WHILE DAYLIGHT SAVINGS TIME DOES SHORTEN OUR DAYS, IT ALSO PRODUCES THE PERFECT AMBIANCE FOR READING TIM McWHORTER’S FANTASTIC SHORT HORROR COLLECTION “LET THERE BE DARK”

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LET THERE BE DARK
Tim McWhorter
01/16/2024 2nd Edition
Manta Press, Ltd.
Reviewed by Brian “Skull” Lewis

Hello Horror Fans! It’s your old pal Skull with Let There Be Dark, a seriously awesome collection of short horror stories by Tim McWhorter, that grabs your attention from the start and doesn’t let go until the last word of the final story. A cool thing about this collection is the use of unique locations such as a drugstore bathroom, a Japanese hot spring spa, and a Colorado mountainside. There are also some places you would expect weird shit to go down, but even then, McWhorter stretches your imagination and refuses to take the easy road and that’s exactly what this reviewer likes. Let’s get in there!

Let’s kick things off with Skull Session, because anything with skulls involved kinda gets my attention. If you’re into Horror in all its forms, you’re probably familiar with shops or sites selling oddities that run the gamut from antique weaponry to 3 headed pig fetuses in glass jars of formaldehyde. A lot of people with big bucks dig this stuff and are willing to lay down a lot of green for it. BUT it must be real deal or at least convincing. No one cares how you get the item they just want a real Viking skull with a sword injury and if you screw up, things can go south in hurry. The owners of INFERNALES hope that what Jorn is bringing them today is legit. Otherwise, they’ll have to improvise with what’s on hand…

Speaking of dangerous, big money situations, let’s hop into a stolen Chevy with Tony Malone for The Company You Keep. Tony usually drives a Mercedes, but it’s in the shop after a major accident that just happened to include the boss’ main squeeze. That’s a real bad thing because Vincent Delmonico is a powerful mob boss who doesn’t take mistakes lightly. Getting fired by this guy means you’ll never work anywhere again. So Tony is grateful for this chance at redemption. Well, probably that’s what it is. All he knows for sure is that he and mob enforcer, Visili Prek, are driving out into the middle of nowhere with the plan of retrieving something of great importance. Much is decided that night between a pair of derelict drive-in movie screens with performances worthy of an Oscar. Does Tony keep his job? Who’s the annoyed movie critic and why? Your old pal Skull encourages you to buy the book and find out!

Tim McWhorter is magician who knows how to take words and crystallize them into fear. No Saints Here is an excellent example of this that takes readers on a crazy rollercoaster ride of emotions where every detail counts. We meet Clancy the oversexed handyman and witness his dastardly deeds, but it’s up to us to decide if he’s the absolutely worst person in the story. McWhorter builds tension and raises the stakes by turning the unplanned twosome into a terrifying threesome, which suddenly left turns into a what-the-fuck-foursome with surprises all around. Pow! Things are looking pretty bad for Clancy, especially when a fifth person, who’s definitely not looking for a quintet, walks into the crazy scene…

LET THERE BE DARK-Collected Stories by Tim McWhorter earns 5 Scary Stars and a place on The Skull Cave’s “Wall of Fame”! Like an unstoppable train, the hits keep on coming with stories like The Bridge that explores an urban legend, Rope Burns that summons the spirits of angry witches to an unlikely spot, and Pigs which discourages one from stopping at random farms in the middle of nowhere in search of cheap lodging. Let There Be Dark delivers real feel horror regardless of the format you purchase it in and there are multiples. The recent 2nd Edition published by Manta Press is available in digital format only at this time. If you’d rather read a physical copy of this excellent collection, the original 1st Edition is still available in tradebackfrom Hydra Publications. Both of which are easy to find on Amazon.com and most likely your favorite bookseller as well. That is the current info as of this writing. Whichever format you choose, be prepared to make an evening of it, because you won’t be able to read just one story.

Thanks for spending a few minutes with your old pal Skull. If you enjoyed this review, please take a few minutes to share it and consider following me on WordPress at: www.damagedskullwriterandreviewer.com or Twitter/X @skullsnflames76 or Facebook at: www.facebook.com/DamagedSkullWriterandReviewer

I’m sure you’ll want to get in touch with/follow Tim McWhorter! Some good ways to do that are to visit him at: www.timmcwhorter.com Or say howdy on Facebook at www.facebook.com/Tim-McWhorter-author Don’t forget twitter/X @Tim_McWhorter

Stay safe and keep reading independent Horror!

