All Things Deadly (Salem Stories) by E.C. Hanson

All Things Deadly (Salem Stories) is a debut collection of short horror fiction stories by E. C. Hanson. It weighs in at 174 pages and was published on August 4, 2021 by D&T Publishing.

I immediately liked the cover of this book. I thought it would be filled with strange and eerie stories, and I was right! From the title I had expected to read a collection of witch stories, but that isn’t what happened. I’m not disappointed, though.

There are 25 pieces in this debut horror collection by E.C. Hanson. None are lengthy, so it’s easy to read a few at a time if you aren’t able to read for long periods. As a reader, these stories were just pure fun. There is a common story thread running throughout the book wedged in between the other delightfully odd tales, all of which occur in Salem, Massachusetts, a town well known for its witches and spirits.

Adam Frost and his daughter Sutton are the main characters in this collection, and their story is ongoing from the beginning to the end of the book. I found it quite interesting that they are traveling to Salem, a town wrought with sinister and troubled people, to try to repair a broken father-daughter relationship. Hanson does a fantastic job at shining a disturbing light on the citizens of the town that are lurking just out of reach of Adam and Sutton’s story. As I was reading these dark tales, I couldn’t help but wonder if there are people living in my own town that could be harboring some of the evil and wicked tendencies that some of the book’s characters exhibit. That curiosity as I was peeking into the lives of what seemed to be “normal” people added a heightened sense of horror, which was great.

The 25 pieces were a delight to read. I did feel that some ended abruptly, but in the end, it all made sense why Hanson wrote the stories as he did. Everything came together cohesively and was enjoyable and satisfying. The collection itself has a very dark undertone, and some stories will leave you with your jaw hanging open wondering “What the heck just happened?” That question will only goad you on and prompt you to read more as you continue turning pages to learn what lies on Adam and Sutton’s path and what strange people are lurking in the shadows. It could be unnerving as you realize some of these characters could be your neighbors, kids your children see at school, teachers who have taught you or your kids, or even strangers you interact with without realizing what secrets lie beneath the surface.

As I read, I jotted down a few words that came to mind when I finished each story. Odd, weird, and surreal were the most common I used. Of course, this made me happy. I am drawn to stories that bend toward the extraordinary or the eccentric, stories that startle me and challenge my expectations.

I am curious to see what other stories I can find by E.C. Hanson. I thought his placement of stories and how he connected them was fantastic, and I liked that he kept me guessing until the end. This is a great debut collection!