cold, thin air: A Collection of Disturbing Narratives and Twisted Tales

by C.K. Walker

A doll is more than what she seems, a monster lives within a child's walls, a murder solved, another remembered, an experiment in death, and the tale of a demonic, forgotten statue. These are just a few of the freighting stories contained inside. I invite you in to experience the hauntingly horrifying, the terrifyingly true and the unsettlingly unique texts within...

Genres: Horror, Short Stories, Fiction, Horror Thriller, Adult, Anthologies

146 pages, Kindle Edition

First published October 7, 2014

About the author

C.K. Walker has been published by Jitter Press, The Altar Collective, and Thought Catalog. Her stories have been adapted for audio by Chilling Tales for Dark Nights and the NoSleep Podcast.

Reviews

[Saif · Rating 3 out of 5]

(Re-read)

This book, like every other book, does have it's short-comings, but the gems that are inside more than redeem it! Although I might be biased because I've always been a fan of Walker's work. Infact, I started to get invested in the horror genre (I think I was 15 at the time) because of her. So I definitely recommend this!
I also recommend the novel Borrasca for everyone reading this!

[Cat Voleur · Rating 4 out of 5]

C.K. Walker is one of my favorite contemporary horror writers. While I think that her talents are best expressed in her longer pieces (I'm talking about Borrasca - but then again, when am I ever not talking about Borrasca?) there were many cleverly crafted tales in here.

The collection offers a wide variety of chilling tales in terms of both content and length, but they waver very little in quality from one to the next. They all have that perfect, final line that will leave you with a strong impression, long after you have set the book down.

I've been following the work of this author online for years, and it was so gratifying to finally hold this book in my hands and enjoy it.

I would highly recommend for anyone looking to get a little spooked by seemingly ordinary things.

[Lori · Rating 3 out of 5]

Walker's short stories are fun little reads with good twists, but the novella "Lost Town of Deepwood" was just silly.

[Amanda Yow · Rating 3 out of 5]

i do wish there were lesser typos in my kindle version…this is a collection of short horror stories, most of which my 18 year old self had encountered before on reddit nosleep. i do love and appreciate cj walker’s dark and twisted mind, which translates to some of the most unnerving stories out there; stories that explore different variants of fear so primal that it prods deep into the human psyche. the lost town of deepwood, pennsylvania is probably my favourite out of the collection, falling into the cosmic horror genre. genuinely unsettling. it tells of a fictional(?) lore that is truly terrifying, one that lingers on my mind, way after.

[Angustia⋆Cósmica · Rating 5 out of 5]

The joy I felt from revisiting these stories is indescribable. Imagine visiting an old friend you haven't seen in years, that's exactly what this felt like.

It's no news that C. K. Walker's era in Nosleep, back in 2015's or so was its golden era. I would hungrily devour every single post and dwell them for days to come. And it's not just me, everyone who visited the sub back then agrees with the notion, it nurtured some of the best horror up to date.

I read most of these online back then and they still hold up as strongly as when I first read them, eyes straining against Nosleep's black and white theme.
Good times.

Looking forward to catching up with all of it again.

[Emma Lauren · Rating 3 out of 5]

cold, thin air: A Collection of Disturbing Narratives and Twisted Tales by C.K. Walker was... a collection of disturbing narratives and twisted tales. Some of these were really good, and some were... less than memorable. On the whole, some of these read as, "Tell me a scary story in five minutes or less, go!" But, some were truly creepy. By far, the best in the collection was The Disappearance of Emily Morgan, because not only was it creepy, but it left you feeling hollow and sad. My only major complaint about the book as a whole were a few editing/grammar inconsistencies that tend to come from indie publications. But, all that being said, I look forward to the next collection.

[Sydney Schmidt · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5 ⭐️ Some of the stories were really interesting but there were so many typos that could have been easily caught if someone had read this over. I know that seems like nothing but it would really take me out of the story at times which destroys the magic of some of the more horror-esque stories. It’s still a fun, quick read that’s great for spooky season! My husband is a big fan, so he wanted me to read this one. I’m glad I did, but it’s definitely just right in the middle of the rating scale for me

[layla · Rating 3 out of 5]

rereading these stories a few years after i first read them. i think i probably enjoyed it more the first time and the writing could be better but the stories are so unique and interesting that those shortcomings can mostly be overlooked.

[Tom Garback · Rating 2 out of 5]

⭐️ ⭐️
Critical Score: D+
Personal Score: C+
Reading Experience: 📘📘📘(3/5)

Poorly written, with plot holes and obvious typos everywhere, this feels like a pitiful collection at first glance. But there are a few standouts, and they stand out because Walker is moderately skilled at creeping us out. I just wish she exercised this skill more.

