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Tiny Terrible Tales
THE GHOSTWRITER: A Tiny Terrible Tale
For as long as she could remember, Clio Pike devoured stories. It was only natural that she'd become a ghostwriter.
Percy Hern wasn't her usual client.
He was a shut in, a technophobe, and he said he had a story worth telling. In Clio’s experience, there was a direct positive correlation between the client’s age and the dullness of the stories they wanted immortalised.
Hern was offering £50,000, more money than Clio would typically make in a whole year. How could she possibly say no?
All she had to do was travel to the Isle of Kresnick, a tiny island just off the north coast of Scotland, listen to an old man's stories, and then weave them into something worth reading...
But something is wrong with the Isle of Kresnick, and its sole occupant. Something... monstrous. And Clio has no way to escape its grasp.
"An expertly crafted tale with atmosphere for days, intrigue and mystery, and a cast of characters you’ll quickly become obsessed with. The twist ending is just the cherry on top of this perfectly iced and sweetened cake of a story." - MJ Mars, author of The Suffering, and The Fovea Experiments.
Percy Hern wasn't her usual client.
He was a shut in, a technophobe, and he said he had a story worth telling. In Clio’s experience, there was a direct positive correlation between the client’s age and the dullness of the stories they wanted immortalised.
Hern was offering £50,000, more money than Clio would typically make in a whole year. How could she possibly say no?
All she had to do was travel to the Isle of Kresnick, a tiny island just off the north coast of Scotland, listen to an old man's stories, and then weave them into something worth reading...
But something is wrong with the Isle of Kresnick, and its sole occupant. Something... monstrous. And Clio has no way to escape its grasp.
"An expertly crafted tale with atmosphere for days, intrigue and mystery, and a cast of characters you’ll quickly become obsessed with. The twist ending is just the cherry on top of this perfectly iced and sweetened cake of a story." - MJ Mars, author of The Suffering, and The Fovea Experiments.
38 pages, Kindle Edition
Published April 27, 2026
About the author
Sarah Jules
11 books170 followersSarah Jules is an indie horror author from Yorkshire. She is a self-professed accidental hipster (who refuses to apologise for this). She is also the owner of Sarah Jules Writing Services, a job that allows her to work in her pyjamas, which she is immensely grateful for.
She has written four novels - YOU INVITED IT IN, YOU NEED TO LEAVE, DON'T LIE & FOUND YOU - edited BLOODY HELL: An Anthology of UK Indie Horror, and has co-edited GOOD FOR HER (alongside Shauna Mc Eleney and TC Parker of Nefarious Bat Press).
If Sarah isn’t working (or writing), you can find her with her nose stuck in a book, travelling with her partner, or sweating it out in the gym. She is a mental health advocate, coffee-addict, and loves all things spooky and/or creepy.
Sarah blogs (super-hipster, she knows) about all things books, writing and publishing on both her Instagram (@sarahjuleswriting) and on her website www.sarahjuleswriting.com.
She has written four novels - YOU INVITED IT IN, YOU NEED TO LEAVE, DON'T LIE & FOUND YOU - edited BLOODY HELL: An Anthology of UK Indie Horror, and has co-edited GOOD FOR HER (alongside Shauna Mc Eleney and TC Parker of Nefarious Bat Press).
If Sarah isn’t working (or writing), you can find her with her nose stuck in a book, travelling with her partner, or sweating it out in the gym. She is a mental health advocate, coffee-addict, and loves all things spooky and/or creepy.
Sarah blogs (super-hipster, she knows) about all things books, writing and publishing on both her Instagram (@sarahjuleswriting) and on her website www.sarahjuleswriting.com.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 35 reviews
April 8, 2026
ARC Review
The ghostwriter is the fourth standalone story in Sarah’s Tiny Terrible Tales series.
We follow Clio, who has been offered a huge sum of money that she couldn’t refuse to ghostwrite an old man's memoirs. She travels to a small, secluded island in Scotland to stay with him to begin their work together, but as always, if things seem too good to be true, they usually are.
I absolutely love a short story, and this one was fantastic. Even though it’s under 40 pages, Sarah manages to pack in so much tension and atmosphere. I really love her writing; it’s easy to follow and so gripping.
I honestly didn’t know where this was heading, but when we get to the conclusion, we get not one but two twists in this little story, and it was just brilliant.
