"I woke up screaming just like, deep down, I knew I would."
Come see the hall of mirrors, a place to lose yourself...and maybe your mind too. 'Mirrored' is the debut short story from Dave Musson and explores the madness within those sheets of glass.
Also collected here are are further 10 Tiny Tales of Terror - a bagful of microfiction from the same author to scare you in small doses.
This edition is only available to subscribers to Dave's newsletter - sign up for yourself and download your free copy!
The Bookstagram Awards Author of the Year for 2024, Dave is a glasses-wearing, bearded human being from the middle of England who likes heavy music with loud guitars, watching movies, and reading and writing creepy stories. He has more hobbies than he should really have time for; playing in a band, hosting a bunch of podcasts, writing, and running a Stephen King-themed YouTube channel. Oh, and he also wrote and published The Ultimate Stephen King Quiz Book in 2022.
Dave lives at home with his wife, sons, and annoying dog. He made his debut as a published fiction writer in 2021's Welcome to the Funhouse, from Blood Rites. He was also a finalist in the Bellingham Review’s 2022 Tobias Wolff Prize for Fiction, and has been published in Psychotoxin Press, The Reach, and on The Horror Tree.
His first full collection of short stories, Once More Round the Sun, was published on his own Always Darkest imprint in August 2024, and won the Best Collection and Best Horror categories of the 2024 Bookstagram Awards.
If you like dread like I like dread, then you will LOVE this collection of short stories. Dave Musson's characters find themselves in the most harrowing situations, and let's just say that the author pulls few, if any, punches.
I'm giving this book, five stars. Not because it's perfect, but because I absolutely loved it! Mirrored, the title story (and by far the longest story, taking up more then half of the books pages) is by far the best. Dave is able to flesh out all the characters and get the reader caring about them in record time. It is a brutal, tragic tale. Don't look Down is another one that I really enjoyed, and probably the technically impressive. It only involves two characters and one setting and is over in less then five pages. Yet, the story is able to really suck the ready through clever dialogue and a very realized threat. I will say that a lot of the other stories kind of blend together. None, of them are bad, but a lot of them seem to follow a similar formula. The only other stand out for me is one called Isn’t It? Barely half a page long, but still super effective with it's storytelling. My only other criticism is one of the editorial variety. Just a couple of minor things, a handful of misplaced words here and there, nothing too jarring. Otherwise, this book is fantastic and I cannot wait to read more from Dave in the future.
A must read for all fans of short fiction. The stories are really great I especially like the last one alot but all were pretty great including the beast!
Thanks for sending me a copy Dave I really had fun with this one! I loved the story about Rasheed seeing the same man in all the advertisements. It really creeped me out. Good stuff!
A collection of short, decent and dreadful stories that is definitely worth checking out if you are a horror fan.
My favorite is Mirrored. Mirrored really stood out for me in this collection. That story alone was a 4-5 star read. It's a haunting story in the best possible way. The writing style is one of my favorite ones. I just love when a story is written from a first person narrative. The narrator of this story is talking to the reader in a easygoing and humorous way. Ugh! Just loved that. The other stories in this collection were not written in the same writing style. Maybe I was expecting something similar after reading Mirrored. I don't know. Anyway, great short stories that you can read between reads to clean your palette.
Mirrored. What an absolute first rate tale. In the style of the great Sai King himself. I could really imagine King having written this one. The other short tales in this collection are terrifying fun flash fiction, but worth the read. A good book to read while travelling on public transport or in waiting rooms. Very British style writing so American / worldwide readers you’ll just have to tap into your inner British!
This was a really cool collection of short stories. I loved the title piece: Mirrored. It was a really great story. The others were pretty good as well. Definitely worth checking out if you are a horror fan!
Alas, the last in this wonderful series! I have enjoyed reading the entire 5 book collection and somehow I really need More! The stories were scary, funny as well. I look forward to this authors other works, because I know that they will be as amazing as these were!
Wow!! I love Dave's youtube channel so I decided to give his book a go and I wasn't dissapointed! Highly recommended if you want something short but good
My favorites were Commercial break, Greetings, HBD, and of course mirrored
If you like short terror filled stories that will leave you wondering long after you have read them, then this author and his Tiny Tales of Terror are for you.
Мені дуже сподобались ці короткі моторошні історії! Це чудово! Із задоволенням прочитала б іншу книгу автора, сподіваюся колись буде переклад українською!)
In the vulnerable pre-teen era of our lives we see the uneasiness, the awkwardness, and the terrors of our developing selves. An apex predator is always looking to take advantage at every corner. Yet, there's someone, something even bigger and more powerful staring at you through the mirrors. With many threats mirroring you, you can’t even trust your own reflection …