I wouldn’t recommend this to anyone unless they’re famished for creepy stories in the creepypasta realm—I wouldn’t classify these as creepypastas stylistically, and that’s the main reason I didn’t have more fun, as I can overlook mechanical and craft issues but need to be unsettled if I’m to walk away happy.

My ranking of the stories:

“Paradise Pine” A-. Scared the crap out of me, which is surprising because it relies on familiar ingredients.

“The Lost Town of Deepwood, Pennsylvania, Part One” A-. Super similar to Borrasca, but that’s more of a compliment than an insult. Cozy, creepy fun with an unsettling and somehow emotional ending.

“The Creek” B+. Depressing. A sad, terrible thing.

“Gin and Toxic” B+. An entertaining turn away from horror with an ending that leaves something wanting.

“The Glen” B. Meh until the twist that caught me off-guard.

“The Disappearance of Emily Morgan” B-. Pretty run-of-the-mill, but I look back on it fondly.

“Betsy the Doll” B-. It was nice to see the doll trope taken in a different direction, although this one is unscary and underwhelming in hindsight.

“June 10th, 1999” B-. A slightly goofy twist that leaves plot holes Walker could have easily dodged, but creeped me out at first.

“Death at 423 Steerborn Street” C+. Painfully predictable from the get-go, otherwise would have made for a nasty little tale.

“The Lost Town of Deepwood, Pennsylvania, Part Two” C+. Way too long and not scary like Part One, this kills the established story arc in the same way Borrasca’s Part 5 did. But I was mildly invested, nonetheless.

“The Afterlife Experiment” C. Super (and knowingly) unoriginal and STILL manages to be embarrassingly predictable. Despite all that, it’s still a fun, cozy read.

“Who Killed Jacob Bennett?” C-. Inoffensive because of how short it is, but overall too bland and predictable to stick with me; I had to keep flipping back to remember what this was about.

[Phillip Ramm · Rating 4 out of 5]

All the stories are creepy enough, but the final, long short story is epic - an ancient monster that eats you and all the memories of you in others... shiver me neck hairs!! #SMW (spooky mystic weird).

[Kyuu~ · Rating 2 out of 5]

The stories didn't get good till the last one, which was a 2 parter. The story concepts were great but the writing didnt hold up. There were alot of repetitive sentences that went on in like "them then, and then, and then" for an example.

[destiny ♡ howling libraries · Rating 5 out of 5]

While the book could use a bit more proofreading, the stories were genuinely so enjoyable that I'm giving it 5 stars, anyways. Well done!

[Tom Over · Rating 2 out of 5]

DNF - yeah nah, not good

[Jack · Rating 5 out of 5]

I heard about C.K. Walker from The No Sleep Podcast and her stories frequently stood out to me as being exceptionally good from a podcast where generally all the stories are good. She is frequently featured on the podcast, and am always interested when her name is mentioned because I know it will be some quality work.

Luckily, when you're listening to a podcast, you can't see formatting errors and they apparently edit the stories beyond what was done in this book. I read the Kindle version of this book, so hopefully the formatting errors aren't present in the print version of this book, but this book was rife with them! The most common formatting error was indenting. Sometimes paragraphs would not be indented at all, sometimes they wouldn't be intended far enough, and sometimes... too far. There was also a lot of typos/spelling errors/grammar errors. Although I am an author myself, I am definitely not an English expert, and even I picked up on at least 100 errors in the book, averaging close to 1 a page. If there was an editor on this book, Walker should probably consider getting a new one!

The formatting and editing errors are not bad enough to take too much away or distract from the stories, which as a whole are excellent and some of the best short stories I have ever read. Walker is an expert in leading the reader down a certain path, and then having a shocking twist ending to really grip you and stick with you. The stories stick with you because of not only their frequently shocking ending, but the raw expression, grit and details given to the stories. You feel and care for the characters that you come across, and are frequently disappointed that the stories are so short. Another pattern that Walker frequently employs is having an adult tell a story from when they were children. In the story, they assume something supernatural is happening, but it turns out that there wasn't really anything supernatural or other worldly, but the surprise ending is that it wasn't supernatural at all.

While the majority of the stories in here are memorable and excellent, there are some that aren't quite as good. Notably, the last story included which is also the longest. When Walker strays from her pattern of having a surprise ending, this seems to be when her stories are not as good. If a pattern works, why deviate from it?

Overall, an excellent book that I loved. The stories that are good are amazing, and the stories that aren't as good, are still alright, just not good enough to really stick with you. Would definitely recommend, but Walker definitely needs a (new) editor!

