Places We Fear to Tread edited by Brhel & Sullivan
Places We Fear to Tread is an anthology of 25 short horror stories and one poem that pay tribute to actual locations, but with a twist - each place is presented in a tale of horror. I couldn’t resist grabbing a copy of Places We Fear to Tread, especially after seeing a few authors I was already familiar with listed as contributors. The book is edited by Brhel & Sullivan and was published by Cemetery Gates Media on September 4, 2020. I’ve also recently read another collection by these editors called Campfire Macabre which I plan to review, as well.
It’s always been said that reading is an outlet to “take you away,” to “take you on an adventure” of sorts. This book definitely takes you a great deal of places, some you might have heard of and others that will leave you wanting to either check them out or make a mental note to stay as far away from them as possible. The authors do a great job giving readers a glimpse of what could happen at any of these locations if you let your guard down and let your imagination run wild. I had moments when I forgot these were based on real places, and when I reminded myself of that fact I found myself wanting to look up the locations to learn more about them in hopes that they’d be as mesmerizing and dangerous as described. I have to admit, though, I’d probably be disappointed if I did go to some of these places and didn’t find the horror that was delivered so well in the stories.
Of course, I had a handful of pieces that really resonated with me for a variety of reasons, and I want to shout out those stories and their authors. They’re in order of appearance in the book.
“Lost Girls Don’t Cry” by Gwendolyn Kiste: This story delighted me. It was so well written. I could see everything in my mind as I read it. This piece grabbed me and enticed me to want to read even more.
“The Wrong Turn” by Angela Sylvaine: Again, wow! This is a creepy story that gets under your skin and has you on the edge of your seat. If you enjoy ghost stories - this will not disappoint. Parts of this reminded me of a night when I was driving late at night with my son when he was very young and I got lost in roads surrounded by corn fields. That really amped up the fear as I read the story.
“Bare Bones” by Jude Reid: Something about the tone and the setting really grabbed me. I enjoyed the images in this story along with the odd characters and their even odder activities. There was something eerily beautiful about this story.
“Hopscotch for Keeps” by Hailey Piper: What a fun story! Yes, it has some horrific bits to it, but I loved being inside the mind of this main character and experiencing the very serious situation at hand. Piper made me a believer.
“This is Home” by Laurel Hightower: This story had me sucked in from the beginning. This is one of the stories that makes me want to visit the actual location. I couldn’t put this one down. Excellent tale!
“Bring Out Your Dead” by Beverley Lee: Just wow. This story had so many things that I loved! Nathaniel Hyde is an intriguing character! There are some lovely a-ha moments throughout this story. It’s well-rounded and satisfying to read from start to finish.
“Ho’Okaulike” by Michelle Mellon: This story holds a special place for me, since I visited the area where it takes place on my honeymoon. (We did the Haleakala Downhill experience back when it was still a thing!) This is a great revenge story, which is also one of my favorite things. I loved the main character TK.
“Teke Teke Teke” by Michael David Wilson: This is the only story that scared me! I read it in bed while everyone else was asleep, and when I got up for a second and had to walk through the bedroom in the dark, parts of the story replayed in my mind causing me to step a little bit quicker! Excellent storytelling.
“The Hound of Brackettville” by Bev Vincent: Ahh, yes! I loved the fantastical moments in this story. There is intrigue, mystery, fantasy, and even some fun creature feature moments. One of my favorite things I personally gleaned from the story is the reminder that just because you think you’re in control doesn’t necessarily mean that you are. Watching characters navigate that underlying theme always warms my heart.
“Bussell’s Bog” by Cameron Ulam: This story brings an undercurrent of dread the whole way through, and it’s fantastic! Also, Cameron Ulam created the artwork for the cover of the book.
“The Bone Man of Sanatorium Lake” by Andrew Cull: This story is told in such an enthralling and gripping way. I found myself leaning in as I was reading, trying to take in as much information from the narrator as possible, not wanting to miss any details. I was hooked from the start, and it was a pleasure to read more work by Andrew Cull. I have yet to read something of his I haven’t loved.
“Devil’s Elbow” by C.W. Briar: This one made my jaw drop! What a fun story filled with oddities and curiosities. This is a really fun tale if you enjoy ghost stories.
“Women of the Mere” by Jessica York: I like stories that have secrets, and this story delivered. York does a great job delivering the strained relationships in this small family. I really enjoyed some of the images of the characters and scenes I was able to conjure up in my mind.
One of my favorite things in the book was the author bio after each story. I appreciated being able to read about the author immediately finishing the story rather than having to go to the back of the book and search around or have to wait until I finished the book and no longer had that moment of connection with the story and the author. I enjoyed reading each bio and again have found a handful of authors I need to start following. That’s what I love about reading multi-author collections. I enjoy getting to know the authors and their unique writing voices in perfect bite-sized pieces. There is just something so satisfying about a well-written short horror story, not to mention the added bonus of a creature or two!
The concept of this book really hit home for me. I now want to think about some of the interesting and old places in the various places where I have lived. I love the use of landmarks as story prompts, and I enjoyed the variety of creative pieces that were written to form this collection of work. I’m looking forward to checking out more work from many of the contributing authors with whom I was already familiar as well as the new authors who have intrigued me. Grab this book and enjoy your trip!
