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Bones
'Bones' brings together four chilling ghost stories by award winning writer-director Andrew Cull. Four monsters collected in paperback for the first time.
'Did You Forget About Me?'
"He had written to me a month or so before he died. I'd ignored the letter the same way I'd ignored all the others."
When Cam Miller returns to the town he grew up in he's heading to clear his estranged father's farmhouse. He's also returning to the house he fled 23 years before. There, among the nicotine stained keepsakes and remnants of a broken life, he'll come face to face with a horror that has waited all those years for his return.
"It's you he wants."
'Hope and Walker'
"We were both 10. But he was dead. And I sat drawing him."
Em Walker is just like any other 10-year-old girl growing up in the small, outback town of Hope. That is, except for the fact that her Dad runs one of the town's two funeral parlours, and the dead have just started speaking to her...
When Hope is rocked by a terrible crime, Em, stubborn, scared of spiders, and with a temper that's likely to get her into trouble, will find herself thrust into the middle of a dangerous hunt for the truth.
"Being scared's good," Grandpa Walker had told me once. "Stops us from doing stupid things." It hadn't stopped me.
'The Trade'
That summer should have been filled with laughter, with slip n' slides in the yard, lazy afternoons lying watching ice cream clouds swirling through the blue sky, melting in slow motion. I watched a plane rising high above our house. From the ground it looked completely still, as if it hung suspended in the air, a model on a string. I wished I was on it, I wished I could escape. I was seven and that was the summer death stalked our home.
It began with the offerings...
'Knock and You Will See Me'
"We buried Dad in the winter. It wasn't until the spring that we heard from him again."
When grieving Ellie Ray finds a crumpled, handwritten note from her recently deceased father, hidden behind the couch, she assumes that her middle boy, Max, left it there. It has a single word written on it: WHY. But, as more and more letters begin to appear throughout the house, Ellie and her three boys will find themselves dragged into a deeply sinister mystery surrounding her father's death.
"Dad? I looked down at the scribbled note in my hand, at the words torn into the paper. What had started as a whisper had grown louder, more desperate. The words had been screamed onto the page. Dad? Please. What's going on?"
'Bones' Four Stories. Four Monsters.
'Did You Forget About Me?'
"He had written to me a month or so before he died. I'd ignored the letter the same way I'd ignored all the others."
When Cam Miller returns to the town he grew up in he's heading to clear his estranged father's farmhouse. He's also returning to the house he fled 23 years before. There, among the nicotine stained keepsakes and remnants of a broken life, he'll come face to face with a horror that has waited all those years for his return.
"It's you he wants."
'Hope and Walker'
"We were both 10. But he was dead. And I sat drawing him."
Em Walker is just like any other 10-year-old girl growing up in the small, outback town of Hope. That is, except for the fact that her Dad runs one of the town's two funeral parlours, and the dead have just started speaking to her...
When Hope is rocked by a terrible crime, Em, stubborn, scared of spiders, and with a temper that's likely to get her into trouble, will find herself thrust into the middle of a dangerous hunt for the truth.
"Being scared's good," Grandpa Walker had told me once. "Stops us from doing stupid things." It hadn't stopped me.
'The Trade'
That summer should have been filled with laughter, with slip n' slides in the yard, lazy afternoons lying watching ice cream clouds swirling through the blue sky, melting in slow motion. I watched a plane rising high above our house. From the ground it looked completely still, as if it hung suspended in the air, a model on a string. I wished I was on it, I wished I could escape. I was seven and that was the summer death stalked our home.
It began with the offerings...
'Knock and You Will See Me'
"We buried Dad in the winter. It wasn't until the spring that we heard from him again."
When grieving Ellie Ray finds a crumpled, handwritten note from her recently deceased father, hidden behind the couch, she assumes that her middle boy, Max, left it there. It has a single word written on it: WHY. But, as more and more letters begin to appear throughout the house, Ellie and her three boys will find themselves dragged into a deeply sinister mystery surrounding her father's death.
"Dad? I looked down at the scribbled note in my hand, at the words torn into the paper. What had started as a whisper had grown louder, more desperate. The words had been screamed onto the page. Dad? Please. What's going on?"
'Bones' Four Stories. Four Monsters.
212 pages, Paperback
First published June 2, 2018
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908 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 105 reviews
September 18, 2018
This review first was published on Cemetery Dance Online August 15th, 2018
https://www.cemeterydance.com/extras/...
I’ve been saying a different version of the same thing all year but I’ll say it in a unique way for Cemetery Dance:
Social media is responsible for introducing me to a much larger selection of books to read in my favorite genre of horror. Way back when, whatever my mom added to her shelves was what was accessible to me. As I began to shop for books on my own, I was only getting whatever was available at the bookstore, library or thrift stores.
In other words: Traditionally published books.
These days, I’m like a child set loose in a candy store! So many books, so little time! A book that came into view at the beginning of summer is this self-published collection of four short stories called Bones by Andrew Cull.
As far as introductions go, this is the best possible first impression an author can make. It was almost as if Cull was anticipating my own, personal checklist of things I’m looking for in quality horror, intentionally ticking all the boxes. Since this is a debut collection, I’ll go ahead and identify right now that Andrew Cull’s wheelhouse is character-driven stories with “knock-your-socks-off” opening lines. Every single story punched you square between the eyes with the first sentence and then proceeded to build out a flesh-and-blood character or two that you could really invest in emotionally. This is the best kind of way to tell scary stories, because a talented author can pull at your heartstrings, distracting you from the horror until it bites you from behind. I was completely captivated by all four stories — each one unique in its subject material but also similar in atmospheric tension and style.
There were some genuinely terrifying, standout scenes that I of course would never spoil for future readers. But I will say, the scariest story for me was “Hope and Walker.” It was unsettling and disturbing in ways that I won’t likely forget and will forever be recommending. But I would be hard pressed to pick a favorite, since I loved them all for different reasons.
I can’t wait to see a full novel from Andrew Cull sooner rather than later. I’ll be the first to buy it!
https://www.cemeterydance.com/extras/...
I’ve been saying a different version of the same thing all year but I’ll say it in a unique way for Cemetery Dance:
Social media is responsible for introducing me to a much larger selection of books to read in my favorite genre of horror. Way back when, whatever my mom added to her shelves was what was accessible to me. As I began to shop for books on my own, I was only getting whatever was available at the bookstore, library or thrift stores.
In other words: Traditionally published books.
These days, I’m like a child set loose in a candy store! So many books, so little time! A book that came into view at the beginning of summer is this self-published collection of four short stories called Bones by Andrew Cull.
As far as introductions go, this is the best possible first impression an author can make. It was almost as if Cull was anticipating my own, personal checklist of things I’m looking for in quality horror, intentionally ticking all the boxes. Since this is a debut collection, I’ll go ahead and identify right now that Andrew Cull’s wheelhouse is character-driven stories with “knock-your-socks-off” opening lines. Every single story punched you square between the eyes with the first sentence and then proceeded to build out a flesh-and-blood character or two that you could really invest in emotionally. This is the best kind of way to tell scary stories, because a talented author can pull at your heartstrings, distracting you from the horror until it bites you from behind. I was completely captivated by all four stories — each one unique in its subject material but also similar in atmospheric tension and style.
There were some genuinely terrifying, standout scenes that I of course would never spoil for future readers. But I will say, the scariest story for me was “Hope and Walker.” It was unsettling and disturbing in ways that I won’t likely forget and will forever be recommending. But I would be hard pressed to pick a favorite, since I loved them all for different reasons.
I can’t wait to see a full novel from Andrew Cull sooner rather than later. I’ll be the first to buy it!
December 11, 2019
We buried dad in the winter. It wasn’t until Spring that we heard from him again.
Whether you like your horror creepy, otherworldly, gruesome, or tragic, Andrew Cull’s got you covered in this collection. Bones is a bind-up of four short stories (plus a bonus very short story at the end!), each vastly different but all playing on a universal theme of family and the way any terrifying situation is instantly amped up when those we love become involved. I was so incredibly impressed by each story in this collection that, while I do want to take a moment to discuss them all, I’ll go ahead and spoil this review for you: I gave every story in Bones five glowing stars.
→ Did You Forget About Me?
In this tremendously atmospheric and haunting introduction to the collection, after Cam’s estranged father passes, he returns to his childhood home for closure, and finds something that’s been waiting a long time for his return. This story packed such a punch and was an incredible way to kick off Bones, because honestly, it creeped me out horribly and left me positively mortified (in the best way).
→ Hope & Walker
Em’s father runs a funeral parlor, so when Em gets bored, she likes to sit up with the dead and draw them while they speak to her. She never expected her odd little hobby to drag her into the middle of a terrible crime, but now that she’s in it, she’s got to find answers. This story had a nice little element of mystery to it, though mostly, I loved the overall melancholy vibes that came from this poor little girl’s “gift” of hearing the dead speak.
→ The Trade
One summer, a family is trying to stay afloat in the midst of a dismantling marriage, when something begins leaving offerings of dead creatures at their door. This story, like the second one, is told through a child’s perspective, which adds so much to the creep factor. I kept imagining myself in this poor kid’s shoes and thinking about how utterly petrified I would’ve been — and that ending? Tragic, but just right.
→ Knock and You Will See Me
After Ellie’s father passes away, she and one of her sons begin finding disturbing notes from him, begging Ellie to help him from the other side. This fourth story was the longest, but for good reason. It’s very well fleshed-out, and I was sitting in complete and utter suspense throughout the entire thing as I hurried along to learn what on earth had happened to this poor woman’s father after his passing. By the end, I realized that the real terror in the story was a little more subtle, and that notion has found its way under my skin and is nagging at me, still. What really happens when we die…?
→ The Rambling Man
While this last bonus piece doesn’t count as a main “story”, I enjoyed it so much that I had to mention it. A village must send out randomly selected girls as offerings to a beast in the woods twice a year, else their crops will die. It’s so short that there’s nothing else I can say without spoiling the whole thing, but let me just say that I would absolutely adore a full novella on this story and hope that Andrew Cull will pursue the plot more later on!
All in all, Bones was a fantastic collection of stories that I enjoyed so much. I’m so pleased to have had the chance to read and review a copy of these stories, and I can’t wait to see what Andrew Cull writes next!
Thank you so much to the author for providing me with this ARC in exchange for an honest review!
January 2, 2019
This lovely author sent me two copies of his newest work (all the way from Australia!) so that I could release them in the Little Free Libraries in my care. I'm going to release this one asap when I visit the mall tonight and read the other asap before setting it free at the other park location because I can't NOT read it!
Here are my thoughts now that I'm finished:
Bones is author Andrew Cull’s debut collection of short fiction and it is pretty fantastic if you like a story where the creep factor is high and quickly settles under your skin and festers.
Did You Forget About Me?
A man returns to his childhood home. He, his mother and sister fled from it 23 years earlier leaving behind an abusive man to simmer in his ugliness. The trip back home brings back all of his deeply buried memories to terrify and to haunt him because some things just don’t want to stay buried.
This is some immersive storytelling that is eerie and atmospheric and steeped in childhood fears, abuse and a terribly tragedy. There was no way I was putting this down once I started it because I HAD to know how it ended.
Hope and Walker
“We were both 10. But he was dead. And I sat drawing him”
This was my favorite story in the collection. It tells the story of a young girl who grows up in the family mortuary. Is it weird that she finds it calming to say goodbye to the dead by drawing a final picture of them in her notebook? I vote no, I loved her. Some might think it’s a little morbid but it's also very sweet until one day one of the dead begins talking back to her . . .
The characters are well written characters and there are some pitch dark images in this story that will linger around in my brain for a long while to come.
The Trade
“I was seven and that was the summer death stalked our home.”
All of these stories are haunting and grounded in realism but this one hit me a little harder than the others. It’s set in the sweltering heat as a young child watches his family disintegrate knowing there’s nothing he can do about it. The feelings of helplessness and the fear of an unknown future will knock you down with its accuracy. Then the author throws a monster in the mix! A monster that is leaving dead carcasses on the doorstep and wants something in return . . .
Knock And You Will See Me
“We buried dad in the winter. It wasn’t until Spring that we heard from him again.”
A woman’s elderly father passes away and soon after she begins to smell the stench of decay that is followed up with a note written by her dad demanding to know the reason she left him behind. Soon the notes take on an ominous tone. Is she going mad from grief or is it something far more sinister?
You’ll have to read it yourownself to find out and it’s worth the read. Like all of the stories found here it is unsettling and it may rob you of sleep.
The Rambling Man
This story is only four pages long but it is a disturbing little gem about sacrifice and betrayal and I loved it.
This is an excellent debut and I am looking forward to whatever the author puts out next.
Here are my thoughts now that I'm finished:
Bones is author Andrew Cull’s debut collection of short fiction and it is pretty fantastic if you like a story where the creep factor is high and quickly settles under your skin and festers.
Did You Forget About Me?
A man returns to his childhood home. He, his mother and sister fled from it 23 years earlier leaving behind an abusive man to simmer in his ugliness. The trip back home brings back all of his deeply buried memories to terrify and to haunt him because some things just don’t want to stay buried.
This is some immersive storytelling that is eerie and atmospheric and steeped in childhood fears, abuse and a terribly tragedy. There was no way I was putting this down once I started it because I HAD to know how it ended.
Hope and Walker
“We were both 10. But he was dead. And I sat drawing him”
This was my favorite story in the collection. It tells the story of a young girl who grows up in the family mortuary. Is it weird that she finds it calming to say goodbye to the dead by drawing a final picture of them in her notebook? I vote no, I loved her. Some might think it’s a little morbid but it's also very sweet until one day one of the dead begins talking back to her . . .
The characters are well written characters and there are some pitch dark images in this story that will linger around in my brain for a long while to come.
The Trade
“I was seven and that was the summer death stalked our home.”
All of these stories are haunting and grounded in realism but this one hit me a little harder than the others. It’s set in the sweltering heat as a young child watches his family disintegrate knowing there’s nothing he can do about it. The feelings of helplessness and the fear of an unknown future will knock you down with its accuracy. Then the author throws a monster in the mix! A monster that is leaving dead carcasses on the doorstep and wants something in return . . .
Knock And You Will See Me
“We buried dad in the winter. It wasn’t until Spring that we heard from him again.”
A woman’s elderly father passes away and soon after she begins to smell the stench of decay that is followed up with a note written by her dad demanding to know the reason she left him behind. Soon the notes take on an ominous tone. Is she going mad from grief or is it something far more sinister?
You’ll have to read it yourownself to find out and it’s worth the read. Like all of the stories found here it is unsettling and it may rob you of sleep.
The Rambling Man
This story is only four pages long but it is a disturbing little gem about sacrifice and betrayal and I loved it.
This is an excellent debut and I am looking forward to whatever the author puts out next.
February 9, 2022
Damn, Cull has blown me away with this collection!!
June 12, 2018
This book was sent to me by the author in exchange for an honest review.
Bones is a collection of four stories (actually 5 if you count the very short but amazing story at the end). All of the stories deal with death in a different manner, and each one is as chilling as the next. At times I felt like I could almost smell some foul, rotten thing coming for me in my bedroom as I read.
Most of the stories read as if they are a warning about what lurks beyond the grave. The dead are not happy in Cull's stories, and often they return to communicate with the people they left behind. In the first story "Did You Forget About Me?" a man returns to his childhood home after his abusive father passes away and leaves it to him. His sister accompanies him, and as they spend the night in the house sinister memories become all too real for both of them.
"Hope and Walker" is about a young girl who lives in a funeral parlor and enjoys drawing the dead after each service. One day a young boy is found murdered in her small town, and as she draws him something very unexpected happens.
"The Trade" is about an evil presence that lurks in the woods outside a young boy's home. Dead animals start showing up on the back doorstep in the middle of the night. The seven-year-old protagonist thinks these grisly and torn apart animals are an offering, but the creature leaving them there intends for them to be something else.
"Knock and You Will See Me" is a haunting story about a woman who buries her father, but then starts to receive notes from him around her house. Convinced that she may have heard him knocking as he was being buried she tries to dig him up, but when she is stopped by the police, her father is forced to find a way out of the grave on his own.
Lastly, there is a delightful little snippet of a story called "The Rambling Man". It was the perfect the end to a very solid book of stories. I highly recommend picking this collection up. Cull writes about death and grief in a way that starts quietly and ends in a terrify climax. All of his stories build in tension as you read, and all of them are sincerely creepy and unsettling. Somehow Cull manages to make death even more terrifying.
Bones is a collection of four stories (actually 5 if you count the very short but amazing story at the end). All of the stories deal with death in a different manner, and each one is as chilling as the next. At times I felt like I could almost smell some foul, rotten thing coming for me in my bedroom as I read.
Most of the stories read as if they are a warning about what lurks beyond the grave. The dead are not happy in Cull's stories, and often they return to communicate with the people they left behind. In the first story "Did You Forget About Me?" a man returns to his childhood home after his abusive father passes away and leaves it to him. His sister accompanies him, and as they spend the night in the house sinister memories become all too real for both of them.
"Hope and Walker" is about a young girl who lives in a funeral parlor and enjoys drawing the dead after each service. One day a young boy is found murdered in her small town, and as she draws him something very unexpected happens.
"The Trade" is about an evil presence that lurks in the woods outside a young boy's home. Dead animals start showing up on the back doorstep in the middle of the night. The seven-year-old protagonist thinks these grisly and torn apart animals are an offering, but the creature leaving them there intends for them to be something else.
"Knock and You Will See Me" is a haunting story about a woman who buries her father, but then starts to receive notes from him around her house. Convinced that she may have heard him knocking as he was being buried she tries to dig him up, but when she is stopped by the police, her father is forced to find a way out of the grave on his own.
Lastly, there is a delightful little snippet of a story called "The Rambling Man". It was the perfect the end to a very solid book of stories. I highly recommend picking this collection up. Cull writes about death and grief in a way that starts quietly and ends in a terrify climax. All of his stories build in tension as you read, and all of them are sincerely creepy and unsettling. Somehow Cull manages to make death even more terrifying.
July 14, 2019
Death is so commonly used as the main topic for horror stories, but I've never seen it employed the way Andrew Cull did.
A collection of four stories that are able to make you doubt your surroundings at night and look behind at every step.
Definitely one of my favorite works in horror and I'd love to read more by the author. It seems such a waste of talent to have this only published work.
A collection of four stories that are able to make you doubt your surroundings at night and look behind at every step.
Definitely one of my favorite works in horror and I'd love to read more by the author. It seems such a waste of talent to have this only published work.
January 20, 2023
“Being scared’s good,” Grandpa Walker had told me once. “Stops us from doing stupid things.” It hadn’t stopped me.
Full Review: https://letsgetgalactic.com/2018/12/3...
First, I’d like to thank Andrew Cull for sending a copy of his book over to me shortly after I joined the bookstagram community. I was a lowly nobody there, with barely any followers, and he was just trying to spread the word of his book – and he gave me a chance! I went on vacation shortly after, and the book arrived and sat at home waiting for me until I was able to give it the attention it deserved. Fast forward to now, a couple months later, when I’ve read the darn thing THREE TIMES because it’s so good, and am finally attempting to review it here!
This book is comprised of 4 short stories (5, if you count the awesome little flash fiction-esque bonus at the very end!), and I honestly am hard pressed trying to choose a single favorite. Each one of them is so different from the others in the book, but themes of death, grief, and loss tie them together in a beautifully woven tapestry that make up Cull’s stellar debut into the writing world.
Check out my blog for a full breakdown of each story (minus any crazy spoilers!).
Overall, I was extremely impressed with this collection, and I���m adding Andrew to my list of must-read authors for all of his new releases. Speaking of, his first full book, REMAINS, should be out sometime in 2019, and I can’t wait to add it to my collection!
Full Review: https://letsgetgalactic.com/2018/12/3...
First, I’d like to thank Andrew Cull for sending a copy of his book over to me shortly after I joined the bookstagram community. I was a lowly nobody there, with barely any followers, and he was just trying to spread the word of his book – and he gave me a chance! I went on vacation shortly after, and the book arrived and sat at home waiting for me until I was able to give it the attention it deserved. Fast forward to now, a couple months later, when I’ve read the darn thing THREE TIMES because it’s so good, and am finally attempting to review it here!
This book is comprised of 4 short stories (5, if you count the awesome little flash fiction-esque bonus at the very end!), and I honestly am hard pressed trying to choose a single favorite. Each one of them is so different from the others in the book, but themes of death, grief, and loss tie them together in a beautifully woven tapestry that make up Cull’s stellar debut into the writing world.
Check out my blog for a full breakdown of each story (minus any crazy spoilers!).
Overall, I was extremely impressed with this collection, and I���m adding Andrew to my list of must-read authors for all of his new releases. Speaking of, his first full book, REMAINS, should be out sometime in 2019, and I can’t wait to add it to my collection!
December 27, 2020
What an amazing book of short stories, if only there were more than four!
'Did You Forget About Me' was a fantastic story to start this book off with, a creepy house at night time with two uniquely well described seemingly normal characters from children to adults and the truth behind the story written at the end was the icing on the cake.
'Hope And Walker' - writing about an outback country town is difficult to get spot on. Australians can pick flaws and it becomes frustrating to read. Hope was the perfect Australian outback country mining town. Maybe Cull did his research or visited the outback. Either way I loved this story.
'The Trade' I think it was obvious where this story was leading but I still enjoyed every word of it. As I was reading the story I kept thinking of an evil version of A Monster Calls. I don't know why but that's what was pictured in my head.
'Knock And You Will See Me' was such a heart breaking story. I was on the edge of my seat the whole time. Love, loss, scared of the dark, I think we can all relate.
I can't wait to read more by Andrew Cull.
'Did You Forget About Me' was a fantastic story to start this book off with, a creepy house at night time with two uniquely well described seemingly normal characters from children to adults and the truth behind the story written at the end was the icing on the cake.
'Hope And Walker' - writing about an outback country town is difficult to get spot on. Australians can pick flaws and it becomes frustrating to read. Hope was the perfect Australian outback country mining town. Maybe Cull did his research or visited the outback. Either way I loved this story.
'The Trade' I think it was obvious where this story was leading but I still enjoyed every word of it. As I was reading the story I kept thinking of an evil version of A Monster Calls. I don't know why but that's what was pictured in my head.
'Knock And You Will See Me' was such a heart breaking story. I was on the edge of my seat the whole time. Love, loss, scared of the dark, I think we can all relate.
I can't wait to read more by Andrew Cull.
May 12, 2022
A collection of four short stories, all pretty entertaining, especially the second one, Hope and Walker, but I really wanted to like it more. I felt the stories were bit overwritten and somewhat repetitive. Take this review with a pinch of salt though, as most reviewers loved it. Even though I wasn't bowled over by it, I'd definitely read more by this author, 3.5 stars.
May 1, 2020
4 stars to this wonderfully dark horror collection of short stories.
These stories that deal with various monsters gave me the creeps in so many ways - unlike many horror books I read. They deal with grief, family and loss in a way that amplifies the horror of the monsters, while making the characters feel real enough you grow attached to them and want to read more about them.
My favourites were Hope and Walker (who doesn't like a young girl, artist, who also may be able to hear the dead?), Knock and You will see me and The Rambling Man (which may be short but packs a huge punch).
I definitely recommend picking this one up if you like horror and I am really looking forward to reading more from Andrew Cull!
These stories that deal with various monsters gave me the creeps in so many ways - unlike many horror books I read. They deal with grief, family and loss in a way that amplifies the horror of the monsters, while making the characters feel real enough you grow attached to them and want to read more about them.
My favourites were Hope and Walker (who doesn't like a young girl, artist, who also may be able to hear the dead?), Knock and You will see me and The Rambling Man (which may be short but packs a huge punch).
I definitely recommend picking this one up if you like horror and I am really looking forward to reading more from Andrew Cull!
June 16, 2018
Review Copy
A solid collection of longer short stories and a bonus short-short make up this novella-length collection from Australian writer-director Andrew Cull.
Did You Forget About Me? - Cam Miller is a struggling actor and at age thirty he has yet to make his mark. When his long-estranged father dies and leaves Cam his childhood home he contacts his sister and makes plans to visit the property. The trip brings back unpleasant memories and more. Cull makes effective use of his filmmaker's eye for detail. Although this is only a short story, Did You Forget About Me? had something that's been missing in a lot of books I've been reading recently and that's "atmosphere."
Hope and Walker - This is a charming story with a touch of horror. The opening lines, "We were both 10. But he was dead. And I sat drawing him", immediately drew me in, so important with a short story. This is one exceptional short story. Highly recommended.
The Trade - Another really strong opening line begins this story of something from the woods leaving dead things for a troubled family. "I was seven and that was the Summer death stalked our home." This tale features a slow build with a killer ending.
Knock and You Will See Me - I can't stress enough how a strong opening line can make a short story. Here's another one. "We buried Dad in the Winter. It wasn't until the Spring that we heard from him again." This is one creepy story.
The Rambling Man - A wonderfully gruesome short to wrap up this collection.
Recommended.
Bones is available in both paperback and for the Kindle. If you subscribe to Kindle Unlimited you can read it at no additional charge. Also, if you are an Amazon Prime member you can read it for FREE using the Kindle Owners Lending Library.
From the author's bio - Andre Cull is a writer and director of The Dark and The Possession Of David O'Reilly (UK title: The Torment). His first novel, Remains, is due for release later this year.
A solid collection of longer short stories and a bonus short-short make up this novella-length collection from Australian writer-director Andrew Cull.
Did You Forget About Me? - Cam Miller is a struggling actor and at age thirty he has yet to make his mark. When his long-estranged father dies and leaves Cam his childhood home he contacts his sister and makes plans to visit the property. The trip brings back unpleasant memories and more. Cull makes effective use of his filmmaker's eye for detail. Although this is only a short story, Did You Forget About Me? had something that's been missing in a lot of books I've been reading recently and that's "atmosphere."
Hope and Walker - This is a charming story with a touch of horror. The opening lines, "We were both 10. But he was dead. And I sat drawing him", immediately drew me in, so important with a short story. This is one exceptional short story. Highly recommended.
The Trade - Another really strong opening line begins this story of something from the woods leaving dead things for a troubled family. "I was seven and that was the Summer death stalked our home." This tale features a slow build with a killer ending.
Knock and You Will See Me - I can't stress enough how a strong opening line can make a short story. Here's another one. "We buried Dad in the Winter. It wasn't until the Spring that we heard from him again." This is one creepy story.
The Rambling Man - A wonderfully gruesome short to wrap up this collection.
Recommended.
Bones is available in both paperback and for the Kindle. If you subscribe to Kindle Unlimited you can read it at no additional charge. Also, if you are an Amazon Prime member you can read it for FREE using the Kindle Owners Lending Library.
From the author's bio - Andre Cull is a writer and director of The Dark and The Possession Of David O'Reilly (UK title: The Torment). His first novel, Remains, is due for release later this year.
April 21, 2020
𝐃𝐢𝐝 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐠𝐞𝐭 𝐚𝐛𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐦𝐞?
Cam receives his childhood home in an inheritance after his father passes away. Kelly, his sister, goes with him to clear out the house. She didn’t want him to go alone since there The bad memories weren’t the only things they left behind. I was reading this story and by the time it got towards the end my cat jumped on the counter and I saw it out of the corner of my eye and I jumped so hard. 🤣 my heart was pounding. Dude, I was scared!
𝐇𝐨𝐩𝐞 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐰𝐚𝐥𝐤𝐞𝐫
Two families owned funeral parlors in the town of hope. Em is the daughter of one of the funeral shop owners and she finds an interesting hobby of drawing the dead. Then the town is struck by an unimaginable tragedy. This story rocked me! I was holding my breath and felt my heart drop. Andrew cull left me dangling from a cliff and brought me back again!
𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐓𝐫𝐚𝐝𝐞
Something keeps leaving dead rotten things on the family’s porch. It smells awful. Can you hear it breathing? What does it want? This story left me wanting more! I hope this one is revisited in the future!
𝐊𝐧𝐨𝐜𝐤 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐰𝐢𝐥𝐥 𝐬𝐞𝐞 𝐦𝐞.
A mother , with a sixth sense, loses her father. Is he really gone? Do you hear the knocking? This was a super intense read for me. I think her fear for her kids and the dark shadows of the woods really got me tense. I was white knuckling and clenching my teeth on this story!
I’d say for a short story collection this one is a #1 for me. I haven’t had a short story book where I absolutely loved every story in it until this one. Great stories, good Variety, great pacing, and doesn’t bore down on details. It’s a high and intense thrilling read! I loved every minute of it!
Cam receives his childhood home in an inheritance after his father passes away. Kelly, his sister, goes with him to clear out the house. She didn’t want him to go alone since there The bad memories weren’t the only things they left behind. I was reading this story and by the time it got towards the end my cat jumped on the counter and I saw it out of the corner of my eye and I jumped so hard. 🤣 my heart was pounding. Dude, I was scared!
𝐇𝐨𝐩𝐞 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐰𝐚𝐥𝐤𝐞𝐫
Two families owned funeral parlors in the town of hope. Em is the daughter of one of the funeral shop owners and she finds an interesting hobby of drawing the dead. Then the town is struck by an unimaginable tragedy. This story rocked me! I was holding my breath and felt my heart drop. Andrew cull left me dangling from a cliff and brought me back again!
𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐓𝐫𝐚𝐝𝐞
Something keeps leaving dead rotten things on the family’s porch. It smells awful. Can you hear it breathing? What does it want? This story left me wanting more! I hope this one is revisited in the future!
𝐊𝐧𝐨𝐜𝐤 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐰𝐢𝐥𝐥 𝐬𝐞𝐞 𝐦𝐞.
A mother , with a sixth sense, loses her father. Is he really gone? Do you hear the knocking? This was a super intense read for me. I think her fear for her kids and the dark shadows of the woods really got me tense. I was white knuckling and clenching my teeth on this story!
I’d say for a short story collection this one is a #1 for me. I haven’t had a short story book where I absolutely loved every story in it until this one. Great stories, good Variety, great pacing, and doesn’t bore down on details. It’s a high and intense thrilling read! I loved every minute of it!
July 23, 2018
I absolutely loved my introduction to Andrew Cull. There are 5 stories in this book (or four official stories & one mini-story), and I enjoyed each of them.
I don't know if I can choose a favorite - probably either Did You Forget About Me? or The Trade. Each story in this book is dark and haunting. These aren't jump scares - they are tense, and the suspense consistently builds as the story goes on. Andrew's writing is incredibly atmospheric, and it feels as if you're a part of the story. The Trade is the perfect example of this - the main character has a fever during a heat wave, and it's impossible not to feel the inescapable warmth and claustrophobia of the story.
If you like family-based horror like Kristi DeMeester and Michael Wehunt, I recommend picking up Bones. I love Kristi's focus on mother/daughter relationships, and Andrew focuses on parent/child relationships in a similar way. Some of Andrew's relationships are positive, though, so that's the difference.
There were a few parts that were so creepy that I glanced over my shoulder a few times. I loved how unsettling and spooky this book was. I am definitely an Andrew Cull fan, and I can't wait to see what else he comes up with!
I don't know if I can choose a favorite - probably either Did You Forget About Me? or The Trade. Each story in this book is dark and haunting. These aren't jump scares - they are tense, and the suspense consistently builds as the story goes on. Andrew's writing is incredibly atmospheric, and it feels as if you're a part of the story. The Trade is the perfect example of this - the main character has a fever during a heat wave, and it's impossible not to feel the inescapable warmth and claustrophobia of the story.
If you like family-based horror like Kristi DeMeester and Michael Wehunt, I recommend picking up Bones. I love Kristi's focus on mother/daughter relationships, and Andrew focuses on parent/child relationships in a similar way. Some of Andrew's relationships are positive, though, so that's the difference.
There were a few parts that were so creepy that I glanced over my shoulder a few times. I loved how unsettling and spooky this book was. I am definitely an Andrew Cull fan, and I can't wait to see what else he comes up with!
July 15, 2021
Four great traditional type ghost/monster horror stories that are brilliantly written, plus a very clever short human sacrifice offering to finish off this fine collection in style.
Lots to enjoy such as the plots, backstories and the characters themselves, set in realistic scenarios that just spring into life.
On the downside however, I think more blood, gore, scary ‘blood curdling’ moments and heavily disguised twists and reveals would certainly have spiced this feast of fun up to another level and most certainly would have added that sadly missing ‘wow- factor’ magical ingredient.
Favourite story: Hope and Walker - for all you funeral home lovers.
A very talented writer and obviously a storyteller extraordinaire who is definitely one to watch in future.
Rating: 3.8 stars
Lots to enjoy such as the plots, backstories and the characters themselves, set in realistic scenarios that just spring into life.
On the downside however, I think more blood, gore, scary ‘blood curdling’ moments and heavily disguised twists and reveals would certainly have spiced this feast of fun up to another level and most certainly would have added that sadly missing ‘wow- factor’ magical ingredient.
Favourite story: Hope and Walker - for all you funeral home lovers.
A very talented writer and obviously a storyteller extraordinaire who is definitely one to watch in future.
Rating: 3.8 stars
January 21, 2020
Simply put, this was an amazing and even collection of haunting stories. Lots of great characters, creepy mood and setting, and the author really knows how to ramp up the terror. Will be reading whatever else the author has available now!
November 29, 2020
3.5 stars
A collection of supernatural stories dealing with themes including childhood, family and death.
I preferred the last two stories to the first two but I thought they were all good. There is also an extra very short story at the end which ended up being one of my favourites. Overall I found the writing style easy to get into and the stories were definitely page-turners. There are certain ideas that crop up in more than one of the stories which unfortunately made things feel a little repetitive at times. Otherwise, these stories were engaging and creepy and I would definitely read more of the author's work.
A collection of supernatural stories dealing with themes including childhood, family and death.
I preferred the last two stories to the first two but I thought they were all good. There is also an extra very short story at the end which ended up being one of my favourites. Overall I found the writing style easy to get into and the stories were definitely page-turners. There are certain ideas that crop up in more than one of the stories which unfortunately made things feel a little repetitive at times. Otherwise, these stories were engaging and creepy and I would definitely read more of the author's work.
October 18, 2018
An easy five stars - four stories, each spookier than the last. Highly recommended.
October 22, 2020
such a fantastic collection!!
September 7, 2018
📚 BOOK REVIEW 📚
Bones 💀 by - Andrew Cull
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First of all I would like to thank Andrew for sending over a copy of Bones, also it was signed 🤩😄 thank you so so much, here’s my little review.
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Bones consists of four mini stories, well five if you count the little extra one thrown in at the end. 🤫
The stories are.
📚 Did you forget me
📚 Hope and Walker
📚 The Trade (Personal Favourite)
📚 Know and you will see me
📚 The Rambling Man
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I was going to list the features of the stories but I really don’t want to spoil this for anyone!
Just cause they are mini stories, please do not let this put you off, the stories are DARK! So much twisted tension is packed into each and every story, the writing is suspense full and each story involves around children in some way! And we all know what happens in a dark horror book with children, am I right 🙌🏼👀😨
.
I throughly enjoyed bones and each story, I couldn’t have wanted more out of a book and can’t wait to venture into some more work from Andrew especially if they are like this to go by!
The way Andrew writes makes you as a reader feel right there alongside the characters experiencing there troubles and nightmares! Great stuff.
I wouldn’t change a thing about Bones, Andrew my friend you should be so proud of this!
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I urge everyone to check out his page and also check out BONES! An easy 5 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 from me.
P.s always watch out for The Rambling Man!
Bones 💀 by - Andrew Cull
.
First of all I would like to thank Andrew for sending over a copy of Bones, also it was signed 🤩😄 thank you so so much, here’s my little review.
.
Bones consists of four mini stories, well five if you count the little extra one thrown in at the end. 🤫
The stories are.
📚 Did you forget me
📚 Hope and Walker
📚 The Trade (Personal Favourite)
📚 Know and you will see me
📚 The Rambling Man
.
I was going to list the features of the stories but I really don’t want to spoil this for anyone!
Just cause they are mini stories, please do not let this put you off, the stories are DARK! So much twisted tension is packed into each and every story, the writing is suspense full and each story involves around children in some way! And we all know what happens in a dark horror book with children, am I right 🙌🏼👀😨
.
I throughly enjoyed bones and each story, I couldn’t have wanted more out of a book and can’t wait to venture into some more work from Andrew especially if they are like this to go by!
The way Andrew writes makes you as a reader feel right there alongside the characters experiencing there troubles and nightmares! Great stuff.
I wouldn’t change a thing about Bones, Andrew my friend you should be so proud of this!
.
I urge everyone to check out his page and also check out BONES! An easy 5 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 from me.
P.s always watch out for The Rambling Man!
January 9, 2021
4.5 stars.
Bones is a collection of four (plus a bonus creepy little offering at the end) chilling short stories, subtitled A Collection of Monsters. The author very kindly sent me a copy of the book for review and I was not disappointed.
I'm a huge fan of well-crafted opening sentences and Andrew delivers on this so very well.
"We were both 10. But he was dead. And I sat drawing him."
"We buried Dad in the winter. It wasn't until the spring that we heard from him again."
The author's strength is in the deliverance of very character-driven stories. You're invested in these characters emotionally, which makes all the horrible things that happen just a little more gut-wrenching. The writing is very visual - you can easily imagine the scenes unfolding in your head, and he has a very good handle on the dynamics of family, which he uses so well in each of these stories.
Cull writes about death and grief and monsters. And the latter is almost a combination of the first two in this collection of stories that always builds to an ending you know is coming, but want to hide from.
Bones is a collection of four (plus a bonus creepy little offering at the end) chilling short stories, subtitled A Collection of Monsters. The author very kindly sent me a copy of the book for review and I was not disappointed.
I'm a huge fan of well-crafted opening sentences and Andrew delivers on this so very well.
"We were both 10. But he was dead. And I sat drawing him."
"We buried Dad in the winter. It wasn't until the spring that we heard from him again."
The author's strength is in the deliverance of very character-driven stories. You're invested in these characters emotionally, which makes all the horrible things that happen just a little more gut-wrenching. The writing is very visual - you can easily imagine the scenes unfolding in your head, and he has a very good handle on the dynamics of family, which he uses so well in each of these stories.
Cull writes about death and grief and monsters. And the latter is almost a combination of the first two in this collection of stories that always builds to an ending you know is coming, but want to hide from.
October 23, 2018
“We buried Dad in the winter. It wasn’t until the spring that we heard from him again.”
Thank you to the other for sending me a copy in exchange for an honest review!
Bones is a collection of four short stories (plus a bonus lil story at the end) that has a focus on death and monsters surrounding it. The stories involve a man who returns to his childhood him after the death of his estranged father, the next about a girl who grows up in a funeral home and draws the bodies, a creature in the woods who leaves the remains of animals at a family’s door, and a woman who just buried her father (and then the really good mini story at the end)
Usually, when I write reviews for collections, I pick what story stood out to me the most or what one was my favourite. With this, I can’t. I loved all of them. Each one had its own unique pull and the characters in each were all really likeable. I’m not too sure what else to say, other than that I can’t wait for this author to release more work and if you get the chance to pick this up, I highly recommend it!
Thank you to the other for sending me a copy in exchange for an honest review!
Bones is a collection of four short stories (plus a bonus lil story at the end) that has a focus on death and monsters surrounding it. The stories involve a man who returns to his childhood him after the death of his estranged father, the next about a girl who grows up in a funeral home and draws the bodies, a creature in the woods who leaves the remains of animals at a family’s door, and a woman who just buried her father (and then the really good mini story at the end)
Usually, when I write reviews for collections, I pick what story stood out to me the most or what one was my favourite. With this, I can’t. I loved all of them. Each one had its own unique pull and the characters in each were all really likeable. I’m not too sure what else to say, other than that I can’t wait for this author to release more work and if you get the chance to pick this up, I highly recommend it!
October 14, 2019
3.5 Given we’re nearing haunting season, I was in the mood for some short ghost stories. “Bones” aptly fit the bill. Not a long read by any stretch. 3 of the 4 novellas clocked in at an average of just over 30 pages with the last story being the longest at 100. Each story became better as the collection went on. Cull is great at developing atmosphere in his stories and has a knack of creating strong characters even over limited pages. If you’re looking for a Halloween read, “Bones” should do the trick (or treat).
1. Did You Forget About Me? - 2.5/5. Weakest story of the 4. Fairly conventional ghost story which doesn’t add anything new to the genre.
2. Hope and Walker - 3.5/5. Had a kind of “Sixth Sense” vibe to it.
3. The Trade - 4/5. When parents fight, something evil comes out of the woods at night.
4. Knock and You Will See Me - 4/5. If something is a knockin’, your door you should be a lockin’.
1. Did You Forget About Me? - 2.5/5. Weakest story of the 4. Fairly conventional ghost story which doesn’t add anything new to the genre.
2. Hope and Walker - 3.5/5. Had a kind of “Sixth Sense” vibe to it.
3. The Trade - 4/5. When parents fight, something evil comes out of the woods at night.
4. Knock and You Will See Me - 4/5. If something is a knockin’, your door you should be a lockin’.
September 5, 2018
Bones is a collection of four unforgettable stories by Andrew Cull. He has a visual writing style that allows each story to come to life in vivid detail. These stories are all connected to childhood and are both haunting and chilling.
Did You Forget about Me? follows Cam Miller and his sister as they return to the house of their deceased and long estranged father. The intention is to clear out the place and get it ready for sale. Cam brings along unread letters his father had sent and in the process of reading them and exploring the house begins to remember a past he has mostly blocked out. It is only after they have decided to stay the night that they start to suspect they are not alone.
Hope and Walker. Em Walker is ten year old girl with a supernatural gift living in a town that is shocked by a terrible murder. Her ability to connect with the deceased may have put her in harms way.
The Trade is my favorite of the stories in this collection. It is told from the child's point of view as he and his parents are suffering through a terrible heat wave. As the temperature rises, so do their tempers. Something is leaving rotting animal remains on their door steps. The parents rationalize it away but the child is sure there is something else stalking them. The tension built in this story until I wanted to cover my eyes!
Knock and You Will See Me follows grieving mom Ellie Ray, who knows things she shouldn't and is trying to protect her boys from something that only one of her sons can see--if it exists at all.
The Rambling Man is a brief (only four pages) story at the conclusion but it packs a lot in a very short story.
I loved this collection and I want to thank Andrew for sending me a copy of his book in exchange for an honest review. I look forward to more from this author.
Did You Forget about Me? follows Cam Miller and his sister as they return to the house of their deceased and long estranged father. The intention is to clear out the place and get it ready for sale. Cam brings along unread letters his father had sent and in the process of reading them and exploring the house begins to remember a past he has mostly blocked out. It is only after they have decided to stay the night that they start to suspect they are not alone.
Hope and Walker. Em Walker is ten year old girl with a supernatural gift living in a town that is shocked by a terrible murder. Her ability to connect with the deceased may have put her in harms way.
The Trade is my favorite of the stories in this collection. It is told from the child's point of view as he and his parents are suffering through a terrible heat wave. As the temperature rises, so do their tempers. Something is leaving rotting animal remains on their door steps. The parents rationalize it away but the child is sure there is something else stalking them. The tension built in this story until I wanted to cover my eyes!
Knock and You Will See Me follows grieving mom Ellie Ray, who knows things she shouldn't and is trying to protect her boys from something that only one of her sons can see--if it exists at all.
The Rambling Man is a brief (only four pages) story at the conclusion but it packs a lot in a very short story.
I loved this collection and I want to thank Andrew for sending me a copy of his book in exchange for an honest review. I look forward to more from this author.
September 3, 2018
There is something lurking in the darkness and Andrew Cull has captured it.
The four stories in Bones all deal with death in different ways. The sudden, untimely death of a childhood friend and how that might haunt someone years later, a small town murder and how it affects a young girl, the chilling outcome of visitations from some unknown thing in the woods, and the death of a father and the haunting consequences for a mother of three.
All of these stories weave in and out of the supernatural in that masterful way that makes you check the locks on your own door and take an extra glance at the dark shadows in the night. Here, the dead walk along another plane of existence and they aren't the people you remember.
Cull creates believable situations and characters that you want to hear from. Each story brings something new: ghosts, monsters, a different kind of narrator, but it is obvious that Cull excels at stories about family dynamics.
At the very end, there is an extra short story of just a few pages that might have actually been my favorite piece of writing in the whole book. Very impactful and such a brilliant spooky story in just a few pages.
I can't wait for more from this author! Highly recommended!
The four stories in Bones all deal with death in different ways. The sudden, untimely death of a childhood friend and how that might haunt someone years later, a small town murder and how it affects a young girl, the chilling outcome of visitations from some unknown thing in the woods, and the death of a father and the haunting consequences for a mother of three.
All of these stories weave in and out of the supernatural in that masterful way that makes you check the locks on your own door and take an extra glance at the dark shadows in the night. Here, the dead walk along another plane of existence and they aren't the people you remember.
Cull creates believable situations and characters that you want to hear from. Each story brings something new: ghosts, monsters, a different kind of narrator, but it is obvious that Cull excels at stories about family dynamics.
At the very end, there is an extra short story of just a few pages that might have actually been my favorite piece of writing in the whole book. Very impactful and such a brilliant spooky story in just a few pages.
I can't wait for more from this author! Highly recommended!
September 28, 2021
This book. Has it become my favorite read of the year? I think it has... Bones by @andrewcull is a collection of monsters that will make you keep looking over your shoulder, check under your bed at night, be afraid to turn the lights off and hear things that aren’t there... or ARE they? 😳😳😳.
Bones is a collection of four short stories that will terrify you. You feel like you are there, peeking around a corner seeing everything that’s happening, feeling all the emotions of each of these characters as if they were your own.
How this is a debut blows my bloody mind because it is absolutely brilliant! from the opening page I couldn’t put it down. I found myself completely oblivious to the outside world and completely absorbed in every one of these pages. Ive never liked all the stories in a collection. Until now.
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Who do I recommend this book to? Those of you who love great storytelling. Those of you who want a book you can’t put down. Those of you who don’t mind being scared out of your wits and still have you begging for more 😁. Do yourself a favor. Read this book.
Bones is a collection of four short stories that will terrify you. You feel like you are there, peeking around a corner seeing everything that’s happening, feeling all the emotions of each of these characters as if they were your own.
How this is a debut blows my bloody mind because it is absolutely brilliant! from the opening page I couldn’t put it down. I found myself completely oblivious to the outside world and completely absorbed in every one of these pages. Ive never liked all the stories in a collection. Until now.
.
Who do I recommend this book to? Those of you who love great storytelling. Those of you who want a book you can’t put down. Those of you who don’t mind being scared out of your wits and still have you begging for more 😁. Do yourself a favor. Read this book.
April 1, 2019
Oh my word, I don’t even know where to start with this book. Everyone that has seen my posts and reviews must know by now that I love a good short story… But as we all know, when it comes to collections or anthologies, there is a kind of a hit and miss situation. There will be stories you’ll love, some will be just okay and some you’ll hate. This is the fist time I’ve ever picked up a collection and absolutely loved every single one of them! As in seriously…I’m being super serial!
This collection contains four short stories, but you also get a bonus story at the end (I whisper quietly in your ear). The ones listed in the table of contents are:
1) Did You Forget About Me?
2) Hope and Walker
3) The Trade
4) Knock and You Will See Me
If you want to know the name of the fifth story, you’ll just have to buy Bones (muahahahaaa).
All of them were creepy AF, all of them had some really great monsters and all them dealt with death in some way, shape or form. Two of these stories actually had me feeling quite melancholy at times…you know…lump in my throat, tears in my eyes. Last time I had a reaction like this was while reading We Need to Talk About Kevin.
Let me just give you an example passage from one these stories:” Death is silence. It’s not the crying and the grieving. It’s not the condolences or the pastor’s patronising words. It’s not the pain, like a heart attack, that seizes you in the dark when you close your eyes. No, it’s the never-ending, fucking silence of it. It’s never hearing their voice again. Not a word. Not a sound. Not ever again.”
I mean…come oooon! Why not just rip out my heart and crush it in your hand (lump in throat…tear, tear, tear). I don’t know what it is about Andrew Cull’s writing style, and I don’t know if others experience his work the same way as I do, but for some reason his words really resonate with me. My husband always remarks that he can tell how much of an impact a book has on me, simply by the amount of time I’ll sit (with the book in my lap) and stare off into space. I know I do this… When the phrases, sentences or paragraphs are good, I simply can’t help myself, I must sit quietly for a while to just mull them over.
This was an absolutely fabulous collection of stories! Well-written and told in such a way, its hard to put down (devoured this in one day). Andrew Cull has now been put on my auto-buy list and I’m so glad I discovered him now so I don’t have anything to catch up on... I can hardly believe this as his debut novel. I would highly recommend Bones to anyone willing to listen (even if you’re not a horror fan). I was so impressed by Cull, that he has been put above Malfi in my favourite author list (and that’s after only one book). Here is an author I’ll be watching closely from now on.
This collection contains four short stories, but you also get a bonus story at the end (I whisper quietly in your ear). The ones listed in the table of contents are:
1) Did You Forget About Me?
2) Hope and Walker
3) The Trade
4) Knock and You Will See Me
If you want to know the name of the fifth story, you’ll just have to buy Bones (muahahahaaa).
All of them were creepy AF, all of them had some really great monsters and all them dealt with death in some way, shape or form. Two of these stories actually had me feeling quite melancholy at times…you know…lump in my throat, tears in my eyes. Last time I had a reaction like this was while reading We Need to Talk About Kevin.
Let me just give you an example passage from one these stories:” Death is silence. It’s not the crying and the grieving. It’s not the condolences or the pastor’s patronising words. It’s not the pain, like a heart attack, that seizes you in the dark when you close your eyes. No, it’s the never-ending, fucking silence of it. It’s never hearing their voice again. Not a word. Not a sound. Not ever again.”
I mean…come oooon! Why not just rip out my heart and crush it in your hand (lump in throat…tear, tear, tear). I don’t know what it is about Andrew Cull’s writing style, and I don’t know if others experience his work the same way as I do, but for some reason his words really resonate with me. My husband always remarks that he can tell how much of an impact a book has on me, simply by the amount of time I’ll sit (with the book in my lap) and stare off into space. I know I do this… When the phrases, sentences or paragraphs are good, I simply can’t help myself, I must sit quietly for a while to just mull them over.
This was an absolutely fabulous collection of stories! Well-written and told in such a way, its hard to put down (devoured this in one day). Andrew Cull has now been put on my auto-buy list and I’m so glad I discovered him now so I don’t have anything to catch up on... I can hardly believe this as his debut novel. I would highly recommend Bones to anyone willing to listen (even if you’re not a horror fan). I was so impressed by Cull, that he has been put above Malfi in my favourite author list (and that’s after only one book). Here is an author I’ll be watching closely from now on.
January 30, 2019
Bones by Andrew Cull is a brilliantly written, deliciously short collection of short stories and a novella that I’m glad to have on my shelf. I received the book sometime last year, and after completing it, I really wish I’d read it sooner. Once again Cull proves to me that he’s an exceptional writer when it comes to horror–and in the case of one story in this collection, he shows his ability to rend hearts.
The first story in this collection, “Did You Forget About Me?”, is a delightfully eerie take on an urban legend localized to Thatcham, Berkshire. Fast-paced and entertaining, my only complaint with this one is the fact that it jumps around a lot and can be really hard to follow. The characters are well-written, and the camaraderie between brother and sister really shows.
“Hope and Walker” is by far my favorite of the stories in this collection, despite the fact it’s not scary. If anything, it’s heartbreaking and sad, with a perfectly melancholic tone to it. It takes place in a small town, which to me is extremely familiar so I felt right at home reading it–even if I did have to look up a few things, such as what Redskins are. By the way, they’re apparently a raspberry chewy candy!
Coming in third is the story “The Trade”, in which a family receives downright disturbing “offerings” at the back door of their house. Assuming it’s foxes, the story continues on to take a very dark, sad turn that almost left me in tears.
For my thoughts on Knock and You Will See Me, you can click here: http://theghastlygrimoire.com/2018/01....
Following the novella is a very short piece that could be considered flash fiction. Entitled “The Rambling Man”, this little tale is one that, in a matter of pages, takes you on a creepy ride that reminds you exactly how preposterous the beliefs of some people can be. It’s an absolute must read, but easy to miss if you’re not looking for it, as this little gem is not listed in the table of contents.
Overall, I adored this collection. I look forward, as before, to more of Cull’s work. I love his style, his descriptions, and his ability to put a sense of urgency into what he writes.
I received a copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review.
The first story in this collection, “Did You Forget About Me?”, is a delightfully eerie take on an urban legend localized to Thatcham, Berkshire. Fast-paced and entertaining, my only complaint with this one is the fact that it jumps around a lot and can be really hard to follow. The characters are well-written, and the camaraderie between brother and sister really shows.
“Hope and Walker” is by far my favorite of the stories in this collection, despite the fact it’s not scary. If anything, it’s heartbreaking and sad, with a perfectly melancholic tone to it. It takes place in a small town, which to me is extremely familiar so I felt right at home reading it–even if I did have to look up a few things, such as what Redskins are. By the way, they’re apparently a raspberry chewy candy!
Coming in third is the story “The Trade”, in which a family receives downright disturbing “offerings” at the back door of their house. Assuming it’s foxes, the story continues on to take a very dark, sad turn that almost left me in tears.
For my thoughts on Knock and You Will See Me, you can click here: http://theghastlygrimoire.com/2018/01....
Following the novella is a very short piece that could be considered flash fiction. Entitled “The Rambling Man”, this little tale is one that, in a matter of pages, takes you on a creepy ride that reminds you exactly how preposterous the beliefs of some people can be. It’s an absolute must read, but easy to miss if you’re not looking for it, as this little gem is not listed in the table of contents.
Overall, I adored this collection. I look forward, as before, to more of Cull’s work. I love his style, his descriptions, and his ability to put a sense of urgency into what he writes.
I received a copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review.
May 2, 2019
For the longest part of last year I kept seeing this little short story collection floating about the horror bookstagram community and getting a lot of praise. Around the beginning of this year Andrew Cull was offering free review copies on Instagram, and of course I jumped at the opportunity, and I am very happy that I did.
"Bones" is a collection of four short stories and a fifth flash fiction story. Neither of the stories is called "Bones" (extra points for that!), the title representing the common themes of decay, loss, and grief. All stories follow characters who are faced with the death of loved ones and with the grief that ensues. Grief manifests differently with everyone, so of course, some characters react with despair, while others resort to anger or guilt. Another common theme is the coming of age one, since all characters, whether children or adults, end up maturing more after dealing with the feelings and situations they are in.
Eddie Generous, from Unnerving Magazine, refers to Cull's writing as writing "like there's a movie playing in his head", and that is the closest description to how I felt about his writing as well. The imagery he creates is very vivid, and by that I do not just mean the visual imagery, but also the auditory and the olfactory. Many times while reading I felt like I could smell the decay he was writing about, and for that his writing has all my praise.
I will not be going into each short story, as they are short to begin with and I don't want to give anything away. I will say, though, that my personal favorite is "The Trade" and its ending will stay with me for a while.
"Bones" was my introduction to Andrew Cull's writing and I am very much looking forward to more. Luckily, his novel "Remains" is coming out sometime this year and I can't wait!
"Bones" is a collection of four short stories and a fifth flash fiction story. Neither of the stories is called "Bones" (extra points for that!), the title representing the common themes of decay, loss, and grief. All stories follow characters who are faced with the death of loved ones and with the grief that ensues. Grief manifests differently with everyone, so of course, some characters react with despair, while others resort to anger or guilt. Another common theme is the coming of age one, since all characters, whether children or adults, end up maturing more after dealing with the feelings and situations they are in.
Eddie Generous, from Unnerving Magazine, refers to Cull's writing as writing "like there's a movie playing in his head", and that is the closest description to how I felt about his writing as well. The imagery he creates is very vivid, and by that I do not just mean the visual imagery, but also the auditory and the olfactory. Many times while reading I felt like I could smell the decay he was writing about, and for that his writing has all my praise.
I will not be going into each short story, as they are short to begin with and I don't want to give anything away. I will say, though, that my personal favorite is "The Trade" and its ending will stay with me for a while.
"Bones" was my introduction to Andrew Cull's writing and I am very much looking forward to more. Luckily, his novel "Remains" is coming out sometime this year and I can't wait!
June 26, 2019
When you make a short story collection, especially when it's a debut, the stories better hit hard. The less stories included, the harder they should hit.
Bones is a collection of 3 short stories, a novella, and a flash fiction short story as a bonus. And they hit oh so hard.
Now it's hard for me to properly review the writing. Look at it this way, Andrew Cull writes very cinematically. You can clearly see each scene in your head. The setting, the characters, the horror, they all come alive. And story-wise I'd say that it's like those very good indie-horror movies that a lot of people haven't watched. It feels that way too, through the atmosphere and characterwork it contains.
And that's what Cull pulled off here. The stories start off slow (though each one has a first line that just make it so that you cannot wait for the good stuff!), builds on character, adds dread, and is incredibly atmospheric. Cull has beautiful prose on top of that as well, which makes reading it such a joy.
Stories included:
Did You Forget About Me 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
Hope And Walker 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
The Trade 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
Knock And You Will See Me 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
The Rambling man 🌟🌟🌟
The best story here, in my opinion, is the novella Knock And You Will See Me. But it was not my favorite. That one would be The Trade. I loved the characters and family dynamic in that one and it is was immensely claustrophobic.
But, you know, it's hard to pick favorites when there are four 5 star reads present.🤷🏼♂️
The only story I couldn't rate as high was the little three-page bonus story, The Rambling Man. I think, had it been longer, it could have easily been my favorite out of all the stories. Alas, I found it to be too short to work on my emotions.
I could nitpick two or three things I liked less, but in the end those were small and had no effect on my rating. If you're a fan of horror, I invite you to check this collection out!
I can't wait to read Andrew Cull's recently released novel Remains!🙌🏻
Bones is a collection of 3 short stories, a novella, and a flash fiction short story as a bonus. And they hit oh so hard.
Now it's hard for me to properly review the writing. Look at it this way, Andrew Cull writes very cinematically. You can clearly see each scene in your head. The setting, the characters, the horror, they all come alive. And story-wise I'd say that it's like those very good indie-horror movies that a lot of people haven't watched. It feels that way too, through the atmosphere and characterwork it contains.
And that's what Cull pulled off here. The stories start off slow (though each one has a first line that just make it so that you cannot wait for the good stuff!), builds on character, adds dread, and is incredibly atmospheric. Cull has beautiful prose on top of that as well, which makes reading it such a joy.
Stories included:
Did You Forget About Me 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
Hope And Walker 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
The Trade 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
Knock And You Will See Me 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
The Rambling man 🌟🌟🌟
The best story here, in my opinion, is the novella Knock And You Will See Me. But it was not my favorite. That one would be The Trade. I loved the characters and family dynamic in that one and it is was immensely claustrophobic.
But, you know, it's hard to pick favorites when there are four 5 star reads present.🤷🏼♂️
The only story I couldn't rate as high was the little three-page bonus story, The Rambling Man. I think, had it been longer, it could have easily been my favorite out of all the stories. Alas, I found it to be too short to work on my emotions.
I could nitpick two or three things I liked less, but in the end those were small and had no effect on my rating. If you're a fan of horror, I invite you to check this collection out!
I can't wait to read Andrew Cull's recently released novel Remains!🙌🏻
February 8, 2019
Bones is a collection of four chilling ghost stories that give you chills and raises the hair at the base of your neck.
'Did you forget about me'
Cam Miller returns to the farmhouse he grew up in to clear his estranged fathers belongings. Here he will come across the horror that has waited all those years for his return.
I loved this story and thought it was a strong start to the book. I loved the build up to the event and thought it had the right tension to make you on edge. I also thought the ending was done so well also.
'Its you he wants'
Em walker is just a ten year old girl who is growing up in a small town, he father owns one of the two funeral parlours and oh yeah the dead have started to speak to her.
I found this one a really cool concept of this girl hearing the dead speak however i do think this one felt the most rushed and I would love to have seen this concept made into a proper novel so that the build up could be more intense and more could be explained (ie, i don't think the killer aspect of this book was explained greatly.
The Trade>
"I was seven and this was the summer death stalked our home. It began with the offerings.."
Out of all the 4 stories this was the one that i actually can't remember which is a shame but my honest opinion.
Knock and you will see me.
'We buried dad in the winter. It wasn't until the spring that we heard from him again.'
When Ellie Ray finds a crumpled , handwritten note from her recently deceased father, she assumes that she just overlooked it. However more and more letters begin to appear.
I did like this one, and was the longest out of the four. I thought the characters were well made and all stood out and i liked the story and ending.
'Did you forget about me'
Cam Miller returns to the farmhouse he grew up in to clear his estranged fathers belongings. Here he will come across the horror that has waited all those years for his return.
I loved this story and thought it was a strong start to the book. I loved the build up to the event and thought it had the right tension to make you on edge. I also thought the ending was done so well also.
'Its you he wants'
Em walker is just a ten year old girl who is growing up in a small town, he father owns one of the two funeral parlours and oh yeah the dead have started to speak to her.
I found this one a really cool concept of this girl hearing the dead speak however i do think this one felt the most rushed and I would love to have seen this concept made into a proper novel so that the build up could be more intense and more could be explained (ie, i don't think the killer aspect of this book was explained greatly.
The Trade>
"I was seven and this was the summer death stalked our home. It began with the offerings.."
Out of all the 4 stories this was the one that i actually can't remember which is a shame but my honest opinion.
Knock and you will see me.
'We buried dad in the winter. It wasn't until the spring that we heard from him again.'
When Ellie Ray finds a crumpled , handwritten note from her recently deceased father, she assumes that she just overlooked it. However more and more letters begin to appear.
I did like this one, and was the longest out of the four. I thought the characters were well made and all stood out and i liked the story and ending.
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