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Nocturne: A Collection of Dark Tales
From the gothic to the gory, this ghostly collection will keep you awake long into the witching hours of night. Step into the twisted warren of a lunatic mind, face the angered spirits of a haunted mansion, or escape a cursed forest's ancient monster. Whichever story you choose, be sure to keep the lights on. Featuring short stories seen in publications from the likes of Flame Tree Press, ID Press, and Horror Tree, plus six brand new tales. “Stormy nights, abandoned places, shadows along the wall. These stories captured the classic feel of Gothic tales told by the fire many years ago.” Marianne Halbert, author of Cold Comforts “This book revived my love of short stories. The stories are all great, some of them read almost as poetry. The metaphors that are used and the writing is wonderful. I was scared, uncomfortable and smiling all at the same time. 5 Yellow Pills in a Tiny Paper Cup out of 5.” – Youtube reviewer, Steve Talks About Books & Stuff “After reading this collection, I stare forlornly out my window, grasping my lace coverlet to my throat while storm clouds build outside…where opium was still a valid treatment plan and the ghosts are ever so friendly… Perfect Gothic horror.” Reviewer, Sarah Duck-Mayr Visit www.authorhbdiaz.com for new release announcements, free reads, and more.
- GenresHorror
109 pages, Kindle Edition
Published October 3, 2020
3 people are currently reading
46 people want to read
About the author
H.B. Diaz
9 books14 followersH.B. Diaz is a gothic horror/mystery writer and HWA member whose short stories have been featured in publications/productions from the likes of Flame Tree Press, The NoSleep Podcast, Ghost Orchid Press, and PseudoPod, among others. Her gothic novels, THE GHOST OF RAVENSWOOD HALL (Literary Wanderlust) and WILDEFELL (Cemetery Dance) are forthcoming in 2024. She lives in a historic (and likely haunted) East Coast town. Visit her on Goodreads, Twitter, Facebook (@HollyBDiaz), and Instagram (H.B. Diaz).
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Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews
September 30, 2024
Do you like the idea of gothic literature but lack the patience or attention span for slow burns? Yeah, same. This one is for you. At under 60 pages these short stories are like shooters of horror and perfect if you don't want to commit.
July 9, 2021
This collection of dark, gothic tales is my favorite collection of horror short stories by the same author that I've read in 2021.
I discovered this author from an interview they did with the YouTube channel, Steve Talks About Books and Stuff - it sounded very interesting and commented that sentiment. I was so surprised when a copy turned up at my door from Steve himself! (and so grateful as this is now a favored read of the year for me!)
Link to interview here: https://youtu.be/8yGzahNmY_E
I loved every story! The top two standouts for me were "The Malady of Mrs. Monroe" and "The Echo of Eleanor Mae". I enjoyed every story, but those two are my favorites. The writing style was not the same for each story, which kept them from running into each other - it made each story different and exciting and memorable.
I will absolutely be hunting down more work of H.B. Diaz!
I discovered this author from an interview they did with the YouTube channel, Steve Talks About Books and Stuff - it sounded very interesting and commented that sentiment. I was so surprised when a copy turned up at my door from Steve himself! (and so grateful as this is now a favored read of the year for me!)
Link to interview here: https://youtu.be/8yGzahNmY_E
I loved every story! The top two standouts for me were "The Malady of Mrs. Monroe" and "The Echo of Eleanor Mae". I enjoyed every story, but those two are my favorites. The writing style was not the same for each story, which kept them from running into each other - it made each story different and exciting and memorable.
I will absolutely be hunting down more work of H.B. Diaz!
December 3, 2021
4.5 out of 5!
Nocturne is a beautifully written collection of short horror stories.
I pretty much enjoyed every single story in this collection.
But some of my favorites were...
-Insomnia
-Wendigo
-Pocket Watch
-The Ruins
-Oranges
-The Echo of Eleanor Mae.
This was such a cozy, gothic horror read, and perfect for the fall & winter time of year.
H.B. Diaz writes in a such a poetic manner that I found myself highlighting so many passages of text.
This one is a new favorite for sure and I can't wait to see what the author does next!
Nocturne is a beautifully written collection of short horror stories.
I pretty much enjoyed every single story in this collection.
But some of my favorites were...
-Insomnia
-Wendigo
-Pocket Watch
-The Ruins
-Oranges
-The Echo of Eleanor Mae.
This was such a cozy, gothic horror read, and perfect for the fall & winter time of year.
H.B. Diaz writes in a such a poetic manner that I found myself highlighting so many passages of text.
This one is a new favorite for sure and I can't wait to see what the author does next!
April 21, 2021
Disappointed. The storylines were a bit too derivative with little or no unique spin. The author has talent, but relies too much on analogies and metaphors
I think my favorite story was The Malady of Mrs. Monroe. It was well written and the word choices were excellent for the historical period. The story was creepy in a mysterious way, leaving the reader to conjure the monster of the story in their imagination.
I think my favorite story was The Malady of Mrs. Monroe. It was well written and the word choices were excellent for the historical period. The story was creepy in a mysterious way, leaving the reader to conjure the monster of the story in their imagination.
March 31, 2021
Mary Shelley, Shirley Jackson, Anne Rice… AND H.B. Diaz! WOW! Just… WOW!
Diaz has been fine-tuning her creepy craft for several years, and while gaining traction by appearing in publications like Flame Tree Press, ID Press, and Horror Tree, her release of NOCTURNE: A Collection of Dark Tales will certainly thrust her to the forefront of the macabre masters.
Drawing from the primal fears of the human psyche, H.B. Diaz sparks madness from her first story and adeptly builds and twists the terror throughout each of her twelve short stories. Though it is a relatively quick read, by the end, you will have to sit a minute and remind yourself all is well in the present, living world.
Using one of Diaz’s own quotes from the short story, “Caroline,” her supreme mastery of word wizardry leaves the reader feeling as though they are, “… walking the line between this world and the next with such familiarity…” they are not sure they would know if they had crossed over. Though she does throw in a little blood and gore here and there for effect, Diaz does not need it to get the rise out of her reader. Instead, she relies on simple, yet terrifying concepts to elicit fear: aging, insomnia, folklore, the sane being trapped with the insane, panic, and the earliest of all human instincts – survival at all costs. Her imagery paints crisp, clear word pictures, “churning sea of madness,” “ferns drooped like hunched trolls,” “wild in-human eyeshine,” and my favorite, “gathered darkness the way a corpse acquired maggots.”
H.B. Diaz is well-versed in her genre and has clearly done thorough research on creatures from Indian Folklore, the Lovecraftian world, and Frankenstein-Zombies. She skillfully walks us through the centuries with the ease of the ghosts from A Christmas Carol.
If your senses have become numb from the events of the last year and you need a bit of a jolt to make sure your blood is still pumping, grab a copy of NOCTURNE. I guarantee your heart rate will pick up in no time.
Diaz has been fine-tuning her creepy craft for several years, and while gaining traction by appearing in publications like Flame Tree Press, ID Press, and Horror Tree, her release of NOCTURNE: A Collection of Dark Tales will certainly thrust her to the forefront of the macabre masters.
Drawing from the primal fears of the human psyche, H.B. Diaz sparks madness from her first story and adeptly builds and twists the terror throughout each of her twelve short stories. Though it is a relatively quick read, by the end, you will have to sit a minute and remind yourself all is well in the present, living world.
Using one of Diaz’s own quotes from the short story, “Caroline,” her supreme mastery of word wizardry leaves the reader feeling as though they are, “… walking the line between this world and the next with such familiarity…” they are not sure they would know if they had crossed over. Though she does throw in a little blood and gore here and there for effect, Diaz does not need it to get the rise out of her reader. Instead, she relies on simple, yet terrifying concepts to elicit fear: aging, insomnia, folklore, the sane being trapped with the insane, panic, and the earliest of all human instincts – survival at all costs. Her imagery paints crisp, clear word pictures, “churning sea of madness,” “ferns drooped like hunched trolls,” “wild in-human eyeshine,” and my favorite, “gathered darkness the way a corpse acquired maggots.”
H.B. Diaz is well-versed in her genre and has clearly done thorough research on creatures from Indian Folklore, the Lovecraftian world, and Frankenstein-Zombies. She skillfully walks us through the centuries with the ease of the ghosts from A Christmas Carol.
