Highly recommended horror

I have been a constant reader of Kevin J Kennedy’s ‘The Horror Collection’ series for a few years now. Although each volume is usually only £1.99 on kindle, the low price does not reflect the quality of the short fiction inside the covers. Personally, I have found these stories to be far more enjoyable and effective than those in more expensive anthologies by well-known editors.

One of the strengths of this series is the variety – in terms of story, and also in terms of authors. Some of the contributors are ‘names’ in horror fiction (e.g. Amy Cross, Richard Chizmar, Ray Garton, Kelly Armstrong), but the books also showcase new and lesser-known writers who create equally well-written horror fiction and who deserve exposure.

Most of the books in ‘The Horror Collection’ are not themed, so the reader is treated to a pick and mix of stories. However, there are volumes specifically focussed on Christmas, extreme and LGBTQIA+ horror fiction. And this particular audiobook contains four very different stories all about Halloween and pumpkins. To categorise these tales in very broad strokes, the first is gay and bloody, the second is humorous and bizarre, the third is fun and sweet (but why do I find scarecrows so terrifying?), and the last is dark and suspenseful. Readers should find at least one story that will appeal to them.

This audiobook runs only one and a half hours and so is perfect if you’re looking for a quick horror / Halloween fix. And I highly recommend all the other ‘Horror Collection’ volumes. I’m not sure if they are all available on Audible, but they are a steal on kindle (and are free with Kindle Unlimited).

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