Horror Fiction Short Stories

The supernatural, the surreal, and the all-too real . . . tales of the dark. Such stories have always fascinated us, and modern authors carry on the disquieting traditions of the past while inventing imaginative new ways to unsettle us. Chosen from a wide variety of venues, these stories are as eclectic and varied as shadows. This volume of The Year's Best Dark Fantasy and Horror offers tales from some of today's finest writers of the fantastique. Sure to delight as well as disturb!

A shipwrecked man comes upon an apartment building located in the middle of the ocean. Inside, he finds the skulls of 12 residents, each one eager to tell their story.

Waking the Dead by breakout author Bryan Asbury features eight short stories that will take you by the hand and lead you down a dark, shadowy path where terror and retribution reign supreme. Asbury, the product of far too many 80’s and 90’s cinematic thrillers, knows what horror fans want, and he knows how to deliver! Lock the doors and sit back, because this is a collection that you will appreciate—at least until it’s time to shut off the lights...

Longtime contributor to the Hellboy mythos Christopher Golden brings together a crew of luminaries including Joe R. Lansdale and China Miéville, cross-genre sensation Barbara Hambly, celebrated mystery writer Ken Bruen, best-selling science-fiction and fantasy novelist Tad Williams, and a bevy of other skilled storytellers eager to spin a tale or two about the world's greatest paranormal detective. Some of the biggest names in horror, mystery, and fantasy come together to pay homage to Mike Mignola's Hellboy!

Fifty of the greatest classic horror stories ever written: 1. "The Beast with Five Fingers" by W. F. Harvey 2. "The Well" by W. W. Jacobs 3. "The Nightmare Room" by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle 4. "The End of a Show" by Barry Pain 5. "Bagnell Terrace" by E. F. Benson 6. "Fingers of a Hand" by H. D. Everett 7. "The Interruption" by W. W. Jacobs 8. "Gavon’s Eve" by E. F. Benson 9. "The Ring of Thoth" by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle 10. "Moon’s Gibbet" by Egerton Castle 11. "The Mystery of Sasassa Valley" by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle

In New Orleans' French Quarter, the Tooth Fairy isn't a benevolent sprite who slips money under your pillow at night.... He's a mysterious old recluse who must be appeased with teeth—lest he extract retribution. When young Diogenes Pendergast loses a tooth, however, his skeptical older brother Aloysius is determined to put the legend to the test...with dire consequences.

Are you brave enough to face the terrifying truth lurking behind your neighbor's perfect smile? "Manufactured Minds" isn't just a story – it's a heart-stopping journey into suburban hell that will rewire your brain! Prepare for an adrenaline-fueled rollercoaster as Elise Thompson unravels a sinister conspiracy that will make your skin crawl. You'll feel the paranoia creeping in, questioning everything you thought you knew.

A short story written and narrated by a master of horror, multi-award-winning writer, Ken Stark. The Branchards are a perfectly ordinary family living a perfectly ordinary rural life. Things aren't always easy, but they get by. Young Andy Branchard wishes his older brother and sister wouldn't pick on him so much, but he does his best to ignore them. He has his forest friends, and he has his creek where he can watch the fish swim up and down all day, so he's happy enough. Really, the only part about growing up in the Branchard house he hates are Friday nights.

Terror never sleeps.... A young girl's emotional abuse transforms her into a horrific spirit. Hellfire and damnation await a woman whose psychiatrist may be more than he seems. And devastating secrets from the past are unleashed when an old man revisits his childhood bedroom.... Scare Street is proud to present the best in bone-chilling supernatural horror. This volume contains three terrifying tales for your listening pleasure. Each story will keep you up long past the midnight hour, eager to turn the next chapter.

Set against the stark background of the Southwestern desert, Lena Valencia’s Mystery Lights glows with the promise—and fear—of the world we know and the worlds we don’t, following women and girls as they navigate dangers both supernatural and existential. From the all-too-real horror of a sexual predator on a college campus to a lost sister transformed by cave-dwelling creatures, Mystery Lights grapples with terrors both familiar and fantastic.

Etchison's fiction is justly famous for its creepy ambience, and explores the terrain mapped out by Philip K. Dick, Thomas Harris, and any number of black and white horror movies. This is his legendary first collection, carefully corrected by the author for this new edition. The title story won both the World Fantasy Award and the British Fantasy Award in 1982, the first time a single work received both major awards. Contents include 16 groundbreaking stories and an introduction by Ramsey Campbell.

J.R. Hamantaschen returns with a collection of his inimitable weird, dark, and imaginative fiction. In these intelligent and haunting stories, Hamantaschen pushes the boundaries of horror, exploring the deepest corners of the human psyche with an unflinching eye.

Brace yourself. You will begin to listen to all kinds of stories, from zombie-killing individuals to spooky warnings from ghosts. Most of these are not heavy, gory horror stories but lightly sprinkled humorous ones with casual plot twists that most people will enjoy. Murder is definitely one of the main themes as is survival in a post-apocalyptic era. Ghosts and beasts in different forms will adorn the elements of these psychological and action-packed stories.

First published in an 1839 edition of Burton's Gentleman's Magazine, "The Fall of the House of Usher" is the story of the declining physical and psychological health of the residents of the House of Usher - and the way in which the house itself reflects that. Gothic in theme and style, the story is an exemplar of Poe's philosophy of composition, which dictates that literary works should be short and methodological and have a unity of effect wherein all the elements of the story are related and relevant.

SickEST B*stards continues from the end of SickER B*stards. To understand this short story and wrap up the events of Sick B*stards, you need to listen to the previous two titles.

Women of Fire and Snow is a riveting collection of contemporary stories of women straddling the Mexican-American border while finding their place and voice. Cultural identity, gender violence, forced migration, sacrifice, love, and resiliency frame suspenseful tales where realism is tempered by the supernatural and mystical. From the deserts and volcanoes of Mexico to the forests of the Pacific Northwest, these fast-paced stories blend social commentary with classic and psychological horror.

Journey through the twisted minds of evil children, those who are born not of childish whimsy, but rather sprout from the seeds of nightmares. Presenting Evil Little F---s, a curated anthology of horror stories penned by leading authors in the genre. Traverse a universe where humanity’s own offspring unleash a level of brutality that surpasses the capabilities of most adults. Just remember, you brought them into this world, and you just might have to take them out.

A lonely antique store owner is haunted by the ghost of her daughter; an entire rural hamlet festers, left for dead after the global pandemic; a man is lured to madness by an enthralling siren’s call; an artist is plagued by nightmarish vision and finds himself trapped in his own painting; a dead girlfriend, vengeful and jealous, seeks revenge on her very much still living boyfriend; have you ever wondered why some corn is just so…sweet? This volume contains a selection of dark tales exploring life (and death), grief, mystery, and horror.

More than a decade after Kelley Armstrong first opened the doors to the Otherworld, fans are still clamoring for more. In response to their demands - and to coincide with the Syfy Network show based on the series - Plume has signed up three Otherworld anthologies, each of which revolves around a different theme. The second in the trilogy, Otherworld Secrets, features fan favorites such as Cassandra, Savannah, and Adam in rare and never-before-published short stories - plus a brand new novella.

Editors Randy Chandler and Cheryl Mullenax put the call out to horror writers and editors of extreme stories, the hardcore stuff that breaks boundaries and trashes taboos, the transgressive tales you can't "unread" (as Chuck Palahniuk says). Some of the stories you'll find here are loaded with very graphic descriptions of violence, sex, and depravities, while others may contain only one shocking moment of brutality. In others, the hardcore aspect may be less graphic and subtler than you might expect.