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Eight Bone Stew: A Delicious Amalgam of Disconcerting Tales
Every chef knows that bones provide the essence of a good stew.
The bones of this book have been carefully procured from the horror genre; savory morsels of psychological, folk, gothic, sci-fi, and dystopia-inspired dread. Each brings its own unique, unsettling flavor to the dish, ready for you to devour.
A desperate writer is eager to recover inspiration for his next novel. An egotistical chef has a bone to pick. A mother is in denial of the true nature of her son. A grieving family just inherited wealth beyond comprehension with disturbing terms attached. A girl is forced to live within an antiquated community for cancer survivors. Among other tales.
And for a terrifying take on a Christmas classic.
Eight Bone Stew continues the tradition of horror short story collections, in the vein of Shirley Jackson and early Stephen King. This is an anthology for readers who know that horror is not a single flavor but a spectrum, with each subgenre offering a distinct and exciting taste. For students of horror, this is an opportunity to enjoy a variety of dishes within a single book. Connoisseurs, meanwhile, are granted the opportunity to work through a menu that always keeps you slightly off-balance, unsure of where the next twist, turn, or terror will come from, but without ever losing coherence or momentum.
With each short story complete and self-contained, this is a compilation that can either be worked through in a day, or gradually enjoyed course by course. For a complete sensory experience, author Ron Jankowski has also created a soundtrack for the book; an auditory accompaniment to provide the perfect ambiance for each dish; dinner music, if you will.
Get ready for a true feast of horror, with flavors unlike anything you've ever experienced.
Relax, ingest, enjoy.
The bones of this book have been carefully procured from the horror genre; savory morsels of psychological, folk, gothic, sci-fi, and dystopia-inspired dread. Each brings its own unique, unsettling flavor to the dish, ready for you to devour.
A desperate writer is eager to recover inspiration for his next novel. An egotistical chef has a bone to pick. A mother is in denial of the true nature of her son. A grieving family just inherited wealth beyond comprehension with disturbing terms attached. A girl is forced to live within an antiquated community for cancer survivors. Among other tales.
And for a terrifying take on a Christmas classic.
Eight Bone Stew continues the tradition of horror short story collections, in the vein of Shirley Jackson and early Stephen King. This is an anthology for readers who know that horror is not a single flavor but a spectrum, with each subgenre offering a distinct and exciting taste. For students of horror, this is an opportunity to enjoy a variety of dishes within a single book. Connoisseurs, meanwhile, are granted the opportunity to work through a menu that always keeps you slightly off-balance, unsure of where the next twist, turn, or terror will come from, but without ever losing coherence or momentum.
With each short story complete and self-contained, this is a compilation that can either be worked through in a day, or gradually enjoyed course by course. For a complete sensory experience, author Ron Jankowski has also created a soundtrack for the book; an auditory accompaniment to provide the perfect ambiance for each dish; dinner music, if you will.
Get ready for a true feast of horror, with flavors unlike anything you've ever experienced.
Relax, ingest, enjoy.
167 pages, Kindle Edition
Published October 15, 2026
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
Review of advance copy
Eight short horror stories served up as a tasting menu? Well, I was hungry for something dark, so serve it on up!
I really liked the concept behind this collection, with each story presented as a different course. Ron Jankowski covers quite a range of horror here, from psychological and folk horror to sci-fi, supernatural and some seriously grim territory. Here's a little taste of what's on the menu:
Bone I: A Mother's Eyes
A mother who will do anything to protect her troubled son, even when the red flags are practically screaming at her.
Bone II: At What Price
A wealthy family gathers for the reading of a will, only to realise that it comes with some disturbing conditions, and they might have to do some crazy stuff just to get their hands on the cash.
Bone III: 'Twas the Night of the Culling
A quick, gory and pretty messed-up take on a famous Christmas poem. Yeah... definitely not a bedtime story for the kids.
