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

challenging dark mysterious tense fast-paced

4.5

The Horror Collection: Morte Edition presented by KJK Publishing is another incredible anthology! I had an amazing time reading through it, but five particular stories really stood out to me.

My favorite tales include:

• The Double Date by D.W. Hitz
• My Neighbour Tom by Elizabeth J. Brown
• Thresholds by JP Behrens
• The Pennyroyal Dossier by Dexter McLeod
• Come Outside by James Kaine

Foreword –

As always, a killer foreword to kickstart this collection! I cannot believe that is the 21st addition to this incredible collection! 

Turkey Teeth by Harrison Phillips – 

A tale about the price people pay to be “beautiful” but of course, in this case, that price is steeper than normal. 

Not a fan of the focus on weight here, but phew what a turn this one took! I was so nervous to see where things would go as we quickly approached the ending. 

I’m Still Here by Brian Moreland – 

When a trooper just wants a greasy burger and fries, she’s shocked to see what has occurred in her favorite diner. 

The tension in this one! At every little turn, I expected a jump scare! Ugh, that ending…

Bachelorette Party Bloodbath by Jason Nickey – 

Trying desperately to get to a bachelorette party for a woman she doesn’t even like, this character gets not one, but two flat tires. Meanwhile, the party goes on… but of course, the games aren’t fun. 

Phew, the body horror here! Brutal! 

Survival by Veronica Smith – 

When car trouble leads to a terrible accident, this young woman is forced to try to survive the night. 

My goodness, there’s so much darkness in this one! Every turn got worse and worse! This poor woman. 

Thin Air by Christina Bergling – 

Planning a climb before anyone else arrives on the trail, one man is irritated when a guy he dislikes is the only one to show. But as the climb goes on, things get more intense. 

I went on a climb that forever changed the way I think about things like this, so this one really got under my skin! The way this was written makes me question everything! I have so many questions! Ah! what a tale! 

Haunted by “Macho Man” Randy Savage by Steve Stred – 

When this reporter finally gets his own place, he’s so pumped! But then he finds that he is being haunted and he has no idea why. 

Oh, this was so fun! 

The Double Date by D.W. Hitz –

When receiving a certificate in the mail to a restaurant that is only valid that evening, four teens make the trip through a snowstorm. 

Soooooo many red flags! Ugh the lack of situational awareness of teens is always a fun trope to see in horror. What a brutal and terrifying slasher with a killer ending! 

Blood in Bloom by Nick Roberts and Ju Collins –

When adrenaline seekers begin a rafting trip, one has cold feet but it’s too late to turn back. While on the river, their guide tells them a spooky story. They shrug it off until the worst happens while rafting and they are left on the wrong side of the river. 

I’ve only been white water rafting once when I was a teenager and while I had a blast, it was also terrifying. I was already anxious when the story began, and that only got worse as we went along. But like their guide said, the things on land were more terrifying than the water. 

I See You by Lucretia Stanhope – 

Going to see a doctor, the visit is off to a rough start. The more time passes, the more unhinged things become!

THIS WAS WILD! I love that this tale made me question what was read and what was potentially just in her mind. And that ENDING.

My Neighbour Tom by Elizabeth J. Brown –

This woman knows something is off the minute she and her boyfriend meet their new neighbor. Every worry she has is brushed aside by everyone around her. But should they have listened?

When I say this one stressed me out… I cannot tell you how tight my chest felt. Each thing that happened was such a red flag but the author makes you question it all just like the main character does. Ugh! I hated every single second of this(in a good way)! This poor woman. 

Itsy Bitsy by Devin Cabrera – 

Moving into a bit of a fixer-upper, this couples first mission is to remove all the cobwebs and spiders. They think they’ve done a good job, but soon after, they wake up to find their house covered in spiders again! 

Ugh. I should have known from the title this has a spider element. The very first scene of cleaning up the webs got me. Of course, it only got worse from there!

The Corn Keeps Pace by Leigh Kenny – 

Undeterred by the urban legend of the Corn Creeper, these teens break into an old barn to explore mazes left in bales of hay. 

The claustrophobia this one induces. Yikes! And that ending… 

Running on Empty by MJ Mars – 

Running a community race to raise awareness and strive for justice for a murdered young man, things seem to be going well, but then lap three begins. 

This one had me cringing so much! Oh my gosh, the description of the injuries was wild. And that ending!! 

One Last Entry by Shaun Hutson – 

When getting the mail, this man finds a package has been delivered to his box by mistake. While he waits to give it to his neighbor, his curiosity gets the better of him, and he takes a look at what it is. 

Such a spooky tale with the whole curiosity killed the cat focus! 

Black Eyed by Callum Pearce – 

Desperate for answers to anything, this man listens and watches a video that promises a paranormal experience to anyone who views it. When he hears kids outside, he goes to check it out. Little does he know, the video has already worked. 

So dark and unsettling! This poor man.

Thresholds by JP Behrens – 

When her children come inside tracking dirt and bits of mushroom, this mother questions what happened. When they tell her they danced through a circle of mushrooms, she is immediately on alert. 

I was SO nervous to see what was to come here. My gosh, this woman was brave. I can’t believe how she was able to keep her cool and focus on safety and her kids in the most terrifying times.

The Pennyroyal Dossier by Dexter McLeod – 

Told in bits of different formats such as a 911 call, journal entries, text messages, and more, we get a small glimpse into a very odd occurrence that had a devastating impact.

And my gosh, with each new entry, this got more and more chilling! 

Neonatal by Matthew A. Clarke – 

As I’m sure you can assume from this title, I had to skip this one. 

Come Outside by James Kaine – 

Seeing a woman standing outside, this man goes to help but she’s gone. But she’s not gone long and soon she’s asking for them to come outside… 

NO! Agh!!! What a tale to end with! Ugh, this was brutal. My chest hurt after reading this one. Killer It Follows vibes with much more terror. 

Afterword – 

A perfect little afterword to calm my nerves after that last tale! 

My Favorite Passages from The Horror Collection: Morte Edition –

The towering pines thinned, fewer of them brave enough to claim the slope. With each step, light seized more of the sky. The panorama of surrounding peaks revealed themselves, tucking the sun from view just a little longer.
— Thin Air by Christina Bergling

There was no hole in the trees where they had turned in. It was like the house had been picked up with them inside and set down in the middle of a forest.
— The Double Date by D.W. Hitz

Grimaldi’s head tilted inhumanly to the side, his neck bending just a touch too far, like a marionette waiting for the strings to be yanked.
— I See You by Lucretia Stanhope

The barn stood in gleaming resplendence as the final shafts of golden light from a dying sun painted it in shades of gold. It was almost beautiful. A stranger passing by would stop to admire it, never knowing of the horrors which had taken place within its confines that day.
— The Corn Keeps Pace by Leigh Kenny

My Final Thoughts on The Horror Collection: Morte Edition –

My gosh, this was a wild collection! Each tale was so unique and so darkly fun. The five favorites I pulled out have been sticking with me for weeks now, coming up at least once a day when something random reminds me of them.

Horror fans, you gotta pick up this collection!