By Melissa Ann
Terrible Tales volumes 1-3 include 5 short stories by up-and-coming horror author Paul Aloisio. Seemingly inspired by Alfred Hitchcock and Roald Dahl, the stories leave readers guessing until the very end. Once I reached the last sentences, I want to go back and read them again with a new perspective.
The stories flow well and his ideas are easy to imagine. Included in Terrible Tales are:
The Intruder- Dogs are man’s best friend… until the end.
Burials- Not everything that has been buried stays dead.
Comes Ripping- Never make a deal with the devil.
Hess Truck- Good intentions can often go bad.
Plotlines- Does the author make the story… or the characters?
I enjoyed every story for different reasons, but Hess Truck was my favorite in the collection. Although it was the shortest, I was surprised by the abruptness in which it ended. Comes Ripping deals with children and death, which isn’t easy to read about. Not only is it the darkest out of all of the tales, but it also the eeriest.
Among other themes, Terrible Tales covers vengeful ghosts, zombies, murder, imaginary friends and possession, which makes for a spooky read. Perfect for the Halloween season, or anytime if you’re a horror fan. All of the stories are available digitally for just $3 on Amazon. Paul Aloisio has a lot of talent and passion for horror, so I’m excited for what we’ll see from him next.
Rating: 8.5/10