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Night Vision: A Collection of Short Horror Stories
Happy endings are so overrated. This collection of short horror stories does what we've all wanted previous collections to do- break our hearts and leave us wanting more.
Telling tales of disembodied voices, the mysterious disappearance of neighbors, and haunted dolls with hypnotism on their mind, this collection offers no reprieve from the thrill within it's pages. Watch the characters you fall in love with meet their untimely demise, be stabbed in the back by so-called "friends," or be eaten by a crudely resurrected cat. Can you handle it?
Telling tales of disembodied voices, the mysterious disappearance of neighbors, and haunted dolls with hypnotism on their mind, this collection offers no reprieve from the thrill within it's pages. Watch the characters you fall in love with meet their untimely demise, be stabbed in the back by so-called "friends," or be eaten by a crudely resurrected cat. Can you handle it?
68 pages, Kindle Edition
Published October 29, 2017
About the author
Augie Peterson
5 books7 followersAugie Peterson (she/they) is a published author of horror fiction. Her work has been featured on podcasts such as The Grey Rooms, Creepy, and True Crime Fan Club as well as printed in Aphotic Realm Magazine and the Don't Open the Door anthology.
Along with these accolades, Augie has also self-published a collection of flash fiction horror, produced an audio book of this work, and is presently working on their first novel.
When they aren't writing, Augie makes her podcast The Short Stories of Augie Peterson and is sometimes featured as a guest on other shows. On their podcast, she reads her own flash fiction, reviews horror movies, interviews indie artists, and most recently, she has thrown herself into the world of serialized audio drama.
Along with these accolades, Augie has also self-published a collection of flash fiction horror, produced an audio book of this work, and is presently working on their first novel.
When they aren't writing, Augie makes her podcast The Short Stories of Augie Peterson and is sometimes featured as a guest on other shows. On their podcast, she reads her own flash fiction, reviews horror movies, interviews indie artists, and most recently, she has thrown herself into the world of serialized audio drama.
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
June 14, 2019
A quirky and creepy collection of stories! Great visuals complement the tales and bring an uneasy vibe to the overall reading experience. Many of the stories took different directions than I imagined, which is always a nice, but terrifying, surprise. Really keeps you reading and on the edge of your seat. Cindy, a sinister story about a doll, gave me an icky feeling in my gut--the aim of every scary movie and book out there. I think it was extra terrifying because it was told from the perspective of a child. My favorite story was Boy, Removed. It had a spine-tingling moment of pure horror--that moment when all safety and well-being is ripped away and replaced with gut-wrenching fear. I know I'll have nightmares lol
November 30, 2017
Thank you to the author of this book for providing me with a free copy in return for an honest review.
A collection of quirky, short stories. I was interested in reading this book as I’d never actually read horror before. I’ve read thrillers but never horror, so I was really looking forward to taking this on.
Each story was different and like the last set of short stories that I had read, I think that there is a story for everyone, some that weren’t really for me would very likely be very well liked by someone else.
The stories were all nice and short, they didn’t keep you long enough to get hooked but was enough of a story to get you thinking and questioning. In the read up, it mentions characters that you could fall in love with, I don’t really think that we read them long enough to have that much of a connection with them, however their stories were quite interesting
Did You Say Something?
A man discovers he’s telepathic and heads off on a journey to save a woman who he’s connected with. This wasn’t my favorite one but the idea of it was brilliant. It had a little sci-fi touch to it which was what put me off a little, Sci-fi is my nono.
Mr Dempsey
Like every time she goes running, a woman passes by an old man’s house to greet him as she goes by when he’s not in his usual space she gets suspicious…This story was really creepy to start with. It got a little weird and confusing for me at the end.
Confessions of a Grave Digger
In this story, we meet Milo, a gullible and lonely grave digger who is talked into helping out with a horrendous crime by his intimidating colleague. This was a really well thought out story, the idea of it was really clever. I think to get the full measure of what the writer was going for however, it would need to be a longer story. The author tries to get the reader to connect with Milo on an emotional level, but I barely read him for five minutes so don’t really click with him, so am not really phased by the goings on in the book. I think the author even stretches to call the reader a brat in it which didn’t really win points on my end.
