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Six O'Clock House: & Other Strange Tales
Our world is one of magic, both shadowed and bright.
We don’t see it. Distracted by the daily slog, we walk right by it; we pass it on the drive home from work. But it’s there, teeming from the sidewalk cracks, seething in the stare of a stranger, burbling in the creek out back. And when we do pay attention, we invite those powers to be our doom – or our salvation.
In Six O'Clock House & Other Strange Tales, you'll meet a struggling bartender who swears the frogs outside are calling her name. A greenhouse worker lulled by an unlikely psychopomp. A twenty-something screw-up who turns to his widowed neighbor, and a ghost, for redemption.
Some of these characters deserve rough justice; others, a second chance. Open these pages to curse them, to cheer them, to cry with them at what they’ve lost or gained. Just be careful… the waters of these stories run deep and the path through is both treacherous and dark.
We don’t see it. Distracted by the daily slog, we walk right by it; we pass it on the drive home from work. But it’s there, teeming from the sidewalk cracks, seething in the stare of a stranger, burbling in the creek out back. And when we do pay attention, we invite those powers to be our doom – or our salvation.
In Six O'Clock House & Other Strange Tales, you'll meet a struggling bartender who swears the frogs outside are calling her name. A greenhouse worker lulled by an unlikely psychopomp. A twenty-something screw-up who turns to his widowed neighbor, and a ghost, for redemption.
Some of these characters deserve rough justice; others, a second chance. Open these pages to curse them, to cheer them, to cry with them at what they’ve lost or gained. Just be careful… the waters of these stories run deep and the path through is both treacherous and dark.
- GenresHorrorShort Stories
235 pages, Kindle Edition
Published January 21, 2025
4 people are currently reading
66 people want to read
About the author
Rebecca Cuthbert
40 books62 followerslinktr.ee/rebeccacuthbertwrites
Rebecca Cuthbert is a dark fiction and poetry writer living in Western New York. She loves ghost stories, folklore, witchy women, and anything that involves nature getting revenge.
Her debut poetry collection, In Memory of Exoskeletons, is out from Alien Buddha Press (March 2023), and CREEP THIS WAY: How to Become a Horror Writer With 24 Steps to Get You Ghouling is available now from Seamus & Nunzio Productions (Jan. 2024). Look for her hybrid poetry and story collection, Self-Made Monsters, in fall of 2024, also from ABP. News about a children’s horror picture book, a spicy gothic novella, and a ghost story collection will be out soon.
Notable publications include the story “The Quilting Circle of Bygone Gardens” in Soul Scream Antholozine (Seamus & Nunzio Productions, 2023); the sonnet “No Rest Nor Relief For You With Me Dead” in Shakespeare Unleashed (Monstrous Books and Crystal Lake Publishing, 2023); and the story “Falling to Pieces” in We’re Here: Best Queer Speculative Fiction 2022 (Neon Hemlock Press, 2023).
Her poem “Still Love” was published in Nocturne Magazine, and nominated for both a Pushcart Prize and a Best of the Net award. Her poem “Bloodthirsty” was nominated for a Pushcart Prize as well (Alien Buddha Press). Both are included in her debut collection. A story, “Grafting,” was published in Miniskirt Magazine and nominated for a Best of the Net award.
Soon, her grief-horror story “Rock-a-Bye” will be out as part of Cemetery Dance Publications’ DREAD anthology (2024); and her story “The Taste of Other People’s Teeth” will be out as part of Spirited Giving’s Shadows in the Stacks anthology. A poem, “Estuary,” will be published in Seaside Gothic this summer, and “Mrs. Anderson, Mrs. Anderson,” a spicy ghost story, will be part of RebellionLit’s Two for the Show anthology.
Rebecca is an Active Pro Member of the Horror Writers Association and part of the HWA NY chapter. Additionally, she is proud to be a Moanaria Fright Club alumna and a co-conspirator in Lindsay Merbaum’s Study Coven. She is the Editor-in-Chief of Undertaker Books, a new horror press.
Amazon Author Profile: https://www.amazon.com/stores/Rebecca...
Rebecca Cuthbert is a dark fiction and poetry writer living in Western New York. She loves ghost stories, folklore, witchy women, and anything that involves nature getting revenge.
Her debut poetry collection, In Memory of Exoskeletons, is out from Alien Buddha Press (March 2023), and CREEP THIS WAY: How to Become a Horror Writer With 24 Steps to Get You Ghouling is available now from Seamus & Nunzio Productions (Jan. 2024). Look for her hybrid poetry and story collection, Self-Made Monsters, in fall of 2024, also from ABP. News about a children’s horror picture book, a spicy gothic novella, and a ghost story collection will be out soon.
Notable publications include the story “The Quilting Circle of Bygone Gardens” in Soul Scream Antholozine (Seamus & Nunzio Productions, 2023); the sonnet “No Rest Nor Relief For You With Me Dead” in Shakespeare Unleashed (Monstrous Books and Crystal Lake Publishing, 2023); and the story “Falling to Pieces” in We’re Here: Best Queer Speculative Fiction 2022 (Neon Hemlock Press, 2023).
Her poem “Still Love” was published in Nocturne Magazine, and nominated for both a Pushcart Prize and a Best of the Net award. Her poem “Bloodthirsty” was nominated for a Pushcart Prize as well (Alien Buddha Press). Both are included in her debut collection. A story, “Grafting,” was published in Miniskirt Magazine and nominated for a Best of the Net award.
Soon, her grief-horror story “Rock-a-Bye” will be out as part of Cemetery Dance Publications’ DREAD anthology (2024); and her story “The Taste of Other People’s Teeth” will be out as part of Spirited Giving’s Shadows in the Stacks anthology. A poem, “Estuary,” will be published in Seaside Gothic this summer, and “Mrs. Anderson, Mrs. Anderson,” a spicy ghost story, will be part of RebellionLit’s Two for the Show anthology.
Rebecca is an Active Pro Member of the Horror Writers Association and part of the HWA NY chapter. Additionally, she is proud to be a Moanaria Fright Club alumna and a co-conspirator in Lindsay Merbaum’s Study Coven. She is the Editor-in-Chief of Undertaker Books, a new horror press.
Amazon Author Profile: https://www.amazon.com/stores/Rebecca...
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 36 reviews
January 23, 2025
This was my first book by Rebecca Cuthbert and I quite enjoyed it! It was definitely a nice change from my splatterpunk books I love but it was still dark. If I had to pick a favorite story from this lovely collection it would have to be Tumbling After as it was a take on the nursery rhyme Jack and Jill! So after reading this collection I’m definitely a fan and can’t wait to read more by this author.
September 1, 2025
Six O’Clock House & Other Strange Tales is heartwarming, heartbreaking, and all around beautiful. Rebecca’s gift for storytelling is even more apparent in this collection. She too easily connects you to these characters and their issues, their situations, and their emotions. I barely maintained a dry eye through quite a few of these stories whether tragedy or triumph. I challenge anyone to read the title story and not feel something. Many of these stories I would categorize as modern gothic. The characters are the people you know or see in your town every day: the chatty waitress at your favorite diner, the man battling the bottle as he copes with a break up, your favorite bartender who always seems to be working and pours your beer with a ghost of a real smile every time. Instead of running away from the haunted Victorian mansion, they run from their past mistakes, toxic cycles, and uncompromising judgements.
I cannot recommend Six O’Clock House enough. For me, it brought to mind Cursed Bunny by Bora Chung, beautiful writing and stories that will haunt my mind for years to come.
I cannot recommend Six O’Clock House enough. For me, it brought to mind Cursed Bunny by Bora Chung, beautiful writing and stories that will haunt my mind for years to come.
August 17, 2025
Rebecca Cuthbert has a way of making the ordinary eerie.
Cuthbert’s strength is in crafting characters who feel painfully human. The themes of loneliness, redemption, and many others are palpable, sometimes hidden in plain sight, sometimes wrapped in metaphor, but always present.
Stories:
Inheritance—5/5
Joiner—3/5
Lovesick—3/5
Bait & Switch—3/5
Poor Billy—5/5
A Bargain at Twice the Price—3.5/5
Punching In—3.5/5
Hey, Stranger—4/5
Funeral Hats—4/5
Thick on the Wet Cement—4/5
Six O’Clock House—4/5
Damp in the Walls—4/5
Cuthbert’s strength is in crafting characters who feel painfully human. The themes of loneliness, redemption, and many others are palpable, sometimes hidden in plain sight, sometimes wrapped in metaphor, but always present.
Stories:
Inheritance—5/5
Joiner—3/5
Lovesick—3/5
Bait & Switch—3/5
Poor Billy—5/5
A Bargain at Twice the Price—3.5/5
Punching In—3.5/5
Hey, Stranger—4/5
Funeral Hats—4/5
Thick on the Wet Cement—4/5
Six O’Clock House—4/5
Damp in the Walls—4/5
August 1, 2025
A few times when I was reading this collection I forgot that it wasn’t written by Shirley Jackson. If you like Jackson’s work, you will love this. These stories are subtle in their horrors but that is exactly what makes them creepy. One of the best collections I’ve read in a long time.
January 13, 2025
Gorgeous, wonderful heart-breaking collection of tales, each impactful in its own way.
Joiner, Infested, Thick on the Wet Cement, Six O’Clock House and Hey Stranger are five stories that delve into female loneliness and insecurity.
Tumbling After and A Bargain at Twice the Price made me tear up and sob/hitch.
Every story invokes emotion and quiet horror.
Joiner, Infested, Thick on the Wet Cement, Six O’Clock House and Hey Stranger are five stories that delve into female loneliness and insecurity.
Tumbling After and A Bargain at Twice the Price made me tear up and sob/hitch.
Every story invokes emotion and quiet horror.
May 7, 2025
The horror here is subtle, often psychological, and sometimes not horror at all, though always properly eerie and unsettling. These stories blur the lines between human and nature, between the real and the imagined, and lead the reader into regions unknown.
The characters are tangible and knowable, and I was made to care about them, hate them, root for them, or some combination thereof. Cuthbert’s writing is excellent and often adopts a unique clipped rhythm that works just right, an expert no-frills prose experience that pushes the reader effortlessly deep into each story.
My favorites were the title story (Six O’clock House), and the last story (Damp in the Walls). More than half of the stories fell into four star (“I liked it a lot”) territory for me, and I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys short stories and strange fiction.
Thank you Watertower Hill Publishing for providing this book for review consideration via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.
A note on the cover: though I like the dilapidated greenhouse, the arrangement and font remind me of the pulp horror that I read in middle school in the 90s. The stories here are substantially higher quality than what I would have guessed based on the cover. Netgalley describes this book as “literary/quiet horror and dark magical realism,” which I find 100% apt, and I think the cover undersells that.
The characters are tangible and knowable, and I was made to care about them, hate them, root for them, or some combination thereof. Cuthbert’s writing is excellent and often adopts a unique clipped rhythm that works just right, an expert no-frills prose experience that pushes the reader effortlessly deep into each story.
My favorites were the title story (Six O’clock House), and the last story (Damp in the Walls). More than half of the stories fell into four star (“I liked it a lot”) territory for me, and I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys short stories and strange fiction.
Thank you Watertower Hill Publishing for providing this book for review consideration via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.
A note on the cover: though I like the dilapidated greenhouse, the arrangement and font remind me of the pulp horror that I read in middle school in the 90s. The stories here are substantially higher quality than what I would have guessed based on the cover. Netgalley describes this book as “literary/quiet horror and dark magical realism,” which I find 100% apt, and I think the cover undersells that.
January 29, 2025
I think Rebecca Cuthbert has gathered the most unique, and odd stories to fill this book. They range in length, with one being just a page and a half, to another with several. Each story is totally different than the other. There is a little bit of magic in each story, and characters stand out within only a few words.
The title story, The Six O’clock House, is my favorite of the bunch. It’s about a woman who is seen by her loved ones, by society and ignored at the same time. She is not pretty, and wants so badly to be. This story resonated with me so much. I felt her shame, her emotions and pain of never being enough. How she chooses to approach this, in the end, is incredibly beautiful. Those last few paragraphs will hit your heart.
Not horror, but more strange fiction, I think there is a story for everyone in this book. I read it very quickly, and found each story captivating in their own way.
The title story, The Six O’clock House, is my favorite of the bunch. It’s about a woman who is seen by her loved ones, by society and ignored at the same time. She is not pretty, and wants so badly to be. This story resonated with me so much. I felt her shame, her emotions and pain of never being enough. How she chooses to approach this, in the end, is incredibly beautiful. Those last few paragraphs will hit your heart.
Not horror, but more strange fiction, I think there is a story for everyone in this book. I read it very quickly, and found each story captivating in their own way.
January 17, 2025
Where do I start?
First time visit with this author, and I could not say no to the cover, it practically glows with a otherworldly green, second one of my favorite publishers picked this up, and they have not been wrong yet with a collection or anthro I've picked so, here we are.
This was a little bit of a mix of horrors, emotional, dark, twisty, and soulful.
A few of the stand out stories were Thick on the Wet Cement and A Bargain at Twice the Price.
The first was heartachingly horrifying to read, sometimes its easy to understand loneliness and sometimes, sometimes its not.
A Bargain at Twice the Price had me leaking at the eyeballs a little, you know, must have been dust or something.
I loved this collection because it wasn't something so far out of the ordinary you couldn't relate, and not so crazy that you were knocked out of the story, these things were creepy and snuck into your brain in a way, that by the time you try to think, oh that's not normal, you question it..is it?
I loved how well she can build tension, that's a key point for me in horror, I don't need the in your face scares, brew me a cauldron of terror, slowly, to the point, by the time you are deep into the storyline, you don't know what direction she's going to take you .
The thing is, its not always the monster coming to get you, sometimes its the little things deep inside that get you, that manifest into something dangerous, and monster like itself. And I feel like Rebecca really hit on that one.
This was absolutely worth the read, fantastic Rebecca and beautifully written.
This is absolutely for anyone that wants a collection of horror that will make you FEEL something.
First time visit with this author, and I could not say no to the cover, it practically glows with a otherworldly green, second one of my favorite publishers picked this up, and they have not been wrong yet with a collection or anthro I've picked so, here we are.
This was a little bit of a mix of horrors, emotional, dark, twisty, and soulful.
A few of the stand out stories were Thick on the Wet Cement and A Bargain at Twice the Price.
The first was heartachingly horrifying to read, sometimes its easy to understand loneliness and sometimes, sometimes its not.
A Bargain at Twice the Price had me leaking at the eyeballs a little, you know, must have been dust or something.
I loved this collection because it wasn't something so far out of the ordinary you couldn't relate, and not so crazy that you were knocked out of the story, these things were creepy and snuck into your brain in a way, that by the time you try to think, oh that's not normal, you question it..is it?
I loved how well she can build tension, that's a key point for me in horror, I don't need the in your face scares, brew me a cauldron of terror, slowly, to the point, by the time you are deep into the storyline, you don't know what direction she's going to take you .
The thing is, its not always the monster coming to get you, sometimes its the little things deep inside that get you, that manifest into something dangerous, and monster like itself. And I feel like Rebecca really hit on that one.
This was absolutely worth the read, fantastic Rebecca and beautifully written.
This is absolutely for anyone that wants a collection of horror that will make you FEEL something.
June 8, 2025
I really enjoyed this one. Some stories were stronger than others, but the overall vibe was exactly what I was hoping for. It was weird in the best way and left me thinking about a few of them long after I finished.
January 30, 2025
These emotional and beautifully written stories made me appreciate how horror can differ from one type to the next. Each story has its own uniqueness that travels to the dark,strange, and sometimes tragic lifestyles of each character.
Cuthbert writes with delicately and care, but gripping emotions as well. I would consider this as soft horror, but respectably. I really enjoyed this.
Cuthbert writes with delicately and care, but gripping emotions as well. I would consider this as soft horror, but respectably. I really enjoyed this.
January 10, 2025
I’d previously only read Rebecca’s poetry, and this collection is proof of her skill in playing with genre expectations and format, with one story entirely comprised of one-sided dialogue!
I think my favorite thing about it was the strength of voice in each individual story, even though some are only a page or two long, they are engaging and many have a distinct literary or eco-horror bend with plenty of weirdness. At one point I even had to sit my husband down and read him an excerpt because it was so dark and hilarious. 😆 “Stab! Stab!” (IYKYK)
From bars to libraries, hat shops to greenhouses, this collection is like a little box of unique treats to savor slowly and deliberately. Would definitely recommend.
I think my favorite thing about it was the strength of voice in each individual story, even though some are only a page or two long, they are engaging and many have a distinct literary or eco-horror bend with plenty of weirdness. At one point I even had to sit my husband down and read him an excerpt because it was so dark and hilarious. 😆 “Stab! Stab!” (IYKYK)
From bars to libraries, hat shops to greenhouses, this collection is like a little box of unique treats to savor slowly and deliberately. Would definitely recommend.
January 4, 2025
In Six O’Clock House and Other Strange Tales, Rebecca Cuthbert reaches deep down into the reader's gut, grabs hold of those secret fears, anxieties, and heartbreaks we all keep hiddem, and rips them right out through the throat--a painful yet necessary experience--bringing the bloody yet beautiful horror of everyday life out into the light.
April 24, 2025
Sometimes what you get on the tin doesn’t match what’s inside. You crack open a nice salty sardine treat, and wind up with a mean snake surprise. Those are the worst, and everyone hates them. Six O’Clock House is an excellent example of when it’s a great idea to pay attention to the title. It says it’s a book of strange tales, and it means it. It’s what’s on the tin.
We’re talking lakes full of frogs that call to folks. We’re talking people doing their damndest to become pretty, with plants. And don’t get me started on a truck that makes you a better person. These tales are for the most part weird, at the least. I’m a huge fan of weird, so this got me right away.
What these stories also have heaps and heaps of, are emotional punches. Several of them left me exhausted with how utterly and relentlessly painful they were. My favorite story, “Infested” combines the strangeness the book promises with the agony, catharsis, and growth that the book title doesn’t tell you about.
Well I am. I’m telling you about it. This book is full of heart. Bleeding, screaming, growing, shriveling, yearning, breaking. All the things a heart can do physically and metaphorically this book does it in every story. Maybe not all at once, but expect at least a few in each. You can tell the author put her soul into this work, for everyone to see.
I’m happy I read it, and once my tears were dried I enjoyed the lovely questions for discussion at the end. I answered each lighting fast, because I’d already thought the things they wanted me to.
This was an excellent, weird, wonderfully painful read. Enjoy!
We’re talking lakes full of frogs that call to folks. We’re talking people doing their damndest to become pretty, with plants. And don’t get me started on a truck that makes you a better person. These tales are for the most part weird, at the least. I’m a huge fan of weird, so this got me right away.
What these stories also have heaps and heaps of, are emotional punches. Several of them left me exhausted with how utterly and relentlessly painful they were. My favorite story, “Infested” combines the strangeness the book promises with the agony, catharsis, and growth that the book title doesn’t tell you about.
Well I am. I’m telling you about it. This book is full of heart. Bleeding, screaming, growing, shriveling, yearning, breaking. All the things a heart can do physically and metaphorically this book does it in every story. Maybe not all at once, but expect at least a few in each. You can tell the author put her soul into this work, for everyone to see.
I’m happy I read it, and once my tears were dried I enjoyed the lovely questions for discussion at the end. I answered each lighting fast, because I’d already thought the things they wanted me to.
This was an excellent, weird, wonderfully painful read. Enjoy!
December 3, 2024
Cuthbert skillfully takes ordinary characters and settings and adds touches of fears and fable, to create strange tales that are the perfect mix of eerie and unnerving. Oozing with unease and tension, this is a collection that is sure to get under your skin.
Thank you to the author for an advance copy of this collection.
Thank you to the author for an advance copy of this collection.
June 1, 2025
There's certain stories that Stephen King has written where he's gone beyond whatever genre he's writing in, and he does something magical. Instead of populating the story with interesting characters, instead, he weaves some special spell and gives us some uncommon insight into a character—insight that moves them from being just another character, to someone we understand, someone we can related to, someone we know.
For me, the first one was the bullied Carrie White. But he also did with Jack Torrance. With Johnny Smith...with a bunch of others. It doesn't always happen, but when he does it, he does it well. For me, there's not a lot of authors that write well enough to make a fictional character leap off the page and stick in the mind as someone you fully care and worry about. Maybe Dennis Lehane. Maybe Elmore Leonard.
But Rebecca Cuthbert?
Yeah, she does it too.
And dammit, she does it so well, she makes it appear effortless. She knows the exact right words, the exact right observation, the exact right insight to fill that character out and let them breathe.
However, even with that skill, it would be one that's lost on the reader if her characters didn't have engaging stories to navigate through. Rebecca doesn't disappoint here either.
SIX O'CLOCK HOUSE is a collection of stories. Many horror, but then again, perhaps not. Some have supernatural elements, many have ghosts in one form or another. But others are just...people living their lives.
I think the highest compliment I can provide is this: Most authors put characters through their paces to serve the plot, or they make the plot work to show certain elements of the character. Rebecca manages both of these, but her stories? They seem to fall into one of two very broad categories...
The first is that person. We all know that person. They're the one that the craziest stuff happens to. Stuff that's happened to no one else. Stuff that you wouldn't believe if you didn't know them. And it's Monday morning, and they start telling you the strangest, funniest, most heartbreaking, horrifying, laugh out loud story...
The other one is more complicated. Have you ever had someone—a family member, a friend, a co-worker, hell, a complete stranger—approach you with a certain look in their eye...one that shows that there's a cautious excitement there...and they have a certain look on their face. It could be excitement, yes, but it could be dread. It could be amusement, or concern. But there's always an emotion obvious on their face...and of course, that look in their eye, and they say, "You are not going to believe this, but have I got a story for you..." The utterly unbelievable story. The one that always happened to a guy that is friends with the brother-in-law of their first wife's, cousin's best friend...
You ever had that? Because that's most of Rebecca's stories. And they never disappoint. Rebecca always has a story for you, whether you're gonna believe it or not.
These are wonderful, funny, heartbreaking, horrifying, awful, wonderful stories. And this is an incredible collection.
For me, the first one was the bullied Carrie White. But he also did with Jack Torrance. With Johnny Smith...with a bunch of others. It doesn't always happen, but when he does it, he does it well. For me, there's not a lot of authors that write well enough to make a fictional character leap off the page and stick in the mind as someone you fully care and worry about. Maybe Dennis Lehane. Maybe Elmore Leonard.
But Rebecca Cuthbert?
Yeah, she does it too.
And dammit, she does it so well, she makes it appear effortless. She knows the exact right words, the exact right observation, the exact right insight to fill that character out and let them breathe.
However, even with that skill, it would be one that's lost on the reader if her characters didn't have engaging stories to navigate through. Rebecca doesn't disappoint here either.
SIX O'CLOCK HOUSE is a collection of stories. Many horror, but then again, perhaps not. Some have supernatural elements, many have ghosts in one form or another. But others are just...people living their lives.
I think the highest compliment I can provide is this: Most authors put characters through their paces to serve the plot, or they make the plot work to show certain elements of the character. Rebecca manages both of these, but her stories? They seem to fall into one of two very broad categories...
The first is that person. We all know that person. They're the one that the craziest stuff happens to. Stuff that's happened to no one else. Stuff that you wouldn't believe if you didn't know them. And it's Monday morning, and they start telling you the strangest, funniest, most heartbreaking, horrifying, laugh out loud story...
The other one is more complicated. Have you ever had someone—a family member, a friend, a co-worker, hell, a complete stranger—approach you with a certain look in their eye...one that shows that there's a cautious excitement there...and they have a certain look on their face. It could be excitement, yes, but it could be dread. It could be amusement, or concern. But there's always an emotion obvious on their face...and of course, that look in their eye, and they say, "You are not going to believe this, but have I got a story for you..." The utterly unbelievable story. The one that always happened to a guy that is friends with the brother-in-law of their first wife's, cousin's best friend...
You ever had that? Because that's most of Rebecca's stories. And they never disappoint. Rebecca always has a story for you, whether you're gonna believe it or not.
These are wonderful, funny, heartbreaking, horrifying, awful, wonderful stories. And this is an incredible collection.
August 9, 2025
🔥 BRO vs. SIX O’CLOCK HOUSE & OTHER STRANGE TALES 🔥
🥊 The Book: From urban legends with sharp teeth to quiet hauntings that creep under your skin, these stories offer rough justice for some, second chances for others, and a dark path for all. Loneliness runs through them like a live wire—sometimes in plain sight, sometimes hidden until it’s too late.
💪 The Bro: First time stepping into Cuthbert’s ring, and wow—her prose hits like a featherweight jab that somehow leaves a bruise. Every story had me leaning in, some whispering their horror, others staring me down. The theme of loneliness is everywhere, shaping the dread as much as any ghost or creature.
⸻
🥊 ROUND 1: First Impressions
• The title story sets a mood—strange, alluring, and a little dangerous. It’s haunting in its own way, and I can see why it was the titular story.
• “Poor Billy” hooked me early. What starts like a parenting scare tactic turns into something heartbreaking…much like many of these other stories.
• Right away, you can tell Cuthbert knows how to weave atmosphere without drowning you in it.
⸻
🥊 ROUND 2: In the Thick of It
• “A Bargain at Twice the Price” was top notch for me and nearly knocked me out cold. I may be a fighter but I’m not heartless, and this was raw emotion wrapped in understated horror.
• Psychological unease > jump scares. These stories whisper instead of scream, and it works.
• Dialogue snaps with authenticity, and the characters don’t feel like caricatures. Even if you’re hating them instead of rooting for them.
⸻
🥊 ROUND 3: The Home Stretch
• The imagery is so vivid it’s like sitting in the room with these characters. Unfortunately, it’s sometimes a room you really wish you could leave!
• Not every story is a home run, but the collection as a whole keeps you in its grip right through the last page.
⸻
🔥 FINAL BELL: The ARC Bro Scorecard 🔥
🥊 Unanimous Decision – Six O’Clock House delivers a one-two combo of atmospheric dread and emotional heft. The consistent theme of loneliness, paired with Cuthbert’s sharp, economical prose, makes this a darkly satisfying bout.
🥊 The Book: From urban legends with sharp teeth to quiet hauntings that creep under your skin, these stories offer rough justice for some, second chances for others, and a dark path for all. Loneliness runs through them like a live wire—sometimes in plain sight, sometimes hidden until it’s too late.
💪 The Bro: First time stepping into Cuthbert’s ring, and wow—her prose hits like a featherweight jab that somehow leaves a bruise. Every story had me leaning in, some whispering their horror, others staring me down. The theme of loneliness is everywhere, shaping the dread as much as any ghost or creature.
⸻
🥊 ROUND 1: First Impressions
• The title story sets a mood—strange, alluring, and a little dangerous. It’s haunting in its own way, and I can see why it was the titular story.
• “Poor Billy” hooked me early. What starts like a parenting scare tactic turns into something heartbreaking…much like many of these other stories.
• Right away, you can tell Cuthbert knows how to weave atmosphere without drowning you in it.
⸻
🥊 ROUND 2: In the Thick of It
• “A Bargain at Twice the Price” was top notch for me and nearly knocked me out cold. I may be a fighter but I’m not heartless, and this was raw emotion wrapped in understated horror.
• Psychological unease > jump scares. These stories whisper instead of scream, and it works.
• Dialogue snaps with authenticity, and the characters don’t feel like caricatures. Even if you’re hating them instead of rooting for them.
⸻
🥊 ROUND 3: The Home Stretch
• The imagery is so vivid it’s like sitting in the room with these characters. Unfortunately, it’s sometimes a room you really wish you could leave!
• Not every story is a home run, but the collection as a whole keeps you in its grip right through the last page.
⸻
🔥 FINAL BELL: The ARC Bro Scorecard 🔥
🥊 Unanimous Decision – Six O’Clock House delivers a one-two combo of atmospheric dread and emotional heft. The consistent theme of loneliness, paired with Cuthbert’s sharp, economical prose, makes this a darkly satisfying bout.
May 1, 2025
Rebecca Cuthbert’s Six O’Clock House & Other Strange Tales is a haunting, beautifully crafted collection that invites readers to peer beneath the surface of the everyday—and what stares back is often unsettling, uncanny, and profoundly human. These are stories that whisper to you from the margins of the mundane, where horror and grace cohabitate in eerie balance.
In Cuthbert’s world, the strange doesn’t kick down the door—it creeps in through the cracks in the sidewalk, flickers behind the eyes of a stranger, or croaks from the throats of frogs outside a bartender’s window. The horror is rarely explosive, but always intimate: personal moments of dread and transformation shaped by loss, guilt, trauma, or the faint hope of redemption. The stories veer into the weird and speculative, but never lose their emotional grounding.
Each tale is a small, dark jewel: polished, atmospheric, and full of tension. A woman hears frogs calling her name. A psychopomp appears not in mythic grandeur but amid the soil and sweat of a greenhouse. A young man finds both regret and renewal in the company of a ghost and a grieving neighbor. Cuthbert’s characters are raw and real—sometimes flawed to the point of self-destruction—but they are written with a deep, unflinching compassion.
What sets this collection apart is its careful balancing act between doom and deliverance. The supernatural forces that emerge from the edges of reality are not always malevolent—sometimes they offer clarity, connection, or even a second chance. But Cuthbert never lets you feel too comfortable. The path through her stories is, as she warns, treacherous and dark.
Verdict:
Six O’Clock House & Other Strange Tales is a masterclass in quiet horror and lyrical weird fiction. Rebecca Cuthbert writes with empathy, tension, and an eye for the unseen. These stories will stick with you, whispering from the shadows long after you’ve turned the last page.
In Cuthbert’s world, the strange doesn’t kick down the door—it creeps in through the cracks in the sidewalk, flickers behind the eyes of a stranger, or croaks from the throats of frogs outside a bartender’s window. The horror is rarely explosive, but always intimate: personal moments of dread and transformation shaped by loss, guilt, trauma, or the faint hope of redemption. The stories veer into the weird and speculative, but never lose their emotional grounding.
Each tale is a small, dark jewel: polished, atmospheric, and full of tension. A woman hears frogs calling her name. A psychopomp appears not in mythic grandeur but amid the soil and sweat of a greenhouse. A young man finds both regret and renewal in the company of a ghost and a grieving neighbor. Cuthbert’s characters are raw and real—sometimes flawed to the point of self-destruction—but they are written with a deep, unflinching compassion.
What sets this collection apart is its careful balancing act between doom and deliverance. The supernatural forces that emerge from the edges of reality are not always malevolent—sometimes they offer clarity, connection, or even a second chance. But Cuthbert never lets you feel too comfortable. The path through her stories is, as she warns, treacherous and dark.
Verdict:
Six O’Clock House & Other Strange Tales is a masterclass in quiet horror and lyrical weird fiction. Rebecca Cuthbert writes with empathy, tension, and an eye for the unseen. These stories will stick with you, whispering from the shadows long after you’ve turned the last page.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 24, 2025
Sometimes what you get on the tin doesn’t match what’s inside. You crack open a nice salty sardine treat, and wind up with a mean snake surprise. Those are the worst, and everyone hates them. Six O’Clock House is an excellent example of when it’s a great idea to pay attention to the title. It says it’s a book of strange tales, and it means it. It’s what’s on the tin.
We’re talking lakes full of frogs that call to folks. We’re talking people doing their damndest to become pretty, with plants. And don’t get me started on a truck that makes you a better person. These tales are for the most part weird, at the least. I’m a huge fan of weird, so this got me right away.
What these stories also have heaps and heaps of, are emotional punches. Several of them left me exhausted with how utterly and relentlessly painful they were. My favorite story, “Infested” combines the strangeness the book promises with the agony, catharsis, and growth that the book title doesn’t tell you about.
Well I am. I’m telling you about it. This book is full of heart. Bleeding, screaming, growing, shriveling, yearning, breaking. All the things a heart can do physically and metaphorically this book does it in every story. Maybe not all at once, but expect at least a few in each. You can tell the author put her soul into this work, for everyone to see.
I’m happy I read it, and once my tears were dried I enjoyed the lovely questions for discussion at the end. I answered each lighting fast, because I’d already thought the things they wanted me to.
This was an excellent, weird, wonderfully painful read. Enjoy!
We’re talking lakes full of frogs that call to folks. We’re talking people doing their damndest to become pretty, with plants. And don’t get me started on a truck that makes you a better person. These tales are for the most part weird, at the least. I’m a huge fan of weird, so this got me right away.
What these stories also have heaps and heaps of, are emotional punches. Several of them left me exhausted with how utterly and relentlessly painful they were. My favorite story, “Infested” combines the strangeness the book promises with the agony, catharsis, and growth that the book title doesn’t tell you about.
Well I am. I’m telling you about it. This book is full of heart. Bleeding, screaming, growing, shriveling, yearning, breaking. All the things a heart can do physically and metaphorically this book does it in every story. Maybe not all at once, but expect at least a few in each. You can tell the author put her soul into this work, for everyone to see.
I’m happy I read it, and once my tears were dried I enjoyed the lovely questions for discussion at the end. I answered each lighting fast, because I’d already thought the things they wanted me to.
This was an excellent, weird, wonderfully painful read. Enjoy!
January 31, 2025
There is something special about a well crafted, quiet horror story. The time the tale takes you to lull the reader into a false sense of security before springing a surprise that sends a chill down the spine or causes the hair to raise on forearms. There was a moment during the first story of Rebecca Cuthbert's excellent collection, in which I was so comfortable that I nearly got sentences on and had to stop, back track, and reread a sentence just to make sure that, yes, that ominous feeling that started to creep through me was indeed justified. That, my friends, is artistry.
The most interesting thing about this collection is that, while the author his a deft hand at dealing chills, her real talent lies in being able to break your heart. Several times while reading I caught visions of Raymond Carver, and author so far afield of horror, it might seem strange to mention him here. But like Carver, Cuthbert's narratives were at times so subtilely heart breaking, it was hours after ending some of them, and wondering why I felt a little heavy, a little sad, then the answer hit me. "It was that damn story!"
There are also just straight forward horrors here. One that gave me the "I hope I don't wake up tonight and have to let the dog out" creeps. And one ghost story so unique, I'm not sure I've read anything quite like it. Rebecca Cuthbert's talent is on display in this collection, and her talents are varied. This is a top notch collection.
The most interesting thing about this collection is that, while the author his a deft hand at dealing chills, her real talent lies in being able to break your heart. Several times while reading I caught visions of Raymond Carver, and author so far afield of horror, it might seem strange to mention him here. But like Carver, Cuthbert's narratives were at times so subtilely heart breaking, it was hours after ending some of them, and wondering why I felt a little heavy, a little sad, then the answer hit me. "It was that damn story!"
There are also just straight forward horrors here. One that gave me the "I hope I don't wake up tonight and have to let the dog out" creeps. And one ghost story so unique, I'm not sure I've read anything quite like it. Rebecca Cuthbert's talent is on display in this collection, and her talents are varied. This is a top notch collection.
May 29, 2025
Short story collections are always difficult to rate in my opinion. There is always a mixed bag and some will stand out, while others won't. Some of my personal favourites were ‘A Bargain at Twice the Price’, ‘Infested’, ‘Inheritance’ and ‘The Six O’Clock House’.
All the stories centered around one common theme, loneliness. Sometimes it was blatant in your face, such as in ‘A bargain at Twice the Price’ about a widow befriending a neighbour or every now and again the author cleverly concealed it. For example in ‘Poor Billy’ a boy is told that if he leaves his toys laying around then ‘Poor Billy’ will come and take them away. On the surface this seems like a typical urban legend, you may tell your kids to get them to clean up after themselves (after you’ve asked them nicely about 50,000 times!). But in this story Poor Billy is a real entity and he does take your toys. However, what Poor Billy wants most of all is someone to play with.
I believe this was shelved as Horror as per Goodreads, but it doesn’t quite fit that genre in my mind. There was some body horror and creepy vibes going on. However, this book feels like it deserves its own subgenre of horror, ‘quirky-horror’, ‘alt-horror’, I’m not sure, but whatever it was, I want more of it!
** I received a complimentary copy of this book from Watertower Hill Publishing via Netgalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
All the stories centered around one common theme, loneliness. Sometimes it was blatant in your face, such as in ‘A bargain at Twice the Price’ about a widow befriending a neighbour or every now and again the author cleverly concealed it. For example in ‘Poor Billy’ a boy is told that if he leaves his toys laying around then ‘Poor Billy’ will come and take them away. On the surface this seems like a typical urban legend, you may tell your kids to get them to clean up after themselves (after you’ve asked them nicely about 50,000 times!). But in this story Poor Billy is a real entity and he does take your toys. However, what Poor Billy wants most of all is someone to play with.
I believe this was shelved as Horror as per Goodreads, but it doesn’t quite fit that genre in my mind. There was some body horror and creepy vibes going on. However, this book feels like it deserves its own subgenre of horror, ‘quirky-horror’, ‘alt-horror’, I’m not sure, but whatever it was, I want more of it!
** I received a complimentary copy of this book from Watertower Hill Publishing via Netgalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
March 30, 2025
How do I keep finding books to be disappointed in, I'm gonna cryyyyyyyyy.
This is supposed to be a collection of horror short stories. And they certainly are short. These stories are too short to even make a point, it was so weird. You need to tell me something when you tell me a story, these were so flat and boring and nothing happened. As for more about the content of these stories, I do not know who decided this was to be considered horror because these were not scary at all. I would call this great for middle grade age readers if not for the random sexual part.
These stories were too short, I couldn't get invest and there was nothing to get invested in. I wanted some fun little spooky stories and I just got nothing. This was so disappointing. I wanted some spooky story time!
The book as a whole was super short, so there's that.
Thanks to NetGalley for the e-ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review!
This is supposed to be a collection of horror short stories. And they certainly are short. These stories are too short to even make a point, it was so weird. You need to tell me something when you tell me a story, these were so flat and boring and nothing happened. As for more about the content of these stories, I do not know who decided this was to be considered horror because these were not scary at all. I would call this great for middle grade age readers if not for the random sexual part.
These stories were too short, I couldn't get invest and there was nothing to get invested in. I wanted some fun little spooky stories and I just got nothing. This was so disappointing. I wanted some spooky story time!
The book as a whole was super short, so there's that.
Thanks to NetGalley for the e-ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review!
May 6, 2025
Incredibly intelligent, dark, yet quiet horror that makes you wait, tortures and toys with you slowly - making you watch as pain creeps toward you.
I loved this anthology. It was a change of pace for me, as like I said; each story builds the tension and forces you to wait for the killer blow. Sometimes the fatal strike doesn't happen and it's all the more horrific for it. I'm used to instant and bloody gratification but Rebecca Cuthbert has other ideas. This author is way better than that.
Every story is woven through with a fascination in death, in returning to dirt, to existentialism, relationships and revenge or redemption. I adored the cerebral shocks, the ghosts, the crazy, the frogs, the twists. I can't remember reading a collection of stories where every single one was so different, yet so completely captivating.
A fabulous anthology and Rebecca Cuthbert has a new fan. Thank you for the opportunity to read this wonder.
I loved this anthology. It was a change of pace for me, as like I said; each story builds the tension and forces you to wait for the killer blow. Sometimes the fatal strike doesn't happen and it's all the more horrific for it. I'm used to instant and bloody gratification but Rebecca Cuthbert has other ideas. This author is way better than that.
Every story is woven through with a fascination in death, in returning to dirt, to existentialism, relationships and revenge or redemption. I adored the cerebral shocks, the ghosts, the crazy, the frogs, the twists. I can't remember reading a collection of stories where every single one was so different, yet so completely captivating.
A fabulous anthology and Rebecca Cuthbert has a new fan. Thank you for the opportunity to read this wonder.
June 13, 2025
Thank you NetGalley for the ARC.
The short story collection was a fun read and the different tones from one story to the next kept my attention and kept me wondering what was next. However I feel like the horror aspect was lacking and I would have liked some of the stories to be a bit longer to have the proper impact.
I think of all the stories Hey, Stranger was my personal favourite. Although I could see how it was going to end quite early in I enjoyed the style of the writing and the format. It allowed the story to be told in an interesting way. Also enjoyed the last story Damp in the Walls which had the sort of atmospheric creepy horror I had been looking for through the book.
If you enjoy a variety of short stories all with similar underlying themes weaved throughout, I think you'll enjoy this book and I would reccomend it. I think it just fell a bit short for me to rate it any higher.
The short story collection was a fun read and the different tones from one story to the next kept my attention and kept me wondering what was next. However I feel like the horror aspect was lacking and I would have liked some of the stories to be a bit longer to have the proper impact.
I think of all the stories Hey, Stranger was my personal favourite. Although I could see how it was going to end quite early in I enjoyed the style of the writing and the format. It allowed the story to be told in an interesting way. Also enjoyed the last story Damp in the Walls which had the sort of atmospheric creepy horror I had been looking for through the book.
If you enjoy a variety of short stories all with similar underlying themes weaved throughout, I think you'll enjoy this book and I would reccomend it. I think it just fell a bit short for me to rate it any higher.
June 29, 2025
Six O’Clock House & Other Strange Tales by Rebecca Cuthbert is a curated collection of quiet horror, that includes short stories and vignettes. I LOVE quiet horror!!!
Each story is extremely well-written (also my first time reading this author) and built on disturbing psychological and horror elements that whisper rather than shout, yet still leave the reader feeling distinctly uneasy or unnerved.
Aside from Cuthbert’s astute crafting of atmospheric dread, fabulous characterization (especially within the confines of short stories), and dialogue, the author’s versatility becomes evident throughout this collection.
While all of the stories were engaged, some were much more fleshed out and left a lasting impression.
A few stand outs for me were Joiner, Hey, Stranger, A Bargain at Twice the Price, and Damp in the Walls.
If you enjoy quiet horror, old-school horror, literary horror, interesting premises, some fantastic writing, check this out!
4.5/5 rounded up to 5
Each story is extremely well-written (also my first time reading this author) and built on disturbing psychological and horror elements that whisper rather than shout, yet still leave the reader feeling distinctly uneasy or unnerved.
Aside from Cuthbert’s astute crafting of atmospheric dread, fabulous characterization (especially within the confines of short stories), and dialogue, the author’s versatility becomes evident throughout this collection.
While all of the stories were engaged, some were much more fleshed out and left a lasting impression.
A few stand outs for me were Joiner, Hey, Stranger, A Bargain at Twice the Price, and Damp in the Walls.
If you enjoy quiet horror, old-school horror, literary horror, interesting premises, some fantastic writing, check this out!
4.5/5 rounded up to 5
February 1, 2025
Collections are a showcase for a writer, introducing the depth and breadth of their skill and range. In this particular collection, you find a very strong writer indeed in Rebecca Cuthbert. Short stories, interspersed with flash, cover a variety of topics in an engaging and well-written manner.
My favourite is Hey, Stranger - a brilliant monologue delivered by a waitress at work - and so cleverly done that you are there with her, listening to the non-stop chatter and a close second, was A Bargain at Twice the Price which turns into a story of redemption. Having said that, all of the stories are of a high standard and stand up well against each other.
This was an excellent introduction to Rebecca Cuthbert for me and knowing her quality, I will happily read her work in the future!
My favourite is Hey, Stranger - a brilliant monologue delivered by a waitress at work - and so cleverly done that you are there with her, listening to the non-stop chatter and a close second, was A Bargain at Twice the Price which turns into a story of redemption. Having said that, all of the stories are of a high standard and stand up well against each other.
This was an excellent introduction to Rebecca Cuthbert for me and knowing her quality, I will happily read her work in the future!
August 28, 2025
Thank you to the publishers via Net-Galley for an e-ARC of this story!
I found this pretty underwhelming. I think my biggest gripe about it is that there doesn't feel like any reason these stories are grouped together into one binding - some of them felt like the same story retold with different names and settings, but otherwise there was no thread holding them together. Not saying the stories need to connect or interact with one another, but there seemed to lack a central theme for the stories to work around, other than "awful things happening to awful people". Pretty much every character is unlikeable, but not in the way where I hope they get redemption or karma, just in the way of "why should I care what happens to them".
My favorite story was definitely Infested.
I found this pretty underwhelming. I think my biggest gripe about it is that there doesn't feel like any reason these stories are grouped together into one binding - some of them felt like the same story retold with different names and settings, but otherwise there was no thread holding them together. Not saying the stories need to connect or interact with one another, but there seemed to lack a central theme for the stories to work around, other than "awful things happening to awful people". Pretty much every character is unlikeable, but not in the way where I hope they get redemption or karma, just in the way of "why should I care what happens to them".
My favorite story was definitely Infested.
September 5, 2025
I was promised weird. I wasn't let down. Also, I got weird + cathartic + self-reflective. I felt tied to every character in each of the stories. "Hey, Stranger" is a voicey account of a haunting and almost crime. The dialogue was spot on, and keeping the reader guessing of the discussion from the other side creates a high-level of suspense. I cried during the "Infested" story, where the main character has to come to terms with her own nuisances; the arc of the story was wondefully healing. Excited to check out other books by this author!
The horror vibes are solid in this one. I would 100% recommend this one to a friend who is newer to the genre and/or doesn't want anything gorey or creature-feature-y.
The horror vibes are solid in this one. I would 100% recommend this one to a friend who is newer to the genre and/or doesn't want anything gorey or creature-feature-y.
April 1, 2025
This book!! It's amazing. It's full of creepy, weird, reality-bending short stories that I can't get out of my head. Really, I can't stop thinking about them. The imagery is so engrossing that I feel like I'm in the stories, experiencing them along with the characters. My favorite thing about Six O'Clock House & Other Strange Tales is the way it's arranged, just like a great music album. Each story stands alone, but the tension naturally builds as you finish one to start another. The horror elements are so effortless that by the time I finished, I had a difficult time separating myself from the words and images. Wow! So good.
April 14, 2025
Ms. Cuthbert's SIX O'CLOCK HOUSE & OTHER STRANGE TALES is filled with characters you know — some you feel very close to and others you're better off avoiding. Some of them might be ghosts, though you may not be sure exactly which ones. Several of the shortest tales are like compact snapshots from life... well, if you have a particularly weird life. The author's voice is consistently assured and engaging, so that each story feels personal, even intimate. Favorites include "Joiner," "Poor Billy," and "Damp in the Walls." Give this collection a try!
May 29, 2025
An amazing blend of dark realistic fiction, surreal stories, and some great spooky vibes.
I don’t think this fits many of the traditional horror vibes or tropes. The stories are much more grounded, with understated or no supernatural elements. But they still really worked for me, which is surprising as I typically prefer more supernatural stuff in my horror.
The characters are the real stars here, with every story having fleshed out, varied, and believable people at their center.
If you like spooky, weird, and sometimes a bit sad stories, I think this is a must read.
I don’t think this fits many of the traditional horror vibes or tropes. The stories are much more grounded, with understated or no supernatural elements. But they still really worked for me, which is surprising as I typically prefer more supernatural stuff in my horror.
The characters are the real stars here, with every story having fleshed out, varied, and believable people at their center.
If you like spooky, weird, and sometimes a bit sad stories, I think this is a must read.
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