by Jeff Strand
First published 2018
In this collection of macabre stories, readers encounter a world where the ordinary transforms into nightmare. A man watches his fingernails grow at a terrifying pace in "Nails." Blood-sucking insects trap their victims in "Chiggers." A serial killer stumbles upon potential evidence of extraterrestrial life in "Alien Face." The collection reimagines familiar legends through a dark lens, turning John Henry and Humpty Dumpty into vehicles for horror. Twenty-eight tales explore the grotesque hiding beneath everyday situations. A homeowner discovers a deceased Bigfoot corpse in their yard. Parents face the worst possible bathtub for washing their child. A city's population descends into joyful madness. Each story reveals how quickly normalcy can spiral into chaos, whether through supernatural forces, human obsession, or the simple corruption of familiar things. Strand crafts scenarios where the mundane becomes menacing and comfort zones dissolve into terror.
Genres: short-stories, horror
Vibes: atmospheric, dark, suspenseful, thought-provoking
Tropes: dark-themes, supernatural-elements
376 pages · Paperback · CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform
Content warnings: body-horror, graphic-violence