Home & Other Stories

by P.J. Blakey-Novis

From P.J. Blakey-Novis, author of Tunnels, Embrace the Darkness, and Four, come his sixth collection of short horror stories, Home.
Home includes eight stories based around the elements of Earth, Air, Fire, and Water. Supernatural powers, possession, vicious serial killers, creature features, and more come together in this varied collection of disturbing and strange tales.

104 pages, Kindle Edition

Published March 10, 2021

About the author

Author of The Broken Doll, parts 1 & 2, both released in 2017. Author of 6 collections of short horror stories: Embrace the Darkness, Tunnels, The Artist, Karma, The Place Between Worlds, and Home, as well as the horror novella Four. Author of a children's book, Grace and Bobo, co-written with his daughter. Editor of Indie Writers Review magazine, and co-founder of Red Cape Publishing P.J. also has stories in numerous anthologies.

Reviews

[Sea Caummisar · Rating 4 out of 5]

It was refreshing to read a mixture of shorts with such an unusual theme. Elements. Wind. Earth. Fire. Water.
Each story was very unique.
My favorite story was called 'Cemetery of the Living'. I hate it that it was so short. It could have had a bit more detail, but it was still very fascinating.
Then a story about a dude who heard voices, a voice instructing him to kill people by using the four elements. Water and Fire are pretty common deaths. Drowning and burning. But wind and earth aren't so common.

[Lou · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was given an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Somehow Blakey-Novis always knocks it out of the park when it comes to short, creepy stories. Having read a number of his collections over the last couple of years, I can confidently say that "Home" ranks as highly (if not higher) than his other works. Every now and then I think his winning streak has to be coming to an end, but it never does. If you haven't read any of his stuff yet, you really should.

I'm beginning to think that P.J may be some kind of magician. In the space of each short story, he's able to create believable 3D characters and build intriguing worlds. To say I'm jealous is an understatement.

There are no "filler" stories in this collection and each one is as entertaining as the last. With that said, I do have a few favourites. "The Flames of Hell are Coming", "Home", and "Dark Waters" will stay with me for a long, long time. P.J, I have the feeling you may be responsible for some nightmares!

All in all, this is an excellent collection that you can enjoy in one or two sittings. LOVED IT!

[D.J. Doyle · Rating 5 out of 5]

I had read a few of these stories from anthologies already owned, but that didn't stop me reading them again. From the first collection to this, this author keeps getting better and better. Many have a paranormal setting and the ones that were the creepiest to me were the ones involving children. Well written and fast-paced, you won't want to put this down.

I loved every story in this collection and would highly recommend.

[J.C. Michael · Rating 5 out of 5]

A nice collection of short stories with an emphasis on short, not pieces which stray toward novella territory or overstay their welcome. These are short, sharp, shocks, some hitting you with a single punch, and that's job done, others leave you wondering about the wider story surrounding what you've just read.

I enjoyed them all and am mindful about saying too much in reviews, as I think readers need to experience things for themselves and aim to encourage them to do so if I think something's worth it. Having said that, as a writer, I know how generic "I liked it" comments can be felt as lacking, authors can thrive on knowing what readers did, and didn't, like, so I'll also add that Quake was my favourite of the bunch.

I was lucky enough to be sent an advance copy of Home and Other Stories, but this hasn't influenced my review.

[Scott Donnelly · Rating 5 out of 5]

I want to thank P.J. Blakey-Novis, and Red Cape Publishing, for having the opportunity to read an ARC copy of “Home & Other Stories” in exchange for and honest review.

In his latest collection, filled with older & newer stories, P.J. Blakey-Novis once again knocks it out of the park. His writing style is genuine and just detailed enough to capture you in each moment. Each story is unique, and each serves up the right amount of scares and creepiness. “Home” and “Cemetery of the Living” were a couple highlights.

“Home & Other Stories” is another shining example of Mr. Blakey-Novis’ talents. I can’t wait to see what else he has up his sleeves in the future. This is a strong recommendation.

[Erica Robyn Metcalf · Rating 5 out of 5]

Home & Other Stories by P.J. Blakey-Novis is a collection of chilling short stories that will make readers question if they are truly safe in their own homes. After all, who knows what the previous owners were up to…

There’s an amazing range in this collection! Many will leave you chilled to the bone as you look at your living space with a fresh set of very paranoid eyes.

I cannot recommend this one highly enough to fans of horror! There’s something here for everyone!

My full review will be up soon! :)

Full disclosure: I was given a free copy of this book from the author per request of an honest review. This did not affect my rating in any way.

[Cathylynn · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a collection of eight stories. They are short and deal with elements, killers, and creatures. This is just a great collection of stories that are creepy and very interesting. Fabulous and cannot wait to read more.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Mark · Rating 5 out of 5]

Having read collections of short stories by the author in the past, Home and Other Stories didn’t disappoint. Of course, as to have been expected, some stories contained within it were better then others, but in the end, enjoyed this enough to rate it five stars.

[Linda · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked this set of stories. They were creepy and interesting to listen to. One of my favorites in the series.