Kealan Patrick Burke je majstrom hororu, ktorého diela čerpajú z bohatého dedičstva a rozprávačskej tradície rodného Írska. Jeho príbehy sa noria do temných zákutí ľudskej psychiky a odvíjajú sa s naliehavosťou, ktorá čitateľa udrží v napätí. Burkeho štýl sa vyznačuje surovou autentickosťou a schopnosťou vytvárať mrazivú atmosféru, ktorá rezonuje ešte dlho po dočítaní. Jeho tvorba predstavuje fascinujúci prieskum strachu a nevyhnutnosti osudu.
V dusném horku letního dne se v Elkwoodu ve státě Alabama Claire potácí nahá, zraněná a napůl slepá od místa děsivé události. Přežila jen ona. Zatímco se modlí za záchranu, rodina kanibalských šílenců se blíží. Pronásledovaná duchy svých mrtvých přátel, sní Claire o pomstě… snu, který se naplní, když zármutek a vztek promění dobré lidi v chladnokrevné vrahy a donutí cizince k nečekaným spojenectvím. Je čas se do Elkwoodu vrátit.
At first glance, Phil Pendleton and his son Adam are just an ordinary father and son, no different from any other. They take walks in the park together, visit county fairs, museums, and zoos, and eat overlooking the lake. Some might say the father is a little too accommodating given the lack of discipline when the child loses his temper in public. Some might say he spoils his son by allowing him to set his own bedtimes and eat candy whenever he wants. Some might say that such leniency is starting to take its toll on the father, given how his health has declined.What no one knows is that Phil is a prisoner, and that up until a few weeks ago and a chance encounter at a grocery store, he had never seen the child before in his life.A new novella from the Bram Stoker Award-winning author of THE TURTLE BOY and KIN.
"If you are hiding from yourself, don't expect anyone else to see you." Everyone has a secret. Everyone is someone else when the world isn't looking. Sometimes that person is good, sometimes that person is not. In SECRET FACES, Bram Stoker Award-winning author Kealan Patrick Burke's latest terrifying collection of short stories, you'll meet thirteen people who discover the horror of what happens when those secret faces are removed and the true darkness that dwells within us all is unleashed. "one of the most clever and original talents in contemporary horror" - Booklist
In the wake of his infant daughter's tragic death, Steve Brannigan is struggling to keep himself together. Estranged from his wife, who refuses to be inside the house where the unthinkable happened, and unable to work, he seeks solace in an endless parade of old sitcoms and a bottle of bourbon. Until one night he hears a sound from his daughter's old room, a room now stripped bare of anything that identified it as hers...except for her security blanket, affectionately known as Blanky. Blanky, old and frayed, with its antiquated patchwork of badly sewn rabbits with black button eyes, who appear to be staring at the viewer... Blanky, purchased from a strange old man at an antique stall selling "BABY CLOSE" at a discount. The presence of Blanky in his dead daughter's room heralds nothing short of an unspeakable nightmare that threatens to take away what little light remains in Steve's shattered world. Because his daughter loved Blanky so much, he buried her with it. A new novella from the Bram Stoker Award-Winning author of SOUR CANDY and KIN.
"Winter isn't coming ... it's already here, and with it comes a horror no door can keep out. It's there in the yard, in the faces of the snowmen a young boy doesn't remember building. It's in the oddly empty streets below Santa Claus's crumbling sleigh. It's in the unnatural movement of the snow that suffocates a widower's town, and in the cold eyes of a lonely man's estranged children. Here, there is no holiday cheer, only spine-chilling fear, in the DEAD OF WINTER. Featuring seven stories, an introduction by the author, and a list of recommended books for the winter season."--Amazon.com (viewed February 6, 2019)
Strange text messages portend a strange kind of apocalypse...Two brothers find themselves drawn to the only house in the neighborhood not decorated for Halloween
Exploring the unsettling realm of insects and other creepy-crawlies, this anthology features nineteen horror stories that delve into the consequences of human actions and the eerie existence of bugs. From a child's lifelong penance for a careless act to a lothario facing retribution, each tale offers a unique perspective on fear and survival. Themes of transformation and the uncanny intertwine as characters confront monsters—both literal and metaphorical—revealing a world where these creatures reign supreme.
Reuniting after two decades, childhood friends Connor, Miguel, and Jelica return to Sunny Pines, their troubled mobile home park marked by violence and crime. The setting, rumored to be cursed, has left deep scars on its residents, shaping their lives and memories. As they confront their shared past, the story explores themes of trauma, survival, and the impact of a toxic environment on personal growth and relationships.
Set in a rich fantasy world, this sequel continues the epic journey of beloved characters as they face new challenges and adversaries. The narrative explores themes of friendship, courage, and the struggle between good and evil. With unexpected twists and deepening character arcs, readers will be drawn into a tale of adventure that expands on the original story while introducing new allies and foes. The vivid world-building and intricate plot promise to captivate fans and newcomers alike.
When they were kids, Gillian and John used to visit the local cemetery every Sunday after church. It was a curious place for children to frequent, but they had their reasons. The main attraction was the lofty hill that separated the cemetery from the elementary school, and the act of tumbling down it like Jack and Jill was a ritualistic escape from the abuse they were suffering at their father's hands. It was an escape that lasted only until John's tragic death. Now, Gillian is all grown up. Married with two children, she has managed over the years to force the trauma of her nightmarish childhood into the darkest recesses of her mind. But lately there are dreams, and in them Gillian sees impossibly vivid reenactments of the horrors she endured as a child. Nightly, she sees John die all over again, only not in the way she remembers. And something else is in those dreams, stalking her, a terrible figure with wire-hanger hands and a plastic bag wrapped around its rotten face. A monster whose reach starts to extend beyond the boundaries of sleep into the waking world, threatening everything Gillian holds dear. A monster she once called Daddy.