Small Problems: 17 Twisted Tales of the Macabre and Existential Dread

by J.D. Haakenson

Seventeen tales of the macabre, paranoia, and existential dread -- with a twisted sense of humor.
From romantic entanglements to nuclear holocaust, from a jungle refuge for the rich to the back alleys of desperate city-dwellers, no human pickle goes unexplored in Small Problems.

145 pages, Kindle Edition

First published November 21, 2025

Reviews

[Georgia Rose · Rating 3 out of 5]

I chose to read this book as a member of Rosie’s Book Review Team. I received a copy from the author but that does not alter my review in anyway.

This is a book of short stories. Some are very short indeed, some quite long. I enjoy short stories, so the variety in length worked well for me.

The writing throughout is strong and engaging, and the author has a real talent for creating vivid, memorable situations and characters. Some stories appealed to me more than others, which is often the case with collections like this, but there were several that have stayed in my mind long after I finished reading.

The writing is good, though the content is, in places, challenging. Some of the stories I liked a great deal, while others didn’t really work for me. The author uses the word “macabre” in the subtitle for this book, and a couple of the stories I found genuinely dark and unsettling.

There is a considerable amount of sexual content in this book, and not of the hearts-and-flowers variety. It fits the tone of the collection and contributes to the intensity of the stories. However, if you are easily offended, or prefer more conventional storytelling, this may not be the book for you.

That said, I found this to be an imaginative, thought-provoking, and highly original collection. Even the stories I didn’t particularly enjoy were well written. Overall, this is an unusual and often disturbing collection that will probably appeal most to readers who enjoy dark and edgy fiction.

[Shannon Pilcher · Rating 5 out of 5]

Small Problems: 17 Twisted Tales of the Macabre and Existential Dread is an inventive collection that transforms everyday anxieties into unsettling, darkly humorous explorations of the human condition. J.D. Haakenson demonstrates that the most terrifying monsters are often not supernatural at all, but the fears, contradictions, and absurdities that quietly shape ordinary lives.

What immediately stood out to me was the collection's remarkable range. Moving effortlessly from intimate personal dilemmas to civilization-ending catastrophes, Haakenson continually surprises the reader with stories that are unpredictable, psychologically engaging, and infused with an unmistakably offbeat wit. Each tale approaches existential dread from a different angle while remaining consistently entertaining.

I was particularly impressed by the balance between horror and satire. Rather than relying solely on shock or violence, the stories create unease through clever concepts, moral ambiguity, and the unsettling realization that many of the scenarios feel disturbingly plausible. The dark humor keeps the collection engaging while sharpening its observations about fear, ambition, and human nature.

Ultimately, Small Problems is more than a horror anthology, it is a smart, imaginative exploration of modern anxieties wrapped in macabre storytelling. Readers who appreciate literary horror, speculative fiction, dark satire, and psychologically driven short fiction will find a collection that lingers in the mind long after the final story ends.

[Roberta Cheadle · Rating 3 out of 5]

I am a fan of short dark stories so this collection caught my eye. The author has some good ideas and the stories are varied and his style of writing entertaining. There are a few stories in this collection that are clever with a good concluding twist. Many of the stories, however, had a disappointing ending for me. It is an ending that I particularly dislike as a reader as I feel it is a lazy way out for a writer, but it could be to other peoples taste. I am aware of at least one very famous book that makes use of this particular ending strategy.

The Hot Tub was an enjoyable read for me. It is an unusual take on an apocalyptic story revolving around a small group of survivors trapped inside a bunker. The setting was interesting and the characterisations good and amusing. The ending was clever and gave me a good laugh.

If you enjoy a wide variety of different and unique story concepts then you will like this book.

[Charissa Wilkinson · Rating 3 out of 5]

I received this book courtesy of Booksprout for the purpose of a fair and honest review.

Overview: What do threats of nuclear annihilation, malfunctioning technology, and potential past lives have in common? They are all part of a horror anthology written by Mr. Haakenson. How do the stories work for us? Let's find out.

Dislikes: Well, you can see how Mr. Haakenson feels about men, specifically American men.

Likes: The malfunctioning jet pack story was a little bit funny.

Conclusion: This book wasn't for me. If you like dark fiction that seems to have a feminist bent to it, then this book may be for you. Enjoy the read.

[Al · Rating 4 out of 5]

These stories deliver on exactly what is promised. Bizarre, off-the-wall stories that are by turns funny, a bit scary at times, definitely twisted (not to mention ending with strange twists a lot of the time which I guess is the same as twisted, yet feels different to me). Even the introduction has a twist which you might catch early on, or possibly not until the end. Just when you think you’ve figured out where a story is going, you’ll usually discover how wrong you were. Or were you?

**Originally written for "Books and Pals" book blog. May have received a free review copy. **