The Corpse Garden

by S.H. Cooper

A collection of fourteen short horror stories that chronicle obsession, loss, and why you should be afraid of things that go bump in the night. From a young boy with with an unhealthy fixation on what could go wrong to a man who can't accept that his wife wants to leave him, traipsing through The Corpse Garden certainly isn't for the faint of heart. Author S.H. Cooper presents a combination of works popularized on Reddit's NoSleep and four, previously unreleased stories for brand new thrills and chills that are best read with the lights on.

Genres: Horror, Short Stories

111 pages, Kindle Edition

Published December 17, 2016

About the author

S.H. Cooper is a Florida based, multi-genre author with a focus on horror and fantasy. Her titles include the Victorian gothic novella, INHERITING HER GHOSTS, the cosmic horror novella, THE FESTERING ONES, and the YA fantasy novel, THE KNIGHT'S DAUGHTER, in addition to three short story collections and the horror comedy podcast, Calling Darkness. She is also a regular contributor to the award winning anthology series, The NoSleep Podcast. When not writing, she enjoys spending time with her husband, pets, and a cup of Earl Grey.

Reviews

[Roxie Prince · Rating 5 out of 5]

Read this review and more on my blog at [Roxie Writes].

‘The Corpse Garden: A Collection of Short Horror Stories’ by S.H. Cooper
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 5/5
Finished on February 16, 2018
Read with Kindle Unlimited Subscription
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BOOK DESCRIPTION:
A collection of fourteen short horror stories that chronicle obsession, loss, and why you should be afraid of things that go bump in the night. From a young boy with an unhealthy fixation on what could go wrong to a man who can't accept that his wife wants to leave him, traipsing through The Corpse Garden certainly isn't for the faint of heart.

Author S.H. Cooper presents a combination of works popularized on Reddit's NoSleep and four, previously unreleased stories for brand new thrills and chills that are best read with the lights on.

MY REVIEW:
I read this book as part of the NoSleep Book Club, a book club based around stories from my favorite podcast, The NoSleep Podcast.

This collection includes the stories:

“Worst Case Scenario”
-- This story is about a young boy who constantly sees the worst case scenario in everything, or at least that’s what his parents tell him. He sees visions of the bad things that can happen, and it’s torture. All he wants is to be “normal”, but this desire has dire consequences.

This story rips you apart. Imagining being a child with this “gift” and how heavy that must be, especially when, like every kid, all you want to do is be normal, hurts. As someone who lives with anxiety, I know how difficult it is not to see the worst case scenario in my own life; I can’t imagine how I would cope if I were in this situation.

“The Corpse Garden”
-- A boy’s grandmother explains to him what a Corpse Garden is. It’s the place where everything in the swamp goes to die. Instead of being scared by this, he is fascinated. He spends hours and hours at the Corpse Garden near his grandparents’ house talking to the spirits he thinks are there like they are his old friends. And when he needs their help the most, they return the kindness.

I love me a good monster story, and this one is far from disappointing. It shows you how far a little kindness can go.

“Murder in Miniature”
-- An evidence clerk for the police force is excited to find out she’ll be cataloging evidence for a serial killer her colleagues have been searching for for years. When they bring her several intricate dollhouses, her excitement quickly turns to fear.

This short little tale packs a big punch. The concept behind the dollhouses is chilling, and the realization she comes to even more so.

“The Way The Shadows Whisper
-- A childhood psychologist “fires” her first patient ever. The patient is a twelve-year-old girl diagnosed with childhood schizophrenia, but her symptoms are downright frightening.

This is among my top two favorite stories in this collection. Creepy kids are something that really freak me out (and not much does), and man, this girl is creepy! But then when you find out what’s really happening to her, the fear is ratcheted up several notches.

“Ol’ Missus”
-- In this story, an aging member of Ol’ Missus’ staff tells her story and why they can never leave her.

This is a truly tragic tale. If you’re sensitive to violence against babies/children, this might be one you want to skip, but if not, it just might be your favorite in the collection.

“Don’t Look For Lacy Lynn”
-- A group of girls at a slumber party play truth or dare. When one of them dares another to conjure the local urban legend, Lacy Lynn, they learn what real fear is.

This is my other favorite story. Urban legends are something that long ago got under my skin. This one is well-done and extremely creepy!

“Good Girl”
-- A woman hears scratching at her door, shushes her dog, Mystic, and then remembers she recently had to put her down. But when she’s attacked in her bed, she discovers Mystic hasn’t really left her after all.

This is such a sweet story. A dog’s love and loyalty are like nothing else.

“Murder In My Backyard”
-- Moving into a fixer-upper, the protagonist in this story discovers it comes with a visitor. A crow she names Poe visits her every day for a snack, and soon he starts bringing her gifts in return. Putting the clues together from her feathered friend’s gifts, she solves a terrible mystery.

This story is very similar to a flash piece I wrote for my own collection, ‘FLASH! (Vol. I)’, so I might be a little biased in thinking this is a great idea for a spooky short piece! The ending of this story is extremely satisfying.

“The Rosie Hour”
-- A call center operator gets one heck of a scare when Rosie becomes a regular caller.

This story gives me chills. I remember hearing it on the podcast and visibly shuddering. “The Rosie Hour” is one of those stories you won’t easily forget.

“Skeleton Key”
-- A spurned and jealous guy purchases a skeleton key from an antique shop. He’s warned about its power, but curiosity overcomes him and he uses it anyway, unleashing something he can’t control.

This is a very interesting take on the old “be careful what you wish for” trope. I’ve certainly never read anything like it, and I liked it very much.

“I Buried My Fiance On Our Wedding Day”
-- A woman recounts how she had to bury her fiance on the day of their wedding. Killed in a hit and run, she’s left with a new life, and she’s got a lot of feelings about it.

Oooh, this story! I don’t know how to express why I liked it without spoiling it, so I suggest you read it yourself!

“Whitemoore House”
-- A young man takes over his grandfather’s inn, the Whitemoore House. His grandfather has many rules set in place for the place, and when he disregards them, he quickly discovers what his grandfather was protecting him and the guests from.

This is an extremely well-done ghost story. It’s often hard to tell a good ghost story in such a short amount of words, but Cooper has done a phenomenal job with this story. The images in this tale are vivid, terrifying, and sad.

“Offerings”
-- A college radio personality is flattered when she starts getting fan mail, but it soon turns deadly sinister.

“Offerings” was probably my least favorite story in this collection. But that being said, it’s still a hell of a tale.

“My Wife Left Me”
-- A husband and wife battle over the necessity of their separation.

Oh, man. This story. It’s horror in its truest form, I think. No monsters lurking beneath the bed or serial killers hiding in the corner. Just the simple horrors of real life. I loved this story.

The stories in this collection are short and easy to read, but they leave a massive impression. Cooper knows how to compact a lot of detail into a short amount of words. If you’re a fan of short horror stores, don’t skip this collection.

[Melissa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this book. Fun, quick read. Lots of creepiness.

[Sun · Rating 5 out of 5]

Worrying has always come as naturally to me as breathing

This is both spooky and harrowing, and I recommend to anyone that wants some solid horror stories. They're all really well written.

A brief rundown of the stories:
'Worst Case Scenario', about a kid that literally sees the danger his family is in.
'The Corpse Garden', about a kid and a swamp.
'Murder In Miniature', an employee at the sheriff's office gets more than they bargained for.
'The Way The Shadows Whisper', about a little girl with early onset schizophrenia and that's not even the spookiest thing.
'Ol' Missus', about a master and servant.
'Don't Look For Lacey Lynn', about stupid kids and local legends.
'Good Girl', for anyone that's ever had a furry best friend.
'The Murder In My Backyard', about how cool crows are.
'The Rosie Hour', about some real fucked up stuff happening to a call centre employee.
'Skeleton Key', about bitterness.
'I Buried My Fiance On Our Wedding Day', about losing the person that made the narrator into who she was.
'Whitemoore House', about delicious petty revenge.
'Offerings', about a radio presenter's odd occurrences.
'My Wife Left Me', another one about losing the person that made the narrator into who he was.

[Natalie Marie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I haven't read a better selection of short horror stories since Four Past Midnight, by Stephen King. S.H. Cooper is able to pack incredible detail into each bite sized tale, to the extent you feel you've known her characters for a lifetime when it's only been five minutes. Her clever writing never fails to surprise, with each story just enough to send a shiver up your spine before bedtime. Can't wait to see what this up-and-coming young writer shocks the horror genre with next.

[Heather · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the second anthology I’ve read by S.H. Cooper, and it’s just as excellent as the other. The Corpse Garden: A Collection Of Short Horror Stories includes 14 tales of murder, mayhem, and a lot of bad luck.

There’s a kid who grows up seeing the worst possible outcome for any event. He buries his reactions as his parents get fed up with him. He ends up having to be subtle in how he protects his younger sister, but the story doesn’t say during this period what happens when he can’t warn people of things, and that needed to be added in order to make the rest of the story read right. (Note that this is my only negative in the whole book.)

There are bullied kids who find unusual protectors. There’s a 12-year-old girl diagnosed with schizophrenia who is terribly afraid of what the shadows are telling her to do. There’s a teen who, during a game of truth or dare, recites the taboo phrase three times that’s supposed to summon the local supernatural legend.

There’s Poe the crow who brings unusual gifts to a woman who just moved into a new house. There’s a guy who works in phone sales who keeps getting bizarre calls from “Rosie”–at first it seems harmless, but things escalate.

In that other Cooper anthology, there’s a short story about a key that can open any door. It shows you “what’s really inside,” and can let what’s inside out. This key returns in this volume, picked up by a man who thinks everyone else is happier than he is.

A woman buries her fiancé on what should have been their wedding day, and a man inherited an inn with very specific rules about when to stay out of the nearby marshes.

There’s more, but some stories are harder than others to encapsulate in a sentence or two. There are tragedies, traumas, and triumphs. All of the stories hit me on an emotional level, and I look forward to reading more by Cooper. Content note for slurs, animal harm and death, child death, and attempted rape. Nothing is very explicit or gory; it’s mostly off of the page.


Original review posted on my blog: http://www.errantdreams.com/2020/04/r...

[Well Read Beard · Rating 4 out of 5]

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[Kathryn Grace Loves Horror · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've been hearing good things about S.H. Cooper for a while, and I thought I'd check out her work through this collection of 14 short stories. What a fun, creepy read this turned out to be. Stories include:

Worst Case Scenario A young boy sees bad things that could potentially happen before they occur. His constant panic attacks over possible fatalities stress him and his family out, and he eventually begins taking antidepressants, which make the visions go away. But maybe he was seeing these things for a reason?

The Corpse Garden A lonely boy spends a lot of time by himself at the titular corpse garden (a place in a swamp where dead plants and animals end up) while visiting his grandparents, confiding in the mystical guardian he imagines there. Years later he runs into trouble in the swamp. Could the guardians of the corpse gardens be real?

Murder in Miniature An evidence clerk in a police station combs through the intricate dollhouses found in the home of a recently collared serial killer. I really liked the idea behind the dollhouses' significance in this one, and it had a neat little twist in the end.

The Way the Shadows Whisper A psychiatrist tries to help a little girl who's been diagnosed with schizophrenia. The girl claims that voices in the shadows tell her to do terrible things. But what if the shadows really are alive? This was an enticing story that ended with a bang.

Ol' Missus A servant tells the story of the lady she works for, a lady who was once a budding psychopath.

Don't Look for Lacey Lynn This was easily the spookiest tale in the whole collection, with some good shiver inducing moments. It revolves around a legend somewhat similar to Bloody Mary and what happens when one teenage girl summons the ghost.

Good Girl A brief, but sweet story of a very good dog protecting her owner from beyond the grave.

The Murder in My Backyard A woman notices a crow in the backyard of her new house. When she begins feeding it, it begins leaving her gifts. These gifts might be clues to the disappearance of the little girl who lived in the house before her. This was an excellent story with a very satisfying ending. I love the idea of the crows as bearers of justice and revenge.

The Rosie Hour A call center employee on the night shift begins getting calls from an old woman named Rosie while he's at work. Rosie just wants to chat, and at first he treats it as a reprieve from his usual work, until Rosie starts to get possessive. This was another creepy one and reminded me a little bit of the movie, The Caller (2011), with Rachelle Lefevre and Stephen Moyer.

Skeleton Key A unique story about a skeleton key that can reveal people's darkest secrets. This one was really original, and I would love to see the idea expanded on, as I feel like Cooper could have done a lot more with such an interesting premise. Warning: this one does contain animal death, which I always have a hard time reading about.

I Buried My Fiance On Our Wedding Day This is a really short but very satisfying little story. I don't want to say anymore about it for risk of spoiling the vicious little twist this one takes.

Whitmore House An atmospheric story of a haunted swamp. This was another one where I was almost disappointed when it was over. It was excellent, but I feel like there's so much in the story that could be expanded on. I wanted to read all about Whitmore House, and I would have loved a longer tale about it.

Offerings This is a creepy story of a radio host's stalker, kind of a unique and less misogynistic take on the classic Play Misty For Me. Warning: This one also features dead cats.

My Wife Left Me This was probably the weakest story in the collection, although it was still enjoyable and with an interesting twist.

This was an incredibly entertaining, creepy collection, and I will definitely be checking out more by Cooper. I've already ordered her most recent collection and her novella, The Festering Ones.

[Andrew Hodges · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have a lot of mixed feelings about this book, so I'll approach this review by giving first the cons and then the pros. This is the writer's earliest work (at least that I could find) and it certainly reads like someone's first foray into writing horror. That is, by no means, criticism: every writer, from the penny dreadful pulps to the composer of the next New York Times best seller has to start somewhere. But as such, these stores feature all the hallmarks of a creative voice trying to find its tone. As such, I'm inclined to be a bit more lenient overall.

On the con side, the prose is very uneven, and I found that many of the stories were FAR too short. I understand that SH Cooper cut her teeth on Nosleep and various horror podcasts, which shows in how the stories are executed. All of these tales of terror are extremely brief, and they move at a break-neck speed. While it makes the tales easy to digest, it also stifles meaningful character development in many places, especially in the second story (more on this later).

But on the pro side, all of the stories are a great bit of fun. There is some real ghoulishness to be had here, and I was satisfied with the concept if not with the story itself. While the execution leaves something to be desired in places, the overall idea for each story works, and I had a lot of fun reading each one. To rate the book by story:

"Worst Case Scenario"-5/10- A tale of a boy who sees the horrifying future behind every decision or possibility. This one was just ok, but on the whole predictable.

"The Corpse Garden-4/10-I wanted to like this story, which is about a kid learning what lurks in the swamps behind his grandmother's house. The concept is certainly there, but again, the story moves too fast to really develop any connection between characters. In a story of grief, connecting to the characters is key, and I felt like the story never really got to that point. At one point, the main character is accosted with homophobic slurs for the unforgiveable crime of crying after his grandmother's funeral. I'm sorry, but even in the deepest parts of the deep south, people aren't randomly set upon by roving gangs of Stephen King bullies for expressing grief at the passing of a loved one. A bit more character development or backstory to our antagonists, as well as some connection between them and our narrator, would have helped immensely. Even so, the ending was as gruesome as one would hope.

"Murder in Miniature"-5/10-A story of a forensic expert examining miniatures created by a serial killer to replicate his crimes. See where this is going? I certainly did.

"The Way the Shadows Whisper"-7/10-Now this one WAS spooky! A psychiatrist sees a schizophrenic little girl who hears the darkness whispering to her. It doesn't end well, as I'm sure you've guessed.

"Ol' Missus"-7/10-A FINE showcase of the author's talent for gothic literature! A servant recounts her miserable past with a cruel young master...and her master's horrific fascination with pain.

"DOn't Look for Lacy Lynn"-g/10-A typical urban legend story with a Bloody Mary-esque ghost who has a little twist to her modus operandi.

"Good Girl"-6/10-A predictable, but heartwarming story about a dog who comes to its master's rescue one last time.

"THe Murder in My Backyard"-9/10-one of my two favorites! A lady finds the local crows bringing her some chilling souvenirs. The title is very apt, and works on multiple levels, plus I actually felt when I realized the origin of the objet d'art. I have to dock it a point, though, because the reveal at the end was wholly unremarkable. Again, a little bit of character development and build-up goes a long way to making a story like this work.

"The Rosie Hour"-10/10-THis one was also pretty damn creepy, and may be the best in the book in my opinion. A telemarketer starts getting unsettling calls from an old woman. This one really made me shudder!

"Skeleton Key"-g/10-A self-pitying young man gets a magic key that gives him more than he bargained for. I felt the narrator was a whiny so-and-so, but I like the concept a lot.

"I Buried my Fiance on Our Weddig Day"-6/10- A woman grieves her dead love, but all is not as it appears. I like the twist, but it is given away too soon.

"Whitemoore HOuse"-7/10-A chilling tale of an inn on the edge of a haunted marsh. Now this one was pretty dang creepy! It features an ending where an army of the dead rise to grab our poor narrator in a very effective climax.

"Offerings"-7/10- This one spooked me too, least of which because it was a fairly plausible scenario. A radio host discovers they have a vicious stalker. Again, it suffers from being too short: a bit more build-up and escalation could have turned this piece into a real nail-biter. As it is, though, it's still pretty effective.

"My Wife Left Me"-8/10-A sad story about a man who can't let go. Its simple, but I enjoyed.

Overall, I think that this would be a good read for a younger audience (13-17, though, there is some rough language here and there) or for folks who are new to gothic literature and are looking for a quick fix. I would say it's a grade up from Alvin Schwartz, a series of gruesome little ghostly tales featuring some twisted themes. I think that, in spite of their flaws, the stories are a good showcase for a very talented writer, and I hope to see more of their work in the near future.

[Angel Dey · Rating 4 out of 5]

Every story has something we can relate to, whether that be loss of a loved one, loss of trust, fear or acceptance of the unknown, trying to fit in with society, standing outside and looking in, and more.

There's a lot of variety in these stories based on "what if this urban legend is true" or "what if the animals know more than we do" or "what would happen if we learned the true nature of those around us." There's many more ideas pondered, but these stood out to me.

My favorites were "Don't Look for Lacey Lynn" where it turns out a local urban legend is actually true and deadly. "The Murder In My Backyard" is a story where a woman gains the trust of crows at her new house and they share a terrible secret with her. "Skeleton Key" was super resonating because I think we all get stuck in the trap of believing everyone else on the planet has a better life simply based on the photos they post on social media. Turns out, they are probably hiding some dark secrets. "Offerings" was super creepy because I'm pretty certain that could actually happen. A fan of a young woman's radio show becomes obsessive and their offerings to gain adoration go from sweet to deadly real quick.

And the last story was one of those "saving the best for last" moments for me. I was uneasy at first because I didn't know entirely what was going on with this couple sitting at the kitchen table. At first it seemed like they were discussing divorce, but the husband wasn't having any of it. After a bit of dialogue, I was getting more uncomfortable as it seemed there was more than meets the eye. Cooper was certainly eluding to something bad. My brain had gone a completely different direction and I was scared to find out the truth, but when I did, my heart just broke. It wasn't what I thought, but it was still an awful thing to have to deal with. What makes it worse is it is something people all over the world actually have to deal with and it's painful.

[Villimey · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5/5 stars

This is my first time reading S.H. Cooper's work and I enjoyed the short stories in this collection.

What I love about short stories collections is that it can be a mixed bag, some stories might be good, others bad and of course there are ones that can chill your bones.

Out of the 14 short stories presented in this collection, 3 of them stood out as my favorites (don't get me wrong, I enjoyed all of them though I did skip Skeleton Key because it contained an animal death and I can't handle those...)

The Rosie Hour: a man working in a call center is stalked by a elderly woman named Rosie. I love a good stalker story and this one creeped me out, especially with the way Rosie spoke and reacted to the narrator's actions.

I Buried My Fiance on Our Wedding Day: it's just like the title suggests but with a nice twist in the end. I did suspect that twist but I loved how Cooper described it in a mirror sort of way.

The Way The Shadows Whisper: Creepy kids are always gold nuggets in horror and I loved how subtle the creepy kid is displayed in this short story. I also liked it was in the point of view of the psychiatrist and how her efforts to help the kid were genuine and yet professional.

All in all, it was a good easy read that I managed to finish in a day. Will definitely be checking out more of Cooper's work.

[Amy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I stumbled across "The Corpse Garden" on twitter. I am still new to horror so I thought a collection of short stories would be a good place to continue my journey, and "The Corpse Garden" didn't disappoint. Featuring 14 short stories of various creepiness, it was engaging, scary and entertaining, definitely worthy of the hour it took to read. I look forward to reading more by S. H. Cooper in the future.

[Angie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed these scary tales. They were mostly short and the whole book can be read quickly. These stories have more twist endings and a creepy sentimentality, then true gore and horror. But don’t worry, I was plenty disturbed by many of the stories. My two favorites: Murder in Miniature and The Way the Shadows Whisper. Enjoy!

[anna n. · Rating 5 out of 5]

It's a really quick read, but keeps you thrilled all the way through. As soon as I finished one story I was already eager to start the next one and to find out how it ends. Beautiful imagery, sometimes very touching, sometimes bordering on amusing, but always creepy. Loved it!

[Charlotte · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed reading this book. I knew a couple of the stories from The NoSleep Podcast but they were still a pleasure to read. I like the understated horror and the stories that have a surprising twist.

[Kim · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent short story collection!!

I thoroughly enjoyed this book of short stories, all of them were well written and engaging, the last one caught me in the gut and made me cry...I'll be looking for more by this author for sure.

[Еl · Rating 4 out of 5]

Solid spooky stories. A few are predictable but didn't disappoint. More of psychological horror than body horror and gore which I enjoyed a lot. Worst Case Scenario, The Corpse Garden, and I Buried My Fiance On Our Wedding Day were my favorites.

[Josie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a wonderful collection of horror stories that all have such an unique voice and tone. The exploration of ideas and characters is well portrayed for the space they take up, and they feel unique. It is perfect for any horror fan and provides light and chilly reading.

[Irene Balmer]

A Pleasant Surprise

Once I started this book I didn't stop until I was finished. Really captivating short stories. If you enjoy short stories as well as the horror genre you will defiantly want to read this book

[Iain MacCallum · Rating 3 out of 5]

An enjoyable collection

This is an enjoyable collection of short horror stories. My favourites were Ol' Missus and I buried my fiance on our wedding day.

I would certainly like to read more by this author.

[Taylor Troncin · Rating 4 out of 5]

I came across this author thanks to the NoSleep Podcast. I recognized one of the stories from one of the episodes I had listened to — talented author with a lot of potential! Loved the sudden revelations in several of the stories that altered my whole perspective on what was going on!

[Craig Detheridge · Rating 3 out of 5]

Overall it was quite an enjoyable read with some interesting ideas.
I feel, however, several of the pieces could have been better executed.

[Maurício da Fonte Filho · Rating 3 out of 5]

Os contos são bem escritos, porém são um pouco previsíveis. Pouquíssimos enredos inovadores, investindo em clichês já conhecidos do gênero. Meu preferido, de longe, foi "Ol' Missus".

[britany abernathy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good read

Awesome author who really knows how to put a story together. I enjoyed yep cooks so far and can’t wait to
Read more

[Danelle Our-Wolves-Den · Rating 4 out of 5]

Review coming

[Lauren Fitch · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.8 stars

[Brandi Rubeck · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wonderful

Great collection of short horror. I frequently have problems getting into short stories but this selection had a great variety. Several of them sucked me in.

[Charlotte Woof · Rating 3 out of 5]

One of those quick, entertaining reads that happily fills an afternoon. Although it may have been trope-heavy and predictable, I certainly enjoyed the stories.

[Charlie prager · Rating 5 out of 5]

Didn’t know really what to expect so they where kind of low, however this was fantastic. Super quick spooky stories!

[Summer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good read

Keeps u interested for sure. Very original themes you wouldn't catch onto. Definitely refreshing for the perspective of these stories.

[Steve L Clark · Rating 5 out of 5]

Heart wrenching horror stories packed full of twists. Highly recommended!