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Traps and Specters: Stories
A new collection of short stories and novellas from Bram Stoker Award finalist Philip Fracassi, featuring an introduction by NYT bestselling author Matt Dinniman.
From the mind of Stoker and British Fantasy award-nominated author Philip Fracassi comes fourteen stories of the macabre that will frighten, disturb, and ensnare readers in a dark web of twisted tales.
In these pages you’ll find talking corpses and deadly tombs, misguided exorcists, technology gone wrong, blood-soaked prison riots, and enough vengeful spirits and haunted objects to fill a grave.
With an introduction by bestselling author Matt Dinniman (Dungeon Crawler Carl), Traps and Specters will chill, thrill, entertain, and leave you gasping in shock and terror at the horrors waiting within.
From the mind of Stoker and British Fantasy award-nominated author Philip Fracassi comes fourteen stories of the macabre that will frighten, disturb, and ensnare readers in a dark web of twisted tales.
In these pages you’ll find talking corpses and deadly tombs, misguided exorcists, technology gone wrong, blood-soaked prison riots, and enough vengeful spirits and haunted objects to fill a grave.
With an introduction by bestselling author Matt Dinniman (Dungeon Crawler Carl), Traps and Specters will chill, thrill, entertain, and leave you gasping in shock and terror at the horrors waiting within.
310 pages, Kindle Edition
First published September 22, 2026
About the author
Philip Fracassi
80 books2,289 followersPHILIP FRACASSI is the Bram Stoker and British Fantasy Award-nominated author of the novels A Child Alone with Strangers, Gothic, Boys in the Valley, The Third Rule of Time Travel, and The Autumn Springs Retirement Home Massacre. He is also the author of the story collections Behold the Void, Beneath a Pale Sky, and No One is Safe!
His stories have been published in numerous magazines and anthologies, including Black Static, Best Horror of the Year, Nightmare Magazine, Interzone, and Southwest Review.
Philip lives in Los Angeles and is represented by Copps Literary Services, Circle M + P, and WME. You can find him on Facebook, Instagram, and Bluesky, or visit pfracassi.com.
His stories have been published in numerous magazines and anthologies, including Black Static, Best Horror of the Year, Nightmare Magazine, Interzone, and Southwest Review.
Philip lives in Los Angeles and is represented by Copps Literary Services, Circle M + P, and WME. You can find him on Facebook, Instagram, and Bluesky, or visit pfracassi.com.
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Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Traps and Specters: Stories by Philip Fracassi
4.45 rounded down to 4🔮orbs
Pub. Date: Sept. 22, 2026
Shortwave Publishing
A most terrifying escape…
💡 Orbs Prologue: Assisted by a walking cane, a geriatric Orb clumsily vacates the premises. Bright flames burst out of the roof of the Autumn Springs Retirement Home a short distance behind me, and I realize I will not be living there anytime soon. Overcome by dread, my shortness of breath is a strong indication I have no idea where I am going. Under the eerie glow of the Gothic moon, my eyes start to compose themselves, revealing what looks to be three Boys In The Valley. Upon my approach, they scatter like scared little jackrabbits, as if I am indeed a ghost reincarnated. Walking for hours, my body is reaching its breaking point, and luckily I stumble upon a roadside bar. An older gentleman sits behind the bar, while three older gentlemen in Confederate garb man a table off to the left, leaving me speechless, wondering if it was Halloween. Further inspecting the place, I am interrupted by a mysterious-looking woman who plainly greets me. “Welcome, my name is Sarafina."
🧐 A small glimpse: Pssst! Hey dear readers, it’s me, Orb. I want to let you in on a little secret…. Philip Fracassi is back with fourteen lovely little horror nuggets that will surely satisfy your need for fright! Oh my, is Fracassi back indeed! Here are some of my favorites in this collection:
D7 - A roadside bar becomes a haunting nightmare for hungry travelers. (Also inspiring the epilogue; all credit to Fracassi, of course!) 5/5
The Visitor - A priest is summoned to bless a house; unfortunately for him, a strange discovery unfolds. 4.5/5
The Mummified Corpse of Reese Witherspoon - A comedic tale about the corpse of Reese Witherspoon spending time with a contest winner. 4.5/5
Point Oh One - What would a man do if he knew the exact moment he was supposed to die? 5/5
⭐My Love Do Not Wake - A wife discovers the grass is not always greener on the other side. 5/5
👍 Orbs Pros: Such variety! Uniquely different and kept me up for hours in the passenger’s seat on a long road trip! Fracassi! I am firmly under the belief that some horror authors have it all figured out. Along with the likes of Nat Cassidy and Saratoga Schaefer, Fracassi is cementing himself as one of the best horror authors out there right now! The ease with which the stories flow is impressive, and if you want some variety, the stories come at you hard and fast from every direction. Just check out My Love, Do Not Wake, for example, which I feebly attempted to explain to someone, and they looked at me like there was something wrong with me! A thoroughly accessible type of horror! Now I get it; some like it darker… Chuckle, chuckle! See what I did there! In all seriousness, this can be enjoyed for those who just want a great little batch of stories that aren’t pushing the gore too far.
👎 Orbs Cons: A collection of stories.... Not a literary format everyone may enjoy! However, as far as a curated bunch of horror stories go, this fulfilled everything I wanted, so I personally have no complaints. Of course, per usual, horror will include some violence and tense and emotional situations that might disturb some.
Must read! Leaning towards a 5-star rating, and yet, selfishly, I am holding out for the next Fracassi offering! Fracassi is a genius! Worth your time!
💡 Orbs Epilogue: “Orb,” I say flatly, still trying to understand this hallucination I was witnessing. “Please, come sit. Unfortunately, we are packed at the moment, but I can certainly make room for you!” Her finger beckons to me. Shuffling slowly, I notice the patrons look haggard. An unsettling feeling, as if I were A Child left Alone With Strangers, permeates through my mind. Seated now, an old-style jukebox begins to belt out a tune. In unison, the crowd of parched individuals marches to the dance floor, including myself. Gyrating hips and wicked giggles assault my senses, as if Trapped Specters are somehow infesting our bodies, making us move uncontrollably. I feel like a kid again, and yet, I can’t stop. My joints are grinding like the gears of an improper shift. People are frenzied, whooping into some sort of mad crowd of dancing baboons, an internal bestial rage unleashed. And then it happens. The cane flies out of my hands, and I trip and fall. A horrifying crunch lets me know my hip breaks, rendering me completely helpless, and yet these heathens don’t stop. The droning music continues, and as the hard soles of boots crash down on my body, I know this was the wrong place to stop…
Many thanks to Shortwave Publishing for the ARC through NetGalley. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
4.45 rounded down to 4🔮orbs
Pub. Date: Sept. 22, 2026
Shortwave Publishing
A most terrifying escape…
💡 Orbs Prologue: Assisted by a walking cane, a geriatric Orb clumsily vacates the premises. Bright flames burst out of the roof of the Autumn Springs Retirement Home a short distance behind me, and I realize I will not be living there anytime soon. Overcome by dread, my shortness of breath is a strong indication I have no idea where I am going. Under the eerie glow of the Gothic moon, my eyes start to compose themselves, revealing what looks to be three Boys In The Valley. Upon my approach, they scatter like scared little jackrabbits, as if I am indeed a ghost reincarnated. Walking for hours, my body is reaching its breaking point, and luckily I stumble upon a roadside bar. An older gentleman sits behind the bar, while three older gentlemen in Confederate garb man a table off to the left, leaving me speechless, wondering if it was Halloween. Further inspecting the place, I am interrupted by a mysterious-looking woman who plainly greets me. “Welcome, my name is Sarafina."
🧐 A small glimpse: Pssst! Hey dear readers, it’s me, Orb. I want to let you in on a little secret…. Philip Fracassi is back with fourteen lovely little horror nuggets that will surely satisfy your need for fright! Oh my, is Fracassi back indeed! Here are some of my favorites in this collection:
D7 - A roadside bar becomes a haunting nightmare for hungry travelers. (Also inspiring the epilogue; all credit to Fracassi, of course!) 5/5
The Visitor - A priest is summoned to bless a house; unfortunately for him, a strange discovery unfolds. 4.5/5
The Mummified Corpse of Reese Witherspoon - A comedic tale about the corpse of Reese Witherspoon spending time with a contest winner. 4.5/5
Point Oh One - What would a man do if he knew the exact moment he was supposed to die? 5/5
⭐My Love Do Not Wake - A wife discovers the grass is not always greener on the other side. 5/5
👍 Orbs Pros: Such variety! Uniquely different and kept me up for hours in the passenger’s seat on a long road trip! Fracassi! I am firmly under the belief that some horror authors have it all figured out. Along with the likes of Nat Cassidy and Saratoga Schaefer, Fracassi is cementing himself as one of the best horror authors out there right now! The ease with which the stories flow is impressive, and if you want some variety, the stories come at you hard and fast from every direction. Just check out My Love, Do Not Wake, for example, which I feebly attempted to explain to someone, and they looked at me like there was something wrong with me! A thoroughly accessible type of horror! Now I get it; some like it darker… Chuckle, chuckle! See what I did there! In all seriousness, this can be enjoyed for those who just want a great little batch of stories that aren’t pushing the gore too far.
