are used liberally. Fortunately I was able to understand most of the music ones though they were still heavily over done. I keep notes during books I review and it go to the point that I kept a score during each story for how many music and movie references there were.
Unfortunately I did not relate or understand most of the movie references. I believe this creates audience limitations because a handful of references to help set the tone can be an incredible tool and create a bond between author and reader. However, in this instance they were extremely overused and relied on to set a tone that most will not understand or absorb. They were relied on heavily and began to feel like a personal nostalgia outlet for the author rather than a writing tool to reach the reader.
The grammar errors were far too common. I marked up this book like I was back in my thesis course editing my first twelve drafts. Multiple words were spelled wrong, so many random nouns were capitalized that were not proper nouns, the first letter of a sentence wasn’t capitalized, quotation marks where it was obviously not a character speaking or noting a direct thought, and more.
Some examples:
“Besides, whose gonna go for help if something happens to you?”
- ‘Who’s’ should have been used instead as it is a contraction of ‘who is.’
“Pales of syrup.”
- Should be ‘pails’ of syrup.
“It was like the Incredible Hulk but bigger and harrier.”
- ‘Harrier’ is a noun and only a noun.
“Her bedroom was a clean.”
“I locked her path.”
- Rather than I “blocked” her path.
“Come one, it’s not morning yet.”
- Come ON.
There were inconsistencies in certain stories that made it difficult to engage with the characters and plot. In Too Much of a Dead Thing, the main character nick names his shotgun “Shelley” but then later refers to it as “Sally.” The same character is camped out in the woods, he notes that he has been there for four days. A few sentences later he remarks that he has been there for a week and a half. And then when he tells another character how long he’s been there, he says four days again.
The book was overly descriptive which corrupted a lot of the plot. Focus was drawn from the story itself and overly attempting to set a scene and tone. This was very distracting and came across as unnatural because of how aggressive and awkward the descriptions were. Most nouns, regardless of how many were in a sentence, had an adjective and on top of it, there was almost always one simile. When describing a character who got scared and held their breath it was described as, “withholding nature’s breath.”
Additional examples that were too much for me:
“Her blue eyes - hypnotic and desperate - were much louder. They radiated a beautiful sadness, hanging on like a pit bull gone bad.”
“He was grateful for the absence of maple trees and the crispy eggshells they delivered to the earth at this time of year.”
The inconsistencies in writing such as randomly capitalizing some nouns, spelling of certain slang, writing of different pop culture references.
- In some stories “maple” and “oaks” would be capitalized but not every time.
- One character referred to another as “The Kid.” As in “Billy the Kid.” Except “kid” wasn’t capitalized every time; yes I ensured it was being used as a reference/nickname and not just referring to him as the kid as a descriptor.
- “Goddamn” and “goddam” were both used, often within the same story.
There were too many incomplete sentences.
“The Hmong religion told of each person having as many as seven souls. Each one - “
- And then a scene shift took place. It wasn’t an internal thought cut off by suddenly conflict. It just abruptly ended as an unfinished thought.
“Harry didn’t want this job - he wasn’t animal control or a Van Helsing -, but the rent wasn’t turning tricks or running a hot dog stand.”
- Rent doesn’t usually work to pay itself..tenants do.
I only pulled a few quotes and examples for each category I critiqued. There were so many more in each story which made them difficult for me to navigate. I saw so much potential in the plot of the stories but unfortunately their focus was purely on the nostalgia of rock music, wrestle mania, and small town vibes. More time was spent listing store and restaurant names that a kid rode past on his bike than introducing characters and giving them depth so the reader could relate to them, fear for them, cheer for them, and mourn them.
This book read as a first draft with the amount of errors and unending similes to describe a scene to death. The spirit was there but this book read for the author, not the reader. It is too limited for an audience.
Publisher: Alien Agenda
Copy Provider: NetGalley
Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with an early reader’s copy. I’m still concerned I received an early draft that is not the final published product.
I was so excited when I was approached by this author to review his book. I’ve not read short horror stories before but I love horror and spend far too many of my nights on the No Sleep subreddit. It seemed like the perfect opportunity and author to use as a gateway into short horror. Part of me feels as if I am losing my mind seeing all of these 4 and 5 star reviews because while the potential was there, as were the ideas/plots (minus The Thing rip off), the book was riddled with inconsistencies and grammatical errors. To the point that it confused the character’s actions, who was where and when, what was happening, how there was such an extreme jump in setting, and more.
A lot of the stories had plots that I could see really going somewhere. Most of them had incredible potential in my opinion. But too many of them fell short. Either they moved too fast without enough substance, or they dragged on too long for description sake and didn’t have a true horror, or even thriller, plot.
Glenn Rolfe attacked so many different horror genres. He focused heavily on creature features which is my absolute favorite, but there was also crime, cannibalism, aliens, and ghosts.
There was a lot of negatives for me as a reader. Pop culture references are used liberally. Fortunately I was able to understand most of the music ones though they were still heavily over done. I keep notes during books I review and it go to the point that I kept a score during each story for how many music and movie references there were.
Unfortunately I did not relate or understand most of the movie references. I believe this creates audience limitations because a handful of references to help set the tone can be an incredible tool and create a bond between author and reader. However, in this instance they were extremely overused and relied on to set a tone that most will not understand or absorb. They were relied on heavily and began to feel like a personal nostalgia outlet for the author rather than a writing tool to reach the reader.
The grammar errors were far too common. I marked up this book like I was back in my thesis course editing my first twelve drafts. Multiple words were spelled wrong, so many random nouns were capitalized that were not proper nouns, the first letter of a sentence wasn’t capitalized, quotation marks where it was obviously not a character speaking or noting a direct thought, and more.
Some examples:
“Besides, whose gonna go for help if something happens to you?”
- ‘Who’s’ should have been used instead as it is a contraction of ‘who is.’
“Pales of syrup.”
- Should be ‘pails’ of syrup.
“It was like the Incredible Hulk but bigger and harrier.”
- ‘Harrier’ is a noun and only a noun.
“Her bedroom was a clean.”
“I locked her path.”
- Rather than I “blocked” her path.
“Come one, it’s not morning yet.”
- Come ON.
There were inconsistencies in certain stories that made it difficult to engage with the characters and plot. In Too Much of a Dead Thing, the main character nick names his shotgun “Shelley” but then later refers to it as “Sally.” The same character is camped out in the woods, he notes that he has been there for four days. A few sentences later he remarks that he has been there for a week and a half. And then when he tells another character how long he’s been there, he says four days again.
The book was overly descriptive which corrupted a lot of the plot. Focus was drawn from the story itself and overly attempting to set a scene and tone. This was very distracting and came across as unnatural because of how aggressive and awkward the descriptions were. Most nouns, regardless of how many were in a sentence, had an adjective and on top of it, there was almost always one simile. When describing a character who got scared and held their breath it was described as, “withholding nature’s breath.”
Additional examples that were too much for me:
“Her blue eyes - hypnotic and desperate - were much louder. They radiated a beautiful sadness, hanging on like a pit bull gone bad.”
“He was grateful for the absence of maple trees and the crispy eggshells they delivered to the earth at this time of year.”
The inconsistencies in writing such as randomly capitalizing some nouns, spelling of certain slang, writing of different pop culture references.
- In some stories “maple” and “oaks” would be capitalized but not every time.
- One character referred to another as “The Kid.” As in “Billy the Kid.” Except “kid” wasn’t capitalized every time; yes I ensured it was being used as a reference/nickname and not just referring to him as the kid as a descriptor.
- “Goddamn” and “goddam” were both used, often within the same story.
There were too many incomplete sentences.
“The Hmong religion told of each person having as many as seven souls. Each one - “
- And then a scene shift took place. It wasn’t an internal thought cut off by suddenly conflict. It just abruptly ended as an unfinished thought.
“Harry didn’t want this job - he wasn’t animal control or a Van Helsing -, but the rent wasn’t turning tricks or running a hot dog stand.”
- Rent doesn’t usually work to pay itself..tenants do.
I only pulled a few quotes and examples for each category I critiqued. There were so many more in each story which made them difficult for me to navigate. I saw so much potential in the plot of the stories but unfortunately their focus was purely on the nostalgia of rock music, wrestle mania, and small town vibes. More time was spent listing store and restaurant names that a kid rode past on his bike than introducing characters and giving them depth so the reader could relate to them, fear for them, cheer for them, and mourn them.
This book read as a first draft with the amount of errors and unending similes to describe a scene to death. The spirit was there but this book read for the author, not the reader. It is too limited for an audience.
Publisher: Alien Agenda
Copy Provider: NetGalley
Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with an early reader’s copy. I’m still concerned I received an early draft that is not the final published product.
October 1, 2025
ARC provided by the author in exchange for an honest review
Unusual Occurrences by Glenn Rolfe is exactly what the title promises—a wild, bloody, and often bizarre ride through a collection of horror short stories. This anthology has a little something for every fan of the genre: zombies, vampires, werewolves, aliens, cannibals, and yes—even horny serial killers. If you like your horror unfiltered and unpredictable, you’re in for a treat.
Rolfe does a great job of pulling the reader into each twisted tale, and for the most part, the stories are fast-paced, entertaining, and packed with macabre energy. My personal favorite was Too Much of a Dead Thing, a fresh (and grotesquely fun) take on the zombie apocalypse that stood out in both tone and execution.
That said, not every story hit the mark for me. A few felt more like rough drafts or unfinished concepts, and they didn’t quite carry the same weight or polish as the stronger entries. Some stories felt a bit out of place tonally, which disrupted the overall flow of the collection.
Still, if you're a fan of horror anthologies and enjoy variety in your scares—especially the supernatural and the downright weird—Unusual Occurrences is worth a read. It’s clear Rolfe is having a blast here, and for the most part, I did too.
Unusual Occurrences by Glenn Rolfe is exactly what the title promises—a wild, bloody, and often bizarre ride through a collection of horror short stories. This anthology has a little something for every fan of the genre: zombies, vampires, werewolves, aliens, cannibals, and yes—even horny serial killers. If you like your horror unfiltered and unpredictable, you’re in for a treat.
Rolfe does a great job of pulling the reader into each twisted tale, and for the most part, the stories are fast-paced, entertaining, and packed with macabre energy. My personal favorite was Too Much of a Dead Thing, a fresh (and grotesquely fun) take on the zombie apocalypse that stood out in both tone and execution.
That said, not every story hit the mark for me. A few felt more like rough drafts or unfinished concepts, and they didn’t quite carry the same weight or polish as the stronger entries. Some stories felt a bit out of place tonally, which disrupted the overall flow of the collection.
Still, if you're a fan of horror anthologies and enjoy variety in your scares—especially the supernatural and the downright weird—Unusual Occurrences is worth a read. It’s clear Rolfe is having a blast here, and for the most part, I did too.
October 7, 2025
A collection of dark stories. I am not usually one who reads short stories but I why not a few horror treats, tis the season after all. This is my first experience with Glenn Rolfe work, but it will not be my last. If an author can catch my attention with a story that’s less then 50 pages I will definitely take notice.
What I definitely appreciated was the authors slow building creepiness and at the same time providing instant discomfort which was thrilling. Lets be honest that is a hard thing to balance without one of them feeling neglected or lacking. Some stories like “The Fixer,” though short had a deep impact that had me pensive even now. How dare you make me make me ponder ethics while at the same time creeping me out.
I will admit not all the stories were up my alley of course but some are so well done I wish they were longer. Some stories, like “Abraham’s Bridge”, “Skull of Snakes”, “The House on Mayflower Street” and “Too Much of A Dead Thing.” Rolfe’s writing is well done and paints such a vivid atmosphere. In fact I even felt nauseous eating one of them and that is rare for me.
Overall some stories are stronger then others but well worth the read. iIt also introduced me to a new to me authors work.
What I definitely appreciated was the authors slow building creepiness and at the same time providing instant discomfort which was thrilling. Lets be honest that is a hard thing to balance without one of them feeling neglected or lacking. Some stories like “The Fixer,” though short had a deep impact that had me pensive even now. How dare you make me make me ponder ethics while at the same time creeping me out.
I will admit not all the stories were up my alley of course but some are so well done I wish they were longer. Some stories, like “Abraham’s Bridge”, “Skull of Snakes”, “The House on Mayflower Street” and “Too Much of A Dead Thing.” Rolfe’s writing is well done and paints such a vivid atmosphere. In fact I even felt nauseous eating one of them and that is rare for me.
Overall some stories are stronger then others but well worth the read. iIt also introduced me to a new to me authors work.
November 21, 2025
Unusual Occurrences by Glenn Rolfe is a killer collection of tales that will draw you right into each town like you were a resident yourself, whether you like it or not!
I feel like I've said that about some of Glenn's work before... :)
My gosh, Glenn has such a unique way of making small-town horror tales jump right off the page! Horror fans, you're in for a treat with this one!
Check out my full review here: https://www.ericarobynreads.com/unusu...
I feel like I've said that about some of Glenn's work before... :)
My gosh, Glenn has such a unique way of making small-town horror tales jump right off the page! Horror fans, you're in for a treat with this one!
Check out my full review here: https://www.ericarobynreads.com/unusu...
October 7, 2025
I absolutely love a good horror short short selection and this one was fantastic. We start off with a banger in Out of Range. Way to capture my interest quickly and keep the hits coming. The Fixer, Skull of Snakes and House on Mayflower Street were perfection, short but impactful. Fun read. I’ll have to check out more from this author.
September 30, 2025
A very good collection of short stories that vary but all are good do for that readon I can't pick a favourite. I wouldn't hesitate to recommend this book. Thanks to Victory ARC editing and Netgalley for this review copy.
October 24, 2025
Shout out to NetGalley & Glenn for getting me this title in exchange for my review!
A fantastic collection of short stories that range from the super unsettling scary to the simply emotional. I think Glenn has a lot of promise on these, each story felt as though it were a morsel to be saved & I found myself taking my time while reading through everything. I thought each story was mapped out well enough that there didn't need to be anything extra, even some I wish there had been more to go on with. I'm interested to see how this talent continues to grow with each volume of writing & I want to give the author a shout out for putting it on my radar in the first place! An unexpected but very pleasant surprise.
A fantastic collection of short stories that range from the super unsettling scary to the simply emotional. I think Glenn has a lot of promise on these, each story felt as though it were a morsel to be saved & I found myself taking my time while reading through everything. I thought each story was mapped out well enough that there didn't need to be anything extra, even some I wish there had been more to go on with. I'm interested to see how this talent continues to grow with each volume of writing & I want to give the author a shout out for putting it on my radar in the first place! An unexpected but very pleasant surprise.
October 28, 2025
I am going to lead with saying that I adore short horror stories. They have the capacity to be terrifying, by merely fleshing out an idea. Some ideas need more to be frightening, others excel in simplicity.
There are some good ideas throughout Unusual Occurrences - and these ideas might have been better fleshed out as a long story. There were spelling and grammar errors throughout, but I believe that the ARC I read was an unedited version of the book. But, even looking beyond that, I don't think the prose really hit for me.
Scenes can get muddy when it comes to action, and it makes it hard to follow what is going on. Pop culture references are scattered throughout, which isn't necessarily a bad thing, but might not work for some.
Cheers for Glenn and his release - I see a lot of potential, but it overall did not work for me.
Thanks for an eARC in exchange for an honest review.
There are some good ideas throughout Unusual Occurrences - and these ideas might have been better fleshed out as a long story. There were spelling and grammar errors throughout, but I believe that the ARC I read was an unedited version of the book. But, even looking beyond that, I don't think the prose really hit for me.
Scenes can get muddy when it comes to action, and it makes it hard to follow what is going on. Pop culture references are scattered throughout, which isn't necessarily a bad thing, but might not work for some.
Cheers for Glenn and his release - I see a lot of potential, but it overall did not work for me.
Thanks for an eARC in exchange for an honest review.
September 26, 2025
Unusual Occurrences by Glenn Rolfe
5 🔮🔮🔮🔮🔮 orbs
Est. Pub. Date: Sept 30, 2025
⚠️ A collection of horror stories with some triggers, such as gore, body horror, and violence. ⚠️ Warning: Reader discretion is advised. ⚠️
💡 Orbs Prologue: I calmly sat back in my chair, rocking ever so gently to appease my anxiety-ridden mind. The box sat before me. Bean Boozled, it said. Innocent enough, lying in wait, the bold, colorful box was tempting my love of a good jelly bean. Directions seem simple enough: spin the wheel and grab a piece. Much like this collection of horror stories, I wasn’t quite sure what to expect. I reached down to inspect a medium-dark orange sphere with red freckles. As my teeth broke through the sugary coat, I slowly transferred the innards to my tongue in a meditative slowness. What type of repugnant game was this? Vileness entered my esophagus, simultaneously alerting all my senses to the permanent brain damage this candy might inflict. However, I am no quitter, and there is something quite addictive about conquering this game. I was determined to pull the tasty peach sphere hiding stealthily within the nest of nastiness.
👍 Orbs Pros: In my relatable experience of being beanboozled, I attacked this collection of stories written by Glenn Rolfe. A fascinating cluster of stories, chock-full of variety and sure to please lovers of the horror genre. The strength lies in Rolfe’s prose, which, while scary to say the least, is extremely readable and highly enjoyable. I was amazed how one story flowed seamlessly to the next, with each tale carving out a new little slice of horrific pie. Teenage love gone wrong, sci-fi horror elements, dolls gone mad, rat eating…yes, rat eating, you read that right! With fifteen stories at hand, there were sure to be some clunkers, yet perhaps the biggest pro of all is that there wasn't a dud among them all. Hence, why I feel justified in giving it such a tremendous score.
👎 Orbs Cons: Being nitpicky, I have to say the cover art doesn’t do this book justice. The writing is brilliant, and as such, I want that art to scream, “You need to read me, or else.”
🔩 Nuts & Bolts, Memorable Stories:
Abram’s Bridge —Little Ron Sawyer has a fixation with what lives under the bridge.
The Fixer —God killed Kyle; a father’s solution to the death of his child becomes complicated.
The House on Mayflower Street —What’s in the house? A chilling doll story!
Jackie Boy —That’s one way to solve a rat problem.
Boom Town —In the town of Eckert, the resonating booms are heard, but why?
Should not be missed; Highly recommended!
💡 Orbs Epilogue: No whammies, no whammies, STOP! I plucked the second bean from the pile. C’mon, pomegranate! I twirled the red jelly bean with dark and light spots between my fingers. Without hesitation, I threw the candy in my mouth. Did I taste embalming fluid? Why would I know what that tastes like? Cloth and a strange medicinal flavor hit my palate in droves. Oh my, this was bad; foulness lingering—dry heaving. I moved to the kitchen sink and lapped up as much water from the faucet as humanly possible. Where is the prize? Where are the sweet tastes I desire? I plucked my last and final sphere from the bowl: my favorite buttery popcorn within reach. Grabbing the white bean with yellow speckles, I fully expected the worst. I was conditioned at this point to catastrophize my experience. Rotten egg? No, not rotten egg… The flavor hit my taste buds: melted butter and popcorn!
You may ask, "Why, Orb, are you telling us this story?" Like this collection, when one travels down a road of misery, you still come away a winner in the end, left with a satisfying taste in your mouth!
Many thanks to Victory Editing NetGalley Co-op for the ARC through NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.
5 🔮🔮🔮🔮🔮 orbs
Est. Pub. Date: Sept 30, 2025
⚠️ A collection of horror stories with some triggers, such as gore, body horror, and violence. ⚠️ Warning: Reader discretion is advised. ⚠️
💡 Orbs Prologue: I calmly sat back in my chair, rocking ever so gently to appease my anxiety-ridden mind. The box sat before me. Bean Boozled, it said. Innocent enough, lying in wait, the bold, colorful box was tempting my love of a good jelly bean. Directions seem simple enough: spin the wheel and grab a piece. Much like this collection of horror stories, I wasn’t quite sure what to expect. I reached down to inspect a medium-dark orange sphere with red freckles. As my teeth broke through the sugary coat, I slowly transferred the innards to my tongue in a meditative slowness. What type of repugnant game was this? Vileness entered my esophagus, simultaneously alerting all my senses to the permanent brain damage this candy might inflict. However, I am no quitter, and there is something quite addictive about conquering this game. I was determined to pull the tasty peach sphere hiding stealthily within the nest of nastiness.
👍 Orbs Pros: In my relatable experience of being beanboozled, I attacked this collection of stories written by Glenn Rolfe. A fascinating cluster of stories, chock-full of variety and sure to please lovers of the horror genre. The strength lies in Rolfe’s prose, which, while scary to say the least, is extremely readable and highly enjoyable. I was amazed how one story flowed seamlessly to the next, with each tale carving out a new little slice of horrific pie. Teenage love gone wrong, sci-fi horror elements, dolls gone mad, rat eating…yes, rat eating, you read that right! With fifteen stories at hand, there were sure to be some clunkers, yet perhaps the biggest pro of all is that there wasn't a dud among them all. Hence, why I feel justified in giving it such a tremendous score.
👎 Orbs Cons: Being nitpicky, I have to say the cover art doesn’t do this book justice. The writing is brilliant, and as such, I want that art to scream, “You need to read me, or else.”
🔩 Nuts & Bolts, Memorable Stories:
Abram’s Bridge —Little Ron Sawyer has a fixation with what lives under the bridge.
The Fixer —God killed Kyle; a father’s solution to the death of his child becomes complicated.
The House on Mayflower Street —What’s in the house? A chilling doll story!
Jackie Boy —That’s one way to solve a rat problem.
Boom Town —In the town of Eckert, the resonating booms are heard, but why?
Should not be missed; Highly recommended!
💡 Orbs Epilogue: No whammies, no whammies, STOP! I plucked the second bean from the pile. C’mon, pomegranate! I twirled the red jelly bean with dark and light spots between my fingers. Without hesitation, I threw the candy in my mouth. Did I taste embalming fluid? Why would I know what that tastes like? Cloth and a strange medicinal flavor hit my palate in droves. Oh my, this was bad; foulness lingering—dry heaving. I moved to the kitchen sink and lapped up as much water from the faucet as humanly possible. Where is the prize? Where are the sweet tastes I desire? I plucked my last and final sphere from the bowl: my favorite buttery popcorn within reach. Grabbing the white bean with yellow speckles, I fully expected the worst. I was conditioned at this point to catastrophize my experience. Rotten egg? No, not rotten egg… The flavor hit my taste buds: melted butter and popcorn!
You may ask, "Why, Orb, are you telling us this story?" Like this collection, when one travels down a road of misery, you still come away a winner in the end, left with a satisfying taste in your mouth!
Many thanks to Victory Editing NetGalley Co-op for the ARC through NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.
November 27, 2025
Glenn Rolfe is a favourite author of mine. And the reason for this is on full display in Unusual Occurrences. The book is a collection of short stories, an essay, and two or three novellas.
What draws me to Glenn's writing is the feeling I get once I'm in. Reading Rolfe is like throwing on one of my favourite horror movies from the 1980s. Those movies, especially the low-budget ones, were insane. Think Basket Case, Street Trash, Motel Hell, etc. You never know what you're going to get. And once you got it, you wanted more. Most of these stories are a short drive into crazy town, filled with blood, guts, and ooze.
Mostly, though, these stories are solidly, one hundred percent Glenn Rolfe.
He can hit you hard with the emotions when he wants (Abram's Bridge), or he can make you nearly gag (Jackie Boy), or he can freak you the hell out (Skull of Snakes).
Seven of these stories appeared in an older collection, Land of Bones. The print version is now out of print, but I highly recommend the audiobook, as a different brilliant narrator narrates each story.
Aside from that, even if you've read Land of Bones, it's well worth your time getting this one. Collected are some great stories by Rolfe, such as Abram's Bridge, Boom Town, The House on Mayflower Street, Girl by Day, Skull of Snakes, Harry's Inevitable Extinction, Out of Range, and Halloween Worm, among others.
It's a great and entertaining read. Highly recommended!
What draws me to Glenn's writing is the feeling I get once I'm in. Reading Rolfe is like throwing on one of my favourite horror movies from the 1980s. Those movies, especially the low-budget ones, were insane. Think Basket Case, Street Trash, Motel Hell, etc. You never know what you're going to get. And once you got it, you wanted more. Most of these stories are a short drive into crazy town, filled with blood, guts, and ooze.
Mostly, though, these stories are solidly, one hundred percent Glenn Rolfe.
He can hit you hard with the emotions when he wants (Abram's Bridge), or he can make you nearly gag (Jackie Boy), or he can freak you the hell out (Skull of Snakes).
Seven of these stories appeared in an older collection, Land of Bones. The print version is now out of print, but I highly recommend the audiobook, as a different brilliant narrator narrates each story.
Aside from that, even if you've read Land of Bones, it's well worth your time getting this one. Collected are some great stories by Rolfe, such as Abram's Bridge, Boom Town, The House on Mayflower Street, Girl by Day, Skull of Snakes, Harry's Inevitable Extinction, Out of Range, and Halloween Worm, among others.
It's a great and entertaining read. Highly recommended!
October 11, 2025
This is an excellent collection of horror stories that you'll want to read in time for spooky season.
This one has it all, with themes as varied as the characters. The author sets these in Maine and through this lens we get to see the dark side of the state which we haven't since Stephen King. The author also has a firm grasp on teenage angst with many stories featuring teens as they're thrust into terrifying situations. Nostalgia hits hard also through the different eras in the stories.
The horrors hit even harder because there's such a wide variety to read. A truly horrific vampire story, a teen who befriends a ghostly girl to avenge her murder years ago, a full throttle psycho love story (of sorts), and a novella length story at the end which features aliens in a dreadfully different light.
Oh, creepy as shit killer dolls? Yes! A tale of a grieving father who makes a Faustian deal with an entity? It never ends well! A "zombie" story that defies the typical genre tropes? It's in here!
This is a fully stacked collection that'll make your hair stand on end and creep you out. I highly recommend it.
This one has it all, with themes as varied as the characters. The author sets these in Maine and through this lens we get to see the dark side of the state which we haven't since Stephen King. The author also has a firm grasp on teenage angst with many stories featuring teens as they're thrust into terrifying situations. Nostalgia hits hard also through the different eras in the stories.
The horrors hit even harder because there's such a wide variety to read. A truly horrific vampire story, a teen who befriends a ghostly girl to avenge her murder years ago, a full throttle psycho love story (of sorts), and a novella length story at the end which features aliens in a dreadfully different light.
Oh, creepy as shit killer dolls? Yes! A tale of a grieving father who makes a Faustian deal with an entity? It never ends well! A "zombie" story that defies the typical genre tropes? It's in here!
This is a fully stacked collection that'll make your hair stand on end and creep you out. I highly recommend it.
October 12, 2025
Glenn Rolfe is not new to horror writing!
Going through Goodreads, I saw this was available on NetGalley. I thought why not, 'tis the season. Let me tell you, this collection of short stories had a little of everything for everyone. Ghosts, zombies, vamps, bloodsuckers, and slime. One of my favorites was Boom Town. If you have ever seen the movie "The Stuff", you will know what I mean. The ultimate consumption but with a good ending, but not for Kim. There was one reference that didn't sit well with me in this story; you'll know it when you see it!
Jackie Boy was another favorite. I wonder how long it will take his mom to find out💀
Too Much of A Dead Thing was also enjoying. Reminded me of Night of the Living Dead!
With each story pulling you in, you're definitely in for a long scary night!
If you enjoy all genres of horror and short stories, this one is for you!
Happy reading🎃
Going through Goodreads, I saw this was available on NetGalley. I thought why not, 'tis the season. Let me tell you, this collection of short stories had a little of everything for everyone. Ghosts, zombies, vamps, bloodsuckers, and slime. One of my favorites was Boom Town. If you have ever seen the movie "The Stuff", you will know what I mean. The ultimate consumption but with a good ending, but not for Kim. There was one reference that didn't sit well with me in this story; you'll know it when you see it!
Jackie Boy was another favorite. I wonder how long it will take his mom to find out💀
Too Much of A Dead Thing was also enjoying. Reminded me of Night of the Living Dead!
With each story pulling you in, you're definitely in for a long scary night!
If you enjoy all genres of horror and short stories, this one is for you!
Happy reading🎃
October 30, 2025
This was an absorbing collection of horror/sci fi-type stories. It was a fun read for Halloween. Some stories stood out more than others, but the characters were impressively drawn up in each story. A major theme running through a lot of them seemed to be grief. Most took place in Maine, so they reminded me a little bit of Stephen King, but with their own unique flare. I will never see worms the same way again.
October 3, 2025
The perfect compilation of short stories to start off fall with! Honestly, this book brought back nostalgic memories of watching ‘Sightings’ or ‘The X-Files’ as a kid.
Displaying 1 - 27 of 27 reviews