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Run: A Collection of Dark Tales
Nightmares come to life in this thrilling collection of dark tales.
Resurrection Morning by Caleb Pirtle III: Ambrose Lincoln is a man without a memory. The government has erased his mind with drugs and electric shots. He is a more effective operative, the powers say, if he has no fear. A man without fear can accomplish assignments that others would be afraid to try. Besides, a man cannot reveal any secrets if the secrets have been taken from him. Lincoln is sent to Paris with a British Intelligence officer to help a famous jazz singer escape. She has been smuggling German information out of the country, and someone has betrayed her. If the Gestapo finds the jazz singer first, she will be executed as a spy. Who can Lincoln trust, who wants him dead, and who can help them in their frantic, desperate flight from Paris to the English Channel? If the don’t make it out of France by morning, they won’t make it at all.
Black Out by Sue Coletta: When the power goes out on Bear Cat Mountain evil stalks the terrain. With a fallen tree blocking their only escape—live electrical wires dancing across the road and cell tower down—the body count quickly rises. Blu and Jake Carpaccio must track down the killer before they fall victim to his trap. But who can they trust? And how do you fight someone, or something, you cannot see?
Sweeton’s Shangri-La by Rachel Aukes: When a young couple discover a mythical paradise, they learn that a fantasy can all too quickly become a nightmare
The Sideshow by Kimberly McGath: Katie Cartwright is struggling with her memory and is haunted by flashbacks. Regressing to an evening at the circus, things are not as they first appear. Strange events, suspicious deaths, and eerie music set the stage for an unforgettable trip to the big top.
Three Days by Jennifer Chase: Samantha Carr receives a special email invitation for three days to stay at a new luxury beach hotel. Nothing is as it appears including where the hotel is located. The view from her room changes, leading her into the middle of a gangland war. Will she be driven to madness or give in to the sinister force that relentlessly stalks her?
Smile For Me by Kristine Mason: Make me young, make me pretty, make me happy, make me smile… Lisa Duplain refuses to grow old gracefully. Fearing the aging process and desiring youth, she books a weekend at Melody’s Grace - a quaint bed and breakfast also known as the fountain of youth. But something wicked dwells within the walls of the B&B and not everyone who stays at Melody’s Grace leaves happy…even if they have a smile on their face.
Bleeder by Paul Dale Anderson: Lucy makes the mistake of answering her doorbell early one morning to find a handgun shoved in her face. The armed man, bleeding from gunshot wounds, forces Lucy to patch him up and hide him inside her house. But the bleeder picked the wrong house, and Lucy is far from innocent victim she pretends to be. A taut tale of blood and fury with no bounds. <
A Love Story by Kathy Love: When a group of teens use social media to create a fictional love interest for a fellow classmate, they have no idea the horrible chain of events they will set in motion. Now they are the ones receiving messages from the boy they created. But the question is, who is sending them the messages? Someone who knows what they’ve done? One of their very own group? Or could it be something far more sinister? One thing is for certain, this isn’t a story about revenge. It’s a love story.
Resurrection Morning by Caleb Pirtle III: Ambrose Lincoln is a man without a memory. The government has erased his mind with drugs and electric shots. He is a more effective operative, the powers say, if he has no fear. A man without fear can accomplish assignments that others would be afraid to try. Besides, a man cannot reveal any secrets if the secrets have been taken from him. Lincoln is sent to Paris with a British Intelligence officer to help a famous jazz singer escape. She has been smuggling German information out of the country, and someone has betrayed her. If the Gestapo finds the jazz singer first, she will be executed as a spy. Who can Lincoln trust, who wants him dead, and who can help them in their frantic, desperate flight from Paris to the English Channel? If the don’t make it out of France by morning, they won’t make it at all.
Black Out by Sue Coletta: When the power goes out on Bear Cat Mountain evil stalks the terrain. With a fallen tree blocking their only escape—live electrical wires dancing across the road and cell tower down—the body count quickly rises. Blu and Jake Carpaccio must track down the killer before they fall victim to his trap. But who can they trust? And how do you fight someone, or something, you cannot see?
Sweeton’s Shangri-La by Rachel Aukes: When a young couple discover a mythical paradise, they learn that a fantasy can all too quickly become a nightmare
The Sideshow by Kimberly McGath: Katie Cartwright is struggling with her memory and is haunted by flashbacks. Regressing to an evening at the circus, things are not as they first appear. Strange events, suspicious deaths, and eerie music set the stage for an unforgettable trip to the big top.
Three Days by Jennifer Chase: Samantha Carr receives a special email invitation for three days to stay at a new luxury beach hotel. Nothing is as it appears including where the hotel is located. The view from her room changes, leading her into the middle of a gangland war. Will she be driven to madness or give in to the sinister force that relentlessly stalks her?
Smile For Me by Kristine Mason: Make me young, make me pretty, make me happy, make me smile… Lisa Duplain refuses to grow old gracefully. Fearing the aging process and desiring youth, she books a weekend at Melody’s Grace - a quaint bed and breakfast also known as the fountain of youth. But something wicked dwells within the walls of the B&B and not everyone who stays at Melody’s Grace leaves happy…even if they have a smile on their face.
Bleeder by Paul Dale Anderson: Lucy makes the mistake of answering her doorbell early one morning to find a handgun shoved in her face. The armed man, bleeding from gunshot wounds, forces Lucy to patch him up and hide him inside her house. But the bleeder picked the wrong house, and Lucy is far from innocent victim she pretends to be. A taut tale of blood and fury with no bounds. <
A Love Story by Kathy Love: When a group of teens use social media to create a fictional love interest for a fellow classmate, they have no idea the horrible chain of events they will set in motion. Now they are the ones receiving messages from the boy they created. But the question is, who is sending them the messages? Someone who knows what they’ve done? One of their very own group? Or could it be something far more sinister? One thing is for certain, this isn’t a story about revenge. It’s a love story.
376 pages, Kindle Edition
Published October 31, 2016
6 people are currently reading
34 people want to read
About the author
Caleb Pirtle III
75 books47 followersCaleb Pirtle III is the author of more than seventy-five books. His novel, Back Side of a Blue Moon, received both the Beverly Hills Book Award and Best of Texas Book Award for Historical Fiction.
He has written four noir thrillers in the Ambrose Lincoln series: Secrets of the Dead, Conspiracy of Lies, Night Side of Dark, and Place of Skulls. . Secrets and Conspiracy are also audiobooks on audible.com. His most recent releases are Back Side of a Blue Moon, Friday Nights Don't Last Forever, Last Deadly Lie, and The Man Who Talks to Strangers. His short stories are featured in three anthologies: Run, Scream, and Bridges.
Pirtle is a graduate of The University of Texas in Austin and became the first student at the university to win the National William Randolph Hearst Award for feature writing. Several of his books and his magazine writing have received national and regional awards.
Pirtle has written two teleplays: Gambler V: Playing for Keeps, a mini-series for CBS television starring Kenny Rogers, Loni Anderson, Dixie Carter, and Mariska Hargitay, and The Texas Rangers, a TV movie for John Milius and TNT television. He wrote two novels for Berkeley based on the Gambler series: Dead Man’s Hand and Jokers Are Wild. He wrote the screenplay for one motion picture, Hot Wire, starring George Kennedy, and John Terry.
Pirtle’s narrative nonfiction, Gamble in the Devil’s Chalk is a true-life book about the fights and feuds during the founding of the controversial Giddings oilfield and From the Dark Side of the Rainbow, the story of a woman’s escape from the Nazis in Poland during World War II. His coffee-table quality book, XIT: The American Cowboy, became the publishing industry’s third best selling art book of all time.
Pirtle was a newspaper reporter for the Fort Worth Star-Telegram and served ten years as travel editor for Southern Living Magazine. He was editorial director for a Dallas custom publisher for more than twenty-five years.
He has written four noir thrillers in the Ambrose Lincoln series: Secrets of the Dead, Conspiracy of Lies, Night Side of Dark, and Place of Skulls. . Secrets and Conspiracy are also audiobooks on audible.com. His most recent releases are Back Side of a Blue Moon, Friday Nights Don't Last Forever, Last Deadly Lie, and The Man Who Talks to Strangers. His short stories are featured in three anthologies: Run, Scream, and Bridges.
Pirtle is a graduate of The University of Texas in Austin and became the first student at the university to win the National William Randolph Hearst Award for feature writing. Several of his books and his magazine writing have received national and regional awards.
Pirtle has written two teleplays: Gambler V: Playing for Keeps, a mini-series for CBS television starring Kenny Rogers, Loni Anderson, Dixie Carter, and Mariska Hargitay, and The Texas Rangers, a TV movie for John Milius and TNT television. He wrote two novels for Berkeley based on the Gambler series: Dead Man’s Hand and Jokers Are Wild. He wrote the screenplay for one motion picture, Hot Wire, starring George Kennedy, and John Terry.
Pirtle’s narrative nonfiction, Gamble in the Devil’s Chalk is a true-life book about the fights and feuds during the founding of the controversial Giddings oilfield and From the Dark Side of the Rainbow, the story of a woman’s escape from the Nazis in Poland during World War II. His coffee-table quality book, XIT: The American Cowboy, became the publishing industry’s third best selling art book of all time.
Pirtle was a newspaper reporter for the Fort Worth Star-Telegram and served ten years as travel editor for Southern Living Magazine. He was editorial director for a Dallas custom publisher for more than twenty-five years.
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
November 6, 2016
How can you go wrong with this collection of dark stories. Even if you don’t like one, there are plenty of others you probably will. I did. And it’s such a fun way to discover new authors and get a bite from ones you already know.
The synopsis set the stage for each of these and the authors came though with some interesting tales. There were a couple that really messed with my head and I enjoyed every one of them.
If you like dark, macabre, stories and some surprise endings, you’ll enjoy this collection.
I was gifted a copy of this book.
The synopsis set the stage for each of these and the authors came though with some interesting tales. There were a couple that really messed with my head and I enjoyed every one of them.
If you like dark, macabre, stories and some surprise endings, you’ll enjoy this collection.
I was gifted a copy of this book.
September 5, 2018
Welcome to the dark side.
The title is appropriate and, like in the Jurassic movies, when they say Run, you Run! You may recognize many of these authors, maybe even spy one of your favorites in these eight novellas. I know I did and they managed to give me plenty of scares. I reviewed this as a hole and individually.
Resurrection Morning by Caleb Pirtle III: This historical fiction takes place during WWII. Spies, secrets, betrayals and lots of action led me on a wild ride, culminating in an ending I never guessed but loved it. 4 Stars
Black Out by Sue Coletta: Do we ever really know our neighbors? What secrets they harbor? What slights they feel? And judging a book by its cover…Now I know where that saying came from and in this case it could be your undoing. So much happens in a short time and she fooled me. 4 Stars
Sweeton’s Shangri-La by Rachel Aukes: A treasure may, a pair of lovers, ad evil god, and an Eden, of sorts. The couple ignores disregards the legend and follows the trail. Predictable but plenty of suspense while I waited for IT to happen.
The Sideshow by Kimberly McGath: Do you like the circus? Welll..this is like no circus you have ever attended. There is danger all around, but I sure did not see where I was going to end up. I enjoy an author that can surprise me. 3 Stars
Three Days by Jennifer Chase: A three day vacation…but it is not the exotic tropical vacation she had envisioned.Three Days could be a Twilight Zone episode. She planned her vaction down to the very last detail, but this trip was impulsive. She went as one person and came back as another. What happened in between is quite the adventure. 4 Stars
Smile For Me by Kristine Mason: Vanity is a curse and Lisa was not happy about getting older. When she saw what Melody’s Grace did for her friend, she signed in. This gruesome haunted house story will make you think twice wishing instead of being thankful for what you have. It made me cringe, want to cover my eyes so I can’t see, and wonder if I really want to know the end of the story. 4 Stars
Bleeder by Paul Dale Anderson: She had put the past behind her…until she opened the door to a man with a gun. And the blood, the smell brought it back to her. Some psychological thrills in this short suspense story. 4 Stars
A Love Story by Kathy Love: They pulled a prank, only it didn’t turn out so funny, in fact, it was quite tragic. Guilt. It does come back to haunt them and I am intrigued. There’s a mystery going on and I haven’t figured it out…yet. 4 Stars
A Promise is a Promise by Joe Broadmeadow: A tale of childhood promises and a man willing to sacrifice it all to get his revenge. A predictable yet fun story. 3 Stas
The Game by Elle J Rossi: Would she win or lose the game? Twisted tale of life and death and it ended like I wanted. 3 Stars
I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of the Run Anthology by Various Bestselling Authors.
See more at fundinmental
The title is appropriate and, like in the Jurassic movies, when they say Run, you Run! You may recognize many of these authors, maybe even spy one of your favorites in these eight novellas. I know I did and they managed to give me plenty of scares. I reviewed this as a hole and individually.
Resurrection Morning by Caleb Pirtle III: This historical fiction takes place during WWII. Spies, secrets, betrayals and lots of action led me on a wild ride, culminating in an ending I never guessed but loved it. 4 Stars
Black Out by Sue Coletta: Do we ever really know our neighbors? What secrets they harbor? What slights they feel? And judging a book by its cover…Now I know where that saying came from and in this case it could be your undoing. So much happens in a short time and she fooled me. 4 Stars
Sweeton’s Shangri-La by Rachel Aukes: A treasure may, a pair of lovers, ad evil god, and an Eden, of sorts. The couple ignores disregards the legend and follows the trail. Predictable but plenty of suspense while I waited for IT to happen.
The Sideshow by Kimberly McGath: Do you like the circus? Welll..this is like no circus you have ever attended. There is danger all around, but I sure did not see where I was going to end up. I enjoy an author that can surprise me. 3 Stars
Three Days by Jennifer Chase: A three day vacation…but it is not the exotic tropical vacation she had envisioned.Three Days could be a Twilight Zone episode. She planned her vaction down to the very last detail, but this trip was impulsive. She went as one person and came back as another. What happened in between is quite the adventure. 4 Stars
Smile For Me by Kristine Mason: Vanity is a curse and Lisa was not happy about getting older. When she saw what Melody’s Grace did for her friend, she signed in. This gruesome haunted house story will make you think twice wishing instead of being thankful for what you have. It made me cringe, want to cover my eyes so I can’t see, and wonder if I really want to know the end of the story. 4 Stars
Bleeder by Paul Dale Anderson: She had put the past behind her…until she opened the door to a man with a gun. And the blood, the smell brought it back to her. Some psychological thrills in this short suspense story. 4 Stars
A Love Story by Kathy Love: They pulled a prank, only it didn’t turn out so funny, in fact, it was quite tragic. Guilt. It does come back to haunt them and I am intrigued. There’s a mystery going on and I haven’t figured it out…yet. 4 Stars
A Promise is a Promise by Joe Broadmeadow: A tale of childhood promises and a man willing to sacrifice it all to get his revenge. A predictable yet fun story. 3 Stas
The Game by Elle J Rossi: Would she win or lose the game? Twisted tale of life and death and it ended like I wanted. 3 Stars
I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of the Run Anthology by Various Bestselling Authors.
See more at fundinmental
November 7, 2016
A fabulous collection of stories that will keep you riveted and reading, Run, is a collection of short tales that are alternately, disturbing, surprising and chilling. The authors in this collection have done a bang-up job of looking at the darker side of human nature. From crime fiction and espionage, to tales of psychological terror and even supernatural horror, this gem of a collection will appeal to a diverse variety of readers. These authors know their craft. The writing is polished and I was blown away by the twists and turns in several of the tales. Highly recommended! I look forward to reading more of their individual books.
November 5, 2016
This boxset contain short stories that are on the dark side. Not all are paranormal but they all do make you think about the consequences of actions by either you or others around you.
Resurrection Morning by Caleb Pirtle III: This short story is part of an on going series about Ambrose Lincoln who is an American spy who allows his memories to be erased before every mission. He feels this makes him a better spy as it allows him to not go into mission with any preconceived fear. Lots of twist and turns in a story set during Hitlers reign.
Black Out by Sue Coletta: A killer plays eenie meenie miney mo in picking out victims on Bear Cat Mountain. When a storm takes out power to 4 houses little do the neighbors know one of them has evil on the mind and one by one takes them out. Author throws a surprise ending in this one..
Sweeton’s Shangri-La y Rachel Aukes: When myth is really reality. A student in archaeology “borrows” a map that leads to a place called Shangri-La. He convinces his girlfriend to trek through the forest to find it while telling her the haunting myth behind it – not knowing that the myth was based on truth.
The Sideshow by Kimberly McGath: Very strange story with the stage being a creepy walk through the circus seeing multiple deaths that leads to a surprising (and confusing) ending.
Three Days by Jennifer Chase: One of the down falls about boxsets is sometimes the short length of the story makes it hard to get what the author is trying to convey. I think the point of this one was a woman who lived her life under such tight control at both work and in her personal life had a supernatural force step and and throw her in the middle of chaos to fight for her life so that when she came out of the nightmare she would finally slow down and notice the things she was missing out on in life.
Smile For Me by Kristine Mason: Kristine is one of my favorite authors. She writes a great suspense series with evil serial killers. I was curious on what her mind would come up with for a “horror” short story. So many women are vain and as they age they want to keep the youthful looks they once had and become very judgmental of those around them. Not happy with her husband whose only fault is gaining a few pounds over the years and never updating his wardrobe and envying her own daughters youthful skin she jumps as the chance to go to a bed and breakfast that her friend went to that left leaving looking years younger. What so many people don't understand about looks is – if your ugly on the inside that effects how you look on the outside – and in this twisted tale she finds that out the hard way.
Bleeder by Paul Dale Anderson: When push comes to shove none of us know what we are capable of until that moment. This one was especially evil (in a good way). When an armed injured man forces his way into a woman's house he thinks he has the upper hand with his death threats if she doesn't help him. That wasnt his first mistake in life but it was certainly his last. The “reveal” in this one was oh so good. Loved the twist..
A Love Story by Kathy Love: An urban legend tale coincides with a prank gone wrong by a group of high school students.
Resurrection Morning by Caleb Pirtle III: This short story is part of an on going series about Ambrose Lincoln who is an American spy who allows his memories to be erased before every mission. He feels this makes him a better spy as it allows him to not go into mission with any preconceived fear. Lots of twist and turns in a story set during Hitlers reign.
Black Out by Sue Coletta: A killer plays eenie meenie miney mo in picking out victims on Bear Cat Mountain. When a storm takes out power to 4 houses little do the neighbors know one of them has evil on the mind and one by one takes them out. Author throws a surprise ending in this one..
Sweeton’s Shangri-La y Rachel Aukes: When myth is really reality. A student in archaeology “borrows” a map that leads to a place called Shangri-La. He convinces his girlfriend to trek through the forest to find it while telling her the haunting myth behind it – not knowing that the myth was based on truth.
The Sideshow by Kimberly McGath: Very strange story with the stage being a creepy walk through the circus seeing multiple deaths that leads to a surprising (and confusing) ending.
Three Days by Jennifer Chase: One of the down falls about boxsets is sometimes the short length of the story makes it hard to get what the author is trying to convey. I think the point of this one was a woman who lived her life under such tight control at both work and in her personal life had a supernatural force step and and throw her in the middle of chaos to fight for her life so that when she came out of the nightmare she would finally slow down and notice the things she was missing out on in life.
Smile For Me by Kristine Mason: Kristine is one of my favorite authors. She writes a great suspense series with evil serial killers. I was curious on what her mind would come up with for a “horror” short story. So many women are vain and as they age they want to keep the youthful looks they once had and become very judgmental of those around them. Not happy with her husband whose only fault is gaining a few pounds over the years and never updating his wardrobe and envying her own daughters youthful skin she jumps as the chance to go to a bed and breakfast that her friend went to that left leaving looking years younger. What so many people don't understand about looks is – if your ugly on the inside that effects how you look on the outside – and in this twisted tale she finds that out the hard way.
Bleeder by Paul Dale Anderson: When push comes to shove none of us know what we are capable of until that moment. This one was especially evil (in a good way). When an armed injured man forces his way into a woman's house he thinks he has the upper hand with his death threats if she doesn't help him. That wasnt his first mistake in life but it was certainly his last. The “reveal” in this one was oh so good. Loved the twist..
A Love Story by Kathy Love: An urban legend tale coincides with a prank gone wrong by a group of high school students.
November 4, 2016
Wow! Wow! Wow! I read The Game by Elle J Rossi! She takes you on a trip! Not a vacation - not one like you've ever been on or would ever want to go on!! Father and daughter - and their very complicated relationship! And the Game they play. Woo. I have not had a chance to read the other tales yet, but if they are anything like The Game, lock your doors and leave all the lights on!!
November 24, 2016
*I received a copy in exchange for an honest review*
Recently I’ve fallen in love again with short stories, and have now read a fair amount of collections and anthologies, along with single shorts. This anthology, speaking from some experience now, is awesome! There is something for everyone and each tale has a decided twist.
Good stuff! Well worth grabbing a copy for yourself!
Recently I’ve fallen in love again with short stories, and have now read a fair amount of collections and anthologies, along with single shorts. This anthology, speaking from some experience now, is awesome! There is something for everyone and each tale has a decided twist.
Good stuff! Well worth grabbing a copy for yourself!
October 14, 2016
Amazing book to read. I read it in a few hours since it was too good to put down. Was like reading a cross between Twilight Zone and Edgar Allen Poe. Highly recommend for those who love this type of genre.
October 24, 2016
What an amazing box set of short stories that leaves you gasping at the end of each story. You can feel the stories rising and rising, then bam! OMG!!
May 3, 2017
Masterful stories by a cabal of crime writers.
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews