Dark Screams: Volume Four
By Brian James Freeman, Richard Chizmar, Clive Barker, Ed Gorman & Heather Graham
- Release Date: 2015-08-04
- Genre: Horror
Description
Clive Barker, Heather Graham, Lisa Morton, Ray Garton, and Ed Gorman lead readers down a twisted labyrinth of terror, horror, and suspense in Dark Screams: Volume Four, from Brian James Freeman and Richard Chizmar of the revered Cemetery Dance Publications.
THE DEPARTED by Clive Barker
On All Hallows’ Eve, a dead and disembodied mother yearns to touch her young son one last time. But will making contact destroy them both?
CREATURE FEATURE by Heather Graham
What could be better publicity for a horror convention than an honest-to-goodness curse? It’s only after lights out that the hype—and the Jack the Ripper mannequin—starts to feel a little too real.
THE NEW WAR by Lisa Morton
Mike Carson is a war hero and a decorated vet. He doesn’t deserve to be trapped in a hospital with some black thing sitting on his chest as patients die all around him. His only hope is to take out the nurse—before it’s his turn.
SAMMY COMES HOME by Ray Garton
It’s what every family prays for: a lost pet returning home. But when Sammy, the Hale family sheepdog, appears on their doorstep, he brings back something no parent would ever wish upon his or her child.
THE BRASHER GIRL by Ed Gorman
Cindy Marie Brasher is the prettiest girl in the Valley, and Spence just has to have her. Unfortunately, Cindy has a “friend” . . . a friend who tells her to do things . . . bad things.
Praise for Dark Screams: Volume Four
“Collectively, Volume Four constitutes the most cohesive, narratively enriching and entertaining Dark Screams entry to date. Be it the presence of genre icons Barker and Morton, stories from the lesser-known but equally talented Garton and Gorman, or the pure fun of Graham’s tale, fans of horror of every variety will find something to love in these pages.”—LitReactor
“The best of the bunch so far.”—Examiner.com
“Stacks up well with any of the other three books so far [with] a fairly good variety in the kinds of horror stories too . . . If you’re new to the series, this is a good jumping-on point.”—Wagging the Fox
“Dark Screams is one of the best values on the horror market. . . . Do yourself a favor, and pick it up.”—Adventures Fantastic
Reviews
Another great addition to this anthology series.
4By annoyed billI received an advance reader copy (arc) of this book for the purpose of providing an honest review. I continue to enjoy this anthology series and this one merely whets one's appetite for the next installments. As such, I was looking forward to this fourth installment. The author line-up for this volume is quite impressive. I found each of the stories to be entertaining for different reasons. I don't believe that I had any disappointments with any of them … not quote as positive a feeling as some of the earlier volumes. This anthology includes these stories: —The Departed, by Clive Barker. A very emotionally charged and touching story. Certainly not horrific and not what I expected from The Clive Barker, yet thoroughly enjoyable. 3.5 stars —The New War, by Lisa Morton, A tale that is frightening in that we will all be in Mike's place eventually ... with the black waiting patiently. 3.5 stars —Sammy Comes Home, by Ray Garton, Man's best friend? A quick-moving gruesome tale. 3.0 stars —The Brasher Girl, by Ed Gorman, Murder, mayhem and mischief ... Oh my! This story has everything: love, broken hearts, intrigue, mystery, murder and aliens! And, no ... It's not hokey at all. It's a very quickly paced thrill ride ... come on in and try it! 4.5 stars —Creature Feature, by Heather Graham, A real-life Universal monsters-type horror movie. Quite action-packed and exciting for a short story. Quite entertaining. 4.0 stars
