Horror Books

This is by far a must-own collection for the Tales from the Crypt fans.
It features original comic books from 50s and 60s.

I was too young for the originals, but the reprints in the late-80s/early-90s were amazing.

The only issue I have is that the ink is sooo freakin' glossy that you get glare from overhead lighting.

Johnny Craig is the best artist!

There is an overuse of exclamation points in the writing, which can be irritating but the drawing is top notch and it's worthwhile to purchase for the fan of the old comics. Graham Ingels' work is the best of all.

The story of EC Comics really is one of the most intriguing in the lore of comic history. EC's founder, Max Gaines is really the father of the modern comic, having been the first one to devise the idea of printing newspaper comic strip re-prints into a magazine format. Gaines was also co-publisher of All-American Comics, the sister company to National Periodical Publications, AKA DC Comics, which published titles such as All Star Comics, Green Lantern, and The Flash. Gaines was bought out by his partner and eventually formed EC Comics, which then stood for Educational Comics but later would change to Entertaining Comics.

Gaines was killed in a boating accident, leaving his son William Gaines to reluctantly take over the company. Gaines soon changed the focus of the company and began to concentrate on publishing titles with horror, Sci-Fi, war, and suspense themes. Thus, Gaines created a legend. EC had perhaps the finest stable of artists ever assembled in one company that included Al Feldstein and Harvey Kurtzman who also wrote and edited most of the titles, along with other greats such as Johnny Craig, Graham Ingels, Wally Wood, Jack Davis, Al Williamson, Bernie Krigstein, George & Marie Severin, Reed Crandall, Basil Wolverton, Joe Orlando, and Frank Frazetta.

EC's horror comics were well ahead of their time and were really the pre-cursor of magazines like Creepy & Eerie. The stories in Tales from the Crypt, Haunt of Fear, and Vault of Horror were often quite gruesome and gory. Because of this, EC became the prime target of Psychiatrist Dr. Fredric Wertham who, in 1954 published Seduction of the Innocent, a book that blamed the violence and horror in comic books for juvenile crime and delinquency. A Congressional investigation resulted in the formation of the Comics Code Authority to censor comic books. Books had to be submitted and receive the stamp of approval and subjects like zombies & vampires were prohibited. While the CCA had no legal authority, most magazine distributors would not carry a comic if it did not have the code stamp. EC was forced to cancel their horror titles and shift it's focus to dramatic titles like "MD" and "Extra!", as well as the humor title Mad which was later changed to magazine format.

Much like it's Crypt Keeper, EC would not stay dead, thanks in large part to zealous fans and the efforts of Russ Cochran and Gemstone publishing that began re-printing the EC Comics in various formats in the 70's with the Complete EC Library, and then actual comics in the 80's and 90's. Among the latest projects are the EC Archives which collects several issues of the original EC comics into gorgeous hardcover editions.


Tales from the Crypt may seem tame by today's standards where blood and gore oozes off the pages, but when these stories were originally published back in the early 1950's, they were well ahead of their time in terms of their subject matter and artwork. While most comic art of the 50's was bland, mass produced house art, EC gave its artists unrivaled creative freedom. It's the reason why those issues are so highly sought after by collectors today.

The stories in Tales From the Crypt rarely deviated from the formula...they almost always ended with a shocking, ironic twist with a character getting their just desserts. Even when following this pattern, the gifted talent always kept things fresh and innovative. Inside these 212 pages you'll find stories featuring werewolves, mad scientists, zombies, animated limbs, ghosts, raving madmen (and women) and a host of other terrors. One of the most ghoulish tales is Johnny Craig's "Midnight Snack" in which a sleep walking man discovers he's been digging up bodies and eating them. This was pretty intense stuff for 1951. This book features the talents of legends Wally Wood, Graham Ingels, Johnny Craig, Jack Davis, Joe Orlando, and colorist Marie Severin.


These editions feature re-mastered color and also include special features such as an interview with Nancy Gaines, the widow of EC Comics founder Bill Gaines. The book lists for $50 but you can definitely find it online much cheaper making it well worth the price. If you've never read EC Comics before it's an experience you must have!

REVIEWED BY TIM JANSON

I just can't get over how nice these EC Archives are. Printed on high quality paper and done with superb color. These books are a great way to get the old EC comics with out going broke. I can't wait for Gemstone to print the rest. A+ 10 out of 10!

This book is a perfect idea for a movie. Its was a new concept in this boring world. J. Bruno is definitely the new up and coming. I highly recommend reading it.

I tried to put this book down. I tried really hard to study for finals, but it didnt work. I finished this book in a day and a half. It's a great story, with colorful and interesting characters, and a plot line that will grab you and never let go.

This was an awesome book. It kept you captivated from the very beginning. Author kept a high intensity level throughout the whole book keeping you guessing the entire time.

Engrossing from the first page. What a concept, I can't wait for the movie.

Kept me guessing the whole time. Loved the ending. Hope someday J. Bruno writes a second book about about Euthanasia Island.

Leever has definitely arrived with 'Even In Darkness"! I couldn't put it down...if you enjoy suspense-filled novels, this one belongs in your collection!

This is a very intense read. The book grabs you and doesn't let go. I simply wasn't ready for the twist at the end, but whoa! Jay's (the main character's) a guy whose feelings I could really relate to. He's definately a man with "balls."

I really enjoyed this book. The suspense is right up there with the stuff on the bestseller list. I will read anything else this author comes out with.

For the person who doesn't read often (like me), this is the kind of book that keeps you engaged and needing to read on to the next section. The pacing is excellent, and the backdrop of the story--a university campus that takes on more and more of a menacing feeling as the book progresses--is excellently done and unsettling at the same time.

I particularly liked the character of Breeze, and what happens with Kristin near the end of the book. The scenes in the tunnel system underneath the campus with Kristin being pursued in the dark by two bloodthirsty thugs were enough to give one nightmares, but it was great suspense.

Overall, a great read.

Jeffrey Aran Leever is a publications manager for a nonprofit organization in Colorado. An English/writing major from the University of Nebraska (Kearney), he presently lives in Arvada, Colorado. He has co-authored two published non-fiction books.

Colleges often have immense power with the locals of the communities they serve...power which can be turned for dark purposes. When Jay Downing's friend Reed Manley doesn't appear for a preappointed "night on the town," and some strange girl tries to lure Jay into the University's long unused underground tunnels, Jay begins to fear for his friend's life. The police treat Jay as if he is on drugs, and when Reed's body appears outside of town, even the coroner seems to be in on the coverup. But it is the professors at Jay's school in Stratton who act the most bizarre:

"Jay looked again at his professor, and wondered what the man knew. What pieces of the truth he held. It was as if Lanum was trying to hold back something, and yet share it at the same time. As if there'd been something Jay had done that gave Lanum reason for contempt. It had to have been something independent of their never-quite-so-serious interactions in class. But what?"

The idea that a university setting could be used for nefarious purposes, and that professors (who, after all, are supposed to represent the creme de la creme) could be arch-fiends stirs up a shiver of recognition in all of us. (Who hasn't dreamt about not attending class and not knowing where their final was?)

Even In Darkness is a well written, spine-tingling, Gothic, Steven Kingish novel that grips the reader from page one. Leever's use of uncertainty in speech, action, and tone puts the reader into a nervous state from the beginning. It is an excellent tool to produce the results he wants, which is to scare us to death and keep us turning those pages. Even In Darkness is an great first effort in the genre for Leever, and presents him as a new talent to be reckoned with. It is entertaining, scary, infuriating, and deeply satisfying, all at once. A great read.

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This book is a thriller from start to finish. Word to the wise; don't read this book before you go to bed at night, you may not be able to get to sleep.

While I admit this book moves a bit slower than the other books by Ms. Pinord, the level of craft and story telling is at its best!

The books reads like the tale of someone telling you a story face to face. At times you are mezmorized and taken aback by the craft of the novel.

All in all a great read. If you liked this, also check out Min's Monster, one of the best Pinord books.

Even though EVIL LIVES frightened me as I read it, I still devoured every page and anticipated the next. Before I knew it, I'd finished the novel waaayyyy to soon. I want Lila Pinord to know that I crave more of the same!

This is a great scary, what's going to happen next story about things going wrong with the cop on the reservation and all the people there. Way too short...didn't want it to ever end..Hopefully, Lila will write another book soon. Both her books are well worth reading..I don't scare easily, but some things in this book made me look over my shoulder when I'm near the beaches..I highly recommend this book...

There is a thick fog covering the area, leaving everyone feeling unsettled. But it is the mysterious figure with the soulless eyes that fills those nearby with terror and dread.

An evil spirit has returned to the Native American community of Blue Rock, and has taken over the body of a trusted and beloved member. Each day brings more senseless murder, accelerating as the evil's thirst increases. From children to respected elders, no one is safe. It is up to those bestowed with special gifts to yet again exorcise the creature back to the water from where it came, before the misery and death spreads over them all.

This is a wonderful, very scary novel, with many diverse and interesting characters. Lila Pinord has the ability to create great suspense through vivid images and strong, realistic emotions, without once losing the distinctiveness of the characters. The tension is thick right to the end, and will frightened even the most courageous of readers.

A Native American herself, Lila L. Pinord brings the traditions and myths of her people to life in this book. With one other novel to her name, "Skye Dancer," her next novel will be much anticipated by this reviewer.

Highly recommended to the brave for a scary, late night read.

I grew up in the same small fishing village as the author of Evil Lives in Blue Rock. As children, we thought nothing of wandering around in the heavy laden fog, but as adults, it chills us to the bone to even think about it! So, Lila's novel brings it all back in a scary rush! My cousin's book brings back so many memories. I hope Lila writes more in the same vein as Blue Rock- I look forward to her next book.

This was one of the best mysteries I have ever read. I came upon it by accident, not even knowing if it were a mystery or not. It is a wonderful successor to the great writers of the original English mystery. George Felse ranks up there with Poirot and Holmes, but shows a bit more humanity. The other characters, also, show qualities that make you forget that you're reading. The plot, I'm sure, will perplex you and will have you back for more Ellis Peters. I will say that after reading most of the Felse mysteries and a few Cadfael that Felse is better, but this one is the best in the lot.

I have read and loved all Ellis Peters' Brother Cadfael mysteries, and for that reason I had been reluctant to start her equally well-known George Felse series. I am very glad that I did decide to begin this series. It's been awhile since I actually read a Brother Cadfael, and I had forgotten what a marvellous writer Ms. Peters was. Her characters in this series are just as well-rounded and realistic as the ones in the Cadfael series. The time and place are much different, but Ms. Peters' wonderful plotting and story-telling are the same. I truly believe that Ms. Peters is still in a class of her own when it comes to authorship. In this book the main sleuth is not George Felse himself, but his protege of a son - Dominic, who is 13 years old. Ms. Peters has written a coming of age mystery book here with her usual great skill. Dominic and his sidekick Pussy are two youngsters that readers will not soon forget. Also, George's wife Bunty is another wonderful character that I can't wait to read more about. They mystery too is ingenious and such a pleasure to uncover. Can't wait for more George Felse.

After reading almost all of Ellis Peters' Cadfael mysteries, I decided to give her other works a try, just to see if they could possibly compare. Well, to say I was surprised at what a fantastic novel this is can only be appreciated by those who have read and marveled at the brilliant Cadfael series.

Peters has created not only a very suspenseful and intriguing whodunnit, but a work of great depth, warmth, humor, and tragedy, full of complex character studies and profound insights into human nature, the effects of war, and how the murder of a man whom everyone hated anyway still rips apart the fabric of a small, close-knit community. And above it all emerges a playful, lighthearted banter between a precocious 13-year-old and his loving parents which is absolutely delightful to read. Somewhere around the middle of the book, after she has painted a vivid picture for us of the people, place, and times, young Dominic becomes central as the book's primary protagonist, and I cannot think of a more well-suited character to carry this novel.

As for the mystery itself, it was simply ingenious, better than many of the Cadfael mysteries, some of which are fairly easy to solve. This one had me on my toes until the very end, and threw some whopping surprises in along the way.

This is truly a work of genius, many-layered, lovingly crafted, and brilliantly well-told. Good luck finding another modern author who can come close to this level of accomplishment. Peters' work deserves much more acclaim than it has received.

Behold, he travaileth with iniquity, and hath conceived mischief, and brought forth falsehood. He made a pit, and digged it, and is fallen into the ditch which he made.
- Psalms 7:14 - 15

In these days after WWII, England is no longer the place the young men left when they went away to fight. The mining industry has been nationalized, and even Comerford's old slapdash efforts at opening up its shallow coal deposits are about to be reopened, with a flood of new faces coming in to operate the new machinery. The men who went away, of course, aren't those who came back: Jim Tugg, the hired man at the Hollins farm, with daring exploits as a paratrooper; Chad Wedderburn, the pacifist classics master who spent years in guerilla fighting; even Charles Blunden, son of Selwyn Blunden of Harrow, fought all the way across North Africa and Sicily.

Expatriates from all over Europe are common enough, even ex-POWs who still slip and say 'Heil Hitler!' if they forget. (And get beaten up, maybe, by somebody whose brother died in a Stalag.) Helmut Schauffler, though, has been asking to be murdered by going far beyond that.

Gerd Hollins had lost her entire family in the concentration camps. Haunted by memories of horror that won't stay suppressed, she asked her husband to hire Helmut, because if she could learn to see one German as a human being, it would help her to let go of her nightmares. Unfortunately, Helmut is a creep - an actual Nazi who enjoys psychological torment (though he's not stupid enough to try it in front of her husband or hired man). When he's fired and takes a job at the quarry, he still harasses her in a slimy way, while causing discord everywhere else he goes.

Sergeant Felse isn't surprised when Helmut finally turns up floating in the brook, head bashed in, although he's less than thrilled that his 13-year-old son Dominic found the corpse. Despite George's best efforts, Dominic gets interested in the case, especially since his classics master is a suspect.

Best known for her "Brother Cadfael" series, Ellis Peters (1913-1985) was also the author of thirteen novels featuring Inspector George Felse. Published in 1951, FALLEN INTO THE PIT is first novel in that series--and easily the best.

Most of the Inspector Felse novels run approximately two hundred pages; FALLEN INTO THE PIT runs over three hundred. To a certain extent this is due to Peters' establishment of the main characters and locales--but in simple fact the novel is much more densely written than her other Felse novels, so much so that at times it has an almost poetic quality.

Set in England following World War II, the plot focuses on a young German prisoner of war named Helmut Schauffler, who has remained in England after his release. Unfortunately, Helmut is a nasty bit of goods: a bully who attacks only when reasonably certain that there will be no retribution. Needless to say, he makes enemies right and left--and no one is greatly surprized when he is found with his head crushed in and thrown into a country stream.

Peters' plots are typically contrived, and although handsomely written and more than usually entertaining this is no less true of FALLEN INTO THE PIT than it is of her other works; long-time mystery readers will likely spot the killer through the way the author draws out her plot and sets forth the characters. Even so, this remains a particularly fine title in the Felse series. Recommended.

GFT, Amazon Reviewer

Cheers all,

I hope someone might read this critique! I am a British bloak who found Fear Factors a couple of weeks through a message forum posted in UK. Read the first story on Sacco's website and got hooked! I just finished reading the book and I have to commend the author on keeping my attention.. it was a freaky, intense read! Hats off to you P. Sacco. Can we expect any other books like this? I hope so soon!

William Billy B.

Just wanted to say I read this book a couple of weeks ago and am reading it a second time now. It was my wife who first read it after a friend she works with past it on to her. I love reading Dean Koontz and this definitely smokes his work! Every story in this book is absolutely twisted and some are just totally nasty and sick! I loved them! Does anyone know when Sacco's next book is coming out? Also, I visited his website, (...) to see if any of these stories are being made into movies? They should be! I highly recommend this book if you like being scared and having your mind teased!

This has to be one of the most original horror type books I have ever read. It is totally out there, and I mean that in a good way! He (Sacco) knows how to hold your attention. He also knows how to surprise the heck out of you. There is a twist in almost all of the stories, most totally unexpected. I highly recommend this book!

Recently, I read Fear Factors by Peter Andrew Sacco. Wow, what a very interesting and diverse book! The book as 10 short stories and to be honest, I was floored by how different each one of them was. They are so different. I am a real horror/sci-fi book and movie buff. These stories have to be some of the most original stories I have ever read. Where the heck did this guy think them up? I would pay to see these on a big screen at the movie theater. I give this book a great review. If anyone out there likes horror, give this a look-see. It will scare you in many ways at many levels.

Once I started reading Fear Factors, I couldn't put it down. It totally captivated my attention, tickled my imagination and scared the heck out of me! Sacco knows how to grab the readers attention and pulls you in and then just when you are getting comfortable with the progession of one of the stories, he throws in subtle twists which surprise you.

Fear Factors is very entertaining. I found it had everything. As a woman, I was very impressed with the provocativeness and sexual undertones and innuendoes used by Sacco. Not only was the book scary, but believe it or not, some stories were very arousing. I also found some of the stories highly imaginative and controversial which really made me want to read on and read more.

The book was exceptional in that it is 10 short stories so you are not committed to read for days before you finally reach the punchline. As a professional, I like to read on my coffee breaks, lunches and before bed. This fit quite nicely with my work schedule in that I could knock down a story or two daily. I was always entertained. There are some stories I do not recommend reading before bed. I did have nightmares!

I have always been an avid reader of Stephen King and Dean Koontz. I find Sacco's writings very comparable to them and some of the stories even scarier! I can tell you right now...I hope there are at least 2 or 3 movies to be made from the short stories. They are so unique and audiences will be leaning from the edges of their seats!

In closing, I strongly recommend reading Fear Factors if you enjoy believeable, educated sci-fi/fantasy and horror. You will not want to put this book down. If you really like being scared and entertained, this is the book for you. And should the author Peter Sacco read this review, thanks, you made my lunch breaks and you also kept me awake at night! When can we expect your next book?

Restaurant critic Charles McLean and his teenage son Martin are traveling around Connecticut. Charles is reviewing restaurants, and Martin is bored. They discover Le Reposoir in Allen's Corners, a restaurant that Charles has never heard of and is eager to review. He becomes even more eager when he discovers it is private, by invitation only and there seems to be no way to get an invitation. Meanwhile Martin has been talking to a mysterious dwarf, and he runs away one night while his father is otherwise occupied. Charles is frantic to discover what has become of his son, but somehow nobody believes him that Martin is missing. Charles uncovers a connection to Le Reposoir, and demands to see his son. Le Reposoir isn't just a restaurant, its a religion, and the devotees of this religion consume their own flesh unto death in preperation for meeting God. Martin has joined and doesn't want to leave. Will he eat himself to meet God? Or will Charles save him? Time is running out.

I read this book at least ten years ago and have been very confused since because it doesn't appear as one of Graham Masterton's previous books in the front pages of his other titles. I don't know why it is being hidden from the public eye, but if you like well written occult fiction, find and read this book!

Masterton's novel, which I read with great relish, but also the sickly malaise one experiences when confronted with such aberrant behavior, lingers in my mind as perhaps the most disturbing of all the horror novels I have read. I've plowed through about 2/3 of Stephen King and about 1/3 of Dean Koontz' respective bodies of work and this one really redlined the freakmeter for me like none before. Read this amazing book for a great treatment of the pitfalls of blind faith and the depths of depravity often reached by the upper classes .

If u want to read about a woman with no legs and no arms haveing people help her carve out meat from her body, cheeks, stomch,etc. and help her eat it in order to be accepted in heaven, read on. But for real it wasn't as disgusting. I like it a lot!!! I even still remember the smell of rosemary associated with it(read it and u wil understand)

This is one of Masterton's best, but if you're easily offended or disgusted I do not recommend it, especially if cannibalism disgusts you. He takes a whole disgusting new spin on cannabalism here that I don't think ANY book has before. I love this author, but sometimes after reading his books I feel I would not want to meet him in a dark alley, because he actually sat there and thought up these hideous ideas. But if you have a strong stomach and love bold, original horror, pick this one up. I'm actually surprised the publisher let him get away with some of the graphic, grotesque (even for Masterton) scenes in here without censoring them. Heck, maybe this IS the censored version. Now there's a frightening thought. But aside from the horror, it's just a great story--I read this book all in one sitting, stayed up all night because I HAD to know what happened next. The very last part is sort of a copout, as a typical cliche "twist" ending, it makes you feel he was in a hurry and couldn't come up with any other way to end the book. But I still give it 5 stars for the brass you-know-whats he has to write something this disgusting. It's like a grisly car accident that you can't look away from--and I mean that as a GOOD thing...

With "Feast Of Faust", T. M. Gray solidifies her position as one of the true rising stars of the horror genre. This collection takes in every style imaginable (even experimental) and delivers the goods on each and every page.

A terrific collection from a terrific writer - now when do we see the novels?

Feast delivers the goods...and then some!! Very well written; Maine's maven of the Macabre engrosses the reader in each story, leaving you craving more as the final page is turned. If you haven't read this one, a massive 45 story collection, you're definitely missing out!

T.M. Gray's tales have a dreamlike quality, simultaneously repelling and enchanting, lulling you into a false sense of security, playing upon your subconscious terrors, then gleefully striking the hammer-blow when you least expect it.
Feast of Faust is the stuff of classic horror fiction, cleanly-executed prose, precise pacing, elegant. Gray creates a landscape of fear beneath the commonplace, a veritable cornucopia of emotions and situations that can go horribly awry in an instant.
This lady deserves great success. I, for one, cannot wait for her next offering.

Mark Edward Hall

I normally read sci-fi and dark fantasy (Crichton, Zindel) and some horror (King, especially his Dark Tower series), but this one is my mom's book, so I kind of had to read it.

I've read some of her stories before, but never in this format. All I can say is that I sleep down the hall from her...and I'm not so sure I'll be able to sleep very well ever again.

But really, she's done a great job with this book. My favorite stories in Feast of Faust are The Washing Machine...and Crater Lake... The Time Wrinkle was pretty good, too. There's 45 stories in there, hard to keep track of all of them.

Three thumbs up,

from Tom Gray, Maine

TM Gray blazes a trail through the horror genre for others to follow. That said, her first novel--a collection of terrifying short stories--is not only riveting, on the edge of your seat reading, but essential for anyone who loves to be scared. "Feast of Faust" is by far one of the best compilations ever to come along in years. Gray is a master of suspense; I devoured each tale voraciously and couldn't wait to see what was next on the "menu". She is a brilliant writer, crafting her prose with a chilling surefootedness that holds the reader spellbound. "Faust" is a perfect launching point for a career that I for one cannot wait to follow. Do yourself a favor...pick up Gray's "Feast of Faust" and dine with this phenomenal Mistress of the Macabre!

Brian Knight delivers a fun, twisty novel that is bound to give you the creeps. The book itself is impressive, with the cover art imprinted on the covers, and as beautiful as some small-press collector first editions. I had a lot of fun with this one, and you will too.

FERAL grabs hold of you with spine-chilling terror, rips out your frayed nerves and stamps them beneath its heavy heel. It's a rare thing when an author rises from obscurity to cammand such masterful control of the powerful emotion of pure horror, leading the reader into the ferocious worlds of the imagination thought left behind in the darkened closet with childhood's nightmares. Knight's Bogey Man captures that savage gleam of fright like a tight fist around your neck and wrings it relentlessly. If you're looking for a warm story where good triumphs handily over evil, where the light shuns the darkness, this certainly isn't it... But if you want a taut, gut-wrenching, emotional beating that leaves you hesitant to turn off the TV at bedtime for fear of what might just be leering out at you from the crack in the closet door once again, then buy this book!

Remember the name Brian Knight... you'll be hearing it a lot in the near future.

After being pestered by close friends that I really needed to read this Feral, by Brian Knight, I finally relented and I am so glad that I did. This is a true page turner. I am not an avid reader and it has been years since I was able to complete a full novel. This one, I started reading at work and actually would be disappointed to get customers coming in because I had to put my book down.
The first scene in the book will really grab ahold of you and keep you breathless and turning pages til it is the last page and you are crying for more. I can't sing high enough praises on the descriptive writings of Mr.Knight.
Mr. Knight truely makes the boogie man and the people who are fighting against him come to life. You will feel like you have known these people all your life, not just a cheap trick this book is definately the real deal. WOW

Feral is a great thriller bound to give anyone a serious case of the creeps. I couldn't put it down. I even skipped a meal while reading it, and anyone that knows me would tell you that's saying something.

Feral is the story of a Bogey Man that takes children, and murders parents. A child named Charity was taken by the Bogey Man, but had a chance to escape. She runs to a place called Feral Park, a playground that is home to more than meets the eye...

Highly recommended for any fan of horror, or anyone that simply wants a good book to read. It just got added to my shelf of favorites.

He comes to you when you are sleeping and if you are lucky you'll wake up in your own home. Sometimes he kills their parents and disappears with the children. Charity has had disturbing dreams and night tremors of the Bogey Man before one night he killed her mother and took her. He kept her alive because she was special to him.

Gordon Chambers has searched for six long years for Charity and he thinks by following the trail of dead parents and missing children he will finally find her at the end of the current dead trail in a small town in Washington. Sharon sees Charity in a spooky playground where supernatural events happen and brings her home because she was wearing her dead daughter's clothes given to Charity by the Bogey Man. Charity knows the only place she'll be safe from the Bogey man is in the Feral Park playground where the abandoned and abused children hide in a dimensional nexus. When Charity disappears into the park, Sharon and Gordon vow to get her back alive and keep her safe from the Bogey Man.

Anyone who wants a decent night sleep should not read FERAL. It is a frightening horror novel that needs broad daylight to somewhat keep the nightmares away. Brian Knight will appeal to fans of Bentley Little and those who like being scared out of their wits. This tale will accomplish that.

Harriet Klausner

All I could say when I was finished was "why didn't I see that coming?" A great story by a very talented writer. I was going to give this 4 stars out of anger, because Ferrenz didn't give me MORE!!!

One writer to another -- Great job Barb!

If you've ever thought of being a horror writer, or if you ARE a horror writer, I think you'll really enjoy this book. I'm a struggling writer myself, and I couldn't believe how much I identified with the protagonist and how real the conventions seemed. The strains our solitary avocation put on a marriage seemed too familiar, too.

Since I don't normally read mysteries, I can't comment on how well it fits the format of the genre, but I will say that it held my interest, moved swiftly, and didn't disappoint.

In Edgewater, Maryland, Mary Kate Flaherty has problems with her husband Chuck and her two children over the time she spends on writing and selling her novels as well as their belief she writes trashy erotica vampire tales. Known as the Queen of Vampires with the alias Theodora Zed, her family members also resent her attending conventions though that is what sells the books and buys their luxuries like designer sneakers.

Currently, in her Theodora persona, she attends Bloodcon in Atlanta where wannabe writer Randall Valentine disparages her work as trash in a public panel. Not long afterward, her shoe is found near the corpse of Randall, who has two small puncture wounds in his neck. The police question Theodora with only fellow writer Connor Drake, who has loved her forever, on her side. When a second murder similar to the first "Vampire Killer" slaying occurs in New York while Theodora is in town, the author knows she must risk her life to uncover the identity of a murderer even as her marriage is collapsing.

Though the identity of the "Vampire Killer' seems unreasonable and Mary Kate's husband is an idiot, WORSE THAN DEATH is a pleasant amateur sleuth tale. The story line allows the audience to see behind the scenes at a convention and the impact on a family when a member attends a lot of these. The two bites are cleverly explained and the heroine's willingness to risk her life to solve the case makes for a fine reading experience.

Harriet Klausner

Worse Than Death is a glimpse into the bizarre subculture of the devotees and the wannabe authors of the horror writers convention circuit. The protagonist of this interesting and well-plotted story of deceit, infidelity and homicidal pathology is an anonymous mother and housewife, Mary Kate. She haunts the meat counter at the Farm Fresh supermarket and strip mall pharmacy blighting the tranquil tobacco country of her southern Maryland suburb. But Mary Kate bangs out pulp vampire novels in the upstairs chambers of her old house. The reader is warned early in the story of the strains in her marriage. She has kissed her husband, hugged her children and flown off to a few too many conventions. There she squeezes into thin black leather and balances on stiletto heels and joins her fellow struggling authors. As vampire author Theodora Zed she stokes the fantasies of the fans who swarm like flies to themes of sex and murder.

Barbara Ferrenz crafts a very creditable story as neck-punctured bodies follow her to city after city. There is no shortage of suspects. Her husband has grown distant. A former priest pilgrimages against her brand of Satanism. Her fans only just contain their adolescent sexuality as they gaze on Theodore's tightly wrapped chest. Her best friend's boyfriend lusts for her, protecting her even as they are stalked by an unknown killer.

The story is a quick moving engagement of the unexpected with the ordinary. In the end everything is as it should be, but nothing is the same.

Mary Kate, also known as Theodora Zed, Queen of the Vampires, is a mid-list writer of vampire romances. Theo promotes her books at weekend horror conventions and bookstore signings, much to the disgust of her husband, who would much rather have a conventional wife, and the embarrassment of her children, whose friends pass around her books at school. For Theo, promotion is just part of the job.

But, when a writer who insulted her at one of her panels turns up dead, though, Theodora has a motive and looks like a suspect. Or perhaps she's being targeted as one of the next victims. The Vampire Killer always seems to know where she is, and strange things keep happening when she and fellow writer Connor are in the vicinity.

This is a fun, fast paced mystery with unexpected twists and turns. The central characters are well drawn and credible. Mary Kate, although perhaps a bit naive, is a woman of integrity, determined to do the right thing no matter what. Descriptions of her circle of friends and acquaintances in the writing and publishing community struck a familiar chord. I am looking forward to reading more books by Barbara Ferrenz.