Terrifying Medieval Tales of Blood, Lust & Sorcery to Punish Mischievous Children of Noble Birth: Fourteen Medieval Tales of Horror & Sorcery

by W. Michael Lyngstad

🏆 #1 Amazon Hot New Release (November 2025)
📈 Top 10 Amazon Bestseller in Horror Anthologies (#7)
A dark, medieval folk-horror collection blending poetry, folklore, and macabre tales. Once whispered to frighten unruly noble children, these dark faux-medieval tales drip with blood, gore & wicked humor.

“A masterful journey into Middle-Ages macabre that redefines the modern folk horror genre!”
"If Shakespeare had watched The Evil Dead before writing Macbeth ... this!"
Perfect for readers who
• Dark folklore and folk-horror
• Grim moral tales with cruel twists
• Gothic and medieval-inspired fiction
• Lyrical, atmospheric storytelling

“A masterful journey into Middle-Ages macabre that redefines the modern folk horror genre!”
"If Shakespeare had watched The Evil Dead before writing Macbeth ... this!"

Perhaps they’d been discovered posing the corpses of plague victims inappropriately for the amusement of their friends, or caught once more sipping wine from father’s codpiece behind the stables ... who can say? What is certain is that, as penance for their misdeeds, the misbehaving children of nobility would have been subjected to the reading of a gruesome bedtime tale designed to lace their fleeting slumber with ghastly, soul-twisting nightmares!
From the deliciously dark imagination of W. Michael Lyngstad comes a curated collection of fourteen poetic tales of murky mayhem; each with a twist dreadful enough to terrify even the most hardened offspring of medieval tough kids who roasted marshmallows at witch burnings and lived in a brutal world of war, pestilence, and no Instagram filters.

A Creature of Habit (The Curious Tale of Friar Lee)- They say pregnant maidens have hearty appetites because they’re eating for two. Could the same be said of thetown friar whose vile secret lends new meaning to the term "a creature of habit”?

That Which Walks in Hailsham Woods -A market trader’s evening takes an unexpected turn when he notices a mysterious poem written on the wall of a tavern. The strange verses tell of an entity that haunts the local forest at twilight. Will his determination to discredit the legend prove to be as fruitful as his wares, or will he encounter a ghost the locals claim is truly rotten to its core?

The Lycan Queen- A love-struck dwarf competes for the heart of a beautiful princess, unaware of her ravenous appetite andfondness for romantic, moonlight strolls … on all fours.

Bleat, Bleat, the Black Goat-The nursery rhyme Baa, Baa, Black Sheep was first published in a medieval collection of children's tales concerning witchcraft and the occult. Presented here unedited under its original title, Bleat, Bleat, the Black Goat, it reveals a darker truth long although sheep may offer their wool freely, the gifts bestowed by a horned beast with cloven hooves demand a far graver toll.

Script for a Jester’s Tear- Giacomo, a jester hailed as the funniest in all the kingdom, arrives at court bearing the promise of unparalleled joy … and a chilling secret. But what terrible price must the curious pay to uncover the truth beneath the painted smile?

Jacobite Lights- On All Hallows Eve, three war-weary soldiers arrive at the gates of a secluded convent seeking the nuns’ protection from their persecutors and a brutal highland storm.

Genres: Horror, Short Stories

192 pages, Kindle Edition

Published December 7, 2025

About the author

Every “write your own author’s bio” article I have read suggests writing in the third person (which I ignored because it’s silly) and to mention the credentials, professional or otherwise, qualifying me to write on the subjects presented in my books.

I have none.

I write my twisted tales of medieval macabre from my home in Nashville, Tennessee. They are works of fiction dealing with, among other things, evil, maleficence, witchcraft, and the black arts, all of which I have guarded respect for but neither practice, endorse, or recommend to my readers.

I grew up in the town of Newport Pagnell in the UK and had two teachers at school who perhaps had a hand in these shenanigans. Mrs. Edwards made it fun to learn English Literature and because of her, I am a fan of Chaucer and Shakespeare. Mrs. Wright taught R.E. and encouraged me to use “my talent,” as though it were some malevolent power. Maybe it is. I’m a Scorpio, an avid vinyl record collector and love animals probably more than most humans.

My last name, von Richthofen Lyngstad, is a bit of a mouthful. Sadly, to the best of my knowledge, I am not related to the Red Baron, (Manfred von Richthofen), or ABBA’s Anni-Frid Lyngstad. If I were, I’d be a lot richer. And definitely prettier.

Reviews

[Elżbieta LeFay]

I didn’t know what to expect when I bought this book. It was recommended by a friend who told me nothing about it and said that’s the best way to approach reading it. I’m a big fan of short stories with a twist and it definitely delivered. The author definitely has his own voice. It’s written almost as faux medieval poetry, but it isn’t. As someone who isn’t particularly a lover of poetry, I can see why my friend didn’t point that out because I would have gone into this with some pre-conceived ideas and probably passed on it. Very dark humor. Pretty graphic and horrific, and the twists at the end of each tale are truly epic. The author’s ‘angle’ that these are a collection of stories originally written to punish misbehaving noble children at bedtime is pretty tongue in cheek and works well. There are fourteen tales altogether. A couple are duds, but the really good ones linger and could literally be grim horror classics, lifted from the pages of history. This will appeal to a very niche market but honestly the stories themselves have mass appeal. Highly recommend taking the dive with this one. Hoping its part of a larger series.

[Wayne Neylan]

Absolutely brilliant book. Loved it. Was spooky and hilarious in parts. Need a second collection 👏👏

[Greg D]

Written in Olde English style prose. A bit too difficult for my enjoyment. Not a bad read, just not my style.

[Jennifer Eagle]

I picked up a copy of this book since I'm a fan of any combination of horror/fantasy/medieval stuff, and it did not disappoint! In a nutshell, I'd describe it as "The Canterbury Tales as written by Poe." I tend to be picky about poetry (e.g. if the meter is off or rhyming is weak it REALLY bugs me) but Mr. Lyngstad really nailed it! The woodcut-style illustrations and brief (fictional) descriptions of where and how each story originated really add to the immersiveness of the whole experience as well. Looking forward to the second volume!