[Thalia Phillips · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read this because I’m a really big fan of the Author. They wrote my favorite creepypasta of all time (that being Borrasca), and worked on the writing staff for one of my favorite shows (The Haunting of Hill House). I was definitely excited to read more of their work, especially because the nature of this collection seemed to be in the same vein as something like Borrasca. At the end of the day this was a fun read, but if I’m being completely honest it was a bit disappointing.
I’ll get the first and most nitpicky complaint out of the way first, that being that there were lots of grammatical mistakes. This very much reads like a self-published work, which is fine cause that’s what it is, but man some of these stories could be elevated to new heights if they were just a bit more polished. I say this, not because I think the prose are bad, but because there are multiple places where I know an edited draft would make it shine so much more.
Second, and I think more importantly, is just the fact that this suffers from anthology syndrome. It falls prey to something that makes most anthologies hard to rate, and that’s just that it’s such a mixed bag. Some of these stories are really great, but then there are others that drag it down to the point that the reading experience is a rollercoaster. The last story particularly rubs me the wrong way; it’s a two parter, and by far the longest story in the collection, and despite the fact that it starts out really strong, the second part is by far one of the worst in the collection, undermining legitimately well set up horror. It sucks all the more that that’s what ended the collection because now I’ve left the experience with a bad taste in my mouth.
Despite that, I did enjoy most of this collection, and I don’t want the review to sound like it’s not worth your time. It’s a really fun collection, with lots of fun effective horror stories; it’s just ultimately also unpolished and carrying around some dead weight. Would still recommend for anyone who enjoys internet horror stories, or is just a fan of this author like I am.

[Sean · Rating 3 out of 5]

When it comes to horror I love supporting small authors, especially authors who have migrated their works from Creepypasta or R/Nosleep to printed format. C.K. Walker is better recognized as the author of the infamous R/Nosleep story "Borrasca".

Here is an early compendium of some of her original works, and contains one of her other R/Nosleep originals, "The Lost Town of Deepwood, Pennsylvania". It definitely feels like this is the beginning of a writer's career for better or worse. There's an equal presentation of fresh concepts and tired concepts, short stories and longer stories, solid writing and poor writing. There's some memorable outings such as a simple story of scratching through walls that is not at all what is seems and comes with a horrible revelation, there's some satisfying moments such as revenge against a sexual assault perpetrator, and there's some really corny outings such as a story that ends something to the tune of "and I was the killer all along". Too many stories took a last minute twist that, in my opinion, made the story significantly less interesting, Paradise Pine is a perfect example.

Despite the quality waxing and waning, I would say that by the end the time is well spent and there's a general upward trajectory. There are at least three more volumes so I'm quite interested in seeing if the quality of the author's writing sharpens. My list of stories from best to worst is as follows:

The Lost Town of Deepwood Part 1
The Afterlife Experiment
The Glen
The Disappearance of Emily Morgan
Death at 423 Steerborn Street
Paradise Pine
Gin and Toxic
The Creek
Betsy the Doll
Who Killed Jacob Bennett?
The Lost Town of Deepwood Part 2
June 10th, 1999

[Zacus Strunkus · Rating 3 out of 5]

This teeters between 3 and 4 stars for me. Individual stories within range from 5 stars to 2. I was able to find enjoyment in every story within, and I have to give credit to C.K. Walker for that. She is excellent at making characters that feel natural and are easy to invest in, a talent that shines even when the story is only five pages long. I always like that about her work.

She is also very predictable and heavy handed at times. Her twists and foreshadowing range from amazing and impactful to agonisingly telegraphed. Paradise Pines is the best example of both happening in the same story.

I also have a really sour taste in my mouth from the Lost Town of Deepwoods, Pennsylvania: Part 2. That was not a good story to end on. Tonally, it veers heavily away from not only itself and Part 1, but the entirety of cold, thin air. Part 1 alone was one of the five stars I mentioned, but Part 2 was just not it for me. I can't help but feel that, had it been any other story ending, I would have landed on the four star side of the review.

That's not to say that I didn't like this collection. I did. Some of the stories, I can see myself revisiting, and I really wish there was more time to sit with and explore others. I suppose that that's another complaint I have, that a couple of stories(Including Deepwoods Part 2), felt rushed. Almost like Walker got bored of writing them, and wanted to move on.

All in all, I did enjoy the collection and will be reading Volume 2 and probably Volume 3 as well.

[Jim Holscher · Rating 4 out of 5]

The stories were very good. The writing was well paced and interesting. What made it a four star instead of five were the constant typos and grammatical errors. Here are a few of the ones here although this is a small sampling :

“I left the hospital that day wishing I had never come at all, wishing I'm never met Micah.”

“I let go of Micah just for a moment to grab my phone and he was up and running. He hit the front door and smashing his forehead against the glass.”

“ Once he was stuck to the tree I sat down in front of it and watching him writhe for awhile. “

You get the point!

Despite that it was an excellent collection of stories that I will probably re-read in the future. If you like small vignettes of darkness and horror this could be for you!

[Morgan · Rating 4 out of 5]

A collection of stories that were (all? mostly?) published on the nosleep subreddit. I'd read most of them before and am a fan of the author so I already knew I'd enjoy this collection. Walker has a Twilight Zone style where a lot of the stories have a sort of twist at the end that changes how the whole thing reads and that's always interesting for me. As long as you take it for what it is, it's a nice spooky collection.

The only slight criticism is I think some of the stories could use a good editor. I don't know that they've been looked over since being initially published online, but some typos need to be fixed and parts could be tighter. Nothing that hugely takes away from the overall enjoyment of the collection though.

[Judy Cadena · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love me some C.K. and one of my very favorite authors. After one story, I was hooked, I HAD to read them ALL right then and there. I first discovered her on Reddit's NoSleep where she has an insane following but a well deserved one. I really don't understand the reviews that don't get that (editing mistakes aside) but different strokes for different folks I suppose.

My only critique, if any, is that I wish I had least one new C.K. Walker story to read for every new day. No matter how bad my day, I would at least always have that. But for now, I will stick to reading her current stories over and over again while I keep my eyes peeled for anything new.

[Olivia · Rating 4 out of 5]

C.K. Walker is an absolute horror debut success. I am personally offended that Hollywood makes dribble into movies but overlooks talent like this. If you're a horror fiction fan: I promise you will like C.K. Walker. Horror is largely overdone as a genre, so its refreshing to see a new TAKE on popular themes and tropes. I guarantee theres more than one story in each book that will make you take a step back and say, "Well that was messed up and not at all what I expected."

As this is anthology series it's difficult to review in full but Cold Thin Air vol. 1-3 are freaking fantastic.

[Stephanie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Reading CK Walkers stores always fills me with abundant joy. I have heard many of these before but it was nice for the refresher on them. It’s a true talent to make a reader feel so many emotions with so few pages. To twist a story in five or six pages and make you feel horror in a way that most 300+ page horror novels cannot, is truly her greatest weapon. She is to this day, one of my favorite authors.

[Danielle · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a book I wouldn’t normally pick up. I love to be riveted, in love with the characters and an intriguing storyline. That being said… as I sit with my son in the hospital for a week I really needed a book that didn’t take me too far away and I could drop with no thought for nurses or anything my son needed.

This was perfect for that. Great short stories that kept my attention and allowed me to have small reprieves while still being present.

[Fred · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good collection of short horror stories. Not as much supernatural (the last longer story is supernatural) and real world horror. Lots of family members meet horrible ends. Characters in different stories force themselves not to remember grisly events. The ones I liked the most are "The Disappearance of Emily Morgan" which twists the disturbed family with dark secrets themes on their heads and "The Creek" which is about being eternally and internally haunted.

[Blair Hoyle]

I love C.K. Walker's work, and have been reading it since she started posting on r/nosleep, so I decided to pick up a physical copy of Cold, Thin Air and revisit some of these older stories. They absolutely hold up for me. Paradise Pine and The Disappearance of Emily Morgan are my favorites of the bunch.

[Chad Rose · Rating 4 out of 5]

An alright collection of scary stories with an unfortunate ending. The last story is a massive let down. If it wasn't for the strength of what came before it, this would be rated a lot lower. The Disappearance of Emily Morgan being the stand out that still gets me to this day. Other highlights are Death at 423 Steerborn Street and July 21st, 1999. And it's a very short read. Very solid.

[Tamsin · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 Rounded Up

A decent collection of short stories. Standout was "Paradise Pines". If the tall black stick men don't give you the creeps you're not human!! Looking forward to reading Volume 2 of cold, thin air...

[Merja · Rating 5 out of 5]

Some of the best stories of C.K. Walker, neatly wrapped in one package for you to enjoy. These stories warm your heart, and on the next page may chill it entirely. A collection of imaginative horror stories with varying themes, sure to satisfy even the most demanding of horror fiction fans.

[Maurício da Fonte Filho · Rating 3 out of 5]

Algumas histórias apresentaram plot twists interessantes. Além disso, os dramas familiares também foram bem construídos. Entretanto, a revisão deixou muito a desejar. A quantidade de erros gramaticais e de diagramação fizeram com que a leitura se tornasse cansativa em alguns momentos.

[Ashwati · Rating 4 out of 5]

Definitely recommend reading if you want to read a collection of creepy or disturbing stories (or true tales, I have no idea, and I don't want to know)..Most of these were actually quite good..adding C K Walker to the list of authors I'd like to read more books from