If your senses have become numb from the events of the last year and you need a bit of a jolt to make sure your blood is still pumping, grab a copy of NOCTURNE. I guarantee your heart rate will pick up in no time.
November 5, 2021
"A Deeply Poetic Collection of Creepy Tales and Stories"
"Nocturne" is a collection of dark and creepy tales by author H.B Diaz. This is the first work I have read by Diaz but was captured instantly by her descriptive writing style. From the first page the author weaves poetic verses and metaphors together with ease.
The stories in this collection are not all about ghosts or monsters. But many of them are about people with twisted backstories or intentions. My favorite involved a sister mourning her brother's death, the story of a missing sister, and one about a mentally ill patient on the run.
Most of the stories in this collection were fantastic from beginning to end. And all were written beautifully. But a few of them left me wanting a tad bit more, if even just a few paragraphs, or ended a bit too similarly to another story in the book.
However, these small criticisms hardly impact the quality of the overall collection. I highly suggest that anyone with an interest in dark literature check out Nocturne. It is a quick read. But wonderfully composed.
4.5 out of 5 Stars
"Nocturne" is a collection of dark and creepy tales by author H.B Diaz. This is the first work I have read by Diaz but was captured instantly by her descriptive writing style. From the first page the author weaves poetic verses and metaphors together with ease.
The stories in this collection are not all about ghosts or monsters. But many of them are about people with twisted backstories or intentions. My favorite involved a sister mourning her brother's death, the story of a missing sister, and one about a mentally ill patient on the run.
Most of the stories in this collection were fantastic from beginning to end. And all were written beautifully. But a few of them left me wanting a tad bit more, if even just a few paragraphs, or ended a bit too similarly to another story in the book.
However, these small criticisms hardly impact the quality of the overall collection. I highly suggest that anyone with an interest in dark literature check out Nocturne. It is a quick read. But wonderfully composed.
4.5 out of 5 Stars
September 8, 2022
NOCTURNE - A Collection of Dark Tales – by H.B. Diaz
I enjoyed every one of the twelve Dark Tales within; I hope you do as well—I Highly Recommend!
‘The Patient in Room 96’ – Love This One!
‘Imogene knew even before her fingers touched the doorknob that she belonged to Harwood House, and now it would belong to her, too.’
‘Insomnia’ – That was short, but Oh So Creepy Good!
‘Wendigo’ – Creepy Good!
‘The Malady of Mrs. Monroe’ – Creepy Good!
‘The Cave’ – ‘A creature hissed beside her foot. She cried out, and the shadows dragged her voice down the latticework of tunnels only to return it to her, diseased and strange.’
‘The Parasite’ – All Kinds Of Dark And Creepy—LOVE IT!
‘The Pocket Watch’ – That Was Good!
The Monkey’s Paw Spore – Love This One!
‘The Ruins’
‘Oranges’ Creepy Good, But So Dark…
‘Caroline’ – Love This One!
‘The Echo of Eleanor Mae’ – Love This One!
Thank you, H.B. Diaz, for providing me with an eBook of NOCTURNE at the request of an honest review.
I enjoyed every one of the twelve Dark Tales within; I hope you do as well—I Highly Recommend!
‘The Patient in Room 96’ – Love This One!
‘Imogene knew even before her fingers touched the doorknob that she belonged to Harwood House, and now it would belong to her, too.’
‘Insomnia’ – That was short, but Oh So Creepy Good!
‘Wendigo’ – Creepy Good!
‘The Malady of Mrs. Monroe’ – Creepy Good!
‘The Cave’ – ‘A creature hissed beside her foot. She cried out, and the shadows dragged her voice down the latticework of tunnels only to return it to her, diseased and strange.’
‘The Parasite’ – All Kinds Of Dark And Creepy—LOVE IT!
‘The Pocket Watch’ – That Was Good!
The Monkey’s Paw Spore – Love This One!
‘The Ruins’
‘Oranges’ Creepy Good, But So Dark…
‘Caroline’ – Love This One!
‘The Echo of Eleanor Mae’ – Love This One!
Thank you, H.B. Diaz, for providing me with an eBook of NOCTURNE at the request of an honest review.
October 21, 2021
4 stars, but really 4.5 stars since Goodreads doesn't give out half stars 😅 Video review up on my channel!
https://youtu.be/4vmhBM-EXDY
https://youtu.be/4vmhBM-EXDY
December 13, 2020
I received an e-copy of Nocturne: A Collection of Dark Tales, from the author H. B. Diaz, for review consideration. Below is my honest review, freely given.
I rated this collection 5 stars. After reading this collection, I stare forlornly out my window, grasping my lace coverlet to my throat while storm clouds build outside. Seriously though, I did feel transported while reading, where opium was still a valid treatment plan and the ghosts are ever so friendly.
THE PATIENT IN ROOM 96 (Flame Tree Press)
As an opening story for a collection I felt this an excellent choice; a manor rising from the forest, drawing our Imogene to it’s decaying interior.
INSOMNIA
This brought to mind the creepypasta, Russian Sleep Experiment. Also, I heard once that our brain loves us very much; but will torture us just for giggles...Like it doesn’t need our help messing us up.
WENDIGO (Jitter Press)
One of my favorite in the collection. This seemed to keep true to the essence of the Wendigo legends, which adds a tragic layer to them. Made me think of one of my favorite movies, Ravenous (1999) as well.
THE MALADY OF MRS. MONROE
Like the other stories, this was written in a way that made it easy as the reader to imagine the scenes the author created; for me, the reason for the malady affecting some and not all pulls at me. I’m not sure if the reason is just escaping me, or not explained. Still enjoyed.
THE CAVE
Another favorite. The connection between twins has always fascinated me, how some can feel the others pain or emotions. I’m still not sure how I feel exactly on this story, but it’s definetely dark.
THE PARASITE (Horror Press)
Flash fiction, or micro-fiction? I can never remember the right label, but this is horror pared down to the teeth, the razor’s edge. Loved it.
THE POCKET WATCH
I got goosebumps the first half, that whole interaction was haunting. I’ve had dreams where I am talking to someone and they interrupt to ask, “You know I’m dead right?” Same vibe. Another favorite.
THE MONKEY’S PAW SPORE (Sirens Call Publishing)
Another favorite. I have a lot of those, don’t I? Ideas created in grief rarely lead to good outcomes, especially in tales such as this.
THE RUINS
Horror authors have given me a healthy fear of any ruins. I wanted to be an archaeologist growing up, I know better now.
ORANGES
Masterfully written; emotionally, it’s hard to read through again. Loved it.
CAROLINE (Danse Macabre Online)
I read this collection is one sitting, so some were read in the wee hours of the night/morning. This one was read after 0200, and I could not get it out of my head when trying to finally fall asleep! Perfect Gothic horror.
THE ECHO OF ELEANOR MAE (ID Press)
A mind trip, but I could actually see this happening; some messed up things have been done under the guise of furthering human knowledge.
I rated this collection 5 stars. After reading this collection, I stare forlornly out my window, grasping my lace coverlet to my throat while storm clouds build outside. Seriously though, I did feel transported while reading, where opium was still a valid treatment plan and the ghosts are ever so friendly.
THE PATIENT IN ROOM 96 (Flame Tree Press)
As an opening story for a collection I felt this an excellent choice; a manor rising from the forest, drawing our Imogene to it’s decaying interior.
INSOMNIA
This brought to mind the creepypasta, Russian Sleep Experiment. Also, I heard once that our brain loves us very much; but will torture us just for giggles...Like it doesn’t need our help messing us up.
WENDIGO (Jitter Press)
One of my favorite in the collection. This seemed to keep true to the essence of the Wendigo legends, which adds a tragic layer to them. Made me think of one of my favorite movies, Ravenous (1999) as well.
THE MALADY OF MRS. MONROE
Like the other stories, this was written in a way that made it easy as the reader to imagine the scenes the author created; for me, the reason for the malady affecting some and not all pulls at me. I’m not sure if the reason is just escaping me, or not explained. Still enjoyed.
THE CAVE
Another favorite. The connection between twins has always fascinated me, how some can feel the others pain or emotions. I’m still not sure how I feel exactly on this story, but it’s definetely dark.
THE PARASITE (Horror Press)
Flash fiction, or micro-fiction? I can never remember the right label, but this is horror pared down to the teeth, the razor’s edge. Loved it.
THE POCKET WATCH
I got goosebumps the first half, that whole interaction was haunting. I’ve had dreams where I am talking to someone and they interrupt to ask, “You know I’m dead right?” Same vibe. Another favorite.
THE MONKEY’S PAW SPORE (Sirens Call Publishing)
Another favorite. I have a lot of those, don’t I? Ideas created in grief rarely lead to good outcomes, especially in tales such as this.
THE RUINS
Horror authors have given me a healthy fear of any ruins. I wanted to be an archaeologist growing up, I know better now.
ORANGES
Masterfully written; emotionally, it’s hard to read through again. Loved it.
CAROLINE (Danse Macabre Online)
I read this collection is one sitting, so some were read in the wee hours of the night/morning. This one was read after 0200, and I could not get it out of my head when trying to finally fall asleep! Perfect Gothic horror.
THE ECHO OF ELEANOR MAE (ID Press)
A mind trip, but I could actually see this happening; some messed up things have been done under the guise of furthering human knowledge.
June 10, 2021
A great collection of short stories. These stories are creepy and thought provoking. I enjoyed the writing style of H.B. Diaz.
February 22, 2021
These are my kind of stories. Stormy nights, abandoned places, shadows along the wall. These stories captured the classic feel of Gothic tales told by the fire many years ago. Very well written.
April 10, 2021
Quite Scary at times
I must applaud the author for her ability to give a scare in a short story format. Not a lot of people can pull that off. This book had some real scary moments.
I must applaud the author for her ability to give a scare in a short story format. Not a lot of people can pull that off. This book had some real scary moments.
April 27, 2021
“Nocturne: A Collection of Dark Tales” is my first attempt at dissecting a complete anthology of flash fiction stories. With the exception of the one drabble (The Parasite), all the rest of these entries are around five to six pages a pop. You can read these stories in any order, but I discovered that they all share similar elements and even seem to have some minor connections to one another (similar reoccurring features about characters/places/things). At times the prose came off as a bit too flowery and tasted like word-salad coming off my tongue, but then there were times when I thought Diaz was spot on. I decided not to give an in depth breakdown of each individual story, because I think analyzing source material that’s so short would take away from the point of reading it for yourself.
You can read my full editorial here:
https://www.livefreeliverich.com/blog...
You can read my full editorial here:
https://www.livefreeliverich.com/blog...
December 6, 2021
Spellbinding!
NOCTURNE is a dazzling, haunting, beautifully-written collection of gothic horror stories. I flew through this collection, but would have finished it sooner had I not kept stopping to savor delicious sentences such as this: "I admired her fiercely, and long before the ink of madness bled into my mind, I loved her." See what I mean? Exquisite. I'm looking forward to reading more from Diaz in the future. Highly recommended!
NOCTURNE is a dazzling, haunting, beautifully-written collection of gothic horror stories. I flew through this collection, but would have finished it sooner had I not kept stopping to savor delicious sentences such as this: "I admired her fiercely, and long before the ink of madness bled into my mind, I loved her." See what I mean? Exquisite. I'm looking forward to reading more from Diaz in the future. Highly recommended!
February 1, 2022
I was so pleasantly surprised by this book. I really enjoyed a lot of the stories. I liked how they varied in length too. I will be on the look out for more books by her. These stories aren't overly disgusting and didn't include a lot of body horror, but there was just something unsettling in each one of them and they left me either pleasantly surprised or just feeling like things weren't the way I thought they were. Definitely kept me engaged and I just really enjoyed this collection!
December 14, 2020
Dark Tales indeed! A wonderful collection of very different yet equally dark and chilling tales, all brilliant written with the tone, scene and settings always established instantly. Each story adopts a different style that keeps the reader on their toes. It's a very quick and easy read, though potentially not something to be read late at night. Stories written in first person, some written in the third, one written as a letter correspondence between two brothers (which was possibly the most chilling of the lot!) I have absolutely nothing bad to say about this and shall certainly be looking out for more by this author.
November 19, 2021
Overall it was a good collection of short stories. There were some I liked and others that I didn't enjoy as much. The prose of the stories are nice. Though, there wasn't much that had me on the edge of the seat or mind blown. The standout for me was The Echo of Eleanor Mae.
Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews