Vampiro and Other Strange Tales of the Macabre: A Collection of Short Horror Stories

by Kevin J. Kennedy

After the success of Kennedy’s first collection, Dark Thoughts, he brings you Vampiro and Other Strange Tales of the Macabre. This one contains stories inspired by TV shows from his youth, such as ‘Tales from the Crypt,’ ‘Eerie India,’ ‘The Twilight Zone’ & ‘The Outer Limits.’ Inside, you will find tales of a carnival vampire, a town overtaken by a special kind of Easter bunnies, tales of the insane, a journey through Hell at Christmas time, and many other shorts to make your hair stand on end. Some are funny, some are gross and some touch upon the evil of your fellow man.

Come and join us, but be warned… you may never want to leave.

Praise for Vampiro and Other Strange Tales of the Macabre

Gruesome, outrageous, and extraordinarily entertaining: VAMPIRO AND OTHER STRANGE TALES OF THE MACABRE presents twisted tales of demonic possession, brutal monsters, revenge, and something like demented glee. It’s everything you’d want—and expect—from acclaimed author Kevin J. Kennedy.
Eric J. Guignard, award-winning author and editor, including That Which Grows Wild and Doorways to the Deadeye

‘Kennedy’s work is getting more impressive with each publication. I had a great time with this collection. You should seriously check it out.’
Andrew Lennon, Author of Ode to Death

‘A nerve-wracking stroll through the bad neighborhood of a brilliant horror author's dark imagination’
Chuck Anderson, author of Ocean Gores and Sin City Succubus

'Kevin Kennedy puts together a horrific selection box of tales.... Some serious, some tongue in cheek, all disturbing... That leave you wanting to devour another set'
Lex H. Jones, author of Nick and Abe & The Old One and the Sea

‘This collection is a perfect read for any time of year if you’re looking for a wonderful collection of creepy and strange tales!’
Erica Robyn from the Erica Robyn Reads blog

‘These stories are not for the weak of heart, they are wonderfully nasty, deliciously depraved and at times downright licentious.’
William C. Bitner Jr, Books in my Library blog

Genres: Horror, Anthologies, Short Stories

174 pages, Kindle Edition

Published November 17, 2019

About the author

Kevin J. Kennedy is a horror author, editor, and anthologist. He is the owner of KJK Publishing and runs the bestselling 'The Horror Collection' series. He is the author of Halloween Land, The Clown and Nothing is Real.

He lives in the heart of Scotland with his beautiful wife, three cats, Carlito, Ariel and Luna, and a Pomchi called Orko. He can be found on Facebook if you want to chat with him.

Reviews

[Erica Robyn Metcalf · Rating 5 out of 5]

Vampiro and Other Strange Tales of the Macabre by Kevin J. Kennedy is an awesome collection of tales that were each written by Mr. Kennedy.

I was so thrilled when the author emailed me to let me know this one was coming out soon. What a perfect collection to read to kick off October!

This collection was SO fun to read. I recognized a couple of the tales from other collections I’ve read from Mr Kennedy, and I was so excited to re-read them.

Each tale is so unique and interesting! They are all just perfectly written, giving the reader just enough information, but not too much to bog down the story. I really enjoyed them all!

This collection is a perfect read for any time of year if you’re looking for a wonderful collection of creepy and strange tales!

*UPDATE: I had a blast revisiting these tales in the audiobook as narrated by Austin Backman. Check out my full review here: https://www.ericarobynreads.com/vampi...

[Esther · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thanks to the author for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I'm always excited when I see a book by Kevin J. Kennedy on my list. I just know I'll read more original, scary, funny and gory horror stories. This book was unique in a way that all the stories are by Kevin J. Kennedy himself. I usually read the books where he collaborates with other authors.

What I saw, by reading only stories by Kennedy himself, is that he has such a big imagination! All the stories were totally different and I did not feel like they were written by one and the same author. Great job.

[Eric Guignard · Rating 5 out of 5]

Gruesome, outrageous, and extraordinarily entertaining: VAMPIRO AND OTHER STRANGE TALES OF THE MACABRE presents twisted tales of demonic possession, brutal monsters, revenge, and something like demented glee. It’s everything you’d want—and expect—from acclaimed author Kevin J. Kennedy.

[Todd Love · Rating 4 out of 5]

Strange Tales

I want a carnival with Vampiro and Koko to exist. More fun, gory, and disturbing tales in this collection. Killer rabbits and a hell that celebrates Christmas, what’s now to love.

[Natasha Sinclair · Rating 5 out of 5]

Monsters, Evisceration and Dinner with the Devil, what’s not to love!

Another great collection of horror shorts by Kevin J Kennedy’s own hand.
My stand out favourites were ‘Don’t Grass’ and the epic finale of ‘Christmas in Hell.’
Each tale in this collection is like a vivid wander through a madman’s dreams.
As one would expect there’s monsters and some evisceration and that’s all terribly good fun. It’s all skilfully woven again with Kennedy’s dark humour which ensures these stories stand out from the pack. Kennedy is a real voice to be heard in the horror genre, highly recommend.
Dine with Devil, I guarantee, you’ll be looking for more!

[alice(noreen alice law) · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoy original,inventive stories.

Each story was different and refreshing in its approach to familiar subjects(I won't spoil). T hey were well developed,witty worthwhile reads.

[Joan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great horrifying tales that will peak your interest if you are a fan of the horror genre.

[Miranda Kate · Rating 4 out of 5]

Review to follow.

[Lou Canning · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very good. Every story entertaining.

[Floyd Liff · Rating 5 out of 5]

You got to read this

You got to read this book. Short stories that you will read in one sitting. The stories in this book offers a wide range to keep you hooked. From the first to the last. If you have never read any of Kevin's books, this is a great one to start with.

[William Bitner Jr. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Vampiro and Other Strange Tales of the Macabre
By Kevin J. Kennedy

Genre - Fiction
Subgenre - Horror/Short Stories
Pages -
Publication Information - Independently Published, October 31, 2019
Format - Digital (ARC)
Reviewed by William C. Bitner, Jr. (https://booksinmylibraryblog.wordpres...)
Rating - 📙📙📙📙📙



Have you ever been curious about how many levels of disturbing there are? It’s something I ponder from time to time. However, in the case of “Vampiro and Other Strange Tales of the Macabre” by Kevin J. Kennedy the answer is seven. Very much like seven deadly sins...but in this case it’s seven depraved and disturbing short stories. These stories are not for the weak of heart, they are wonderfully nasty, deliciously depraved and at times downright licentious (case in point - “The Game”, the first story in this wonderful collection). The theme of disturbing continues with “Thirteen Voices”, “Don’t Grass”, “Would You Sell Your Soul?”, “Vampiro”, “A Town Called Easter” and “Christmas in Hell”. Each of these stories stands alone in it’s excellence, but having seven in one book is just a gem worth having. All you horror urges will be met and some will go beyond anything you could ever have imagined. I highly recommend getting your claws on a copy of this collection when it’s available in a few weeks. No synopsis is necessary here, if you’ve read any of Kevin’s pieces before, you know what to expect, and you get it seven-fold.

From the back cover: After the success of Kennedy’s first collection, Dark Thoughts, he brings you Vampiro and Other Strange Tales of the Macabre. This one contains stories inspired by TV shows from his youth, such as ‘Tales from the Crypt,’ ‘Eerie India,’ ‘The Twilight Zone’ & ‘The Outer Limits.’ Inside, you will find tales of a carnival vampire, a town overtaken by a special kind of Easter bunnies, tales of the insane, a journey through Hell at Christmas time, and many other shorts to make your hair stand on end. Come and join us, but be warned… you may never want to leave.

About the Author: Kevin J Kennedy is a horror author & editor from Scotland. He is the co-author of You Only Get One Shot & Screechers, and the publisher of several bestselling anthology series; Collected Horror Shorts, 100 Word Horrors & The Horror Collection, as well as the stand-alone anthology Carnival of Horror. His stories have been featured in many other notable books in the horror genre. He is an active member of the Horror Writers Association.

Other Project by Kevin J. Kennedy: The Horror Collection: Gold Edition (THC Book 1); The Horror Collection: Black Edition (THC Book 2); The Horror Collection: Purple Edition (THC Book 3); Dark Thoughts: A Collection of Horror Stories; Dark Places, Evil Places Volume II; Carnival of Horrors: A Carnival Themed Horror Anthology; Collected Christmas Horror Short (Collected Horror Shorts, Book 1); Collected Christmas Horror Shorts 2 (Collected Horror Shorts, Book 4); Collected Halloween Horror Shorts: Trick r’ Treat (Collected Horror Shorts, Book 3); Collected Easter Horror Short (Collected Horror Shorts, Book 2); 100 Word Horrors: An Anthology of Horror Drabbles (100 Word Horror Collection, Book 1); 100 Word Horrors: An Anthology of Horror Drabbles (100 Word Horror Collection, Book 2); 100 Word Horrors: An Anthology of Horror Drabbles (100 Word Horror Collection, Book 3); Spooky Halloween Drabbles 2016; Hydrophobia: Charity Anthology for Victims of Hurricane Harvey; Spooky Halloween Drabbles 2015; You Only Get One Shot: A Horror Novella; The Queuing Dead: A Very British Zombie Anthology; Screechers: A Post-Apocalyptic Novella; VS: U.S. vs U.K. Horror; Made in Britain; Fifty Shades of Slay; Tales from the Braided Pony; Unleashed: Monsters vs Zombies Volume II; The Gatekeeper: A Kindle Short; No Place Like Home: Twisted Tales from the Yellow Brick Road; The Reverend Burdizzo’s Hymn Book; The Speculative Book; et. al.

[Jim Glover · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have been a fan of Kevin J Kennedy's work since my girlfriend bought me my first book by him. Most of his works are anthologies with other authors in them, this one is cool because it is a collection of short stories by just Kevin. And let me tell you he is very talented. I love his stories. After reading the first story in this collection, The Games, I went right to Amazon and bought the book that I know it was first put in. This lovely story about once a year in an old west town, where people compete in games to see who could be the winner in some of the sickest events. However who would be brave enough to spend 10 minutes in a cage with an actual vampire? Read this story and find out. Also there are stories about a vampire at a traveling carnival, find out what happens when you bully the wrong kid, what happens when you sell you soul, a town called easter, and having dinner with the devil in hell and he gives you an offer that you can't refuse. I'm telling you each story is just amazing and so devilishly twisted that you can't help but love them. Get this book and check it out, trust me you will not be disappointed.

[Autumn · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received this book to give an honest review.

These stories were different and unique. There was maybe one or two that I didn't enjoy as much, but that is to be expected at times. If you are looking for a good quick read something that you can read in an afternoon then this would be it. The stories are short and will hold your interest. There was one story that used a certain dialect that had me wondering what the characters meant when they said it. So if anyone knows please feel free to tell me. "Ye better no f**kin' grass on us, ya c**t!" I assume that means not to rat but I could be wrong.

On the story with the vampire at the circus, I wanted to know more about that clown that was built like a tank it seemed. I felt that there was more that could have been added to that story, even if it was just a little bit.

I normally always try to find a quote that I like within a book and this book had my favorite one. "I can barely stand any-fu**king-one. God only knows how he tolerated billions of us."

[Robert W. Easton · Rating 5 out of 5]

This collection has seven short stories. The first one, 'The Games' is about the Braided Pony, the setting of a collection of Weird West horror tales, and tinkers with body horror. Some of them, such as the titular Vampiro are character studies showing situation the main character is embroiled in and examining the consequences. Others, such as the oddly named 'Don't Grass' drag you along with the main characters descent into horror. The apocalyptic 'The Town Called Easter' runs more horror adventure.

It's a strong collecting of stories, all engaging in an uncomfortable way.

[Christina Bergling · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Vampiro horror anthology takes the reader on a fast and fun ride through horror, stopping in multiple subgenres and offering a variety of tones and themes. There are glimpses of the depraved, the horrifying, and the humorous--from the real life horror of bullying to imagining Christmas in Hell. The balance between all these varied tales keeps the reader engaged and entertained. I read the entire collection in one sitting and felt all my horror needs sated. My personal favorite was Thirteen Voices.

[Ann Keeran · Rating 5 out of 5]

As usual, Kevin J Kennedy has composed a book of short stories that will keep you on edge. Have you ever thought about how Christmas is observed in Hell? The answer to this is found in Vampiro and Other Strange Tales of the Macabre. A titillating combination of thrilling stories.

[Susan Hagy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great read. Fast paced short stories, something for everyone.
My personal favs were Gras and Christmas in Hell.
Looking forward to reading more by this author.

[Chiara Cooper · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was offered the audiobook by the author and this is my honest review.

This is not my first book by Kevin J. Kennedy and as the others it didn't disappoint.

It's a collection of short stories that range from the very disturbing to the bizarre and also darkly humorous. As always Kevin J. Kennedy manages to entartain with his originality and his very unique stories that are never what you would expect!

I loved all of the stories but a couple really made me reflect as they could well be real and for this reason even more scary!
Although my favourites were "Thirteen Voices" and "Christmas in Hell", I thoroughly enjoyed the killer rabbits and wanted to know more!

The only downside was the narrator which I didn't like but this is a personal opinion of course!

If you've never tried Kevin J. Kennedy's stories, this collection is a very good example of his skills and imagination and I'm sure you'll come back for more!

[Veronik Durocher · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fun

Nice collection of stories, in the vein of the famous « Tales from the Crypt », with the same naive charm that was so enticing back when I was a kid (even if, as I was too young, I only read the reprints.

[Dion Smith · Rating 5 out of 5]

This collection was full of dark humour and was great fun to read, with killer rabbits, possession, monsters, and Christmas in hell, there is something for everyone, they were all well written and very entertaining.

If you like shows like Tales from the Crypt then you will love these stories.

[Janelle Halstead · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good stories.

[Sandra Lopez · Rating 3 out of 5]

Nice illustration on the cover! The guy’s kind of a cross between a wolf and a vampire. Cool!

What would you do if you had thirteen voices in your head? Would you start talking to them? And would you sell your soul?

These are literary tales of horror most often with a twist of irony. Some had good concepts and story lines while others were mediocre and ended a little too abruptly. I’d say this could be aimed toward YA audiences as they’re not that grisly. An okay read.

[David · Rating 3 out of 5]

This one didn't do it for me. I was excited to give it a go based on past stories from Kevin Kennedy. The one story I really enjoyed was thirteen voices. It was fun story and gave me a good laugh. The others stories fell flat for me and missed the mark.