Horror Books

This is a good read. Artwork may be hit or miss at times, but enjoyable overall. The characters introduced in this comic are all interesting. The bad guys are quite good, too. Some original takes on old standards. Some of the same stories reprinted in the Hack/Slash Omnibus.

Amazon has a habit of sending me damaged books, though, so if you like pristine copies, I'd probably just hit the comic book store. I've bought a few comic book volumes from Amazon and every one of them has had smashed corners, which is too bad because you can find good prices on a lot of these things.

One of the greatest graphic novels ever written it features a hilarious and cleverly written plot as well as stunning art a musthave for any slasher film fan

Hack/Slash is the pinnacle of Horror comics. Its funny, creepy, gory and not to mention sexy. Cuz lets face it, Cassies hot. I recommend all 3 graphic novel collections of Hack/Slash. This one has a dream come true for horror fans. Cassie meets an actual movie slasher in Chucky. And Chucky is written perfectly here. His hilarious "I cant wait to kill somebody" attitude is very present through the whole story. I hope Cassie ends up meeting other horror icons like Freddy,Jason, Michael and Pinhead. I'm a huge horror fan. And I honestly believe the best medium for the genre is in comics. Cuz here you can do things more often than you can in films. And the colors and the atmosphere in comics can bring things to life that other mediums have a harder time doing. And Hack/Slash is the best of the best. If you like great slashers, beautifully creepy atmosphere and good comedy. Look no further than Hack/Slash.

As a comic reader for over thirty years, it takes quite a bit to impress me now. However, Hack/Slash has become my favorite comic title over the last two years. It has excellent writing, beautiful art, real characters who become deeper and deeper as the series progresses, an absolutely wicked sense of humor, and storylines that treat readers to much more than 99% of the comics and so-called "serious" literature out there today.

This particular collection is my favorite of the Hack/Slash TPBs available now, and I highly recommend it to anyone interested. While reading the earlier two volumes helps with knowing some of the other characters, you can start with this volume and still enjoy it even if you've never seen the two earlier volumes. I know this, because I started with this particular volume myself.

As I mentioned before, the writing is superb, with plots that certainly do NOT follow any recycled horror movie scripts. Most of the storylines will leave you thinking even after you've reached the end; the humor and art are some of the best in comics today, and they make having an intelligent, entertaining plot that much sweeter. I could not recommend this book or series with any higher praise.

Please do note that this is not a series for younger readers. There are some fairly gruesome scenes in it, and some of the humor is definitely more mature. It IS inspired by horror movies, so if you're old enough to watch them (or sneak into them), you're in a good age group to read Hack/Slash. If you're under thirteen, I'd suggest looking elsewhere. If you're under thirteen AND watching horror movies, go find your parents and yell at them for not supervising you adequately. But if you're over thirteen and have the money, BUY THIS BOOK! You will NOT be disappointed! Plus, if you've read this far you know you want it, so stop debating and click the button. It's worth the money.

I got very lucky a few years ago and stumbled upon "The Devil You Know" while shopping on Amazon. I ordered the book and found it to be a wonderful read exploring the trials and tribulations of Felix "Fix" Castor, a professional exorcist in a world that is a darker shade of our own. Felix practices his profession in a modern day London, but one that contains were-beasts, ghosts, demons, and zombies. Most of London toils on though paying little attention to these revenants, unless, of course, a ghost comes to haunt the place you call home or work. Whereupon Felix or one his competitors may get a call. If you haven't read "The Devil You Know" or the sequel "Vicious Circle" do yourself a favor a get yourself a copy of these books. They are simply delightful. I liked them so much I couldn't wait for Dead Man's Boots to be released here in the States and ordered it as an import.

Carey writes novels that feature complex characters, detailed and exciting plots, and some of the smoothest writing it has ever been my pleasure to read. The only disappointment in reading Carey is that even though the book may run over 500 pages, the next day you'll be blinking at the last page and wondering "how do I get more?"

I'm not generally into fiction that has magic, demons, ghosts, etc. mostly finding the genre formulaic and unimaginative. Carey blew a great big gaping hole into my assumptions and prejudices, happily showing me that this genre can be done superby well. I am a complete convert, in least as regards to his works. His books are atmospheric, even noirish, and he tells fascinating, compelling stories that sweep you breathlessly from plot twist to plot twist, tales that always end on a surprising and satisfying note.

The protagonist, Felix Castor, is an amazingly well-drawn character...likeable, smart, and dogged as he chases after the bad guys, brandishing his tin whistle. Yep, between the forces of darkness and you is a tin whistle. Castor a big guy and very tough, but we learn that because all too often Castor finds himself on the receiving end of a beating. That's what happens when you try to run with demons, loup garous, and cultists. Even though he is an "exorcist", it would be more apt to describe him as an occult private detective. There a strong elements of Marlowe and Spillane peeking through these pages. You'll love Castor because he always gets back up again and struggles on trying to do the right thing, even while saddled with mounting bills, complicated relationships, doubtful friends, and enemies that are generally a step ahead. You'll find yourself cheering him on in an "everyman' way because he isn't batman, and a tinwhistle sure isn't the batmobile.

In Dead Man's Boots, Felix finds himself trying to unravel a dangerous mystery after a friend commits suicide and leaves a few, generally unhelpful, clues laying about as to why he did it. A nebulous, but threatening group, seems to be involved and a classic "locked room" mystery is then thrown in the mix. Felix soon finds himself battling with a monstrous cabal along with some friends. Friends that bring to mind the phrase "with friends like these who needs enemies?". This book is every bit as delightful as the first two, with the same complex plotting and smooth writing that I have come to love. Carey is one of those few writers who make it onto my "A" list, meaning that anything they publish is something I am going to read with no questions asked. Indeed, anything they publish is something I am going to get my hands on as soon as possible, even if I have to order it as an import. Try this series, you will not be disappointed, even if the genre is not your normal cup of tea.

I just love the new EC Archives series. The printing quality is excellent and they really give new life to these classic golden age comics. I plan to buy them all.

THE BLOOD, THE OOOZE, THE HORROR, FOR ALL YOUR GRAPHIC GHOST, GHOUL, VAMPIRE AND ZOMBIE REQUIREMENTS LOOK NO FURTHER. BUY BEFORE THE FLESH ROTS FROM YOUR BONES.
A VERY ENTERATINING COMIC

In April of 1950, William Gaines and his staff of writers and artists at EC Comics started publishing a line of comic books that were entirely devoted to the themes of horror and science fiction. Breaking with the convention of the superhero, the "funnies," the westerns, and the romance comic books of the day, their new format dispensed with the motif of a recurring character in a continuing storyline and, instead, offered five or six complete stories that were frequently inspired by classic genre literature like that of Bierce, Poe, Verne, and H.G. Wells. By the mid-1950s, all of EC's horror and science-fiction comics were quite popular, and the company's success with these "New Trend" titles soon inspired competitors to publish a plethora of inferior imitations.

Unfortunately for EC and its fans, the popularity of their horror titles also drew the attention of conservative parental groups, glory-seeking politicians, and an ambitious psychiatrist named Dr. Frederic Wertham. The publication in 1954 of Wertham's book SEDUCTION OF THE INNOCENT: THE INFLUENCE OF COMIC BOOKS ON TODAY'S YOUTH led to Congressional investigations into possible links between comic books and juvenile delinquency. Though the existence of such a link was never proved, fear of possible legislation prompted the comic-book industry to establish The Comics Code Authority (CCA), a program of standards and self-censorship, and comic books that did not comply with those standards could not get the seal of approval from the CCA. Since horror was one of the primary themes targeted by Wertham and Congress, it was therefore the primary genre frowned upon by the CCA, thereby making EC the CCA's primary target. Sadly, most comic-book distributors and dealers feared the CCA and the influence it had on parents, and subsequently they quickly agreed to carry only those comics that carried the CCA seal of approval. Since Gaines and his staff refused to compromise their artistic and literary integrity in order to comply with the draconian "guidelines" of the CCA, EC was all but finished. Only MAD magazine somehow escaped the iron fist of the CCA and kept EC from disappearing altogether.

To a large majority of the people who are today familiar with comic books and their history--from art historians and English teachers to avid and affluent comic-book collectors--the horror and science-fiction comic books that were published by EC Comics prior to the establishment of the CCA exhibit a quality in both the writing and the artwork that has yet to be surpassed. Original, pristine copies of most of those titles (which include the famous TALES FROM THE CRYPT and VAULT OF HORROR series) are highly sought-after collectors' items, and they command prices that are sometimes as high as those of masterpiece oils on the high-art market. Because of this, and also to preserve the art and writing of the great EC comics for posterity, Russ Cochran began publishing hardbound reprint volumes of EC's "New Trend" comics in the 1980s. To keep costs down and preserve the quality of the artists' original line drawings, Cochran's reprints were over-sized black-and-white reproductions. Yet, in spite of the lack of color, the reproductions were beautiful and very popular sellers, and now that they've gone out of print, they are sought-after collectors' items in their own right.

Sometime in recent years, Cochran struck a deal with Gemstone Publishing to yet again reprint the original EC greats in hardbound volumes, but this time the reprints were to be sized according to the original comics, and they would also be reproduced in full color. But now that these color volumes are being released, it appears there's been a proverbial monkey-wrench thrown into the works. The coloring process being used is similar to, if not exactly the same as, the computerized coloring process that is currently the rage in the comic-book industry. While this pseudo-airbrush technique might look great for modern comics and graphic novels that are designed with its use in mind, the technique just looks garish when applied to the fantastic artwork that was lovingly hand drawn by Gaines' bullpen of greats like Al Feldstein, George Evans, Graham Ingels, and Wally Wood.

Fans interested in collecting some great reprints of the original EC horror and SF are advised to avoid the aesthetic travesty currently being peddled by Gemstone Publishing and, instead, seek out some used copies of Russ Cochran's black-and-white reproductions. The black-and-whites might be a little pricey now that they are out of print, but they are far superior to the Gemstone reprints in terms of readability and aesthetic enjoyment. (Keep in mind that the artists who drew the original comics often executed the artwork in black-and-white anyway, and while they may have offered suggestions about the final color schemes, the coloring was actually done by another.)

NOTE: The 1-star rating of this review is for the Gemstone reprints only. The EC comics themselves are always 5-star items.

This book was wonderful. The book is made very well. The pictures are wonderful. My little girl loves the stories. Nothing at all that a person can complain about with Disney's storybooks.

I absolutely love Halloween, Tim Burton, and especially Spooky Disney Stories, so this book was perfect! And now that I have a 2 month old son, I read them to him all the time, and he loves it (not that he knows any better), but I think the stories are wonderful!

Disney Scary Storybook Collection offers fifteen easy-to-read spooky stories based on classic Walt Disney animated feature films. Characters from Toy Story 2, Alladin, Peter Pan, The Little Mermaid, Monsters Inc., and more appear in this excellent and economically priced anthology. The Disney Scary Storybook Collection will prove an enduringly popular addition to family, school, and community library collections for young readers.

Our grandchildren (boy age 6, girl age 4) just love these Disney Storybook collections! This Scary Storybook is another example of a book that they ask for again & again. This one is perfect for the Halloween season. Not too scary for the little one's at bedtime, while entertaining enough for year 'round enjoyment.

Yellow Moon is the second in a trilogy inspired by New Orleans's infamous Voodoo Priestess, Marie Laveau; a woman still revered (and feared in some circles) centuries after her death. The first novel, Voodoo Season, is a suspenseful tale centering on a young woman's apprehensive discovery of her kinship to Marie and the unwanted "gifts"; she inherits from her grandmother; powers such as the ability to heal nearly everyone, an uncanny sense of foresight, and the ability to see spirits. These powers seem to have grown stronger upon her relocation to New Orleans for a medical internship.

