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The Bear Who Wouldn't Leave: A supernatural horror novella
Sometimes evil looks like a fuzzy teddy bear ....
Still grieving the untimely death of his dad, ten-year-old Josh Leary is reluctant to accept a well-worn stuffed teddy bear from his new stepfather.
He soon learns he was right to be wary.
Edgar is no ordinary toy...and he doesn’t like being rejected. When Josh banishes him to the closet, terrible things begin to happen.
Desperate to be rid of the bear, Josh engages the help of a friend.
As the boys’ efforts rebound on them with horrifying results, Josh is forced to accept the truth—Edgar will always get even.
Still grieving the untimely death of his dad, ten-year-old Josh Leary is reluctant to accept a well-worn stuffed teddy bear from his new stepfather.
He soon learns he was right to be wary.
Edgar is no ordinary toy...and he doesn’t like being rejected. When Josh banishes him to the closet, terrible things begin to happen.
Desperate to be rid of the bear, Josh engages the help of a friend.
As the boys’ efforts rebound on them with horrifying results, Josh is forced to accept the truth—Edgar will always get even.
104 pages, Kindle Edition
First published May 5, 2015
6 people are currently reading
419 people want to read
About the author
J.H. Moncrieff
33 books260 followersJ.H. Moncrieff's City of Ghosts won the 2018 Kindle Book Review Award for best Horror/Suspense.
Reviewers have described her work as early Gillian Flynn with a little Ray Bradbury and Stephen King thrown in for good measure.
She won Harlequin's search for “the next Gillian Flynn” in 2016. Her first published novella, The Bear Who Wouldn’t Leave, was featured in Samhain’s Childhood Fears collection and stayed on its horror bestsellers list for over a year.
When not writing, she loves exploring the world's most haunted places, advocating for animal rights, and summoning her inner ninja in muay thai class.
To get free ebooks and a new spooky story every week, go to http://bit.ly/MoncrieffLibrary.
Reviewers have described her work as early Gillian Flynn with a little Ray Bradbury and Stephen King thrown in for good measure.
She won Harlequin's search for “the next Gillian Flynn” in 2016. Her first published novella, The Bear Who Wouldn’t Leave, was featured in Samhain’s Childhood Fears collection and stayed on its horror bestsellers list for over a year.
When not writing, she loves exploring the world's most haunted places, advocating for animal rights, and summoning her inner ninja in muay thai class.
To get free ebooks and a new spooky story every week, go to http://bit.ly/MoncrieffLibrary.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 83 reviews
June 8, 2020
buddy read with kimberly!!
except maybe more like this
while it's true one should never look a gift horse in the mouth, the lesson in this nasty little story is that you definitely should look gift teddy bears in the mouth, especially gift teddy bears given by evil stepfathers, just so you can dodge the teeth that are about to bite off your face.
it's a short little nightmare of a book about what happens when an ugly, beat-up bear just won't go away, no matter how far away it is taken, nor what measures taken to prevent him from causing harm.
just pure, unremitting eeeevil, in little novella form.
not much else to say about this one. it's about a bear and he's bad. peril ensues.
watch out for bears, kids!
come to my blog!
except maybe more like this
while it's true one should never look a gift horse in the mouth, the lesson in this nasty little story is that you definitely should look gift teddy bears in the mouth, especially gift teddy bears given by evil stepfathers, just so you can dodge the teeth that are about to bite off your face.
it's a short little nightmare of a book about what happens when an ugly, beat-up bear just won't go away, no matter how far away it is taken, nor what measures taken to prevent him from causing harm.
just pure, unremitting eeeevil, in little novella form.
not much else to say about this one. it's about a bear and he's bad. peril ensues.
watch out for bears, kids!
come to my blog!
January 22, 2025
This was a fun story! I haven’t come across many evil toy-based books, so I was eager to hop on this one. It’s a simple premise, clocking in at just about 100 pages, but keeps you hooked. You spend most of the story wondering what’s actually happening, whether grief and depression of a child, an evil teddy bear, or the workings of a sick step father. But the truth is trickled out until the very end and it does not disappoint. I had memories of the original Child’s Play and, to a lesser extent, Pinocchio’s Revenge in the execution here. The only things that I felt could have been expanded on were the fact that Michael owned a funeral home (Didn’t know until the very end.), and what exactly his relationship was with Edgar. I may have overlooked these points, but even if so, they needed to be more clear and concise. But overall a solid read!
April 27, 2016
4.5 stars.
Right from the beginning, my heart went out to ten-year-old Josh. His father passed away suddenly, two years prior, and his new stepfather--Michael--is nothing short of ...evil. Things would have been bad enough as it was, until Michael literally forces Josh to take "Edgar", a stuffed panda bear that was allegedly his as a child.
And Edgar may be more than simply evil.
From his snarling face, loathsome teeth, and repellant fur, this "object" exudes menace in every conceivable way.
The author does a great job of building the characters as she goes--she doesn't dump the information on you in one clump, but rather in a natural progression that really helps you to understand and feel for them and their plight.
The best part of this story, in my opinion, is that I was expecting a standard, somewhat cliched tale of a demonic toy. Instead, I got a narrative that was filled with ugly surprises and kept me guessing the entire way.
I still can't say which I felt was worse, Michael, or Edgar. In retrospect, I'm not really sure there was much of a difference.....
Another great addition to Samhain's Childhood Fears line.
Highly recommended!
Right from the beginning, my heart went out to ten-year-old Josh. His father passed away suddenly, two years prior, and his new stepfather--Michael--is nothing short of ...evil. Things would have been bad enough as it was, until Michael literally forces Josh to take "Edgar", a stuffed panda bear that was allegedly his as a child.
And Edgar may be more than simply evil.
From his snarling face, loathsome teeth, and repellant fur, this "object" exudes menace in every conceivable way.
The author does a great job of building the characters as she goes--she doesn't dump the information on you in one clump, but rather in a natural progression that really helps you to understand and feel for them and their plight.
The best part of this story, in my opinion, is that I was expecting a standard, somewhat cliched tale of a demonic toy. Instead, I got a narrative that was filled with ugly surprises and kept me guessing the entire way.
I still can't say which I felt was worse, Michael, or Edgar. In retrospect, I'm not really sure there was much of a difference.....
Another great addition to Samhain's Childhood Fears line.
Highly recommended!
September 12, 2022
This horror novella was creepy, atmospheric, and terrifying. This book built up the tension in the story well and I will never look at a teddy bear the same way again.
Josh Leary is a ten year old boy still grieving the loss of his father when his mother decides to remarry a man named Michael. In an attempt to be friends Michael gives Josh his old fuzzy teddy bear. Josh doesn’t want it but accepts in anyway to appease his mom. He throws the bear named Edgar in his closet burying him under a mountain of dirty laundry.
Edgar did not like the closet. Bad things start to happen and Jost gets blamed for all of it. He devises a plan with the help of his friend Sean to get rid of the bear. As hard as they try they cannot get rid of Edgar. He reappears in the house numerous times and causes more damage with each encounter. Edgar will always get even and he’s just getting started.
The Bear Who Never Left is available now.
Josh Leary is a ten year old boy still grieving the loss of his father when his mother decides to remarry a man named Michael. In an attempt to be friends Michael gives Josh his old fuzzy teddy bear. Josh doesn’t want it but accepts in anyway to appease his mom. He throws the bear named Edgar in his closet burying him under a mountain of dirty laundry.
Edgar did not like the closet. Bad things start to happen and Jost gets blamed for all of it. He devises a plan with the help of his friend Sean to get rid of the bear. As hard as they try they cannot get rid of Edgar. He reappears in the house numerous times and causes more damage with each encounter. Edgar will always get even and he’s just getting started.
The Bear Who Never Left is available now.
May 8, 2015
Review copy
"Sometimes evil looks like a fuzzy teddy bear." How's that for an opening line?
Josh Leary is your typical ten-year-old. I live with one of those and I'd just like to say what a fine job writer J.H. Moncrieff did in capturing the spirit, the attitude, and the fears of such a child. Fears like..."how I was always sure someone was chasing me whenever I ran upstairs from the basement." Ha, that was me when I was a kid, but those fears never stopped me from watching scary movies in the dark and then calling upstairs to my mother, asking her to turn on the lights so I could go to bed.
When his step-father gives him a stuffed bear with the unlikely name of Edgar, Josh wants nothing to do with it. After all, what ten-year-old boy wants a toy bear to begin with. Plus, there's the fact that Josh doesn't really like the new man in his mother's life. Truthfully, I couldn't say who I found creepier, Edgar or Josh's step-father.
The Bear Who Wouldn't Leave preys on those childhood fears and manages to juggle the three potential threats in a way that kept me guessing to the very end. Is it really Edgar doing all these bad things, is it Josh's step-father making it look like Edgar, or is there something wrong with Josh himself.
Part of what I loved about this novella was Josh's friend Sean, not his best friend, but a good friend whose creative cursing was magnificent.
Although the idea of an evil teddy is not terribly new, and at times you could easily predict what might come next, the result still hits you in the face like a ton of bricks.
A terrifically fun read with kids on an adventure and an evil teddy to boot.
The Bear Who Wouldn't Leave is a terrifically fun read which I finished in one sitting and as a result I will add J.H. Moncrieff to my list of writers to watch.
The book is available now as an ebook from Samhain Horror and can be purchased through Amazon.com.
For a quick, fun, horror read you can't do much better that this one. Highly recommended.
"Sometimes evil looks like a fuzzy teddy bear." How's that for an opening line?
Josh Leary is your typical ten-year-old. I live with one of those and I'd just like to say what a fine job writer J.H. Moncrieff did in capturing the spirit, the attitude, and the fears of such a child. Fears like..."how I was always sure someone was chasing me whenever I ran upstairs from the basement." Ha, that was me when I was a kid, but those fears never stopped me from watching scary movies in the dark and then calling upstairs to my mother, asking her to turn on the lights so I could go to bed.
When his step-father gives him a stuffed bear with the unlikely name of Edgar, Josh wants nothing to do with it. After all, what ten-year-old boy wants a toy bear to begin with. Plus, there's the fact that Josh doesn't really like the new man in his mother's life. Truthfully, I couldn't say who I found creepier, Edgar or Josh's step-father.
The Bear Who Wouldn't Leave preys on those childhood fears and manages to juggle the three potential threats in a way that kept me guessing to the very end. Is it really Edgar doing all these bad things, is it Josh's step-father making it look like Edgar, or is there something wrong with Josh himself.
Part of what I loved about this novella was Josh's friend Sean, not his best friend, but a good friend whose creative cursing was magnificent.
Although the idea of an evil teddy is not terribly new, and at times you could easily predict what might come next, the result still hits you in the face like a ton of bricks.
A terrifically fun read with kids on an adventure and an evil teddy to boot.
The Bear Who Wouldn't Leave is a terrifically fun read which I finished in one sitting and as a result I will add J.H. Moncrieff to my list of writers to watch.
The book is available now as an ebook from Samhain Horror and can be purchased through Amazon.com.
For a quick, fun, horror read you can't do much better that this one. Highly recommended.
June 2, 2018
3.5 Stars
This was a creepy little novella filled with dark themes of psychological abuse. Told from the perspective of a child, Josh felt realistic, perfectly capturing the annoying mannerisms of a ten year old boy.
While this story had supernatural elements, the true horror of the story came from the wickedness of people. Written in a simplistic style, the narrative was dark and filled me with a sense of dread. The actual story was a fairly predictable piece of horror. Yet, I tend to really enjoy the kinds of classic horror stories that involve seemingly ordinary objects and the teddy bear in this story was wonderfully creepy!
I would recommend this dark novella to readers who enjoy stories that blend together supernatural and realistic horror.
I requested a copy from the author.
This was a creepy little novella filled with dark themes of psychological abuse. Told from the perspective of a child, Josh felt realistic, perfectly capturing the annoying mannerisms of a ten year old boy.
While this story had supernatural elements, the true horror of the story came from the wickedness of people. Written in a simplistic style, the narrative was dark and filled me with a sense of dread. The actual story was a fairly predictable piece of horror. Yet, I tend to really enjoy the kinds of classic horror stories that involve seemingly ordinary objects and the teddy bear in this story was wonderfully creepy!
I would recommend this dark novella to readers who enjoy stories that blend together supernatural and realistic horror.
I requested a copy from the author.
July 9, 2018
Nasty story for in between. Quite liked it, with many scary elements!
March 19, 2015
Review: THE BEAR WHO WOULDN'T LEAVE by J. S. Moncrief
Release: May 5 2015
In a new line called "Childhood Fears," THE BEAR WHO WOULDN'T LEAVE both awakens memories in adults of those long, lonely, scary nights of childhood, when teddy bears and stuffed animals bring comfort, and introduces that essential criterion of horror, implacability--the entity or force which is unavoidable, inescapable, a Juggernaut of horror. To my mind, horror that is not implacable is not true horror. [Postulate: driving on a four-lane highway with a runaway loaded log truck approaching, with no other traffic, so you can easily pull out of the way (and call 911!)--frightening, yes, but not implacable. Postulate: driving at night, climbing a tightly snaky one-lane mountain road, steep drop-offs on both sides, only to find yourself in the brights of an oncoming overloaded, brakes-out, log truck. Now that's implacability.]
Now I read THE BEAR WHO WOULDN'T LEAVE late at night, alone with my canine companion, all doors locked--I should have read in the bright morning light. In this story there are two conjoined entities of evil. I won't say one is scarier than the other, because they are more like two prongs of one tool than separate. One is the eponymous Bear, one is human. Both are implacable. Both will make your hair stand on end, make shivers race like spiders up your spine, and keep you checking your bedcovers, your closet, and behind you. Read this story prepared for the unforgettable and undeniable in horror.
Release: May 5 2015
In a new line called "Childhood Fears," THE BEAR WHO WOULDN'T LEAVE both awakens memories in adults of those long, lonely, scary nights of childhood, when teddy bears and stuffed animals bring comfort, and introduces that essential criterion of horror, implacability--the entity or force which is unavoidable, inescapable, a Juggernaut of horror. To my mind, horror that is not implacable is not true horror. [Postulate: driving on a four-lane highway with a runaway loaded log truck approaching, with no other traffic, so you can easily pull out of the way (and call 911!)--frightening, yes, but not implacable. Postulate: driving at night, climbing a tightly snaky one-lane mountain road, steep drop-offs on both sides, only to find yourself in the brights of an oncoming overloaded, brakes-out, log truck. Now that's implacability.]
Now I read THE BEAR WHO WOULDN'T LEAVE late at night, alone with my canine companion, all doors locked--I should have read in the bright morning light. In this story there are two conjoined entities of evil. I won't say one is scarier than the other, because they are more like two prongs of one tool than separate. One is the eponymous Bear, one is human. Both are implacable. Both will make your hair stand on end, make shivers race like spiders up your spine, and keep you checking your bedcovers, your closet, and behind you. Read this story prepared for the unforgettable and undeniable in horror.
October 6, 2015
It's catch up review time! I read The Bear Who Wouldn't Leave before summer took over and all things reading and reviewing went by the wayside.
It's probably obvious why I would want to read The Bear Who Wouldn't Leave. An evil teddy bear? That won't leave? Yes, please.
As a child, I had an exorbitant amount of stuffed animals. I was convinced they were all alive. As soon as I'd leave my room, they'd come to life and play all day and make sure to return to their positions so I wouldn't find out their secret. There's a reason I was so nice to all those toys. It wasn't really the sugar and spice thing, it was the fact that I didn't want them to kill me in my sleep.
The Bear Who Wouldn't Leave speaks to that place inside me. It was fun read, but it was also very nostalgic for me. It brought this feeling over me much the same way coming of age books do. It reminded me of some of the magic I lost when I became an adult.
That being said, this damn bear actually would kill you in your sleep. It has a Chucky thing going on with it. You think you are getting rid of it, but you're not. No matter what you do, it's not going to leave.
The childhood fears in The Bear Who Wouldn't Leave go deeper than just the evil teddy bear. Josh's step-father is abusive beyond knowingly giving Josh a toy that would terrorize him. It's heartbreaking at times.
If you are looking for a quick horror read, The Bear Who Wouldn't Leave is good way to fill your evening.
It's probably obvious why I would want to read The Bear Who Wouldn't Leave. An evil teddy bear? That won't leave? Yes, please.
As a child, I had an exorbitant amount of stuffed animals. I was convinced they were all alive. As soon as I'd leave my room, they'd come to life and play all day and make sure to return to their positions so I wouldn't find out their secret. There's a reason I was so nice to all those toys. It wasn't really the sugar and spice thing, it was the fact that I didn't want them to kill me in my sleep.
The Bear Who Wouldn't Leave speaks to that place inside me. It was fun read, but it was also very nostalgic for me. It brought this feeling over me much the same way coming of age books do. It reminded me of some of the magic I lost when I became an adult.
That being said, this damn bear actually would kill you in your sleep. It has a Chucky thing going on with it. You think you are getting rid of it, but you're not. No matter what you do, it's not going to leave.
The childhood fears in The Bear Who Wouldn't Leave go deeper than just the evil teddy bear. Josh's step-father is abusive beyond knowingly giving Josh a toy that would terrorize him. It's heartbreaking at times.
If you are looking for a quick horror read, The Bear Who Wouldn't Leave is good way to fill your evening.
May 6, 2015
An excellent read! J.H. Moncrieff keeps you on the edge of your seat with a frightfully fun story. What I had thought was going to be a simple killer teddy bear story turned into something deeper and darker as I got to know the characters. There is much more happening beneath the surface, and Moncrieff develops these characters, twists and turns to the point I kept wondering what crazy thing would happen next. I won't give away the plot. The synopsis is enough to know to start reading this book. Moncrieff's writing is taut and written at a white-knuckle pace. While this is a horror story about "Childhood Fears", it is definitely one for adults to enjoy. Highly recommended!
June 12, 2016
On first reading this appears to be no more than a story about a 10 year old boy Josh and the cuddly teddy bear "Edgar" that his stepfather Michael presents him with. However do not be mislead this is an extremely clever story about violence within a domestic setting, control, and the victimization of one very small and frightened little boy.
Josh finds the companionship of the "the bear" unsettling and feels evil whenever he is in its presence and so with his good friend Sean he sets about to destroy "The Bear Who Wouldn't Leave" I particularly enjoyed the interplay and dialogue between Josh and his good friend Sean two young friends out on an adventure to destroy the big bad wolf (or in this case bear!) Sean has a great and comical language for most situations...."Your stepfather is one scary-a** monkey-weasel"....."Holy monkey a** co*k knocker!"
The author expertly compares and shows the innocence of the boys and the evil prevalent in both the bear Edgar and stepfather Michael. Josh loved his late father and often imagines that he is still guiding him if only his mum could recognize the control and abuse that his happening to both her and her beloved son Josh
This is an excellent thought provoking short story with a quirky and very satisfying conclusion. My thanks to the good people of Samhain Publishing for providing me with a free copy in exchange for an honest review and that is what I have written.
Josh finds the companionship of the "the bear" unsettling and feels evil whenever he is in its presence and so with his good friend Sean he sets about to destroy "The Bear Who Wouldn't Leave" I particularly enjoyed the interplay and dialogue between Josh and his good friend Sean two young friends out on an adventure to destroy the big bad wolf (or in this case bear!) Sean has a great and comical language for most situations...."Your stepfather is one scary-a** monkey-weasel"....."Holy monkey a** co*k knocker!"
The author expertly compares and shows the innocence of the boys and the evil prevalent in both the bear Edgar and stepfather Michael. Josh loved his late father and often imagines that he is still guiding him if only his mum could recognize the control and abuse that his happening to both her and her beloved son Josh
This is an excellent thought provoking short story with a quirky and very satisfying conclusion. My thanks to the good people of Samhain Publishing for providing me with a free copy in exchange for an honest review and that is what I have written.
July 9, 2015
Josh Leary receives a teddy bear from his stepfather Michael. Josh is having a hard time getting over the death of his dad. Michael, his stepfather does not like Josh and he tells him so. It is just unbelievable some of the punishments that Michael inflicts on Josh. The teddy bears name is Edgar and he is far from being an ordinary toy. Something creepy and evil lurks in the bear named Edgar. Josh banishes the bear to his closet but somehow he manages to escape. Josh will learn that Edgar always seek revenge for any wrong doings. Josh enlist one of his friends to help with the disposal of the bear. Strange and mysterious things begin to happen to the boys in their last ditch effort to get rid of the creature. Josh will soon learn that there is no getting rid of Edgar. This novella keep you guessing about what would happen next. This is the second book that I have read in The Childhood Fear series by Samhain. I plan on reading the other two. I recommend this book!
May 4, 2015
Every horror novella should read like this, a non-stop thrill ride that amps up the terror with each chapter.
In this story, the classic, cuddly teddy bear takes a very evil turn. JH Moncrieff does an fantastic job painting the bear’s unwilling owner Josh into a very believable corner, trapped between his mother, stepfather, and the limitations of being a child.
This well-written story does an excellent job maintaining the voice of young Josh. I’m looking forward to JH Moncrieff’s next Samhain release.
In this story, the classic, cuddly teddy bear takes a very evil turn. JH Moncrieff does an fantastic job painting the bear’s unwilling owner Josh into a very believable corner, trapped between his mother, stepfather, and the limitations of being a child.
This well-written story does an excellent job maintaining the voice of young Josh. I’m looking forward to JH Moncrieff’s next Samhain release.
March 15, 2023
Ten year old Josh is still getting over the death of his dad and he’s not at all impressed with his new stepfather Michael. But to keep his mum happy he tried to accept him.
But when Michael gives him an old stuffed teddy bear named Edgar, bad things start to happen. Josh does his utmost to get rid of the bear, but… the bear just doesn’t want to go..
This was a brilliantly creepy novella, written in the first person from the perspective of ten year old Josh who was such a great character, I liked him instantly. His voice comes straight off the page and I felt such a huge sense of empathy for him, dealing with his awful step dad. It’s a very well written story, atmospheric and tense and the creeping sense of menace is added slowly and carefully, giving quite a sense of realism to the story.
I read this in one sitting. Once I started I couldn’t stop. It’s the perfect creepy read to be picked up during a dark rainy evening.
Now I’m just going to avoid looking at my own son’s teddy bears for a while! Gulp.
But when Michael gives him an old stuffed teddy bear named Edgar, bad things start to happen. Josh does his utmost to get rid of the bear, but… the bear just doesn’t want to go..
This was a brilliantly creepy novella, written in the first person from the perspective of ten year old Josh who was such a great character, I liked him instantly. His voice comes straight off the page and I felt such a huge sense of empathy for him, dealing with his awful step dad. It’s a very well written story, atmospheric and tense and the creeping sense of menace is added slowly and carefully, giving quite a sense of realism to the story.
I read this in one sitting. Once I started I couldn’t stop. It’s the perfect creepy read to be picked up during a dark rainy evening.
Now I’m just going to avoid looking at my own son’s teddy bears for a while! Gulp.
March 29, 2015
What is it about some toys? They are made of soft, plush material or plastic, loads of stuffing, plastic eyes, sewn or stuck on mouths... but some of them at least seem to be more than the sum total of their parts. Many of us will remember the toy from our childhood that wasn't as comforting as the others. Maybe it was brand new, or maybe it was a hand-me-down, but there was something in the expression. It challenged or threatened, its eyes followed us around the room. It seemed to be watching us.
J.H. Moncrieff has taken this basic premise and written a story that grabbed me and creeped me out from the beginning. The story is told from the perspective of a ten year old boy, Josh, who is still mourning the loss of his beloved father who dies two years earlier. His much loved mother has married again – a sinister and sadistic undertaker called Michael, who gives Josh a battered panda bear with a malevolent expression and yellow eyes. It soon becomes clear that Edgar (the bear) is far more than just an ugly face. Although it is told from a child’s perspective, I should stress this is NOT A YA book. This is adult horror.
This novella is one of four winners of Samhain Publishing’s latest Horror anthology award, under the generic title ‘Childhood Fears’. It succeeds on all fronts and chilled and thrilled in all the right places. I loved it. One word of caution though, if you still possess a toy that unnerved you as a child, be very careful how you dispose of it…
J.H. Moncrieff has taken this basic premise and written a story that grabbed me and creeped me out from the beginning. The story is told from the perspective of a ten year old boy, Josh, who is still mourning the loss of his beloved father who dies two years earlier. His much loved mother has married again – a sinister and sadistic undertaker called Michael, who gives Josh a battered panda bear with a malevolent expression and yellow eyes. It soon becomes clear that Edgar (the bear) is far more than just an ugly face. Although it is told from a child’s perspective, I should stress this is NOT A YA book. This is adult horror.
This novella is one of four winners of Samhain Publishing’s latest Horror anthology award, under the generic title ‘Childhood Fears’. It succeeds on all fronts and chilled and thrilled in all the right places. I loved it. One word of caution though, if you still possess a toy that unnerved you as a child, be very careful how you dispose of it…
May 2, 2015
When Josh’s stepfather gives him a teddy bear called Edgar, he should be pleased and see it as a sign that Michael is trying to improve their relationship, but there is just something downright evil and creepy about this scowling teddy bear. When Josh tries to get rid of Edgar, then frightening things start to happen and Edgar refuses to go away.
It is a well written story told through the eyes of a 10 year old in a very realistic way, with Josh really coming to life on the page. I could certainly feel his fear and confusion as the read gets scarier and scarier as Edgar’s antics escalate. It is creepy and scary and maybe a little predictable in that there are no real surprises here, but this novella is a quick entertaining read that is well worth picking up. This looks to be the author’s debut and she certainly shows a lot of promise. I look forward to reading more from her. Thanks to the publisher for the review copy.
It is a well written story told through the eyes of a 10 year old in a very realistic way, with Josh really coming to life on the page. I could certainly feel his fear and confusion as the read gets scarier and scarier as Edgar’s antics escalate. It is creepy and scary and maybe a little predictable in that there are no real surprises here, but this novella is a quick entertaining read that is well worth picking up. This looks to be the author’s debut and she certainly shows a lot of promise. I look forward to reading more from her. Thanks to the publisher for the review copy.
August 11, 2016
This one was just better than ok for me. I don't think that there were any shocking revelations and the story felt a little elementary and forced at times. The genre title on the book description said "adult horror", but honestly it felt more like "starter horror" or horror for beginners to me. It sounds like I didn't like it, but I did, it just lacked the intensity or building dread that I thought it should have had.
2.5 Stars rounded up to 3 because it was written well, but did lack "punch".
2.5 Stars rounded up to 3 because it was written well, but did lack "punch".
March 17, 2015
*I received an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review*
In The Bear Who Wouldn’t Leave, Josh is a 10-year old boy still trying to accept his dad’s death. It’s been a couple of years and since then, his mom married a man named Michael. In what we think is an effort to get Josh to like him, Michael gives Josh a teddy bear named Edgar and we soon learn that Edgar is more than your average bear.
I think at one point or another, almost every kid has one toy or another that is scary or even just a little creepy. Imagine getting a bear that wears a perpetual evil smirk on his face, and no matter where Josh places him, he always seems to end up on his bed. Josh and his friend soon realize Edgar is bad news and do everything they can think of to rid themselves of the ugly bear. Things go from bad to worse and Josh has to fight for his life.
I loved this story! it is well written and doesn’t rely on a lot of foul language and gore to get its point across. You really begin to feel every emotion Josh feels and this story is not only scary, but quite sad as well.
This is the perfect story for those who like their horror a little more tame and it’s short so it can be read in a couple of hours. You can pre-order The Bear Who Wouldn’t Leave and it comes out May 5.
I think J.H. Moncrieff has a lot to offer the world of horror and I can’t wait to see what she comes up with next. This is the second of her stories I have had the pleasure of reading and it left me wanting more.
In The Bear Who Wouldn’t Leave, Josh is a 10-year old boy still trying to accept his dad’s death. It’s been a couple of years and since then, his mom married a man named Michael. In what we think is an effort to get Josh to like him, Michael gives Josh a teddy bear named Edgar and we soon learn that Edgar is more than your average bear.
I think at one point or another, almost every kid has one toy or another that is scary or even just a little creepy. Imagine getting a bear that wears a perpetual evil smirk on his face, and no matter where Josh places him, he always seems to end up on his bed. Josh and his friend soon realize Edgar is bad news and do everything they can think of to rid themselves of the ugly bear. Things go from bad to worse and Josh has to fight for his life.
I loved this story! it is well written and doesn’t rely on a lot of foul language and gore to get its point across. You really begin to feel every emotion Josh feels and this story is not only scary, but quite sad as well.
This is the perfect story for those who like their horror a little more tame and it’s short so it can be read in a couple of hours. You can pre-order The Bear Who Wouldn’t Leave and it comes out May 5.
I think J.H. Moncrieff has a lot to offer the world of horror and I can’t wait to see what she comes up with next. This is the second of her stories I have had the pleasure of reading and it left me wanting more.
April 17, 2015
This one of 4 novellas that make up Samhain Publishing's "Childhood Fears" collection, and boy, does it deliver. You'd be hard-pressed to find anyone who didn't have a teddy bear or similar stuffed friend growing up, and the thought of it turning evil is enough to make anyone shudder. Just imagine the bear from Ted getting possessed by Chucky and you have an idea of how quickly things could go bad. Moncrieff does an excellent job of depicting the increasing terror as 10-year-old Josh must fight for his life against the devilish toy and an evil step-father. She also captures young Josh perfectly, something that isn't easy to do. This is definitely a novella worth reading. Just keep your toys locked up.
March 27, 2015
J. H. Moncrieff's weird and possibly unintentionally nostalgic novella, The Bear Who Wouldn't Leave took me back to my childhood. We all have childhood fears that haunt us. Some of those fears stay with us even after we develop cognitively past that stage of magical thinking. For me, it was mirrors. I could not get past the strange idea that my image in the mirror wasn't necessarily turning when I turned. How did I really know? Perhaps my mirror image was starring at the back of my head. What else was it capable of doing? Perhaps I was just a weird child but then again...maybe not. I of course outgrew that childhood fear. But sometimes late at night, when I have my back to the mirror, I wonder...
In Moncrieff's scary The Bear Who Wouldn't Leave, 10 year old Josh is given a present by his step-father Michael. It is a teddy bear, Michael's own bear when he was a boy and a bear that doesn't have a very cuddly appearance. Besides the fact that Josh sees himself as too old for a teddy bear, he also distrusts Michael and cannot bring himself to accept him despite his mother's pleas. He quickly discovers he has good reason to suspect his step-father as the bear named Edgar appears to be more than an inanimate stuffed toy.
Moncrieff's little scarefest evokes those memories of childhood horrors. It is something that she has in common with Ray Bradbury, whose stories often touched on that not so pleasant aspect of childhood imagination. But in Josh's world, this is not imagination, Edgar and Michael definitely knows how to hold a grudge and Josh must deal with the fact that no one believes him, not even his mother.
That is the strength of the story. Josh's fears may have a supernatural element but his fears are often that of real children. Becoming accustomed to a new authority member in a family is always hard but when that member is abusive, you have a whole new horror going on. Michael is abusive in a real world sense and that may make this story a little hard for children and teens to deal with. I was not always sure what the audience this piece of fiction was meant for. At times it seem a bit too intense for YA, especially the scenes of abuse. Yet for adults who can relate to the tale, it may also evoke memories. Yet good fiction, especially horror fiction, should evoke memories and move the reader beyond their comfort zones. The Bear Who Wouldn't Leave may very well do that for some readers.
But once that is said, it is a scary and entertaining story that delivers on the thrills. Josh is believable as a ten year old child and Michael is suitably evil. Josh's mother comes across tepid and timid but that is intentional. It may make you feel for her but may also make the reader unsympathetic. The story works because of that emotional tie we may feel for the characters. Throughout there is a nice build-up as the consequences become more dire. The ending may bother those who want everything tied together but I thought it was just right, leaving a nice chill in the last paragraph.
So regardless of my dilemma about the intended audience, I found The Bear Who Wouldn't Leave an above average horror fiction and recommend it to those who love a good scary story. But you may not want to read it to your teddy bear. You might give it ideas.
Three and a half stars.
In Moncrieff's scary The Bear Who Wouldn't Leave, 10 year old Josh is given a present by his step-father Michael. It is a teddy bear, Michael's own bear when he was a boy and a bear that doesn't have a very cuddly appearance. Besides the fact that Josh sees himself as too old for a teddy bear, he also distrusts Michael and cannot bring himself to accept him despite his mother's pleas. He quickly discovers he has good reason to suspect his step-father as the bear named Edgar appears to be more than an inanimate stuffed toy.
Moncrieff's little scarefest evokes those memories of childhood horrors. It is something that she has in common with Ray Bradbury, whose stories often touched on that not so pleasant aspect of childhood imagination. But in Josh's world, this is not imagination, Edgar and Michael definitely knows how to hold a grudge and Josh must deal with the fact that no one believes him, not even his mother.
That is the strength of the story. Josh's fears may have a supernatural element but his fears are often that of real children. Becoming accustomed to a new authority member in a family is always hard but when that member is abusive, you have a whole new horror going on. Michael is abusive in a real world sense and that may make this story a little hard for children and teens to deal with. I was not always sure what the audience this piece of fiction was meant for. At times it seem a bit too intense for YA, especially the scenes of abuse. Yet for adults who can relate to the tale, it may also evoke memories. Yet good fiction, especially horror fiction, should evoke memories and move the reader beyond their comfort zones. The Bear Who Wouldn't Leave may very well do that for some readers.
But once that is said, it is a scary and entertaining story that delivers on the thrills. Josh is believable as a ten year old child and Michael is suitably evil. Josh's mother comes across tepid and timid but that is intentional. It may make you feel for her but may also make the reader unsympathetic. The story works because of that emotional tie we may feel for the characters. Throughout there is a nice build-up as the consequences become more dire. The ending may bother those who want everything tied together but I thought it was just right, leaving a nice chill in the last paragraph.
So regardless of my dilemma about the intended audience, I found The Bear Who Wouldn't Leave an above average horror fiction and recommend it to those who love a good scary story. But you may not want to read it to your teddy bear. You might give it ideas.
Three and a half stars.
December 10, 2015
Ms. Moncrieff's The Bear Who Wouldn't Leave is a very welcome addition to Samhain Publishing's "Childhood Fears" line, sort of a place where young readers should go when they've outgrown the R. L. Stine books. But it works on an adult level as well, bringing back the insecurity of childhood and the real (and not so real) fears that youth entails. It's a scary lil' novella about a horrific teddy bear with violence on its fuzzy mind. What I liked most about the book is that Ms. Moncrieff captures the mind-set of a ten-year old boy beautifully. So often writers make children seem more naive than they are at young ages (Okay, I believe the protagonist would know what the "poorhouse" is, but other than that, terrifically realized). The book also works on another level, using horror as a metaphor for child abuse, putting an evil face on abusive adults that a child can understand better. Recommended.
April 16, 2015
The Bear Who Wouldn't Leave is a scary, mind-screwing tale that sticks with you after it's over. It's the kind of tale that keeps you turning the pages because there is no good place to leave off. You want to see what's going to happen next. These are the types of stories I really dig. And I really enjoyed this one. Besides the GREAT cover (which fits perfect with the story) the book reminded me of a time of childhood, of hanging out with friends in the neighborhood and being a kid, but of course, this one is totally wicked. It's the type of story that seems one way, then another, then back again to what you originally thought, then switches again, leaving you needing to read more to get to the conclusion, which I loved. Highly Recommended!!!!
April 12, 2017
Let me just say that Moncrieff has changed my mind about furry, cuddly toys of any kind, but most specifically bears. From the beginning of this book, I knew I was going have to hold on; this was going to be one terrifying ride.
I was fearful for Josh and his mom almost from page one. It gave me hope when Josh's best friend and his mom entered the story. That eased my fears. . . for a while. All the time I so wanted that rotten stepfather to disappear. That didn't happen, but a lot more did. Edgar, the Teddy Bear from hell, had come into Josh's life, and it wasn't prepared to leave--for just how long? That is yet to be determined.
Loved the story. Loved being scared.
I was fearful for Josh and his mom almost from page one. It gave me hope when Josh's best friend and his mom entered the story. That eased my fears. . . for a while. All the time I so wanted that rotten stepfather to disappear. That didn't happen, but a lot more did. Edgar, the Teddy Bear from hell, had come into Josh's life, and it wasn't prepared to leave--for just how long? That is yet to be determined.
Loved the story. Loved being scared.
June 24, 2015
The Bear Who Wouldn't Leave does what some of the best horror stories ever have done--it turns an innocent childhood toy into something scary. Can anything be spookier than an evil teddy bear? But I have to say, this book is about so much more than an evil teddy bear. It's dark and complex and it pulls you right in and won't let you go. You can't help but root for Josh and the surprise ending will have you thinking about this book long after you put it down.
February 2, 2017
Creepy as all get out. If you want a tale that will keep you up at night and make you pound on the wall with frustration, this is the one for you. Moncrieff's smooth and enticing writing draws you in and makes you care deeply for a boy even though you know in your gut it's never going to work out for him. It's wonderfully maddening, hitting you right in an emotional spot just as a good book is supposed to. Awesome work and highly recommended.
June 2, 2015
I couldn't put this one down! I read The Bear Who Wouldn't Leave in one sitting because I couldn't go to sleep without finding out what happened to her main character, Josh. I thought Moncreiff did a fantastic job in raising the tension with each chapter, which made Josh compelling and the horror of Edgar's true nature seem all too real.
I can't wait to see more books from this author!
I can't wait to see more books from this author!
August 13, 2018
Riveting Novella!
I have previously read Return to Dyatlov Pass by J.H. Moncrieff, and after reading the blurb on this book, I couldn't resist.
This is a creepy throw back tale, reminding you that sometimes your stuffed animals were watching you, plotting against you.
This story will make you feel helpless, unnerved, angry and unsettled; all in a fantastic way!
Highly recommend!
I have previously read Return to Dyatlov Pass by J.H. Moncrieff, and after reading the blurb on this book, I couldn't resist.
This is a creepy throw back tale, reminding you that sometimes your stuffed animals were watching you, plotting against you.
This story will make you feel helpless, unnerved, angry and unsettled; all in a fantastic way!
Highly recommend!
January 31, 2018
J H Moncrieff’s novella distills the innocence of childhood imagination into a pace-building nightmare that will have you peeking under your bed before lights out. Deftly concise storytelling that places horror and creeping dread in the domestic and everyday.
April 13, 2016
3.5 stars. I really enjoyed the horror side of this story, but I didn't like the unhappy ending! Still definitely a good quick read for horror lovers.
October 21, 2021
I'd like to leave this one star for upsetting me so much but I think J.H. Moncrieff had every intention of doing just that so.. well done.
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