Literally Dead: Tales of Halloween Hauntings

 

Do you love All Hallows' Eve? Ghost stories? Tales from beyond that leave you feeling unsettled while walking to the kitchen at night? The orange-and-black vintage aesthetic? Haunted houses with shuttered windows?

Edited by Gaby Triana with John Palisano, this anthology of 19 short stories by some of the most terrifying name son horror is the perfect collection for a dark and stormy October night. Featuring tales to make you hide under the covers by; Jonathan Maberry, Gwendolyn Kiste, Catherine Cavendish, Tim Waggoner, Jeff Strand, Sara Tantlinger, Lee Murray, Alethea Kontis, Lisa Morton & more

I already knew before I read this that I would enjoy this, this anthology has an amazing line up of lots of authors I greatly admire. Literally Dead did not disappoint I had so much fun reading this. Some stories will make you cry, some will leave in you in stitches but beware of those that will strike terror in your heart!

There wasn't one story I didn't like in here.

When You See Millions of the Mouth less Dead Across Your Dreams in Pale Battalions Go by Jonathan Maberry

Joey sits outside his Californian mansion one night going over his past when he receives an unexpected visitor.

Halloween at the Babylon by Lisa Morton

Katy has been waiting for a long time for someone to really see her and listen to her story.

No One Sings in the City of the Dead by Tim Waggoner

When her husband passes away, a lonely wife will stop at nothing to see him again.

Ghosts of Candies Past by Jeff Strand

 A man receives a blast form the past when his children return from Trick-or-Treating on Halloween night with candy not seen for over twenty years.

The Ghost Cricket by Lee Murray

A dark fantasy tale. A magistrate is summoned to a small village to hear a remarkable case between a beggar and a farmer. 

A Scavenger Hunt When the Veil is Thin by Gwendolyn Kiste

It's a rite of passage to visit the old lady's haunted house on Halloween night. But the girl chosen to go inside has also been chosen by someone else.

How to Unmake a Ghost by Sara Tantlinger

The veil wears thin a Halloween but that does not mean one should invite the dead back into their lives even when their love is too powerful to be defeated by death. 

The Ghost Lake Mermaid by Alethea Kontis

It's the Ghost Lake Mermaid's job to maintain the lake she watches over. When a guest arrives it reveals dark secrets of the nearby town, she must enlist the help of Sherriff Lee.

The Curiosity of the Back of the Fridge by Catherine Cavendish

A tale within a tale. Brian our trusty narrator takes us on a journey of how he came to meet the revered Bobby Clem, once a highly regarded University Professor, now nothing more than a local down and out.

Postcards from Evelyn by Scott Cole

Andy receives an invite to a Halloween party from Evelyn, but it must be a mistake the invite is over one hundred year sold. When he receives a 2nd postcard he knows something strange is going on. Evelyn is very determined to have him attend.

Bootsy's House by Dennis K. Crosby

Justus and Damon break in one night to an empty affluent home that legend claims is hiding a fortune waiting to be found and claimed. But the house isn't as empty as they think. 

When They Fall by Steve Rasnic Tem

One Halloween Ralph receives a very persistent rick or treater in his isolated country home and now he's too old to run from what haunts him.

Soul Cakes by Catherine McCarthy

It's a real treat for Bethan to bake soul cakes with her beloved grandmother at Halloween. Each year as her gran gets older she reminisces more and more over the past but once spent the past can never come back.

A Bookstore Made of Skull by Maureen Mancini Amaturo

"A skull houses the brain, and books house brain food."

Our unnamed protagonist finds themselves in no ordinary book shop in no ordinary town. This is Salem home to Witchcraft. A wonderfully decadent atmospheric tale that draws you in and spits you out.

The Ghosts of Enerhoda by Henry Herz

It's 2022 and there's al all out battle for  nuclear power plant. The Russians will stop at nothing to take it from the Ukranian's, how far will each side go?

Always October by Jeremy Megargee

A ghost hunter takes full advantage of the thin veil between the world of the living and the dead, he needs to catch as many ghosts before the night is done.

A Halloween Visit by Dana Hammer

Gabriella Morrison is done for the night, she's tired of handing out candy to all the trick or treaters but there's one guest left banging on her door ready to collect a debt that can  be ignored no longer.

The Crawlers in the Corn by David Surface

Danny's friend, Carl, doesn't want to go trick or treating he says at fourteen years old they're too old to believe in Halloween or those things they thought they saw crawling in the cornfield. However those things still believe in Danny and Carl.

Pink Lace and Death Gods by Eva Roslin

When Bianca makes a deal it turns her life upside down. She must make a deal with the devil if she is to get her life back.

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