About your reviewer:

Brian James Lewis/Your old pal Skull is a disabled writer, poet, and book reviewer with PTSD whose work has appeared in Trajectory Journal, Mythic Picnic, The Awakenings Review, and multiple horror anthologies. Please visit him at: www.damagedskullwriterandreviewer.com, X/Twitter @skullsnflames76, or https://facebook.com/DamagedSkullWriterandReviewer

NEED A TIMLESS SHORT HORROR COLLECTION THAT’S PERFECT FOR THIS TIME OF YEAR? THEN GET YOURSELF A COPY OF “BURNED MAN AT NIGHT” BY JOHN S. McFARLAND!

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BURNED MAN AT NIGHT
John S. McFarland
JournalStone (10/24/2025)
Reviewed by Brian James Lewis

Hello there, Horror Fans! Are you ready to take a trip back in time? If so, Burned Man At Night-Pensive Horrors by John S. McFarland is your ticket to that ride. Even though this collection of short horror stories was published recently by JournalStone Press, readers will swear that an archeologist delivered this manuscript to the editors. This is McFarland’s territory where people walk and use dogsleds as major modes of transportation, their talk more familiar to that of a century ago than our silly modern-day slang that seems quite senseless in comparison. It is also not a place for the faint of heart. So, tighten up your belt, pilgrim, we’re going in!

Case in point, the collection’s first tale Seeping Towards Gehenna is set in 1342. Plague, death, and desolation are running wild across the land but that doesn’t seem to bother our nameless narrator. He is in relatively good spirits as he goes about the tricky job of earning a living, which he does in his own twisted way. Along the road he meets a young dispassionate soul who joins him in his pursuits and speaks with wisdom beyond his years. As their options narrow, it becomes clear that the narrator and his friend must make some serious choices. Will two heads be better than one?

Speaking of the Devil, another excellent tale by McFarland, Oriax of Hell shares with us the plight of a man sewn together after a serious accident, the questionable surgeon using spare parts from other bodies, and naming his creation Oriax, a powerful demon in Hell. The plan is revenge against another doctor in the area, but Oriax is unable to do the evil deed and soon finds himself alone. Finally taken in by some suspiciously “divine gentlemen” as a sideshow attraction to raise money for their church, the scary looking monster goes along with their plan in exchange for food and housing. But the longer he lives, the more Oriax’s brain develops until he sees clearly that evil exists regardless of a person’s title or the flowery words of a sermon. He’s unsure what to do about it until two victims of the church, the only people who have been truly kind to Oriax of Hell, ask for his help.

Burned Man at Night is also a story of good vs evil. This time peaceful Hungarian immigrants dealing with basically white trash hillbillies who consider themselves to be above the basic laws of human decency. The Farrens are an especially vile example who have guns that they enjoy showing off to Ambrus and his granddaughter while hunting game too close to the property line. Basically, redneck intimidation tactics. Ambrus stays peaceful, refusing to engage in their foolishness and quietly continues to practice Hungarian witchcraft until the day he sends his granddaughter on an errand that she never returns from. All clues point directly to the Farren brothers, but legal justice is evasive. Fortunately, The Burned Man knows of Ambrus’ plight and arrives to help in ways unavailable to a mere mortal. Sacred beliefs and quiet knowledge are stronger than loudmouths with guns.

This reviewer gives Burned Man At Night by John S. McFarland Four Stars out of 5! I really appreciated the variety of the collection, solidly defined characters, and the lessons offered by each tale. They were quite vivid and spellbinding, once I was able to get into the book. Big thanks to the introduction by Frank Duffy which hipped me to the fact that many of these stories occur in St. Odile, Missourri a fictional town that McFarland created and has used as the setting for previous work. Once I had that home base as the reason for some characters reappearing in multiple stories, things made more sense. Although one character that dies in an earlier tale, reappears later to engage in some grotesque medical experiments. This collection also confirmed why some nonfictional people consider Missourri and “misery” to be the same thing. If you’re already a fan of John S. McFarland’s work, you will love this. If you’re a newbie, like I was, know that it is well worth the time to acclimate oneself to St. Odile.

JournalStone Press has many fantastic titles available and I highly encourage you to check them out at: www.journalstone.com or seek out their books at your favorite bookseller

John S. McFarland is the author and artist of multiple works who is highly regarded by big name authors such as Ramsey Campbell and Philip Fracassi. You can find out more about him and listen to his stories at: www.jsmcfarlandauthor.com He is also easy to find on Facebook.

About your reviewer

Brian James Lewis/Your old pal Skull is a disabled writer, poet, and book reviewer with PTSD whose work has appeared in Trajectory Journal, Mythic Picnic, The Awakenings Review, and multiple horror anthologies. Please visit him at: www.damagedskullwriterandreviewer.com, X/Twitter @skullsnflames76, or https://facebook.com/DamagedSkullWriterandReviewer

Thanks for taking the time to read this review and support independent horror. See you soon!

CURRENTLY READING CORAX HOUSE RECENT RELEASE “THIS IS THE TABLE WHERE WE WASH OUR DEAD” BY K.H. VAUGHAN AND IT IS AWESOME!

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Hello all you fans of Horror, Speculative, and Weird Fiction! It’s your old pal Skull back on the job after dealing with some family health crises and my own bones that are doing their damnedest to fall apart. The good news is that while that was happening, I also received this ARC from K.H. Vaughan himself and have very much enjoyed the stories I’ve read so far in this excellent collection. This Is The Table Where We Wash Our Dead leans strongly into the weird, with some stories popping in and out of reality while others present a unique and sometimes horrifying view of things that appear bland and silent from the outside. I’ll be working on a more detailed review soon. Meanwhile, I highly encourage readers to check out this collection of weird tales at your favorite bookseller. It’s definitely getting FIVE STARS from your old pal Skull. See you soon, and remember, keep reading independent horror!

“SHOW ME WHERE IT HURTS” BY ROBERT E. STAHL IS A MUST READ COLLECTION OF SHORT HORROR STORIES THAT IS JAM PACKED WITH SURPRISES

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SHOW ME WHERE IT HURTS
Robert E. Stahl
JournalStone (2025)
Reviewed by Brian “Skull” Lewis

Hello Horror Fans! I hope you’re all in the mood for some good news, because all I have is praise for Robert E. Stahl’s debut collection of short horror and dark poetry, Show Me Where It Hurts. If you’re in a hurry and want to save time then just bop on over to your favorite bookseller and order a copy of this book, pronto! If you’ve got a few minutes and want to get a better idea of what’s inside that terrifying cover, please continue reading. Most of these stories are brief and read fast but deliver a punch harder than Mike Tyson in his prime. The damage lingering in your brain long after you’ve been rocked. Kind of like a crazy ex or that creepy person at work who is always in the bathroom no matter what time it is. What the hell is that about anyway? Let’s get out there and into Show Me Where It Hurts.

Ghosts On Drugs is an interesting and terrifying ride where the reader becomes the protagonist in a twisted ether dream. The damn ghosts in your apartment keep trashing the place and your life! Unable to sleep, life becomes a surreal fog where everything loses importance. Job? Gone. Love? We used to have a thing. There’s a crossroads ahead and decisions to make. Will you choose wisely?

Speaking of work, Evil Inc. is about a guy who works in middle management for a huge company. Lately work has been even more sucky than usual with his highly eccentric bosses demeaning him and forcing him to do nonexecutive jobs like plunging out a clogged toilet. There’s also a secret door that they often disappear behind for long periods of time, having fun while Brian runs the company in their absence. He becomes an exhausted shell with zero self-esteem until an unexpected event triggers some changes in him. Big, scary changes…

While many of the characters in Stahl’s stories undergo a lot of changes, the “main brain” in A Very Stable Zombie does not. However, that seems to be what his fans like about him. Loud, wrong, inappropriate to the max, and somehow…president. I dug this clever piece of writing about a zombie who most readers with brains will recognize as a person whose last name rhymes with grump. There are definitely chuckles to be had, but they’re tempered by the cold chills of reality and the complete lack of humanity that no one seems to be willing or able to stop.

One of my favorite stories in this collection is The Last Night at The Black Boar Tavern. What a total wow! A mythic and terrifying tale of what could have been a boring snooze of a job morphing into something bigger and way cooler than its narrator ever imagined. When Jack Rollins zooms up to The Black Boar Tavern on his Harley to fill an open bartender position, he does so in a tight black t-shirt with his chest out and a pair of muscular arms popping with tattoos. The dusty old bar turns into a pot of gold overnight. Jack’s powerful charisma and deep knowledge of bartending impress 22-year-old Peter Ennis who is a self-described failure at life. Suddenly he goes from barback to a bartender struggling to keep up with Jack who nicknames him “Slim”. Coolness has arrived! Except there are a few conditions to the bargain including being sworn into Satan’s service. But hell, the money’s good and life is amazing! So amazing that it’s impossible to see how close the end of the road is. Arriving in a ball of fire, The Last Night At The Black Boar Tavern is one that nobody is likely to forget.

So, what’s the rating for this crazy cool short story collection? Show Me Where It Hurts by Robert E. Stahl gets a hearty 5 STARS from Damaged Skull Writer and Reviewer and a place of honor on the Skull Cave’s “Wall of Fame! Stahl’s fantastic writing pulls you deep into his stories, the variety of which is amazingly wide. The quick pace keeps you engaged and turning pages to read “just one more”. Highly recommended. Buy it, you won’t be disappointed.

While this is Stahl’s debut short horror collection, he’s a seasoned novelist with quite a few titles to his name. To find out more about this awesome author and his other works, head on over to: www.robertestahl.com You can also check in with Robert on “all the socials” as he puts it.  

JournalStone Press is an established independent press with many excellent titles available for your reading pleasure. Be sure to check them out at: www.journalstone.com

Thanks for visiting your old pal Skull again! I hope you enjoyed today’s review subject. If so, please share and give these independent writers and presses a hand. See you soon!

About your reviewer

Brian James Lewis/Your old pal Skull is a disabled writer, poet, and book reviewer with PTSD whose work has appeared in Trajectory Journal, Mythic Picnic, The Awakenings Review, and multiple horror anthologies. Please visit him at: www.damagedskullwriterandreviewer.com, X/Twitter @skullsnflames76, or https://facebook.com/DamagedSkullWriterandReviewer

IF YOU WANT A READING EXPERIENCE THAT’LL KEEP YOU ENGAGED FOR THE ENTIRE BOOK, I RECOMMEND “DARK ROOTS” BY SHELDON HIGDON! PLOT TWISTS, MURDER, AND MAYHEM ABOUND

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Book Review: DARK ROOTS

by Brian James Lewis | Apr 25, 2026 | Book Reviews, Hellnotes Reviews, Horror Authors / Books, Horror Movies, Horror News, Publisher News | 0 comments

DARK ROOTS
Sheldon Higdon
JournalStone Publishing (November 14, 2025)
Reviewed by Brian James Lewis

Hello, Horror Fans! Today’s review subject is Dark Roots by Sheldon Higdon; a powerful combination of constantly twisting mystery and chilling horror that holds readers in its werewolf fangs and never lets go. Never.

Ben is a college professor who’s got a lot going on in his life. Some things are good, like his beautiful girlfriend Aisha who really wants him to put a ring on it. Other things are downright terrible, like the shocking death of his father who suddenly commits suicide at 83 after popping by Ben’s apartment for dinner. Sure, he was getting older, but left in a good mood with muscles that a man half his age would’ve been happy to have, so what the hell?

This leads to Ben tearfully driving back to his dad’s farm at 2 a.m. to meet up with his Uncle George, who lives just down the road from his dad. He gives Ben the keys to his dad’s place and surprisingly, an offer to take it off his hands. What’s a city boy need with a farm anyway? Might be best…George has the money and Ben agrees to think about it. But he wants to check out the old homeplace and reconnect with his roots before making any major decisions.

Turns out that it might’ve been easier to just take the money and run. As Ben pokes around the old house and barn, ghosts start talking to him. Correction: they start screaming at him. While that’s creepy and unsettling, the weird part is that Ben feels like he’s heard their words before. But how could that be? He hasn’t lived there or even visited for a long time and his childhood memories are vague at best. The one thing he does recall is a lot of negative energy, which is why Ben relocated his life elsewhere.

Things progress to downright terrifying when Ben discovers a hidden trapdoor in the barn and finds a bunch of dead bodies stacked up inside. Yikes! Not only that, but a search of his dad’s house reveals most of their identities and why they’re on his father’s farm. None of the information is good, especially the discovery of what Dad’s baseball card collection really is. Ben is horrified and disgusted by his findings. His dad was a salt of the earth, working the land, and repairing things when they broke kind of guy whose only pleasure in life was collecting baseball cards. Well, at least that’s what most people in their small town thought. What the hell is all this other shit? Everything sends Ben’s mind and body reeling until he’s teetering on the brink of sanity.

So Ben does what most people would do, he calls the cops. Except that out in the middle of nowhere, he doesn’t get a whole team of forensics experts; there’s just the sheriff and his not particularly bright deputy. Great. While they poke around and try to make sense of things, Ben calls his girlfriend, hoping for a sympathetic ear and some good vibes to balance out all the badness. Instead, he ends up trying to comfort her. Darren, her son and the light of her life, has been kidnapped.

From here, the book, which was already perking right along, picks up speed. The horrible discoveries continue while Ben and Aisha try to figure things out with both the country police and some detectives from the city who are also trying to rescue Darren. As the heat builds, masks start to slip until the line between good and bad becomes invisible. Everything becomes a question instead of a fact. Did Ben’s dad actually kill himself, or did he have unwanted help? Why is Uncle George so interested in keeping his brother’s farm? Why doesn’t Ben remember his mom, and why did she leave them? How can he and Aisha get Darren back? A standoff situation develops at the farm, pushing Ben past his breaking point. He responds by taking matters into his own hands with some very permanent solutions. Will his gamble work, or is he too late? Available at your favorite bookseller now!

I rate Dark Roots a serious 5 Stars. JournalStone and author Sheldon Higdon have once again delivered a real gripper of a novel with more twists in it than a spiral staircase. Highly recommended! The whodunnit part of Dark Roots is powerful and will keep you turning pages until the wee hours of the morning, and it’s entirely worth it. I lost count of how many times I “figured everything out” and knew exactly who the bad guy was. “Wrong again, Watson!” Well played, Higdon! Dark Roots is a book that never lets up, not even at the end. It has teeth and they are very sharp.

Trigger warning: This book contains scenes of child abduction and violence that might be upsetting to some readers. The author does a great job of keeping anything graphic minimal, using a few brief scenes to establish an undercurrent of evil that drives the story forward. Being a person with PTSD, I just wanted to give readers a heads up so they’re not surprised.

Thank you for taking a few minutes check out this review and your interest in independent horror writers and publishers!

For more information about Sheldon Higdon and his other books, head on over to: www.sheldonhigdon.com

For more information about JournalStone Publishing and their many, many awesome releases, please visit their website: www.journalstone.com

For more information about Brian James Lewis, pop on over to his website: www.damagedskullwriterandreviewer.com

PROUD TO HAVE MY MENTAL HEALTH POETRY IN THE AWAKENINGS REVIEW-A PLACE OF HOPE, UNDERSTANDING AND NEW BEGINNINGS

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Happy National Poetry Month everybody! To celebrate, I’d like to share a few of my poems that were published in THE AWAKENINGS REVIEW,a cool publication that features the work of poets, writers, and artists living with mental illness or having a firsthand connection to it. Many of you know that I deal with chronic pain, PTSD, and was recently diagnosed with ADHD. Writing, especially poetry, is one of the ways I deal with those issues. It helps me breathe and express myself without creating more damage.

While I’d already written a lot of poems about my situation, THE AWAKENINGS REVIEW prefers work that shows personal growth and the writer moving forward with their lives. This can be subtle, because in real life that is often what recovery looks like. Chronic mental health issues never just disappear. They’re not colds or indigestion. Our brains are way too complicated and oddly smart for easy solutions. Even when we’re able to make improvements, there are triggers that can set us off seemingly out of nowhere.

That doesn’t mean we should ever stop trying to improve our lives and I got an opportunity to do that when I was finally approved for spinal surgery last year. Over a decade of broken, dislocated, and degenerating vertebrae had kept me prisoner, stealing my physical life at what should’ve been my peak. Instead, I ended up in a wheelchair and became a twisted factory of rage, hate, and self-loathing. My body was constantly screaming in pain, so I took a lot of medication in hopes of feeling better. But it mostly brought a slew of side effects that really messed me up.

These poems were written after the surgery. “Cracks” was written shortly after coming home from the hospital, while “Hole” was written about 9 months later. I’d graduated from physical therapy and the cheerful bi-weekly sessions were over. Nothing was being required of me, so I slowly stopped doing what I was supposed to. Remember how I said the brain is a sneaky saboteur, ready to hijack our bodies when we’re not paying attention? Bingo!

I went back to eating crap food, not doing much, and even stopped writing. Even though it’s been kind of upsetting, I’m lucky to have healthcare people who told me I was going down the wrong road. Our brains try to trip us up, “hey you don’t want to do this, it’s gonna hurt. Just sit back down on the couch and eat some more garbage.” Nope, fuck that voice and mindset. I’m not going down without a fight, and I hope that reading these poems helps you take a similar approach. Living a decent life is a lot like marriage: it takes significant amount of effort, but the results are worth it. There’s no big red “That was easy!” button to fix everything instantly, but once you make it a little way up out of that hole you’re stuck in, you’ll feel something you haven’t enjoyed for. a while. You’ll be proud of yourself.

Thanks for taking a few minutes to check this out! If you’d like to submit your own work to THE AWAKENINGS REVIEW, or support their work by ordering a copy, head on over to: www.AwakeningsProject.org   to check them out.

IF YOU’RE LOOKING FOR A FAST AND FURIOUSLY TERRIFYING READ, SCARLETT R. ALGEE’S NOVELLA “AND CAST IT FROM YOU” IS JUST WHAT THE DOCTOR ORDERED. JUST STAY OUT OF THE SHED!

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And Cast It From You
Scarlett R. Algee
Cold War Radio Press (October 1, 2024)
Reviewed by Brian James Lewis

Ever heard the saying, “small but mighty”? It usually refers to someone or something who may not appear to be much of a threat, but when they get going, look out! The something in this case is Scarlett R. Algee’s novella And Cast It From You. Not only does the book appear deceptively brief, but the evil inside waiting for readers is tiny and not the sort of thing that strikes fear into the hearts of anyone except maybe neat freaks. Intrigued? Then let’s check it out!

Our narrator, Kris Winters, has inherited her late grandmother’s house—a place full of fond memories, country goodness, and love. Not too many people can say that about their first home! Everything is great, except for one small problem: the shed is NOT fine.” Readers will soon discover just how much of an understatement that is.

Even so, how dangerous could a small shed full of odds and ends be? I mean, sure, there’s two decades worth of heavy yellow dust on everything, which certainly could be a hazard to a person with allergies. Kris doesn’t say she has a history of allergies and seems unconcerned when she approaches the clean up job, but something in that shed turns what should be a joyful experience into relentless creeping horror that makes you want to scream. Alone in the middle of nowhere with her options narrowing fast, Kris has to make an emergency decision and stop the misery while she still can. Or is she already too late?

Wow! This reviewer gives And Cast It From You by Scarlett R. Algee a hearty 5 Star Rating! At the time of this review, this excellent novella is available on Amazon Kindle for just $2.99 (sale price) or as a paperback for $6.95. A true case of small but mighty, this story will stay stuck in your head long after you read it. Big monsters may be loud and scary, but it’s the tiny ones that’ll take you down and drive you mad while doing it. So, if you happen to be house hunting, just tell your realtor to take any houses with small rustic sheds out back right off your viewing list. Better safe than sorry!

Scarlett R. Algee’s work has appeared in many places, including Bards and Sages Quarterly, Body Parts Magazine, and The Wicked Library. She’s also the author of Bleedthrough and Other Small Horrors. You can find Scarlett on Reddit as u/Cold_War_Radio Thanks for stopping by and keep reading independent horror

Brian James Lewis is a disabled writer, poet, and book reviewer with PTSD whose work has appeared in Trajectory Journal, Mythic Picnic, The Awakenings Review, and multiple horror anthologies. Please visit him at: www.damagedskullwriterandreviewer.com, X/Twitter @skullsnflames76, or https://facebook.com/DamagedSkullWriterandReviewer

Thanks for stopping by and remember: keep reading independent horror!