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Short Sharp Shockers
4 new stories from the bestselling author of Follow You Home
Consenting Adults Private investigator Edward Rooney is hired to find a missing young woman&and uncovers a shocking secret.
Guardian Angel Laura loves reading the Missed Connections messages in her local paper. Until one of the messages is aimed at her.
Kissing Games Two schoolboys dare each other to spend a night in an abandoned psychiatric hospital, unaware that one of the former inmates is back and that she likes young boys.
Wish You Dead What’s the worst thing you can do when your heart’s been broken? Find out in this tribute to The Monkey’s Paw.
Consenting Adults Private investigator Edward Rooney is hired to find a missing young woman&and uncovers a shocking secret.
Guardian Angel Laura loves reading the Missed Connections messages in her local paper. Until one of the messages is aimed at her.
Kissing Games Two schoolboys dare each other to spend a night in an abandoned psychiatric hospital, unaware that one of the former inmates is back and that she likes young boys.
Wish You Dead What’s the worst thing you can do when your heart’s been broken? Find out in this tribute to The Monkey’s Paw.
Unknown Binding
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About the author
Mark Edwards
36 books5,947 followersMark Edwards writes psychological thrillers in which scary things happen to ordinary people.
He loves hearing from readers and always responds. Mark can be contacted in the following ways:
Email: mark@markedwardsauthor.com
Twitter @mredwards
Facebook/Instagram: @markedwardsauthor
You can download a free box set of 'Short Sharp Shockers' by visiting www.markedwardsauthor.com/free
Mark has sold over 5 million books since his first solo novel, The Magpies, was published in 2013 and has topped the bestseller lists numerous times. His other novels include Follow You Home, Here To Stay and The Psychopath Next Door. He has also published six books co-authored with Louise Voss. His next novel, The Wasp Trap, will be published in the UK/Australia in July 2025 and the US/Canada in September 2025.
Mark lives in the West Midlands, England, with his wife, their three children, two cats and a golden retriever.
He loves hearing from readers and always responds. Mark can be contacted in the following ways:
Email: mark@markedwardsauthor.com
Twitter @mredwards
Facebook/Instagram: @markedwardsauthor
You can download a free box set of 'Short Sharp Shockers' by visiting www.markedwardsauthor.com/free
Mark has sold over 5 million books since his first solo novel, The Magpies, was published in 2013 and has topped the bestseller lists numerous times. His other novels include Follow You Home, Here To Stay and The Psychopath Next Door. He has also published six books co-authored with Louise Voss. His next novel, The Wasp Trap, will be published in the UK/Australia in July 2025 and the US/Canada in September 2025.
Mark lives in the West Midlands, England, with his wife, their three children, two cats and a golden retriever.
Ratings & Reviews
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Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews
May 7, 2025
4 short suspenseful stories. The last one was very much like the tale of the Monkey's Paw.
November 6, 2021
I haven’t read the third story yet, but after reading the second, « Guardian Angel », I want to commend the author for writing an almost perfect story.
The main character has been heartbroken and deceived in a way that leaves her no longer knowing what’s real. Her family are distant and seemingly unsupportive, not a source of solace or comfort. Her best friend seems hardly worthy of the title, a person she sees only at work, who embodies the flippancy and contempt for vulnerability that seems to be expected of us if we are to succeed in life. The main character is immersed in a culture that appears to require her to accept her own dehumanization and degradation as the price of love - an oxymoron that is pervasive in real life but never seems to get written about in this way.
Soon after the main character makes a real connection when she least expects it, with someone who wants nothing from her but the pleasure of her company, she re-evaluates her meagre relationships. At the end, you find yourself looking for the pivot point, because you realize you no longer know what is real, at what point the main character went through the looking glass. and whether she is awake, sane, or even alive.
This story starts out like a mundane tale rooted in drab reality and takes you over the edge of madness before you realize what has happened. It talks about loneliness and implies taboos about the way we talk about loneliness and the kinds of boundaries we are expected to enforce or not enforce, and about intimacy as an unattainable state. As advertised, I’m shook.
The main character has been heartbroken and deceived in a way that leaves her no longer knowing what’s real. Her family are distant and seemingly unsupportive, not a source of solace or comfort. Her best friend seems hardly worthy of the title, a person she sees only at work, who embodies the flippancy and contempt for vulnerability that seems to be expected of us if we are to succeed in life. The main character is immersed in a culture that appears to require her to accept her own dehumanization and degradation as the price of love - an oxymoron that is pervasive in real life but never seems to get written about in this way.
Soon after the main character makes a real connection when she least expects it, with someone who wants nothing from her but the pleasure of her company, she re-evaluates her meagre relationships. At the end, you find yourself looking for the pivot point, because you realize you no longer know what is real, at what point the main character went through the looking glass. and whether she is awake, sane, or even alive.
This story starts out like a mundane tale rooted in drab reality and takes you over the edge of madness before you realize what has happened. It talks about loneliness and implies taboos about the way we talk about loneliness and the kinds of boundaries we are expected to enforce or not enforce, and about intimacy as an unattainable state. As advertised, I’m shook.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 16, 2026
BOOK REPORT
⭐ 2 ⭐
It would’ve been nice if Last Night Kristi had paid the least bit of attention to December 2025 Kristi when she said, and I quote, “At the very least, I should probably realize that with this one, I’m now two for two on giving books by this Mark Edwards 2 stars. So maybe he’s just not for me (she says, realizing that once again she is wildly out of step with the mainstream).”
This collection of short stories makes three for three.
In my own defense (she hastens to add), I downloaded this collection before giving The House Guest that weak rating last month. And then didn’t delete it because I thought well, maybe the dude is better with this form than a full book.
Nope, still not for me. Not sure I can articulate why…..maybe some of the violence is too gross? Maybe I just never like his characters? Maybe…..he’s…….boring?
But, hey. He writes stuff that a lot of people enjoy, so good for him despite my personal preferences.
⭐ 2 ⭐
It would’ve been nice if Last Night Kristi had paid the least bit of attention to December 2025 Kristi when she said, and I quote, “At the very least, I should probably realize that with this one, I’m now two for two on giving books by this Mark Edwards 2 stars. So maybe he’s just not for me (she says, realizing that once again she is wildly out of step with the mainstream).”
This collection of short stories makes three for three.
In my own defense (she hastens to add), I downloaded this collection before giving The House Guest that weak rating last month. And then didn’t delete it because I thought well, maybe the dude is better with this form than a full book.
Nope, still not for me. Not sure I can articulate why…..maybe some of the violence is too gross? Maybe I just never like his characters? Maybe…..he’s…….boring?
But, hey. He writes stuff that a lot of people enjoy, so good for him despite my personal preferences.
September 23, 2023
Short Sharp Shockers by Mark Edwards are four short stories all designed to make the readers think.
The first story is about a missing woman and a private investigator, the second about messages in a local paper which Laura reads, the third story is about two young boys and a former psychiatric hospital and the fourth is Wish You Dead.
All are short, sharp, shockers for the reader to indulge in.
The first story is about a missing woman and a private investigator, the second about messages in a local paper which Laura reads, the third story is about two young boys and a former psychiatric hospital and the fourth is Wish You Dead.
All are short, sharp, shockers for the reader to indulge in.
July 16, 2022
Short Sharp Shockers is the name of this book and short, sharp shockers is what each of the three stories are. Love all Mark Edwards Books even though these were slightly different as each story is quite short
May 11, 2024
I have read Mark Edward’s previously and rated that book 5 stars. He absolutely does not disappoint.
These short stories were exactly what they are called but so much more. I didn’t want them to end. Short, scary, and making you want more!
These short stories were exactly what they are called but so much more. I didn’t want them to end. Short, scary, and making you want more!
September 21, 2025
I didn't realise this was a short story book as I was reading it on a Kindle. There was certainly a lot packed into it. Some well described characters and a fast moving storyline with a twist in the tail.
January 14, 2022
I won this set of books and had no idea what to expect so was very pleasantly surprised. Great short stories that held my attention and kept turning the pages exciting.
November 7, 2022
Took a while to read these short stories, they were really good, I had just started a new job and lost my reading mojo, but once I picked it up again, I couldn’t put it down.
December 10, 2022
Consenting Adults 4/5
Guardian Angel 4/5
Kissing Games 3/5
Wish you dead 3/5
Guardian Angel 4/5
Kissing Games 3/5
Wish you dead 3/5
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 17, 2023
I wasn’t sure what to expect from these short stories, but have to say they were brilliant, highly recommend.
December 20, 2024
I loved a previous book I read by Mark Edwards so was happy to read these short stories. Easy to read. My fave out of all 4 had to be “kissing games” this was more horror.
February 21, 2025
Rounded up from 2.5
Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews