KJK Publishing has done it again! The Horror Collection: Topaz Edition is another collection of killer tales. So many stories within these pages had me squirming in my seat while reading. These nightmares are going to haunt me… I’m not sure I’ll be able to look at a razor or a burger the same way again.
CW: Death of a child, animal death, and more.
Let’s dive in!
My Thoughts on The Horror Collection: Topaz Edition by KJK Publishing –
Let’s get right into it! My favorites from the collection include:
- High Desert by Lisa Morton
- Henry by Glenn Rolfe
- Grave Danger by Devin Cabrera
- The Visitor by Callum Pearce
- AutoBurger by Leigh Kenny
- A Monstrous Hunger by Simon Clark
Per usual, here are my notes on each tale!
Culpa by Lex H Jones –
After two children are found on the shores, dead, a small town is rocked with grief and fear. One man thinks he may know what is going on, but he can’t tell anyone. Not even the priest.
Kicking off this collection with a doozy! This is such a good supernatural tale with grief-horror mixed in. The last two paragraphs are so chilling!
Damn Wrinklies by Hunter Shea –
Thrilled that a group of women have completely booked up their inn, this man quickly becomes unsettled by these women. Little does he know, they aren’t just there for a vacation.
This tale is so eerie! From the first moment of unease, the tension just continues to build. I loved the ending!
The Ancestors by D.W. Hitz –
Living in a civilization where they believe they’re safe from the beings they call their ancestors, a young couple dreams of getting away. But of course, things do go as planned.
Oh, this one will get your blood boiling! The first scene of death was so vivid and heartbreaking!
Rescue Mission of the Krikos by Veronica Smith –
Finding an old circus ship, this crew goes aboard to see if they can determine what happened to them so many years ago. They think they’ll only find bodies, which they do, but they find something else as well.
My anxiety started building the second this tale opened. The claustrophobic element of being in space, that fear of the unknown, the sadness of death. Then of course there’s the sheer terror of what they discover. Phew!
The Hopper by Lee Mountford –
A man with a special ability explains his dilemma and the fears that come with it.
My gosh, the emotional journey readers will take with this one!
In Name, Only by Steve Stred –
A talented in mixed storylines of a woman sharing her past and giving readers glimpses into what is happening now. The two tales crash together in an explosive ending.
I had first read this one in Into the Light: Stories Volume 2 by Steven Stred and my gosh. It was even more of a heartbreaking tale the second time around knowing how it ends!
Every Last Drop by John Everson –
Looking for something action, this man decides to follow up on a note scrawled on a wall. The promise of pleasures is fulfilled, but at what cost?
Fans of sexual horror will love this one!
Shoo Fly Pie and Apple Pan Dowdy by Gary A. Braunbeck –
New fear unlocked… that bubble-popping explanation.
High Desert by Lisa Morton –
Venturing out into the desert to find an abandoned cult compound, this girlfriend is uneasy. When they get a flat tire and her boyfriend leaves to get help, she only gets more and more unsettled as she sits and waits in the extreme heat.
Ah, the heat had me sweating just reading about it! This poor girl… Everything unraveled so quickly, leading readers down a terrifying path.
The Wages of Sin by Graeme Reynolds –
When delivering a creation to his investor, this man soon regrets taking the job. But the creation isn’t the biggest thing he fears…
That ending was wild!
ASMR by Mark Towse –
Focused solely on beauty, this teenager is determined to sleep to make sure she looks her best. But when sleep evades her, she’s told about something that can help. Bit of course, things aren’t what they seem.
Oh my gosh the body horror here was brutal! I cringe just thinking about it!
Freaks by Christina Bergling –
Working for a circus as a dancer, this woman raises a small family of children with unique features. The leader of the circus is wicked and has her stuck. But she’s determined to start a new life.
My heart broke over and over again for this poor woman! My gosh, this is such a dark carnival horror tale!
Henry by Glenn Rolfe –
A teenage boy struggling with acne and voices in his head focuses in on his father’s razor…
I don’t think I’ve ever squirmed as much as I did reading this short story! The tension and build-up was so nerve-wracking!
Grave Danger by Devin Cabrera –
Unable to turn down a dare from his bullies, this kid goes with them to a cemetery at night. Before he can put together what was wrong, it was too late…
This tale made me so claustrophobic! The suspense and terror that was present at literally every moment was intense.
Outpouring by Jeff Strand –
After two odd things occur, this girlfriend starts warning of biblical things, losing herself in an eerily calm mindset.
Oh this was so unsettling. The first half will have you nauseous while the second half will make you nervous.
The Visitor by Callum Pearce –
When turning away an old woman, this man soon goes outside to try to find her to invite her back in. Little does he know, the act of turning her away has set something wicked in motion.
Such a quick moment with a thoughtless answer that leads to quite the tale of horror!
Dealer of Needs by Brian Moreland –
When an undercover cop gets hooked on a drug, he’ll do anything to find the creator to get his fix.
This one took such a wild turn into bizarre and very creepy horror!
The Party by Daemon Manx –
After years of canceling their annual Halloween party due to COVID, they’re finally having the party this year! But while driving over, something strange occurs, and it only gets more bizarre from there.
This was so much fun! Terrifying when you don’t understand what’s happening, but once the puzzle pieces begin to fall in place, it’s all fun and games with a splash of horror.
AutoBurger by Leigh Kenny –
When a man has to have his leg amputated, he goes through the usual mourning and healing process. But when things got a bit dark, he remembered the coupon to a burger joint his doctor had given him. They go and love the food! But of course, this is a horror tale…
That one line that the man makes while waiting for his food set off alarm bells for me. I was so nervous to see where this was going after that! So dark.
A Monstrous Hunger by Simon Clark –
Waking up after a shocking landing, this man is in for a few more shocking revelations before this story comes to a close!
The suspense and action here were wild! What a terrifying premise that only got worse and worse!
My Favorite Passages from The Horror Collection: Topaz Edition –
The fireplace crackled as Travis stared into it, his thoughts as wild and chaotic as the fire.
— Culpa by Lex H Jones
He tried counting them. He got to three and had to stop. Their bobbing heads, their flailing limbs; it was a mob of monster parts, indistinguishable as individual beings in the gloom.
— The Ancestors by D.W. Hitz
“…We don’t sleep much and have to be careful about where we look because those things are always nearby someplace, looking like normal shit to you – knots of tree bark, shapes in clouds, patterns in wallpaper or sloppy drywall or an old lady’s quilt – stuff that you see every day but never think might be looking back at you, just waiting for its chance.”
— Shoo Fly Pie and Apple Pan Dowdy by Gary A. Braunbeck
She wondered briefly how many of the wild things out here could kill her. She hoped none of them were interested today.
— High Desert by Lisa Morton
Everything in this place was dead, including the silence.
— Grave Danger by Devin Cabrera
Thunder crashed so loudly he felt the immense sound in his guts as much as he heard it with his ears.
— A Monstrous Hunger by Simon Clark
My Final Thoughts on The Horror Collection: Topaz Edition –
I cannot get enough of this series! Each time a new one comes out, I think it’s my favorite one (so far, anyway!)! I had such a blast with this collection. Horror fans, this one needs to be on your radar!
Thanks for reading!
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