What do you think?
Rate this book
A Dark Assortment
Don't be afraid. They're just stories, aren't they? Sometimes that noise you can hear upstairs is just the old floorboards creaking as they settle down for the night. Sometimes. But there's no need to worry because, that face you saw at the window was just a reflection.
There's no one else here. You're alone. But that's OK because you're safe in your bed. And all those things you fear deep down in the dark reaches of your soul... well, they only happen in stories, don't they?
A Dark Assortment is a collection of seventeen stories; a chocolate box of handmade treats. But beware - beneath each richly decorated shell, there's a seed of delicious darkness.
These stories with a twist are perfect for fans of Edgar Allan Poe, and if you enjoy books like Ray Bradbury's "Illustrated Man" and Roald Dahl's "Skin" then we'll get along just fine. Oh - before I go, I'll wish you all Sweet Dreams .
There's no one else here. You're alone. But that's OK because you're safe in your bed. And all those things you fear deep down in the dark reaches of your soul... well, they only happen in stories, don't they?
A Dark Assortment is a collection of seventeen stories; a chocolate box of handmade treats. But beware - beneath each richly decorated shell, there's a seed of delicious darkness.
These stories with a twist are perfect for fans of Edgar Allan Poe, and if you enjoy books like Ray Bradbury's "Illustrated Man" and Roald Dahl's "Skin" then we'll get along just fine. Oh - before I go, I'll wish you all Sweet Dreams .
- GenresHorror
91 pages, Kindle Edition
First published September 14, 2015
13 people are currently reading
89 people want to read
About the author
Mikey Campling
26 books82 followersMichael (Mikey to friends) is a full-time writer living and working in a tiny village on the edge of Dartmoor in Devon. He writes stories with characters you can believe in and plots you can sink your teeth into.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 26 of 26 reviews
March 18, 2016
3.75 stars
The title says it all--A Dark Assortment of short stories that reads fast, coming in at about 90 pages.
As with most collections, there were some hits as well as misses. Some of the stories where only 2 pages long, and it was these shorter ones that I think were most of the misses on my end. But there is enough variety here for everyone to find something they will like!
A few of the stand outs for me:
-Listen (a retelling of 'The Tell-Tale Heart" by Edgar Allan Poe
-The Ride of Your Life
-A Lonely Road
My thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
The title says it all--A Dark Assortment of short stories that reads fast, coming in at about 90 pages.
As with most collections, there were some hits as well as misses. Some of the stories where only 2 pages long, and it was these shorter ones that I think were most of the misses on my end. But there is enough variety here for everyone to find something they will like!
A few of the stand outs for me:
-Listen (a retelling of 'The Tell-Tale Heart" by Edgar Allan Poe
-The Ride of Your Life
-A Lonely Road
My thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
March 13, 2016
Thank-you Netgalley for sharing this book for an honest review.
The book holds short horror/thriller stories. Some of the stories are good but nothing too out of this world. This is a book to have handy when you have a few minutes here and there to devote to reading. Maybe a good book to keep on your guestroom nightstand.
Very easy read and I would recommend it to anyone who likes a short story from time to time.
The book holds short horror/thriller stories. Some of the stories are good but nothing too out of this world. This is a book to have handy when you have a few minutes here and there to devote to reading. Maybe a good book to keep on your guestroom nightstand.
Very easy read and I would recommend it to anyone who likes a short story from time to time.
October 26, 2017
As with most short story collections by one author, there are some hits and some misses.
In this particular collection the longer stories held my attention and seemed to be far better written than the very short, short stories which I found hard to be memorable.
A good solid, enjoyable book that you can read during breaks or commuting.
In this particular collection the longer stories held my attention and seemed to be far better written than the very short, short stories which I found hard to be memorable.
A good solid, enjoyable book that you can read during breaks or commuting.
March 17, 2018
A dark assortment by Mikey campling.
a collection of dark stories. there are 17 altogether some I liked more than others. A very good read. 4*.
a collection of dark stories. there are 17 altogether some I liked more than others. A very good read. 4*.
April 22, 2019
A Dark Assortment - a review by Rosemary Kenny
Dark they may be, but sweet like chocolate they definitely aren't! Master of Mystery and Suspense, Michael Campling is a worthy successor to Roald Dahl whose Tales of the Unexpected also had a twist in the tail/tale and were fabulously varied in the same way, fast becoming a favourite in years gone by - I'm sure these will be just as successful for the modern generation (and some of us more 'mature' readers), if not more so!
Multiple murders, killers, a witch, a villain trapped by his own wickedness, a blind woman who regrets her trustfulness, futuristic disasters, a keep-fit fanatic who gets an unexpected comeuppance for his betrayal and many more - A Dark Assortment is, An Anthology of Suspense (The Short Horror Collection)'s title is almost as long as some of the stories, but that doesn't detract from the fact that though small in size, they pack an incredible punch.
A sure winner for Michael Campling and a must for your Horror/Fantasy/Thriller bookshelves. Get your copy today, (and make sure all the doors and windows are locked before you go to bed tonight!)
Dark they may be, but sweet like chocolate they definitely aren't! Master of Mystery and Suspense, Michael Campling is a worthy successor to Roald Dahl whose Tales of the Unexpected also had a twist in the tail/tale and were fabulously varied in the same way, fast becoming a favourite in years gone by - I'm sure these will be just as successful for the modern generation (and some of us more 'mature' readers), if not more so!
Multiple murders, killers, a witch, a villain trapped by his own wickedness, a blind woman who regrets her trustfulness, futuristic disasters, a keep-fit fanatic who gets an unexpected comeuppance for his betrayal and many more - A Dark Assortment is, An Anthology of Suspense (The Short Horror Collection)'s title is almost as long as some of the stories, but that doesn't detract from the fact that though small in size, they pack an incredible punch.
A sure winner for Michael Campling and a must for your Horror/Fantasy/Thriller bookshelves. Get your copy today, (and make sure all the doors and windows are locked before you go to bed tonight!)
August 2, 2016
This is a collection of short stories just mildly scary.
What's really and truly scary is what your own mind and imagination make out of it.
* Read more on The Serial Reader Blog
What's really and truly scary is what your own mind and imagination make out of it.
* Read more on The Serial Reader Blog
October 16, 2015
Short, sharp and scared.
Mickey Campling writes with precision. The stories in this collection are no more than two or three pages long but the author doesn't skimp on detail. His carefully chosen palette of words guarantees the reader gets hit with maximum impact by the end of each tale. For those squeamish readers take heart, Mr Campling chills randomised rather than horrifies with blood and Gore. A worthwhile read.
Mickey Campling writes with precision. The stories in this collection are no more than two or three pages long but the author doesn't skimp on detail. His carefully chosen palette of words guarantees the reader gets hit with maximum impact by the end of each tale. For those squeamish readers take heart, Mr Campling chills randomised rather than horrifies with blood and Gore. A worthwhile read.
March 29, 2018
I enjoy everything I read by this author.
July 25, 2018
I think Mikey Campling is able to achieve in just a page or two a creepiness that some authors can't accomplish in an entire novel. Since the stories are short, this is the perfect book for when you don't have a lot of time to read, but still want to cram a good story into your busy schedule, or don't feel like committing to a longer novel. Most of the stories have an open ending, which I really liked, because my mind was left to wander and wonder what might have happened. One of the best examples of this was in the first story, "Floorboards," which could have had several different endings, but it's really left up to the reader's imagination. Some other stories have endings that are totally unexpected, such as "Black Friday" and "Deadline." There was only one I didn't particularly care for, "Rats," but other than that, I really enjoyed reading this book. I think this book really has something for everyone, and no two stories are the same. If you're a fan of horror and thrillers, I'd recommend reading this book!
Much thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for providing me with an ARC of this book.
Much thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for providing me with an ARC of this book.
July 22, 2017
Used to be kindle unlimited, don't think many if any are now, but have gotten his books that way before as well as instafreebie and freebie days and even some ARCs, and no, I usually am not able to keep up with it, because doesn't matter to me how got the book, it's going to be my own opinions and all that.
Don't be afraid. They're just stories, aren't they? Sometimes that noise you can hear upstairs is just the old floorboards creaking as they settle down for the night. Sometimes.But there's no need to worry because, that face you saw at the window was just a reflection.There's no one else here. You're alone. But that's OK because you're safe in your bed. And all those things you fear deep down in the dark reaches of your soul... well, they only happen in stories, don't they?A Dark Assortment is a collection of seventeen stories; a chocolate box of handmade treats. But beware - beneath each richly decorated shell, there's a seed of delicious darkness.
After Dark (Thoughtful Horror Book 1)
Once in a Blood Moon (Thoughtful Horror Book 2)
A Dark Assortment (Thoughtful Horror Book 3)
Don't be afraid. They're just stories, aren't they? Sometimes that noise you can hear upstairs is just the old floorboards creaking as they settle down for the night. Sometimes.But there's no need to worry because, that face you saw at the window was just a reflection.There's no one else here. You're alone. But that's OK because you're safe in your bed. And all those things you fear deep down in the dark reaches of your soul... well, they only happen in stories, don't they?A Dark Assortment is a collection of seventeen stories; a chocolate box of handmade treats. But beware - beneath each richly decorated shell, there's a seed of delicious darkness.
After Dark (Thoughtful Horror Book 1)
Once in a Blood Moon (Thoughtful Horror Book 2)
A Dark Assortment (Thoughtful Horror Book 3)
March 4, 2016
This was a quick read. I do love short stories but I am not a big fan of "flash fiction" and at barely over a page long several of these would fall into that category. I'm not even going to pretend that I understood the stories that were that short. However if you like flash fiction this may be the book for you. There were a few gems mixed in with the bunch, that were longer and that I did find enjoyable. Among those were "Listen" which is a modern version of the Tell Tale Heart, "Focus" about a blogger who is too wrapped up in himself to notice life passing him by, and "Christmas Comes But Once, about a man who has lost the holiday spirit but may have found himself. Or at least that is my interpretation. I could very well be wrong. If you read it let me know what you think.
I received a complimentary copy for review.
I received a complimentary copy for review.
July 25, 2016
This book was sent to me via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review and for that I would like to say thank you!
This book was a quick read that totaled about 91 pages on kindle. The stories were your typical horror/suspenseful/thriller stories in which I found to be quite interesting, however it wasn’t enough to make the book anything special for me.
There were a few stories I absolutely loved and made my jaw drop with surprise and say “NO WAY.” Such as the Floorboards, Grany Jankovic, Focus, The Face at the Window, The Villager, Listen, and Sweet Dreams.
Like I said this was a very easy read. The writing is wonderful and flows nicely however I felt like I had to push myself to finish the book. OVERALL, I would recommend to people who like quick reads and thrillers!
This book was a quick read that totaled about 91 pages on kindle. The stories were your typical horror/suspenseful/thriller stories in which I found to be quite interesting, however it wasn’t enough to make the book anything special for me.
There were a few stories I absolutely loved and made my jaw drop with surprise and say “NO WAY.” Such as the Floorboards, Grany Jankovic, Focus, The Face at the Window, The Villager, Listen, and Sweet Dreams.
Like I said this was a very easy read. The writing is wonderful and flows nicely however I felt like I had to push myself to finish the book. OVERALL, I would recommend to people who like quick reads and thrillers!
November 4, 2016
What a surprise this collection was. I've been so disappointed by several collections of Sci-Fi short stories that I was reluctant to even attempt "A Dark Assortment" by Mikey Campling. I'm so glad I did. Perhaps, to me, Sci-Fi stories require too much development than is realistic for a short story. However, a couple of the tales in this collection were less than two pages long and were very satisfying.
Since this is a collection of short macabre stories it's not feasible to review them. I'll just say they were ideal fillers for those brief periods we all have between other activities. They weren't gory bloody tales; they made me think without being grossed-out.
Review by THE HOLEY ONE
Since this is a collection of short macabre stories it's not feasible to review them. I'll just say they were ideal fillers for those brief periods we all have between other activities. They weren't gory bloody tales; they made me think without being grossed-out.
Review by THE HOLEY ONE
September 29, 2015
I received this book for an honest review.
This was a quick interesting read. I really enjoyed the stories, but a lot of them confused me and left me with more questions than answers, which kinda sucked the enjoyment out of the story. I'm not saying everyone will feel this, it just happens to be how I feel, so don't take my word. Read it for yourself. It's still a really good read. If you had to ask me which one was my favorite, I'd probably say the first story was the one I liked the most. I liked how all these stories were written as well. It's amazing how such small stories can have so much information in them.
This was a quick interesting read. I really enjoyed the stories, but a lot of them confused me and left me with more questions than answers, which kinda sucked the enjoyment out of the story. I'm not saying everyone will feel this, it just happens to be how I feel, so don't take my word. Read it for yourself. It's still a really good read. If you had to ask me which one was my favorite, I'd probably say the first story was the one I liked the most. I liked how all these stories were written as well. It's amazing how such small stories can have so much information in them.
June 5, 2016
A dark assortment is exactly what this book contains. It’s a nicely varied collection of stories of different lengths, all from the dark side. I’d describe them all as scary suspense with differing degrees of creepiness. A few of them would make good episodes for Night Gallery or The Twilight Zone.
The stories are all open-ended, leaving the ending to be determined in your imagination, which works well for the most part. There were a couple of them that ended a little too abruptly, I thought, with too little information. Most of them were spooky fun, and “Floorboards” was definitely my favorite. Great writing, scary tales – read with the lights on.
The stories are all open-ended, leaving the ending to be determined in your imagination, which works well for the most part. There were a couple of them that ended a little too abruptly, I thought, with too little information. Most of them were spooky fun, and “Floorboards” was definitely my favorite. Great writing, scary tales – read with the lights on.
October 20, 2015
Chilling stories that leave you guessing
A part of me hates that you're left guessing about what happens next and a part of me loves it. By leaving each story open, you are able to come up with your own possibilities as well. Each story in the book is only a few pages long, but they will leave you so freaked out, you'll forget the story was only a page long. Excellent writing!
A part of me hates that you're left guessing about what happens next and a part of me loves it. By leaving each story open, you are able to come up with your own possibilities as well. Each story in the book is only a few pages long, but they will leave you so freaked out, you'll forget the story was only a page long. Excellent writing!
July 25, 2016
...there's a new kid in town and boy does he know how to write some stories. Not since Outer Limits, Twilight Zone and Alfred Hitchcock have I read stories of the likes of these. Some are not so creepy and others are just...OMGosh.
Mr. Campling has a wicked imagination and the gift of writing what's in there. Read this the whole way through in one sitting.
More please, sir.....
Mr. Campling has a wicked imagination and the gift of writing what's in there. Read this the whole way through in one sitting.
More please, sir.....
November 16, 2016
This collection of short stories is a fun, quick read. Some were good and some were so-so, but a few of them had some truly brilliant writing to them. There were a few really creepy moments, and some that made you say WTF!
January 7, 2017
Oh the tales this author weaves! Mikey Campling is a master of suspense and keeping one guessing! A must read!
April 4, 2018
“A Collection of Dark Short Stories” is how author Mike Campling describes A Dark Assortment, a collection of seventeen short stories. This is like a collection of candy; each piece can be quickly consumed but there will be a bit of aftertaste that you can appreciate several minutes later.
Floorboards Simon just found another reason that cellphones are better than conventional household landlines. He didn’t think someone else would make the same discovery at almost the same time.
Fifteen Days Remember your first French kiss? If you were lucky, it wasn’t with someone like Steve. Or anyone like his girlfriend. Choose your preference to taste but avoid these two.
Safety At a time of tension between police and many especially urban communities, this is an unfortunate horror story based too much in reality.
Black Friday Just because you decide to live off the grid does not mean that the grid ignores you.
Deadline It had become late very fast. Marty hadn’t planned to stay so late, but the big fish had been almost teasing him before he finally caught it. Now he would have to go home in pitch black conditions. And maybe Marty would become the prey.
Rats Someone smells a rat and the rat …
Granny Jankovic Granny liked the children in the park, all except one. It seemed that one of them didn’t have a heart. Granny, however, had a cure.
A Lonely Road Mary felt bad about not rewarding the young man who had stopped to help her after she had sprained her foot. She had been brusque as she insisted he leave her alone. She needn’t have worried. The boy would be rewarded.
Focus Attention all readers addicted to blogging!! This will either scare you or make you incredibly sad.
A Face at the Window Rachel has always been fascinated by fire. Up to now, she has always colored inside social norm lines.
Christmas Comes But Once Some people would enjoy seeing their future. Sean thought he was one of those … until he saw it.
The Villager As with many close-knit villages, there were community secrets. Bill had a secret he hadn’t thought about for years. And he wasn’t going to tell anyone.
Listen Sometimes it is not true that you are paranoid. Someone really is watching or listening at all times.
Sweet Dreams Mum tells the same story every night. But he knows the truth.
The Ride of Your Life Scott was the best at keeping the carnival rides safe. His attention to the maintenance rules was more detailed than any manual. They should not have let him go.
Someone to Watch over Me Tim was very careful to look for patterns in everything. He thought he saw one that included Sam. Plots and enemies would be revealed if he could see and study patterns. Would he be able to survive the latest attempt by “Them?” Maybe the pills would help to sharpen his defenses.
A Monster Under the Bed It was a long time ago and files had been sealed. Jo had a copy and knew where it was, but she intended to keep all information sealed. In return, she would never hurt anyone again. Maybe.
The short stories occupy 94% of the download. If you liked the stories there are some links leading to other works by the author. I liked this collection and gave it four Amazon stars because in any collection there are some that are superior while others are “just” interesting. I have downloaded other Campling stories for my TBR collection.
Floorboards Simon just found another reason that cellphones are better than conventional household landlines. He didn’t think someone else would make the same discovery at almost the same time.
Fifteen Days Remember your first French kiss? If you were lucky, it wasn’t with someone like Steve. Or anyone like his girlfriend. Choose your preference to taste but avoid these two.
Safety At a time of tension between police and many especially urban communities, this is an unfortunate horror story based too much in reality.
Black Friday Just because you decide to live off the grid does not mean that the grid ignores you.
Deadline It had become late very fast. Marty hadn’t planned to stay so late, but the big fish had been almost teasing him before he finally caught it. Now he would have to go home in pitch black conditions. And maybe Marty would become the prey.
Rats Someone smells a rat and the rat …
Granny Jankovic Granny liked the children in the park, all except one. It seemed that one of them didn’t have a heart. Granny, however, had a cure.
A Lonely Road Mary felt bad about not rewarding the young man who had stopped to help her after she had sprained her foot. She had been brusque as she insisted he leave her alone. She needn’t have worried. The boy would be rewarded.
Focus Attention all readers addicted to blogging!! This will either scare you or make you incredibly sad.
A Face at the Window Rachel has always been fascinated by fire. Up to now, she has always colored inside social norm lines.
Christmas Comes But Once Some people would enjoy seeing their future. Sean thought he was one of those … until he saw it.
The Villager As with many close-knit villages, there were community secrets. Bill had a secret he hadn’t thought about for years. And he wasn’t going to tell anyone.
Listen Sometimes it is not true that you are paranoid. Someone really is watching or listening at all times.
Sweet Dreams Mum tells the same story every night. But he knows the truth.
The Ride of Your Life Scott was the best at keeping the carnival rides safe. His attention to the maintenance rules was more detailed than any manual. They should not have let him go.
Someone to Watch over Me Tim was very careful to look for patterns in everything. He thought he saw one that included Sam. Plots and enemies would be revealed if he could see and study patterns. Would he be able to survive the latest attempt by “Them?” Maybe the pills would help to sharpen his defenses.
A Monster Under the Bed It was a long time ago and files had been sealed. Jo had a copy and knew where it was, but she intended to keep all information sealed. In return, she would never hurt anyone again. Maybe.
The short stories occupy 94% of the download. If you liked the stories there are some links leading to other works by the author. I liked this collection and gave it four Amazon stars because in any collection there are some that are superior while others are “just” interesting. I have downloaded other Campling stories for my TBR collection.
September 13, 2017
Ok so... Let's begin with what I liked about this collection: the writing was okay, and I liked 3 stories. Now onto the negative side of the review: most of the stories, besides the 3 that I enjoyed, don't have a conclusion. Some don't make any sense either. I usually like short stories, that's why I downloaded this copy from Instafreebie, but this collection is different from any other that I've ever read, and perhaps, that's why I didn't like it that much. I expected something else. I didn't like the characters, and in a short story characters are the most important feature. I did like the settings tho, some where fascinating, I won't lie.
But overall I didn't like it.
But overall I didn't like it.
May 13, 2017
I received "Focus" as a subscriber to his email list.
From the reviews, it was mostly likely one of the longer stories in this collection.
The MC was painted delicately to portray his very narcissistic, if not sexist, and selfish personality.
The ending was horrifying yet satisfying.
"15 Days" was left too much to be desired. Like how he didn't know where he was but knew how to run home ....
From the reviews, it was mostly likely one of the longer stories in this collection.
The MC was painted delicately to portray his very narcissistic, if not sexist, and selfish personality.
The ending was horrifying yet satisfying.
"15 Days" was left too much to be desired. Like how he didn't know where he was but knew how to run home ....
March 30, 2016
I really enjoyed this book, some of the stories were really good, a couple were a bit predictable but that didn't detract from the book at all - I haven't read anything else from this author before but from this compilation I certainly will be looking for more from them in the future.
October 18, 2015
Some good, some so-so.
March 13, 2016
I received this arc from Netgalley.
I'm glad that this was a quick read considering that the majority of the stories struck out. Overall a passable read.
I'm glad that this was a quick read considering that the majority of the stories struck out. Overall a passable read.
July 5, 2016
Collection of weird/twisty/odd stories.. Pretty good.
Displaying 1 - 26 of 26 reviews