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Creature Feature
Big Bad
For a family trying to make an isolated farmhouse into a home, fear and rage are getting harder to control in a primal short story by the New York Times bestselling author of Whisper Network and Cutting Teeth.
The Strauss family is on knife’s edge. Sam is a resentful stay-at-home dad. Rachel feels the restlessness in her blood returning. Their children are getting out of hand. And a recent mudslide has forced the wolves out of the woods to look for food. As dusk falls and tensions rise, the family must come together to survive the night—from the threats outside and those within.
Chandler Baker’s Big Bad is part of Creature Feature, a collection of devilishly creepy stories that tingle the spine and twist the mind. They can be read or listened to in one petrifying sitting.
©2023 Chandler Baker. (P)2023 Brilliance Publishing, Inc., all rights reserved.
The Strauss family is on knife’s edge. Sam is a resentful stay-at-home dad. Rachel feels the restlessness in her blood returning. Their children are getting out of hand. And a recent mudslide has forced the wolves out of the woods to look for food. As dusk falls and tensions rise, the family must come together to survive the night—from the threats outside and those within.
Chandler Baker’s Big Bad is part of Creature Feature, a collection of devilishly creepy stories that tingle the spine and twist the mind. They can be read or listened to in one petrifying sitting.
©2023 Chandler Baker. (P)2023 Brilliance Publishing, Inc., all rights reserved.
2 pages, Audible Audio
First published September 26, 2023
907 people are currently reading
5133 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,189 reviews
October 16, 2023
4.5 Stars
I loved this story so much. I haven't read anything by Chandler Baker before and what an introduction this was, I am going to have to have a look at her back catalogue. What should a man do when his wife has a contagious disease? Well, you'll have to read the book to find out.
I especially loved the way Baker wrote the two daughters and their dialogue, internal and otherwise, it was perfection. The build-up from family drama to complete horror was so thrilling, a perfect read for the spooky season!
I loved this story so much. I haven't read anything by Chandler Baker before and what an introduction this was, I am going to have to have a look at her back catalogue. What should a man do when his wife has a contagious disease? Well, you'll have to read the book to find out.
I especially loved the way Baker wrote the two daughters and their dialogue, internal and otherwise, it was perfection. The build-up from family drama to complete horror was so thrilling, a perfect read for the spooky season!
September 16, 2025
4⭐️
Big Bad is a horror shorty which delivers creeping suspense and a few satisfying surprises. As the final installment in the Creature Feature collection, it ended on a high note and became my second favorite of the bunch. This collection is a solid pick for anyone curious about dipping their toes into the horror genre.
My ratings of the collection overall:
1. Best of Luck 4⭐️
2. Big Bad 4 ⭐️
3. Ankle Snatcher 3.5⭐️ rounded up
4. The Pram 3.5⭐️ rounded down
5. It Waits in the Woods 3⭐️
6. In Bloom 3⭐️
Big Bad is a horror shorty which delivers creeping suspense and a few satisfying surprises. As the final installment in the Creature Feature collection, it ended on a high note and became my second favorite of the bunch. This collection is a solid pick for anyone curious about dipping their toes into the horror genre.
My ratings of the collection overall:
1. Best of Luck 4⭐️
2. Big Bad 4 ⭐️
3. Ankle Snatcher 3.5⭐️ rounded up
4. The Pram 3.5⭐️ rounded down
5. It Waits in the Woods 3⭐️
6. In Bloom 3⭐️
October 9, 2023
Sadly, this is it.... the last book in this terrific Creature Feature Collection. I must say, I'm impressed with them all and can recommend them if you like scary/horror or just want something spooky for the season.🎃💀 🍬
Rachel Strauss is an anthropology professor. Sam is a house dad and they have two young daughters. The Strauss lives in a charming old Oregon farmhouse at the end of a long gravel road. There's a guy who visits and says he's their AirBnB guest.
Something is off with everyone!
Great writing and misdirection. I like the little surprise at the very end, otherwise, I sort of guessed it from the title and cover. NO! Don't look if you haven't already.😉
Part of Creature Feature collection. It comes with audio. Free with Prime or KU. 59 pages/1 hr and 55 mins
Rachel Strauss is an anthropology professor. Sam is a house dad and they have two young daughters. The Strauss lives in a charming old Oregon farmhouse at the end of a long gravel road. There's a guy who visits and says he's their AirBnB guest.
Something is off with everyone!
Great writing and misdirection. I like the little surprise at the very end, otherwise, I sort of guessed it from the title and cover. NO! Don't look if you haven't already.😉
Part of Creature Feature collection. It comes with audio. Free with Prime or KU. 59 pages/1 hr and 55 mins
October 6, 2023
This book was the last part of this excellent series I read. First I thought it is about an abusive husband but soon I found out more about Rachel Strauss. What's about her mysterious disease? What about her children June and Odie? Is her husband a band man and why is he acting so strange toward Harold? Why was the luggage empty for Rachel's business trip? Who's big bad? Interesting, at parts eerie story about more than a woman (no spoilers here). Sometimes a bit confusing and jumpy but overall very intense and captivating. Had to find out how it ended. Recommended!
October 9, 2023
This book put the creature in feature!
This was Book #6 in the Creature Feature collection, which is available on Amazon Prime/Kindle Unlimited. At only 59 pages, this turned out to be quite the story!
In this short story we have a married couple of Rachel and Sam. Together they have two young daughters. Sam is a stay at home dad, and he seems very unhappy with his new way of life. His daughters definitely prefer their mother over him, especially the youngest, Odie. Sam also seems to be very controlling of his wife, Rachel. Is there a reason for that? Or is Sam just a bad person?
You will have to read this to find out the answers in this story. I promise you won’t be disappointed! This was a wonderful collection to read just in time for the spooky season, and I couldn’t be more pleased. 🎃 I highly recommend this short story and the rest of the collection for fast, entertaining, creepy reads! 👻
This was Book #6 in the Creature Feature collection, which is available on Amazon Prime/Kindle Unlimited. At only 59 pages, this turned out to be quite the story!
In this short story we have a married couple of Rachel and Sam. Together they have two young daughters. Sam is a stay at home dad, and he seems very unhappy with his new way of life. His daughters definitely prefer their mother over him, especially the youngest, Odie. Sam also seems to be very controlling of his wife, Rachel. Is there a reason for that? Or is Sam just a bad person?
You will have to read this to find out the answers in this story. I promise you won’t be disappointed! This was a wonderful collection to read just in time for the spooky season, and I couldn’t be more pleased. 🎃 I highly recommend this short story and the rest of the collection for fast, entertaining, creepy reads! 👻
March 26, 2024
Who's afraid of the big, bad wolf?
Your husband, if he's smart.
This was dark and a bit more complex than I was expecting. I never really knew how I felt about the character, not even at the end.
The POV switches were great. And even though I knew what was going on, there was still one surprise that got me
So the gist is that you have this married couple who have two young girls. When it opens they're both annoyed with each other, and it's bordering on resentful. Seemingly just those petty (and not so petty) things that eat at marriages.
Who does more for the children, who gave up what so the other person could have their dream job, who didn't show up on time for dinner, etc.
Things escalate pretty quickly and go from normal side-eying & squabbling to weird - to really weird.
Throw in a male off-brand Buffy the Werewolf Slayer, a husband and father who is seriously questioning his life choices, and two frightened children that will most definitely need therapy in the future, and you get a decent little horror shorty.
Recommended.
These are free for Amazon Prime members through Prime Reading.
Your husband, if he's smart.
This was dark and a bit more complex than I was expecting. I never really knew how I felt about the character, not even at the end.
The POV switches were great. And even though I knew what was going on, there was still one surprise that got me
So the gist is that you have this married couple who have two young girls. When it opens they're both annoyed with each other, and it's bordering on resentful. Seemingly just those petty (and not so petty) things that eat at marriages.
Who does more for the children, who gave up what so the other person could have their dream job, who didn't show up on time for dinner, etc.
Things escalate pretty quickly and go from normal side-eying & squabbling to weird - to really weird.
Throw in a male off-brand Buffy the Werewolf Slayer, a husband and father who is seriously questioning his life choices, and two frightened children that will most definitely need therapy in the future, and you get a decent little horror shorty.
Recommended.
These are free for Amazon Prime members through Prime Reading.
February 4, 2025
Big Bad
By Chandler Baker
This is a pretty good creepy story. At first, I had the wrong person as the bad guy. Good for a short book.
By Chandler Baker
This is a pretty good creepy story. At first, I had the wrong person as the bad guy. Good for a short book.
Read
October 12, 2023One of the stronger stories in the collection for me. It nailed the assignment, "Creature Feature". As an oldest sister and as a reader who loves a great "Girl Dad" (because I have a great Girl Dad), this story and the characters appealed to me.
“There are things we’ve never told you.”
I loved that Baker was able to give us so much in just a few pages. I enjoyed the family dynamics, the hints at a broken marriage, the perception of things from the kids' POVs, and the building of tension/suspense. Really well done. Top 3.
“There are things we’ve never told you.”
I loved that Baker was able to give us so much in just a few pages. I enjoyed the family dynamics, the hints at a broken marriage, the perception of things from the kids' POVs, and the building of tension/suspense. Really well done. Top 3.
October 22, 2023
I enjoyed this one quite a bit. It was a fun and exciting take on a classic horror tale that is definitely not foreshadowed on the cover or short story title.
Plot: || Rachel, Sam, and their two kids live in a rural area that is serene and quiet. That is, until they start to get hounded by a few predators, both inside the house as well as on the outside. How will the family cope throughout the night?
This short was the last I read in the creature feature collection. It was a brisk read that held my attention and delivered on building tension. The characters back stories were strong, and I appreciated the level of depth that was taken to flesh them out, especially in a story under 60 some-odd-pages. Even though the material may be familiar, I think it has enough to make it stand out in the collection.
The book shines when it focuses on the kids. They are fairly resourceful, cunning, and curious, which makes the semi-twist ending stand out.
Overall, this was a fun collection to sift through. Best of Luck was still my favorite, but each had its own high and low points. Hopefully, in the future, we will get a full-on horror comedy. That would be fantastic.
Series Rating:
1. Best of Luck
2. It Waits in the Woods
3. In Bloom
4. Big Bad
5. The Pram
6. Ankle Snatcher
🎵| Soundtrack |🎵
❖ Michael Jackson - Thriller
⭐ | Rating | ⭐
❖ 3.5 out of 5
P.S. – Here is my Big Bad. She kept me company throughout each of these short stories. Anybody else read with their four-legged friends?
Plot: || Rachel, Sam, and their two kids live in a rural area that is serene and quiet. That is, until they start to get hounded by a few predators, both inside the house as well as on the outside. How will the family cope throughout the night?
This short was the last I read in the creature feature collection. It was a brisk read that held my attention and delivered on building tension. The characters back stories were strong, and I appreciated the level of depth that was taken to flesh them out, especially in a story under 60 some-odd-pages. Even though the material may be familiar, I think it has enough to make it stand out in the collection.
The book shines when it focuses on the kids. They are fairly resourceful, cunning, and curious, which makes the semi-twist ending stand out.
Overall, this was a fun collection to sift through. Best of Luck was still my favorite, but each had its own high and low points. Hopefully, in the future, we will get a full-on horror comedy. That would be fantastic.
Series Rating:
1. Best of Luck
2. It Waits in the Woods
3. In Bloom
4. Big Bad
5. The Pram
6. Ankle Snatcher
🎵| Soundtrack |🎵
❖ Michael Jackson - Thriller
⭐ | Rating | ⭐
❖ 3.5 out of 5
P.S. – Here is my Big Bad. She kept me company throughout each of these short stories. Anybody else read with their four-legged friends?
October 7, 2024
Creature Feature is a collection of six Amazon-Original scary stories, each focusing on a different monster, penned by well-known authors in the horror and thriller genres. This is story 6/6.
Big Bad by Chandler Baker – 1 Pumpkin 🎃
A family of four fight for their lives one never-ending night when evil from outside and within invades their isolated farmhouse. The wolves are circling.
Aside from the ending, which was decent, this was predictable, meh, with awful characters who I didn't care what happened to. Even the kids were whiny and irritating. Scenes were choppy and ended abruptly. The writing was gross rather than scary or creepy – overly gory with revolting descriptions of bodily functions – gag! I'm crossing this author off my list. My least favourite of the Creature Feature collection.
In conclusion, now that I have read all six stories, I rate the collection overall, 3.5 Stars! Links to my other reviews are below;
The Pram
Ankle Snatcher
It Waits in the Woods
In Bloom
Best of Luck
I'd like to thank Netgalley, Amazon, and Chandler Baker for the e-ARC.
Available Now!
Big Bad by Chandler Baker – 1 Pumpkin 🎃
A family of four fight for their lives one never-ending night when evil from outside and within invades their isolated farmhouse. The wolves are circling.
Aside from the ending, which was decent, this was predictable, meh, with awful characters who I didn't care what happened to. Even the kids were whiny and irritating. Scenes were choppy and ended abruptly. The writing was gross rather than scary or creepy – overly gory with revolting descriptions of bodily functions – gag! I'm crossing this author off my list. My least favourite of the Creature Feature collection.
In conclusion, now that I have read all six stories, I rate the collection overall, 3.5 Stars! Links to my other reviews are below;
The Pram
Ankle Snatcher
It Waits in the Woods
In Bloom
Best of Luck
I'd like to thank Netgalley, Amazon, and Chandler Baker for the e-ARC.
Available Now!
December 24, 2023
I really liked this one and it’s an interesting take on a well known horror theme.
The pacing felt right, the length was good and the ending is definitely in the horror category. It’s not a happy ending! 😂🤣
Glad to read all the short stories in the Creature Feature collection. It was a good collection of plots and writers!
The pacing felt right, the length was good and the ending is definitely in the horror category. It’s not a happy ending! 😂🤣
Glad to read all the short stories in the Creature Feature collection. It was a good collection of plots and writers!
October 11, 2023
Probably the most fully developed of the six Creature Feature short stories. If you think about it, the title gives away the premise, but it's not as if Baker is seeking or even needs to hide the secret here. What's good about this one is the slow building tension, and what's better is how I both cared and feared for nearly every character simultaneously.
January 2, 2026
4.5*
Gripping tension, and relevant references. Great werewolf story where not everything is revealed right away. Some powerful one-liners splattered throughout. :D Who's the monster?
Love is Fear
Even werewolves have to nurture their young. xoxo
Gripping tension, and relevant references. Great werewolf story where not everything is revealed right away. Some powerful one-liners splattered throughout. :D Who's the monster?
Love is Fear
Even werewolves have to nurture their young. xoxo
February 11, 2025
Aaaah! So Good.
The Strauss family lives isolated on a farm. The farm doesn’t appear to be a working farm. There are no crops being grown.
Sam is the father, Rachel is the mother. June and Odette are their two daughters.
Their lives are not as perfect as it used to be. Trouble appears to be following them.
Is it because Rachel is now the bread winner in this new home? Is it because Sam doesn’t like being seen as a homemaker?
And what’s up with Rachel? Little Odie thinks Daddy wants to kill Mommy. But June is not believing it because Daddy would never do that. Right?
What’s up with all these wolves? Something is going wrong.
Four stars. 💫💫💫💫
The Strauss family lives isolated on a farm. The farm doesn’t appear to be a working farm. There are no crops being grown.
Sam is the father, Rachel is the mother. June and Odette are their two daughters.
Their lives are not as perfect as it used to be. Trouble appears to be following them.
Is it because Rachel is now the bread winner in this new home? Is it because Sam doesn’t like being seen as a homemaker?
And what’s up with Rachel? Little Odie thinks Daddy wants to kill Mommy. But June is not believing it because Daddy would never do that. Right?
What’s up with all these wolves? Something is going wrong.
Four stars. 💫💫💫💫
November 4, 2023
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ -Kindle Book (Available on Kindle Unlimited)
Book #6 in Amazon’s Creature Feature Collection
⚠️Spoilers!!⚠️
I’m sure by the title and the cover you can guess this is about a werewolf, but I put up a spoiler warning anyway.
Big Bad was the last book of the Creature Feature Collection, but definitely not least. This was the best story of the collection in my humble opinion and not just because werewolves are my favorite supernatural creatures. This story dealt with the age old question of how far would you go to protect the ones you love and what happens when you fail. My heart hurt for June. Highly recommended, unless you’re triggered by childhood trauma; especially the death of a parent.
Book #6 in Amazon’s Creature Feature Collection
⚠️Spoilers!!⚠️
I’m sure by the title and the cover you can guess this is about a werewolf, but I put up a spoiler warning anyway.
Big Bad was the last book of the Creature Feature Collection, but definitely not least. This was the best story of the collection in my humble opinion and not just because werewolves are my favorite supernatural creatures. This story dealt with the age old question of how far would you go to protect the ones you love and what happens when you fail. My heart hurt for June. Highly recommended, unless you’re triggered by childhood trauma; especially the death of a parent.
March 29, 2025
Family drama of a different nature.
Chandler Baker’s smooth writing pulled me right into this slow building spooky story that even had me chuckling a few times. Complete with a fantastic ending, this book was a true treat. 🎃
Creature Feature Collection 2023;
The Pram - Joe Hill ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Ankle Snatcher - Grady Hendrix ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
It Waits in the Woods - Josh Malerman ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
In Bloom - Paul Tremblay ⭐️⭐️
Best of Luck - Jason Mott ⭐️⭐️⭐️
Big Bad - Chandler Baker ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Chandler Baker’s smooth writing pulled me right into this slow building spooky story that even had me chuckling a few times. Complete with a fantastic ending, this book was a true treat. 🎃
Creature Feature Collection 2023;
The Pram - Joe Hill ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Ankle Snatcher - Grady Hendrix ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
It Waits in the Woods - Josh Malerman ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
In Bloom - Paul Tremblay ⭐️⭐️
Best of Luck - Jason Mott ⭐️⭐️⭐️
Big Bad - Chandler Baker ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
January 21, 2024
4.5 Stars — BIG BAD is my first taste of Chandler Baker's writing, and I'm hooked. This is a gruesome tale of a broken marriage with two kiddos caught in the middle, plus a menacing presence lurking around and within their farmhouse walls. Who's the real baddie? The character development was impressive, especially considering the book was under 60 pages. I greatly enjoyed this creepy and emotional family drama/horror story!
October 27, 2023
Eh, this was just...eh
I didn't like this nearly as much as most the other stories in this collection. I felt the storyline was lacking and didn't give enough believability. The plot was thin and ending was ok. Way too many moments that didn't make sense for me.
I didn't like this nearly as much as most the other stories in this collection. I felt the storyline was lacking and didn't give enough believability. The plot was thin and ending was ok. Way too many moments that didn't make sense for me.
March 18, 2024
Big Bad is exactly the type of story you might think it is from the title! But its executed very well. Almost feels like a mystery at times and the plot does escalate very fast as it’s only around 50 pages long.
Book 6/6 of the Creature Feature collection and I would say it’s one of the strongest entries. A decent amount of horror throughout with well-developed characters given it’s a short story.
What horrors are plaguing the Strauss family?
The Mother, Rachel, is a successful scientist and the Father, Sam, is a resentful stay-at-home Dad. There is darkness surrounding their farmyard home, as a mysterious man named Harold shows up there demanding to be let in as he knows Rachel. Also, a wolf keeps getting into the backyard and is lurking in the shadows by the woods.
Is a stalker-type situation at play here? What dark secrets are being kept from the two young daughters, June and Odie?
Book 6/6 of the Creature Feature collection and I would say it’s one of the strongest entries. A decent amount of horror throughout with well-developed characters given it’s a short story.
What horrors are plaguing the Strauss family?
The Mother, Rachel, is a successful scientist and the Father, Sam, is a resentful stay-at-home Dad. There is darkness surrounding their farmyard home, as a mysterious man named Harold shows up there demanding to be let in as he knows Rachel. Also, a wolf keeps getting into the backyard and is lurking in the shadows by the woods.
Is a stalker-type situation at play here? What dark secrets are being kept from the two young daughters, June and Odie?
October 2, 2023
FREE FOR AMAZON PRIME MEMBERS 📚
This one was my absolute favorite of the group. I love the authors, writing style and the characters. It was a creepy tale of two parents just trying to raise their kids I highly recommend it!
This one was my absolute favorite of the group. I love the authors, writing style and the characters. It was a creepy tale of two parents just trying to raise their kids I highly recommend it!
October 23, 2023
3.5
This short story was suspenseful and creepy, specially the ending!
This short story was suspenseful and creepy, specially the ending!
November 3, 2023
big bad:
The 6th and final installment in Amazon’s creature feature. Ending on a good note with this one. Who’s afraid of the big bad wolf?
The 6th and final installment in Amazon’s creature feature. Ending on a good note with this one. Who’s afraid of the big bad wolf?
February 1, 2024
Now this is a creature feature. A very stressed family becomes even more stressed but I can’t tell you why because that’d ruin everything.
December 28, 2023
The Creature Feature collection is really knocking it out of the park! I'll have to look into more work by Chandler Baker, that's for sure.
October 20, 2023
4/5
Neblogai pėdas sumėčiusi istorija, kuri iš tiesų labai nemažai ką pasako nuo pat pradžių, bet simbolius atpažįsti tik tuomet, kai jau žinai, į ką reikėjo žiūrėti. Ir nors autorę pamėgau skaitydama „Kuždesių tinklą“, tokį socialinį-feministinį trilerį, nieko bendro su siaubu neturintį, sakyčiau, kad ir čia ne visai horror. Ir kaip dažniausiai nutinka su trumpomis istorijomis, nėra ji lygiavertė – mano skoniui įžanga yra per ilga, kai apimtis – vos 60 puslapių, o tada jau plėtojimas toks greitas ir staigus, kad pasileidi kaip nuo kalno – kaip ir neblogai, bet aš mėgstu, kai balansas būna geresnis.
Visai faini vaikų veikėjai, gana įdomiai apverčiama ir įprastinė šeimos dinamika. Be to, tiek primėtyta užuominų, kad galima jau nuo pirmų puslapių visko prisigalvoti – ir smurtą šeimoje, ir prievartą, ir baisiausią pavydą, ir serijinio žudiko dramą. Nebloga istorija galvos pravėdinimui.
Neblogai pėdas sumėčiusi istorija, kuri iš tiesų labai nemažai ką pasako nuo pat pradžių, bet simbolius atpažįsti tik tuomet, kai jau žinai, į ką reikėjo žiūrėti. Ir nors autorę pamėgau skaitydama „Kuždesių tinklą“, tokį socialinį-feministinį trilerį, nieko bendro su siaubu neturintį, sakyčiau, kad ir čia ne visai horror. Ir kaip dažniausiai nutinka su trumpomis istorijomis, nėra ji lygiavertė – mano skoniui įžanga yra per ilga, kai apimtis – vos 60 puslapių, o tada jau plėtojimas toks greitas ir staigus, kad pasileidi kaip nuo kalno – kaip ir neblogai, bet aš mėgstu, kai balansas būna geresnis.
Visai faini vaikų veikėjai, gana įdomiai apverčiama ir įprastinė šeimos dinamika. Be to, tiek primėtyta užuominų, kad galima jau nuo pirmų puslapių visko prisigalvoti – ir smurtą šeimoje, ir prievartą, ir baisiausią pavydą, ir serijinio žudiko dramą. Nebloga istorija galvos pravėdinimui.
December 29, 2023
Oh, well, now, let's say bravo Chandler Baker, bravo! That was awesome!
To successfully pack so much quality story and character development into such a short story is no mean feat. Big Bad was the last in the series of six 'creature feature' I've read and by far the best. Full of atmosphere and tension, I absolutely loved it, it was brilliant!
Below is a teeny spoiler in that I’ve compared this book to one I think is in a similar vein.
To successfully pack so much quality story and character development into such a short story is no mean feat. Big Bad was the last in the series of six 'creature feature' I've read and by far the best. Full of atmosphere and tension, I absolutely loved it, it was brilliant!
Below is a teeny spoiler in that I’ve compared this book to one I think is in a similar vein.
October 31, 2023
A unique family drama underpinned by horror most macabre. Werewolves have always been bloodthirsty and horrifying creatures, in this short story that’s taken up a notch. Whilst not lacking in graphic depictions of violence the true scares come from a mother‘s nature. For ashort story I was surprised to read such character development and well written three-dimensional leads. Highly recommend this one.
October 21, 2023
4.5★
“‘Ah, didn’t mean to startle you there.’ Behind thick lenses, the man has filmy eyes. ‘My name’s Harold. I’m your Airbnb guest, here to stay in that cute little house you’ve got there in the back.’
The man wears a flannel shirt and work boots, not the look of their typical renters, who tend to be upscale nature lovers with REI memberships, looking for an excuse to drink craft beer and build a fire.
. . .
Another blip of anxiety pings Sam. He is tall and rugged, but this man, Harold, is built like a lumberjack. ‘You must have gotten the dates mixed up. It happens.’”
Sam’s wife, Rachel, is giving a university presentation and isn’t home yet. She became more well-known in their field than he did, and he’s resentful. There are two little girls, a reliable big sister and a tantrum-throwing little one.
So who is this guy Harold and why isn’t Rachel home yet? This takes place in Eugene, Oregon, after an enormous mudslide of some kind that has wrecked a lot of places, so motel rooms are at a premium, and Harold is insistent... and kind of creepy.
Harold asks whether they’ve had trouble with wildlife moving into the populated areas, especially after this latest event. Some, admits Sam.
I thought I knew where this was going, and then I didn’t, and then I did, and I thoroughly enjoyed it. The tension builds up chillingly and the characters interact well together, as we gradually see what’s happening.
“June is always the careful one, the scaredy cat, the one who warns Odie not to climb so high in the tree. But tonight, June feels her sister’s fear coursing through the creases in Odie’s palms, and she knows that love can be just as terrifying as fear.”
Excellent horror story I’m happy to recommend. It’s one that doesn’t rely on grisly descriptions to be scary, although there is some blood, of course. It’s suspense that always gets to me.
Thanks to #NetGalley and Amazon Original Stories for this copy from the #CreatureFeature Collection.
“‘Ah, didn’t mean to startle you there.’ Behind thick lenses, the man has filmy eyes. ‘My name’s Harold. I’m your Airbnb guest, here to stay in that cute little house you’ve got there in the back.’
The man wears a flannel shirt and work boots, not the look of their typical renters, who tend to be upscale nature lovers with REI memberships, looking for an excuse to drink craft beer and build a fire.
. . .
Another blip of anxiety pings Sam. He is tall and rugged, but this man, Harold, is built like a lumberjack. ‘You must have gotten the dates mixed up. It happens.’”
Sam’s wife, Rachel, is giving a university presentation and isn’t home yet. She became more well-known in their field than he did, and he’s resentful. There are two little girls, a reliable big sister and a tantrum-throwing little one.
So who is this guy Harold and why isn’t Rachel home yet? This takes place in Eugene, Oregon, after an enormous mudslide of some kind that has wrecked a lot of places, so motel rooms are at a premium, and Harold is insistent... and kind of creepy.
Harold asks whether they’ve had trouble with wildlife moving into the populated areas, especially after this latest event. Some, admits Sam.
I thought I knew where this was going, and then I didn’t, and then I did, and I thoroughly enjoyed it. The tension builds up chillingly and the characters interact well together, as we gradually see what’s happening.
“June is always the careful one, the scaredy cat, the one who warns Odie not to climb so high in the tree. But tonight, June feels her sister’s fear coursing through the creases in Odie’s palms, and she knows that love can be just as terrifying as fear.”
Excellent horror story I’m happy to recommend. It’s one that doesn’t rely on grisly descriptions to be scary, although there is some blood, of course. It’s suspense that always gets to me.
Thanks to #NetGalley and Amazon Original Stories for this copy from the #CreatureFeature Collection.
March 8, 2024
Surprising !
This short story is well worth the read. It's exciting and has a surprising ending. Science fiction at it's best.
This short story is well worth the read. It's exciting and has a surprising ending. Science fiction at it's best.
October 29, 2023
So far, the best installment in the series!!!
Inteligent and gripping, a short story with the potential to glue the reader to the pages...
A Werwolf story with unsuspected turns!!!
Loved it!!!!
Inteligent and gripping, a short story with the potential to glue the reader to the pages...
A Werwolf story with unsuspected turns!!!
Loved it!!!!
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