Mischief Night Massacre brings together ten short stories, many previously published but collected here for reader convenience. As the title and coverMischief Night Massacre brings together ten short stories, many previously published but collected here for reader convenience. As the title and cover would lead you to believe, these stories are all about Halloween and there’s nothing that I love more this time of year than curling up with a good Halloween-themed horror collection. Before I go in to a short description of the stories, I want to start by saying how much I love the cover art. It gives off a vintage Halloween feel with a warm color palette and is seriously sinister. Ok, let’s dive in.
RUSSIAN DOLLHOUSE: The old house on Waterford Lane has been abandoned for years. Eager to impress her crush, Kit goes to the house with a group of friends for a harmless Halloween prank but they end up walking in to a house of horrors.
DIA DE LOS MUERTOS: A war veteran with PTSD is living in Mexico and wanders out amongst the Day of the Dead celebrations to get a drink but things end in a bloody showdown.
EASY PICKINGS: Two bullies get their comeuppance on Halloween night when they choose the wrong kid to pick on.
KEEPING UP APPEARANCES: A group of criminals use the anonymity of Halloween and its masks to rob the homes of old, rich people and end up getting a little taste of their own medicine.
A NOT NOT-SO-SCARY HALLOWEEN: Danielle and her brother Robby are trick-r-treating in the suburbs of Orlando while their cousin regales them with horror stories about the local alligators…
RAIN: When a rainstorm traps Georgie and his brother inside the house on Halloween night, their dad starts to tell scary stories. It’s up to Georgie to decide if they’re real or not.
BLACK: Max and Rose’s marriage is falling apart and it’s going to take a lot more than a trip to Frightmare to fix it… or will it?
RIDE LIKE THE DEVIL: Taye goes to the local carnival with his sister and her boyfriend where there are rumors of a ride that some people didn’t come out of last year…
PULP: In the longest story of this collection, there’s a bit of a mash-up between Scream and Groundhog Day where Jaime must learn to trust his instincts if he wants to survive the party in the woods.
LAST HALLOWEEN: When two girls go out trick-r-treating and run in to a couple of boys from school, they decide to get drunk in the woods but something is lurking out there and they may not make it out alive.
In these stories, readers will find haunted houses and the undead, monsters and creepy kids, lots of blood, some Hannibal Lecter vibes and many nods to iconic horror films, and of course lots of tricks and treats. My personal favorites are honestly hard to choose when it comes to such a strong collection but I would put Russian Dollhouse, Easy Pickings, Rain, and Black at the top. This is a wonderful Halloween collection that is perfect for readers who enjoy the dark and macabre. The imagery is sharp and visceral so readers beware!
Thank you Corpus Press for the digital copy in exchange for an honest review! Available 09/24/2024 ❤️...more
Mr. McKay is a husband, a father, a teacher. He is out driving around town the night before Halloween—Devil’s Night, a night for mischief—to clear hisMr. McKay is a husband, a father, a teacher. He is out driving around town the night before Halloween—Devil’s Night, a night for mischief—to clear his head when he witnesses something disturbing that links back to the high school. 5⭐️ Chizmar has a true gift for creating an astonishing, foreboding atmosphere, even in a few short pages. I originally read this story as part of the Halloween Carnival Volume 5...more
For my first foray in to Bradbury’s work I chose The Halloween Tree and was thrilled by how much I enjoyed it. With thought-provoking meditations on fFor my first foray in to Bradbury’s work I chose The Halloween Tree and was thrilled by how much I enjoyed it. With thought-provoking meditations on fear, death, and what it means to live; an adventurous Halloween history; Halloween spooks; and vivid scenes—I can feel the autumn chill on my skin and smell the cheap polyester of the costumes—it’s a win for me....more
I found Burke via his short story, The Mannequin Challenge, which is the first story in Halloween Carnival Volume 4. I was such an immediate fan of hiI found Burke via his short story, The Mannequin Challenge, which is the first story in Halloween Carnival Volume 4. I was such an immediate fan of his writing, that I immediately set out to read other short stories of his. I am happy to say that this collection did not disappoint. A collection of nine short, haunting stories that will keep you up at night as you turn them over in your mind. Coming in at around 100 pages, it is a fun, quick read to get you in the mood for the witching season. ...more
This short story collection averages out to 3.8 stars for me but I'm choosing to round down because, overall, this felt more like a 3 star read than aThis short story collection averages out to 3.8 stars for me but I'm choosing to round down because, overall, this felt more like a 3 star read than a 4 star read.
Devil’s Night by Richard Chizmar: Mr. McKay is a husband, a father, a teacher. He is out driving around town the night before Halloween —Devil’s Night, a night for mischief— to clear his head when he witnesses something disturbing that links back to the high school. 5⭐️ Chizmar has a true gift for creating an astonishing atmosphere.
The Last Dare by Lisa Tuttle: Elaine is back in the town she grew up in. Her childhood home is gone but the Tower still looms large. Lane can’t remember why it gives her such an uneasy feeling but she’s about to be reminded. 4⭐️ My first impression upon finishing were that the characters were well-developed for such a short story. I wanted more of them.
The Halloween Bleed by Norman Prentiss: Local news reporter, Adeline, is interviewing the mysterious Dr. Sibley for an upcoming piece and they both have some tricks up their sleeves. 3⭐️ A nice touch of dark magic but I was left feeling slightly confused. This story needed more detail and backstory; it felt incomplete.
Swing by Kevin Quigley: Love is fleeting. Death is forever. Who is this young man to stop people from getting what they want? 5⭐️ This story doesn’t fit in this collection but I absolutely adored it nonetheless. It was lyrical and will have a lasting impression.
Pork Pie Hat by Peter Straub: Hat is a jazz legend. But even jazz legends have dark secrets that they want to keep hidden. 2⭐️ The longest and my least favorite. This novella took too long to get to the point and was quite a drag for me.
The Halloween theme didn't feel as strong in this collection as it did in the others, so I was disappointed in that aspect. The winner of this volume for me was, by far, the first story by Chizmar....more
This short story collection averages out to 4.0 stars for me. It had been my intention to read these volumes in order but Volume 3 was checked out by This short story collection averages out to 4.0 stars for me. It had been my intention to read these volumes in order but Volume 3 was checked out by someone else at my local library and this girl has no patience when it comes to books, so I skipped ahead to Volume 4 and will circle back to #3 when it is available.
The Mannequin Challenge by Kealan Patrick Burke: Theo, a rigid and predictable man, is surprised when he is invited to the office Halloween Party. Reluctant, he attends but when he arrives, something strange is going on. 5⭐️ This was dark and thought-provoking. Loved.
Across the Tracks by Ray Garton: Middle school friends —Kenny, Sam and JayJay— are out trick-or-treating and trying to avoid the school bullies along the way. When they come across a new teacher’s wealthy house with the door unlocked, they let themselves in. What they find inside is a terrible fright. 5⭐️ Creepy and fun
The Halloween Tree by Bev Vincent: It’s Luke’s first year trick-or-treating with his friends without the adults tagging along and he’s excited. Except for one tiny detail: He knows they will have to pass “the tree”. That huge, ominous tree that he is sure is out to get him. 3⭐️ More a story on friendship with a cute ending.
Pumpkin Eater by C.A. Suleiman: In this story, we settle down for a Halloween night in with a husband and wife. Pete loves Halloween, Marlene hates it. Almost as much as Pete hates Marlene. And tonight, Pete has an idea of how to deal with Marlene once and for all. 4⭐️ Not entirely original but still incredibly enjoyable.
When the Leaves Fall by Paul Melniczek: They were warned not to trespass on to Graver’s Farm but leave it to teenage boys to defy the rules. This is one time when they wish they would have listened… 3⭐️ This one was definitely more about the journey than the destination. Taking up more than half of the pages in the book, I hoped for better from this one but was ultimately left feeling a bit disappointed.
This short story collection averages out to 3.5 stars for me, rounded down.
Mr. Dark’s Carnival by Glen Hirshberg: Halloween is Professor David Roemer’This short story collection averages out to 3.5 stars for me, rounded down.
Mr. Dark’s Carnival by Glen Hirshberg: Halloween is Professor David Roemer’s favorite day of the year. The story opens with David discussing the mysterious, legendary Mr. Dark’s Carnival with his students. Nobody has ever been or knows anyone who has ever been… Which begs the question, is it even real? Or just another urban legend? 5⭐️ The atmosphere was killer, as was the plot. The longest story in this collection and my absolute favorite.
The Facts in the Case of My Sister by Lee Thomas: As a child, David was a believer in magic and used his sister, Joyce, as the subject of his magic tricks. Later in life, Joyce suffers an accident and David calls upon a past trick to get answers. 3⭐️ Touches of real life terror. A cautionary tale.
Mischief Night by Holly Newstein : In Pennsylvania, the night before Halloween is known as Mischief Night where kids play harmless pranks. That is, until one turns deadly… Willard Cole is an old drunk (though he promised himself as a child that he would never allow that to happen). What does one have to do with the other? 4⭐️ Not so much horror as it is just down right sad.
The Ghost Maker by Del James: A mob hit man has to watch his back any day of the year but especially on Halloween night. 2⭐️ This started out as an interesting story line but ultimately, did nothing for me. It doesn’t feel like it fit in this collection.
The Pumpkin Boy by Al Sarrantonio: Jody Wendt is on his own for half an hour every day until his mom gets home. He knows he’s not supposed to leave the house but when the pumpkin boy walks by his window, he can’t help himself… Len Schneider’s past ghosts haunt him. After all, it’s why he moved away from Milwaukee. But his ghosts seem to be following him… 3.5⭐️
This was a true grab bag of stories, some awfully savory where others were just ok. I definitely enjoyed the first collection more than the second. See you for my review of the next installment ...more
This short story collection averages out to 4.4 stars for me but I'm rounding up because I really enjoyed my time with these stories. Here, I have provThis short story collection averages out to 4.4 stars for me but I'm rounding up because I really enjoyed my time with these stories. Here, I have provided a brief description of each story and my extremely summarized thoughts on each. I wanted to keep them short because I think the less you know going in, the more you are going to enjoy your experience.
Strange Candy by Robert McCammon: Digging through his daughters candy bag on Halloween night, Chris Parker comes across a strange, unwrapped candy. He indulges himself and has an unexpected reaction. 3 ⭐️. The writing seemed a little elementary and stiff in some places (“It seemed colder this Halloween than it had last year. A little darker, too, and for sure it was quieter” ???). I enjoyed the premise of this story and would have enjoyed it more as a longer story to flesh out more details.
The Rage of Achilles or When Mockingbirds Sing by Kevin Lucia: Father Ward, the new priest at All Saints Church, is holding confessionals on Halloween night when a man stumbles in with an interesting confession. 5 ⭐️. WOW so good. What a chilling, haunting ending.
Demon Air by John R. Little: It’s Halloween and Halle is on a flight to Australia to discover her roots when something goes seriously wrong. 4 ⭐️. This one was SCARY
La Hacienda de los Muertos by Lisa Morton: It’s the start of the Days of the Dead in Mexico 1958 and Hollywood actor, Trick McGrew is visiting to shoot a new Western film. He’s never been a believer in the urban legends but he is about to get a rude awakening. 5 ⭐️. I loved the imagery in this story.
# MakeHalloweenScaryAgain by Mark Allan Gunnells: There is a person dressed as a scarecrow haunting the streets of Greer, South Carolina and it appears to be related to local writer, Dustin Davis’s Facebook posts. The killings are sending the entire town in to a frenzy and anyone could be next. 5 ⭐️. This story was so unsettling and so damn good. What a fun surprise for me that this story was set just down the road from my hometown.
I noticed the theme of grief was present in most of these and I always find that theme interesting in any kind of writing but it’s especially thought-provoking when done in horror....more
The horror element of this book didn’t really come in to play until about half way through the book. The first half was more suspenseful family drama The horror element of this book didn’t really come in to play until about half way through the book. The first half was more suspenseful family drama —the story of "The Cunning Man" hardly present— and, honestly, I preferred that over the horror here. The horror scenes didn’t offer many feelings of fear or dread and it almost felt more like a YA horror. I felt that there also wasn’t enough of an explanation of who The Cunning Man was or where he really came from but it was all still enjoyable as I was making my way through it. Oh and I loved the Halloween night setting. ...more
Disclaimer! Because this is a series, some information in this review may spoil content from the first book. If you haven’t read the fLONG LIVE FRENDO
Disclaimer! Because this is a series, some information in this review may spoil content from the first book. If you haven’t read the first book yet but want to and don’t want anything spoiled, please do not read this review :)
Picking up a year after the Kettle Springs Massacre, Clown in a Cornfield 2 follows the survivors: Quinn Maybrook, attending college in Philadelphia and learning to live with the conspiracy theories, the stares, and the whispers behind her back; Rust and Cole, still living in Kettle Springs, trying to use the dark events of the past to better the town; Jerri, a young girl suffering from PTSD who narrowly escaped the massacre; and Glen, Quinn’s father, who has taken on the responsibility of mayor of Kettle Springs.
When Quinn and her friends are attacked by a stranger in a Frendo mask at a party, the horror begins again.
There’s always a thrum of anxiety going in to a sequel especially when the first book was so loved. Is it going to live up to the excellence of the first or is it going to crash and burn? Looking back on my reading experience from the first time around, I realized that I didn’t remember a gosh darn thing about the this book which speaks to its impact on me compared to the first. I believe my exact words in my original review were “didn’t enjoy it as much as the first but still entertaining” and I stand by that though I couldn’t have told you why at the time. That is not to say that this book doesn’t live up to the excellence of the first though. Quite the opposite.
Clown in a Cornfield 2 takes on a slower pace with a lot more narrative focusing on the domestic relationships between the characters. That said, if you don’t care about the characters then it’s going to be difficult to get in to this. Lucky for me, I love the characters and feel invested in their lives. Still, it felt slightly overemphasized and did cause my attention to wane in some places.
Just like in the first installment, Cesare nails the atmosphere. The imagery is just as sharp and the Frendo murder scenes are just as graphic and anxiety-inducing. With incredible twists and a well-rounded plot, I am truly blown away by this follow-up and it was a joy to return to. The ending sets up beautifully for the next installment.
Clown in a Cornfield opens with a strong, eerie prologue that sets the tone and expectations for the rest of the novel before moving on to introduce oClown in a Cornfield opens with a strong, eerie prologue that sets the tone and expectations for the rest of the novel before moving on to introduce our main character, Quinn Maybrook. Quinn has been abruptly uprooted and moved to the small town of Kettle Springs, Missouri after her father takes a position as the doctor in town. They’re both looking for a new beginning and maybe this town surrounded by cornfields in every direction is the place to find it. When the story begins, Quinn is grieving the loss of her mother but also her friends, her old town, and her old life in Philadelphia, though it doesn’t take long for her to grow accustomed and start making friends with the other local teens.
And just like many teenagers that we have all encountered (and been), the scope of their worries are relatively small—in-school suspension, getting the keys to the car for the weekend, hanging out with their friends, and general teenage rebellion against adults and rules. When things go awry at the Founders Day celebration, it sets off a series of blood-soaked events that cannot be stopped… There’s an unyielding slasher taking out the kids.
This book hits the fear of so many: clowns. As someone who had professional clowns—yes, plural—in her family, I guess I was around them so much as a child that that fear never entered in to my bones. However I can understand the dread and terror that they can evoke. Maybe that’s why I like carnival stories so much? Cesare explores this terror well through strong imagery which is always creepy but never overdone. Take for example the portrait of Frendo the Clown, the town’s “mascot”, leering in to Quinn’s window from the Baypen Factory adjacent to their property, foreboding and menacing.
The themes unearthed here are fine on their own but I am more fasciated with the way that Cesare chose to go about it. I take it as an exaggerated exploration and the ensuing anarchy of today’s politics and social unrest. And while I don’t generally enjoy politics in my stories very much—we get enough of that IRL, especially during election years—this surprisingly didn’t feel too heavy-handed for me.
It’s hard for me to get to the core of what feels so nostalgic and comforting about this book but because of that, and despite some minor flaws, this is a favorite for me. Something about the descriptions of the people and the small town, the celebration of Founders Day, and interpersonal relationships makes it feel very vintage 90s Halloween, or like the Halloweens of my youth (minus the technology, of course). This is my second read through and it probably my won’t be my last. I don’t ever steer towards young adult books because I generally find them to be a bit cheesy for my liking but this is the perfect YA slasher for me....more
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