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Backwoods
416 pages, Kindle Edition
First published June 6, 2026
About the author
Kevin J. Kennedy
158 books336 followersKevin J. Kennedy is a Scottish horror author known for his fast-paced storytelling, dark humor, and unforgettable characters. He is also the curator of the bestselling The Horror Collection and Classic Monsters anthology series.
When he’s not writing tales of blood-soaked chaos, Kevin champions indie horror, supports fellow authors, and dreams up new ways to keep readers sleeping with the lights on.
When he’s not writing tales of blood-soaked chaos, Kevin champions indie horror, supports fellow authors, and dreams up new ways to keep readers sleeping with the lights on.
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Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews
June 22, 2026
Backwoods contains a spectacular lineup of some excellent authors, and hot damn, I was excited to read this one.
Not all of the stories were new to me, but not only am I ok with that, I was thrilled to see one of my favorite folk horror stories of all time included here, so let me start right off by telling you about The Corn Maidens by Brian Moreland. In 1933, a 14-year-old girl was ostracized by her community. Physically tossed, kicking and screaming while she begged not to be turned away from her family, though they did nothing to protect her. Her crime? A gift that they, in their ignorance, believed to be evil. I envy you if this will be your first time reading this one.
Another favorite was Consumption by Ronald Kelly, told in a down home folksy way. This is the story of a terrible occurrence suffered by Pap Wilson on his way home from digging ginseng, and the bloody aftermath that follows.
Sick 'Un by Elizabeth Massie begins in a one room school house where the new teacher, Miss Jones is trying to ascertain the whereabouts of a missing student. Nobody else seems to be concerned. When she discovers that there is a history of missing students in one particular backwoods family, she decides to pay them a visit. Of course, no good deed goes unpunished.
A young couple's long peaceful drive down the back roads of Maine takes a dangerous turn in The Archer by Glenn Rolfe. If your car ever breaks down on a lonely stretch of road, trust no one!
A man who feels he has been wronged by a neighbor's trespassing goats seeks revenge and finds himself cursed in The Mountain Witch of Old by Josh Davis. Let that be a lesson to you, we all need to get along with our neighbors.
A young man with an abusive father uncovers a shocking secret in The Perfect Hiding Place by Dawn DeBraal.
I enjoyed all of the stories, but these were my absolute favorites. Whether you like your horror to feature creepy creatures, supernatural beings, strange customs, or mere mortal psychos, there is something for you in the Backwoods.
My thanks to KJK Publishing
Not all of the stories were new to me, but not only am I ok with that, I was thrilled to see one of my favorite folk horror stories of all time included here, so let me start right off by telling you about The Corn Maidens by Brian Moreland. In 1933, a 14-year-old girl was ostracized by her community. Physically tossed, kicking and screaming while she begged not to be turned away from her family, though they did nothing to protect her. Her crime? A gift that they, in their ignorance, believed to be evil. I envy you if this will be your first time reading this one.
Another favorite was Consumption by Ronald Kelly, told in a down home folksy way. This is the story of a terrible occurrence suffered by Pap Wilson on his way home from digging ginseng, and the bloody aftermath that follows.
Sick 'Un by Elizabeth Massie begins in a one room school house where the new teacher, Miss Jones is trying to ascertain the whereabouts of a missing student. Nobody else seems to be concerned. When she discovers that there is a history of missing students in one particular backwoods family, she decides to pay them a visit. Of course, no good deed goes unpunished.
A young couple's long peaceful drive down the back roads of Maine takes a dangerous turn in The Archer by Glenn Rolfe. If your car ever breaks down on a lonely stretch of road, trust no one!
A man who feels he has been wronged by a neighbor's trespassing goats seeks revenge and finds himself cursed in The Mountain Witch of Old by Josh Davis. Let that be a lesson to you, we all need to get along with our neighbors.
A young man with an abusive father uncovers a shocking secret in The Perfect Hiding Place by Dawn DeBraal.
I enjoyed all of the stories, but these were my absolute favorites. Whether you like your horror to feature creepy creatures, supernatural beings, strange customs, or mere mortal psychos, there is something for you in the Backwoods.
My thanks to KJK Publishing
June 14, 2026
These aren’t your run of the mill hillbilly banjo twanging horror stories. In this collection you’ll be experiencing the backwoods in Europe, in the past, in the future, rubbing elbows with killers, monsters, cults, creepy families, and even running into sea creatures at one point. It was truly a surprise to see what each author brought to the table, and all of the entries were fantastic!
June 16, 2026
Like previous anthologies created by Kevin J. Kennedy, this was wasn’t a disappointment. Great stories by talented authors.
June 9, 2026
This book is incredible and hits close to home because I live in the backwoods. Definitely my book of the year so far.
June 21, 2026
Kevin Kennedy takes us into the Backwoods where terror lurks in every dark corner and crevice. The latest in the Classic Monsters Series, Backwoods isn't a fun camping trip, toasting marshmallows over a roaring fire, it is a roller-coaster of carnage.
What lurks in the Backwoods?
Consumption
By
Ronald Kelly
Reading this story, images of the Blob (1958) flashed through my mind. From the beginning where the father steps into a hole and the spiny creature attaches itself. Of course, the monster, just like the Blob, devoured its victims entirely and grew. The end had an unexpected twist.
The Mother
By
Nenad Mitrović
A mysterious guide leads a group of friends in a cave exploration which transforms into a horror feast where social masks are removed, and visceral sacrifices are performed to an evil entity lurking in the depths of the cave.
Country Air Ain’t Cutting It
By
Mark Towse
If you think you have a fly problem trying to kill one fly, meet a woman who has to deal with hordes of them and to no avail. That's not the worst of it. She murdered her wife and revenge takes many forms.
Sick ‘Un
By
Elizabeth Massie
A new teacher, perplexed about the absence of one of her students, journeys to his home only to discover the terrifying reason. She encounters his family who have a unique method of dealing with those who are sickly.
The Archer
By
Glenn Rolfe
A woman whose boyfriend was murdered by a father and son kill team, runs into the woods and meets an archer who saves her life. To continue would be giving too much away as to the twist, but I was disappointed.
The killers knew the archer were surprised he was alive. We don't find out anything about this mysterious figure. Is he a zombie, returned from the dead, a demon, an immortal God? Some readers might be satisfied not knowing, but this reader certainly isn't.
For Whom the Bells Hum
By
Raven Tomes
Two twins running from the law seek shelter in a house during a torrential rainstorm. The owner Mrs. Bell and her husband take in lost travelers from the road for what at first seemed friendly but later revealed to be sinister.
The Mountain Witch of. Old
By
Josh Davis
A farmer who had a grudge against an old woman, Matilda who he labeled a Witch, inadvertently causes her death. This was just the beginning, for the whole town was plagued and the farmer was to blame. He ventured with his sin to find the Old Mountain Witch, who could solve this issue.
On the journey, he is attacked by the old hag and her supernatural minions. Will he succeed in his quest or fall victim to the evil Matilda?
The Perfect Hiding Place
By
Dawn DeBraal
After losing his wife to the bookseller three years ago, Larry was abusive. He beat his son Huey on a constant basis to the point where Huey moved out of the house, to his grandfather's cabin in the back. However, Larry had a secret that was hidden in the woods and surrounded by booby traps?
The Pannonian Demon
By
Boris Mišić
There was a great Bang and a creature with the ability to heal itself and regenerate appeared. We have a father who physically abuses his children, a son who follows in his father's footsteps with brutality, a sister who wishes to get away from all this madness and two sibling friends. Where is this monster from and what are its plans?
These are just a few of the stories in this book.
What lurks in the Backwoods?
Consumption
By
Ronald Kelly
Reading this story, images of the Blob (1958) flashed through my mind. From the beginning where the father steps into a hole and the spiny creature attaches itself. Of course, the monster, just like the Blob, devoured its victims entirely and grew. The end had an unexpected twist.
The Mother
By
Nenad Mitrović
A mysterious guide leads a group of friends in a cave exploration which transforms into a horror feast where social masks are removed, and visceral sacrifices are performed to an evil entity lurking in the depths of the cave.
Country Air Ain’t Cutting It
By
Mark Towse
If you think you have a fly problem trying to kill one fly, meet a woman who has to deal with hordes of them and to no avail. That's not the worst of it. She murdered her wife and revenge takes many forms.
Sick ‘Un
By
Elizabeth Massie
A new teacher, perplexed about the absence of one of her students, journeys to his home only to discover the terrifying reason. She encounters his family who have a unique method of dealing with those who are sickly.
The Archer
By
Glenn Rolfe
A woman whose boyfriend was murdered by a father and son kill team, runs into the woods and meets an archer who saves her life. To continue would be giving too much away as to the twist, but I was disappointed.
The killers knew the archer were surprised he was alive. We don't find out anything about this mysterious figure. Is he a zombie, returned from the dead, a demon, an immortal God? Some readers might be satisfied not knowing, but this reader certainly isn't.
For Whom the Bells Hum
By
Raven Tomes
Two twins running from the law seek shelter in a house during a torrential rainstorm. The owner Mrs. Bell and her husband take in lost travelers from the road for what at first seemed friendly but later revealed to be sinister.
The Mountain Witch of. Old
By
Josh Davis
A farmer who had a grudge against an old woman, Matilda who he labeled a Witch, inadvertently causes her death. This was just the beginning, for the whole town was plagued and the farmer was to blame. He ventured with his sin to find the Old Mountain Witch, who could solve this issue.
On the journey, he is attacked by the old hag and her supernatural minions. Will he succeed in his quest or fall victim to the evil Matilda?
The Perfect Hiding Place
By
Dawn DeBraal
After losing his wife to the bookseller three years ago, Larry was abusive. He beat his son Huey on a constant basis to the point where Huey moved out of the house, to his grandfather's cabin in the back. However, Larry had a secret that was hidden in the woods and surrounded by booby traps?
The Pannonian Demon
By
Boris Mišić
There was a great Bang and a creature with the ability to heal itself and regenerate appeared. We have a father who physically abuses his children, a son who follows in his father's footsteps with brutality, a sister who wishes to get away from all this madness and two sibling friends. Where is this monster from and what are its plans?
These are just a few of the stories in this book.
June 24, 2026
The ninth entry in Kevin Kennedy's Classical Monsters Anthology series is a standalone volume of sixteen stories set in the titular backwoods and isolated backroads (mostly in the Appalachians and the Ozarks, but there are also stories set in Europe (Bulgaria, Hungary, the UK), one in the Australian Outback, and one takes place in a far-future settlement). The authors include, as usual, top names, but as a rule, all of the writers in a Kennedy anthology deliver high quality stories irrespective of recognizability or market presence. And so here as well.
Three stories I'd consider as my favorites: Brian Moreland's "The Corn Maidens", a riveting folk horror tale set in 1930s South Nebraska, the story of one little girl's journey to salvation; Richard Beauchamp's "Bobby Jo's Very Bad Day", a brilliant tale set in the Ozarks of two guys cooking meth, and stumbling upon an apocalyptic cult; and Ryan Colley's "The Chalk Eaters", set in the Dorchester Downs in the late 1920s, about a group of surveyors stranded in the hills - but these hills have eyes.
A second batch of most enjoyable tales would be "Fish Bait" by John Everson, and "Sick 'Un" by Elizabeth Massie - great premises, great endings, bleak AF, brimming with visceral, gritty atmosphere.
Finally, two stories deserving special mention in my book would be Glenn Rolfe's "The Archer", and "The Perfect Hiding Place" by Dawn DeBraal: excellent dialogue, fantastic pacing, and they work incredibly well as short stories - the first one as a riveting survival horror tale with a twist, and the second as disturbing family drama.
Overall, a terrific horror anthology! Absolutely recommended for readers who enjoy bloody and fast-paced stories set in isolated wilderness, with characters being hunted or terrorized by supernatural forces, or by just plain demented locals!
June 23, 2026
The Ninth book of the classic monsters series, these stories go off the beaten track- both in their subject matter and in the way you'd expect them to go! Every story gives a different idea of just what can happen when you leave the trail behind. Another excellent book from Kevin, and such a fun read. Sometimes I was rooting for the victims, sometimes the monsters!
June 25, 2026
I was excited when I saw that Kevin was put out a backwoods collection. I love me some backwoods horror, and if you
do too, then you need to check this collection out.
There are so many great stories in here by lots of talented authors. Some of them are new to me, so I will definitely be checking out the rest of their work
I don't know if I can pick favorite stories in this one because I loved them all
do too, then you need to check this collection out.
There are so many great stories in here by lots of talented authors. Some of them are new to me, so I will definitely be checking out the rest of their work
I don't know if I can pick favorite stories in this one because I loved them all
July 6, 2026
I love backwoods horror. These stories did not disappoint. This anthology was filled with so many unique takes on the sub genre and every story had something new to offer. I highly recommend this anthology!
July 10, 2026
I absolutely adored these collections and this one is is definitely up there. Loved every single story but my favourites are:
The Archer- a young couple breaks down in the middle of nowhere...very wrong turn!
Fish Bait - 2 hikers running away from life stumble into a run down, isolated town pub. The locals all seem to be missing something and they end up playing a very interesting game...
The Chalk Eaters - 1920s a group of people break down in an isolated chalky wasteland. An abandoned town is nearby so they take refuse in the church. The Decent meets The Hills have eyes with this one and I couldn't put it down!!
A (bad) day in the life of a hillbilly Slasher - a moonshine slinging cult finds a special fountain and the evil spirit who guards it. We have a very brutal Hillbilly Slasher who is tasked with keeping the fountain safe and he does his job very well. Brutal & gory.
Every story is brilliant and I think thie is my favourite book in the collection.
The Archer- a young couple breaks down in the middle of nowhere...very wrong turn!
Fish Bait - 2 hikers running away from life stumble into a run down, isolated town pub. The locals all seem to be missing something and they end up playing a very interesting game...
The Chalk Eaters - 1920s a group of people break down in an isolated chalky wasteland. An abandoned town is nearby so they take refuse in the church. The Decent meets The Hills have eyes with this one and I couldn't put it down!!
A (bad) day in the life of a hillbilly Slasher - a moonshine slinging cult finds a special fountain and the evil spirit who guards it. We have a very brutal Hillbilly Slasher who is tasked with keeping the fountain safe and he does his job very well. Brutal & gory.
Every story is brilliant and I think thie is my favourite book in the collection.
June 19, 2026
Horror and Gore; Banjos too?
You know that clench you get in your gut when you hear that banjo playing? It's not on television. It's in your head! When you read Backwoods, you know you are looking deep in the woods. Into a completely different world with very unique people.
I enjoyed this whole book and almost didn't make a list of my favorites because I liked them all so much. But I thought about it and picked a few that just really stood out to me the most.
Consumption by Ronald Kelly
For Whom the Bells Hum by Raven Tomes
The Pannonian Demon by Boris Misic
The Corn Maidens by Brian Moreland
A (Bad) Day in the Life of a Hillbilly Slasher by Sam Whittaker
I tried to limit myself to just one or two stories a night to make it last. But I just sat down and read five stories in a row. It was just too gooI can't recommend this book enough!
Veronica Smith - author of Salvation in the Wasteland, Nightmare on Indigo Street, & Chalk Outline
You know that clench you get in your gut when you hear that banjo playing? It's not on television. It's in your head! When you read Backwoods, you know you are looking deep in the woods. Into a completely different world with very unique people.
I enjoyed this whole book and almost didn't make a list of my favorites because I liked them all so much. But I thought about it and picked a few that just really stood out to me the most.
Consumption by Ronald Kelly
For Whom the Bells Hum by Raven Tomes
The Pannonian Demon by Boris Misic
The Corn Maidens by Brian Moreland
A (Bad) Day in the Life of a Hillbilly Slasher by Sam Whittaker
I tried to limit myself to just one or two stories a night to make it last. But I just sat down and read five stories in a row. It was just too gooI can't recommend this book enough!
Veronica Smith - author of Salvation in the Wasteland, Nightmare on Indigo Street, & Chalk Outline
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews