Buying Options
Your Memberships & Subscriptions

Download the free Kindle app and start reading Kindle books instantly on your smartphone, tablet, or computer - no Kindle device required. Learn more
Read instantly on your browser with Kindle Cloud Reader.
Using your mobile phone camera - scan the code below and download the Kindle app.
Places We Fear To Tread Kindle Edition
Chad Lutzke (Author) Find all the books, read about the author, and more. See search results for this author |
Andrew Cull (Author) Find all the books, read about the author, and more. See search results for this author |
Gwendolyn Kiste (Author) Find all the books, read about the author, and more. See search results for this author |
Sara Tantlinger (Author) Find all the books, read about the author, and more. See search results for this author |
Beverley Lee (Author) Find all the books, read about the author, and more. See search results for this author |
Eddie Generous (Author) Find all the books, read about the author, and more. See search results for this author |
Sonora Taylor (Author) Find all the books, read about the author, and more. See search results for this author |
Michael J. Moore (Author) Find all the books, read about the author, and more. See search results for this author |
Price | New from | Used from |
- Kindle
$0.00 Read with Kindle Unlimited to also enjoy access to over 1 million more titles $4.99 to buy - Paperback
$14.99
- LanguageEnglish
- Publication dateSeptember 14, 2020
- File size963 KB
Customers who bought this item also bought
Product details
- ASIN : B08J4KY371
- Publisher : Cemetery Gates Media; 1st edition (September 14, 2020)
- Publication date : September 14, 2020
- Language : English
- File size : 963 KB
- Simultaneous device usage : Unlimited
- Text-to-Speech : Enabled
- Enhanced typesetting : Enabled
- X-Ray : Not Enabled
- Word Wise : Enabled
- Print length : 349 pages
- Lending : Enabled
- Best Sellers Rank: #368,806 in Kindle Store (See Top 100 in Kindle Store)
- #345 in Horror Anthologies (Kindle Store)
- #705 in Horror Anthologies (Books)
- #1,255 in Fiction Anthologies
- Customer Reviews:
About the authors
Chad has written for Famous Monsters of Filmland, Rue Morgue, Cemetery Dance, and Scream magazine. He's had dozens of short stories published, and some of his books include: OF FOSTER HOMES & FLIES, STIRRING THE SHEETS, THE PALE WHITE, SKULLFACE BOY, THE NEON OWL and OUT BEHIND THE BARN co-written with John Boden. Lutzke's work has been praised by authors Jack Ketchum, Richard Chizmar, Joe Lansdale, Stephen Graham Jones and his own mother.
He can be found lurking the internet at www.chadlutzke.com
Gwendolyn Kiste is the Bram Stoker Award-winning author of The Rust Maidens, from Trepidatio Publishing; And Her Smile Will Untether the Universe, from JournalStone; and the dark fantasy novella, Pretty Marys All in a Row, from Broken Eye Books. Her short fiction has appeared in Nightmare Magazine, Shimmer, Black Static, Daily Science Fiction, Interzone, LampLight, and Three-Lobed Burning Eye, among others. Originally from Ohio, she now resides on an abandoned horse farm outside of Pittsburgh with her husband, two cats, and not nearly enough ghosts. Find her online at gwendolynkiste.com
Sara Tantlinger is the author of the Bram Stoker Award-winning The Devil’s Dreamland: Poetry Inspired by H.H. Holmes, and the Stoker-nominated works To Be Devoured, Cradleland of Parasites, and Not All Monsters. Along with being a mentor for the HWA Mentorship Program, she is also a co-organizer for the HWA Pittsburgh Chapter. She embraces all things macabre and can be found lurking in graveyards or on Twitter @SaraTantlinger, at saratantlinger.com and on Instagram @inkychaotics
Sonora Taylor is the author of several short stories and novels, including Seeing Things, Little Paranoias: Stories, and Without Condition. In 2020, she won the Ladies of Horror Fiction awards for Best Collection (Little Paranoias) and Best Novel (Without Condition). Her short stories have been published by Camden Park Press, Burial Day Press, Kandisha Press, Cemetery Gates Media, Sirens Call Publications, Tales to Terrify, and others.
Along with V. Castro, Sonora co-manages Fright Girl Summer (frightgirlsummer.com), an online book festival promoting marginalized authors and voices. In 2022, Sonora and Nico Bell will edit an anthology of fat-positive horror called Diet Riot: A Fatterpunk Anthology.
Sonora is currently working on her fourth novel. She lives in Arlington, Virginia, with her husband and a rescue dog.
Visit Sonora online at sonorawrites.com.
Jill Girardi is the author of Hantu Macabre, the best-selling novel featuring punk rock paranormal detective Suzanna Sim and Tokek the toyol. The book was shortlisted for the 2019 Popular/The Star Readers’ Choice Awards. Suzanna and Tokek will also be taken to the big screen, as a full-length film based on the characters is set to start shooting, with former MMA Fighter Ann Osman starring as Suzanna.
Jill has several short horror stories published (many of which feature various small, wicked creatures) and will soon begin working on the next volume in the Hantu Macabre series. She currently lives in New York where she is the editor of the Kandisha Press Women of Horror Anthology books. Please find her on Facebook, Goodreads and Amazon, and on Instagram/Twitter @kandishapress
www.kandishapress.com
Discover more of the author’s books, see similar authors, read author blogs and more
Hailey Piper is the Bram Stoker Award-winning author of Queen of Teeth, The Worm and His Kings, Your Mind Is a Terrible Thing, Unfortunate Elements of My Anatomy, Benny Rose the Cannibal King, and The Possession of Natalie Glasgow. She is an active member of the Horror Writers Assocation, with dozens of short stories appearing in Pseudopod, Vastarien, Dark Matter Magazine, Daily Science Fiction, and other publications. An avid reader and lifelong Godzilla fangirl, she nowadays lives with her wife in Maryland, where their paranormal research is classified.
Find more about Hailey Piper's work at www.haileypiper.com or follow her on Twitter via @HaileyPiperSays.
Michelle Mellon has had stories published in more than two dozen speculative fiction anthologies and magazines. Her primary focus is horror, but she has also written science fiction, fantasy, and mystery. In April 2018 her first story collection was published by HellBound Books. Her second story collection was self-published in April 2022. For updates on her work, visit her website www.mpmellon.com and/or follow her on Twitter - @mpmellon.
Alex Payne writes novels, screenplays, and short stories. Before turning to writing, Alex worked in technology. He helped run the premier hacker competition, wrote foundational code for a major social network, and cofounded an online bank. Alex lives in Oregon with his wife, two emotionally needy pit bulls, and the loudest cat in the world.
I'm a writer and director. I wrote and directed In The Dark (www.louisepaxton.co.uk) and The Possession Of David O'Reilly (UK title : The Torment).
My debut novel, REMAINS, is out now.
I welcome feedback and love to hear from people who have seen my movies and read my stories. Feel free to get in touch!
Beverley Lee is the bestselling author of the Gabriel Davenport series (The Making of Gabriel Davenport, A Shining in the Shadows and The Purity of Crimson) The Ruin of Delicate Things and The House of Little Bones.
Her shorter fiction has been included in works from Cemetery Gates Media, Kandisha Press, Brigids Gate Press and Off Limits Press.
In thrall to the written word from an early age, especially the darker side of fiction, she believes that the very best story is the one you have to tell. Supporting fellow authors is also her passion and she is actively involved in social media and writers’ groups.
You can visit her online at beverleylee.com (where you’ll find a free dark and twisted short story download) or on Instagram (@theconstantvoice) and Twitter (@constantvoice).
Eddie Generous has fallen off three different roofs and been lit on fire on multiple occasions. He grew up on a farm and later slept with his shoes under his pillows in homeless shelters. He dropped out of high school to afford rent on a room at a crummy boarding house, but eventually graduated from a mediocre college. He is the author of several small press books, has 2.8 rescue cats (one needed a leg amputation), is a podcast host, and lives on the Pacific Coast of Canada.
My books include After the Change (published by MKM Bridge Press), the horror novel placed on the Bram Stoker Preliminary Ballot 2019 for Superior Achievement in a Novel, Highway Twenty (published by HellBound Books) and the soon to be released thriller Secret Harbor (to be published by Black Rose Writing).
My work has appeared in Blood Moon Rising Magazine, Horrorzine Magazine, Schlock Magazine, Minutes Before Six, Terror House Magazine, Siren's Call Magazine, Black Petals Horror/Science Fiction Magazine, HellBound Books anthology “Ghosts, Spirits and Specters”, The Electric Press, Dissections The Journal of Contemporary Horror, Soteira Press Anthology “What Monsters Do For Love”, The Point Magazine, The Huffington Post, Carecovidartresource, has been adapted for theater and produced in the Seattle area, is used as curriculum at the University of Washington and has received an Honorable Mention in the L. Ron Hubbard Writers of the Future contest. This year I also have short stories being released by Rainfall Books, Horror Tree – Trembling with Fear, Transmundane Press, The University of Chicago, Awakenings Review, Fox Hollow Stories and Scribe Magazine.
Laurel Hightower grew up in Kentucky, attending college in California and Tennessee before returning home to horse country, where she lives with her husband, son, and two rescue animals. She works as a paralegal in a mid-sized firm, wrangling litigators by day and writing at night. A bourbon and beer girl, she's a fan of horror movies and true life ghost stories. Whispers in the Dark is her first novel.
Jude lives in Scotland and writes to fill the gaps between full time work, running after her kids and trying to wear out a border collie. She loves Zombies, Run, ITF Tae Kwon Do, playing D and D and drinks a powerful load of coffee.
You can listen to some of her audiodrama work here:
www.hunterhoose.co.uk
Joe Sullivan is the author of Corpse Cold: New American Folklore; Marvelry's Curiosity Shop; and a variety of horror anthologies, collections, and novellas. He is the editor of Places We Fear to Tread; Other Voices, Other Tombs; and Campfire Macabre.
You can check out all of his work at cemeterygatesmedia.com or follow him on twitter @cemeterygatesm.
Customer reviews
Customer Reviews, including Product Star Ratings help customers to learn more about the product and decide whether it is the right product for them.
To calculate the overall star rating and percentage breakdown by star, we don’t use a simple average. Instead, our system considers things like how recent a review is and if the reviewer bought the item on Amazon. It also analyzed reviews to verify trustworthiness.
Learn more how customers reviews work on Amazon
Reviewed in the United States on October 28, 2020
Top reviews from the United States
There was a problem filtering reviews right now. Please try again later.
In PLACES WE FEAR TO TREAD edited by Brhel & Sullivan, the theme, loosely translated, is “places”. The authors seem to have all interpreted the ambiguity of the theme in their unique way which worked for me. Haunted places. Terrible places. The place where people have died or are about to die. I've put an asterisk next to my favorite stories. More than just a few stories didn't work for me so this wasn't a total home run, which very few anthologies are--especially one with so many stories but I did find several new authors to seek out and read more from so that's a success in my eyes.
Sara Tantlinger’s atmospheric poetry sets a foreboding tone for the stories to follow:
“A funnel cloud of ashy white propels copper flavors to stain my tastebuds, omens of my own blood to be spilled as I stand paralyzed on the skywalk’s edge,
And I should not have come here.”
*“The Storm on Kinzua Bridge” Sara Tantlinger
And now, just a few thoughts on each story:
*“Lost Girls Don’t Cry” Gwendolyn Kiste- It was strange, I felt like I read this story before but then I remembered I had read another short story this year about Crybaby Bridge- an Urban Legend about missing children haunting a bridge or a woman who abandoned her baby to the icy depths under the bridge and if you visit it at night, you can hear a baby crying or even see the despondent, spectral mother. Gwendolyn Kiste’s twist on this real urban legend explored the idea of “lost girls” and their impossibly alluring siren’s song to one girl who hears them. I liked it, Kiste’s seductive, poignant fingerprints all over it.
“Puppet Show” Julia August- I don’t know why, but I found this story to be slightly disjointed. I felt like I couldn’t find my bearings or the author’s lead.
*“The Wrong Turn” Angela Sylvaine- Intensifying, creeping dread made me feel like I was trapped in the makings of an Urban Legend while it was happening to the protagonist in real-time. Very unsettling. I would look for more by this author.
*“The Deer God” Wendy N. Wagner- An emotional tale of parental sacrifice. The pain/helplessness of going through the trial of unexplained mental health issues of a child. A father turns to unconventional methods to help his son. A cruel ending. I liked it! My first engagement with Wendy Wagner’s work and I’m eager for more.
*“Here in this Place is a Means to an End” Chad Lutzke- In classic Lutzke fashion, a character-driven story about a woman who has met her friend for their usual jog. The narrative is inside the protagonist’s head as she sorts through some newly realized feelings about the woman running alongside her. Even though I picked up on some breadcrumbs that ultimately made my brain consider what the outcome was going to be, it still packed a punch. I always enjoy Lutzke’s storytelling.
*“Bare Bones” Jude Reid-I enjoyed the setting and tone of this story. It stands apart from all the others. I felt like the author took their time establishing visuals and atmosphere with little details that collectively make a very clear picture in the reader’s mind. I will look for more by this author.
“The Sand Knows” Zach Shephard-This was an absorbing story because I almost always love child protagonists but I have to admit, I got distracted by all the cuss words in such a short story. The dialog was littered with it and while I’m not offended by it at all, it was distracting. I live in WA and have visited an abandoned bunker on a beach at a campground in Port Townsend so this was an especially visual read for me.
*“Hopscotch For Keeps” Hailey Piper- Quite possibly my favorite story. I love child protagonists in Horror. This one is about ‘the hopscotch kid’, a strange girl in the neighborhood playing a game all by herself. Some of the area kids come out to join her. Things do NOT go well. This was an absolute joy to read. A memorable ending.
*“This is Home” Laurel Hightower- I have grown to recognize Laurel Hightower’s unique storytelling voice. Reading her stories is beginning to feel like home. I loved this haunting, ghost story. It’s perfectly splendid in every way.
*“Black Fatima” Muhammed Awal Ahmed- The tone of this story is bleak; pressing. The tale of Black Fatima, possessed by a Djinn. The ending was startling; shocking. I looked up the author immediately to see if there were more stories or books out there. I’d like to learn more.
“Cellophane” Michael J. Moore- A prank goes horribly wrong and one bad decision gives birth to another. This was hard to read-people just behaving irrationally and then suffering through the terrible consequences. I felt like so much happened in just a few pages. Not sure if it works but it was entertaining.
*“Cold-Blooded Old Times” J. A. W. McCarthy- My favorite subgenre of Horror is, “Coming-of-age” and it’s uncanny how many of those stories involve swimming in lakes and first kisses. This is one of those and I enjoyed every minute of it. A nostalgic tone with a sense of underlying dread and the potential for something supernatural. I loved it.
*“Laughter in the Night” Sonora Taylor- This was an interesting mix of several recognizable horror tropes all rolled into one, succinct short story. I thought the climax of the story was intense and scary-the descriptions of what was happening outside the school were perfectly cinematic. Well played.
*“Bring Out Your Dead” Beverley Lee-This story had an age-old, careworn, timelessness about it. I felt like I could be reading something from a Charles Dickens ghost story collection. Lee’s rich prose always amazes me. Her use of descriptive words placing the reader right smack in the center of the story with vivid details. Perfectly splendid! The ending gave me goosebumps.
“The Swim Instructor” Eddie Generous- This was one of the more compelling stories at first. I was immediately hooked by the first page. Generous entices the reader into the private life of a newly divorced Meredith as she fantasizes about a tropical getaway and a young scuba instructor but can’t swim. She decides to take some private swim lessons from a creepy guy at her gym and things become...dangerous. I actually didn’t like the direction this one ended up going in-the storyline went from a cautionary, plausible story to somewhat of a satire. Even the last line read like a punchline. It was confusing to shift gears like that.
“Ho‘okaulike” Michelle Mellon- I love Eco-Horror. Plants, especially unidentifiable ones that are potentially hostile, are always a treat! I love the way this tale unfolded right up to the end. Nice, natural build of suspense.
“The Sad Museum” Alex Payne- I felt a little disoriented in my reading experience. I admit to reading it twice-the first time was at night and I thought maybe my brain was being lazy. Then I read it during the day and my experience was the same, it was difficult to track. A little experimental/transgressive and I’m just not the target audience I’m afraid.
*“Teke Teke Teke” Michael David Wilson- This one scared me! Michael David Wilson does this thing where he distracts the reader with all this casual dialog about mundane things and then he drops something scary right in your lap. In this case, a man is trying to eat his burger in a hotel room that is rumored to be haunted by something that will kill you. Lighthearted and almost funny until, it’s not.
“One Badly Hit Ball” John Leahy- I’ll admit, I didn’t finish this one. It’s just that I loathe golf. So it’s my fault, nothing about the writing.
*“The Wet Dream” Jill Girardi- Oh man! This one starts off with such a bang. I was immediately uncomfortable with everything. Uncle Tony! Gah! What a douche. I loved the awkward tension between the girls; very authentic. This tale is full of subtle meaning and intentions floating just below the surface. I enjoyed it.
*“The Hound of Brackettville” Bev Vincent-I was so excited this was a creature-feature! With a recognizable creature. I enjoyed how intentionally Vincent unraveled this story. It was utterly captivating. This stranger in town talking to a pretty waitress gets involved in something...unreal. I liked it.
*“Bussell’s Bog” Cameron Ulam- I get so excited when a story starts off this rich! Instant horror gratification. This one has colorful language, thick fog, the threat of alligators, and some hilarious dialog. This was one of the more fun, raucous stories in the whole lot. A great example of the sub-genre
*“The Bone Man of Sanatorium Lake” Andrew Cull- So this story appealed to me in the same way I love reading about unexplained phenomena happening to hikers/campers in State Parks. Like X-Files. This has a very “The truth is out there” vibe that I loved. Can I just mention, Andy Cull never disappoints.
*“Devil’s Elbow” C. W. Briar- An intense coming-of-age tale with a strong sense of impending danger. I loved the details in the writing that made pictures in my mind, "His skin was so tan that it reminded me of my sister's bronzed baby shoes." That description is so specific, it lit up my mental images instantly. This story is full of these details and most likely why this is one of the best stories in the anthology. I will be looking for more C. W. Briar stories.
“Women of the Mere” Jessica Ann York-- What a way for the collection to go out but with a creepy old lady story! I got really invested in the story but I feel like it ended so abruptly. I definitely wanted more from this one--it was just a little underdeveloped for me.

Reviewed in the United States on October 28, 2020
In PLACES WE FEAR TO TREAD edited by Brhel & Sullivan, the theme, loosely translated, is “places”. The authors seem to have all interpreted the ambiguity of the theme in their unique way which worked for me. Haunted places. Terrible places. The place where people have died or are about to die. I've put an asterisk next to my favorite stories. More than just a few stories didn't work for me so this wasn't a total home run, which very few anthologies are--especially one with so many stories but I did find several new authors to seek out and read more from so that's a success in my eyes.
Sara Tantlinger’s atmospheric poetry sets a foreboding tone for the stories to follow:
“A funnel cloud of ashy white propels copper flavors to stain my tastebuds, omens of my own blood to be spilled as I stand paralyzed on the skywalk’s edge,
And I should not have come here.”
*“The Storm on Kinzua Bridge” Sara Tantlinger
And now, just a few thoughts on each story:
*“Lost Girls Don’t Cry” Gwendolyn Kiste- It was strange, I felt like I read this story before but then I remembered I had read another short story this year about Crybaby Bridge- an Urban Legend about missing children haunting a bridge or a woman who abandoned her baby to the icy depths under the bridge and if you visit it at night, you can hear a baby crying or even see the despondent, spectral mother. Gwendolyn Kiste’s twist on this real urban legend explored the idea of “lost girls” and their impossibly alluring siren’s song to one girl who hears them. I liked it, Kiste’s seductive, poignant fingerprints all over it.
“Puppet Show” Julia August- I don’t know why, but I found this story to be slightly disjointed. I felt like I couldn’t find my bearings or the author’s lead.
*“The Wrong Turn” Angela Sylvaine- Intensifying, creeping dread made me feel like I was trapped in the makings of an Urban Legend while it was happening to the protagonist in real-time. Very unsettling. I would look for more by this author.
*“The Deer God” Wendy N. Wagner- An emotional tale of parental sacrifice. The pain/helplessness of going through the trial of unexplained mental health issues of a child. A father turns to unconventional methods to help his son. A cruel ending. I liked it! My first engagement with Wendy Wagner’s work and I’m eager for more.
*“Here in this Place is a Means to an End” Chad Lutzke- In classic Lutzke fashion, a character-driven story about a woman who has met her friend for their usual jog. The narrative is inside the protagonist’s head as she sorts through some newly realized feelings about the woman running alongside her. Even though I picked up on some breadcrumbs that ultimately made my brain consider what the outcome was going to be, it still packed a punch. I always enjoy Lutzke’s storytelling.
*“Bare Bones” Jude Reid-I enjoyed the setting and tone of this story. It stands apart from all the others. I felt like the author took their time establishing visuals and atmosphere with little details that collectively make a very clear picture in the reader’s mind. I will look for more by this author.
“The Sand Knows” Zach Shephard-This was an absorbing story because I almost always love child protagonists but I have to admit, I got distracted by all the cuss words in such a short story. The dialog was littered with it and while I’m not offended by it at all, it was distracting. I live in WA and have visited an abandoned bunker on a beach at a campground in Port Townsend so this was an especially visual read for me.
*“Hopscotch For Keeps” Hailey Piper- Quite possibly my favorite story. I love child protagonists in Horror. This one is about ‘the hopscotch kid’, a strange girl in the neighborhood playing a game all by herself. Some of the area kids come out to join her. Things do NOT go well. This was an absolute joy to read. A memorable ending.
*“This is Home” Laurel Hightower- I have grown to recognize Laurel Hightower’s unique storytelling voice. Reading her stories is beginning to feel like home. I loved this haunting, ghost story. It’s perfectly splendid in every way.
*“Black Fatima” Muhammed Awal Ahmed- The tone of this story is bleak; pressing. The tale of Black Fatima, possessed by a Djinn. The ending was startling; shocking. I looked up the author immediately to see if there were more stories or books out there. I’d like to learn more.
“Cellophane” Michael J. Moore- A prank goes horribly wrong and one bad decision gives birth to another. This was hard to read-people just behaving irrationally and then suffering through the terrible consequences. I felt like so much happened in just a few pages. Not sure if it works but it was entertaining.
*“Cold-Blooded Old Times” J. A. W. McCarthy- My favorite subgenre of Horror is, “Coming-of-age” and it’s uncanny how many of those stories involve swimming in lakes and first kisses. This is one of those and I enjoyed every minute of it. A nostalgic tone with a sense of underlying dread and the potential for something supernatural. I loved it.
*“Laughter in the Night” Sonora Taylor- This was an interesting mix of several recognizable horror tropes all rolled into one, succinct short story. I thought the climax of the story was intense and scary-the descriptions of what was happening outside the school were perfectly cinematic. Well played.
*“Bring Out Your Dead” Beverley Lee-This story had an age-old, careworn, timelessness about it. I felt like I could be reading something from a Charles Dickens ghost story collection. Lee’s rich prose always amazes me. Her use of descriptive words placing the reader right smack in the center of the story with vivid details. Perfectly splendid! The ending gave me goosebumps.
“The Swim Instructor” Eddie Generous- This was one of the more compelling stories at first. I was immediately hooked by the first page. Generous entices the reader into the private life of a newly divorced Meredith as she fantasizes about a tropical getaway and a young scuba instructor but can’t swim. She decides to take some private swim lessons from a creepy guy at her gym and things become...dangerous. I actually didn’t like the direction this one ended up going in-the storyline went from a cautionary, plausible story to somewhat of a satire. Even the last line read like a punchline. It was confusing to shift gears like that.
“Ho‘okaulike” Michelle Mellon- I love Eco-Horror. Plants, especially unidentifiable ones that are potentially hostile, are always a treat! I love the way this tale unfolded right up to the end. Nice, natural build of suspense.
“The Sad Museum” Alex Payne- I felt a little disoriented in my reading experience. I admit to reading it twice-the first time was at night and I thought maybe my brain was being lazy. Then I read it during the day and my experience was the same, it was difficult to track. A little experimental/transgressive and I’m just not the target audience I’m afraid.
*“Teke Teke Teke” Michael David Wilson- This one scared me! Michael David Wilson does this thing where he distracts the reader with all this casual dialog about mundane things and then he drops something scary right in your lap. In this case, a man is trying to eat his burger in a hotel room that is rumored to be haunted by something that will kill you. Lighthearted and almost funny until, it’s not.
“One Badly Hit Ball” John Leahy- I’ll admit, I didn’t finish this one. It’s just that I loathe golf. So it’s my fault, nothing about the writing.
*“The Wet Dream” Jill Girardi- Oh man! This one starts off with such a bang. I was immediately uncomfortable with everything. Uncle Tony! Gah! What a douche. I loved the awkward tension between the girls; very authentic. This tale is full of subtle meaning and intentions floating just below the surface. I enjoyed it.
*“The Hound of Brackettville” Bev Vincent-I was so excited this was a creature-feature! With a recognizable creature. I enjoyed how intentionally Vincent unraveled this story. It was utterly captivating. This stranger in town talking to a pretty waitress gets involved in something...unreal. I liked it.
*“Bussell’s Bog” Cameron Ulam- I get so excited when a story starts off this rich! Instant horror gratification. This one has colorful language, thick fog, the threat of alligators, and some hilarious dialog. This was one of the more fun, raucous stories in the whole lot. A great example of the sub-genre
*“The Bone Man of Sanatorium Lake” Andrew Cull- So this story appealed to me in the same way I love reading about unexplained phenomena happening to hikers/campers in State Parks. Like X-Files. This has a very “The truth is out there” vibe that I loved. Can I just mention, Andy Cull never disappoints.
*“Devil’s Elbow” C. W. Briar- An intense coming-of-age tale with a strong sense of impending danger. I loved the details in the writing that made pictures in my mind, "His skin was so tan that it reminded me of my sister's bronzed baby shoes." That description is so specific, it lit up my mental images instantly. This story is full of these details and most likely why this is one of the best stories in the anthology. I will be looking for more C. W. Briar stories.
“Women of the Mere” Jessica Ann York-- What a way for the collection to go out but with a creepy old lady story! I got really invested in the story but I feel like it ended so abruptly. I definitely wanted more from this one--it was just a little underdeveloped for me.

A few small editing errors are my only complaint, but they're not enough to be distracting. I was sad when it ended and can't wait to read more from these authors, thanks for the chills!
Top reviews from other countries

And I wasn't disappointed. I'd say I enjoyed two-thirds of the stories collected here.
The publisher sent out a call for ones written in locales that were intimately familiar to the authors. They received over a thousand submissions! These twenty-plus stories are the finished collection.
My favorites were the dark humored "the Deer God" by Wendy N. Wagner, and the intensely creepy "The Bone Man of Sanatorium Lake" by Andrew Cull. I've already picked up another book by Cull, "Remains". Looking forward to it.