Review: The Autumn Springs Retirement Home Massacre

The Autumn Springs Retirement Home Massacre by Philip Fracassi
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

... getting older was nothing but a series of slow deaths of the people we once were, and how, with each death of our past selves, those held memories of past lives also died.
-- Philip Fracassi: The Autumn Springs Retirement Home Massacre

I was fortunate enough to be able to read a pre-publication version of The Autumn Springs Retirement Home Massacre. While a senior citizen enclave doesn't seem like a great setting for slasher story, Philip Fracassi delivers an amazing tale. Funny, sad, horrifying and not to be missed.

Rose DuBois, Beauregard Mason Miller and their friends are living comfortable lives in the Autumn Springs Retirement Home. Although many are forgotten by their families, they still enjoy movie nights, cocktail parties and playing games, knowing that the facility can continue to provide care and a home for them if their bodies and/or minds decline as they age. Even though a series of unexpected deaths are dismissed by the authorities as unfortunate, but not unusual in an old folks home, Rose and her friends feel something isn't right and begin to investigate on their own. It's only after the deaths continue to grow and become more gruesome that they are finally taken seriously. Too late, perhaps, to do any good.

Fracassi does a wonderful job revealing the story and the characters. He builds suspense by carefully laying his groundwork in the first half of the book and then takes us on a wild ride as the story speeds to its conclusion.

Anyone who has, or has had, relatives or friends in a nursing/rest home or retirement community will recognize at least a few of the staff and the residents. What won't be as familiar are the creative, horrifying and in at least one case heart-breaking ways in which the killer ends the lives of some of their victims. I'd hate to think what the police would say if they ever had reason to look at Fracassi's browser search history.

I was kept guessing and remained suspicious of various characters right until the very end. I hope we get more stories featuring some of the residents of Autumn Springs in the future.



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Review: I Was a Teenage Slasher

I Was a Teenage Slasher by Stephen Graham Jones
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

A quick, mostly satisfying, slasher read with some surprising twists along the way.

Content warning: In case the title didn't provide enough of a clue, this story includes multiple scenes involving graphic violence.

I Was A Teenage Slasher by Stephen Graham Jones embraces the slasher movie genre and asks (and answers) the question: What would happen if typical teen Tolly Driver, in the wrong place at the wrong time, was infected by a "just back from the dead to exact vengeance" zombie high school student? Carnage ensues in West Texas as Tolly and his best friend, Amber Dennison, first try to understand what is happening and then try to prevent it.

I struggled a bit to get into the story - it took a little while to embrace the way Jones narrated the events of 1989 from the perspective of Tolly some 17 years later while also providing current day "commentary". Once I did though the story took hold and swept me along.

If you are, or were, a fan of slasher films from the 1970's or '80s (think "Halloween" or "Friday the 13th") you will likely enjoy this.

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Review: D7

D7 by Philip Fracassi
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

There is a lot of terror packed into the 53 pages of "D7" by Philip Fracassi, being released in May, 2025 by Shortwave Publishing. I was lucky enough to win an early copy from the publisher and can say that horror fans are going to love this when they get their hands on it.

The beginning of this tale reminds me a bit of the story "You Know They Got A Hell of a Band" by Stephen King, but Fracassi puts his own twist on the premise of taking a wrong turn on a road trip, and the result is fantastic. After reading this you may think twice about stopping somewhere for a quick after dinner drink at the end of your day and you may never look at a jukebox in quite the same way again!

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Review: Revenge is Good for the Souls

Revenge is Good for the Souls by Aaron R. Tyler
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Aaron R. Tyler delivers a dark, horrific and delightful tale with Revenge Is Good For The Souls. He takes the notion of "bad things happening to good people" to another level in this disturbing story about Michael Vickers, a college professor who is just living his life, minding his own business, when a terrible car accident causes him to begin seeing people that no one else sees. These ghosts, or souls as they prefer to be called aren't your "Casper the Friendly Ghost" types ... they suffered horrendous torment when living and they are angry and out for revenge. Vickers has to become their tool, or else he will become their target and be driven insane. A solution of sorts is presented, but everything comes at a price and he has to decide whether the price that is demanded is one he's willing to pay.

While Revenge Is Good For The Souls is a standalone tale, there are connections with The Waifs: From the author of The Twin Tiers Serial Killers trilogy, one of Tyler's previous books. It's not required, but I recommend reading The Waifs first as this new story has some mild spoilers for that earlier book.

This is a wonderful read, although be warned: the story includes graphic descriptions of violence, bullying, sexual grooming and exploitation. The ending was completely unexpected and provided a fantastic twist to a fantastic tale.

Recommended.

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Review: The Waifs: From the author of The Twin Tiers Serial Killers trilogy

The Waifs: From the author of The Twin Tiers Serial Killers trilogy by Aaron R. Tyler
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

In anticipation of the release of Revenge is Good for the Souls by Aaron Tyler (March 1, 2025) I decided to read one of his earlier books - The Waifs - in part because one of the characters makes an appearance in the new story as well. I was NOT disappointed at all.

Set in a small town, the characters in The Waifs are likely familiar to all: the "Losers" (Waifs), the Jocks, the Shop Kids (Greasers) and the parents and teachers around them. Although the Waifs originally band together because no other group would have them, they find acceptance, friendship and support in each other.

The Waifs are bullied throughout their school years but manage to avoid serious harm by keeping to themselves and avoiding run ins with the worst of the trouble makers at school. That seems about to change however when one of The Waifs is falsely believed to have told the school administration who it was that committed an act of vandalism. It doesn't take long for the vandal and his friends to find an opportunity to take revenge upon the Waifs, and with no one to defend them it seems the Waifs' run of luck may be over.

Tyler has delivered a good story here with unexpected twists, plenty of tension, and a more-than-satisfying climax. Fair warning, though. Along with descriptions of bullying the story does contain some fairly graphic violence which may be triggering for some.

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Review: Below

Below by Kev Harrison
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Below is a fast-paced horror/thriller by Kev Harrison that follows Nick Jones, Jess & Sofia as they try to uncover what happened to several miners who were trapped and never rescued decades after a 1957 mine collapse. The investigation holds special meaning for Nick since his grandfather and namesake, Nicholas Jones, was one of those trapped inside the mine after saving many of the other miners. After the blocked mine entrance is cleared and additional supports are added to shore up the tunnels, the trio enter and begin their search. They soon find the evidence they'd hoped for of the lost miners...and more.

I would give this story 4.5 stars if I could. My only minor complaints with the story are the apparent lack of concern about unexplained noises within the mine and with an event that causes the mine entrance to become blocked. The ending also felt a bit rushed, but overall this was a great story by a "new to me" author, and I'll be looking for more from him.

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Review: 13 Haunted Houses

13 Haunted Houses by Curtis M. Lawson
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

So much horror, so many scares, crammed into 200 or so pages as you're taken from one adrenaline rush to another as each short(ish) story unfolds.

All I'll say is that if any of the contributors to this anthology invite you to their house on the coast, or in the city, or anywhere, really... decline as quickly as you can and run the other way while you still can!

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