Be sure to keep an eye out for this one coming at the end of this month if you like short, creepy reads.
The ghostwriter is the fourth standalone story in Sarah’s Tiny Terrible Tales series.
We follow Clio, who has been offered a huge sum of money that she couldn’t refuse to ghostwrite an old man's memoirs. She travels to a small, secluded island in Scotland to stay with him to begin their work together, but as always, if things seem too good to be true, they usually are.
I absolutely love a short story, and this one was fantastic. Even though it’s under 40 pages, Sarah manages to pack in so much tension and atmosphere. I really love her writing; it’s easy to follow and so gripping.
I honestly didn’t know where this was heading, but when we get to the conclusion, we get not one but two twists in this little story, and it was just brilliant.
Be sure to keep an eye out for this one coming at the end of this month if you like short, creepy reads.
May 10, 2026
I got this for a buck, amd having read the previous three short tales of Jules I was sure I'd like it! Well, it's my favorite so far, both for the superb characterization and the most unexpected turn of events imaginable. It's not scary, and it's closer to urban fantasy than monster horror, but it does have a couple of moments that gave me the chills. Highly recommend!
May 1, 2026
Sarah Jules is an auto-buy for me. I love her writing. Whether one of her longer works, like "You Invited It In" or her short "Tiny Terrible Tales," her stories are always taut, suspenseful, and genuinely spooky. Her latest entry into the Tiny Terrible Tales series, "The Ghostwriter" proves to be no exception.
In "The Ghostwriter," a young woman named Clio journeys to a bleak and isolated island off the coast of Scotland after being commissioned by the island's sole occupant, an elderly man named Percy Hern, to chronicle his memoirs. Although Clio is an accomplished ghostwriter, she doesn't normally agree to meet her clients in person, preferring instead to conduct her interviews by phone or internet. However, the old man offers her a large sum of money to sweeten the deal, so much so, Clio can't resist. It's also sweet enough for her to put aside her misgivings, given the gloomy locale in which Percy resides -- and the fact there's a creepy cemetery literally outside of Percy's front door.
The set up is eerily reminiscent of the movie "Tusk" by Kevin Smith, and if you've seen it, you know exactly in which direction the film heads. So I'm not going to lie, I was wondering if Jules would pursue a similar tack, but thankfully for everyone involved, she foregoes the body horror/walrus angle. The truth behind Percy's intentions for Clio are equally sinister, but involve no walruses, and frankly, that suits me just fine. Far more inventive, Jules comes up with a creative twist that makes Clio's eponymous profession have an unexpectedly dark edge that's central not just to the set-up, but the story's outcome as well.
This was my favorite out of the four Tiny Terrible Tales so far, and I hope Jules continues adding more to the series. She has a brilliant imagination, and a genuine gift for creating atmospheric dread in her work. Her stories, even when short like this, will scare the hell out of you, even without Justin Long meeting an untimely and horrible fate.
In "The Ghostwriter," a young woman named Clio journeys to a bleak and isolated island off the coast of Scotland after being commissioned by the island's sole occupant, an elderly man named Percy Hern, to chronicle his memoirs. Although Clio is an accomplished ghostwriter, she doesn't normally agree to meet her clients in person, preferring instead to conduct her interviews by phone or internet. However, the old man offers her a large sum of money to sweeten the deal, so much so, Clio can't resist. It's also sweet enough for her to put aside her misgivings, given the gloomy locale in which Percy resides -- and the fact there's a creepy cemetery literally outside of Percy's front door.
The set up is eerily reminiscent of the movie "Tusk" by Kevin Smith, and if you've seen it, you know exactly in which direction the film heads. So I'm not going to lie, I was wondering if Jules would pursue a similar tack, but thankfully for everyone involved, she foregoes the body horror/walrus angle. The truth behind Percy's intentions for Clio are equally sinister, but involve no walruses, and frankly, that suits me just fine. Far more inventive, Jules comes up with a creative twist that makes Clio's eponymous profession have an unexpectedly dark edge that's central not just to the set-up, but the story's outcome as well.
This was my favorite out of the four Tiny Terrible Tales so far, and I hope Jules continues adding more to the series. She has a brilliant imagination, and a genuine gift for creating atmospheric dread in her work. Her stories, even when short like this, will scare the hell out of you, even without Justin Long meeting an untimely and horrible fate.
Review of advance copy received from Author
Another bitesized horror from the awesome 'Tiny Terrible Tales’ series of short stories.
Clio Pike is a ghostwriter who usually interviews her clients over the phone or internet to record their ideas and story whilst capturing their ‘voice,’ so she can write that person’s memoir or autobiography in a way that feels as though that person has written it themselves. She doesn’t normally visit the client to do this, however, when she’s offered £50K to attend a remote Scottish island to record the stories told by a ninety-year-old man called Percy Hern, she decides to change her working habit. After all, you can do a lot with that kind of money, right?
This tale is less than forty pages long and, in that short amount of words, you’d assume that it would be hard to write sufficient detail to allow the characters to formulate in the reader’s mind. Well, not only did Sarah pull it off, she smashed it out of the park.
Percy lives alone on a small rock known as the Isle of Kresnick. This island hosts a house and a graveyard. That’s it. But the atmosphere that Sarah throws into such a small story is testament to her skill as a writer. It was so atmospheric and it was so easy to picture the house and location in my mind.
I won’t say anything about the story itself as I’ll probably spoil it, but what I will say is that Sarah has created a short, sharp tale with a huge bite.
Highly recommended for a quick read.
Clio Pike is a ghostwriter who usually interviews her clients over the phone or internet to record their ideas and story whilst capturing their ‘voice,’ so she can write that person’s memoir or autobiography in a way that feels as though that person has written it themselves. She doesn’t normally visit the client to do this, however, when she’s offered £50K to attend a remote Scottish island to record the stories told by a ninety-year-old man called Percy Hern, she decides to change her working habit. After all, you can do a lot with that kind of money, right?
This tale is less than forty pages long and, in that short amount of words, you’d assume that it would be hard to write sufficient detail to allow the characters to formulate in the reader’s mind. Well, not only did Sarah pull it off, she smashed it out of the park.
Percy lives alone on a small rock known as the Isle of Kresnick. This island hosts a house and a graveyard. That’s it. But the atmosphere that Sarah throws into such a small story is testament to her skill as a writer. It was so atmospheric and it was so easy to picture the house and location in my mind.
I won’t say anything about the story itself as I’ll probably spoil it, but what I will say is that Sarah has created a short, sharp tale with a huge bite.
Highly recommended for a quick read.
Review of advance copy received from Author
Another fantastic tiny and terrible tale from Sarah Jules, who is steadily building a really enjoyable series of snackable scares.
The combination of an isolated setting and a mysterious client of the main character is a really strong hook for this one. Right away, you sense there is a threat to Clio and that this isn't going to be her usual kind of assignment...and not just because of the huge fee on offer.
Mr Hern was a compelling antagonist, and the reveal of exactly what was going on and what his motivations were was a lot of fun. I also enjoyed the very end of the story, which had my brain humming about what might happen next.
For a story you can breeze through in a coffee break, it packs a lot of spookiness into such a short page count. At the same time, I would have gladly taken a longer cut - I wanted to hear more of Hern's memoirs and perhaps would have enjoyed a longer build up to the climax...but that's purely because the world building and character work are so strong here. It feels fleshed out and lived in right from the start, and leaving your readers wanting more is always a good sign, right?
I also really enjoyed Sarah's note at the end about her own work as a ghostwriter. It genuinely sounds like a very cool career!
This one is out on 27 April - huge thanks to the author for the review copy!
The combination of an isolated setting and a mysterious client of the main character is a really strong hook for this one. Right away, you sense there is a threat to Clio and that this isn't going to be her usual kind of assignment...and not just because of the huge fee on offer.
Mr Hern was a compelling antagonist, and the reveal of exactly what was going on and what his motivations were was a lot of fun. I also enjoyed the very end of the story, which had my brain humming about what might happen next.
For a story you can breeze through in a coffee break, it packs a lot of spookiness into such a short page count. At the same time, I would have gladly taken a longer cut - I wanted to hear more of Hern's memoirs and perhaps would have enjoyed a longer build up to the climax...but that's purely because the world building and character work are so strong here. It feels fleshed out and lived in right from the start, and leaving your readers wanting more is always a good sign, right?
I also really enjoyed Sarah's note at the end about her own work as a ghostwriter. It genuinely sounds like a very cool career!
This one is out on 27 April - huge thanks to the author for the review copy!
Review of advance copy received from Author
Clio, a writer struggling to make ends meet in her tiny London flat, has received an offer. £50,000 to travel to a remote Scottish island for a week and help a near-centenarian mould his stories of travelling through Europe into a readable memoir. How hard can it be? Ignoring the 'too good to be true' itch she can't quite scratch away, she travels to the island — she soon finds, however, that both Percy and his offer aren't quite what they seem.
The Ghostwriter is the fourth book in Sarah Jules' Tiny Terrible Tales series, an ever-expanding range of bite-size stories that just might bite back, and it is, in my opinion, the best one yet. Jules is a ghostwriter in her day job, and it may be this experience that helps make Clio such a vivid and compelling character despite the short page count.
Jules fits a lot of world-building, intrigue, and twists & turns into less than 40 pages, and whether you're already a fan or if you're looking for an easy entry point into her work before committing to one of her full-length novels — all of which are truly great — then you could do a lot worse than picking up a copy of The Ghostwriter on its April 27th release date.
The Ghostwriter is the fourth book in Sarah Jules' Tiny Terrible Tales series, an ever-expanding range of bite-size stories that just might bite back, and it is, in my opinion, the best one yet. Jules is a ghostwriter in her day job, and it may be this experience that helps make Clio such a vivid and compelling character despite the short page count.
Jules fits a lot of world-building, intrigue, and twists & turns into less than 40 pages, and whether you're already a fan or if you're looking for an easy entry point into her work before committing to one of her full-length novels — all of which are truly great — then you could do a lot worse than picking up a copy of The Ghostwriter on its April 27th release date.
Review of advance copy received from Author
Clio makes a living telling other people’s stories… but this time, she might not make it out of one. When she’s offered £50k to ghostwrite the life of a reclusive old man on a private island off the coast of Scotland, it feels like the opportunity of a lifetime. Easy money. Total isolation. Just her, the sea… and a man with stories to tell.
But from the moment she arrives, something feels off. The island is too quiet. The man is too strange. And the stories don’t feel like stories at all.
For such a short read, this absolutely drips with atmosphere. There’s this constant, creeping unease running through every page - the kind where you know something isn’t right, you just can’t figure out what… yet.
What starts as a simple memoir slowly twists into something far darker, and that ending completely caught me off guard in the best way. It flips everything you thought you knew and leaves you sitting there like… wait, what did I just read?
Short, sharp, and seriously unsettling.
This was my first from this author, but it definitely won’t be my last.
But from the moment she arrives, something feels off. The island is too quiet. The man is too strange. And the stories don’t feel like stories at all.
For such a short read, this absolutely drips with atmosphere. There’s this constant, creeping unease running through every page - the kind where you know something isn’t right, you just can’t figure out what… yet.
What starts as a simple memoir slowly twists into something far darker, and that ending completely caught me off guard in the best way. It flips everything you thought you knew and leaves you sitting there like… wait, what did I just read?
Short, sharp, and seriously unsettling.
This was my first from this author, but it definitely won’t be my last.
April 5, 2026
Review Of Advance Copy Received From Author
Sarah Jules has a way of pulling you in from the very first line and not letting go until the last, and The Ghostwriter is no exception.
At just 37 pages, it’s a short read. I often struggle with short stories as it can be hard to really connect with the characters or fully picture the story in such a limited space. But Sarah manages to do exactly that. The atmosphere is strong and tense, and I read it all in one go, I don’t think I blinked.
Clio is a character that’s easy to connect to and likeable, which makes you naturally root for her. There’s a quiet intensity to the story that builds really well despite its length, and it carries a strong message. It definitely makes you think, especially around the idea that sometimes the worst “monsters” are human.
If anything, the only downside is that I wanted more!!
I highly recommend this book, and honestly anything with Sarah Jules’ name on it is worth picking up.
Sarah Jules has a way of pulling you in from the very first line and not letting go until the last, and The Ghostwriter is no exception.
At just 37 pages, it’s a short read. I often struggle with short stories as it can be hard to really connect with the characters or fully picture the story in such a limited space. But Sarah manages to do exactly that. The atmosphere is strong and tense, and I read it all in one go, I don’t think I blinked.
Clio is a character that’s easy to connect to and likeable, which makes you naturally root for her. There’s a quiet intensity to the story that builds really well despite its length, and it carries a strong message. It definitely makes you think, especially around the idea that sometimes the worst “monsters” are human.
If anything, the only downside is that I wanted more!!
I highly recommend this book, and honestly anything with Sarah Jules’ name on it is worth picking up.
Review of advance copy received from Author
The Ghostwriter by Sarah Jules
🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
Clio takes a job helping, Mr. Kern, a 98 year old write his memoir. She couldn’t turn down the job because the pay was so good. She would be staying at his house for 1 week to get the book done.
He lived far away and she had to travel to the Isle of Kresnick. The location was creepy and she wasn’t exactly comfortable being there, but settled in to begin to hear Mr. Kern’s stories. As the writing journey began, Clio would quickly find that the stories being told were wild and had her fearful. She found herself regretting the decision to take this job.
This is an exciting and fun short story! It’s original and very entertaining. For a short story, it’s descriptive and feels longer! I was lucky to get an arc of this creepy story!
Sarah Jules is an amazing storyteller!!
**This short story comes out April 27th and I highly recommend the quick read!!**
🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
Clio takes a job helping, Mr. Kern, a 98 year old write his memoir. She couldn’t turn down the job because the pay was so good. She would be staying at his house for 1 week to get the book done.
He lived far away and she had to travel to the Isle of Kresnick. The location was creepy and she wasn’t exactly comfortable being there, but settled in to begin to hear Mr. Kern’s stories. As the writing journey began, Clio would quickly find that the stories being told were wild and had her fearful. She found herself regretting the decision to take this job.
This is an exciting and fun short story! It’s original and very entertaining. For a short story, it’s descriptive and feels longer! I was lucky to get an arc of this creepy story!
Sarah Jules is an amazing storyteller!!
**This short story comes out April 27th and I highly recommend the quick read!!**
Review of advance copy received from Author
The Ghost Writer by
Genre: Thriller / supernatural / horror
Format: ebook
📚Review:
I’m a huge fan of Jules’ work, so it was an absolute honour to ARC read one of her supernaturally spectacular short stories.
Jules has a writing style that just flows so well and leaves you absolutely craving for more, and this haunting little tale was no exception.
I didn’t know quite what to expect from this but it pulled me straight in and kept me hooked until the end. The twists and turns left me aching for more and I so badly wish this was longer 😩
It amazes me how well Jules can build characters that feel so fleshed out and dynamic in a matter of pages and her skills really shine in this short, snappy tale.
It was also lovely to see a bit of Jules’ self in this one, and it always scratches a particular itch in my brain when the main character or a story is a writer as well!
I can’t recommend The Ghost Writer, and all of Jules’ stories, enough 🤩
Genre: Thriller / supernatural / horror
Format: ebook
📚Review:
I’m a huge fan of Jules’ work, so it was an absolute honour to ARC read one of her supernaturally spectacular short stories.
Jules has a writing style that just flows so well and leaves you absolutely craving for more, and this haunting little tale was no exception.
I didn’t know quite what to expect from this but it pulled me straight in and kept me hooked until the end. The twists and turns left me aching for more and I so badly wish this was longer 😩
It amazes me how well Jules can build characters that feel so fleshed out and dynamic in a matter of pages and her skills really shine in this short, snappy tale.
It was also lovely to see a bit of Jules’ self in this one, and it always scratches a particular itch in my brain when the main character or a story is a writer as well!
I can’t recommend The Ghost Writer, and all of Jules’ stories, enough 🤩
Review of advance copy received from Author
Oh I was so excited for this one, something terrible from Sarah is the best 😅.
A Ghostwriter who loved her job and a client who was...peculiar to say the least, Percy had some odd habits.
But he's just another client, with a story to tell and Cleo loves stories. But it seems odd he's offering so much, to just tell his story, way more then she typically makes, but as we all know, sometimes you need the money and look over the cracks in the offer.
After she arrives at the little sialdn, everything starts off odd, somehow wrong, nothing major just little things here and there thst have her on edge.
Then came the stories, these wild tales that Percy would tell her, they were dark and made her scared, I'd the island. of Percy and whatever evil seemed to linger over everything...
This was a really good isolation type horror and I forgot it was short with how well done it was, tiny tales but strong words, amazing!
A Ghostwriter who loved her job and a client who was...peculiar to say the least, Percy had some odd habits.
But he's just another client, with a story to tell and Cleo loves stories. But it seems odd he's offering so much, to just tell his story, way more then she typically makes, but as we all know, sometimes you need the money and look over the cracks in the offer.
After she arrives at the little sialdn, everything starts off odd, somehow wrong, nothing major just little things here and there thst have her on edge.
Then came the stories, these wild tales that Percy would tell her, they were dark and made her scared, I'd the island. of Percy and whatever evil seemed to linger over everything...
This was a really good isolation type horror and I forgot it was short with how well done it was, tiny tales but strong words, amazing!
Review of advance copy received from Author
I have been a long time fan of Sarah Jules story telling skills. She always has a way of letting you feel your surroundings whether dealing with ghost , killers or any other creepy thing she can breath life into. Her Tiny Terrible Tales series gives us that same level of atmosphere but in bite size quick reads.
The Ghostwriter introduces us to Clio, Hern and to a lesser existent Liam. Clio works as a ghostwriter and is hired to write the memoir of an elderly man named Hern. Right from the start the way the island and the house are described you can’t help but feel Clio’s fears and excitement as she starts to ask Hern questions to help her work.
It is another great addition to the collection that just shows the talent Sarah Jules is capable of. Can’t wait to see what she comes up with next…
The Ghostwriter introduces us to Clio, Hern and to a lesser existent Liam. Clio works as a ghostwriter and is hired to write the memoir of an elderly man named Hern. Right from the start the way the island and the house are described you can’t help but feel Clio’s fears and excitement as she starts to ask Hern questions to help her work.
It is another great addition to the collection that just shows the talent Sarah Jules is capable of. Can’t wait to see what she comes up with next…
April 2, 2026
Review of an advanced copy provided by the author
While I haven’t gotten around to reading Sarah Jules novels (they are both on my TBR!) I’ve heard a whole lot of positive things!
When I seen she had a short story coming out (I’m a sucker for a quick read) with an ARC opportunity I had to jump at it!
This story is incredibly well written and a lot of fun. I don’t want to go in too deep to avoid any possible spoilers but I recommend going in blind.
The isolated setting instantly brings the creeps and the reveal and explanation as to why what’s happening is extremely fun!
Highly recommend everyone check this out when it releases!
Also as a huge wrestling fan, the “You Can’t Sea Me” got an audible chuckle and applause as I was seated in my living room
While I haven’t gotten around to reading Sarah Jules novels (they are both on my TBR!) I’ve heard a whole lot of positive things!
When I seen she had a short story coming out (I’m a sucker for a quick read) with an ARC opportunity I had to jump at it!
This story is incredibly well written and a lot of fun. I don’t want to go in too deep to avoid any possible spoilers but I recommend going in blind.
The isolated setting instantly brings the creeps and the reveal and explanation as to why what’s happening is extremely fun!
Highly recommend everyone check this out when it releases!
Also as a huge wrestling fan, the “You Can’t Sea Me” got an audible chuckle and applause as I was seated in my living room
Review of advance copy received from Author
Disclaimer: I received a free ARC copy from the author in exchange for a review and am writing the review voluntarily! REVIEW BELOW
This is a bite-sized thriller (with horror elements) that I devoured in one sitting. If I'm being honest, I enjoyed the story so much I wanted it to be longer.
The story follows Clio, a freelance ghostwriter, as she takes a writing gig with the pay of a lifetime. This freelance job is to write memoirs for a 98 year old resident of an isolated Scottish island.
In this tiny terrible tale, we follow Clio's journey to the gig location where things are not quite what they seem, and the entire trip begins to unravel.
I thoroughly enjoyed this read and I hope you do, too!
This is a bite-sized thriller (with horror elements) that I devoured in one sitting. If I'm being honest, I enjoyed the story so much I wanted it to be longer.
The story follows Clio, a freelance ghostwriter, as she takes a writing gig with the pay of a lifetime. This freelance job is to write memoirs for a 98 year old resident of an isolated Scottish island.
In this tiny terrible tale, we follow Clio's journey to the gig location where things are not quite what they seem, and the entire trip begins to unravel.
I thoroughly enjoyed this read and I hope you do, too!
Review of advance copy received from Author
I really enjoyed this short story! As a thirty-one-year-old millennial myself (and the unlucky generation) I could relate to Clio. I would have taken the opportunity as well.
The plot took a turn I definitely did not expect, followed by an additional twist at the end. I cannot say anything about the direction it went in without spoiling, so you would have to discover that for yourself 🙂
I would have liked if the story was a bit longer, but then it wouldn’t be a tiny tale anymore. It’s very well done to craft such a captivating and eerie story in such a short format. Thanks to the author with trusting me with my first ARC, I had fun reading and reviewing!
The plot took a turn I definitely did not expect, followed by an additional twist at the end. I cannot say anything about the direction it went in without spoiling, so you would have to discover that for yourself 🙂
I would have liked if the story was a bit longer, but then it wouldn’t be a tiny tale anymore. It’s very well done to craft such a captivating and eerie story in such a short format. Thanks to the author with trusting me with my first ARC, I had fun reading and reviewing!
April 30, 2026
I'm a huge fan of Sarah Jules' writing, but this one just didn't hit for me. The premise is a great one, it just seemed a little rushed and anticlimactic for me. But that's just me. Lovers of short stories are more than likely going to love this fast paced short.
While short, it's written in Ms. Jules' impeccable style. The build up is there but due to length, for me, it fell flat. Perhaps someday Ms. Jules will take this and flesh it out into a full length, I would be eager to read a longer version of this, maybe saying back as far as Clio's mom and into Clio, herself, before she knows the truth of who she is.
While short, it's written in Ms. Jules' impeccable style. The build up is there but due to length, for me, it fell flat. Perhaps someday Ms. Jules will take this and flesh it out into a full length, I would be eager to read a longer version of this, maybe saying back as far as Clio's mom and into Clio, herself, before she knows the truth of who she is.
April 3, 2026
Thank you Sarah for the ARC!
The Ghostwriter, although only a short story, was filled with haunting atmosphere that kept you in suspense throughout. Just as Clio devoured stories, I devoured this one. The isolating setting fills you with an eeriness that you just can't shake as you delve further into the story. I have always been a huge fan of Sarah's writing and this one did not disappoint. This story is an excellent addition to the "Tiny Terrible Tales" series and it might even be my favourite one yet!
The Ghostwriter, although only a short story, was filled with haunting atmosphere that kept you in suspense throughout. Just as Clio devoured stories, I devoured this one. The isolating setting fills you with an eeriness that you just can't shake as you delve further into the story. I have always been a huge fan of Sarah's writing and this one did not disappoint. This story is an excellent addition to the "Tiny Terrible Tales" series and it might even be my favourite one yet!
Review of advance copy received from Author
ARC review
Reading any of Sarah’s stories is like catching up with an old friend. They flow so easily you find yourself racing through in no time at all.
Ghostwriter is no different. Short in terms of page numbers but the story is full and captivating. Folk horror combined with mystery and the author’s wit make it a quick fun romp.
What is waiting for Clio on the Isle of Kresnick? Monsters? Or just a senile old man full of rambling stories? £50k is more than enough to get Clio packing her bags and heading north to the isolated house to write the memoirs of this eccentric old boy.
Reading any of Sarah’s stories is like catching up with an old friend. They flow so easily you find yourself racing through in no time at all.
Ghostwriter is no different. Short in terms of page numbers but the story is full and captivating. Folk horror combined with mystery and the author’s wit make it a quick fun romp.
What is waiting for Clio on the Isle of Kresnick? Monsters? Or just a senile old man full of rambling stories? £50k is more than enough to get Clio packing her bags and heading north to the isolated house to write the memoirs of this eccentric old boy.
Review of advance copy received from Author
Clio, a Ghostwriter, is offered a tidy fee to capture an elderly gentleman’s memoirs from his home on a remote Scottish island. A perfect setting for him to recount his past; but when the mood switches, the isolation mounts.
I love these bite-size morsels that ooze tension in every short page, but this one is screaming out for more. The epilogue perhaps a sign that this tale isn’t quite over? Encore please.
I love these bite-size morsels that ooze tension in every short page, but this one is screaming out for more. The epilogue perhaps a sign that this tale isn’t quite over? Encore please.
Review of advance copy received from Author
Read an arc of this, the fourth in the Tiny Terrible Tales series by Sarah Jules, and another excellent story!
Clio Pike is a ghostwriter and when offered an opportunity to write a client's story at a remote island off the coast of Scotland for 50k pounds, she jumps at the chance. But something is very wrong with her client, and now she's trapped there with no means of escape...
I love these short stories. They can be read in one sitting and always pack a punch and this one is no exception!
Clio Pike is a ghostwriter and when offered an opportunity to write a client's story at a remote island off the coast of Scotland for 50k pounds, she jumps at the chance. But something is very wrong with her client, and now she's trapped there with no means of escape...
I love these short stories. They can be read in one sitting and always pack a punch and this one is no exception!
Review of advance copy received from Author
Great!
The author is wonderful, truly. This short story was written very well. Grammatically correct.
I could see this being an actual book but I think I enjoyed it being a short story. I couldn't stop reading once I started. One would think that I'm being overly generous but I've read my fair share of ARCs and this is one of the best.
The author is wonderful, truly. This short story was written very well. Grammatically correct.
I could see this being an actual book but I think I enjoyed it being a short story. I couldn't stop reading once I started. One would think that I'm being overly generous but I've read my fair share of ARCs and this is one of the best.
Review of advance copy received from Author
This is a standalone book in a series of short stories. I devoured this and absolutely loved it. Going into it, I thought it would be going one way but it went a completely different direction that I did not expect at all. The twist was so fun. I was rooting for the main character in such a short span of time. If you want a fun short horror themed story, definitely check this one out.
Read
April 3, 20265 Stars! what a fantastic read! I love secluded places for the story line. Very atmospheric! From the moment the boat landed at the island, I felt like I was looking through the characters eyes taking in each of every detail playing out in my mind like a picture! And bam out of no where the book to an unseen left hand turn I loved it!
Received advance digital Arc from author
Received advance digital Arc from author
Review of advance copy received from Author
The fourth story in the Tiny Terrible Tales series, this fun tale seems simple enough in its premise but is packed full of twists and turns that you just don't see coming! Sarah has a way of drawing you in and then delighting you with her brilliant writing and sharp mind, even in a story only 38 pages long. These books are perfect if you want a quick bite of horror!
April 19, 2026
Not what I expected! Great little twist in the end! I enjoyed this quick read! Very fast paced and could have done with a little more fleshing out in places but for a sub 50 page read, it was great! I won't say too much as it'll give the wait away but this is well wort a read! If you have an hour free, grab it and read! Especially horror / thriller fans!
April 29, 2026
Clio is offered a hefty sum to travel to an island off the coast of Scotland to help a client write his memoir. However, is this job too good to be true….
Short and sweet. This is the 3rd piece I’ve read by Sarah Jules, and her writing has been amazing each time. It was easy to relate to Clio, and the plot moved wonderfully. Loved the ending!
Short and sweet. This is the 3rd piece I’ve read by Sarah Jules, and her writing has been amazing each time. It was easy to relate to Clio, and the plot moved wonderfully. Loved the ending!
May 5, 2026
A fresh story. A young writer is lured to a creepy island to write an old man's memoirs, but what happens is not what she expected. I thought the story was imaginative with the characters given just enough description without weighing you down. The ending was very creative!
I would recommend her as an author. It is a very short story.
I would recommend her as an author. It is a very short story.
Review of advance copy received from Author
It’s no secret I love Sarah’s story telling but I absolutely DEVOURED this story (I think there’s a name for people like me!). This Terrible Tale may be Tiny but it sure packs a punch. A super fun horror with a great setting and an even better story line. Definitely recommend checking this out!
Review of advance copy received from Author
I loved this tiny terrible tale. I wish it could of been longer and to read more stories and what happened but it was a perfect, fun little journey and a great plot twist at the end. I had no idea where it was going at any point
Review of advance copy received from Author
I am a huge fan of Sarah Jules and as always, this tiny tale of terror was super enjoyable. This short story was atmospheric and creepy. I had no idea where the plot was going but was pleasantly surprised. If you’re looking for something quick and fun, check this one out!
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