Jump to ratings and reviews
Rate this book

Nocturnal Screams #2

Ode to Classics: Nocturnal Screams: Volume 2

Rate this book
Screams echo through the thick darkness of night in this second short collection of three horror tales from the dark mind of Mark Leslie. This time the screams are an ode to the classic masters of short fiction and horrific tales.

MEMENTO MORI: A CURIOUS NIGHTMARE: Inspired by the short story "A Curious Dream" this tale draws from the same sentiment Twain was projecting regarding the ill regard the living have with "taking of the deceased." Only, in this tale, the repercussions of such neglect are far more serious.

THE RITUAL OF THE DRAWING: Inspired by the small-town rituals that made Shirley Jackson's "The Lottery" such a memorably chilling tale, this tale explores how a town might attempt to survive in peace and prosperity with a monster in their midst.

PROSPERO'S GHOST: When, decades after his death, university employees begin to digitally replicate the precious copy of Shakespeare's 1861 folio edition, renowned scholar Dr. Marshall Emerson returns from beyond the grave to put a stop to the blasphemy.

Volume 2 of Nocturnal Screams contains three short tales of terror designed to both send a chill down your spine as well as allow you to reflect upon the original texts and storytellers who helped inspire them. The stories and the accompanying "behind the screams" notes from the author comprise approximately 13,500 words.

53 pages, Kindle Edition

First published May 22, 2017

13 people are currently reading
31 people want to read

About the author

Mark Leslie

124 books177 followers
Mark is a writer, editor and bookseller who was born and grew up in Sudbury, spent many years in Ottawa and Hamilton and currently lives in Waterloo, Ontario.

When he is not writing, he tacks "Lefebvre" back onto his name and works as a book industry consultant, having been a bookseller since the 1992, the same year his first short story was published.

Apart from publishing novels and non-fiction paranormal explorations under the name Mark Leslie, having works occasionally appearing on his mother's refrigerator door under the name Mark Lefebvre, and podcasting and consulting about the book industry under the name Mark Leslie Lefebvre for his Stark Publishing/Stark Reflections brand, Mark is a lover of craft beer.

When he's not enjoying craft beer or playing around with his three given names, he can usually be found wandering, awestruck through bookstores or libraries.

Ratings & Reviews

What do you think?
Rate this book

Friends & Following

Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!

Community Reviews

5 stars
4 (22%)
4 stars
3 (16%)
3 stars
8 (44%)
2 stars
3 (16%)
1 star
0 (0%)
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
Profile Image for Richard Dominguez.
958 reviews128 followers
August 4, 2023
A pleasant surprise, while the stories are short they did engage me and hold my attention. Aptly named, they author did a good job of bring new interest to these 3 classic shorts while adding his touch of horror to each. Of the three shorts I can honestly say the second story a tribute to Ms Jackson's "The Lottery" (The Ritual of The Drawing) is my favorite.
The author also includes a kind of behind the scenes at the end of the book sighting inspirations and the wherefores of each story.

A nice little collection that I found enjoyable
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews

Can't find what you're looking for?

Get help and learn more about the design.