Tales Around the Jack O'Lantern 12: A Mary O'Reilly Series Short Story

by Terri Reid

It was an Indian Summer Halloween, and Mary O'Reilly Alden and her family were definitely taking advantage of it. Instead of their customary living room venue, they had moved to the brick patio behind the house, where a small wood fire was blazing in a fire pit. The obligatory Jack O’Lantern was on a small table near the fire pit, its candle fire glowing softly in the warm autumn night. Once again, we gather around the Jack O'Lantern to hear ghost stories based on actual events. Happy Halloween!

54 pages, Kindle Edition

Published October 8, 2025

About the author

Terri Reid is the author of the Mary O’Reilly Paranormal Mysteries. An indie author, Reid uploaded her first book “Loose Ends” in August 2010. By the end of 2012, “Loose Ends” had sold over 82,000 copies and, as of the writing of this bio, was the number one bestselling book in Amazon’s ranking of Ghost Stories in the Book/Literature & Fiction/Genre Fiction/Horror/Ghosts section and the number two in the same area in the Kindle eBooks section. She has eight other books in the Mary O’Reilly Series and has enjoyed Top Rated and Hot New Release status for many of them in the Women Sleuths category through Amazon US. Her books have been translated into Spanish and Portuguese and are also now available through CreateSpace and Amazon in print versions. She is also working on an audiobook for “Loose Ends.”
Reid has been quoted in several books about the self-publishing industry, including “Let’s Get Digital” by David Gaughran and “Interviews with Indie Authors: Top Tips from Successful Self-Published Authors” by Claire and Tim Ridgway. She was also honored to have some of her works included in A. J. Abbiati’s book “The NORTAV Method for Writers—The Secrets to Constructing Prose Like the Pros.” She has also had the distinct privilege of guest blogging for Joe Konrath.
Reid is from Northwest Illinois, near the town of Freeport, the home of her fictional characters. Her background is in marketing and public relations. She is married, the mother of seven children, and the grandmother of twenty-three.
She has her grandchildren convinced that she talks to fairies and animals - and they talk back.

Reviews

[Cheryl · Rating 4 out of 5]

I look forward to these

I truly enjoy the little stories for each Halloween. It shows good and bad ghosts. Or even obese that don't want people to take over their space because they don't realize they have passed.

[s.elle.books · Rating 3 out of 5]

Quick read

This was a very quick spooky vibes read. If you like ghost stories, then this could be good for you!

[Dianne Jackson · Rating 5 out of 5]

These stories are an annual tradition and as usual Terri Reid didn’t let us down. They are so much fun to read. I highly recommend reading all of them if you missed them.

[Tricia Rodriguez · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love the Jack O’Lantern books

I have read them all and look forward to reading them every October. Always an enjoyable read annd I am never disappointed

[Lindsey Pope · Rating 4 out of 5]

October wouldn’t be the same without a Tales Around the Jack O Lantern. 🎃 👻

[Barefoot Gypsy Jimerson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Boo Happy Halloween🎃

Its always nice to read about Mary's Halloween night stories. But Mabry next time make them a little more fright and scary to them.