What do you think?
Rate this book
World's Scariest Places #1-2
World's Scariest Places: Volume One: Suicide Forest & The Catacombs
This omnibus edition includes books one and two in the bestselling World's Scariest Places series
Suicide Forest - Just outside of Tokyo lies Aokigahara, a vast forest and one of the most beautiful wilderness areas in Japan...and also the most infamous spot to commit suicide in the world. Legend has it that the spirits of those many suicides are still roaming, haunting deep in the ancient woods.
When bad weather prevents a group of friends from climbing neighboring Mt. Fuji, they decide to spend the night camping in Aokigahara. But they get more than they bargained for when one of them is found hanged in the morning--and they realize there might be some truth to the legends after all.
The Catacombs - Paris, France, is known as the City of Lights, a metropolis renowned for romance and beauty. Beneath the bustling streets and cafés, however, exists The Catacombs, a labyrinth of crumbling tunnels home to six million dead.
When a video camera containing mysterious footage is discovered deep within their depths, a group of friends venture into the tunnels to investigate. But what starts out as a lighthearted adventure takes a turn for the worse when they reach their destination--and stumble upon the evil lurking there.
Praise for Jeremy Bates and his books:
"Bates takes an intriguing premise to shocking lengths, revealing the outcome only in an epilogue. A graphically violent story with building suspense and a moral about where weaving such a web may lead."
-- Booklist on White Lies
"The Catacombs is easy to consume whole, like a shocking, but delicious, pint of ice cream, as Bates never shies away from the bad or the ugly. If you are looking for something to give you chills before you go to bed or make you think twice about turning off your light, then The Catacombs is the book for you."
-- San Francisco Book Review on The Catacombs
"[A] short, sharp shocker...Bates (The Taste of Fear) writes persuasively from [the protagonist's] adolescent point of view, making the horror of his youthful reminiscences that much more intense."
-- Publishers Weekly on Black Canyon
"The Catacombs is a thrilling descent into the unknown, peeling back the dark layers like a rotting onion, tears running down your face as you try to climb your way out. A hypnotic story of buried truths, disfigured creatures, and lost histories told with an authoritative voice full of heart and insight."
-- Richard Thomas, Bram Stoker nominated author on The Catacombs
"Big on suspense...think of The Blair Witch Project with the exception being that this takes place in...a real haunted setting."
-- HorrorAddicts on Suicide Forest
"Here's an enjoyable book to lose yourself in. Jeremy Bates doesn't miss a trick, teasing and misleading, ratcheting up the tension as the heroine...loses traction on a slippery slope of deceptions."
-- Glenn Kleier, New York Times bestselling author on White Lies
What people are saying about the books in the WORLD'S SCARIEST PLACES series (Suicide Forest, The Catacombs, Helltown, Island of the Dolls):
"Definitely gave me chills reading this late at night which hasn't happened since I was a 13 year old teenager reading Stephen King's, It, for the first time." - verothehero
"Move over King and Koontz there's a new talent in town." - judy pfanner
"I had to stop reading at certain points because he was freaking me out. That only happens to me with one other writer--Stephen King." - Lyn Lutrzykowski
"I think of early Clive Barker, without the guts." - H. Kelly
"Suicide Forest is up the with Joe Hills Heart Shaped Box." - Lola Cain
"Scariest book I've ever read" - Jamie Dobbs
"If you like Greg Olsen or Jeffrey Deaver, Jeremy Bates is a great new talent." - Lnh
"I found it rivaling some of Stephen King's and Dean Koontz's early works---high praise indeed." - Diana D
"If you enjoy Richard Layman, you'll love reading Jeremy Bates" - Anna W.
"This author is in the same league as King, Simmons, and Craven" - linda22724
Suicide Forest - Just outside of Tokyo lies Aokigahara, a vast forest and one of the most beautiful wilderness areas in Japan...and also the most infamous spot to commit suicide in the world. Legend has it that the spirits of those many suicides are still roaming, haunting deep in the ancient woods.
When bad weather prevents a group of friends from climbing neighboring Mt. Fuji, they decide to spend the night camping in Aokigahara. But they get more than they bargained for when one of them is found hanged in the morning--and they realize there might be some truth to the legends after all.
The Catacombs - Paris, France, is known as the City of Lights, a metropolis renowned for romance and beauty. Beneath the bustling streets and cafés, however, exists The Catacombs, a labyrinth of crumbling tunnels home to six million dead.
When a video camera containing mysterious footage is discovered deep within their depths, a group of friends venture into the tunnels to investigate. But what starts out as a lighthearted adventure takes a turn for the worse when they reach their destination--and stumble upon the evil lurking there.
Praise for Jeremy Bates and his books:
"Bates takes an intriguing premise to shocking lengths, revealing the outcome only in an epilogue. A graphically violent story with building suspense and a moral about where weaving such a web may lead."
-- Booklist on White Lies
"The Catacombs is easy to consume whole, like a shocking, but delicious, pint of ice cream, as Bates never shies away from the bad or the ugly. If you are looking for something to give you chills before you go to bed or make you think twice about turning off your light, then The Catacombs is the book for you."
-- San Francisco Book Review on The Catacombs
"[A] short, sharp shocker...Bates (The Taste of Fear) writes persuasively from [the protagonist's] adolescent point of view, making the horror of his youthful reminiscences that much more intense."
-- Publishers Weekly on Black Canyon
"The Catacombs is a thrilling descent into the unknown, peeling back the dark layers like a rotting onion, tears running down your face as you try to climb your way out. A hypnotic story of buried truths, disfigured creatures, and lost histories told with an authoritative voice full of heart and insight."
-- Richard Thomas, Bram Stoker nominated author on The Catacombs
"Big on suspense...think of The Blair Witch Project with the exception being that this takes place in...a real haunted setting."
-- HorrorAddicts on Suicide Forest
"Here's an enjoyable book to lose yourself in. Jeremy Bates doesn't miss a trick, teasing and misleading, ratcheting up the tension as the heroine...loses traction on a slippery slope of deceptions."
-- Glenn Kleier, New York Times bestselling author on White Lies
What people are saying about the books in the WORLD'S SCARIEST PLACES series (Suicide Forest, The Catacombs, Helltown, Island of the Dolls):
"Definitely gave me chills reading this late at night which hasn't happened since I was a 13 year old teenager reading Stephen King's, It, for the first time." - verothehero
"Move over King and Koontz there's a new talent in town." - judy pfanner
"I had to stop reading at certain points because he was freaking me out. That only happens to me with one other writer--Stephen King." - Lyn Lutrzykowski
"I think of early Clive Barker, without the guts." - H. Kelly
"Suicide Forest is up the with Joe Hills Heart Shaped Box." - Lola Cain
"Scariest book I've ever read" - Jamie Dobbs
"If you like Greg Olsen or Jeffrey Deaver, Jeremy Bates is a great new talent." - Lnh
"I found it rivaling some of Stephen King's and Dean Koontz's early works---high praise indeed." - Diana D
"If you enjoy Richard Layman, you'll love reading Jeremy Bates" - Anna W.
"This author is in the same league as King, Simmons, and Craven" - linda22724
749 pages, Paperback
First published March 22, 2015
200 people are currently reading
786 people want to read
About the author
Jeremy Bates
46 books1,837 followersUSA TODAY and #1 Amazon bestselling author Jeremy Bates has written over twenty novels and novellas, selling more than one million copies worldwide. His work has been translated into multiple languages and optioned for film and television by major studios. Midwest Book Review has likened his storytelling to that of Stephen King and Joe Lansdale, calling him a "master of the art." Bates is a KDP Select All-Star and the recipient of the Australian Shadows Award and the Canadian Arthur Ellis Award. He was also a finalist in the Goodreads Choice Awards, the only major book honors chosen by readers.
His latest novel, *The No-End House*, is a standalone horror story set in Barcelona's Gothic Quarter, where a pair of volunteers must navigate nine mysterious rooms in a sinister house. Scheduled for release by Kensington Publishing in July 2025, it’s a chilling tale of survival and escape.
Visit Amazon to get DENISOVANS for a special release-date price now.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0F...
Also, MOUNTAIN OF THE DEAD is currently only $0.99 in a limited-time deal.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B079KW3N72
Finally, visit Jeremy’s website to receive a free copy of *Black Canyon*, winner of the Lou Allin Memorial Award.
https://www.jeremybatesbooks.com
His latest novel, *The No-End House*, is a standalone horror story set in Barcelona's Gothic Quarter, where a pair of volunteers must navigate nine mysterious rooms in a sinister house. Scheduled for release by Kensington Publishing in July 2025, it’s a chilling tale of survival and escape.
Visit Amazon to get DENISOVANS for a special release-date price now.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0F...
Also, MOUNTAIN OF THE DEAD is currently only $0.99 in a limited-time deal.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B079KW3N72
Finally, visit Jeremy’s website to receive a free copy of *Black Canyon*, winner of the Lou Allin Memorial Award.
https://www.jeremybatesbooks.com
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 30 reviews
August 17, 2016
Enjoyed the catacombs
I was looking for a good horror to read. Basing the titles off real scary places instantly peaked my interest. I will say I wasn't impressed with suicide forest, I felt it was missing something. Boring characters with a predictable story line. I almost didn't read catacombs, so glad I did though. Even though the books mimic each other, get lost, get hunted by deranged, secluded family; Catacombs had something that Suicide Forest was missing. I knew what was coming yet I couldn't put it down. Great storytelling by Bates
I was looking for a good horror to read. Basing the titles off real scary places instantly peaked my interest. I will say I wasn't impressed with suicide forest, I felt it was missing something. Boring characters with a predictable story line. I almost didn't read catacombs, so glad I did though. Even though the books mimic each other, get lost, get hunted by deranged, secluded family; Catacombs had something that Suicide Forest was missing. I knew what was coming yet I couldn't put it down. Great storytelling by Bates
July 30, 2015
Wow!!
I have found a new favorite author. I don't scare easily with horror books, but I have to say, that this one scared me tremendously. The way Mr. Bates brings the stories together is just amazing. The first one, The Suicide Forest, really brings home the sad reality of suicide. I was particularly drawn to the main character's struggle with his family and his girlfriend, Mel. The author manages to weave together a perfect blend of fiction and an actual location, quite wonderfully. The same can be said of the second story in this volume, The Catacombs. That was one creepy ride for me. Each character is drawn with enough humanity and depth, that they practically leap off of the page. I highly recommend this book. If you are looking for a book that scares you silly, then this is it. I may have to leave a light or two on tonight.
I have found a new favorite author. I don't scare easily with horror books, but I have to say, that this one scared me tremendously. The way Mr. Bates brings the stories together is just amazing. The first one, The Suicide Forest, really brings home the sad reality of suicide. I was particularly drawn to the main character's struggle with his family and his girlfriend, Mel. The author manages to weave together a perfect blend of fiction and an actual location, quite wonderfully. The same can be said of the second story in this volume, The Catacombs. That was one creepy ride for me. Each character is drawn with enough humanity and depth, that they practically leap off of the page. I highly recommend this book. If you are looking for a book that scares you silly, then this is it. I may have to leave a light or two on tonight.
August 18, 2015
Fast paced thriller
These were both great books. I was intrigued to know they happened in real places. I thought the twists and turns in the stories were great. You never knew what was next.
These were both great books. I was intrigued to know they happened in real places. I thought the twists and turns in the stories were great. You never knew what was next.
January 31, 2017
As long as you don't mind the formula, all the books in this series are addictive. They've got the sleazy pull of a Richard Laymon story, updated to present day. I read 3 in a row (couldn't stop!!)- Island of the Dolls, Suicide Forest, Catacombs. The formula is like this: introduce a group of foreigners + expats, put them all in a haunted place, add some group-dynamics drama, kill off a few people, and see what happens to the rest of the group. All books resolve in the same manner, too, with a pretty solid answer to the do ghosts really exist? question.
April 5, 2019
Not a bad bit of horror.
The stories are very concise and well written. I never found myself truly scared, though I think that is more my fault. I’m such a horror junkie that not all that scares me anymore. But I enjoyed the stories, especially since both of them were very plausible. Not probable at all, but at least they could’ve happened. Definitely pick this up for an enjoyable, quick read.
The stories are very concise and well written. I never found myself truly scared, though I think that is more my fault. I’m such a horror junkie that not all that scares me anymore. But I enjoyed the stories, especially since both of them were very plausible. Not probable at all, but at least they could’ve happened. Definitely pick this up for an enjoyable, quick read.
November 10, 2024
it was definitely interesting. however slightly predictable, i felt like maybe he shouldn't have had to show a logical reasoning by bringing up feral families. this book was morbid and i really like the way Jeremy Bates thinks. he has an incredible way of presenting his points and the links/references to logical science was my fav :).
August 5, 2019
Not sure
I'm not sure why didn't give this a 5 ... The first story was a bit long and boring at times and the ending wasn't the end. The second story was better and though it became redundant at times the story was well told and the concept was brilliant.
I'm not sure why didn't give this a 5 ... The first story was a bit long and boring at times and the ending wasn't the end. The second story was better and though it became redundant at times the story was well told and the concept was brilliant.
July 16, 2020
Good story teller.
When I found this book, I thought it going to be about real people's experiences in haunted areas. I'm not a big fan of fiction, but these stories were pretty good.
When I found this book, I thought it going to be about real people's experiences in haunted areas. I'm not a big fan of fiction, but these stories were pretty good.
July 22, 2021
Best book
Once you start reading it is very hard to put down. Very interesting and exciting. Unusual characters and circumstances. I would recommend to anyone who likes mysteries and thrillers
Once you start reading it is very hard to put down. Very interesting and exciting. Unusual characters and circumstances. I would recommend to anyone who likes mysteries and thrillers
December 16, 2022
good once it got to the scary part
I was going to give this 3 stars but once the stories got pass the long winded wind up they were actually really good. If they’d been like that from the start I’d have probably given 5 stars.
I was going to give this 3 stars but once the stories got pass the long winded wind up they were actually really good. If they’d been like that from the start I’d have probably given 5 stars.
September 4, 2020
Gave me the creeps!
I gave this book 4 out of 5 stars for being scary and suspense filled horror page after page, and I loved it.
I gave this book 4 out of 5 stars for being scary and suspense filled horror page after page, and I loved it.
March 6, 2021
This was an enjoyable read. The twist in the forest was raw; memorable.
March 15, 2017
Interesting
I thought the both stories were well written. I like that the Arthur didn't rush through it but took the time to write in such a way you could tell each character uniqueness.
I thought the both stories were well written. I like that the Arthur didn't rush through it but took the time to write in such a way you could tell each character uniqueness.
August 9, 2015
So the fact that there are two books offered here is both a plus and a minus. Great that there is more reading material, but unfortunately reading them one after the other shows the base story formula that has been used for both.
Being as staunch as I am about grammar and spelling, even a great story will put me off if there is bad editing. Glad to say that for the majority of the pages no glaring mistakes turned me away, but it was still unfortunate that the final checking was not 100% accurate as certain words were missing from sentences. In saying that, the writer has a great way with words and imagery and writes in a clean style with a well maintained flow.
Now to the parallels between the stories-tall hero who steps up to the plate-check. Problems with a current or ex-girlfriend-check. Landing up in a group of people where there are antagonistic feelings-check. Somebody dies first-check. And then I run the risk of spoiler alerts if I carry on with the similarities between the endings of the stories. Basically a group of people in each book that are in the settings for whatever reasons, come up against a force wanting to destroy them. Will the hero save the day? The actual descriptions of the suicide forest and the catacombs are very vivid, and it becomes easy to imagine yourself in the settings. I didn't find the horror as bold as many other readers, but the build up to certain suspenseful parts puts you right in the thick of things. I think if I had read only one of the books I would have been satisfied with the plot and characters and not constantly, even though subconsciously, compared them.
All in all a good read which I would recommend, but a slightly unbelievable leaning towards making the plot fit the world's scariest places.
Being as staunch as I am about grammar and spelling, even a great story will put me off if there is bad editing. Glad to say that for the majority of the pages no glaring mistakes turned me away, but it was still unfortunate that the final checking was not 100% accurate as certain words were missing from sentences. In saying that, the writer has a great way with words and imagery and writes in a clean style with a well maintained flow.
Now to the parallels between the stories-tall hero who steps up to the plate-check. Problems with a current or ex-girlfriend-check. Landing up in a group of people where there are antagonistic feelings-check. Somebody dies first-check. And then I run the risk of spoiler alerts if I carry on with the similarities between the endings of the stories. Basically a group of people in each book that are in the settings for whatever reasons, come up against a force wanting to destroy them. Will the hero save the day? The actual descriptions of the suicide forest and the catacombs are very vivid, and it becomes easy to imagine yourself in the settings. I didn't find the horror as bold as many other readers, but the build up to certain suspenseful parts puts you right in the thick of things. I think if I had read only one of the books I would have been satisfied with the plot and characters and not constantly, even though subconsciously, compared them.
All in all a good read which I would recommend, but a slightly unbelievable leaning towards making the plot fit the world's scariest places.
May 31, 2016
Was a bit difficult to get this. Finally Chapters had it available online. I ordered it immediately.
Book 1: The Forest
Small group of people going to Mt Fuji and end stopping to check out Aokigahara (the infamous suicide forest) que the ominious music. Most of the story is about the characters interacting and surviving lost in the forest (limited water, food, etc.) Than the real spooks come out. The reader is wondering what is truly happening to these people, is it really haunted?, are ghosts/ yurei (angry spirits) real?, and most importantly who will survive?
The outcome was decent....can't tell you anymore or it would spoil it
Book 2: Catacombs
Same as above small group of "cataphiles" go exploring searching for a missing video cam...that may or may not lead to secrets. Same questions again what is truly happening?, are they being haunted?, are the ghosts of 6 million soul haunting the catacombs?
We meet more characters in this book and it adds to the story
I preferred scary place #1- suicide forest because it seems way creeper. But I enjoyed the story in Catacombs more. I liked the characters and seemed genuine. I found the characters from book 1 dull and really didn't care too much for them.
Any way can't wait to order book 2. Why? Because I love horror and I think Bates is clever for taking real life scary places and incorporating them into fictional stories.
Like a good horror movie...trying reading Bates instead!!!
Book 1: The Forest
Small group of people going to Mt Fuji and end stopping to check out Aokigahara (the infamous suicide forest) que the ominious music. Most of the story is about the characters interacting and surviving lost in the forest (limited water, food, etc.) Than the real spooks come out. The reader is wondering what is truly happening to these people, is it really haunted?, are ghosts/ yurei (angry spirits) real?, and most importantly who will survive?
The outcome was decent....can't tell you anymore or it would spoil it
Book 2: Catacombs
Same as above small group of "cataphiles" go exploring searching for a missing video cam...that may or may not lead to secrets. Same questions again what is truly happening?, are they being haunted?, are the ghosts of 6 million soul haunting the catacombs?
We meet more characters in this book and it adds to the story
I preferred scary place #1- suicide forest because it seems way creeper. But I enjoyed the story in Catacombs more. I liked the characters and seemed genuine. I found the characters from book 1 dull and really didn't care too much for them.
Any way can't wait to order book 2. Why? Because I love horror and I think Bates is clever for taking real life scary places and incorporating them into fictional stories.
Like a good horror movie...trying reading Bates instead!!!
March 28, 2016
These books were, quite frankly, terrifying. They lulled in the middle before exploding at the end forcing readers to read late into the night in their haste to reach the end. The Suicide Forest kept my interest piqued almost start to finish.
The downside to the pair of them, especially reading them one after another, desperately starving for more after the conclusion of Suicide Forest, is the formulaic outline of the stories. I understand writers exhibiting a characteristic style recognizable as them throughout their works but these two were plug and play: new location, new characters, same basic background and storyline. This made the second story tougher to read through the lull and resulted in my skipping ahead to the blockbuster ending.
That being said, I have to hand it to Jeremy Bates, his writing made me feel the panic and claustrophobia of being stuck in a narrow passge in the catacombs (even now, months later, seriously, breathing is harder) and I was in Aokigahara, amidst the green, with his characters stumbling through the roots and knots of the forest floor. (Side note, really eager to see the movie for comparison.)
The downside to the pair of them, especially reading them one after another, desperately starving for more after the conclusion of Suicide Forest, is the formulaic outline of the stories. I understand writers exhibiting a characteristic style recognizable as them throughout their works but these two were plug and play: new location, new characters, same basic background and storyline. This made the second story tougher to read through the lull and resulted in my skipping ahead to the blockbuster ending.
That being said, I have to hand it to Jeremy Bates, his writing made me feel the panic and claustrophobia of being stuck in a narrow passge in the catacombs (even now, months later, seriously, breathing is harder) and I was in Aokigahara, amidst the green, with his characters stumbling through the roots and knots of the forest floor. (Side note, really eager to see the movie for comparison.)
September 25, 2015
This book has two different stories in it. One deals with the Suicide Forest in Japan while the other deals with the Catacombs in France. Both are great. Both are filled with suspense that will keep you on the edge of your seat. Both center on actual places that exist just as the author describes them. If you read The Catacombs right after Suicide Forest, at the beginning of The Catacombs you will get the feeling that you are reading the same story just set in a different location. This is not true. Keep reading and you will be greatly rewarded. Bates has done a great job of making these places real for those of us who will never go to see them for ourselves. If you like suspenseful horror stories these will do it for you.
August 25, 2015
Wow
Really enjoyed that real places were used. The first story really had me on the edge of my seat, as I lay in the dark reading on my Kindle. Waiting for something to pop out of my closet. The second story made me not want to get anywhere near the Paris catacombs. Both stories did what they were supposed to do. Scare me. Thank you Mr.Bates for the wonderfully creepy tales. This is a recommended read!
Really enjoyed that real places were used. The first story really had me on the edge of my seat, as I lay in the dark reading on my Kindle. Waiting for something to pop out of my closet. The second story made me not want to get anywhere near the Paris catacombs. Both stories did what they were supposed to do. Scare me. Thank you Mr.Bates for the wonderfully creepy tales. This is a recommended read!
February 4, 2017
I cried through fear
Would definitely read again, actually had to leave the lights on and keep dabbing my eyes from tears of fear.
Would definitely read again, actually had to leave the lights on and keep dabbing my eyes from tears of fear.
March 13, 2016
Horror with a twist
I liked both stories.
I wanted to jump ahead,but made myself read it all. These are stories that are horror, but turn into to types of murder mystery in my opinion.
I really enjoyed the facts at the beginning of each story!
Enjoy!
I liked both stories.
I wanted to jump ahead,but made myself read it all. These are stories that are horror, but turn into to types of murder mystery in my opinion.
I really enjoyed the facts at the beginning of each story!
Enjoy!
August 24, 2015
Chilling.
Very good writing.story line was spectacular and bizarre,but kept you on edge.read his other book--suicide forest, so wanted to read more. His writing is super.would highly recommend his works....
Very good writing.story line was spectacular and bizarre,but kept you on edge.read his other book--suicide forest, so wanted to read more. His writing is super.would highly recommend his works....
February 9, 2016
I did enjoy this story, it was pretty creepy. I plan on trying to write a more detailed review later. (I know this has 2 stories, I'm referring to The catacombs, I have already read Suicide Forrest by itself).
December 9, 2016
Spooky read
Really got good original stories into some historical scary spots. Not the best idea to read at night and being a night worker, that's what happens. Scared myself a few times and that doesn't happen often
Really got good original stories into some historical scary spots. Not the best idea to read at night and being a night worker, that's what happens. Scared myself a few times and that doesn't happen often
October 11, 2015
Pretty good. A bit too gory for my taste.
October 3, 2015
Short but interesting read.
October 13, 2015
Gripping and suspenseful
Kept me reading and engaged. Very suspenseful and scary. Very much enjoyed reading the two stories I won't be visiting the actual locations.
Kept me reading and engaged. Very suspenseful and scary. Very much enjoyed reading the two stories I won't be visiting the actual locations.
January 17, 2016
I found the story very interesting and original. When you start reading you must found the Rythm slow, but about the míddle literary, you can't stop reading.
March 25, 2016
Pretty good if a bit on the far-fetched side. I probably preferred the Catacombs story over the other one, although they were both enjoyable.
November 8, 2020
Really impressed with this book! Best horror novel I've come across for a couple of years.
January 19, 2016
Two excellent stories in one volume.
Scarily good, thoroughly enjoyed both.
Scarily good, thoroughly enjoyed both.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 30 reviews