👎 Orbs Cons: A collection of stories.... Not a literary format everyone may enjoy! However, as far as a curated bunch of horror stories go, this fulfilled everything I wanted, so I personally have no complaints. Of course, per usual, horror will include some violence and tense and emotional situations that might disturb some.
Must read! Leaning towards a 5-star rating, and yet, selfishly, I am holding out for the next Fracassi offering! Fracassi is a genius! Worth your time!
💡 Orbs Epilogue: “Orb,” I say flatly, still trying to understand this hallucination I was witnessing. “Please, come sit. Unfortunately, we are packed at the moment, but I can certainly make room for you!” Her finger beckons to me. Shuffling slowly, I notice the patrons look haggard. An unsettling feeling, as if I were A Child left Alone With Strangers, permeates through my mind. Seated now, an old-style jukebox begins to belt out a tune. In unison, the crowd of parched individuals marches to the dance floor, including myself. Gyrating hips and wicked giggles assault my senses, as if Trapped Specters are somehow infesting our bodies, making us move uncontrollably. I feel like a kid again, and yet, I can’t stop. My joints are grinding like the gears of an improper shift. People are frenzied, whooping into some sort of mad crowd of dancing baboons, an internal bestial rage unleashed. And then it happens. The cane flies out of my hands, and I trip and fall. A horrifying crunch lets me know my hip breaks, rendering me completely helpless, and yet these heathens don’t stop. The droning music continues, and as the hard soles of boots crash down on my body, I know this was the wrong place to stop…
Many thanks to Shortwave Publishing for the ARC through NetGalley. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
I've loved the Philip Fracassi novels I've read, but unfortunately these short stories didn't really do it for me. Of course, I'm not much of a short story person in general, so perhaps it's a “right book, wrong person” sort of thing? I dunno. A few of them are creepy, but a lot of them are just plain weird and every last one of them fizzles out at the end.
If you like bizarre horror stories, though, this might be a collection that's right up your alley. I love, love, love horror, but just … no. The story where a woman falls madly in love with the random sentient face that appears on the back of her husband's head is the real low point as far as I'm concerned (“My Love, Do Not Wake”), but “The Mummified Corpse of Reese Witherspoon” (which is about exactly what you'd think, no surprises there) is a pretty close second. I can't even imagine what it's like inside Philip Fracassi's head, but he is amazing at coming up with some unique and extremely unsettling story ideas, I'll give him that.
Even the better stories (“I Think My Treehouse is Haunted” is incredibly creepy) all have unsatisfyingly open-ended conclusions, and they all end in basically the same way. A few short, dramatic (and, honestly, rather hokey) sentences meant for shock value and then the story is over, right when it's finally getting to the good part. Other readers might appreciate the format more than I did, but I need proper closure!
I do think that the latter bit of this collection is better than the first part. My three favorites are actually the last three of the book — the above-mentioned “I Think My Treehouse is Haunted” is super spooky (and has one of the better endings of the bunch), and “The Resident” and “Red Leather” are pretty decent. And my least favorites? Well, see above. If a second face just happens to appear somewhere on my husband, I will promptly call an exorcist and not go straight to snogging it, just saying.
So, yeah. Sorry, Philip Fracassi. The Autumn Springs Retirement Home Massacre and Sarafina were both amazeballs, but I think I'll skip the short story collections from now on.
2.45 stars, rounded down.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Shortwave for providing me with an advance copy of this book to review. Its expected publication date is September 22, 2026.
If you like bizarre horror stories, though, this might be a collection that's right up your alley. I love, love, love horror, but just … no. The story where a woman falls madly in love with the random sentient face that appears on the back of her husband's head is the real low point as far as I'm concerned (“My Love, Do Not Wake”), but “The Mummified Corpse of Reese Witherspoon” (which is about exactly what you'd think, no surprises there) is a pretty close second. I can't even imagine what it's like inside Philip Fracassi's head, but he is amazing at coming up with some unique and extremely unsettling story ideas, I'll give him that.
Even the better stories (“I Think My Treehouse is Haunted” is incredibly creepy) all have unsatisfyingly open-ended conclusions, and they all end in basically the same way. A few short, dramatic (and, honestly, rather hokey) sentences meant for shock value and then the story is over, right when it's finally getting to the good part. Other readers might appreciate the format more than I did, but I need proper closure!
I do think that the latter bit of this collection is better than the first part. My three favorites are actually the last three of the book — the above-mentioned “I Think My Treehouse is Haunted” is super spooky (and has one of the better endings of the bunch), and “The Resident” and “Red Leather” are pretty decent. And my least favorites? Well, see above. If a second face just happens to appear somewhere on my husband, I will promptly call an exorcist and not go straight to snogging it, just saying.
So, yeah. Sorry, Philip Fracassi. The Autumn Springs Retirement Home Massacre and Sarafina were both amazeballs, but I think I'll skip the short story collections from now on.
2.45 stars, rounded down.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Shortwave for providing me with an advance copy of this book to review. Its expected publication date is September 22, 2026.
October 4, 2026
Evil is eternal delight… Look how hotly the fires of man’s imagination can burn.
This was a breath of fresh air! I enjoyed reading all of the short stories. They were unsettling, sinister and in a few cases bizarre.
My favorites are:
The Visitor
My Love, Do Not Wake
The Black Rider
I Think My Treehouse is Haunted
And here's is my rating for each story:
D7 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
The Visitor ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
The Mummified Corpse of Reese Witherspoon ⭐⭐⭐⭐
The Servitor ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
King Mob ⭐⭐⭐⭐
The Hunter ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Point Oh One ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Betrothed ⭐⭐⭐⭐
My Love, Do Not Wake ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
The Black Rider ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Dream of Me ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
The Resident ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
I Think My Treehouse is Haunted ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Red Leather ⭐⭐⭐⭐
This was a breath of fresh air! I enjoyed reading all of the short stories. They were unsettling, sinister and in a few cases bizarre.
My favorites are:
The Visitor
My Love, Do Not Wake
The Black Rider
I Think My Treehouse is Haunted
And here's is my rating for each story:
D7 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
The Visitor ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
The Mummified Corpse of Reese Witherspoon ⭐⭐⭐⭐
The Servitor ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
King Mob ⭐⭐⭐⭐
The Hunter ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Point Oh One ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Betrothed ⭐⭐⭐⭐
My Love, Do Not Wake ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
The Black Rider ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Dream of Me ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
The Resident ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
I Think My Treehouse is Haunted ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Red Leather ⭐⭐⭐⭐
September 21, 2026
I devoured this book! I couldn’t put it down. I felt compelled to finish it no matter what was going on around me. I stayed up too late last night, then had nightmares as soon as I fell asleep. Woke up this morning thinking about what I read, and was almost late to work because I wanted MORE. How can one man write so many unique, disturbing, scary, compulsive, erratic, dire stories? (There are so many better adjectives to use, but I can’t think of any right now. I’m completely boggled). I want to crawl inside the author’s mind and watch all of his synapses firing. Fracassi’s short stories are so BIZARRE and HAUNTING. While reading, I felt like a kid watching an R-rated movie or chancing upon their uncle’s nudey magazine for the first time; I felt dirty, yet excited, like I was getting away with something. It was a nostalgic feeling that doesn’t happen often. That alone is worth 5 stars.
Thank you to author Philip Fracassi, Shortwave Publishing, and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book!
I received an Advance Reader Copy of this book for free. I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Thank you to author Philip Fracassi, Shortwave Publishing, and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book!
I received an Advance Reader Copy of this book for free. I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
one of the better horror anthologies I’ve read, most of the stories were of consistent quality and i enjoyed seeing what each one of them would bring to the table.
my individual ratings for the short stories :
• d7 - 4 ★
• the visitor - 4 ★
• the mummified corpse of reese witherspoon- 3.5 ★
• the servitor - 3.5 ★
• king mob - 3 ★
• the hunter - 2 ★
• point oh one - 4 ★
• betrothed - 3.5 ★
• my love, do not wake - 4.5 ★
• the black rider - 2 ★
• dream of me - 4 ★
• the resident - 2 ★
• i think my treehouse is haunted - 3 ★
• red leather - 4 ★
➣ many thanks to NetGalley, the author and Shortwave Publishing for the arc, all opinions are my own.
my individual ratings for the short stories :
• d7 - 4 ★
• the visitor - 4 ★
• the mummified corpse of reese witherspoon- 3.5 ★
• the servitor - 3.5 ★
• king mob - 3 ★
• the hunter - 2 ★
• point oh one - 4 ★
• betrothed - 3.5 ★
• my love, do not wake - 4.5 ★
• the black rider - 2 ★
• dream of me - 4 ★
• the resident - 2 ★
• i think my treehouse is haunted - 3 ★
• red leather - 4 ★
➣ many thanks to NetGalley, the author and Shortwave Publishing for the arc, all opinions are my own.
September 25, 2026
Creepy, thought-provoking, and nightmarishly real, the short stories and novellas in Traps and Specters chilled me to the bone in the best possible way. Exploring not just one but all sides of the horror genre, I was treated to tales that ran the gamut from supernatural chills and sci-fi twists to classic psychological fears. Disturbing, gruesome, and undeniably brilliant, Fracassi flayed open his deliciously twisted and f***ed-up mind for all to see. Skipping between darkly funny, bizarrely eye-popping, and beyond grim, somehow this collection still managed to come together as a big, giant win. You see, I was treated to ghostly hauntings, evil demons, home invasions, and even some that broached technology-gone-wrong. Highly inventive and original, I’m utterly floored by the talent Mr. Fracassi wields with the stroke of his pen. After all, the variety alone in this fast-paced read proved that he’s a master of the horror genre.
So which stories will I remember the most? Well, I have to say that the last three definitely top my list. Eerie, nerve-wracking, and gory, they each were also somehow filled with just enough emotional depth to make my blood curdle with worry for the characters. You see, Fracassi made these scenes come alive right before my eyes. Alternating the pace and tone from story to story all while maintaining an ever-present sense of spine-chilling dread, he kept me off-balance, which only heightened my fear. Trust me when I say that this is one book you’re going to want to read with the lights on—after you’ve checked the locks on all of your windows and doors. With some giving me vibes straight out of The Twilight Zone to others that scared me silly thanks to a very Stephen King-esque feel, I most definitely won’t be forgetting a single page of this awe-inspiring anthology of spooky reads anytime soon. Rating of 5+ stars.
Read this is you’re a fan of:
- Short story/novella collections
- The horror genre
- Twisty plotting
- Supernatural elements
- Fast pacing
- Psychological unease
- Dark humor
- Thought-provoking themes
- A variety of stories
- A delicious unhinged-ness
- Gruesome scenes
- Nightmare-inducing storylines
- Jump scares
- Urban-legend-like vibes
- Emotional depth
SYNOPSIS:
From the mind of Stoker and British Fantasy award-nominated author Philip Fracassi comes fourteen stories of the macabre that will frighten, disturb, and ensnare readers in a dark web of twisted tales.
In these pages you’ll find talking corpses and deadly tombs, misguided exorcists, technology gone wrong, blood-soaked prison riots, and enough vengeful spirits and haunted obj
Thank you Philip Fracassi and Shortwave Publishing for my complimentary copy. All opinions are my own.
PUB DATE: September 22, 2026
Content warning: murder, violence, gore, gun violence, child abuse, car accident, domestic abuse, pregnancy, body horror, mention of: suicide
So which stories will I remember the most? Well, I have to say that the last three definitely top my list. Eerie, nerve-wracking, and gory, they each were also somehow filled with just enough emotional depth to make my blood curdle with worry for the characters. You see, Fracassi made these scenes come alive right before my eyes. Alternating the pace and tone from story to story all while maintaining an ever-present sense of spine-chilling dread, he kept me off-balance, which only heightened my fear. Trust me when I say that this is one book you’re going to want to read with the lights on—after you’ve checked the locks on all of your windows and doors. With some giving me vibes straight out of The Twilight Zone to others that scared me silly thanks to a very Stephen King-esque feel, I most definitely won’t be forgetting a single page of this awe-inspiring anthology of spooky reads anytime soon. Rating of 5+ stars.
Read this is you’re a fan of:
- Short story/novella collections
- The horror genre
- Twisty plotting
- Supernatural elements
- Fast pacing
- Psychological unease
- Dark humor
- Thought-provoking themes
- A variety of stories
- A delicious unhinged-ness
- Gruesome scenes
- Nightmare-inducing storylines
- Jump scares
- Urban-legend-like vibes
- Emotional depth
SYNOPSIS:
From the mind of Stoker and British Fantasy award-nominated author Philip Fracassi comes fourteen stories of the macabre that will frighten, disturb, and ensnare readers in a dark web of twisted tales.
In these pages you’ll find talking corpses and deadly tombs, misguided exorcists, technology gone wrong, blood-soaked prison riots, and enough vengeful spirits and haunted obj
Thank you Philip Fracassi and Shortwave Publishing for my complimentary copy. All opinions are my own.
PUB DATE: September 22, 2026
Content warning: murder, violence, gore, gun violence, child abuse, car accident, domestic abuse, pregnancy, body horror, mention of: suicide
July 8, 2026
Traps and Specters: Stories is a short story collection from the brilliant mind of Philip Fracassi. I don't have much to say on this besides the fact that it's great. The tales are varied and I feel like there's something within for everyone.
Even though not every story blew me away, they all felt very Fracassi. By that I mean, they were all creative, well-written and with an overriding sense of dread threaded throughout. My favorite was The Haunted Treehouse. That was so fun. It just felt like a Classic Horror story.
I highly recommend the audiobook if you're going to pick this up and have it available to you. There are two separate narrators, Sean Patrick Hopkins and Patricia Santomasso, each getting their turn to read separate stories.
I really enjoyed how it was done that way. It helped each story to feel distinct from the ones before or after. I also felt like the quality of the narration had a very classic Horror feel to it. They felt like true storytellers, bringing Fracassi's ideas to life. Where's the campfire?
For me, this collection was an absolute win. I love Fracassi's writing. He has texture and strong atmosphere. Boys in the Valley is one of my favorite Horror novels of all time, and instantly assured my position as a big ole' Fracassi stan.
Thank you to the publisher, Tantor Media and Shortwave, for providing me with a copy to read and review. I would recommend this collection to any Horror Reader who enjoys short stories. This is a fun one!
Even though not every story blew me away, they all felt very Fracassi. By that I mean, they were all creative, well-written and with an overriding sense of dread threaded throughout. My favorite was The Haunted Treehouse. That was so fun. It just felt like a Classic Horror story.
I highly recommend the audiobook if you're going to pick this up and have it available to you. There are two separate narrators, Sean Patrick Hopkins and Patricia Santomasso, each getting their turn to read separate stories.
I really enjoyed how it was done that way. It helped each story to feel distinct from the ones before or after. I also felt like the quality of the narration had a very classic Horror feel to it. They felt like true storytellers, bringing Fracassi's ideas to life. Where's the campfire?
For me, this collection was an absolute win. I love Fracassi's writing. He has texture and strong atmosphere. Boys in the Valley is one of my favorite Horror novels of all time, and instantly assured my position as a big ole' Fracassi stan.
Thank you to the publisher, Tantor Media and Shortwave, for providing me with a copy to read and review. I would recommend this collection to any Horror Reader who enjoys short stories. This is a fun one!
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
A Masterclass in Modern Dread – A Must-Read Collection!
Philip Fracassi has firmly propelled himself into the upper echelons of modern horror writing with Traps and Spectres. This is a fantastic, diverse collection of short stories where every single tale firmly stamps its own unique identity into your mind.
Fracassi’s writing is riveting throughout, masterfully shifting his prose and pace from story to story to keep the reader completely off-balance.
I initially intended to review every single story individually, but these raw highlights speak for themselves:
THE VISITOR (⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️): Amazingly taut and creepy for such a short piece. This is definitive proof that sometimes less is more. I loved how information is kept to an absolute minimum, leaving the reader to deduce what really happened.
MY LOVE, DO NOT WAKE (⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️):
A highly peculiar and dark take on love, affairs, and murder. It brings a brilliant, much more literal meaning to the phrase "two-faced"!
DREAM OF ME (⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️):
A fantastic story that beautifully combines a haunting with the innocence of childhood—a concept that always gets to me. A young girl is given a "Dream Book" by her Nana, but shortly after, her Nana passes away. That is when things get weird. For a 30-minute read, this punches way above its weight.
(Note: I have intentionally omitted my absolute favourite story of the collection. I cannot bring myself to taint its majestic presence with a summary, but let's just say it involves a child and a haunting, and it is simply unforgettable.)
The Verdict: Overall, this collection punches just as hard as similar works from the most lauded horror authors in the industry. It is, without a doubt, a buy-on-sight publication. Go get a copy immediately!
Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for providing an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.
Philip Fracassi has firmly propelled himself into the upper echelons of modern horror writing with Traps and Spectres. This is a fantastic, diverse collection of short stories where every single tale firmly stamps its own unique identity into your mind.
Fracassi’s writing is riveting throughout, masterfully shifting his prose and pace from story to story to keep the reader completely off-balance.
I initially intended to review every single story individually, but these raw highlights speak for themselves:
THE VISITOR (⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️): Amazingly taut and creepy for such a short piece. This is definitive proof that sometimes less is more. I loved how information is kept to an absolute minimum, leaving the reader to deduce what really happened.
MY LOVE, DO NOT WAKE (⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️):
A highly peculiar and dark take on love, affairs, and murder. It brings a brilliant, much more literal meaning to the phrase "two-faced"!
DREAM OF ME (⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️):
A fantastic story that beautifully combines a haunting with the innocence of childhood—a concept that always gets to me. A young girl is given a "Dream Book" by her Nana, but shortly after, her Nana passes away. That is when things get weird. For a 30-minute read, this punches way above its weight.
(Note: I have intentionally omitted my absolute favourite story of the collection. I cannot bring myself to taint its majestic presence with a summary, but let's just say it involves a child and a haunting, and it is simply unforgettable.)
The Verdict: Overall, this collection punches just as hard as similar works from the most lauded horror authors in the industry. It is, without a doubt, a buy-on-sight publication. Go get a copy immediately!
Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for providing an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
philip!!
where’s the petition to sign for the full versions of my six out of fourteen favorite tales that stood out to me from this creepy collection??
please let me know!!
it’s so difficult to choose 1 but anyways here’s my top 6 faves:
☠︎︎ D7 - a couple is trapped in a bar in the middle of nowhere and discovers a haunting jukebox nightmare
☠︎︎ the visitor - a priest is sent to bless a troubled family
☠︎︎ betrothed - til death do us part!
☠︎︎ dream of me - a young girl is gifted a journal from her nana to jot down her bad dreams
☠︎︎ i think my treehouse is haunted - lets just say someone is keeping eyes on you at said treehouse
☠︎︎ red leather - get a double or triple serving blood soaked meal!
attention horror junkies!
ya’ll better listen to me and * pre order * go grab this arc asap!
a fabulous assortment of 14 little macabre tales!
ranging variously from vengeful spirits to haunted objects to prison riots to a mummified talking corpse to deadly tombs to exorcism + more!!
i just seen someone say this is like an adult version of scary stories you would tell in the dark as a child, i felt that.
i’m telling ya’ll each story striked a different nerve within me and i hope it will for you too!
no clue what’s in philip’s blood to have the impressive ability to conjure brief and high quality haunting characters in this.
he freaking nailed it!
anthologies are usually a bit of a hit or miss for me but traps and specters might be my most favorite up to date!
i’m so happy i received early access to read this!
these tales gave me perfect, unsettling goosebumps while reading at midnight 🪦🦇
thank you netgalley & shortwave publishing for the arc in exchange for my honest review!~
where’s the petition to sign for the full versions of my six out of fourteen favorite tales that stood out to me from this creepy collection??
please let me know!!
it’s so difficult to choose 1 but anyways here’s my top 6 faves:
☠︎︎ D7 - a couple is trapped in a bar in the middle of nowhere and discovers a haunting jukebox nightmare
☠︎︎ the visitor - a priest is sent to bless a troubled family
☠︎︎ betrothed - til death do us part!
☠︎︎ dream of me - a young girl is gifted a journal from her nana to jot down her bad dreams
☠︎︎ i think my treehouse is haunted - lets just say someone is keeping eyes on you at said treehouse
☠︎︎ red leather - get a double or triple serving blood soaked meal!
attention horror junkies!
ya’ll better listen to me and * pre order * go grab this arc asap!
a fabulous assortment of 14 little macabre tales!
ranging variously from vengeful spirits to haunted objects to prison riots to a mummified talking corpse to deadly tombs to exorcism + more!!
i just seen someone say this is like an adult version of scary stories you would tell in the dark as a child, i felt that.
i’m telling ya’ll each story striked a different nerve within me and i hope it will for you too!
no clue what’s in philip’s blood to have the impressive ability to conjure brief and high quality haunting characters in this.
he freaking nailed it!
anthologies are usually a bit of a hit or miss for me but traps and specters might be my most favorite up to date!
i’m so happy i received early access to read this!
these tales gave me perfect, unsettling goosebumps while reading at midnight 🪦🦇
thank you netgalley & shortwave publishing for the arc in exchange for my honest review!~
September 14, 2026
Having become a big fan of Philip Fracassi over the last few years, when I saw the audiobook of Traps and Specters: Stories available from NetGalley, I requested it and here we are.
This was a solid selection of stories, a few ghostly, a few kind of funny and the last few downright weird.(The Mummified Corpse of Reese Witherspoon, I’m looking at you.) Well written and engaging, my favorite stories were:
I Think My Treehouse is Haunted
The Black Rider made me chuckle at the end.
My Love, Do Not Wake: This was so weird, but fascinating at the same time.
I listened to this on audio, narrated by the brilliant Patricia Santamasso and Sean Patrick Hopkins. These two are top-notch and they voiced these stories perfectly.
With an excellent introduction from Matt Dinniman, this audio is entertaining and what better time to give it a listen or a read, with Halloween just around the corner?
Highly recommended!
*Audio ARC from Tantor Media,
Available today!
This was a solid selection of stories, a few ghostly, a few kind of funny and the last few downright weird.(The Mummified Corpse of Reese Witherspoon, I’m looking at you.) Well written and engaging, my favorite stories were:
I Think My Treehouse is Haunted
The Black Rider made me chuckle at the end.
My Love, Do Not Wake: This was so weird, but fascinating at the same time.
I listened to this on audio, narrated by the brilliant Patricia Santamasso and Sean Patrick Hopkins. These two are top-notch and they voiced these stories perfectly.
With an excellent introduction from Matt Dinniman, this audio is entertaining and what better time to give it a listen or a read, with Halloween just around the corner?
Highly recommended!
*Audio ARC from Tantor Media,
Available today!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
3.75
June 24, 2026
You could be suffering from bouts of depression, loneliness, anxiety, or insufferable mental conditions…. Or you could just pick up a @pfracassi novel and immediately get that ease and comfort … like he’s a drug or something. If this dude writes it, I’m gonna consume it. End of story.
Traps and Specters is a collection of fourteen short stories. D7 kicks the book off with a haunted jukebox tale that I really loved. I own the novella itself.
What’s cool is how he can branch out within the genre and pretty much deliver a killer story. One that I personally thought was funny was the Reese Witherspoon one. How do you come up with this stuff, sir?
Supernatural, possession, tech nightmares, and just creepy shit all-around. I loved I Think My Treehouse Is Haunted. Another collection that guarantees a good time.
Don’t forget to pre-order your copy! Pre-orders are crucial for their success.
5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Thank you to Shortwave Books for the gifted copy
Traps and Specters is a collection of fourteen short stories. D7 kicks the book off with a haunted jukebox tale that I really loved. I own the novella itself.
What’s cool is how he can branch out within the genre and pretty much deliver a killer story. One that I personally thought was funny was the Reese Witherspoon one. How do you come up with this stuff, sir?
Supernatural, possession, tech nightmares, and just creepy shit all-around. I loved I Think My Treehouse Is Haunted. Another collection that guarantees a good time.
Don’t forget to pre-order your copy! Pre-orders are crucial for their success.
5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Thank you to Shortwave Books for the gifted copy
July 4, 2026
Thank you NetGalley for an ARC kindle edition of Traps and Specters by Philip Fracassi. I have never read anything from this author before but knew of his reputation of being an excellent horror writer and that was no lie. This book contained 14 short horror stories. I wasn't sure what to expect because I've never read any books from this author. The stories were all very well written with some of them, particularly The Visitor, The Mummified Corpse of Reese Witherspoon (yes, you read that right), Point Oh One, My Love Do Not Wake, I Think My Treehouse is Haunted and Red Leather were sooo good that I cannot stop thinking about them. The horror wasn't grotesque but more creepy and eerie to me. I really felt the terror that the characters were feeling and you felt the dread coming in every page. Each story was separate and the characters did not bleed into the other stories. If I had to say which story was my all-time favorite from this book, it would have to be I Think My Treehouse is Haunted- because it was spooky and so creepy and it was the in the point of view of a kid. I would definitely recommend this to any horror fan and will definitely be reading more from this author in the future.
September 18, 2026
A huge thank you to Shortwave and Tantor Audio for the gifted copy of this book!
My Thoughts:
TRAPS AND SPECTERS is a collection of haunting tales you won’t be able to escape. It contains an excellent variety of stories, ranging from dream journaling gone wrong to navigating a boobytrapped tomb. There are quite a few ghost stories, but they all have a unique take or twist. Some stories have a bit of humor, but most are downright terrifying.
I enjoyed every story in this collection, but some of my favorites are The Mummified Corpse of Reese Witherspoon, The Servitor, My Love Do Not Wake, Dream of Me, and I Think My Treehouse Is Haunted.
The audiobook is amazing. Sean Patrick Hopkins and Patricia Santomasso are quickly becoming two of my favorite narrators. They both add so much emotion to the storytelling and are just a delight to listen to. Also, I feel I must applaud Hopkins for their Broomie voice in The Mummified Corpse of Reese Witherspoon. That story had me grinning ear to ear! 😆
I thoroughly enjoyed this collection and would rank it right up there with some of my favorite short story collections ever. There’s not a single bad story in the bunch. No matter which format you prefer, do yourself a favor and grab a copy!
Overall Rating: 4/5 stars
Narration: 5/5 stars
✔️ highly recommend
My Thoughts:
TRAPS AND SPECTERS is a collection of haunting tales you won’t be able to escape. It contains an excellent variety of stories, ranging from dream journaling gone wrong to navigating a boobytrapped tomb. There are quite a few ghost stories, but they all have a unique take or twist. Some stories have a bit of humor, but most are downright terrifying.
I enjoyed every story in this collection, but some of my favorites are The Mummified Corpse of Reese Witherspoon, The Servitor, My Love Do Not Wake, Dream of Me, and I Think My Treehouse Is Haunted.
The audiobook is amazing. Sean Patrick Hopkins and Patricia Santomasso are quickly becoming two of my favorite narrators. They both add so much emotion to the storytelling and are just a delight to listen to. Also, I feel I must applaud Hopkins for their Broomie voice in The Mummified Corpse of Reese Witherspoon. That story had me grinning ear to ear! 😆
I thoroughly enjoyed this collection and would rank it right up there with some of my favorite short story collections ever. There’s not a single bad story in the bunch. No matter which format you prefer, do yourself a favor and grab a copy!
Overall Rating: 4/5 stars
Narration: 5/5 stars
✔️ highly recommend
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
14 Horror short stories that are original and FANTASTIC!! 👏 💀 Pre-Order this Now!
These stories are filled with reckless disregard for human life and the strangest of happenings. The situations Philip Fracassi puts his characters through are bizarre, frightening, unsettling, grotesque, creepy, morbid, twisted, disturbing, and somehow DARKLY HUMOROUS. He literally dropped the mic after writing each one. 🎤
I loved how every story pulled me into its own twisted little nightmare, leaving me hesitant to turn the page while desperately needing to know what would happen next. Every story had me clutching my pearls and wondering, “How much darker can this possibly get?!” It did!
And the vivid descriptions got me EVERY SINGLE TIME. From jelly-like peepers and precise killings to torture, possession, curses, celebratory meals, treehouse ventures, and a delusional woman shaving the back of her husband’s head because she believes he has “two faces.” GROSS but so entertaining!
If you're a horror fan and love spooky season, YOU NEED THIS BOOK!
Grab it on release day 09 / 22 /2026 and enjoy these demented, disturbing, macabre, and wildly entertaining stories. Good grief….. I’m disturbed. And I LOVED IT!
Thank you Netgalley, and Shortwave for the ARC.
These stories are filled with reckless disregard for human life and the strangest of happenings. The situations Philip Fracassi puts his characters through are bizarre, frightening, unsettling, grotesque, creepy, morbid, twisted, disturbing, and somehow DARKLY HUMOROUS. He literally dropped the mic after writing each one. 🎤
I loved how every story pulled me into its own twisted little nightmare, leaving me hesitant to turn the page while desperately needing to know what would happen next. Every story had me clutching my pearls and wondering, “How much darker can this possibly get?!” It did!
And the vivid descriptions got me EVERY SINGLE TIME. From jelly-like peepers and precise killings to torture, possession, curses, celebratory meals, treehouse ventures, and a delusional woman shaving the back of her husband’s head because she believes he has “two faces.” GROSS but so entertaining!
If you're a horror fan and love spooky season, YOU NEED THIS BOOK!
Grab it on release day 09 / 22 /2026 and enjoy these demented, disturbing, macabre, and wildly entertaining stories. Good grief….. I’m disturbed. And I LOVED IT!
Thank you Netgalley, and Shortwave for the ARC.
October 9, 2026
I’ve read three of Philip Fracassi’s novels, but Traps and Specters was my first experience with his short stories – and let me just say, the inside of his head must be a wild place. This collection covers a wide array of horror subgenres, with stories about cursed objects, haunted places and people, demonic possession, and technology gone wrong.
Traps and Specters was a mixed bag for me, and although I tend to appreciate an open ending especially in the short story format, it was a bit annoying that every single one of these stories ended on a cliffhanger – almost always right when things were getting good. A couple of the stories (“The Hunter,” “The Black Rider”) had barely even gotten started before they were over.
The standouts for me were “The Servitor,” a story about a cursed tomb and its protector – like Indiana Jones with the horror dialed up; “I Think My Treehouse Is Haunted,” which was by far the scariest story in the collection; and “Red Leather,” which struck a perfect balance between gruesome and melancholy. I also really appreciated “King Mob” and how it drew on the life of poet William Blake and the Newgate Prison Riot – it was such a creative and visceral story. And I liked the irony of “Point Oh One,” about a man on borrowed time behaving badly.
A couple of these stories were just plain unserious. “My Love, Do Not Wake” is about a woman who falls in love with a face that appears on the back of her husband’s shaved head, and all I could picture was Voldemort in Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone. And then there’s “The Mummified Corpse of Reese Witherspoon,” which is exactly what you would imagine, but there’s never any context for why.
All in all, not a bad collection overall, but I definitely prefer Fracassi’s longer fiction. Thanks to Shortwave for the complimentary reading opportunity.
Traps and Specters was a mixed bag for me, and although I tend to appreciate an open ending especially in the short story format, it was a bit annoying that every single one of these stories ended on a cliffhanger – almost always right when things were getting good. A couple of the stories (“The Hunter,” “The Black Rider”) had barely even gotten started before they were over.
The standouts for me were “The Servitor,” a story about a cursed tomb and its protector – like Indiana Jones with the horror dialed up; “I Think My Treehouse Is Haunted,” which was by far the scariest story in the collection; and “Red Leather,” which struck a perfect balance between gruesome and melancholy. I also really appreciated “King Mob” and how it drew on the life of poet William Blake and the Newgate Prison Riot – it was such a creative and visceral story. And I liked the irony of “Point Oh One,” about a man on borrowed time behaving badly.
A couple of these stories were just plain unserious. “My Love, Do Not Wake” is about a woman who falls in love with a face that appears on the back of her husband’s shaved head, and all I could picture was Voldemort in Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone. And then there’s “The Mummified Corpse of Reese Witherspoon,” which is exactly what you would imagine, but there’s never any context for why.
All in all, not a bad collection overall, but I definitely prefer Fracassi’s longer fiction. Thanks to Shortwave for the complimentary reading opportunity.
October 8, 2026
Hell yes, THIS is a collection of horror stories!
June 9, 2026
Few authors working in modern horror demonstrate the range and consistency that Fracassi brings to the page. Traps and Specters is a strong showcase of exactly why he is such a respected voice in the horror community. Spanning fourteen stories, this collection moves effortlessly between the supernatural, psychological dread, disastrous technology, possession, and brutality, yet every tale screams "Fracassi". What impressed me most was the versatility. One story may plunge the reader into an encounter with the impossible, while the next explores the horrors of the human body or mind. Haunted objects, restless dead and violent eruptions of chaos are all waiting for you, and the real connective tissue is Fracassi's talent for creating deep unease. Even when a story leans into gore or absurdity, there is an undercurrent of sadness and dread. As with short story collections, certain stories will resonate differently with each reader, but the quality remains remarkable throughout. Fracassi rises to the demands of short-form horror, always. He wastes little time establishing atmosphere, quickly immersing the reader in unsettling situations while still giving us memorable characters and emotional weight. Several stories build toward endings that simultaneously feel surprising and inevitable. The collection highlights Fracassi's skill at balancing entertainment with genuine discomfort. More than once, I yelled. For longtime horror fans and newcomers alike, Traps and Specters is an engaging and horrific collection that demonstrates why Philip continues to be one of the genres most compelling storytellers. Thank you to Shortwave Publishing for the ARC! This title is live for preorder over on Shortwaves website. Keep an eye out for it September 22nd, 2026. I will have full coverage of this title on Cemetery Dance soon!
October 7, 2026
Thank you Phillip Fracassi and NetGalley for the advanced audiobook of this collection of short stories.
I was quite impressed by this collection of short stories as there were more good ones than so-so ones. I would definitely love to add this book to at home collection for rereads.
For me, I think it's the mix of the quick conclusions and it being horror that the story didn't have time to dissolve into something boring with unnecessary details. If anyone has read Stephen King short stories I think they will understand that kind of skill in these stories.
I don't love the cover, I think they could have chosen something stronger that made it look a little less juvenile.
The narration was great and suited the collection.
Great read.
I was quite impressed by this collection of short stories as there were more good ones than so-so ones. I would definitely love to add this book to at home collection for rereads.
For me, I think it's the mix of the quick conclusions and it being horror that the story didn't have time to dissolve into something boring with unnecessary details. If anyone has read Stephen King short stories I think they will understand that kind of skill in these stories.
I don't love the cover, I think they could have chosen something stronger that made it look a little less juvenile.
The narration was great and suited the collection.
Great read.
October 8, 2026
"Love and life were at odds. And though love is fierce, it is life which holds the whip."
Back to Back Fracassi books and it did not disappoint.
I'm sorry but 'The Mummified Corpse of Reese Witherspoon' will always be my favorite and the most f**ked up of any of his stories. There's no changing my mind.
This was a fantastic collection. Some more bizarre than others, just a fun horror filled collection for all.
Back to Back Fracassi books and it did not disappoint.
I'm sorry but 'The Mummified Corpse of Reese Witherspoon' will always be my favorite and the most f**ked up of any of his stories. There's no changing my mind.
This was a fantastic collection. Some more bizarre than others, just a fun horror filled collection for all.
Review of advance copy received from Author
Out today from Shortwave Publishing, Traps and Specters: Stories by Philip Fracassi is a collection that shows a horror writer writing with a range of original concepts. There are fourteen stories that move from haunted objects and failed exorcisms to technological dread, ancient tombs and disturbing human violence The result is a collection that feels both classic and contemporary, rooted in tradition while, but in touch with modernity. Personal favorites include the collection-leading story, D7, which demonstrates the downside of marathon dance parties. In addition, The Servitor and King Mob will leave you reflecting on frightening aspects of the human condition. There are no duds in this book.
The book’s title lets the reader know immediately that Fracassi’s characters are often caught before they realize it—haunted by guilt, obsession, or forces they cannot name. The specters that haunt these pages are not only supernatural, but also memories, fears, and histories that refuse to stay buried: "Be sure thy sins will find thee out. At its most grotesque, the collection remains focused on mood, character, and the slow realization that escape may already be impossible. Traps and Specters is sharp, eerie, and consistently interesting. It’s a strong choice for serious horror readers.
The book’s title lets the reader know immediately that Fracassi’s characters are often caught before they realize it—haunted by guilt, obsession, or forces they cannot name. The specters that haunt these pages are not only supernatural, but also memories, fears, and histories that refuse to stay buried: "Be sure thy sins will find thee out. At its most grotesque, the collection remains focused on mood, character, and the slow realization that escape may already be impossible. Traps and Specters is sharp, eerie, and consistently interesting. It’s a strong choice for serious horror readers.
June 8, 2026
If you’ve followed me for a while, you know how much I love Philip Fracassi’s work. I’ve read most of his novels and this is now the third collection of his that I’ve read. And every single one is awesome.
TRAPS AND SPECTERS, coming this September from Shortwave, is another fantastic collection of stories from one of the best storytellers we have today. The way Fracassi can throw you into a situation, whether real life horror or speculative nightmare, and get you to ride along with the character as shit really hits the fan quickly. There are old school horror stories, heartbreaking tales of love lost, some very strange relationships, bad people getting their comeuppance, and so much more.
Some of these stories truly frightened me. Some in the classic, get-under-your-skin horror way, some in a more existential way. I devoured this collection because I just couldn’t get enough. I seriously think that Fracassi puts crack in his stories.
Standouts for me were “I Think My Treehouse is Haunted” (which had a legit jump scare), “Red Leather”, “Point Oh One”, “Dream of Me”, and “The Mummified Corpse of Reese Witherspoon”.
TRAPS AND SPECTERS is one of my favorite books from this year.
Thanks to Shortwave for an eARC for review on NetGalley!
TRAPS AND SPECTERS, coming this September from Shortwave, is another fantastic collection of stories from one of the best storytellers we have today. The way Fracassi can throw you into a situation, whether real life horror or speculative nightmare, and get you to ride along with the character as shit really hits the fan quickly. There are old school horror stories, heartbreaking tales of love lost, some very strange relationships, bad people getting their comeuppance, and so much more.
Some of these stories truly frightened me. Some in the classic, get-under-your-skin horror way, some in a more existential way. I devoured this collection because I just couldn’t get enough. I seriously think that Fracassi puts crack in his stories.
Standouts for me were “I Think My Treehouse is Haunted” (which had a legit jump scare), “Red Leather”, “Point Oh One”, “Dream of Me”, and “The Mummified Corpse of Reese Witherspoon”.
TRAPS AND SPECTERS is one of my favorite books from this year.
Thanks to Shortwave for an eARC for review on NetGalley!
September 23, 2026
Has anyone checked on Philip’s mental health lately? Because idk how this man writes the most twisted, wicked little stories and then just goes about living his life like everything is NORMAL. 🤣🤣
Traps and Specters was dark, nasty, creepy, and exactly the kind of beautifully sick little collection I’ve come to expect from Philip Fracassi. 🖤
Fourteen stories filled with talking corpses, deadly tombs, possessed objects, vengeful spirits, failed exorcisms, technology gone VERY wrong, and enough blood and nightmares to keep you sleeping with the lights on. 👀
Every story had its own flavor of WTF, and I was absolutely here for it. My only complaint?
I NEED MORE. 😩
Philip, respectfully… what is going on in that brain of yours?! 🤣🩸
If you like your horror dark, disturbing, twisted, and just a little bit unhinged, add this one to your TBR
Traps and Specters was dark, nasty, creepy, and exactly the kind of beautifully sick little collection I’ve come to expect from Philip Fracassi. 🖤
Fourteen stories filled with talking corpses, deadly tombs, possessed objects, vengeful spirits, failed exorcisms, technology gone VERY wrong, and enough blood and nightmares to keep you sleeping with the lights on. 👀
Every story had its own flavor of WTF, and I was absolutely here for it. My only complaint?
I NEED MORE. 😩
Philip, respectfully… what is going on in that brain of yours?! 🤣🩸
If you like your horror dark, disturbing, twisted, and just a little bit unhinged, add this one to your TBR
June 8, 2026
I love this author and I was so excited to get an ARC of his short story collection. These short stories were WILD. Some of them actually did creep me out when I was reading late night. I thought it was a great collection that featured many different kinds of horror. This author definitely has a handle on horror and I’m here for it. Don’t miss this! Coming September 2026.
September 25, 2026
My rating is 4.25
Phil Fracassi just hits every mark for me.
This collection of 14 stories had me kicking me feet and squealing!
I had so many favourites, Nana is big mad (Dream of Me), Reese isn't as nice as we think (The Mummified Corpse of Reese Witherspoon) and talk about being two faced (My Love, Do Not Wake)
These are all totally different and full of dread, madness, hauntings and just plain creepy fun.
If you're a horror fan, this is the collection for you.
Thank you to NetGalley and Shortwave Publishing for the opportunity to read and review this great collection. My thoughts are my own.
Phil Fracassi just hits every mark for me.
This collection of 14 stories had me kicking me feet and squealing!
I had so many favourites, Nana is big mad (Dream of Me), Reese isn't as nice as we think (The Mummified Corpse of Reese Witherspoon) and talk about being two faced (My Love, Do Not Wake)
These are all totally different and full of dread, madness, hauntings and just plain creepy fun.
If you're a horror fan, this is the collection for you.
Thank you to NetGalley and Shortwave Publishing for the opportunity to read and review this great collection. My thoughts are my own.
August 21, 2026
Like King, Langan, Barron, readers have come to expect a certain measure of quality from a Fracassi collection. Of course, Traps and Specters is no exception. From the too-weird-for Twilight Zone ("My Love, Do Not Wake") to the Indiana-Jones-Adventure-Adjacent ("The Servitor") to what-kind-of-haunting-is-this-actually ("I Think My Treehouse is Haunted") to the patently outrageous ("The Mummified Corpse of Reese Witherspoon") and back again, there's a tremendous variety to keep the reader guessing what could possibly come with the next page turn. Also, there's a clearly careful curation to the stories, with many feeling like spiritual successors to the previous, without retreading familiar themes or even stretching to similar lengths. The kind of curation that makes an album feel different than a mixtape.
September 18, 2026
Thank you to RBmedia and NetGalley for this audiobook arc!
Coming soon September 22, 2026! Although I’ve loved the full length novels I’ve read before from this author, this was the first story collection I read by him. And I’m glad to say it didn’t disappoint! The stories all ranged from solid to awesome, and featured a variety of concepts and tropes, which made this so fun to read. Like, you get ghosts, sci fi, riots, hauntings, talking corpses, dangerous tombs, all in one book. The two narrators made this a great listening experience. My individual thoughts on each story are below.
D7 4★
A couple looking for a nightcap in the middle of nowhere. The classic “you should’ve just gone home” tale. I liked where this went, although it was over way too quickly!
The Visitor 4★
A priest is sent to visit and bless a family. Arriving at their house, things seem off. This was creepy, fun, short and sweet. Loved it!
The Mummified Corpse of Reese Witherspoon 4★
Did you do a double take reading the title? Because I did 😂 this is such a weird concept, I loved it.
The Servitor 5★
Tomb raider vibes! Loved this! Might be my favorite out of the collection.
King Mob 4★
You know, just one of these days, when on your way home you just happen to find yourself part of a rioting mob. This one was wild, I kinda loved it!
The Hunter 3★
A kid hiding in the basement from his father. This one was super short, and it had a compelling premise but before I could really get into it, it was already over.
Point 01 4★
I loved the concept of this, and the themes in here are interesting too. Like death and the impact it has on our lives. Life and what makes it meaningful. And in the end, it was just a well paced enjoyable story. I wouldn’t say suspenseful exactly, but compelling definitely.
Betrothed 3★
I liked this, but it was quite short and I’m not sure I got the point.
My Love, Do Not Wake 3★
This protagonist takes an unusual lover. This was not bad! I liked it but I feel like it was a little too long?
The Black Rider 3★
A grandma being cruel to kids. Not bad either, but this one was over too soon!
Dream of Me 4★
A girl gets a dream journal from her grandma for her birthday. This was so creepy! Loved it!
The Resident 4★
House robbery gone wrong. This went in a different direction than I expected. Loved this one too.
I Think My Treehouse is Haunted 5★
Family moves to a new house, kid is excited to have a yard AND a treehouse, turns out it might be haunted. I loved this so much! It was scary, listening to this at night was honestly stressful haha! The format of this - diary/blog entries - had a little bit of NoSleep vibes and I’m here for that. Great entry!
Red Leather 3★
This was pretty good, but perhaps a little forgettable. I listened to this in the early morning, and when I came back in the afternoon to write down my thoughts I already couldn’t remember what it was about at first.
Coming soon September 22, 2026! Although I’ve loved the full length novels I’ve read before from this author, this was the first story collection I read by him. And I’m glad to say it didn’t disappoint! The stories all ranged from solid to awesome, and featured a variety of concepts and tropes, which made this so fun to read. Like, you get ghosts, sci fi, riots, hauntings, talking corpses, dangerous tombs, all in one book. The two narrators made this a great listening experience. My individual thoughts on each story are below.
D7 4★
A couple looking for a nightcap in the middle of nowhere. The classic “you should’ve just gone home” tale. I liked where this went, although it was over way too quickly!
The Visitor 4★
A priest is sent to visit and bless a family. Arriving at their house, things seem off. This was creepy, fun, short and sweet. Loved it!
The Mummified Corpse of Reese Witherspoon 4★
Did you do a double take reading the title? Because I did 😂 this is such a weird concept, I loved it.
The Servitor 5★
Tomb raider vibes! Loved this! Might be my favorite out of the collection.
King Mob 4★
You know, just one of these days, when on your way home you just happen to find yourself part of a rioting mob. This one was wild, I kinda loved it!
The Hunter 3★
A kid hiding in the basement from his father. This one was super short, and it had a compelling premise but before I could really get into it, it was already over.
Point 01 4★
I loved the concept of this, and the themes in here are interesting too. Like death and the impact it has on our lives. Life and what makes it meaningful. And in the end, it was just a well paced enjoyable story. I wouldn’t say suspenseful exactly, but compelling definitely.
Betrothed 3★
I liked this, but it was quite short and I’m not sure I got the point.
My Love, Do Not Wake 3★
This protagonist takes an unusual lover. This was not bad! I liked it but I feel like it was a little too long?
The Black Rider 3★
A grandma being cruel to kids. Not bad either, but this one was over too soon!
Dream of Me 4★
A girl gets a dream journal from her grandma for her birthday. This was so creepy! Loved it!
The Resident 4★
House robbery gone wrong. This went in a different direction than I expected. Loved this one too.
I Think My Treehouse is Haunted 5★
Family moves to a new house, kid is excited to have a yard AND a treehouse, turns out it might be haunted. I loved this so much! It was scary, listening to this at night was honestly stressful haha! The format of this - diary/blog entries - had a little bit of NoSleep vibes and I’m here for that. Great entry!
Red Leather 3★
This was pretty good, but perhaps a little forgettable. I listened to this in the early morning, and when I came back in the afternoon to write down my thoughts I already couldn’t remember what it was about at first.
September 30, 2026
Eight of these fourteen stories end with somebody locked in someplace for good. A honkytonk, a tomb, a couple of houses, a grave, a kitchen chair, a diner booth, the back of a guy's skull. So yeah, Fracassi took his own title seriously, and after a while you can set your watch by it: person walks in, door shuts, the last line hits and somewhere Rod Serling lights a cigarette. Whether that works depends entirely on what he's got waiting behind the door, and three times he's got something great. There's a couple who bail on a bad diner into a roadhouse where the jukebox won't let anybody leave, forty-some people have been dancing themselves sick in there for a week, and it ends somewhere I did not see coming, which for this book is saying something. A guy wins a week with the mummified corpse of Reese Witherspoon (Amazon delivers her, and the guy who drops her off wears a top hat for some goddamn reason), finds out she's a meaner art critic than he can handle, and deals with it by building a yes-man out of a broom and a clown mask. Broomy. I love Broomy. And then the best one in the book, no contest, is a bored housewife who falls for the second face growing out of the back of her husband's freshly buzzed head and starts sneaking her vanity mirror onto the counter behind his chair so she can make eyes at it over the lasagna. She is a horrible person and I'd read her grocery lists.
The other eleven, though. A couple are solid, the safecracking one and the small-town anniversary dinner one, and the rest are the kind of thing where you figure out the twist on page two and then sit there waiting for the story to catch up. The priest driving through a blizzard to bless a house? You'll have that one before he finds the driveway. The one where an old man's dead wife has opinions about the burial plots was written for a convention program, and you can tell. One's a couple pages long and exists to set up its last line. The tomb one is basically Indiana Jones in the Andes, which I was fine with, right up until the guardian watching this woman beat his death traps decides, before she's even out of the tomb, that she'd make a good wife, and the story treats that like a coming-of-age moment instead of a restraining order. And the one about a medical test that tells you the exact minute you'll die has the best premise in the whole book and spends it on a degenerate car salesman who is, in a collection with a bunch of murderers in it, the guy I'd least want to be stuck in an elevator with, then tacks on a two-page coda where a doctor explains the title to a med student he's trying to bang. There's also a nosleep post. Time stamps, kid signs off in a hurry, you know the one. And somebody should've read this thing before it went out, because the diner cook is Dave the whole story and James for exactly one sentence, and William Blake doffs a bowler hat to Satan in 1780, which is sixty-nine years before anybody invented the bowler hat. Traps are the good half, is what I'm saying. The specters mostly stand around in doorways and hum.
- Review by Mr. November
The other eleven, though. A couple are solid, the safecracking one and the small-town anniversary dinner one, and the rest are the kind of thing where you figure out the twist on page two and then sit there waiting for the story to catch up. The priest driving through a blizzard to bless a house? You'll have that one before he finds the driveway. The one where an old man's dead wife has opinions about the burial plots was written for a convention program, and you can tell. One's a couple pages long and exists to set up its last line. The tomb one is basically Indiana Jones in the Andes, which I was fine with, right up until the guardian watching this woman beat his death traps decides, before she's even out of the tomb, that she'd make a good wife, and the story treats that like a coming-of-age moment instead of a restraining order. And the one about a medical test that tells you the exact minute you'll die has the best premise in the whole book and spends it on a degenerate car salesman who is, in a collection with a bunch of murderers in it, the guy I'd least want to be stuck in an elevator with, then tacks on a two-page coda where a doctor explains the title to a med student he's trying to bang. There's also a nosleep post. Time stamps, kid signs off in a hurry, you know the one. And somebody should've read this thing before it went out, because the diner cook is Dave the whole story and James for exactly one sentence, and William Blake doffs a bowler hat to Satan in 1780, which is sixty-nine years before anybody invented the bowler hat. Traps are the good half, is what I'm saying. The specters mostly stand around in doorways and hum.
- Review by Mr. November
August 8, 2026
Philip Fracassi is a master of his craft. I’ve read and enjoyed several of his books already, and this collection is yet another reminder of why he’s become an author I can’t resist picking up!
This book features fourteen short stories, and Fracassi makes sure each one brings something different to the table. Ghosts, demons, mummified corpses, elaborate booby traps, superstitions, body horror - you name it, he’ll find a way to make it unsettling. The stories range from bizarre and darkly funny to downright horrifying, and that variety is one of the collection’s biggest strengths.
Take The Mummified Corpse of Reese Witherspoon, for example. Yes, you read that correctly. A mummified Reese Witherspoon. I have so many questions, beginning with: what on earth inspired this?! It’s such an absurd premise, yet Fracassi somehow makes it work. Then there are the stories that lean much darker, with a few that were genuinely so creepy, it gave me goosebumps.
My favorites were:
The Visitor - 5⭐️ A priest attempts to bless the home of a family in need, but things are not quite what they seem. The twist ending was fantastic!
The Mummified Corpse of Reese Witherspoon 4.5⭐️- Completely left field. Completely ridiculous. Completely entertaining. I couldn’t get enough of this one. Sometimes horror takes itself very seriously, and sometimes it gives you a mummified Reese Witherspoon. I know which version I’m choosing.
The Servitor - 5⭐️ The guardian of a king’s tomb has rigged the place with elaborate booby traps to keep anyone from stealing the king’s gold. A woman manages to make it through every trap, only to discover that deception comes with a price. Clever, suspenseful, and entertaining.
Betrothed - 4.5⭐️ A couple buys two burial plots side by side, planning to spend eternity together. But after the wife dies and the husband remarries, he decides he’d rather not be buried next to his first wife after all. Unfortunately, she has something to say about that. The claustrophobic twist was so good!
My Love, Do Not Wake - 5⭐️ Olivia falls in love with a face that has grown out of the back of her husband Henry’s head. Yes. A FACE. She and Martin begin scheming to keep Henry sedated while Martin slowly takes over his body. It’s bizarre, funny, grotesque, and disturbing all at once.
I Think My Treehouse is Haunted - 5⭐️ A boy discovers that his treehouse is haunted by a little girl and a bleeding man. This one starts creepy and just keeps tightening the screws. The ending gave me goosebumps! There’s something about childhood spaces becoming haunted that hits a particular nerve, and Fracassi knows exactly where to press.
Red Leather - 5⭐️ A couple spends their wedding anniversary at the same diner they’ve visited every year, except something isn’t quite right. This was tragic and disturbing, and a fitting way to close out the collection.
My only criticism is that a few stories felt too short, while others simply didn’t resonate with me as much. However, even the ones that missed the mark for me were still entertaining, and every story landed above three stars.
Fracassi clearly has range. He can make you laugh at something completely deranged one minute and then have you staring suspiciously into a dark hallway the next. These stories refuse to settle into one flavor of horror, which is what makes Traps and Specters an easy recommendation for anyone looking for something fresh and unpredictable.
Overall Rating: 4.5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫
This book features fourteen short stories, and Fracassi makes sure each one brings something different to the table. Ghosts, demons, mummified corpses, elaborate booby traps, superstitions, body horror - you name it, he’ll find a way to make it unsettling. The stories range from bizarre and darkly funny to downright horrifying, and that variety is one of the collection’s biggest strengths.
Take The Mummified Corpse of Reese Witherspoon, for example. Yes, you read that correctly. A mummified Reese Witherspoon. I have so many questions, beginning with: what on earth inspired this?! It’s such an absurd premise, yet Fracassi somehow makes it work. Then there are the stories that lean much darker, with a few that were genuinely so creepy, it gave me goosebumps.
My favorites were:
The Visitor - 5⭐️ A priest attempts to bless the home of a family in need, but things are not quite what they seem. The twist ending was fantastic!
The Mummified Corpse of Reese Witherspoon 4.5⭐️- Completely left field. Completely ridiculous. Completely entertaining. I couldn’t get enough of this one. Sometimes horror takes itself very seriously, and sometimes it gives you a mummified Reese Witherspoon. I know which version I’m choosing.
The Servitor - 5⭐️ The guardian of a king’s tomb has rigged the place with elaborate booby traps to keep anyone from stealing the king’s gold. A woman manages to make it through every trap, only to discover that deception comes with a price. Clever, suspenseful, and entertaining.
Betrothed - 4.5⭐️ A couple buys two burial plots side by side, planning to spend eternity together. But after the wife dies and the husband remarries, he decides he’d rather not be buried next to his first wife after all. Unfortunately, she has something to say about that. The claustrophobic twist was so good!
My Love, Do Not Wake - 5⭐️ Olivia falls in love with a face that has grown out of the back of her husband Henry’s head. Yes. A FACE. She and Martin begin scheming to keep Henry sedated while Martin slowly takes over his body. It’s bizarre, funny, grotesque, and disturbing all at once.
I Think My Treehouse is Haunted - 5⭐️ A boy discovers that his treehouse is haunted by a little girl and a bleeding man. This one starts creepy and just keeps tightening the screws. The ending gave me goosebumps! There’s something about childhood spaces becoming haunted that hits a particular nerve, and Fracassi knows exactly where to press.
Red Leather - 5⭐️ A couple spends their wedding anniversary at the same diner they’ve visited every year, except something isn’t quite right. This was tragic and disturbing, and a fitting way to close out the collection.
My only criticism is that a few stories felt too short, while others simply didn’t resonate with me as much. However, even the ones that missed the mark for me were still entertaining, and every story landed above three stars.
Fracassi clearly has range. He can make you laugh at something completely deranged one minute and then have you staring suspiciously into a dark hallway the next. These stories refuse to settle into one flavor of horror, which is what makes Traps and Specters an easy recommendation for anyone looking for something fresh and unpredictable.
Overall Rating: 4.5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Fracassi is one of those super-talented authors who make things easy for readers and reviewers (at least, for this reader and reviewer): recommending any work of his is a no-brainer, and the same goes for his latest short collection, "Traps and Specters"!
Fourteen tales in all, a couple of which were familiar to me ("D7", the novella opening the volume, and the well-known "I Think My Treehouse Is Haunted"), though I enjoyed giving them a go again. "D7", richly detailed and creepy, with an ending I for one hardly expected, takes the cursed object horror trope and turns it on its head; the "Treehouse" story combines ghosts and serial killers to come up with a plot full of suspense and dread. Neither, however, breaks entirely wholly new ground: that's reserved for the weirdest tale in the collection: "The Mummified Corpse of Reese Witherspoon" - the title promises chills and disturbing moments of horror comedy, and the story delivers a near-future, quirky and surreal, triumph of wild imagination: a young painter wanna-be wins the grand prize of hosting the mummified corpse of Reese Witherspoon at his house for a week! Coming a close second in order of weirdness is "My Love, Do Not Wake": a love story between a wife and the back of her husband's head. Can it get any stranger? Another standout was "The Servitor", a sort of Indiana Jones and Lara Croft-inspired tale told from the perspective of a temple's Guardian, a young man appointed to take care of a treasure trove in a tomb; he's responsible for resetting the deadly traps when an explorer (or thief) falls victim to one. A story I really enjoyed was "Point Oh One", another near future tale, about a technological miracle: a DNA-test that can pinpoint the moment you're gonna die! The ending full of black humor and bleak as hell.
My favorite, however, was the closing story, "Red Leather": it starts as a romantic ghost story, and slowly reveals itself to be so dark and disturbing, beyond anything one might have expected from the premise. I can still see that last hair-raising scene in my mind. It shows why this collection, as any collection of Fracassi's, is a must-read!
Fourteen tales in all, a couple of which were familiar to me ("D7", the novella opening the volume, and the well-known "I Think My Treehouse Is Haunted"), though I enjoyed giving them a go again. "D7", richly detailed and creepy, with an ending I for one hardly expected, takes the cursed object horror trope and turns it on its head; the "Treehouse" story combines ghosts and serial killers to come up with a plot full of suspense and dread. Neither, however, breaks entirely wholly new ground: that's reserved for the weirdest tale in the collection: "The Mummified Corpse of Reese Witherspoon" - the title promises chills and disturbing moments of horror comedy, and the story delivers a near-future, quirky and surreal, triumph of wild imagination: a young painter wanna-be wins the grand prize of hosting the mummified corpse of Reese Witherspoon at his house for a week! Coming a close second in order of weirdness is "My Love, Do Not Wake": a love story between a wife and the back of her husband's head. Can it get any stranger? Another standout was "The Servitor", a sort of Indiana Jones and Lara Croft-inspired tale told from the perspective of a temple's Guardian, a young man appointed to take care of a treasure trove in a tomb; he's responsible for resetting the deadly traps when an explorer (or thief) falls victim to one. A story I really enjoyed was "Point Oh One", another near future tale, about a technological miracle: a DNA-test that can pinpoint the moment you're gonna die! The ending full of black humor and bleak as hell.
My favorite, however, was the closing story, "Red Leather": it starts as a romantic ghost story, and slowly reveals itself to be so dark and disturbing, beyond anything one might have expected from the premise. I can still see that last hair-raising scene in my mind. It shows why this collection, as any collection of Fracassi's, is a must-read!
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