When the Century Knocks: A Halloween Anthology

by Kirsten Gale, J.D. Setzer, Jim Donohue

WHEN THE CENTURY KNOCKSA Halloween Anthology

Eight centuries. Eight places. Eight stories.

Across different times and far-flung places, something has been waiting.

A whisper in the woods.
A shadow where no one should be.
A door that should never open.
A presence that refuses to stay buried.

For centuries, people have encountered things they couldn't explain—strange occurrences that appeared to have no connection to one another.

Or so they thought.

WHEN THE CENTURY KNOCKS brings together eight chilling tales from Kirsten Gale, J.D. Setzer, Tamara Rector, Jim Donohue, Kendra Smart, Abby Woodland, Hayley Bernard-Ryan, and J.K. Charles, each exploring a different century, a different place, and a different nightmare.

What will come from the trees when the century knocks?

Why is it happening?

And what has been waiting all this time?

273 pages, Kindle Edition

Published October 15, 2026

About the author

Kirsten Gale is a thriller author who loves crafting dark, twisted stories that keep readers hooked until the last page. Fascinated by the eerie and unexplained, she spends her free time researching folklore and uncovering the secrets behind ancient legends. When she’s not writing, she enjoys spending time with her family and finding inspiration in the world’s hidden mysteries.

Reviews

[Tanya Kolb · Rating 5 out of 5]

This anthology is amazing! I love how the stories each tell their own tale, but still blend together. This is such a talented group of authors. They have come together and created something special. The prologue and epilogue are like bookends that bring the collection together perfectly. This is a very easy 5 stars for me!

[Country · Rating 5 out of 5]

These stories all fit together perfectly and each give different spooky feels to them. A great collection of short stories and a perfect Halloween read.

[Ally Harju · Rating 5 out of 5]

When The Century Knocks is a spooky, deeply haunting Halloween anthology featuring stories from 8 different authors.
​Anthologies can sometimes be hit-or-miss, but this collection pulled off a creepily cohesive vibe that kept me hooked from start to finish. Each author brought a unique, atmospheric, and chilling tone to the table, making for a perfectly creepy seasonal read. Highly recommended if you love unsettling Halloween vibes and well-crafted eerie tales!

[Mandi · Rating 4 out of 5]

What an amazing concept for an anthology.

I enjoyed the connection between all the stories, and appreciated how they each stood on their own as well.

I loved some more than others which unfortunately brought down my rating, but still a great quick read.

Definitely something to add to anyone's shelf that love Halloween, folk lore, or just creepy good reads.

[Marissa · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book. I liked how each of the authors wrote their own story but it all came together. I liked how fun and spooky it was. Just right for Halloween time. (: and it was a first for 7 of the authors as I’ve read one of the other authors before. Give it a try if you like Halloween themed books. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

[sugarnsass_reads · Rating 5 out of 5]

Eight short horror stories; each written by amazing talents in the indie author world and each unique, creepy and connected. Knock. Knock. Knock. Whispers, Shadows, Creepy children; what’s your nightmare?
Each century starts a cycle of new nightmares.

[Beckreadz25 · Rating 5 out of 5]

This anthology was fascinating! I loved the lore across the centuries and the different cultures with the tree and its restless, evil spirit serving as the central focus.

Although the backgrounds were different, every author brought to life a frightening tale of the knocking demon who seeks what was lost or demands a repayment in flesh or blood for past wrongs. The legends of the witch trials to LA Llorona to the Headless Horseman to the Japanese Neko were tied in effortlessly. Also the new, unique spin on the lovers initials to the futuristic water dwellers. I am in awe how amazingly vivid these stories were. A lot of time obviously went in to vividly paint the gothic, macabre settings and to tie them together in an eye-opening epilogue.

Bravo to all 8 authors involved in putting together this brilliant collection that in my opinion needs to be a Halloween staple.

[Charlene Mattson · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a very cool collection of short stories that are bound by the thread of a sinister tree.

Some of the stories definitely shone and one or two were a bit weaker but overall I definitely reccomend it!

[Kez · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was such an interesting take on a short story collection, and not one that I have seen done previously. Throughout all the stories, there is one central tree that is woven into each individual story. Some stories pull on folklore, while in others there are spooky creatures, but all of it comes together in an exceptional collection.

You have my vote for a Christmas Anthology now!

[Ginger Kat · Rating 4.25 out of 5]

I like how all the stories were connected by this scary tree and they took place every century. That was a really cool and creative choice. While not all the stories were my cup of tea, I did really enjoy some of them. A Trail Without God was good, as was The Weeping Woman. My favorite story was probably The Third Knock. That story was creepy and sad, and I liked the headless horseman type creature. This is a solid Halloween anthology. I received a free copy of this story and write this review voluntarily.

[Ali O · Rating 5 out of 5]

When the Century Knocks: A Halloween Anthology
🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
When eight amazing authors get together, the results are excellent!!
This collection spans between different times(centuries) and places. Each story is unique and holds its own tale, but all eight are still nicely connected.
This anthology is creepy, dark & entertaining!
Each tale drew me in, and they are all very well written!!

I was lucky to get an arc of this fantastic collection!!
** It’s perfect for your next spooky Halloween read** Grab your copy now!!
🪾🎃📜👻 🪾

[Rachel Browning · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely loved this collaboration! This one is creepy, dark, and seriously gory. Each story stands on its own, but they all connect together so well, and I loved watching it come together. There are some seriously disturbing moments, gruesome horror, and plenty of darkness throughout. This was such a twisted and unsettling collection, and I couldn’t get enough of it!

[Crystal O · Rating 5 out of 5]

This anthology was masterfully written by 8 different authors. The prologue and epilogue really combined the book together. Each author wrote a different story but all combined it mixed well with eachother. Parts were dark, horrifying, and scary but the evil tree, the different centuries and cultures had me wanting more. Perfect book for spooky season!

[Kirsten Gale · Rating 5 out of 5]

A pleasure working with all these amazingly talented authors!! So proud of all of you!!