Years pass and Yellow Moon picks up where VooDoo Season ends. The newly licensed Dr. Marie Laveau (appropriately named following the tradition of her foremothers), has seemingly accepted her fate, embraced New Orleans as home, and with the help of believers is aptly honing her otherwordly crafts. She happily practices both traditional medicine at the legendary Charity Hospital and the more controversial voodoo religion during off-hours. Her blissful life is interrupted when a string of blood-drained corpses start littering the city: the first being a hardened dock worker, then a boozing jazz musician, the third a prostitute - they are reminiscent of the underprivileged and downtrodden that seem to flock to Marie both in life and death. It is not long before the ghosts of the murdered appeal to her for justice. Her reluctance is culled by the handsome lead detective assigned to the case. Vampiric markings on the corpses baffle police but supernatural indicators and warnings from beyond eventually propel Marie into action. As the case progresses and the body count increases, the reader is taken on a tour of New Orleans revealing interesting tidbits of its rich history steeped in the unique blending of culture, music, religion laced with equal doses of exorbitance, decadence and debauchery. They finally discover that something ancient and evil is gaining strength in their midst and it is out for vengeance against Marie. Marie is soon in a fight for her life; she realizes she must conjure the gods and push her powers beyond her limits to save herself and her loved ones - both old and new.

Yellow Moon is seemingly written as a mystery/suspense that focuses on Dr. Marie Laveau's quest to find a vampiric murderer. However, the author also includes Marie's inner-struggles with her destiny, previous relationship baggage which affects her love life, and vacillating confidence in her powers as a Voodienne priestess. It is here that the novel slows to allow for character development or perhaps character empathy/sympathy; all of which I found a bit repetitive (from VooDoo Season) and distracting from the search for the killer. There were a few tangental episodes that caused me to wonder where the author was going with the subplots. When the climatic ending finally plays out, I instantly thought, "That's it? This could have happened 50-60 pages ago;" so I was a bit disappointed with the pacing and conclusion. However being a fan of literary and historical fiction, I absolutely loved the reflections on old New Orleans and the infusion of African folklore - these elements kept me turning pages and it is in these aspects where the author's research shows and talent shines.

Reviewed by Phyllis
APOOO BookClub
June 9, 2008

This was a can't put down book.

The heroine, Marie Laveu, a descendent of a famous Voodoo queen, does battle with a spirit vampire -- a Wazimamoto. Following a trail of killings she must come to grips with the spirit's past and her own. Set in steamy New Orleans, this sultry novel combines sex, ritual, and mystery in a potent stew.

With fresh characters, this compelling read puts a new spin on the vampire story - different than those of Anne Rice -- but with similar passion.

Worth the price of hardcover.

Parker-Rhodes bridges two worlds in Yellow Moon, the physical realities of Marie Laveau's great-great-granddaughter and the otherworldly realm of voodoo, where a malevolent spirit awakens after a long slumber, fueled by a blood lust that is only assuaged by the tumultuous emotions and memories of helpless victims, as, vampire-like, it drains the blood from their bodies. This is no Anne Rice vampire, no romanticized Lestat, but an energy that feeds on helpless people, fastening even on Doctor Laveau, who uses all the powers of her considerable voodooienne arsenal, calling her gods, Agwa, Dumballa, to fight this great destructive force. Meanwhile, this "spirit" vampire rampages through pre-Katrina New Orleans in search of fresh blood. Caught between heaven and earth, only Marie can confront this monster.

As in her previous novel, Voodoo Dreams: A Novel of Marie Laveau, the author inhabits this territory. Two centuries later, New Orleans is still the repository of such cultural anomalies, reality, religion and spirit infusing every aspect of daily life in a storied city of "slavery's sorrow, the wounds and pains of war, yellow jack epidemics and hurricane disasters." Like no other city, New Orleans embraces the old and the new, a diverse population in thrall to the throbbing beat of the French Quarter, music that connects the first three victims who fall like dominoes before Marie's confusion, a wharf rat, a jazzman and a priest. Shadowed by a skeptical detective, Dan Parks, himself drawn into a universe that flies in the face of hard evidence, Marie divides her time at Charity Hospital and the gruesome scenes of the crimes. Reluctant to admit these cases are beyond the skills of a seasoned detective, Parks readily accepts Marie's unusual talents, respecting her interpretation of the entity at work in these recent deaths.

It takes particular skills to deliver such a tale with authority, a suspension of belief in what we can see replaced by a grudging admission that more may be at work here, the darker recesses of an evil that coexists with good, an existential dilemma that seduces even non-believers into occasionally stepping beyond the known to that more frightening, intangible world where great forces battle. An old spirit reborn as an evil force, this wazimamoto knows Marie, vaguely recognizes her lineage, growing in power with each fresh kill, certain to demand a reckoning from Marie Laveau and her powerful ancestors.

Offering an historical perspective on the causes of generational racial repression and exploitation, the author reaches into the heart of the philosophical debate, colonial subjugation of Africa, slavery, the myths created by a people to combat their psychic destruction. Tied to the ancient struggles of the Dark Continent during the period of colonization and the emergence of music as the voice of the oppressed, this tale takes on unexpected relevance in a modern world, Marie Laveau confronting an ancient evil, calling for the power to defeat the monster that threatens all she holds dear. Parker-Rhodes makes this journey possible, calling forth the most frightening recesses of humanity, exploring its potential for transformation and the forces that would destroy a hopeful future. Luan Gaines/ 2008.

I will start with the positive: The CD reading is great. Mr.Reiner asking whether he should read on is really cute and engaging. My 4 year old son loved it. The illustrations are great.
That being said...There are more than enough scary halloween stories that don't deal with young children being tempted into a creepy mans basement. After each page I kept saing things like "now if a creepy neighbor invites you somewhere do you go? " I think the one thing that would have made the book better is if the neighbor wasn't a person and was maybe a goblin.
I would suggest borrowing this from the library so you can preview before buying it and maybe an older age range would suit the book.

My son got this book for his 4th birthday. We had to read it about 20 times that week. He is 6 now and this is still his favorite book! I read it to a group of kids at a halloween party and they loved it too!

My name is Jorge F. and I am 8 years old .My English teacher read this book to us in class and I thought it was scary . My favorite part was when the boy was scared. I recommend this book for my friends . I also like this book by Mo Willems: The pigeon Finds a Hot Dog . I hope you feel happy when you read this book.

My name is Kevin and I am 7 years old . My English teacher read this book to us in class and I thought it was fantastic. My favorite part was when the man said the pigeon couldn't drive the bus. I recommend this book for kids. I also like these books by Mo Willems: Leonardo the Terrible Monster, The Pigeon Finds a Hot Dogs. I hope you like it too.

My name is Delimar and I am 8 years old . My English teacher read this book to us in class and I thought this story is scary. My favorite part is when the boy was spying on the old man. I also like this book by William Steig: Doctor de Soto. I hope you like this book.

I have to say, it's sort of nice to be out of the entire Vampire Mountain story and back into the wild world of planet Earth. This story jumps quite a few years since the last book, but that's no mind, it helps explain some rather odd character development in our hero Darren.

But yes, the wild is the best way to explain this as the fantasy infusion pumps madly into tales of prophecies and battles.

It's juicy, macabre, and lots of fun, just as I have come to expect from this author.

Having this book to finish out the series was great and not having to wait is great. Thank you so much. Can always count on you.

I won't go on about the story-line, like the other reviews. I just want to say this is the 2nd book series I have ever read, aside from Harry Potter. These books are great and have entertained me through and through. I never thought I'd be a reader, I used to hate to read. This series has changed me. My 11 year old nephew, soon to be 12, has also finally been inspired to read due to this series, Cirque du Freak. Thanks to Darren Shan for bringing them to us.

The main characters are Mr.Crepsley and Darren Shan. Mr. Crepsley is Darren's mentor. Darren the main character is also the Author. This book takes place on Vampire Mt.
Cirque Du Freak has great characters because Mr. Crepsley is not a normal mentor he is a VAMPIRE mentor. He is a vampire and Darren is a half vampire. Mr. Crepsley blooded Darren. Steve was Darren's best friend until Darren "betrayed him". Steve thinks Darren became a vampire to stab Steve in the back because Steve's dream was to be a vampire and Darren stole his dream from him.
Cirque Du Freak is a very suspenseful book. Darren Shan wrote, " Time seemed to collapse... There was a sharp sensation in my stomach... Steve crowed, " Now I have you! Now you're going to die."
There is no other series like this series. I highly recommend this series. If you read this series it will make only make sense if you read it in order.

Cirque Du Freak: Hunters of the dusk
By: Darren Shan


The book that I read was Cirque Du Freak Hunters of the dusk. This book is about vampires and hoe they are at war with a different kind of vampire. The name for the different kind of vampires and called vampaneze.

I would recommend this book to a person who likes action and adventure books. This book is about three vampires that have to kill this vampaneze lord and they get four encounters with the lord and if they don't kill him the vampires will lose the war. The main character of the story is a half-vampire named Darren Shan. He has help by two full blooded vampires and a little person which is an undead.

If this book sounds interesting to you u I would recommend it it's a good book if you are interested in fiction books and you are interested in vampires before you read this book you should read the other six books before this one.

Really great follow up to 13 coffins, his other book. Pretty fast paced, good story line. very much recommended.

I enjoyed the new take on Vampire tales in David Wellington's "13 Bullets" but the sequel, "99 Coffins" grabbed me from the git-go and I could not put it down. Kept my attention with action, switching back and forth from present day to the days leading up to Gettysburg in 1863. I give 5 stars to books I don't want to put down and that have a great/surprise ending. This one did not disappoint.

I will give you the gist of the tale without giving the book away. A group of modern day archeology students are digging in Gettysburg and uncover a cave with 99 coffins in it. When they open one of the coffins they find the skeleton of what clearly was a vampire. Our heroine from "13 Bullets", Trooper Claxton is called in to investigate and finds that there was a 100th coffin that was smashed and has no skeleton. You guessed it. A vampire is loose in Gettysburg. But how could a vampire possibly still be alive without blood for over 160 years? Answers to those questions and more as the story picks up a lot of steam from there. I do not wish to give away any more of the fun. If you like alternative historical tales, this is a great one because you get constant flashbacks to the days leading up to the battle of Gettysburg and the possible existence of a vampire with southern sympathies.

Several great tie ins to the previous book. I found it to be even better than 13 Bullets. Judging from the ending that I will not reveal, I suspect we have a third book in this line coming soon. Enjoy!

After the horrors she faced (see 13 BULLETS), vampire hunter Laura Caxton vows never again as field work is too gory for her. However, at an archeological dig at the Gettysburg Battle Site, Civil War era coffins are dug up. Detective Jameson Arkeley realizes what the team found is the remains of a Union vampire corps. He knows the only person to handle this gruesome finding is Caxton; so he sends for her.

Caxton reluctantly arrives at the tomb and finds 100 coffins with 99 occupied by vampires without hearts; one is empty and the coffin smashed as if a vandal attacked it. Worse someone manages to return one of the vampires from the dead to the undead; soon the rest of corps begins to reawaken to finish the mission they started in 1863. Caxton knows she must stop them before the Civil War is reenacted with real blood flowing from the victims of a night-stalking militia obsessed with completing its mission.

99 COFFINS is a unique vampire military thriller that rotates between the present, and Civil War Era journals and other writings. Thus the action-packed present stars a heroic Caxton who wants to retire from paranormal hunting while the 1860s correspondence provide insight into the vampire regiment especially their mission that they feel strongly must be achieved over a century and a half since they got their orders. With Gettysburg at stake (pun intended) the battle lines are drawn in this bloody superb tale.

Harriet Klausner

Having read 13 Bullets and most of David Wellington's other books, I have to say that I really enjoyed this one a bit more than 13 Bullets.

For those who are not familiar with Wellington's vampires, picture a Mack truck on steroids. They're not the double-fanged classic vampire but gory blood suckers who rip and tear their victims from limb to limb. Gore galore.

13 Bullets spent a fair amount of time introducing you to the world of Wellington's vampires, their powers, their limitations and who the characters were / are. 99 Coffins takes the reader into the world that knows about vampires and someone who is still haunted by the experience of having to hunt them and destroy them. This book is fast paced and was a quick read. And I can say that there's going to be another book in the series without giving anything away.

A fun gory vampire read.

I bought this book in an airport bookstore literally before stepping on a plane. The cover grabbed me. (I don't buy books this way very often, but look at those teeth!) This was probably the best impulse-bought book I've ever read. I tend to stick to the sci-fi/fantasy genre, and like the only other reviewer at this time (one reviewer? what's up with that?) I read many vampire novels and am sick of the sexy vampires who entrap stupid women. These vamps are brutal monsters who are in no way struggling with what they are; they're hungry!

Caxton is a good character, but not having read "13 bullets", I didn't know much about her past. We are given pretty solid background information on her, but it's not a huge focus. I liked this; I got a sense of who she was, but the story revolved more around action than anything. She's clearly one tough broad who deserves many, many more books in this series.

Wellington is a great author. I finished this book in 2 days on a business trip. I picked up "13 Bullets" and just finished "Monster Island", the first in Wellington's zombie series. I will be reading all of his books. (And yes, I'm a more than a little biased because he's a Pittsburgher!)

It has been a while since I read a book that drew me into it the way "Nocturnes' did. Full of short stories, each could be expanded into a book length, but John Connolly made the wise decision to keep them short and thorough enough to deliver the final blow at the end at the right time.
I liked all of the stories, but my favorite is "The Wakeford Abyss." I think the despair at the end of the story - so vaguely described yet stated clearly -- did it for me.
I totally recommend this book for someone who's into elegant horror.

I picked this up really hoping to enjoy it. I came to Connolly a few years back, picking up a Charlie Parker novel at the airport. I enjoyed it but remember thinking it wasn't hugely distinctive from its brethren in the same genre. Since then I read the Book of Lost Things, and was stunned by the difference. Clearly an imaginative author with story upon story hidden up his sleeves.

Unfortunately I think he should put Nocturnes back in the oven and let it cook a little longer. The only story I actively enjoyed was the Charlie Parker novella, presumably because the characters needed less development. It was compelling and drew me in quickly. The others were a great disappointment. The characters bleed into each other, as mostly male well-to-dos who have a history of lost loves. The settings are almost entirely quaint little backwaters in the English countryside. The premises of each story also seem tiresomely repetitive: some combination of a ghoul locked deep within the earth, a man/couple/priest moving to a new home/church, and/or body possession of a loved on by a malign force.

Consequently each story felt like a rehashed retelling of the last. Added to that is the disapponting fact that few stories employed Connolly's obvious (at least from his previous works) knack for the chillingly creepy. The antagonist from the first story was not believable, and the veiled moralism behind his descent into hell tackles an issue too modern to be frightening. The other stories were either sadly predictable or had climaxes resembling a rolling knoll rather than a heart-stopping summit.

So, Mr Connolly, put it back in the oven. Combine a few of the stories, come up with some new characters, settings and plots, and I believe you'd have a contender. As always, quality rather than quantity is the key.

These wonderfully polished stories of the supernatural appealed to me instantly the moment I opened the book. I started with "The Underbury Witches", which is written in a quasi-victorian style and is truly a detective story in the style of a Sherlock Holmes yarn, only this one involving supernatural elements. Another story, "The Reflecting Eye," is also a detective story in which the protagonist, Charlie Parker, is facing off with a supernatural evil. Hellboy is a detective of sorts who deals with supernatural threats, and this very element kept coming up in the stories. I hope that someday Mr. Connolly will do us the honor of penning a Hellboy story for us. I think he is uniquely suited to give us some very compelling Hellboy tales.

Many of the stories, like Hellboy stories, involve mythical themes, like ancient pagan entities in "The Shifting of the Sands," and the demonic monster imprisoned beneath an ancient chapel in "Mr. Pettinger's Daemon." Not every writer can write well about myth. I think it can be difficult to recreate myth and folklore in your fiction. But as you can see, Connolly writes very much in the same vein as the Hellboy stories. It is easy to envision Hellboy making an appearance in any of these "nocturnes." However, none of the stories really needs Hellboy in them. They stand on their own and I am happy to recommend them as fine reading for fans of supernatural and gothic fiction.

This is a wonderful collection of short stories and two novellas. I was unfamiliar with Connolly's work before someone recommended this collection, and I'm glad I picked it up. This is horror in the British mold, which means it relies far less on the gross-out details and more on mood and setting. Some of the stories are a little predictable but the narratorial voice (many are written in the first person but none of them sound exactly the same) makes up for that. There are some wonderfully surprising twists and a couple of really funny moments that take the edge off. And at least one of the novellas feels like it's leading into something longer ("The Cancer Cowboy Rides.")

Definitely worth reading!

Connolly is one of my favorite authors, but his novels are much stronger than his short stories. There are some winners in the mix, but many of the stories left me thinking there should have been something more. However, the Charlie Parker novella more than made up for any shortcomings. Connolly is one of the greatest thriller writers around not because of his scary plots, but because the characters he draws exude evil. In the short stories, he doesn't always have the time to draw them as well. In "The Reflecting Eye," the Charlie Parker story, he is as strong as ever. A few of the short stories also shined more brightly than the others--"The Underbury Witches," "The Inkpot Monkey," "Miss Frome, Vampire" and "Mr. Gray's Folly" all were commendable.

Excellent book, suspenseful, a definite page turner. This book is among the many well written books by Carlene Thompson. She has become my favorite author as she satisfies my strong desire for intrigue, along with a bit of romance. All of her books keep me guessing until the end. Her portrayal of characters make them come to life for the reader. Received in perfect condition, and quick and easy transaction.

This book was entertaining, and had enough suspense to keep one involved and guessing. I have already ordered more of this authors books and have passed this one on to my married daughters who also found it a good read. They also want to read the other books when I get them.

I have read several books by Carlene Thompson and she is by far my favorite suspense writer. "Don't Close Your Eyes" is a very exciting book which kept me entertained and guessing up to the last page. This is one of the few suspense writers who does not insult the reader: you won't find the usual tortured grammar or characters straight out of a Harlequin Romance novel in Carlene Thompson's books. The main character, a 29-year-old veteranarian, is intelligent and talented without being cloyingly perfect, and while it is clear she and the new sheriff in her childhood hometown share a mutual attraction, she is not swooning helplessly in his arms. I did wonder how Jeff Lindstrom managed to wear both jeans and suit pants at the same time on page 309, but this is easily excused, given the high caliber of writing that prevails in all of Thompson's writing. I have ordered every book by this author. She is really great!

This was a wonderful book, grabbed me on the first page & I could not put it down. I am an avid fan of authors such as J.A. Jance, Patricia Cornwell, Kathy Reichs, Ann Rule and of course, Mary Higgins Clark. I'm so glad to find another new author to enjoy.

I have never been disappointed with this author, she is sooo good. Want a novel to keep you in suspense the entire time and not have any "dull slow moments"---then you need a carlene thompson book at your side. This one keeps you guessing on who the killer is. Travel with the main character in the whole thought process of who is the killer. Don't miss this one! If your not sure if you like mystery or not give Carlene a try before you cast it aside.