Bone IV: The True Cost of Genius
A struggling novelist is so desperate for ideas he'd probably sell his soul. He finds his inspiration in an unexpected place, but shocker: there's a terrible catch, of course.
Bone V: What Fresh Hell Is This?
A stormy night, a clapped-out Chevy and something seriously wrong lurking beside a deserted Louisiana road. As if the poor guy didn't have enough problems!
Bone VI: Remission
Cancer's finally curable. Great news, right? Well, only if you can afford the treatment. Otherwise, you might find yourself signing away just about everything.
Bone VII: Keepers of the Dead
When her daughter's medical treatments aren't working as hoped, a desperate mum in New Orleans turns to unfamiliar spiritual practices in the hope of saving her.
Bone VIII: Getterie's Last Supper
An arrogant French chef whips up one last meal for his biggest haters. Let's just say this is one dinner they'll never forget, whether they like it or not!
Like most collections, some stories were better than others. A few felt a little slow at the start with too much info-dumping, but there are some great ideas here. Plus, the dark humour is spot on, and a few of the endings completely caught me off guard. The most memorable ones for me were At What Price, The True Cost of Genius and Getterie's Last Supper.
The little bonus section at the end was great too. Jankowski shares his inspiration for each story alongside a suggested soundtrack. It's a really nice touch, especially with the whole collection being built around a tasting menu theme.
A mostly enjoyable collection for me and one I'd recommend picking up if you're in the mood to sample a few different flavours of horror.
I received a free copy of this book via BookSirens and am voluntarily leaving a review
I really liked the concept behind this collection, with each story presented as a different course. Ron Jankowski covers quite a range of horror here, from psychological and folk horror to sci-fi, supernatural and some seriously grim territory. Here's a little taste of what's on the menu:
Bone I: A Mother's Eyes
A mother who will do anything to protect her troubled son, even when the red flags are practically screaming at her.
Bone II: At What Price
A wealthy family gathers for the reading of a will, only to realise that it comes with some disturbing conditions, and they might have to do some crazy stuff just to get their hands on the cash.
Bone III: 'Twas the Night of the Culling
A quick, gory and pretty messed-up take on a famous Christmas poem. Yeah... definitely not a bedtime story for the kids.
Bone IV: The True Cost of Genius
A struggling novelist is so desperate for ideas he'd probably sell his soul. He finds his inspiration in an unexpected place, but shocker: there's a terrible catch, of course.
Bone V: What Fresh Hell Is This?
A stormy night, a clapped-out Chevy and something seriously wrong lurking beside a deserted Louisiana road. As if the poor guy didn't have enough problems!
Bone VI: Remission
Cancer's finally curable. Great news, right? Well, only if you can afford the treatment. Otherwise, you might find yourself signing away just about everything.
Bone VII: Keepers of the Dead
When her daughter's medical treatments aren't working as hoped, a desperate mum in New Orleans turns to unfamiliar spiritual practices in the hope of saving her.
Bone VIII: Getterie's Last Supper
An arrogant French chef whips up one last meal for his biggest haters. Let's just say this is one dinner they'll never forget, whether they like it or not!
Like most collections, some stories were better than others. A few felt a little slow at the start with too much info-dumping, but there are some great ideas here. Plus, the dark humour is spot on, and a few of the endings completely caught me off guard. The most memorable ones for me were At What Price, The True Cost of Genius and Getterie's Last Supper.
The little bonus section at the end was great too. Jankowski shares his inspiration for each story alongside a suggested soundtrack. It's a really nice touch, especially with the whole collection being built around a tasting menu theme.
A mostly enjoyable collection for me and one I'd recommend picking up if you're in the mood to sample a few different flavours of horror.
I received a free copy of this book via BookSirens and am voluntarily leaving a review
October 13, 2026
Each story creates a wonderfully eerie, almost mystical atmosphere, drawing you in until you can practically feel your heart pounding with the intensity of the suspense. There is macabre, there is horror, and then there is this book… which takes things to an entirely different level.
