In this collection of five short stories, author Michael R Goodwin explores some of the darker sides of his imagination. Includes a preview of his debut novel, THE LIBERTY KEY.
Michael R. Goodwin is the author of THE LIBERTY KEY, a novel of supernatural suspense, SMOLDER, a horror novella, and ROADSIDE FORGOTTEN, a collection of five short stories. His collection of short stories, HOW GOOD IT FEELS TO BURN, was released by Dark Pine Publishing, and he has released several standalone short stories.
His work has been featured in multiple anthologies such as "124 Beloved" by Regulus Press, "Lunatic Lullabies" by Pyke Publishing, "October Blood" by Hawke Haus, "Devil's Rejects" by Dark Pine Publishing, and "The Sacrament" by Dark Lit Press. Aside from writing, he enjoys reading, composing music, and photography.
He lives in Maine with his wife and four children.
I really enjoyed those 5 short stories by a real horror master. The last of them was the best about a near 200 year old puppet master pulling the strings in that little town. This is horror as it should be. Resulting from everyday situations we all know... highly recommended!
After a slew of back to back disappointing reads, I turned to Michael R Goodwin as his work has never let me down and wouldn't you know it? Another 5 star experience. The stand out story in this one for me is 'Threads of Destiny'. I kept thinking what an incredible movie it would make. I'm endlessly in awe of Michaels imagination. He's full of incredible stories and executes them all flawlessly. I've said it once and I'll say it again; Goodwin is a master of Horror. Every single short story I've ever read has captured the genre of Horror so perfectly. I'm saddened that I'm nearly through his entire repertoire of work. I've got a couple more reads to go and then I will have to wait (impatiently) for more!
“Even now I hesitate to call him a ghost, but I suppose that’s what he was.” Roadside Forgotten by Michael R. Goodwin
Where do I even begin? Roadside Forgotten by Michael Goodwin completely shattered my expectations in the most chilling way possible. This was my first ever read by Goodwin, and I can confidently say—he’s now an auto-buy author for me. I am hooked!
If you love stories that send shivers down your spine, where every page makes your heart race with both dread and excitement, this is it! From the very first story, Goodwin lured me into a world of eerie landscapes, supernatural terrors, and bone-chilling suspense. The stories here aren’t just scary; they are the type of horror that lingers long after you’ve finished reading. I’m talking nightmares, the kind that crawl into your mind and refuse to leave.There’s literally something for every type of horror lover. Whether you're into eerie roadside encounters, haunted towns, or creatures from the deepest fears of the human psyche, it’s all here ,💀. It’s the kind of book you’ll want to read with the lights on… or maybe not, because the dark seems to have a life of its own in these pages.
I honestly can’t recommend this enough. Whether you’re a seasoned horror fan or a newbie, you can’t go wrong with this collection. Prepare yourself for spine-tingling, out-of-this-world thrills that will haunt your thoughts for days. Roadside Forgotten is a collection of nightmares that’s impossible to forget.
4.5 stars This was a fun, creepy, thought provoking, short collection. Goodwin draws you into a story like a friend sitting around a campfire on a cool summer night. You can’t help but be hypnotized by the words smoldering on the glowing embers. Each story, a birch log quickly igniting, ready to burn you if you get too close. And you do, because you can’t help yourself. Tense and gripping, you are scared for these people. These are not mere characters, they are your grandmother, your son, the nice old guy that works down at the store, and you will find yourself in one of these stories as well. Seriously Mr. Goodwin, is The Man In The Road a true story? It sure feels like it. Take a trip down Roadside Forgotten, say hi to the nice people in their quaint old houses, but always keep an eye on what lurks in the shadows, and go slow through the fog.
I liked all of these short stories and am truly looking forward to the liberty key- thaw last short story is a teaser for that longer story. Each story has a great creep factor, concisely written and great twists and payoffs that give you a small adrenaline rush.I don’t think I will ever look at tea cups the same way again. I love reading his short stories, they literally make me feel something viscerally- great stuff sir!
5/5 - I don’t know how Michael R Goodwin does it but he always manages to pack a kickass story in a few pages. This book is no exception. Every story was so good. My favorites were: Lampshade Silhouettes; The Man in the Road; and, Threads of Destiny.
I normally don’t groove with short story collections but he is the only author that I will read every single story of an anthology.
A short but well written collection of five stories, scary without being overly gory and gross. I especially liked the final story, 'Threads of Destiny', which was more contemporary fantasy than horror. This is the first I've read from this author and I will definitely be reading more.
⭐4 stars⭐ Lampshade Silhouettes-⭐⭐⭐ Light-⭐⭐⭐⭐ The Man in the Road-⭐⭐⭐ Twelve-⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Threads of Destiny-⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ This last story definitely gave Needful Things vibes which is one of my favorite horror books but is completely its own work!
Don’t read at night! This is a great little collection of short stories that accomplish quite a bit in very few pages. Excellently-paced writing that leaves you very unsettled.
My favorites were “Lampshade Silhouette and “Threads of Destiny”.