The Third Man and The Fallen Idol In post-war Vienna, Graham Greene’s struggling novelist Rollo Martins, arrives to visit old friend Harry Lime. But something has happened to Harry, and Martins is soon drawn into a web of intrigue and drug-dealing as he tries to uncover the truth. The Fallen Idol is the tale of…
Category: Short Stories
‘The Rats’ by James Herbert
The Rats A race of unusually large black rats creep out from their lair looking for food. But when the creatures get a taste for human flesh, the corpses quickly pile up. Discovering the rats also carry a fatal virus, it becomes apparent to the authorities that a new and very dangerous challenge faces humanity.…
‘A Passport to a Nation of Talking Slugs and Other Stories’ by Andrew Kozma
A Passport to a Nation of Talking Slugs and Other Stories This is a collection of speculative fiction exploring unfamiliar landscapes and strange characters. The title story (A Passport to a Nation of Talking Slugs), is, in my opinion, the best of these and shows off the author’s clever use of language as well as…
‘Ragged Souls’ by Ernesto San Giacomo
Ragged Souls A collection of quirky, supernatural tales that explore the dark side of the human psyche. In ‘A Purveyor of Odd Things’, we meet a plodding but hard-working detective who sets out to solve a puzzling phenomenon. Then there’s the two sisters in ‘Martha’s Kitchen’ who long for the old days when the members…
Books, Characters, Crime, Horror, Indie Authors, murder, mystery, Paranormal, Short Stories, Supernatural, Thriller
‘Nightfall’ by Stephen Leather
Nightfall Jack Nightingale is going to Hell, or at least that’s what he keeps hearing. Trouble is, are people actually saying it to him, or is it his imagination? When Nightingale’s career as a cop ends and he starts up as a private detective, his past, and that creepy expression, keep coming back to haunt…
‘Blood Bath’ by Stephen Leather
Blood Bath (Audiobook) Supernatural detective Jack Nightingale faces a demonic killer when he investigates a series of gory deaths in a Brighton hotel. Along with his sidekick Jenny, Nightingale must find a way to tempt the monster into a trap, but what will the shrewd sleuth use for bait? Stephen Leather is a bestselling thriller…
‘She Receives the Night’ by Robert Earle
She Receives the Night Short story collections are often used to display a writer’s range of skills – whether in dialogue and description, or in their ability to handle a variety of different writing styles and genres. On the other hand, such collections can equally present a handful of the crap at the bottom of…
‘Weird: A Henry Ian Darling Oddity’ by Julie Elizabeth Powell
Weird: A Henry Ian Darling Oddity This is the first in a series of stories concerning the title character – Henry Ian Darling – and his adventures. The words ‘quirky’ and imaginative’ sprang to mind as I devoured this witty and distinctive tale. Having said that, when I reached the end, I wasn’t entirely sure…
‘Gnarled Bones and Other Stories’ by Tam May
Gnarled Bones and Other Stories Exploring ideas about loss, fear, and guilt Tam May tells stories that don’t hold back. From orphaned siblings and tainted musicians, to strange art, divorce and the circus, here are five explorations of what it is to be human. Ms May’s tales are beautifully crafted, portraying characters who are deeply…
Holiday Heartwarmers: An Anthology of Short Stories
Holiday Heartwarmers: An Anthology of Short Stories Festive-themed collection of fifteen short stories penned by writers from around the world. There’s a nice variety of tales here, including not-quite traditional family get-togethers, some interesting takes on Christmas and its meaning and a few stand-out tales from some very talented authors. I particularly enjoyed the strange…
Colin Garrow 