The stories are incredibly detailed, born from what must be an extraordinary mind (let's just hope the whisky isn't the same one described in these stories, because otherwise… poor guy 😂).
You can tell there is a genuine blend of horror styles throughout the book, and the amount of thought, creativity, and effort put into these stories is undeniable. And it certainly pays off. The author's ability to build such unsettling atmospheres and keep the tension alive is something worth appreciating.
The stories are incredibly detailed, born from what must be an extraordinary mind (let's just hope the whisky isn't the same one described in these stories, because otherwise… poor guy 😂).
You can tell there is a genuine blend of horror styles throughout the book, and the amount of thought, creativity, and effort put into these stories is undeniable. And it certainly pays off. The author's ability to build such unsettling atmospheres and keep the tension alive is something worth appreciating.
October 12, 2026
Exquisite meal for every horror lover.
No matter what your favorite trope is, there is something here for you to enjoy. There are some standouts. I truly loved "True cost of genius." but as it goes with collections, some stories are slightly better than others. I enjoyed the premise of Remission, but it felt flat at the end.
As a whole, it was put together nicely, and I had a good time, but it wasn't anything new.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
No matter what your favorite trope is, there is something here for you to enjoy. There are some standouts. I truly loved "True cost of genius." but as it goes with collections, some stories are slightly better than others. I enjoyed the premise of Remission, but it felt flat at the end.
As a whole, it was put together nicely, and I had a good time, but it wasn't anything new.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
October 19, 2026
Eight Bone Stew is a collection of seven short stories and a novelette, loosely structured like a multi-course meal, from the apertif to the digestif. Beginning with the tale of a self-deluding mother figure whose child seems set on the path of the serial killer, the reader then proceeds to the tale of a wealthy family reckoning with a terrible inheritance, a reimagining of a Christmas poem, a meditation on the existence and price of genius, and a rural encounter with what may be some kind of cryptid. The novelette comes next, examining what healthcare could well become under the US American capitalistic system. The collection is then rounded out with a story about what a mother might do when faced with a child’s dire cancer prognosis, and a story about hubris in the culinary world. Each piece calls on the reader to look at the world we live in and ask questions about it—when humans make monsters, who is at fault? What would you do if given everything you ever wanted? What about if you lost everything you have?
While I didn’t find most of them particularly scary (What Fresh Hell is This was a very creepy exception), I did enjoy each of the stories in the collection very much. And the collection ends with a section of interesting notes about the development of each story along with a song that the author felt connected to during its development; this section was quite amusing to read through, once I’d finished the rest of the book. I will be keeping an eye out for the possible novel that the author may expand the novelette into—I would very much like to see where that goes, should it come to pass! I recommend this one to readers who enjoy stories that can be read on a lunch break, anyone who likes their weird fiction philosophical, and anyone who wants to read something a little creepy but not too scary.
Thanks to the author and publisher for providing an advance reader copy through BookSirens!
While I didn’t find most of them particularly scary (What Fresh Hell is This was a very creepy exception), I did enjoy each of the stories in the collection very much. And the collection ends with a section of interesting notes about the development of each story along with a song that the author felt connected to during its development; this section was quite amusing to read through, once I’d finished the rest of the book. I will be keeping an eye out for the possible novel that the author may expand the novelette into—I would very much like to see where that goes, should it come to pass! I recommend this one to readers who enjoy stories that can be read on a lunch break, anyone who likes their weird fiction philosophical, and anyone who wants to read something a little creepy but not too scary.
Thanks to the author and publisher for providing an advance reader copy through BookSirens!
October 18, 2026
First off, such an awesome cover! And I loved that the table of contents was laid out like a menu- very clever!
"Bones provide the essence of the stew."
This book has 8 short horror stories, all pretty different from each other. These stories make a good starting point for people just dipping their toes into horror. Nothing super gory, and in my opinion, nothing super scary either. I felt the stories all depend on the readers' imaginations, and each one ends with a cliffhanger that leaves you to your own devices on whether it was scary, which isn't really for me, unfortunately.
I read "Bone 6" and immediately went into "Bone 7," and I made it about halfway through before I realized "Bone 7" was a whole new story, not just a new point of view of "Bone 6." The overall subject was very similar, and my brain couldn't keep up, haha. That's on me, though; I don't think the writing was to blame.
I also felt that most stories got a little long-winded midway through. For short stories, I didn't think those long diatribes were necessary, and I found myself skimming them by the end. This is the main reason for the lower review, combined with the fact that I just don't think these stories were my cup of tea. (I usually read extreme horror and splatterpunk, so this was pretty tame.)
Thanks so much to BookSirens for the ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review!
"Bones provide the essence of the stew."
This book has 8 short horror stories, all pretty different from each other. These stories make a good starting point for people just dipping their toes into horror. Nothing super gory, and in my opinion, nothing super scary either. I felt the stories all depend on the readers' imaginations, and each one ends with a cliffhanger that leaves you to your own devices on whether it was scary, which isn't really for me, unfortunately.
I read "Bone 6" and immediately went into "Bone 7," and I made it about halfway through before I realized "Bone 7" was a whole new story, not just a new point of view of "Bone 6." The overall subject was very similar, and my brain couldn't keep up, haha. That's on me, though; I don't think the writing was to blame.
I also felt that most stories got a little long-winded midway through. For short stories, I didn't think those long diatribes were necessary, and I found myself skimming them by the end. This is the main reason for the lower review, combined with the fact that I just don't think these stories were my cup of tea. (I usually read extreme horror and splatterpunk, so this was pretty tame.)
Thanks so much to BookSirens for the ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review!
October 22, 2026
A collection of eight stories served up for our reading pleasure. I enjoyed reading this during spooky season to get me in the Halloween mood, but it would be good anytime.
My favorites were:
At What Price 👨👩👧👦
'Twas the Night of the Culling 🔪
Keepers of the Dead 🪦
Getterie's Last Supper 🥣
There were some ideas here that will definitely stay with me long after finishing. I look forward to reading more from this author! Can't wait to listen to the soundtrack too!
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
October 11, 2026
ARC read
Eight Bone Stew by Ron Jankowski is a collection of short horror stories and poems(!). The stories vary in length and span an impressive range of genres within classic horror.
The first thing you'll probably notice about this book is that it's very well written. The kind of writing and vocabulary that make you feel smart when reading it. Like you've suddenly become a slightly more sophisticated person.
The plots work in a similar way. They trust the reader. Sometimes they let you finish the story yourself, giving away just enough for you to do so. Other times, they surprise you with plot twists so devious you can only applaud them.
All the stories are varied and distinct. Each character has their own voice. I particularly enjoyed the author and the chef myself.
It's an easy read. I would recommend it especially to those who love horror but appreciate it when it's also intelligent.
I thoroughly enjoyed it. I would have liked some of the stories to continue beyond where they ended, but that's not really a criticism. It's just a sign that they're working.
Eight Bone Stew by Ron Jankowski is a collection of short horror stories and poems(!). The stories vary in length and span an impressive range of genres within classic horror.
The first thing you'll probably notice about this book is that it's very well written. The kind of writing and vocabulary that make you feel smart when reading it. Like you've suddenly become a slightly more sophisticated person.
The plots work in a similar way. They trust the reader. Sometimes they let you finish the story yourself, giving away just enough for you to do so. Other times, they surprise you with plot twists so devious you can only applaud them.
All the stories are varied and distinct. Each character has their own voice. I particularly enjoyed the author and the chef myself.
It's an easy read. I would recommend it especially to those who love horror but appreciate it when it's also intelligent.
I thoroughly enjoyed it. I would have liked some of the stories to continue beyond where they ended, but that's not really a criticism. It's just a sign that they're working.
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews