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Tales from The Lake, Vol. 4
The Legend Continues…
Twenty-four heart-rending tales with elements of terror, mystery, and a nightmarish darkness that knows no end.
Welcome to my lake. Welcome to where dreams and hope are illusions…and pain is God.
• This anthology begins with Joe R. Lansdale’s The Folding Man, one of his darkest stories ever written.
• Kealan Patrick Burke’s Go Warily After Dark pulls us into a desolated world, and reminds us of the price of survival: a guilt that seeps into the marrow.
• Damien Angelica Walter’s Everything Hurts, Until it Doesn’t places us in the middle of a family whose secrets and traditions are thicker than blood.
• Jennifer Loring’s When the Dead Come Home explores a loss so dark, that even the stars are sucked into its melancholic vacuum.
In the spirit of popular Dark Fiction and Horror anthologies such as Gutted: Beautiful Horror Stories and Behold: Oddities, Curiosities and Undefinable Wonders, and the best of Stephen King’s short fiction, comes Crystal Lake Publishing’s Tales from The Lake anthologies.
This fourth volume of Speculative Fiction contains the following short stories:
• Joe R. Lansdale – The Folding Man
• Jennifer Loring – When the Dead Come Home
• Kealan Patrick Burke – Go Warily After Dark
• T. E. Grau – To the Hills
• Damien Angelica Walters – Everything Hurts, Until it Doesn’t
• Sheldon Higdon – Drowning in Sorrow
• Max Booth III – Whenever You Exhale, I Inhale
• Bruce Golden – The Withering
• JG Faherty – Grave Secrets
• Hunter Liguore – End of the Hall
• David Dunwoody – Snowmen
• Timothy G. Arsenault – Pieces of Me
• Maria Alexander – Neighborhood Watchers
• Timothy Johnson – The Story of Jessie and Me
• Michael Bailey – I will be the Reflection Until the End
• E.E. King – The Honeymoon’s Over
• Darren Speegle – Song in a Sundress
• Cynthia Ward – Weighing In
• Michael Haynes – Reliving the Past
• Leigh M. Lane – The Long Haul
• Mark Cassell – Dust Devils
• Del Howison – Liminality
• Gene O’ Neill – The Gardener
• Jeff Cercone – Condo by the Lake
With an introduction by editor Ben Eads. Cover art by Ben Baldwin. Proudly represented by Crystal Lake Publishing – Tales from The Darkest Depths.
Twenty-four heart-rending tales with elements of terror, mystery, and a nightmarish darkness that knows no end.
Welcome to my lake. Welcome to where dreams and hope are illusions…and pain is God.
• This anthology begins with Joe R. Lansdale’s The Folding Man, one of his darkest stories ever written.
• Kealan Patrick Burke’s Go Warily After Dark pulls us into a desolated world, and reminds us of the price of survival: a guilt that seeps into the marrow.
• Damien Angelica Walter’s Everything Hurts, Until it Doesn’t places us in the middle of a family whose secrets and traditions are thicker than blood.
• Jennifer Loring’s When the Dead Come Home explores a loss so dark, that even the stars are sucked into its melancholic vacuum.
In the spirit of popular Dark Fiction and Horror anthologies such as Gutted: Beautiful Horror Stories and Behold: Oddities, Curiosities and Undefinable Wonders, and the best of Stephen King’s short fiction, comes Crystal Lake Publishing’s Tales from The Lake anthologies.
This fourth volume of Speculative Fiction contains the following short stories:
• Joe R. Lansdale – The Folding Man
• Jennifer Loring – When the Dead Come Home
• Kealan Patrick Burke – Go Warily After Dark
• T. E. Grau – To the Hills
• Damien Angelica Walters – Everything Hurts, Until it Doesn’t
• Sheldon Higdon – Drowning in Sorrow
• Max Booth III – Whenever You Exhale, I Inhale
• Bruce Golden – The Withering
• JG Faherty – Grave Secrets
• Hunter Liguore – End of the Hall
• David Dunwoody – Snowmen
• Timothy G. Arsenault – Pieces of Me
• Maria Alexander – Neighborhood Watchers
• Timothy Johnson – The Story of Jessie and Me
• Michael Bailey – I will be the Reflection Until the End
• E.E. King – The Honeymoon’s Over
• Darren Speegle – Song in a Sundress
• Cynthia Ward – Weighing In
• Michael Haynes – Reliving the Past
• Leigh M. Lane – The Long Haul
• Mark Cassell – Dust Devils
• Del Howison – Liminality
• Gene O’ Neill – The Gardener
• Jeff Cercone – Condo by the Lake
With an introduction by editor Ben Eads. Cover art by Ben Baldwin. Proudly represented by Crystal Lake Publishing – Tales from The Darkest Depths.
266 pages, Kindle Edition
First published October 27, 2017
About the author
Ben Eads
13 books37 followersBen Eads lives within the semi-tropical suburbs of Central Florida. A true horror writer by heart, he wrote his first story at the tender age of ten. The look on the teacher’s face when she read it was priceless. However, his classmates loved it! Ben has had short stories published in various magazines and anthologies. When he isn’t writing, he dabbles in martial arts, philosophy and specializes in I.T. security. He’s always looking to find new ways to infect reader’s imaginations. Ben blames Arthur Machen, H.P. Lovecraft, Jorge Luis Borges, J.G. Ballard, Philip K. Dick, and Stephen King for his addiction, and his need to push the envelope of fiction.
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Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews
October 25, 2017
Review: TALES FROM THE LAKE, VOLUME 4. Edited by Ben Eads.
Every single title I have read from Crystal Lake Publishing (many), whether Anthology, single author collection, novella, or novel, has surpassed excellence. Here in the newest Tales From the Lake Anthology are 24 stories of exceptional quality.
"When the Dead Come Home " by Jennifer Loring . I love a story which brings an unexpected ending, a twist, a surprising denouement. I especially love a story which speaks truth to power, which brings revelation to suffering characters so that they can say, "So THIS is what really happened, THIS is the cause of my tragedy; I'm still suffering, but at least I know why, and now I can choose how to act." A story like this brings closure to me as reader.
"The Folding Man" by Joe R. Lansdale. I had first read this quite some time ago, but you know what? Today it is no less frightening. The implacability! Some horrors you just can't escape.
"Go Warily After Dark " by Kealan Patrick Burke. Every thinking human ought to be terrified of war. But even the imminence of the bombing didn't terrify me as much as what's in that basement.
"To the Hills" by T. E. Grau. Oh my. I am all over chills from this story. What a powerful impact. The end of the world is here--or is it?
"Everything Hurts, Until It Doesn't" by Damien Angelica Walters. Very New Weird--in this story, pretty much everybody wear masks, and nobody speaks truth--until it's too late.
"Drowning in Sorrow" by Sheldon Higdon. Almost nobody wins here: not the fish, not the boy Simon, not his mother. Yet the story is so beautifully written, and so heartfelt, and the character evolution is so seamless. Anger can't carry us forever; eventually, like entropy, psychological decompensation sets in. Then we are either able to face what we remember; or we aren't. A terribly beautiful and beautifully terrible tale, this is one of my favourites in this volume.
"Whenever You Exhale, I Inhale" by Max Brooks III. Another favourite. This story reaches heavenly heights, crashes into the depths of Hades, and climbs up yet again. Mr. Brooks puts character behind the face of hate, and may well demonstrate, "Love Conquers All." Beautifully conceived and written.
"The Withering" by Bruce Golden. In a society in which "thought is deed," even imagination can be adjudged heresy. I thought of Galileo.
"Grave Secrets" by JG Flaherty. I adored the Lovecraftian flavour! Finely written, with a definite implacability, nearly inescapable. The illusions promoted by whatever otherworldly forces are present in and around the community of Rocky Point are akin to the glamour used by the Fae, and exactly as effective at trapping the unwary.
"The End of the Hall" by Hunter Liguore. Not your usual haunted house story, but oh how well it all fits together. Heart-pounding and heartwarming.
"Snowmen" by David Dunwoody. Almost dark fantasy rather than dark horror; perhaps even grimdark. A puzzler, which kept me pondering through the story, and after.
"Pieces of Me" by T. G. Arsenault. A forest similar to Japan's Suicide Forest at Mount Aokigawa, but this one empty of bodies. The explanation isn't pretty--but it is implacable.
"Neighborhood Watchers" by Maria Alexander. What a great {scary!} story, especially reading just one week prior to Samhain. We've all heard of, perhaps participated in, "Neighborhood Watch" associations, in which residents cooperate to keep aware of strangers and potential trouble in their area. In this story, the Neighborhood Watch is something else! It's essential, it's lifesaving--and ignored at one's own risk. The entities these neighbors guard against are otherworldly--and they don't play.
"The Story of Jessie and Me" by Michael Johnson. I think sometimes we forget that any apocalypse is going to mean danger. There's going to be death, and killing, and starvation and lack of water, plague, fighting over resources. This story reminds us, but it also vivifies the resonance of the human spirit. Even in an apocalypse, some can exhibit compassion, love, kindness, treating others as important. I came away, not with despair, but with hope.
"I Will Be The Reflection Until The End" by Michael Bailey. Occasionally the world is gifted with an Old Soul, and while the world benefits, the Old Soul, so much more advanced, suffers from human failings but also from environmental damage. All things, after all, are living. This story is a beautiful expression of this principle.
"The Honeymoon's Over" by E. E. King. This story ably combined heartwarming and sad--until the end, when it mutated to frightening. For reasons I won't divulge in order not to spoil the story's impact, I found it personally unsettling. In fact, I thought about it during the night, in between sleeps--puzzling and pondering. Likely I shall not be the only reader so affected.
"Song in a Sundress" by Darren Speegle. Too good to be easily encapsulated, this tale is poignant, encouraging, and definitely frightening.
"Weighing In" by Cynthia Ward. I do prefer my horror implacable (what fun is it if the horror is escapable?) and here the danger takes a form perfect for its setting. I really enjoyed it.
"Reliving the Past" by Michael Haynes. Scary! (quite) Sad! Excellent! "The house that could not die" ....
"The Long Haul" by Leigh M. Lane. Immensely sad. Cryable. Implacability mixed with avoidability: "if only I'd known...."
"Dust Devils" by Mark Cassell. Really wildly imaginative in its construct of horror. Definite Lovecraftian Mythos overtones both in the specific monstrousness, and also in the admonishment between the lines that too much attempt to gain knowledge will drive humans mad...or dead.
"Liminality" by Del Howison. A pointed example of "Pride goeth before a fall," or alternatively, no matter how convinced you are of your own superiority, think again--your pride will cost you--permanently.
"The Gardener" by Gene O'Neill. I was torn between sympathy for the young-boy-who-was, with his sad childhood, and anger and dismay at the adult consequences. Very unexpected denouement.
"Condo by the Lake" by Jeff Cercone. Nothing but sadness coupled with horror here. Well done, and the horror is demonstrably implacable. One of my favourites.
Every single title I have read from Crystal Lake Publishing (many), whether Anthology, single author collection, novella, or novel, has surpassed excellence. Here in the newest Tales From the Lake Anthology are 24 stories of exceptional quality.
"When the Dead Come Home " by Jennifer Loring . I love a story which brings an unexpected ending, a twist, a surprising denouement. I especially love a story which speaks truth to power, which brings revelation to suffering characters so that they can say, "So THIS is what really happened, THIS is the cause of my tragedy; I'm still suffering, but at least I know why, and now I can choose how to act." A story like this brings closure to me as reader.
"The Folding Man" by Joe R. Lansdale. I had first read this quite some time ago, but you know what? Today it is no less frightening. The implacability! Some horrors you just can't escape.
"Go Warily After Dark " by Kealan Patrick Burke. Every thinking human ought to be terrified of war. But even the imminence of the bombing didn't terrify me as much as what's in that basement.
"To the Hills" by T. E. Grau. Oh my. I am all over chills from this story. What a powerful impact. The end of the world is here--or is it?
"Everything Hurts, Until It Doesn't" by Damien Angelica Walters. Very New Weird--in this story, pretty much everybody wear masks, and nobody speaks truth--until it's too late.
"Drowning in Sorrow" by Sheldon Higdon. Almost nobody wins here: not the fish, not the boy Simon, not his mother. Yet the story is so beautifully written, and so heartfelt, and the character evolution is so seamless. Anger can't carry us forever; eventually, like entropy, psychological decompensation sets in. Then we are either able to face what we remember; or we aren't. A terribly beautiful and beautifully terrible tale, this is one of my favourites in this volume.
"Whenever You Exhale, I Inhale" by Max Brooks III. Another favourite. This story reaches heavenly heights, crashes into the depths of Hades, and climbs up yet again. Mr. Brooks puts character behind the face of hate, and may well demonstrate, "Love Conquers All." Beautifully conceived and written.
"The Withering" by Bruce Golden. In a society in which "thought is deed," even imagination can be adjudged heresy. I thought of Galileo.
"Grave Secrets" by JG Flaherty. I adored the Lovecraftian flavour! Finely written, with a definite implacability, nearly inescapable. The illusions promoted by whatever otherworldly forces are present in and around the community of Rocky Point are akin to the glamour used by the Fae, and exactly as effective at trapping the unwary.
"The End of the Hall" by Hunter Liguore. Not your usual haunted house story, but oh how well it all fits together. Heart-pounding and heartwarming.
"Snowmen" by David Dunwoody. Almost dark fantasy rather than dark horror; perhaps even grimdark. A puzzler, which kept me pondering through the story, and after.
"Pieces of Me" by T. G. Arsenault. A forest similar to Japan's Suicide Forest at Mount Aokigawa, but this one empty of bodies. The explanation isn't pretty--but it is implacable.
"Neighborhood Watchers" by Maria Alexander. What a great {scary!} story, especially reading just one week prior to Samhain. We've all heard of, perhaps participated in, "Neighborhood Watch" associations, in which residents cooperate to keep aware of strangers and potential trouble in their area. In this story, the Neighborhood Watch is something else! It's essential, it's lifesaving--and ignored at one's own risk. The entities these neighbors guard against are otherworldly--and they don't play.
"The Story of Jessie and Me" by Michael Johnson. I think sometimes we forget that any apocalypse is going to mean danger. There's going to be death, and killing, and starvation and lack of water, plague, fighting over resources. This story reminds us, but it also vivifies the resonance of the human spirit. Even in an apocalypse, some can exhibit compassion, love, kindness, treating others as important. I came away, not with despair, but with hope.
"I Will Be The Reflection Until The End" by Michael Bailey. Occasionally the world is gifted with an Old Soul, and while the world benefits, the Old Soul, so much more advanced, suffers from human failings but also from environmental damage. All things, after all, are living. This story is a beautiful expression of this principle.
"The Honeymoon's Over" by E. E. King. This story ably combined heartwarming and sad--until the end, when it mutated to frightening. For reasons I won't divulge in order not to spoil the story's impact, I found it personally unsettling. In fact, I thought about it during the night, in between sleeps--puzzling and pondering. Likely I shall not be the only reader so affected.
"Song in a Sundress" by Darren Speegle. Too good to be easily encapsulated, this tale is poignant, encouraging, and definitely frightening.
"Weighing In" by Cynthia Ward. I do prefer my horror implacable (what fun is it if the horror is escapable?) and here the danger takes a form perfect for its setting. I really enjoyed it.
"Reliving the Past" by Michael Haynes. Scary! (quite) Sad! Excellent! "The house that could not die" ....
"The Long Haul" by Leigh M. Lane. Immensely sad. Cryable. Implacability mixed with avoidability: "if only I'd known...."
"Dust Devils" by Mark Cassell. Really wildly imaginative in its construct of horror. Definite Lovecraftian Mythos overtones both in the specific monstrousness, and also in the admonishment between the lines that too much attempt to gain knowledge will drive humans mad...or dead.
"Liminality" by Del Howison. A pointed example of "Pride goeth before a fall," or alternatively, no matter how convinced you are of your own superiority, think again--your pride will cost you--permanently.
"The Gardener" by Gene O'Neill. I was torn between sympathy for the young-boy-who-was, with his sad childhood, and anger and dismay at the adult consequences. Very unexpected denouement.
"Condo by the Lake" by Jeff Cercone. Nothing but sadness coupled with horror here. Well done, and the horror is demonstrably implacable. One of my favourites.
October 26, 2017
This is a tantalizing anthology of Halloween type thrills that can be read any time. Topics such as cancer, ghosts, nuns, weight loss and a cute little puppy blend together to create an atmosphere of fear that will keep you awake long past bedtime! A mesmerizing assortment of the best horror authors and their finest scariness!
October 25, 2017
I have just finished reading this anthology and thought it was fantastic. I really enjoyed the variety in the stories. There were some brilliant concepts that I hadn't come across before, which always piques my interest. Great talent in this book. My favourites being "The Folding Man" from Joe R. Lansdale. Following Jim and his troop of friends as they make a stupid decision on halloween and learn very quickly not to bother nuns on a road alone at night. "Neighbourhood Watchers" by Maria Alexander. This story (my favourite in the book) was compelling and I loved the interaction between the characters, It follows Beth and Dan, new to the neighbourhood, they learn what it is to follow the rules, and suffer the consequences. "The Long Haul" by Leighton M. Lane. This story tugs at your heart strings, and is a horror not held within the supernatural but within the destructive nature of our own decisions. Classic, emotionally driven horror. Last but not least "Dust Devils" by Mark Cassell. I am a fan of Mark's work and love when his short stories tie back to his larger works of fiction. This particular story follows his vein of textural writing. Things ooze, and flow, and pop. You tend to feel his stories as you read them. I highly reccomend you grab a copy of this book. It has a fantastic flow and features an array of brilliant talent, some well establish, some definitely on their way up!
October 26, 2017
Another great anthology from Crystal lake Publishing. Various authors with all great works in here. There is something for all horror fans here.
I got this ARC in exchange for an honest review
I got this ARC in exchange for an honest review
October 27, 2017
Crystal Lake keeps raising the bar. Tales from the Lake Vol.4 delivers a cornucopia of delights to satisfy even the most jaded of horror fans. Here we have the full spectrum, from creatures we thought we knew but are here reinvented, through psychological terror to hauntingly sad, ghostly manifestations. This collection evokes every emotion you could wish for and is one you will want to return to again and again - the quality of writing and standard of storytelling is so high.
October 27, 2017
In a short forward to TALES FROM THE LAKE VOLUME 4, editor Ben Eads states his objective to present “harrowing” stories and feature “dim and cold worlds.” His selection hits the marks in almost every case.
Despite the large page count and 24 separate authors, there are no “filler” stories in this collection. Every single tale is a quality read and worthy of inclusion. Each story fits well within the horror genre, with only a few exceptions. Other than that, there is no designated theme, which helps to deliver a collection that is both diverse and fresh.
There are only a few shared themes, with four different stories of survival during the end of the world and three stories dealing with the death of family members.
Ten stories are told by the main character. Usually, stories being told in the first person guarantee to readers that the narrator will survive. That is not the case in two instances. Another narrator experiences a monstrous transformation at the end. A fourth story concludes with a vague resolution that will leave readers wondering.
Nine of the 24 stories are exceptional, well above average and worthy of award consideration. Previously published “The Folding Man” by Joe R. Lansdale shares top honors with Damien Angelica Walters’ “Everything Hurts Until It Doesn’t” for best stories in this collection.
Lansdale tells a truly creepy story of a prank that turns nasty in a hurry. Three friends in various stages of inebriation leave a Halloween party and go joy-riding on the back roads. Jim thinks he’s mooning a car full of nuns. It turns out to be “the old black car” of local legend. The “nuns” have a secret weapon in the trunk - - a mechanical folding man enhanced by dark magic who takes after the friends in a gripping and disturbing midnight chase scene. It’s quirky and absurd but chilling nonetheless.
Walters’ story is a disturbing first person account of body horror, wherein two sisters continually cut each other to bleed the ugliness out.
The other most notable stories in TALES FROM THE LAKE VOLUME 4 are:
“To The Hills” by T E. Grau: A young girl whose father has prepared her with “dress rehearsal for the end of the world” awakes in the middle of the night to find events in progress. She flees with her father by truck to an isolated woodsy cabin where the story takes a mean-spirited twist. I enjoyed the story in spite of the author taking some liberties with the narration.
“End Of The Hall” by Hunter Liguore: A young boy is haunted by a late night visitor to his bedroom, who influences his exploration of a gathering area in the woods where history repeats itself.
“Pieces Of Me” by T. G. Arsenault: A vividly described journey of a walker who ignores the warning signs and enters a dense forest where he has a transformative experience. Arsenault’s depiction of the dangerous terrain is especially creative. The forest becomes a threatening and deadly protagonist. One of the best lines in the story occurs when the narrator discovers drug paraphernalia and instruments of violence scattered about: “ . . . a smorgasbord of euthanasia lay before me, no different than cold cuts behind the deli counter.”
“Neighborhood Watchers” by Maria Alexander: The new couple moving into a previously occupied home experience buyers’ remorse from hell. Beth accepts an invitation from a snoopy elderly woman to attend a Watchers meeting where she learns that she’s living at the crossroads between the living and the dead. Neglecting the specific duties of a Watcher will invite the demons to cross over. It’s a tongue it cheek story that both amuses and appalls.
“The Story Of Jessie And Me” by Timothy Johnson. An unspecified occurrence causes the fall of known civilization. Two survivors meet at a high school gym accepting refugees, band together, escape, and fall in love. It’s a bittersweet tale with a somewhat optimistic ending, beautifully told.
“Reliving The Past” by Michael Haynes. Upon release, an innocent prisoner convicted of murder sets out to dig up the past, visit a secluded and haunted house, and gain redemption for his fallen friends.
“Dust Devils” by Mark Cassell. The dust covering an ancient stone being studied by an archeologist (who’s also taking driving lessons from the narrator) takes on a life of its own and threatens the very foundations with dark cyclonic forces. The horrific descriptions are a loving homage to Lovecraftian themes.
The short biographies in the back of the collection provide welcome introductions to the authors, most of whom reside within the United States. Twelve of them are either winners, finalists or nominees for Bram Stoker awards and other distinctions.
Despite the large page count and 24 separate authors, there are no “filler” stories in this collection. Every single tale is a quality read and worthy of inclusion. Each story fits well within the horror genre, with only a few exceptions. Other than that, there is no designated theme, which helps to deliver a collection that is both diverse and fresh.
There are only a few shared themes, with four different stories of survival during the end of the world and three stories dealing with the death of family members.
Ten stories are told by the main character. Usually, stories being told in the first person guarantee to readers that the narrator will survive. That is not the case in two instances. Another narrator experiences a monstrous transformation at the end. A fourth story concludes with a vague resolution that will leave readers wondering.
Nine of the 24 stories are exceptional, well above average and worthy of award consideration. Previously published “The Folding Man” by Joe R. Lansdale shares top honors with Damien Angelica Walters’ “Everything Hurts Until It Doesn’t” for best stories in this collection.
Lansdale tells a truly creepy story of a prank that turns nasty in a hurry. Three friends in various stages of inebriation leave a Halloween party and go joy-riding on the back roads. Jim thinks he’s mooning a car full of nuns. It turns out to be “the old black car” of local legend. The “nuns” have a secret weapon in the trunk - - a mechanical folding man enhanced by dark magic who takes after the friends in a gripping and disturbing midnight chase scene. It’s quirky and absurd but chilling nonetheless.
Walters’ story is a disturbing first person account of body horror, wherein two sisters continually cut each other to bleed the ugliness out.
The other most notable stories in TALES FROM THE LAKE VOLUME 4 are:
“To The Hills” by T E. Grau: A young girl whose father has prepared her with “dress rehearsal for the end of the world” awakes in the middle of the night to find events in progress. She flees with her father by truck to an isolated woodsy cabin where the story takes a mean-spirited twist. I enjoyed the story in spite of the author taking some liberties with the narration.
“End Of The Hall” by Hunter Liguore: A young boy is haunted by a late night visitor to his bedroom, who influences his exploration of a gathering area in the woods where history repeats itself.
“Pieces Of Me” by T. G. Arsenault: A vividly described journey of a walker who ignores the warning signs and enters a dense forest where he has a transformative experience. Arsenault’s depiction of the dangerous terrain is especially creative. The forest becomes a threatening and deadly protagonist. One of the best lines in the story occurs when the narrator discovers drug paraphernalia and instruments of violence scattered about: “ . . . a smorgasbord of euthanasia lay before me, no different than cold cuts behind the deli counter.”
“Neighborhood Watchers” by Maria Alexander: The new couple moving into a previously occupied home experience buyers’ remorse from hell. Beth accepts an invitation from a snoopy elderly woman to attend a Watchers meeting where she learns that she’s living at the crossroads between the living and the dead. Neglecting the specific duties of a Watcher will invite the demons to cross over. It’s a tongue it cheek story that both amuses and appalls.
“The Story Of Jessie And Me” by Timothy Johnson. An unspecified occurrence causes the fall of known civilization. Two survivors meet at a high school gym accepting refugees, band together, escape, and fall in love. It’s a bittersweet tale with a somewhat optimistic ending, beautifully told.
“Reliving The Past” by Michael Haynes. Upon release, an innocent prisoner convicted of murder sets out to dig up the past, visit a secluded and haunted house, and gain redemption for his fallen friends.
“Dust Devils” by Mark Cassell. The dust covering an ancient stone being studied by an archeologist (who’s also taking driving lessons from the narrator) takes on a life of its own and threatens the very foundations with dark cyclonic forces. The horrific descriptions are a loving homage to Lovecraftian themes.
The short biographies in the back of the collection provide welcome introductions to the authors, most of whom reside within the United States. Twelve of them are either winners, finalists or nominees for Bram Stoker awards and other distinctions.
October 27, 2017
I have read the entire Tales from the Lake series, and they just keep getting better. Awesome storytelling and superb authors this is look over your shoulder horror at its finest. Highly recommended.
I received a copy of this book from the publisher and chose to review it.
I received a copy of this book from the publisher and chose to review it.
November 20, 2017
Tales from the Lake is the latest volume of dark speculative and horror fiction from Crystal Lake Publishing which is going from strength to strength. I received this title as part of a special offer where for just $11 dollars you receive five Crystal Lake Anthologies!
For those who don't know Crystal Lake Publishing produces really high quality horror! Do check them out. This anthology is a real treat for horror fans, with 24 stories you're in for a bumper ride. I almost didn't want to finish reading it as I enjoyed it so much.
Tales From the Lake Volume Four edited by Ben Eads is a bumper issue of 24 short tales. It took me a long time to read this issue as I wanted to savour each tale. There's a real range of stories here, so there's something for everyone. I really liked the range of stories here, you have the really cool monster based horror stories, as well as building dread of pschyological horror as well as really unusual stories and ones with a literary bent.
As there's so many great tales in here I'll quickly mention my stand out tales which were very hard to choose;
Go Warily After Dark by Kealan Patrick Burke. This was a superb tale about a young family trying to survive in wartime, it has a feel of the London Blitz to me and is a perfect example of what great horror is. This dark tale reminds me of the kind of really high calibre stories you would find in Black Static, the premiere UK horror magazine. A dark and foreboding atmosphere is quickly built up and the story does not let you go, even after you have finished reading it.
To the Hills by T.E.Grau - A tale made more sinister from it being told from a child's perspective of being to innocent to see what's really going on.
Everything Hurts, Until it Doesn't by Damien Angelica Walters - This tale really stood out for me. It has some really beautiful writing and is very strange with a high impact and moving ending. It's not your average horror tale and that's what makes this anthology so good. After reading this tale I now want to read everything this author has written!
Whenever You Exhale, I inhale by Max Booth 111 - Max Booth 111 is an author I'm always glad to see when I reading horror. I've really enjoyed all his tales I've come across so far and this one is no exception. It's incredibly dark and haunting but also very moving. I was really rooting for Tom and Michael.
The Withering by Bruce Golden was simply terrifying!
Snowmen by David Dunwoody - This was a great tale, I loved it from beginning to end and is the perfect antidote for those who find Christmas too sweet. I loved the originality of this tale and could easily see this made into a film.
However all these tales were a delight to read and I can't wait to read volume 5! I was really blown away by the quality, as with a lot of horror anthologies you expect there to be a few tales that are stunning and a few that don't quite do it for you but the quality in this was great. One day whilst reading this I completely lost track of time and was almost late in picking up my son from school! This anthology makes you want to go and hide somewhere where you won't be disturbed for a few hours.
I absolutely love reading short horror fiction and currently there's so many good magazines out there, a few personal faves of mine include Dark Moon Digest, Deadman's Tome, Black Static, Aphotic Realm and Hindered Souls Press
For those who don't know Crystal Lake Publishing produces really high quality horror! Do check them out. This anthology is a real treat for horror fans, with 24 stories you're in for a bumper ride. I almost didn't want to finish reading it as I enjoyed it so much.
Tales From the Lake Volume Four edited by Ben Eads is a bumper issue of 24 short tales. It took me a long time to read this issue as I wanted to savour each tale. There's a real range of stories here, so there's something for everyone. I really liked the range of stories here, you have the really cool monster based horror stories, as well as building dread of pschyological horror as well as really unusual stories and ones with a literary bent.
As there's so many great tales in here I'll quickly mention my stand out tales which were very hard to choose;
Go Warily After Dark by Kealan Patrick Burke. This was a superb tale about a young family trying to survive in wartime, it has a feel of the London Blitz to me and is a perfect example of what great horror is. This dark tale reminds me of the kind of really high calibre stories you would find in Black Static, the premiere UK horror magazine. A dark and foreboding atmosphere is quickly built up and the story does not let you go, even after you have finished reading it.
To the Hills by T.E.Grau - A tale made more sinister from it being told from a child's perspective of being to innocent to see what's really going on.
Everything Hurts, Until it Doesn't by Damien Angelica Walters - This tale really stood out for me. It has some really beautiful writing and is very strange with a high impact and moving ending. It's not your average horror tale and that's what makes this anthology so good. After reading this tale I now want to read everything this author has written!
Whenever You Exhale, I inhale by Max Booth 111 - Max Booth 111 is an author I'm always glad to see when I reading horror. I've really enjoyed all his tales I've come across so far and this one is no exception. It's incredibly dark and haunting but also very moving. I was really rooting for Tom and Michael.
The Withering by Bruce Golden was simply terrifying!
Snowmen by David Dunwoody - This was a great tale, I loved it from beginning to end and is the perfect antidote for those who find Christmas too sweet. I loved the originality of this tale and could easily see this made into a film.
However all these tales were a delight to read and I can't wait to read volume 5! I was really blown away by the quality, as with a lot of horror anthologies you expect there to be a few tales that are stunning and a few that don't quite do it for you but the quality in this was great. One day whilst reading this I completely lost track of time and was almost late in picking up my son from school! This anthology makes you want to go and hide somewhere where you won't be disturbed for a few hours.
I absolutely love reading short horror fiction and currently there's so many good magazines out there, a few personal faves of mine include Dark Moon Digest, Deadman's Tome, Black Static, Aphotic Realm and Hindered Souls Press
February 24, 2024
Jennifer Loring - When the Dead Come Home ⭐⭐
Joe R. Lansdale - The Folding Man ⭐⭐⭐
Kealan Patrick Burke - Go Warily After Dark ⭐⭐
T. E. Grau - To the Hills ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Damien Angelica Walters - Everything Hurts, Until it Doesn't ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Sheldon Higdon - Drowning in Sorrow ⭐⭐
Max Booth III - Whenever You Exhale, I Inhale ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Bruce Golden - The Withering ⭐⭐
JG Faherty - Grave Secrets ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Hunter Liguore - End of the Hall ⭐⭐⭐
David Dunwoody - Snowmen ⭐⭐⭐
T.G. Arsenault - Pieces of Me ⭐
Maria Alexander - Neighborhood Watchers ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Timothy Johnson - The Story of Jessie and Me ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Michael Bailey - I will be the Reflection Until the End ⭐⭐⭐⭐
E.E. King - The Honeymoon's Over ⭐⭐
Darren Speegle - Song in a Sundress ⭐
Cynthia Ward - Weighing In ⭐
Michael Haynes - Reliving the Past ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Leigh M. Lane - The Long Haul ⭐⭐⭐
Mark Cassell - Dust Devils ⭐⭐
Del Howison - Liminality ⭐⭐⭐
Gene O'Neill - The Gardener ⭐⭐
Jeff Cercone - Condo by the Lake ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Joe R. Lansdale - The Folding Man ⭐⭐⭐
Kealan Patrick Burke - Go Warily After Dark ⭐⭐
T. E. Grau - To the Hills ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Damien Angelica Walters - Everything Hurts, Until it Doesn't ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Sheldon Higdon - Drowning in Sorrow ⭐⭐
Max Booth III - Whenever You Exhale, I Inhale ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Bruce Golden - The Withering ⭐⭐
JG Faherty - Grave Secrets ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Hunter Liguore - End of the Hall ⭐⭐⭐
David Dunwoody - Snowmen ⭐⭐⭐
T.G. Arsenault - Pieces of Me ⭐
Maria Alexander - Neighborhood Watchers ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Timothy Johnson - The Story of Jessie and Me ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Michael Bailey - I will be the Reflection Until the End ⭐⭐⭐⭐
E.E. King - The Honeymoon's Over ⭐⭐
Darren Speegle - Song in a Sundress ⭐
Cynthia Ward - Weighing In ⭐
Michael Haynes - Reliving the Past ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Leigh M. Lane - The Long Haul ⭐⭐⭐
Mark Cassell - Dust Devils ⭐⭐
Del Howison - Liminality ⭐⭐⭐
Gene O'Neill - The Gardener ⭐⭐
Jeff Cercone - Condo by the Lake ⭐⭐⭐⭐
March 16, 2018
A horror anthology
Volume four of a series of horror anthology that can be read as a stand alone. The book contained a good number if stories, with something for everyone. Everyone, being horror, thriller and supernatural fans . A few stories were circuitous but most were OK. For those who liked any of the tales from the lake anthologies.
Volume four of a series of horror anthology that can be read as a stand alone. The book contained a good number if stories, with something for everyone. Everyone, being horror, thriller and supernatural fans . A few stories were circuitous but most were OK. For those who liked any of the tales from the lake anthologies.
February 15, 2021
Lots of good
It might seem like I read this quickly, having added it earlier tonight. It actually took about a week to read. There is a lot to like here though. There's a nice atmosphere to each story. No story drags on longer than they need. The characters in each story are interesting. There's a lot of good and this volume is the best in the series this far.
It might seem like I read this quickly, having added it earlier tonight. It actually took about a week to read. There is a lot to like here though. There's a nice atmosphere to each story. No story drags on longer than they need. The characters in each story are interesting. There's a lot of good and this volume is the best in the series this far.
April 25, 2026
Top stories were When the Dead Come Home, The Folding Man, To The Hills, Whenever You Exhale, I Inhale, Grave Secrets, Neighborhood Watchers, The Gardener, Condo By The Lake
Currently Reading
May 24, 2024"To the Hills" by T.E. Grau - A girl and her father flee to a cabin in the hills after the father instructs her to shoot herself if he is overcome by zombies. The authorities locate the bodies of her mother and brother the father has murdered and discover her journal which describes the location of the cabin. They kill the father in a gunfight and the girl shoots herself, not because her father told her to do so, but because she realizes he lied to her.
"Whenever You Exhale, I Inhale" by Max Booth III - Michael's violent father does not accept his gay relationship with Tom so Michael runs away while the drunk father beats his wife to death. Michael returns home with Tom to collect money and Michael is distraught to discover his mother's body. The father comes up behind Tom and kills him with a hammer but Michael has special powers that kill the father and resurrect Tom.
"Reliving the Past" by Michael Haynes - When Eric is released from prison after serving thirty years for murders he didn't commit he returns to the house infested with evil spirits responsible and burns it down.
"Go Warily After Dark" by Kealan Patrick Burke - This story describes surreal events which occur when a woman takes shelter from bombardment in the basement with her husband, son and daughter.
"When the Dead Come Home" by Jennifer Loring - Kate and Trevor's boy drowns in the bathtub three months ago and Kate begins to hear a baby crying in the forest.
"Liminality" by Del Howison - A school teacher interrupts the werewolf curse of an Indian shaman which traps him between the two forms.
"Pieces of Me" by T.G. Arsenault - This story is inspired by that part of Dante's Inferno which describes suicides being made into trees.
"The Long Haul" by Leigh M. Lane - Peter is chagrined to realize he is likely responsible for Wendy's terminal cancer.
"The Honeymoon’s Over" by E.E. King - A woman learns too late about the evil nature of her deceased brother's dog.
"Whenever You Exhale, I Inhale" by Max Booth III - Michael's violent father does not accept his gay relationship with Tom so Michael runs away while the drunk father beats his wife to death. Michael returns home with Tom to collect money and Michael is distraught to discover his mother's body. The father comes up behind Tom and kills him with a hammer but Michael has special powers that kill the father and resurrect Tom.
"Reliving the Past" by Michael Haynes - When Eric is released from prison after serving thirty years for murders he didn't commit he returns to the house infested with evil spirits responsible and burns it down.
"Go Warily After Dark" by Kealan Patrick Burke - This story describes surreal events which occur when a woman takes shelter from bombardment in the basement with her husband, son and daughter.
"When the Dead Come Home" by Jennifer Loring - Kate and Trevor's boy drowns in the bathtub three months ago and Kate begins to hear a baby crying in the forest.
"Liminality" by Del Howison - A school teacher interrupts the werewolf curse of an Indian shaman which traps him between the two forms.
"Pieces of Me" by T.G. Arsenault - This story is inspired by that part of Dante's Inferno which describes suicides being made into trees.
"The Long Haul" by Leigh M. Lane - Peter is chagrined to realize he is likely responsible for Wendy's terminal cancer.
"The Honeymoon’s Over" by E.E. King - A woman learns too late about the evil nature of her deceased brother's dog.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
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