When the Devil Calls: A Collection of Horror Stories

by Bethany Russo

When the Devil Calls includes two novellas, four short stories and three previously published stories.

Aliens cause havoc at a service station in Lancaster, and continue to terrorise the cleaners at two hotels in Plymouth. A woman recounts the horrors that lurked in the woods at her favourite childhood campsite in Dorset. Two women fight their way from Ambleside to Grasmere on the first day of the zombie apocalypse. A man takes part in the Chippenham scarecrow trail. With a human-looking scarecrow on his front garden, he’s surprised one night when it’s missing and is then interrupted by a knock at the door. Two new friends pay a visit to Sally in the Woods in their hometown of Bath, only to discover the woods hold more than just a creepy ghost story.

329 pages, Kindle Edition

Published February 26, 2026

About the author

Bethany Russo is a multi-genre indie author and poet from the South West of England. She lives with her husband, son, and two cats. While she primarily focuses on horror and all things dark and weird, she also loves a touch of romance and family love.

When not writing, you can usually find her reading. Russo has an Instagram account named @beths_bookblog dedicated to reviewing everything she’s read and making endless indie recommendations. Her reading habits are like her writing: pretty much everything.

If she’s not writing or reading, she’ll be with her family or animals. Russo loves an outdoor adventure in the mud with her son. If you ever spot her lurking, it's probably because she wants to snap a photo of a bug, a pretty flower, or just a nice view. The outdoor world is usually the best inspiration for ideas, although it's clear from her writing that she also takes a lot of inspiration from her parents' favourite music.

Follow Russo on Instagram: @bethanyrussowrites

Reviews

[Jessica Huntley · Rating 5 out of 5]

There was not one story story/novella in this collection that I didn't like. There's something for everyone to be it zombies, giant bats, aliens or just evil humans. It's a great horror collection!

[Dave Musson · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this collection of short works from one of the shining lights of the British indie horror scene. The tales gathered here are full of heart, humanity and, well, blood, aliens, zombies and more!

It was also a delight to see these stories being set in the U.K. - I completely understand the allure of writing something set in America, but I get real satisfaction when I see my fellow Brits embracing this nasty little island and adding to its rich folklore. Russo takes us up and down the country in this collection and it’s a lot of fun.

I had something to share about each of the tales gathered here, so let’s get in with it…

Forden Service Station: aliens in Lancashire! A creepy tale rooted in a motorway service station that has a dark secret. The tension builds throughout before a devastating climax. A strong opener.

The Scarecrow Trail: proof, if you didn’t already know it, that scarecrows are scary AF. A creepy tale of an old man either losing his mind or finding himself in a situation where he *wishes* he was going crazy.

The Man in the Box: a really unnerving tale of a childhood horror. Unflinching in the grim and gore, grizzly and gnarly little story. Probably my favourite of the bunch.

Bat Out of Hell: a most unusual and intriguing ghost story told during an after-dark bat walk in the woods. Fun.

Cleaner Needed: aliens in Plymouth, no way! The same ones from Lancashire - abducted by aliens to clean their ship. Kind of silly.

What About Tomorrow: zombies in the Lake District. Lots of good character work, plenty of fun setpieces and even a guest appearance from Mr Mercedes!

The Pisces Brothers: weird folksy tale of fisherman and cannibalism.

Murder in the Video Store: a bleak and bloody little story. Highly violent for such a short page count!

The Dead Man: haunting, almost poetic fever dream to wrap up the collection. Very dark and very strong.

Overall, an enjoyable and worthwhile collection that you should definitely add to your TBR!

[Amber Hathaway · Rating 5 out of 5]

Bethany Russo is an auto buy author for me, and When the Devil Calls is a perfect example of why. The best way I can describe this collection is a gut punch. Of the stories I had not read before, about half of them left me reeling. The other half are great reads as well and provide a nice reprieve from the utter bleakness of some of the tales.

If I had to pick a favorite, it would probably be The Man in the Box. I think Russo does a wonderful job capturing the childhood experience, and I really like the ending on that one. If we're talking about which stories had the greatest impact on me, though, it would be Forden Service Station and What About Tomorrow. Forden Service Station is a solid opener that really gives you a taste of how the collection is going to go. Just when I thought things could not possibly get worse, they got worse. With What About Tomorrow, I actually put the collection down for a bit once I got two chapters in. As much as I love zombie stories, I was like, this is going to give me nightmares, isn't it? I'm glad I still came back to finish it, but I absolutely would not be surprised if I do end up with nightmares from it.

If you enjoy horror short story collections, you may want to check this one out.

[H. Everend · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 / 5
*Review to Come*

[Emlynn McDermott · Rating 5 out of 5]

When the Devil Calls is a collection of short stories and novellas by Bethany Russo, and true to form, this multi-talented writer takes us where most modern horror authors dare not tread. There’s all the spine-tingling shivers you’d expect from the genre, as well as some requisite gore, but Russo’s tales stand out from the competition because she packs her atmospheric stories with deeper psychological meaning. That’s easy enough for a seasoned writer to accomplish in a full-length novel, but infinitely harder when the medium is short form. Luckily for picky horror readers such as myself, Russo is up to the challenge. Behind every jump-scare there’s a ton of heart and more than a few souls—not to mention an occasional touch of subtle humor. With a collection this good, it’s difficult to choose a single favorite. I simply adored “Bat Out of Hell,” which hooked me with the opening line, “Meatloaf, darling?” would not let go. Talk about the perfect ending to a deeply emotional story! But I equally enjoyed “Forden Service Station,” the out-of-this-world horror-science fiction blend that opens the book, and the modern-day parable “What About Tomorrow,” which asks the timely question, “Fuck, what’s worse… men or zombies?” Collections this creative don’t some around often. When the Devil Calls, you simply must answer!

[Gina R. Briggs · Rating 5 out of 5]

Man oh man... Bethany Russo has done it again! After reading many of Russo's previous works, I was eager to get my hands on this gory beauty and was lucky to recieve an ARC. The aspects of Russo's prose that make her stand out in the horror genre are strong as ever in this collection. We've got thoroughly defined characters (How does Russo make me care so much about a character within, like, two sentences? Is it witchcraft?), poignant griefy plot lines, sharp dialogue, a keen sense of nostalgia... and, of course, Russo knows how to paint a picture that scares the shit out of me. Trust me, you're not going to want to take that job at the local service station or put up a scarecrow in your yard after this one...
It's hard to pick a favorite story because I do feel like those work so well as a whole and each bring something different to the table. However, I will say that "What About Tomorrow" will stick with me for a looong long time. Not only did I attach to the characters, but the story explores many of the elements of the zombie trope that I was always curious about.
Literary. Razor-sharp. Pyschological. This is a horror collection that has something for everyone.
May I make just one request?
Bethany Russo, don't ever stop writing.

[Lee Coates · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love horror anthologies, but only if they're done well. And Bethany Russo's latest collection is a prime example of how to do it. Not only that, she has raised the bar for other horror writers. I loved every single story, they were all killer, with no filler. Similarly, all the characters that appeared in the macabre tales were fleshed out and fully formed, not just there to serve the story. This is why Stephen King is the master of what he does, he puts characters first and dares you not to care about them. Talking of the King, one of Beth's stories, the Pisces Brothers felt exactly like I was reading one of his offerings, it was that good. I'd hate to pick a favourite, but if forced, I would probably single out Forden Service Station. It was such a unique (and quintessentially British) setting and brilliantly written. And anyone who's ventured into a ill lit service station in the dead of night will know how such a place can give you the heebie jeebies. This is a great anthology and I can't wait to see what warped tales Beth comes up with next.

[Michael · Rating 5 out of 5]

An absolutely incredible horror collection from Bethany Russo. It’s everything a horror fan could ask for. Some of these long short stories are fun, some of scary, and some are truly heartbreaking.

There isn’t a bad story anywhere in these pages but What About Tomorrow is a stand-out story on a complete other level to the rest. Ironically, considering it’s a zombie story, it has a lot of humanity at its core. The two main characters are thrown into this survival scenario yet their existing problems, wants, and every day fears don’t simply disappear. They remain and linger, adding depth and emotion to the story.

[Kate Gawi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Not a huge reader of horror, I went into this ARC copy from rhe author blind. I was pleasantly surprised by how much I white’s the darker pages I kept turning, wanting to find out more. Shirt stories that kept me entertained included much more than just horror - the psychology behind trauma, deep emotions - she does it so well, Bethany. I particularly liked the first short story which reminded me of Stranger Things.

[Bethany Russo · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed writing this collection of short spooky stories and I hope you will enjoy reading them! 😈