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The Return of the Pumpkins
Peter Smith is a patient at West Hills hospital. He has been there for nearly a decade. At the age of thirteen, his parents were brutally murdered and Peter was tortured to near death by his Halloween pumpkins. Killer pumpkins haunt his dreams and his doctor thinks he's delusional. Determined to turn his life around, he has eventually decided to join in with the Halloween festivities in the hospital and carves his first pumpkin. Will Peter survive the tenth anniversary of his parents' death? Or will his pumpkin be the death of him?
- GenresHorror
82 pages, Kindle Edition
Published October 29, 2016
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Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews
December 16, 2017
The original Revenge of the Pumpkins was the first I read by author Lacey Lane. It was a brief, entertaining and utterly brutal horror story that was the kind you might just like to hear on Halloween, but in truth the ending was so shocking that the memory lived with you long after the trick or treat had ended. It was a delight to see this new story - it is still novella length but much meatier than its predecessor.
We join Peter, the protagonist from book one (or antagonist, depending on which side you take) ten years after the events in story one. He's not been coping well. There's echoes of Danny from the Shining when it was revisited in Doctor Sleep, though it is not a direct comparison of the two. Revenge of the Pumpkins strength was also its slight weakness - being short and shocking was great, but left us wanting more, even though it was a complete story in itself. 'Return' allows the story and its characters to breathe a lot more, but the length carries along to another great climax.
The doctors in the psychiatric hospital do what they can to bring Peter to good health, but the nightmares of those slashing pumpkins terrorise him again and again. The interplay between the studious and almost pious Doctor Mitchell and the (un) wise cracking and roguish Doctor Tanner
It is not as gory as its predecessor, which may disappoint some, but for me the gore factor and mild sexual content was well balanced and a good choice by the author (because most sequel rules infer more gore, more sex and so on).
Another pleasing factor is the balance between dialogue and narrative which is well done and doesn't really allow you to put the book down.Although told in third person it was easy to get into Peter's head, to see what he was going through, that the nightmares seemed like the true terror, not the vicious attacks he had been subjected to himself.
People tend to slowly rebuild themselves in psychiatric wards. We are carried along Peter's journey, literally, as he recovers step by step, breath by breath. People may not be able to relate to Peter's situation as to why he is in the hospital in the first place, but they can relate to these things...fighting for breath....many of us have been there.
Some of the characters, like Nurse Giles, play a dual role of good cop / bad cop and again, it shows good character building even though our focus is distracted by the increasingly psychotic behaviour of Doctor Tanner. Peter's eyes cast over Sue, a light amongst the darkness. This is good for the reader too, as we hope these two might get together, as the worst of days are made better by the love of someone special.
Sue seems to play the role of a sex crazed nymph but it becomes clear that she likes Peter in lots of ways, and he is a little overawed that someone other than doctors is taking an interest in him. Sue initially hams up this role, but as she gets in deeper with Peter, the story shifts to whether or not they will ever be released from that hospital, or make their escape before the pumpkins make their eventual return.
The ending is shocking, clever and poignant. One hopes that this is not the end, but the beginning of an even better third slice of pumpkin.
We join Peter, the protagonist from book one (or antagonist, depending on which side you take) ten years after the events in story one. He's not been coping well. There's echoes of Danny from the Shining when it was revisited in Doctor Sleep, though it is not a direct comparison of the two. Revenge of the Pumpkins strength was also its slight weakness - being short and shocking was great, but left us wanting more, even though it was a complete story in itself. 'Return' allows the story and its characters to breathe a lot more, but the length carries along to another great climax.
The doctors in the psychiatric hospital do what they can to bring Peter to good health, but the nightmares of those slashing pumpkins terrorise him again and again. The interplay between the studious and almost pious Doctor Mitchell and the (un) wise cracking and roguish Doctor Tanner
It is not as gory as its predecessor, which may disappoint some, but for me the gore factor and mild sexual content was well balanced and a good choice by the author (because most sequel rules infer more gore, more sex and so on).
Another pleasing factor is the balance between dialogue and narrative which is well done and doesn't really allow you to put the book down.Although told in third person it was easy to get into Peter's head, to see what he was going through, that the nightmares seemed like the true terror, not the vicious attacks he had been subjected to himself.
People tend to slowly rebuild themselves in psychiatric wards. We are carried along Peter's journey, literally, as he recovers step by step, breath by breath. People may not be able to relate to Peter's situation as to why he is in the hospital in the first place, but they can relate to these things...fighting for breath....many of us have been there.
Some of the characters, like Nurse Giles, play a dual role of good cop / bad cop and again, it shows good character building even though our focus is distracted by the increasingly psychotic behaviour of Doctor Tanner. Peter's eyes cast over Sue, a light amongst the darkness. This is good for the reader too, as we hope these two might get together, as the worst of days are made better by the love of someone special.
Sue seems to play the role of a sex crazed nymph but it becomes clear that she likes Peter in lots of ways, and he is a little overawed that someone other than doctors is taking an interest in him. Sue initially hams up this role, but as she gets in deeper with Peter, the story shifts to whether or not they will ever be released from that hospital, or make their escape before the pumpkins make their eventual return.
The ending is shocking, clever and poignant. One hopes that this is not the end, but the beginning of an even better third slice of pumpkin.
January 21, 2018
A dramatic and scary flashback to the first book provides the perfect springboard opening for Return of the Pumpkins. This sequel is much longer and is more of a psychological horror story than its predecessor; set ten years after his first bloody encounter with the demonic knife-wielding pumpkins, Peter is now a patient in a psychiatric ward being treated for the trauma he suffered many years before. Needless to say, the doctors believe Peter’s stories about killer pumpkins being responsible for the brutal murder of his parents and he himself nearly dying in a fire to be his mind’s way of dealing with whatever happened - Peter’s far from sure of that though and still harbours very real fears of Halloween and any thought of pumpkins.
The hospital setting alone conjures up a mental image of an asylum and helps add to the increasingly sinister tone of the story, the classic scenario of being normal while everyone around you are the insane ones; added to the mix we have some less than sympathetic hospital staff and a downright creepy doctor. Fortunately for Peter, he finds an ally in fellow patient Sue, who seems determined to befriend and help him deal with his traumatic past. With her help, Peter develops a new sense of confidence and hope for the future, but as in any good story, events take a different direction, placing the two of them in the gravest danger, leading Peter to believe the murderous knife-wielding pumpkins are indeed real and not just the delusional creations of his imagination. How Peter and Sue face that danger provides a clever and frightening climax whilst leaving sufficient scope for another instalment to the series should the author decide to write one, which I hope she does.
With just a couple of characters it would have been easy for the author to write this story from a first-person point of view to really get inside the main character’s mind but somehow manages to achieve the same result with a third person perspective, an excellent balance between narrative and just the right level of dialogue and action.
As a psychological short horror story, this (and its predecessor) really is as good as they come, a story that would stand out as a classic Hammer House of Horror episode if it were ever adapted for film/tv - impossible for me to praise this story more highly!
The hospital setting alone conjures up a mental image of an asylum and helps add to the increasingly sinister tone of the story, the classic scenario of being normal while everyone around you are the insane ones; added to the mix we have some less than sympathetic hospital staff and a downright creepy doctor. Fortunately for Peter, he finds an ally in fellow patient Sue, who seems determined to befriend and help him deal with his traumatic past. With her help, Peter develops a new sense of confidence and hope for the future, but as in any good story, events take a different direction, placing the two of them in the gravest danger, leading Peter to believe the murderous knife-wielding pumpkins are indeed real and not just the delusional creations of his imagination. How Peter and Sue face that danger provides a clever and frightening climax whilst leaving sufficient scope for another instalment to the series should the author decide to write one, which I hope she does.
With just a couple of characters it would have been easy for the author to write this story from a first-person point of view to really get inside the main character’s mind but somehow manages to achieve the same result with a third person perspective, an excellent balance between narrative and just the right level of dialogue and action.
As a psychological short horror story, this (and its predecessor) really is as good as they come, a story that would stand out as a classic Hammer House of Horror episode if it were ever adapted for film/tv - impossible for me to praise this story more highly!
January 26, 2018
The Return of the Pumpkins is a nice little horror short. It follows on from the short story Revenge of the Pumpkins but it can be read on its own as Lacey Lane fills us in on the events that went before. A family brutally murdered and a boy, Peter left with horrendous injuries. We catch up with Peter many years later as he tries to put his live back together in a mental institution. This book mixes sweet young romance as Peter meets Sue, a fellow inmate, with horror as we edge towards the inevitable gory climax. This book was well written and held some surprises. Short and enjoyable.
January 23, 2018
Fuel for Pumpkin Nightmares
I really enjoyed this novella. It was well-written, entertaining, and suspenseful. The author did an excellent job of leading the reader right up to the climactic ending. This was the first book I've read by this author and will be reading more. Apparently, there is a book in the series prior to this one and I'll be reading it very soon. Definitely recommend this one.
I really enjoyed this novella. It was well-written, entertaining, and suspenseful. The author did an excellent job of leading the reader right up to the climactic ending. This was the first book I've read by this author and will be reading more. Apparently, there is a book in the series prior to this one and I'll be reading it very soon. Definitely recommend this one.
December 1, 2017
This was a cute story that I found by accident, and read in less than an hour. A fun read for both YA and adult, I highly recommend it.
November 15, 2016
I believe the author has stepped up her game with this sequel to Revenge of the Pumpkins. I am not a fan of horror, whether it be blood and guts or psychological, but having read an intriguing review, I was keen to see how Lacey Lane had played this tale.
A character from the first book is our primary connection, and for me the development of such a person in this story is the key to success or failure. The resurrection of this single character is the springboard for a well-told tale of psychological trauma, distrust, loyalty ... and the unexpected.
I may be in the minority, but I have a sense of the story being written for a YA audience. Why do I say this? The narrative and on occasion the dialogue are simplistic. Perhaps it’s the way such a story should be told - but it’s not for me to judge.
If I had one other minor negative it would be the length of the tale. Here we have a piece of storytelling which is longer than a short story, but shorter than a novella.
The main characters are well-drawn, the imagery is good, and the plot unfolds in a neat, but not obvious way. I believe a bigger story could have been told, but this is the choice of the author. I was impressed by the ending which leaves the door open for a third tale, which I would like to see - longer and deeper.
***
A character from the first book is our primary connection, and for me the development of such a person in this story is the key to success or failure. The resurrection of this single character is the springboard for a well-told tale of psychological trauma, distrust, loyalty ... and the unexpected.
I may be in the minority, but I have a sense of the story being written for a YA audience. Why do I say this? The narrative and on occasion the dialogue are simplistic. Perhaps it’s the way such a story should be told - but it’s not for me to judge.
If I had one other minor negative it would be the length of the tale. Here we have a piece of storytelling which is longer than a short story, but shorter than a novella.
The main characters are well-drawn, the imagery is good, and the plot unfolds in a neat, but not obvious way. I believe a bigger story could have been told, but this is the choice of the author. I was impressed by the ending which leaves the door open for a third tale, which I would like to see - longer and deeper.
***
November 12, 2016
A couple years after Ms. Lane's debut horror short story (Revenge of the Pumpkins) we get the follow-on to and she's taken the story in a different direction. It’s still a good slasher story, but rather than relying on the overt pumpkins with shiny blades and glints of evil in their eyes, we find the sole survivor from the first story locked up in a mental institution after he insisted the pumpkins had carved up his family and set fire to their house.
Needless to say, no one believed him. But they did give him a nice home and a jacket with sleeves that tie in the back. Okay, I’m joking about the jacket, but the kid does spend a decade in an asylum learning to question whether or not sentient, evil pumpkins really did slaughter his family and wondering when they’re going to come back.
In addition to the usual creepiness of a mental institution, we get a lot more character development and an ending that leaves you wondering just where the madness ends and where it starts.
All in all, an excellent short read from an excellent new horror author.
Needless to say, no one believed him. But they did give him a nice home and a jacket with sleeves that tie in the back. Okay, I’m joking about the jacket, but the kid does spend a decade in an asylum learning to question whether or not sentient, evil pumpkins really did slaughter his family and wondering when they’re going to come back.
In addition to the usual creepiness of a mental institution, we get a lot more character development and an ending that leaves you wondering just where the madness ends and where it starts.
All in all, an excellent short read from an excellent new horror author.
November 13, 2016
The Return of the Pumpkins follows on from Lacey Lane's The Revenge of the Pumpkins - they can both be read as a standalone but I would urge you to read both.
In this novella Lacey Lane gives enough background from her first book to allow the reader to understand what went before. In The Return of the Pumkin the author deals more with the psychological side of the main character, Peter than horror. Although, horror does play a part, Lane takes us on a spine chilling pschological story set in a hospital.
Characterisation is great and Lane packs so much info and story into this novella. This is a talent when an author can follow the rules of short story telling. Secondary characters are well drawn. There aren't many characters but this, for me, helped make them and the story seem believable.
In this novella Lacey Lane gives enough background from her first book to allow the reader to understand what went before. In The Return of the Pumkin the author deals more with the psychological side of the main character, Peter than horror. Although, horror does play a part, Lane takes us on a spine chilling pschological story set in a hospital.
Characterisation is great and Lane packs so much info and story into this novella. This is a talent when an author can follow the rules of short story telling. Secondary characters are well drawn. There aren't many characters but this, for me, helped make them and the story seem believable.
July 4, 2017
My only grief with this book is that it was so short. I wanted more! I wish Lacey Lane wrote full length books because her writing is so good, her stories so entertaining.
Peter is crazy. It's something we're told multiple times, but we aren't shown. What we're shown is a relatively normal guy. Yes, he's plagued by nightmares and anxiety attacks, but he doesn't exactly seem like he's insane.
That's what allowed for such a big twist at the end that I didn't see coming at all. I loved it. It left me in a little bit of shock because it implied something pretty big.
So, to this author, all I have to say is write another one. I'll definitely be reading it.
Peter is crazy. It's something we're told multiple times, but we aren't shown. What we're shown is a relatively normal guy. Yes, he's plagued by nightmares and anxiety attacks, but he doesn't exactly seem like he's insane.
That's what allowed for such a big twist at the end that I didn't see coming at all. I loved it. It left me in a little bit of shock because it implied something pretty big.
So, to this author, all I have to say is write another one. I'll definitely be reading it.
January 26, 2018
3.5/5 but will round up to 4. I liked this tale, it has an interesting storyline. The main character is solid and the author does a good job of getting into his head. All in all an enjoyable read with a twist (I seem to be addicted to twists).
However, there are some inconsistencies at the beginning of the story that I think are confusing and I recommend the author work on these. I also think the author should follow through on what's happening in the story. For example, the new doctor is there to get to know the patient yet the patient leaves the room within 2-3mins. You don't need to add the detail, just say they talked until lunchtime or for an hour.
However, there are some inconsistencies at the beginning of the story that I think are confusing and I recommend the author work on these. I also think the author should follow through on what's happening in the story. For example, the new doctor is there to get to know the patient yet the patient leaves the room within 2-3mins. You don't need to add the detail, just say they talked until lunchtime or for an hour.
February 27, 2018
My word what a fun tale, although perhaps fun is not the word for such a chilling story. My singular criticism is that it was too short. I could have kept reading and I feel there was more that could have been given here if I am honest, but that is in a good way. That's my personal choice I am one of those chunky book readers. That being said, this is a really well developed story which as a horror fan had me intrigued from the beginning. A quick, highly entertaining book that you won't put down. Ultimately a really clever story that I am happy to recommend.
June 27, 2018
Good little horror story
I wish I had waited till Halloween to read this. It would have been a perfect holiday story. Peter had been in an institution since his parents died and he almost died... At the hand of demonic pumpkins. Inside he is befriended by Sue, another inmate at the institution. He slowly regains his confidence until pumpkin carving at Halloween brings back the monster. The ending was terrific.
I wish I had waited till Halloween to read this. It would have been a perfect holiday story. Peter had been in an institution since his parents died and he almost died... At the hand of demonic pumpkins. Inside he is befriended by Sue, another inmate at the institution. He slowly regains his confidence until pumpkin carving at Halloween brings back the monster. The ending was terrific.
April 5, 2019
Pumpkins are nasty little creatures that give you nightmares! Peter has suffered from them since they almost killed him and murdered his parents. Now an adult, he is confined in a mental institution, but he senses something odd about newly-arrived Dr Tanner. His first attempt to mingle more with other patients, who he regards as crazy, brings him dangerously close to Sue, a nymphomaniac. He wants to escape, and so does she, but why would Dr Tanner want to help them… on Halloween!
September 27, 2023
Great story - not what I expected!
November 12, 2016
An entertaining creepy little story
Not really scary, but creepy. Some editing errors, but not too bothersome. Not really a book at only 57 pages, but a hit for young adult readers for halloween
Not really scary, but creepy. Some editing errors, but not too bothersome. Not really a book at only 57 pages, but a hit for young adult readers for halloween
November 6, 2016
The pumpkins.....are they really magically murderlicious?
Read my full take here: The Return of the Pumpkins
Read my full take here: The Return of the Pumpkins
November 20, 2016
Now I have to go back and read the first one! Such a twist! I hope there will be another installment.
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