A review by ericarobyn
The Horror Collection: Crystal Edition by Kevin J. Kennedy

adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious sad tense fast-paced

4.5

I recently finished reading The Horror Collection: Crystal Edition presented by KJK Publishing and I’ll kick off this review by saying it yet again because it’s true: the variety in these collections is WILD. In The Crystal Edition, there’s so much to take in and so many of these stories stuck with me. Some even got under my skin in a way I didn’t expect.

What I love about this collection is that every story feels different. You never know what you’re going to get next, but it’s always something that makes you feel something. Some are haunting while others just leave you feeling gutted—but in a good way, if that makes sense (horror fans, you’ll know)!

My favorites from this collection include:

• Headed North by Sarah Jules
• Winter’s Whistle by Dexter McLeod
• Magic Eye by Stephen Mark Rainey 

Per usual, here are my notes on each tale!

Foreword – 

BOOK 22?! I will always comment on my shock at how many of these there are. I just love them so freaking much! 

Mistral by Mark Morris – 

In desperate need of some time away, this family of three goes on a vacation. But nice they arrive, things feel a bit off…

Oh the heartbreak so evident in one specific scene around their IVF journey hit me like a gut punch. It’s nice to see real world elements like this making it into stories. But phew this one is eerie! And that ending! What an absolute nightmare. 

In Three Days by Thomas Stewart – 

When receiving a text from an unknown number, this man is told he has three days. Spending his time drinking, bringing women home, and denying that this was real, things start to get strange. 

Ah, that ending was so nice after following this guy around. 

The Nightmare Channel by  Lee Mountford –

When his TV switched to an odd channel late one night, this man sees horrific scenes and is unable to ignore the pull of morbid curiosity. 

Oh man, that ending was even more terrifying than what was seen on screen! 

Chasing the Dragon by Brian Moreland – 

Determined to find his love after she goes missing, this man will stop at nothing to be by her side again. 

So many fun elements here!! My gosh. I was so nervous that this was going to end badly so many times throughout the story! That ending was absolute perfection. 

The Devereauxs by Lisa Breanne –

When receiving word that she must attend a meeting about the will of a family member that she didn’t know she had, she ends up having a few weird encounters. 

Ah, those situations should have been red flags! I was so nervous to see where this was going! 

Frozen in Terror by Devin Cabrera – 

Ignoring all the signage to keep out, this group skis a closed area of the mountain anyway and learns why they should have listened to the signs to keep out. 

Phewwwww, the body horror here! 

Celebrity Skin by Harrison Phillips – 

Obsessed with a girl from school, this young man is willing to take any chance he can create to engage with her. But how far will his obsession go?

Oh, this was wild. Absolutely unhinged! 

Dummy by Jeff Strand – 

Stuck inside a dummy’s body, he’s forced to witness whatever the “ventriloquist” does… but he dreams of escape. 

This tale takes readers on such a wild ride! 

Headed North by Sarah Jules – 

While driving north, a woman hears a news story about some brutal murders. And of course, this woman is involved.

Oh my gosh. The title for this one is just perfect. I was so anxious reading this to see where it was going to go next. THAT ENDING. Diabolical. 

Misophonia by Veronica Smith – 

Struggling with listening to his coworker eat constantly throughout the day, this man starts to spiral… 

My gosh, this one set off my Misophonia right from the start. I was literally squirming in my chair through this one. Ah, I hated and loved this tale so much! 

Winter’s Whistle by Dexter McLeod – 

With a storm approaching, a couple arrives seeking help after an attack. As much as some of these characters try to convince themselves that it is a bear, they quickly learn that it isn’t. 

This was so intense! From the second we learned about the claw marks, I was nervous.  It just kept getting more and more terrifying! 

Gracious Mother by Stephen Barnard – 

Haunted by events of her past, this elderly woman needs to share before she goes to meet God. 

Ugh, the bedroom scene broke me. 

Remembering Falls by Zachary Ashford – 

When her father goes for a walk, this character immediately knows where he has gone. Struggling with what she finds once she gets there, her memories from childhood suddenly begin to come back…

Absolutely heartbreaking. Your blood will boil for this poor wife and kid. 

Unnatural Selection by Gord Rollo – 

Determined to carry on his family’s legacy, this character recounts tales that had been kept hidden. 

So wonderfully eerie! The gore here was introduced so quickly, and just as quickly, it was over. What a darkly fun and unsettling tale! 

Magic Eye by Stephen Mark Rainey –

When a radio arrives, this woman is shocked, knowing none of her friends or family could have afforded it. But when she discovers a new frequency the radio can be tuned to, she starts to think something is very wrong. 

This had such fun Michael Crichton vibes! So eerie and so fun! I loved this one so much! I love that it was organized in two parts as well!!

Afterword – 

Always a wonderful touch at the end! 

My Favorite Passages from The Horror Collection: Crystal Edition –

Cracked sidewalks, storefronts that had not seen a fresh coat of paint since their opening, flower pots held cemeteries of shriveled brown stems.
— The Devereauxs by Lisa Breanne

The Yeti had snapped her in half, and her blood was now pouring onto the ice, creating clouds of steam as it hit.
It was hard to look away from. It was an image that would be seared into their minds forever.
— Frozen in Terror by Devin Cabrera

If a steady diet of true crime podcasts had taught her anything, it was that the public was far too quick to snap photographs of dead bodies. It was like they completely forgot that the thing they were taking a photo of was a human being. Never mind the fact that the human being likely had loved ones who would be devastated, traumatised, by a photograph of their dearly departed’s body (decapitated, in this instance) making the rounds. Didn’t people deserve to die with dignity? People who exploited the dead were the worst of the worst, as far as Hester was concerned.
— Headed North by Sarah Jules

My Final Thoughts on The Horror Collection: Crystal Edition –

If you’re looking for a collection that’s going to stick with you long after you’ve finished, this one’s it. It’s a wild ride and I’m excited to revisit it down the road!