Title: Dark Screams Vol 4
Publisher: Hydra
Publish Date: Aug 4, 2015
Review Copy Provided By: TLC Book Tours & Net Galley
Buy: Amazon
Boo Blurb:
Clive Barker, Heather Graham, Lisa Morton, Ray Garton, and Ed Gorman lead readers down a twisted labyrinth of terror, horror, and suspense in Dark Screams: Volume Four, from Brian James Freeman and Richard Chizmar of the revered Cemetery Dance Publications.
THE DEPARTED by Clive Barker On All Hallows’ Eve, a dead and disembodied mother yearns to touch her young son one last time. But will making contact destroy them both?
CREATURE FEATURE by Heather Graham What could be better publicity for a horror convention than an honest-to-goodness curse? It’s only after lights out that the hype—and the Jack the Ripper mannequin—starts to feel a little too real.
THE NEW WAR by Lisa Morton Mike Carson is a war hero and a decorated vet. He doesn’t deserve to be trapped in a hospital with some black thing sitting on his chest as patients die all around him. His only hope is to take out the nurse—before it’s his turn. uspense in Dark Screams: Volume Four, from Brian James Freeman and Richard Chizmar of the revered Cemetery Dance Publications.
SAMMY COMES HOME by Ray Garton It’s what every family prays for: a lost pet returning home. But when Sammy, the Hale family sheepdog, appears on their doorstep, he brings back something no parent would ever wish upon his or her child.
THE BRASHER GIRL by Ed Gorman Cindy Marie Brasher is the prettiest girl in the Valley, and Spence just has to have her. Unfortunately, Cindy has a “friend” . . . a friend who tells her to do things . . . bad things.
Review: Dark Screams is a collection of short stories by some pretty amazing authors. I was excited to read anything that had stories by Clive Barker and Heather Graham, two of my favorite authors in the genre of all things creepy.
Like all collections, some stories are better than others. Clive Barker's The Departed is more bittersweet than terrifying, but as always a story where you connect with the characters. I think this one might have been phoned in a bit. It needed more, or at least I felt it needed more.
The New War is another one low on the creepy factor but still one that makes you feel for the character. Mike is in a care facility after a hip surgery and he's battling with something black in the shadows. It isn't quite what you think it is. too.
Sammy Comes Home is just rather gross, and I'm not sure I understood it at all. It has a bit of a Pet Sematary sort of feel to it.
The Brasher Girl is truly the best of the bunch when it comes to creepy. Spence's girlfriend has a friend that telepathically to do things..bad bad things. Oh and this friend is in a well, and is possibly not human.
This is one of the longer stories in the colletion, and I think that's why it ended up being the best.
There was more time for character development, as well as getting your creepy on.
One of the stories I was most excited for was Creature Feature. I love Heather Graham's Krewe of Hunters series and this is a short story that ties in. Its a shame it was too hurried to be enjoyable.
If you are ready to get in the Halloween mood, this is a good place to start. I really loved The Departed and The New War because they really had a human touch to them. The Brasher Girl was by far the best of the bunch as a horror story.
A enjoyable read.
Rating: 4 flowers
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