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Acts of Violence: Twelve Tales of Terror
A young woman fights for survival through a frozen hellscape. An office worker is menaced by the undead. A couple's search for their dream house becomes a nightmare. A man reaches his limit with the people next door and the voice in his head telling him to do something about it. A mother is desperate to learn what horrors befell her daughter the day she went missing. A congregation learns of an unholy new gospel during the End of Days.
These stories and more from Marcus Hawke, author of The Miracle Sin, with favorites like Every Hunt Is A Cold One and zombie. com and others appearing in print for the first time like Under The Black Top and The Reign and The Rapture. All guaranteed to shock, disturb, and shed blood as you witness a dozen... ACTS OF VIOLENCE!
These stories and more from Marcus Hawke, author of The Miracle Sin, with favorites like Every Hunt Is A Cold One and zombie. com and others appearing in print for the first time like Under The Black Top and The Reign and The Rapture. All guaranteed to shock, disturb, and shed blood as you witness a dozen... ACTS OF VIOLENCE!
- GenresHorrorShort Stories
202 pages, Kindle Edition
Published September 6, 2022
4 people are currently reading
231 people want to read
About the author
Marcus Hawke
16 books121 followersMarcus Hawke is a writer primarily of horror and dark fiction, some fantasy and sci-fi, and a few things that defy categorization. He was born in Toronto, moved around quite a bit during the dreaded formative years, and finally settled in Calgary where he studied at the Alberta College of Art and Design.
Many moons before that, he had aspirations of becoming a filmmaker and......well......a long story short, that didn't happen. But one thing that wasn't curtailed in that time was his love for stories and the written word. Starting with the likes of R.L. Stein in childhood, it grew into a full-fledged possession thanks to the works of Stephen King, Anne Rice, Ray Bradbury, and JRR Tolkien.
After years worth of rejections, he finally had a short story called Bump in the Night published in Jitter magazine in 2016. Since then his work has appeared in a number of publications from Dark Pine Publishing, Jitter Press, Lunatics Magazine, Strange Elf Press as well as his first full-length novel, The Miracle Sin, the award-winning collection, Acts of Violence: Twelve Tales of Terror, Grey Noise, The Axe Remembers, You Can't Take It With You, and most recently the follow up to The Miracle Sin: The Trouble With Faith and Other Stories. He also edited the October Blood and Dead of Night anthologies under his imprint, Hawke Haus Books. He lives with his feline overlord in an apartment building haunted by the type of neighbors that make a person wish a ghost would come to visit in the cold, often gloomy great white North.
In his spare time he reads, draws, paints, plays Dungeons & Dragons, and rambles in third person while writing website bios.
Many moons before that, he had aspirations of becoming a filmmaker and......well......a long story short, that didn't happen. But one thing that wasn't curtailed in that time was his love for stories and the written word. Starting with the likes of R.L. Stein in childhood, it grew into a full-fledged possession thanks to the works of Stephen King, Anne Rice, Ray Bradbury, and JRR Tolkien.
After years worth of rejections, he finally had a short story called Bump in the Night published in Jitter magazine in 2016. Since then his work has appeared in a number of publications from Dark Pine Publishing, Jitter Press, Lunatics Magazine, Strange Elf Press as well as his first full-length novel, The Miracle Sin, the award-winning collection, Acts of Violence: Twelve Tales of Terror, Grey Noise, The Axe Remembers, You Can't Take It With You, and most recently the follow up to The Miracle Sin: The Trouble With Faith and Other Stories. He also edited the October Blood and Dead of Night anthologies under his imprint, Hawke Haus Books. He lives with his feline overlord in an apartment building haunted by the type of neighbors that make a person wish a ghost would come to visit in the cold, often gloomy great white North.
In his spare time he reads, draws, paints, plays Dungeons & Dragons, and rambles in third person while writing website bios.
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Displaying 1 - 28 of 28 reviews
September 3, 2024
Updating my review because I read this book a second time, not entirely intentionally. I wanted to talk about it in an IG post so I figured I'd take a look at a few pages to refresh my memory/figure out what I wanted to say about it and just like that about 2 hours had gone by and I had reread the whole thing. I enjoyed it even more the second time!
As a sucker for good author notes I particularly enjoyed the fact that Hawke included a little bit about what inspired the story or the context in which he wrote it at the end of every story.
As a sucker for good author notes I particularly enjoyed the fact that Hawke included a little bit about what inspired the story or the context in which he wrote it at the end of every story.
August 27, 2022
Wonderful collection of original stories. Well written with no lags in the stories. Really enjoyed can’t wait to read the authors other works. Thanks again Marcus for the arc in place of an honest review.
December 29, 2025
I'm much more a fan of single-author short story collections than I am of multiple-author anthologies, probably because an author collection shows the range of the author through the variety of the stories.
Marcus Hawke has some freaking range.
The twelve stories here are nicely varied, with everything from crappy neighbours to crappy boyfriends, from house hunting to frozen apocalypse, from slasher through to biblical end times, though the one that really caught me was a nasty little treat called "Yours Truly".
I think this is my third Hawke book, but it's definitely my favourite so far. Talented, imaginative author, and also, truly a nice guy.
I'm not gonna say you should pick this collection up. I'm telling you you need to.
Get on it.
Marcus Hawke has some freaking range.
The twelve stories here are nicely varied, with everything from crappy neighbours to crappy boyfriends, from house hunting to frozen apocalypse, from slasher through to biblical end times, though the one that really caught me was a nasty little treat called "Yours Truly".
I think this is my third Hawke book, but it's definitely my favourite so far. Talented, imaginative author, and also, truly a nice guy.
I'm not gonna say you should pick this collection up. I'm telling you you need to.
Get on it.
September 8, 2022
It's always a rarity when I can sing praise for every single story (my faves will be at the end) in a collection. Well, Sir Hawke has done it people, he's created a pearl here, through several years of pressure and build up--one with loads of mentally tortured characters and brutalized bodies. It really made me consider how victims are merely people such as I...albeit in the wrong place at the wrong time.
But for us dear horror loving reader, it would be the right place at the right time, because in this collection you'll read 12 twisted accounts of what lead to the most grisly outcomes you could imagine. Then you'll pull the covers over your head at night while some visuals replay behind your eyelids like a possessed movie reel. But you'll love it 🤯🖤
My faves:
JUST ONE OF THOSE THINGS: Juicy character development in such a short time, a festering mystery beneath the surface against the backdrop of a seemingly promising open house to view a home that seems like like one to start fresh in for the couple viewing it...but is it?
SLASHER: Get in the mind of a very specific serial killer as he meticulously chooses his victims, crafts a touching note to leave at the scene for later...and then gets a surprise of his life!
EVERY HUNT IS A COLD ONE: Things are different now since melting glaciers released old diseases. Meat is tainted and it's no telling where the next meal will come from. And when you're a single parent the stakes can seem so much higher 😬
MATTERS OF THE HEART: The POV is a ghost whose heart can't let go, no matter what the facts say, the heart doesn't play by the brain's rules. Heartbreaking and captivating
But for us dear horror loving reader, it would be the right place at the right time, because in this collection you'll read 12 twisted accounts of what lead to the most grisly outcomes you could imagine. Then you'll pull the covers over your head at night while some visuals replay behind your eyelids like a possessed movie reel. But you'll love it 🤯🖤
My faves:
JUST ONE OF THOSE THINGS: Juicy character development in such a short time, a festering mystery beneath the surface against the backdrop of a seemingly promising open house to view a home that seems like like one to start fresh in for the couple viewing it...but is it?
SLASHER: Get in the mind of a very specific serial killer as he meticulously chooses his victims, crafts a touching note to leave at the scene for later...and then gets a surprise of his life!
EVERY HUNT IS A COLD ONE: Things are different now since melting glaciers released old diseases. Meat is tainted and it's no telling where the next meal will come from. And when you're a single parent the stakes can seem so much higher 😬
MATTERS OF THE HEART: The POV is a ghost whose heart can't let go, no matter what the facts say, the heart doesn't play by the brain's rules. Heartbreaking and captivating
August 29, 2022
Acts of Violence: Twelve Tales of Terror is a wild and fascinating ride.
Marcus Hawke stayed true to his darkly humorous style while crafting unique stories, sure to thrill any reader who dares open these pages.
You get everything from zombies to slashers to darkly twisted love stories in this book.
“Doll” will forever stand out in my mind, because it was gruesome as heck, like a bad car crash - I couldn’t peel my eyes away to save my life. Good (gross) stuff!
Matters of the Heart was another favorite. Let’s just say one should be cautious when opening their heart to another. You never know what they’ll do with it.
The grand finale to beat all grand finales was The Reign and The Rapture. Be still my heart, it tackled my love of religious horror so hard I didn’t know what hit me! Brilliant stuff that had me pondering the workings of life long after I read the last word.
While this book contains many possible triggers (what horror book doesn’t?), it left me happy-sighing in the end. I may have hugged the darn thing a time or two as well. An absolute kick-ass read if I’ve ever seen one.
I appreciated the author's notes at the end of each story. To catch a glimpse of the inner workings of an author is the best of gifts in my book. Twelve treats to satisfy my curiosities.
I’m so thankful to have had a sneak peek at this gem. I will read these stories time and time again.
Acts of Violence is being unleashed on September 6th. Buy yourself a copy and thank me later.
Marcus Hawke stayed true to his darkly humorous style while crafting unique stories, sure to thrill any reader who dares open these pages.
You get everything from zombies to slashers to darkly twisted love stories in this book.
“Doll” will forever stand out in my mind, because it was gruesome as heck, like a bad car crash - I couldn’t peel my eyes away to save my life. Good (gross) stuff!
Matters of the Heart was another favorite. Let’s just say one should be cautious when opening their heart to another. You never know what they’ll do with it.
The grand finale to beat all grand finales was The Reign and The Rapture. Be still my heart, it tackled my love of religious horror so hard I didn’t know what hit me! Brilliant stuff that had me pondering the workings of life long after I read the last word.
While this book contains many possible triggers (what horror book doesn’t?), it left me happy-sighing in the end. I may have hugged the darn thing a time or two as well. An absolute kick-ass read if I’ve ever seen one.
I appreciated the author's notes at the end of each story. To catch a glimpse of the inner workings of an author is the best of gifts in my book. Twelve treats to satisfy my curiosities.
I’m so thankful to have had a sneak peek at this gem. I will read these stories time and time again.
Acts of Violence is being unleashed on September 6th. Buy yourself a copy and thank me later.
September 5, 2022
MARCUS HAWKE DOES IT AGAIN!! This collection is so captivating and unique. It was impossible to put it down! Marcus’ writing is so atmospheric and hauntingly beautiful! Perfect collection for spooky season!
September 9, 2022
This was a solid collection of short stories. One of the things I enjoyed most was how each's elements were very different from one another. Reading a collection from an individual really displays their writing style and I absolutely love the dark humor that Hawke never fails to deliver. Kind of his trademark in my opinion after finishing this book. I'm a big fan of horror and love to laugh so when the two are combined, it's aces for me. With that said there were also some impactful pieces with fervent moments but plenty of gore and all the craziness horror fans itch for. My favorite pieces were
Slasher- Damn I really loved this one!
Zombie.com- Bloody good
Doll- Creepy and not just the doll
Under the Black Top- A parent's worst nightmare
Matters of the Heart- Love IS crazy
Excellent collection and want to give a special thanks to the author for sending me an ARC with no pressure for a timely review. I genuinely enjoyed so was a pleasure.
Slasher- Damn I really loved this one!
Zombie.com- Bloody good
Doll- Creepy and not just the doll
Under the Black Top- A parent's worst nightmare
Matters of the Heart- Love IS crazy
Excellent collection and want to give a special thanks to the author for sending me an ARC with no pressure for a timely review. I genuinely enjoyed so was a pleasure.
August 14, 2022
Acts of Violence is a horror book of short stories by Marcus Hawke.
Noisy neighbors bring out a man's dark side, an average day at the office turns into a blood soaked search for brains...
each story ends with an
author's blurb, which contains an explanation regarding its inspiration.
Dark humor mixed with engaging descriptive text along with unique takes on well used tropes, makes these stories captivating, disturbing and completely enjoyable.
I rarely find horror anthologies where I like every story. But, this is definitely one of them. I received this ARC from the author in exchange for an honest review. My honest opinion is that this is a must read for any horror fan and it's a solid 5 ⭐️rating.
Noisy neighbors bring out a man's dark side, an average day at the office turns into a blood soaked search for brains...
each story ends with an
author's blurb, which contains an explanation regarding its inspiration.
Dark humor mixed with engaging descriptive text along with unique takes on well used tropes, makes these stories captivating, disturbing and completely enjoyable.
I rarely find horror anthologies where I like every story. But, this is definitely one of them. I received this ARC from the author in exchange for an honest review. My honest opinion is that this is a must read for any horror fan and it's a solid 5 ⭐️rating.
September 23, 2022
A chilling little collection from the master of horror himself.
This collection is typical of Hawke's style. It's horrific, it's transgressive, but it's also touching and humorous.
Most of these stories are made scarier by their potential to come true. The chilling Stay With Me in particular is all too real and absolutely terrifying.
But mixed in with these are a dash of the supernatural, climate change dystopias, and Hawke's old stomping grounds of religious horror. And if you like Scream-style slashers, he also has you covered...
I enjoyed the little note after each story explaining its origins and history. Really nice touch.
A couple weren't for me, but only a couple. Overall this is a blockbuster of a collection!
Personal favourites of mine were: Just One of Those Things, Stay With Me, Matters of the Heart, and Every Hunt is a Cold One (Probably the sickest story in here and coincidentally my favourite!)
Thanks to Marcus for my advanced review copy!
This collection is typical of Hawke's style. It's horrific, it's transgressive, but it's also touching and humorous.
Most of these stories are made scarier by their potential to come true. The chilling Stay With Me in particular is all too real and absolutely terrifying.
But mixed in with these are a dash of the supernatural, climate change dystopias, and Hawke's old stomping grounds of religious horror. And if you like Scream-style slashers, he also has you covered...
I enjoyed the little note after each story explaining its origins and history. Really nice touch.
A couple weren't for me, but only a couple. Overall this is a blockbuster of a collection!
Personal favourites of mine were: Just One of Those Things, Stay With Me, Matters of the Heart, and Every Hunt is a Cold One (Probably the sickest story in here and coincidentally my favourite!)
Thanks to Marcus for my advanced review copy!
October 11, 2022
Loved this collection.
This was my first book by the author and I'm officially HOOKED.
The people in 2b, every hunt is a cold one, matters of the heart, and the reign and the rapture were my favorites.
Usually with anthologies or short story collections I'll read a couple, put it down and then forget about it...but I read this in one sitting.
The writing style is immaculate and I will absolutely auto-buy from now on. No questions asked. If he wrote it, I WANT IT.
Highly recommend to any fans of horror.
This was my first book by the author and I'm officially HOOKED.
The people in 2b, every hunt is a cold one, matters of the heart, and the reign and the rapture were my favorites.
Usually with anthologies or short story collections I'll read a couple, put it down and then forget about it...but I read this in one sitting.
The writing style is immaculate and I will absolutely auto-buy from now on. No questions asked. If he wrote it, I WANT IT.
Highly recommend to any fans of horror.
December 20, 2022
Many years ago, I bought a well-worn copy of Tales For The Midnight Hour from a used bookstore. I might have been too young for it back then. It was one of those books that low-key scared me to have on my shelf, so I would keep it hidden behind other books. Until, of course, it was time to take it to slumber parties, where my friends and I would take turns reading aloud and pretending we weren't freaking each other out.
Acts Of Violence brought me the grown-up version of that nostalgia, minus hiding the book. Thank you to author Marcus Hawke for my gifted copy for review!
Hawke's collection of short stories takes the everyday of life and tips it sideways until the horror is revealed. Slowly, or jarringly, depending on the story. The stories are dark, and wry.
An office of the living dead, a haunted doll, a carnival of evil, a babysitter slasher, a haunted school bathroom, the end of days, among others - there are classic horror tropes with unique new slants.
I was going to list some of the standouts, but I thoroughly enjoyed every one. And Hawke adds a blurb after each with insights and inspiration, which added to the enjoyment for me.
Horror fans - add this to your TBR without delay! Recommended.
Acts Of Violence brought me the grown-up version of that nostalgia, minus hiding the book. Thank you to author Marcus Hawke for my gifted copy for review!
Hawke's collection of short stories takes the everyday of life and tips it sideways until the horror is revealed. Slowly, or jarringly, depending on the story. The stories are dark, and wry.
An office of the living dead, a haunted doll, a carnival of evil, a babysitter slasher, a haunted school bathroom, the end of days, among others - there are classic horror tropes with unique new slants.
I was going to list some of the standouts, but I thoroughly enjoyed every one. And Hawke adds a blurb after each with insights and inspiration, which added to the enjoyment for me.
Horror fans - add this to your TBR without delay! Recommended.
January 29, 2023
This was my favourite collection of short stories so far! Every story was fantastic and captivating. They all had a proper beginning, middle and end which I find is sometimes very much lacking in short stories. I also loved the blurb at the end of every story where the author explained where his inspiration came from.
I highly recommend and can’t wait to read more by Marcus.
I highly recommend and can’t wait to read more by Marcus.
December 20, 2022
Short story collections aren’t always my first choice for my next book. I often find myself getting bored and only enjoy a couple of the stories and by the end of it, I question if it was even worth the read.
Acts of Violence was NOT one of those experiences! I honestly enjoyed every single story in this collection and even gave 5 of them a 5 star rating!! Each story packed a punch despite their short length and I looked forward to the next one.
I highly recommend this collection and I am very excited to see more of Marcus Hawke’s work in the future!
4.5⭐️ but rounded up to 5 for goodreads!
Acts of Violence was NOT one of those experiences! I honestly enjoyed every single story in this collection and even gave 5 of them a 5 star rating!! Each story packed a punch despite their short length and I looked forward to the next one.
I highly recommend this collection and I am very excited to see more of Marcus Hawke’s work in the future!
4.5⭐️ but rounded up to 5 for goodreads!
October 7, 2022
Not my typical review style but…
Holy hell what a fantastic collection that deserves way more attention then it’s gotten.
Marcus’s writing feels so effortless as it carries you from story to story. I tend to be a rather critical reader despite my best efforts so collections are typically a mixed bag for me.
Acts of violence is one of the only collections I’ve read that every single story was good, compelling, interesting… all in different ways but all thoroughly enjoyable. Touching on a variety of topics that share violence as a common thread.
This collection left me stunned at how completely it exceeded my expectations.
I can’t recommend it enough
5 stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Thanks to Marcus for the review copy, I can’t wait to see what he writes next.
Holy hell what a fantastic collection that deserves way more attention then it’s gotten.
Marcus’s writing feels so effortless as it carries you from story to story. I tend to be a rather critical reader despite my best efforts so collections are typically a mixed bag for me.
Acts of violence is one of the only collections I’ve read that every single story was good, compelling, interesting… all in different ways but all thoroughly enjoyable. Touching on a variety of topics that share violence as a common thread.
This collection left me stunned at how completely it exceeded my expectations.
I can’t recommend it enough
5 stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Thanks to Marcus for the review copy, I can’t wait to see what he writes next.
January 19, 2023
This was my first experience with a Hawke book. A well-written collection that makes you shake your head and then smile seconds after. SLASHER, DOLL, and SCHOOL SPIRIT were my favorites. Do yourself a favor and order this one!
April 26, 2023
Thanks to Marcus for an ARC. This is a gripping collection of dark tales, well written with a strong narrative voice and personal notes at the end of each story. A personal favourite was Matters of the Heart.
April 25, 2023
You know when a book has a preface that says 'may God have mercy on your soul,' it is going to be good. Starting with the first story The People In 2B, I can honestly say I have been there. I completely understand Rob's frustration and anxiety, it really reaches in and touches on something we have all felt. Especially when dealing with a nosey neighbour, home should be a sanctuary away from the troubles of everyday chaos. Written in first person, this story is relatable and escalates quickly with his mental state. Already this collection was making an impression, so I was excited about the other 11 stories. So picking my top favourites would probably be the best option, as there is a fantastic mix in the collection. I do not want to spoil it by giving away all 11. Plus the personal nuggets at the end of each story, really make it more personal for a reader. Everyone who reads my reviews knows I love when authors explain how they came about their stories.
Just One of Those Things was an interesting take on a horror trope. We meet Jon and Lacey who maybe should be re-assessing their relationship before buying a house. A really interesting read that takes a very different turn to what I expected, giving a very creative take on a house viewing. But I couldn't help but feel sorry for Ed, the poor guy has that sort of horror living with him. Understandably, he is desperate enough to pass the burden onto someone else.
Under the Black Top is probably one of my favourites. As we follow Rachel and her daughter Lily, when Lily is taken it is every parent's worst nightmare. I mean the range of emotions mixed with the atmosphere alone, make this a fantastic and engrossing read. But the twist with Lily at the end, it was both dark and twisted. This was a brilliant setup and I adore the underlying message that has a very Coraline vibe of corrupting innocence. Then you have an amazing twist on another horror trope and it knocks it on its ass! I loved Slasher and was not expecting that twist ending. Plus I am in love with Mandy as a character and I want more! Then you have Yours Truly, another insane story, and the way this story is told is so unique. I love the way the story is told in a series of letters. Almost feels like Curt as a character is a mix of Ed Gein and James Dean. I also like that Detective Lambert has some dark secrets of his own and isn't just portrayed as the hero who caught the serial killer. But my all time favourite of the collection that screams Lovely Bones vibes is Matters of the Heart. Which has so many levels of emotion and honestly holds a heartbreaking concept of the afterlife.
Every story in this collection has its unique stamp that makes it stand alone. Each of them holds your attention completely and has a great pace. Proving for me that Marcus Hawke is a force to be reckoned with.
Just One of Those Things was an interesting take on a horror trope. We meet Jon and Lacey who maybe should be re-assessing their relationship before buying a house. A really interesting read that takes a very different turn to what I expected, giving a very creative take on a house viewing. But I couldn't help but feel sorry for Ed, the poor guy has that sort of horror living with him. Understandably, he is desperate enough to pass the burden onto someone else.
Under the Black Top is probably one of my favourites. As we follow Rachel and her daughter Lily, when Lily is taken it is every parent's worst nightmare. I mean the range of emotions mixed with the atmosphere alone, make this a fantastic and engrossing read. But the twist with Lily at the end, it was both dark and twisted. This was a brilliant setup and I adore the underlying message that has a very Coraline vibe of corrupting innocence. Then you have an amazing twist on another horror trope and it knocks it on its ass! I loved Slasher and was not expecting that twist ending. Plus I am in love with Mandy as a character and I want more! Then you have Yours Truly, another insane story, and the way this story is told is so unique. I love the way the story is told in a series of letters. Almost feels like Curt as a character is a mix of Ed Gein and James Dean. I also like that Detective Lambert has some dark secrets of his own and isn't just portrayed as the hero who caught the serial killer. But my all time favourite of the collection that screams Lovely Bones vibes is Matters of the Heart. Which has so many levels of emotion and honestly holds a heartbreaking concept of the afterlife.
Every story in this collection has its unique stamp that makes it stand alone. Each of them holds your attention completely and has a great pace. Proving for me that Marcus Hawke is a force to be reckoned with.
December 14, 2022
I dare you to open this book!
I read most of this book in one day, and not because it was short (which it isn't), but because I couldn't put it down! Tale after tale of scare, alarm, shock and alert, fright and delight, getting to inhabit twisted minds of murderers and innocent minds of victims. There are quirky premises and surprising developments in each of the stories from re-imagining of old tropes to re-imagining the order of the world as we know it. The writing is smooth and apt and it doesn't shy away from gross and grotesque which is a must on most horror readers' wish list. I particularly enjoyed the free pass into the author's mind with the little addenda at the end of each story where Marcus Hawke talks about the inspiration behind these tales and the motivation to write them.
I read most of this book in one day, and not because it was short (which it isn't), but because I couldn't put it down! Tale after tale of scare, alarm, shock and alert, fright and delight, getting to inhabit twisted minds of murderers and innocent minds of victims. There are quirky premises and surprising developments in each of the stories from re-imagining of old tropes to re-imagining the order of the world as we know it. The writing is smooth and apt and it doesn't shy away from gross and grotesque which is a must on most horror readers' wish list. I particularly enjoyed the free pass into the author's mind with the little addenda at the end of each story where Marcus Hawke talks about the inspiration behind these tales and the motivation to write them.
November 29, 2022
This is a gruesome buffet of the uncanny, the weird, the gory, the supernatural, the strange and disgusting, with a glorious dark humour seasoning, delicious!
These are juicy slices of horror, each one different, they are dark and creepy as hell. Neighbours who really should have kept quiet, a workplace turns feral, a house with a secret, a murder is reported, a hungry doll, a creepy carnival, a slasher’s night takes a turn, a school janitor’s secret, a serial killer’s story, a hunt in a frozen dystopia, a ghost’s tale and the End Times arrive (my favourite story! ) I loved the author’s notes at the end of each story giving a glimpse into the inspiration behind them.
A wonderfully disturbing journey.
These are juicy slices of horror, each one different, they are dark and creepy as hell. Neighbours who really should have kept quiet, a workplace turns feral, a house with a secret, a murder is reported, a hungry doll, a creepy carnival, a slasher’s night takes a turn, a school janitor’s secret, a serial killer’s story, a hunt in a frozen dystopia, a ghost’s tale and the End Times arrive (my favourite story! ) I loved the author’s notes at the end of each story giving a glimpse into the inspiration behind them.
A wonderfully disturbing journey.
January 10, 2023
ⓇⒺⓋⒾⒺⓌ
Acts Of Violence: twelve tales of terror - Marcus Hawke
Marcus Hawke delivers a knock-out short story collection of 12 individual and unique horror tales.
You’ll find a little bit of everything, Marcus provides the scratch to satisfy that horror itch - supernatural, slasher, gore, weird and all with a sprinkle of dark humour.
My personal favourites:
The people in 2b
Matters of the heart
Slasher
For me, there are some stories stronger than others but none that you’ll want to skim or skip.
Acts Of Violence: twelve tales of terror - Marcus Hawke
Marcus Hawke delivers a knock-out short story collection of 12 individual and unique horror tales.
You’ll find a little bit of everything, Marcus provides the scratch to satisfy that horror itch - supernatural, slasher, gore, weird and all with a sprinkle of dark humour.
My personal favourites:
The people in 2b
Matters of the heart
Slasher
For me, there are some stories stronger than others but none that you’ll want to skim or skip.
May 25, 2023
This is an amazing short story horror collection and my first introduction to this author. The variety of horror that this collection gives was fantastic: everything from creepy children, ghosts, slashers, angels and demons, and haunted homes just to name a few. While I did have my favorite stories (The People in 2B, Every Hunt is a Cold One, and Matters of the Heart) I was never once bored with any of these horror stories, and absolutely loved the author's take on some classic tales (the slasher story in particular). I highly recommend this collection for any horror reader.
October 10, 2022
Marcus really outdid himself with this one. The stories are out of this world and I love them. My favorite part is the little insight he gives as to what inspired him. We as readers often wonder where did they come up with this and he words really tied it together nicely. Great Job Marcus!
May 1, 2023
I've really been digging story collections lately, and this one was a nice surprise. Marcus Hawke has a well rounded collection here that covers many horror subgenres and styles. I enjoyed every story in this collection, though stand outs for me were 'Just One Of Those Things' and 'Yours Truly'
March 27, 2024
The People in 2b 2 stars
Zombie.com 3 stars
Just One of Those Things 3 stars
Stay With Me 1 star
Doll 1 star
Under The Blacktop 2 stars
Slasher 3 stars
School Spirit 2 stars
Yours Truly 2 stars
Every Hunt is a Cold One 3 stars
Matters of The Heart 3 stars
The Reign and the Rapture 1 star
Zombie.com 3 stars
Just One of Those Things 3 stars
Stay With Me 1 star
Doll 1 star
Under The Blacktop 2 stars
Slasher 3 stars
School Spirit 2 stars
Yours Truly 2 stars
Every Hunt is a Cold One 3 stars
Matters of The Heart 3 stars
The Reign and the Rapture 1 star
April 16, 2023
This book has become my comfort read Indie Author edition! This book was very relateable while being horrifying and captivating.
February 10, 2023
A dark and delicious collection, a deep peek inside a twisted author's mind.
I loved this collection. I found it to be a thorough representation of a creative and interesting writing style. Each story was a unique creation.
My most favorite was Yours Truly. I more than enjoyed the creative use of letters and newspaper articles to tell the story. I found the strained attempt of the killer to communicate with the detective intriguing. Of course, I couldn't have been more thrilled with the brilliant Ed Geinish twist.
I was also quite fond of Doll and Slasher. Both being surprising twists on the good old murder story.
The entire collection was quite satisfying, and I highly recommend it to anyone who loves the dark and weird side of things.
I loved this collection. I found it to be a thorough representation of a creative and interesting writing style. Each story was a unique creation.
My most favorite was Yours Truly. I more than enjoyed the creative use of letters and newspaper articles to tell the story. I found the strained attempt of the killer to communicate with the detective intriguing. Of course, I couldn't have been more thrilled with the brilliant Ed Geinish twist.
I was also quite fond of Doll and Slasher. Both being surprising twists on the good old murder story.
The entire collection was quite satisfying, and I highly recommend it to anyone who loves the dark and weird side of things.
October 4, 2023
These short horror stories were are very easy to digest, and I really enjoyed that he added a more personal connection with each story by leaving a little commentary of where he got his inspiration or the events that took place during the making of the short story.
My factories were: Stay with me
Slasher
School spirit
Every hunt is a cold one
Matters of the heart
It was easy to drive straight into the next story after finishing each one. Exceptionally written, a slight touch of comedy through dark humor, and very attention grabbing. Well done!!
My factories were: Stay with me
Slasher
School spirit
Every hunt is a cold one
Matters of the heart
It was easy to drive straight into the next story after finishing each one. Exceptionally written, a slight touch of comedy through dark humor, and very attention grabbing. Well done!!
December 10, 2022
These twelve tales will get your blood pumping and your sweat dripping with dread. They each give a glimpse of what can happen when a person is pushed to the brink. Fair warning that after you read this you will be thinking twice before you act.
The author adds a special touch by writing a narrative of what influenced each story, giving us an insight that few other authors do in their work. It definitely pulls the reader in and adds attachment to the stories!
All stories were staggering and fear inducing. Some of favorites were:
🏠 Just one of those things: a refreshing take on a haunted house story.
🔪 Slasher: “When a Stranger Calls” meets “the Perfect Host”
🥶Every Hunt is a Cold One: Winter apocalypse where a safe haven is not as it seems.
🔥The Reign and the Rapture: Reveals religious hypocrisy, burning it all down in the best way possible!
A must read for lovers of any horror trope! Whatever you do, whatever you read…Choose violence!
The author adds a special touch by writing a narrative of what influenced each story, giving us an insight that few other authors do in their work. It definitely pulls the reader in and adds attachment to the stories!
All stories were staggering and fear inducing. Some of favorites were:
🏠 Just one of those things: a refreshing take on a haunted house story.
🔪 Slasher: “When a Stranger Calls” meets “the Perfect Host”
🥶Every Hunt is a Cold One: Winter apocalypse where a safe haven is not as it seems.
🔥The Reign and the Rapture: Reveals religious hypocrisy, burning it all down in the best way possible!
A must read for lovers of any horror trope! Whatever you do, whatever you read…Choose violence!
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