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Asylum Archives Case Study Vol.1: True Accounts From The Insane
Taken from actual medical files, Asylum Archives uses the delusions and hallucinations of actual asylum patients and turns them into short stories. Featuring stories from New York Times Bestselling author, David Farland, acclaimed filmmaker Richard Dutcher, and bestselling author Jaron Briggs, Asylum Archives is prescribed as a few milligrams of insanity!
146 pages, Kindle Edition
Published March 21, 2017
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 84 reviews
June 10, 2020
I enjoy reading old patient accounts, records, diagnosis or anything I can find on this subject. Really you can’t get much more gothic than this. Mental healthcare has come a long way but it’s still quite medieval in some ways, shapes and forms. I thought it would be uplifting or illuminating to read over its history in depth (not just with this book), but so far it’s only a horror story in the making.
Bless those poor people.
Bless those poor people.
January 7, 2025
Read the first case study last year then put the book down, picked it up again this evening and finished off the last two stories.
The first story was interesting, quite sad but with a good ending and it had me rooting for the main character. The second story was straight up odd but quite enjoyable and I loved the ending. The third story was extremely sad but also very predictable, I don't know if that was the intention.
This is quite a good book if you're looking for something that isn't too intense, interesting and quick.
The first story was interesting, quite sad but with a good ending and it had me rooting for the main character. The second story was straight up odd but quite enjoyable and I loved the ending. The third story was extremely sad but also very predictable, I don't know if that was the intention.
This is quite a good book if you're looking for something that isn't too intense, interesting and quick.
July 5, 2020
Meh. Doesnt live up to its name or book description. Not worth the buy. Thanks kindle unlimited. And thankfully its short. I dont look forward to the second one
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May 13, 2021I was not the right reader for this one. These were short stories in the horror genre. Not my favorite on either count.
February 21, 2020
Not at all what I thought it would be, this is not a true life account of the insane but rather a book with outrageous short stories which I imagine we are expected to believe . Terrible book.,
March 10, 2024
Not what I expected at all. The title definitely misleads readers. The second story had a talking cat. lol
March 17, 2019
Not exactly what I expected, it's actually a collection of short tales, but once I figured out what it really was (prompting a re-read) I found it to be a little disturbing yet still thought provoking. I wished the endings of these tales were were more conclusive, but perhaps that was the point. The lack of clear conclusion has left some of the tales with me after the fact.
October 20, 2023
"Nevertheless, bear in mind this warning. These accounts are not for the faint of heart. Lunacy, in any form, is accompanied by a sortie of distorted imagery. If one truly wishes to appreciate the aforementioned complexities of mental illness, thereby better understanding the tormented mind, then the following accounts are prescribed as a few milligrams of insanity. —" - copied from the forward -
While I can appreciate the desire to help give a better understanding towards mental illness, this book was just fantasy. There was no talk of mental illness within the book and truthfully, no way for it to be anything but fantasy.
Within one story, a cat telepathically speaks to a character, manipulating him into wanting to eat his own severed leg. When said character dies, the cat moves onto a new victim. This is not mental illness as mental illness isn't contagious, it's not something that leaps from one person to the next. Also how is this a "case study"? Did the second person somehow magically learn exactly what the first person went through, even when alone?
The final story in this series deal heavily with death. Darcy's neighbor commits suicide via jumping off a bridge and her teenaged daughter dies by trying to save the man but Darcy refuses to accept the death and convinces herself that her daughter is still alive. It's strange to me that, at no point, did any of her friends or other neighbors try to get her help when they realised she was hallucinating Kat being alive. It also makes me wonder if the authors know anything about overdosing as one of Darcy's neighbors comes to visit and Darcy reminisces to herself that he often crashes on her couch when he OD's on drugs. Overdose is extremely painful and if he were constantly overdosing, why was she not calling him an ambulance or trying to get him medical help? Why was he still alive?
Had this book been solely made to be short, mostly fantasy, stories regarding death and ghosts, perhaps I would have rated it better.
Nothing in this book helped normalize mental illness or make it more understandable, if anything, it probably made things more confusing to people who read this with no understanding of mental illness and how it affects people.
While I can appreciate the desire to help give a better understanding towards mental illness, this book was just fantasy. There was no talk of mental illness within the book and truthfully, no way for it to be anything but fantasy.
Within one story, a cat telepathically speaks to a character, manipulating him into wanting to eat his own severed leg. When said character dies, the cat moves onto a new victim. This is not mental illness as mental illness isn't contagious, it's not something that leaps from one person to the next. Also how is this a "case study"? Did the second person somehow magically learn exactly what the first person went through, even when alone?
The final story in this series deal heavily with death. Darcy's neighbor commits suicide via jumping off a bridge and her teenaged daughter dies by trying to save the man but Darcy refuses to accept the death and convinces herself that her daughter is still alive. It's strange to me that, at no point, did any of her friends or other neighbors try to get her help when they realised she was hallucinating Kat being alive. It also makes me wonder if the authors know anything about overdosing as one of Darcy's neighbors comes to visit and Darcy reminisces to herself that he often crashes on her couch when he OD's on drugs. Overdose is extremely painful and if he were constantly overdosing, why was she not calling him an ambulance or trying to get him medical help? Why was he still alive?
Had this book been solely made to be short, mostly fantasy, stories regarding death and ghosts, perhaps I would have rated it better.
Nothing in this book helped normalize mental illness or make it more understandable, if anything, it probably made things more confusing to people who read this with no understanding of mental illness and how it affects people.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 25, 2021
Three unrelated tales, with one thing in common; they are all creepy as hell and based on true accounts from the insane.
First is The Dead Inside, by Richard Dutcher. Eric was just blowing out the candles on his 12th birthday cake when the call came that Grandpa George had died. But this wasn't a surprise to Eric, because he already knew Grandpa would die.
Second comes Folie à Deux, by Jaron Briggs. Harold lay with one leg trapped under his crashed Aston Martin, when he heard a disembodied voice telling him he's going to lose that leg. When he demanded they show themselves, a cat emerged, and it seems to know everything about him.
Last, but certainly not least, is Death Toll, by David Farland. D'Arcy and her daughter Kat, watched in vain as their neighbour Sonny threw himself off a bridge to his death, despite Kat's instinctive efforts to save him. Their attempts at comforting his family were rebuffed and later they learned that Sonny's son had also committed suicide at the same spot. What is going on at that bridge?
I was looking for a short story to read in between books when this was recommended. Each story was eerie and a little disturbing. All were very well written and totally held my attention until I had finished. It's there a paranormal element to these accounts, or are they simply the products of disturbed minds? I did like the characters from the first and last stories and empathised with their positions, but I couldn't make any connection with those in the middle story. This meant the story had less of an impact with me.
Overall I enjoyed the book and now look forward to reading volumes 2 and 3. I gave Asylum Archives Vol1 four stars,,
First is The Dead Inside, by Richard Dutcher. Eric was just blowing out the candles on his 12th birthday cake when the call came that Grandpa George had died. But this wasn't a surprise to Eric, because he already knew Grandpa would die.
Second comes Folie à Deux, by Jaron Briggs. Harold lay with one leg trapped under his crashed Aston Martin, when he heard a disembodied voice telling him he's going to lose that leg. When he demanded they show themselves, a cat emerged, and it seems to know everything about him.
Last, but certainly not least, is Death Toll, by David Farland. D'Arcy and her daughter Kat, watched in vain as their neighbour Sonny threw himself off a bridge to his death, despite Kat's instinctive efforts to save him. Their attempts at comforting his family were rebuffed and later they learned that Sonny's son had also committed suicide at the same spot. What is going on at that bridge?
I was looking for a short story to read in between books when this was recommended. Each story was eerie and a little disturbing. All were very well written and totally held my attention until I had finished. It's there a paranormal element to these accounts, or are they simply the products of disturbed minds? I did like the characters from the first and last stories and empathised with their positions, but I couldn't make any connection with those in the middle story. This meant the story had less of an impact with me.
Overall I enjoyed the book and now look forward to reading volumes 2 and 3. I gave Asylum Archives Vol1 four stars,,
July 4, 2023
I accidentally read Vol. 2 before reading this and I recommend that you don't repeat my mistake as these stories as well as the introduction by the "M.D." provide marinating for everything that follows. I've not finished this one yet, but I've enjoyed it so much I've already decided on its 5 star rating. I think you'll agree once you've read it, too.
Story 1: The Dead Inside - a twelve year boy, Eric, is ushered into adulthood much too soon by the arrival and moving in of his mom's new boyfriend and the sudden death of his grandfather. This story touched my heart with its subject theme and I loved the ghostly encounter he has and thought the ending was just right given the protagonists sensitive age, though had he been older I wouldn't have minded a more permanent ending to Randall, the mom's boyfriend.
Story 2: Foile à Deux - what is it with talking cats this year? I keep encountering them! I suppose it's a good thing I love cats. In this tantalising story a wrecked medical malpractice lawyer has an auto accident which leaves him a partial amputee with a talking cat he's met on the lonely road where he crashed his car.
This story has a tongue in cheek humor to it that's not for those with weak stomachs, haha, I'm sorry I am amusing myself here. Anyway, the story leads to the strongest taboo we have in humanity. Yet it's terrifically funny as well or am I just that bent?
Story 1: The Dead Inside - a twelve year boy, Eric, is ushered into adulthood much too soon by the arrival and moving in of his mom's new boyfriend and the sudden death of his grandfather. This story touched my heart with its subject theme and I loved the ghostly encounter he has and thought the ending was just right given the protagonists sensitive age, though had he been older I wouldn't have minded a more permanent ending to Randall, the mom's boyfriend.
Story 2: Foile à Deux - what is it with talking cats this year? I keep encountering them! I suppose it's a good thing I love cats. In this tantalising story a wrecked medical malpractice lawyer has an auto accident which leaves him a partial amputee with a talking cat he's met on the lonely road where he crashed his car.
This story has a tongue in cheek humor to it that's not for those with weak stomachs, haha, I'm sorry I am amusing myself here. Anyway, the story leads to the strongest taboo we have in humanity. Yet it's terrifically funny as well or am I just that bent?
September 9, 2022
Three short stories and they all fell flat to me.
In the first story, 2 young boys are being groomed by their moms boyfriend. When their grandfather dies, his ghost speaks to one of the boys and convinces him that he needs to get rid of the boyfriend. The boy threatens the boyfriend with a knife and the boyfriend leaves.
In the second story, a wealthy medical malpractice attorney is in a car wreck. He ends up losing his leg but a talking cat convinces him to ask the doctor for the amputated limb to eat. The attorney obliged and has his chef cook the leg but the cat attacks the chef for eating a bite of the leg.
The last story is about a mother and daughter stumbling across their neighbor committing suicide. The neighbor throws himself off of a bridge and the daughter jumps in after him to save him. The story continues as if the mother and daughter are feeling sad for the neighbors family but it turns out that the daughter really died trying to save the neighbor and the mom hasn't faced the truth yet.
In the first story, 2 young boys are being groomed by their moms boyfriend. When their grandfather dies, his ghost speaks to one of the boys and convinces him that he needs to get rid of the boyfriend. The boy threatens the boyfriend with a knife and the boyfriend leaves.
In the second story, a wealthy medical malpractice attorney is in a car wreck. He ends up losing his leg but a talking cat convinces him to ask the doctor for the amputated limb to eat. The attorney obliged and has his chef cook the leg but the cat attacks the chef for eating a bite of the leg.
The last story is about a mother and daughter stumbling across their neighbor committing suicide. The neighbor throws himself off of a bridge and the daughter jumps in after him to save him. The story continues as if the mother and daughter are feeling sad for the neighbors family but it turns out that the daughter really died trying to save the neighbor and the mom hasn't faced the truth yet.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 18, 2021
These books were recommended after I really enjoyed the 'I'm a Therapist' series. However for me these just didn't compare.
There are 3 short stories that read like mini teen horrors. I get that that may have been what the author was intending to happen but it didn't really work for me considering the description states they are story from 'real asylum archives'.
Whilst the first story about young Eric speaking to his grandads ghost and finding some strength and couragedid make a good story, I'm not really sure how I felt about the Satanic Cat story..
The stories were definitely imaginative though, and I guess if you try then you can make the links to psychological distress (but not any asylum references). It was a very quick read.
There are 3 short stories that read like mini teen horrors. I get that that may have been what the author was intending to happen but it didn't really work for me considering the description states they are story from 'real asylum archives'.
Whilst the first story about young Eric speaking to his grandads ghost and finding some strength and couragedid make a good story, I'm not really sure how I felt about the Satanic Cat story..
The stories were definitely imaginative though, and I guess if you try then you can make the links to psychological distress (but not any asylum references). It was a very quick read.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 18, 2021
A small selection of thought provoking tales.
For some reason I thought this book might actually be set in an asylum, but it isn't. It's just three tales surrounding hard to explain situations.
On reflection, I don't think the title really holds to the actual stories. I would very much hesitate to call the stories "accounts from the insane". While they do reflect different ways that the brain and emotional and mental health can decive someone I feel that it's less dramatic than the title leads you to belive.
2.5 stars for feeling misled. 3 starts for the stories themselves. They were interesting enough for me to finish, at least.
For some reason I thought this book might actually be set in an asylum, but it isn't. It's just three tales surrounding hard to explain situations.
On reflection, I don't think the title really holds to the actual stories. I would very much hesitate to call the stories "accounts from the insane". While they do reflect different ways that the brain and emotional and mental health can decive someone I feel that it's less dramatic than the title leads you to belive.
2.5 stars for feeling misled. 3 starts for the stories themselves. They were interesting enough for me to finish, at least.
January 29, 2022
Meh... Something wrong with it
**Contains spoilers**
.
.
.
.
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Some things didn't add up in the first story.
These are supposed to be cases from an asylum but the guy died. Therefore he wasn't in an asylum.
If the crash caused him to hallucinate the cat talking/turn to cannibalism, then how did it then jump to the sous chef?
The opening said that this was how the patients believed the events happened but... He died. So it didn't add up, he couldn't have ended up in an asylum and ruined it all for me.
I read a couple pages of the second story but it didn't hold my interest so I DNF. It just lacked depth for me which is a shame because I wanted to like it.
**Contains spoilers**
.
.
.
.
.
Some things didn't add up in the first story.
These are supposed to be cases from an asylum but the guy died. Therefore he wasn't in an asylum.
If the crash caused him to hallucinate the cat talking/turn to cannibalism, then how did it then jump to the sous chef?
The opening said that this was how the patients believed the events happened but... He died. So it didn't add up, he couldn't have ended up in an asylum and ruined it all for me.
I read a couple pages of the second story but it didn't hold my interest so I DNF. It just lacked depth for me which is a shame because I wanted to like it.
May 13, 2024
Mediocre horror short stories disguised as something more. The title of this one is misleading, resulting in the stories themselves to be disappointing. The collection only contains three short stories and only the last one was particularly compelling. I'm not entirely convinced of the validity of the book's claim that the stories are "retellings of real hallucinations as narrative works" as all three are very formulaic and as someone with a complex mental illness, don't come across as organic, rather as deliberately written.
Disappointing.
Disappointing.
August 7, 2024
I'm unsure of what this book was trying to be.
When I first started reading, even by the title, I thought this was going to be a book with confessions from those insane. But it just read like a collection of short stories. Which is a little disappointing because the prelude was written so well and set the idea of what we were going to get. Unfortunately, it didn't live up to what I was lead to believe. Granted, the stories are very well written and entertaining in their own right. I just wish it made it clear what I was reading.
When I first started reading, even by the title, I thought this was going to be a book with confessions from those insane. But it just read like a collection of short stories. Which is a little disappointing because the prelude was written so well and set the idea of what we were going to get. Unfortunately, it didn't live up to what I was lead to believe. Granted, the stories are very well written and entertaining in their own right. I just wish it made it clear what I was reading.
June 2, 2021
I just didn't get this collection of short stories. I think I was expecting it to be more about lives of people in an Asylum, when in fact it is more about people that have mental health issues. I would have given this a lower rating, but I feel it was a misunderstanding on my part of what the stories would be.
The first short story was the worst out of the collection and the last one was the best.
I can't say that I would read any more in the series, as they just didn't grip me.
The first short story was the worst out of the collection and the last one was the best.
I can't say that I would read any more in the series, as they just didn't grip me.
April 22, 2025
such a letdown. the only reason it's not a 1 star is bc I enjoyed the last story.
That one I could see it being an account of a grieving mother. the cat story was fine, a little wtf is going on, but other than that, I enjoyed it for a short horror story. Nowhere did I think that it had anything to with a tale of a criminally insane person. Not gonna lie, I don't even remember what yhe first story was about.
That one I could see it being an account of a grieving mother. the cat story was fine, a little wtf is going on, but other than that, I enjoyed it for a short horror story. Nowhere did I think that it had anything to with a tale of a criminally insane person. Not gonna lie, I don't even remember what yhe first story was about.
October 3, 2025
Not really sure what to think about this book. I guess I had different expectations for it, but it was a quick read, and the stories were creepy but good. Interesting overall, just not really sure how I feel about it. Like it was missing something, or the name leads you to believe it would be from someone who interviewed people in an asylum, or heard their stories while working there, and this was definitely not that.
May 14, 2017
I was disappointed with this book. Felt it to be a waste of $$ it was NOT scary. It didn't live up to the hype given the current reviews of it on Amazon. This could have been a lot better, but for what it was, was ok. Just nothing to really rave about. I only half liked it. Mostly disappointed with it.
September 14, 2021
This wasn't what I thought it'd be....but the short stories were still interesting. I thought it was real case studies of patients that suffered in an Asylum. But it was just fictional stories of weird things that happened. None of the stories had good ending though so....thats why they get a three star. Very interesting, but I didn't see the point.
January 28, 2023
Last story was a little weird
I enjoyed this book, a little weird, but then again I enjoy weird. Last one was really weird. But I do enjoy these Asylum stories. Got this free with as a loan with Kindle. Was a good trade. Return after reading, and I can get another in this series. Good deal I think.
I enjoyed this book, a little weird, but then again I enjoy weird. Last one was really weird. But I do enjoy these Asylum stories. Got this free with as a loan with Kindle. Was a good trade. Return after reading, and I can get another in this series. Good deal I think.
February 16, 2023
I went into this book knowing it was going to be a collection of short stories, as I had read multiple reviews saying it wasn't "True Accounts from the Insane." If you read this book knowing it will be incredibly different than advertised, it's pretty good. It was entertaining and very quick to read.
May 17, 2017
Four stars for "Folie A Deux.".The best story in this set, IMO, was Folie A Deux. I would like to read more from that author. The first story was engaging and I thought the third was a little strange, but I found Folie A Deux to be quite what I expected from a book of this nature.
June 3, 2017
I enjoyed all three of the stories but I was sorry to only see three. I thought each were perhaps not quite as scary as advertised but all were entertaining and well written. I would read more of their work.
May 15, 2020
This book was definitely not what I expected when I started reading it. I was expecting it to be more like a "documentary." It is really a few short stories. I don't know how true they are, but they made me think. That being said, I did enjoy reading it and will be reading the next one soon.
August 28, 2020
Great short stories
Although I fail to see what this has to do with asylums, I enjoyed the stories none the less. It reminded me of the old Alfred Hitchcock stories I read as a kid. You will breeze right through this trilogy.
Although I fail to see what this has to do with asylums, I enjoyed the stories none the less. It reminded me of the old Alfred Hitchcock stories I read as a kid. You will breeze right through this trilogy.
October 20, 2020
Nifty
This was a great collection of creepy psychological stories. They were all well written and made the reader ask questions all the way through, often with a nice twisty ending or something that came full circle. I loved them. I will read volume 2.
This was a great collection of creepy psychological stories. They were all well written and made the reader ask questions all the way through, often with a nice twisty ending or something that came full circle. I loved them. I will read volume 2.
November 17, 2020
Mind-blowing
I enjoyed every single word of this book. The details made it easy to visualize the scenes in my mind's eye and become fully engrossed in each story. Great effort from all of the authors.
I enjoyed every single word of this book. The details made it easy to visualize the scenes in my mind's eye and become fully engrossed in each story. Great effort from all of the authors.
April 10, 2021
Wow
I am still in shock over the last story in this book. I'm not sure how much the human heart can take but I'm sure that this would drive me 'OVER' the bridge.
I thought it was real. I'm sure somewhere it is
I am still in shock over the last story in this book. I'm not sure how much the human heart can take but I'm sure that this would drive me 'OVER' the bridge.
I thought it was real. I'm sure somewhere it is
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