Suddenly, The Phone Rang
Our character is unpacking into their new apartment when they keep hearing bangs and the telephone ringing from the room next door. This was really chilling, very well written, I think it may be because I was reading it at 7am in the morning but I got a little confused. It was a good short story though!
Steven
A psychologist tries to talk to a psychopath in a cell. This was one of my favorite stories in this book. The author really delves into the mindset of a stalker and the light comedy in the story about this matter is genius.
Holly in the Snow
A boy makes a shocking discovery when shoveling snow from his drive. It was…okay. I would have preferred it had the event happened a little quicker, rather than just reading about a boy arguing about shoveling snow with his mother.
Boy Removed
You meet a young boy in quarantine for a terrible illness. This story is really brilliant. the young boy was so sweet and likable and in such a short space of time, you really click with him and feel sorry for him. I could tell what was going to happen as he kept talking but it was really good.
Cindy
A dark twist on a much-loved children’s doll. The idea of this story was brilliant. It was just the right length in my opinion. Dolls do freak me out at times so I could really connect with this story. It also had a little humour.
Overall Rating
These stories were a nice length, they were a good read on my commute. Although I didn’t really find many of them scary I didn’t find them completely boring, they’re all well written and very well thought out.
A collection of quirky, short stories. I was interested in reading this book as I’d never actually read horror before. I’ve read thrillers but never horror, so I was really looking forward to taking this on.
Each story was different and like the last set of short stories that I had read, I think that there is a story for everyone, some that weren’t really for me would very likely be very well liked by someone else.
The stories were all nice and short, they didn’t keep you long enough to get hooked but was enough of a story to get you thinking and questioning. In the read up, it mentions characters that you could fall in love with, I don’t really think that we read them long enough to have that much of a connection with them, however their stories were quite interesting
Did You Say Something?
A man discovers he’s telepathic and heads off on a journey to save a woman who he’s connected with. This wasn’t my favorite one but the idea of it was brilliant. It had a little sci-fi touch to it which was what put me off a little, Sci-fi is my nono.
Mr Dempsey
Like every time she goes running, a woman passes by an old man’s house to greet him as she goes by when he’s not in his usual space she gets suspicious…This story was really creepy to start with. It got a little weird and confusing for me at the end.
Confessions of a Grave Digger
In this story, we meet Milo, a gullible and lonely grave digger who is talked into helping out with a horrendous crime by his intimidating colleague. This was a really well thought out story, the idea of it was really clever. I think to get the full measure of what the writer was going for however, it would need to be a longer story. The author tries to get the reader to connect with Milo on an emotional level, but I barely read him for five minutes so don’t really click with him, so am not really phased by the goings on in the book. I think the author even stretches to call the reader a brat in it which didn’t really win points on my end.
Suddenly, The Phone Rang
Our character is unpacking into their new apartment when they keep hearing bangs and the telephone ringing from the room next door. This was really chilling, very well written, I think it may be because I was reading it at 7am in the morning but I got a little confused. It was a good short story though!
Steven
A psychologist tries to talk to a psychopath in a cell. This was one of my favorite stories in this book. The author really delves into the mindset of a stalker and the light comedy in the story about this matter is genius.
Holly in the Snow
A boy makes a shocking discovery when shoveling snow from his drive. It was…okay. I would have preferred it had the event happened a little quicker, rather than just reading about a boy arguing about shoveling snow with his mother.
Boy Removed
You meet a young boy in quarantine for a terrible illness. This story is really brilliant. the young boy was so sweet and likable and in such a short space of time, you really click with him and feel sorry for him. I could tell what was going to happen as he kept talking but it was really good.
Cindy
A dark twist on a much-loved children’s doll. The idea of this story was brilliant. It was just the right length in my opinion. Dolls do freak me out at times so I could really connect with this story. It also had a little humour.
Overall Rating
These stories were a nice length, they were a good read on my commute. Although I didn’t really find many of them scary I didn’t find them completely boring, they’re all well written and very well thought out.
December 6, 2017
Summary:
Happy endings are so overrated. This collection of short horror stories does what we've all wanted previous collections to do- break our hearts and leave us wanting more. Telling tales of disembodied voices, the mysterious disappearance of neighbours, and haunted dolls with hypnotism on their mind, this collection offers no reprieve from the thrill within its pages. Watch the characters you fall in love with meet their untimely demise, be stabbed in r back by so-called "friends", or be eaten by a crudely resurrected cat. Can you handle it?
My thoughts:
The author of this collection of stories has some unique and intriguing ideas for her characters to experience. The books were not similar at all, meaning the reader is spared from the repetitiveness I often see in collections. Even the style of writing changes, so the same techniques and phrases are not used. I really enjoyed the plots and progressions of this book, and my favourite story was of Alice, the disembodied voice. I noticed that these books engage the audience effectively, with the uniqueness and completely different style of each book and the unpredictability of the endings.
Although the stories were interesting and unpredictable, I found overall the stories needed to be fleshed out more. It's easy to get swept up in the short side of short-stories, which means I often did not connect with the characters.
I also felt the novels did a lot of telling, not showing. This is a common factor in authors, and I understand it's hard to show in short stories, but it made the books not scary. Instead of a character flinching away from a slamming door etc, the description was of a door closing loudly.
Overall, I would recommend these stories to anyone looking for a fast and unique read, or anyone looking to start in the psychological horror genre.
Happy endings are so overrated. This collection of short horror stories does what we've all wanted previous collections to do- break our hearts and leave us wanting more. Telling tales of disembodied voices, the mysterious disappearance of neighbours, and haunted dolls with hypnotism on their mind, this collection offers no reprieve from the thrill within its pages. Watch the characters you fall in love with meet their untimely demise, be stabbed in r back by so-called "friends", or be eaten by a crudely resurrected cat. Can you handle it?
My thoughts:
The author of this collection of stories has some unique and intriguing ideas for her characters to experience. The books were not similar at all, meaning the reader is spared from the repetitiveness I often see in collections. Even the style of writing changes, so the same techniques and phrases are not used. I really enjoyed the plots and progressions of this book, and my favourite story was of Alice, the disembodied voice. I noticed that these books engage the audience effectively, with the uniqueness and completely different style of each book and the unpredictability of the endings.
Although the stories were interesting and unpredictable, I found overall the stories needed to be fleshed out more. It's easy to get swept up in the short side of short-stories, which means I often did not connect with the characters.
I also felt the novels did a lot of telling, not showing. This is a common factor in authors, and I understand it's hard to show in short stories, but it made the books not scary. Instead of a character flinching away from a slamming door etc, the description was of a door closing loudly.
Overall, I would recommend these stories to anyone looking for a fast and unique read, or anyone looking to start in the psychological horror genre.
November 17, 2017
*I was given a copy of this book to be honestly reviewed*
Did You Say Something?
3.5
Nice read, a bit predictable, but something I’d still like to read if fleshed out to full length.
Mr. Dempsey
2.5
Umm. I’m just not sure what to say here. It could be lack of sleep, but I’m a tiny bit confused. Was she happy about what was about to happen now?
Confessions of a Gravedigger
3.5
I liked Milo enough that this story made me sad, but there was lot of tell and little show. This is the first time I’ve actually understood show vs tell when reading.
Suddenly, the Telephone Rang
4
Okay, I really liked this one! Short and sweet, yes, but also laid out the story nicely in the space! Just enough creep factor to keep it from being cheesy, and I thoroughly enjoyed it.
Steven
4.5
Eeeew this was disturbingly good! I would LOVE to read a fully developed version of this!
Holly in the Snow
2.5
In all honesty, I would have given this higher marks if it had been a whole story. But alas, it is not. It reads more like a first chapter, maybe a prologue, rather than a self-contained story. It was well written and the characters pretty well defined for such a short length, but it felt like it was merely an introduction, and was unsatisfying. Nothing of consequence (aside from the very ending) actually happened.
Boy, Removed
4
Waaaah this one is feeeeels! David is so cute and sweet and I can just picture him sitting there!
Cindy
3
Short and not so sweet lol. Very reminiscent of Chucky, but with a little added power. Not a bad read!
Overall, this short anthology was entertaining and I’d suggest it to those who want a quick, gentle thrill.
Bob says: 3.5 Platypires
Did You Say Something?
3.5
Nice read, a bit predictable, but something I’d still like to read if fleshed out to full length.
Mr. Dempsey
2.5
Umm. I’m just not sure what to say here. It could be lack of sleep, but I’m a tiny bit confused. Was she happy about what was about to happen now?
Confessions of a Gravedigger
3.5
I liked Milo enough that this story made me sad, but there was lot of tell and little show. This is the first time I’ve actually understood show vs tell when reading.
Suddenly, the Telephone Rang
4
Okay, I really liked this one! Short and sweet, yes, but also laid out the story nicely in the space! Just enough creep factor to keep it from being cheesy, and I thoroughly enjoyed it.
Steven
4.5
Eeeew this was disturbingly good! I would LOVE to read a fully developed version of this!
Holly in the Snow
2.5
In all honesty, I would have given this higher marks if it had been a whole story. But alas, it is not. It reads more like a first chapter, maybe a prologue, rather than a self-contained story. It was well written and the characters pretty well defined for such a short length, but it felt like it was merely an introduction, and was unsatisfying. Nothing of consequence (aside from the very ending) actually happened.
Boy, Removed
4
Waaaah this one is feeeeels! David is so cute and sweet and I can just picture him sitting there!
Cindy
3
Short and not so sweet lol. Very reminiscent of Chucky, but with a little added power. Not a bad read!
Overall, this short anthology was entertaining and I’d suggest it to those who want a quick, gentle thrill.
Bob says: 3.5 Platypires
January 19, 2018
I received a free copy of this book for an honest review.
I liked this book at times, but some of the stories felt really rushed. I realized that's the point of a short story, to be short. I liked that each story was completely different from each other, but the different perspectives used in the stories was a bit odd for me. It's been a while for me since I last read a collection of short stories, and horror. Some of the stories were a bit predictable, others were not. My biggest problem was with the excess of telling the reader what was happening in Confessions of a Gravedigger. It had the potential for being the best story in the book, but it definitely fell short, in my opinion.
My creative writing teacher once gave my class the prompt "You are an old woman, your abusive husband has just died. Describe your surroundings. Do not mention the husband or his death." I feel like this kind of exercise would be perfect for this author for this story in particular.
Overall, this was a nice change from my normal YA romance books that I normally read and I would definitely consider reading future stories by this author. This book is even good for people (like me) who don't generally read horror, although Steven did leave me really freaked out (as horror is meant to do).
I liked this book at times, but some of the stories felt really rushed. I realized that's the point of a short story, to be short. I liked that each story was completely different from each other, but the different perspectives used in the stories was a bit odd for me. It's been a while for me since I last read a collection of short stories, and horror. Some of the stories were a bit predictable, others were not. My biggest problem was with the excess of telling the reader what was happening in Confessions of a Gravedigger. It had the potential for being the best story in the book, but it definitely fell short, in my opinion.
My creative writing teacher once gave my class the prompt "You are an old woman, your abusive husband has just died. Describe your surroundings. Do not mention the husband or his death." I feel like this kind of exercise would be perfect for this author for this story in particular.
Overall, this was a nice change from my normal YA romance books that I normally read and I would definitely consider reading future stories by this author. This book is even good for people (like me) who don't generally read horror, although Steven did leave me really freaked out (as horror is meant to do).
November 27, 2017
*I was contacted by the author and asked for an honest review*
"Night Vision," a creative and engaging first offering from sort fiction author Augie Peterson, reminds fans of the horror genre that, sometimes, the swift hand packs the best punch. Although the prose does, at times, contain the rough edges often found in self-published fare, Peterson's gift for compact, focused story-telling shines through, bringing with it a delightful accent of the unexpected.
Peterson's compact collection draws inspiration from a variety of horror sub-genres, with an imagination and style that puts faith in the reader's ability to follow her into the shadows and use their wits to find their way around. Peterson gives the reader just enough to draw us in close, before pulling the rug out from under our feet with delightfully startling "last act" twists. Breif, compact, and effective, the visions of the unexplained and expected in "Night Vision" will leave fellow horror junkies looking forward to more from Peterson's pen.
"Night Vision," a creative and engaging first offering from sort fiction author Augie Peterson, reminds fans of the horror genre that, sometimes, the swift hand packs the best punch. Although the prose does, at times, contain the rough edges often found in self-published fare, Peterson's gift for compact, focused story-telling shines through, bringing with it a delightful accent of the unexpected.
Peterson's compact collection draws inspiration from a variety of horror sub-genres, with an imagination and style that puts faith in the reader's ability to follow her into the shadows and use their wits to find their way around. Peterson gives the reader just enough to draw us in close, before pulling the rug out from under our feet with delightfully startling "last act" twists. Breif, compact, and effective, the visions of the unexplained and expected in "Night Vision" will leave fellow horror junkies looking forward to more from Peterson's pen.
December 12, 2017
I really enjoyed these short stories, and I'd absolutely read longer versions of all of these. The plot and the ideas behind each of the stories was excellent--very unique and not at all cliche. The writing needs some editing, but this did not detract from the stories at all.
Did You Say Something?
I had a feeling all was not as it seemed, but I assumed horror, not science. I was happy to be wrong. I could see this story easily turning into a full length novel.
Mr. Dempsey
I really liked this one. It was a bit confusing at the end, but I loved the idea. This could be easily lengthen... Build up the relationship more; that would make it all the more intense at the end.
Confessions of a Gravedigger
This was my least favorite--but only because I don't like this form of narration. Reworking the narrator would improve this one, I think. I liked the plot and did feel quite attached to the main character.
Suddenly, the Telephone Rang
This one was excellent. I would definitely like a longer version of this one. It felt too short. But even in a few pages, the confusion and shock of the protagonist was quite clear.
Steven
This was by far the most disturbingly, but I liked it. This has great potential; I can imagine a 20-30 page short story of this being deliciously sick. I'm glad the rest of the stories weren't quite as violent--there really only needs to be one. And this was perfect.
Holly in the Snow
This one was the most well-written. The characters seemed the most realistic, and I wish I could read a full novel on this one. Great setup. This would be a perfect intro to a novel--where the two kids track down... that thing.
Boy, Removed
While this ghostly tale intrigued me while I was reading, upon completion, I barely remember it. I think this story would need to be longer to make it more meaningful. I was moved by the small boy, but I wasn't invested. The ending seemed a bit too quick, as well.
Cindy
I hate scary dolls. This was quite developed, even though it was so short, but the ending seemed too fast. It had the same 'thrill' ending as the others, but this one seemed to be missing something. I think lengthening this story would make it better.
Did You Say Something?
I had a feeling all was not as it seemed, but I assumed horror, not science. I was happy to be wrong. I could see this story easily turning into a full length novel.
Mr. Dempsey
I really liked this one. It was a bit confusing at the end, but I loved the idea. This could be easily lengthen... Build up the relationship more; that would make it all the more intense at the end.
Confessions of a Gravedigger
This was my least favorite--but only because I don't like this form of narration. Reworking the narrator would improve this one, I think. I liked the plot and did feel quite attached to the main character.
Suddenly, the Telephone Rang
This one was excellent. I would definitely like a longer version of this one. It felt too short. But even in a few pages, the confusion and shock of the protagonist was quite clear.
Steven
This was by far the most disturbingly, but I liked it. This has great potential; I can imagine a 20-30 page short story of this being deliciously sick. I'm glad the rest of the stories weren't quite as violent--there really only needs to be one. And this was perfect.
Holly in the Snow
This one was the most well-written. The characters seemed the most realistic, and I wish I could read a full novel on this one. Great setup. This would be a perfect intro to a novel--where the two kids track down... that thing.
Boy, Removed
While this ghostly tale intrigued me while I was reading, upon completion, I barely remember it. I think this story would need to be longer to make it more meaningful. I was moved by the small boy, but I wasn't invested. The ending seemed a bit too quick, as well.
Cindy
I hate scary dolls. This was quite developed, even though it was so short, but the ending seemed too fast. It had the same 'thrill' ending as the others, but this one seemed to be missing something. I think lengthening this story would make it better.
December 11, 2017
Augie was kind enough to send me a copy of this collection, and I definitely enjoyed their creepiness! The stories are short with just the right about of scary thrown in. I won't spoil it for anyone, but the last story was my absolute favorite and gave me the creeps for sure! If you're looking for a quick scare and thrill these stories are just what you need!
Just make sure you're not reading them before bed :)
Just make sure you're not reading them before bed :)
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews