The Phone Goes Dead

Horrowitz Horror Shorts

by Anthony Horowitz

Two dark and creepy tales by Anthony Horowitz, a master-storyteller and the best-selling author of the Alex Rider series. David's mobile won't stop ringing, but these are no ordinary callers. He seems to have a hotline to heaven - or is it to hell? Isabel has a nasty feeling that the Victorian bath her parents have installed is waiting for her - and it isn't for a bubble bath, more a blood bath ...

Genres: Horror, Short Stories, Horror Thriller, Childrens

80 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2004

About the author

Anthony Horowitz, OBE is ranked alongside Enid Blyton and Mark A. Cooper as "The most original and best spy-kids authors of the century." (New York Times). Anthony has been writing since the age of eight, and professionally since the age of twenty. In addition to the highly successful Alex Rider books, he is also the writer and creator of award winning detective series Foyle’s War, and more recently event drama Collision, among his other television works he has written episodes for Poirot, Murder in Mind, Midsomer Murders and Murder Most Horrid. Anthony became patron to East Anglia Children’s Hospices in 2009.

On 19 January 2011, the estate of Arthur Conan Doyle announced that Horowitz was to be the writer of a new Sherlock Holmes novel, the first such effort to receive an official endorsement from them and to be entitled the House of Silk.

http://us.macmillan.com/author/anthon...

Reviews

[Peiman E iran · Rating 5 out of 5]

دوستانِ گرانقدر، این کتاب از 97 صفحه تشکیل شده و موضوعِ کتاب به قدری مهیج و جالب است که اگر خواندنِ آن را شروع کنید، تا اتمامِ آن، کتاب را رها نمی کنید
سعی میکنم داستان را به بهترین شکلِ ممکن، خلاصه وار برایِ شما عزیزان در زیر بنویسم، اما بهتر است که خودتان نیز آن را بخوانید

داستان در انگلستان رخ میدهد... روزی دختری به نامِ « لیندا جیمز» در زمان طوفانِ و رعد و برقِ شدید به زیرِ درختِ بلوطی پناه برده و با تلفنِ همراهش که مدلش « زودیاک 555» است ، با شخصی به نامِ « استیو» تماس میگیرد، اما صاعقه به گوشیِ او برخورد میکند و با قدرتِ 75000 ولت به سرعت، مغزِ « لیندا» را متلاشی میکند و او را میکُشد... تلفنِ همراهش نیز به گوشه ای پرت میشود
بعد از مدتی شخصی تلفن همراه را پیدا کرده... و گوشی از یک مغازۀ دست دوم فروشی سر در می آورد... صاحبِ مغازه آن را تعمیر کرده و سیم کارتِ جدیدی در آن گذاشته و برایِ فروش در ویترین قرار میدهد
پدر و مادری برایِ پسرِ 16 سالۀ خود به نامِ « دیوید»، این گوشیِ قدیمی را خریداری میکنند... تنها 6 نفر شمارۀ تماسِ « دیوید» را دارند
روزی تلفنِ همراهِ دیوید زنگ میخورد، شماره ناشناس است، « دیوید» جواب میدهد، آن طرفِ خط پیرمردی به نامِ « اریک» از « دیوید» خواهش میکند تا پیغامی را به همسرش « مری ساندرس» برساند، و بگوید: حلقه زیرِ یخچال است
سپس آدرسِ منزلش را برایِ « دیوید» میخواند... « دیوید» پس از کلنجار رفتن با خودش تصمیم میگیرد تا این کار را انجام دهد... وقتی به « مری ساندرس» این پیغام را میرساند، « مری» ناراحت شده و گریه کنان در را به رویِ « دیوید » بسته و او را به جرمِ این شوخیِ زشت و آزار دادنش، سرزنش میکند
« دیوید » با پرس و جو از مادرش متوجه میشود که شوهرِ « مری ساندرس» سرطان داشته و مرده است... روزِ بعد « دیوید »، آن زن « مری » را میبیند و از او پوزش میخواهد، اما « مری » از او تشکر میکند، برایِ اینکه حلقۀ شوهرش گم شده بود و زیرِ یخچال آن را پیدا کرده است
گوشیِ « دیوید » بازهم زنگ میخورد و اینبار دختری به نامِ « سامانتا» از او خواهش میکند که به فلان آدرس رفته و به مادرش « ماریون» بگوید: کاملاً در اشتباه است، در اتفاقی که برایِ من افتاد، « هنری» را سرزنش نکند
اینبار « دیوید» قبل از هر اقدامی، تحقیق میکند، و متوجه میشود که « ماریون» یک معلمِ پیانو است که سالِ قبل دخترش « سامانتا» در ماشینِ دوست پسرش « هنری» و زمانی که « هنری» پشتِ فرمان بوده، تصادف کرده و مُرده است
خلاصه تلفن بارها و بارها زنگ میخورد و زن و مردهایِ مختلفی زنگ میزنند و هرکدام درخواستهایِ گوناگونی از « دیوید» دارند... « دیوید» متوجه میشود که کسانی که با این تلفنِ همراه تماس میگیرند، هر کدام به نحوی مُرده اند، و این تلفن و صاحبِ آن، پُل ارتباطی آنها با بستگانشان در این دنیاست
دیوید از طرفی خسته شده و از سویِ دیگر ترس وجودش را گرفته است
تلفنِ همراه را خاموش کرده و آن را به پدرش میدهد... یک هفته بعد « دیوید» با همکلاسی هایش برایِ اسکی با پرواز به فرانسه سفر میکند
پدرش در هتل و محلِ کارش نشسته است... ناگهان مادرِ « دیوید» هراسان وارد شده و به پدرِ « دیوید» میگوید که اتفاقِ ناگواری افتاده است، اخبار اعلام کرد که گویا اتوبوسی از بچه هایِ مدرسه که در فرودگاه به دنبالِ آنها رفته، در جاده با یک وانت بار، تصادف کرده... و خیلی ها کشته شده اند و تلفات زیاد بوده ... نمیدانم « دیوید» در آن اتوبوس بوده است یا نه!... نگرانم
قصد دارند به مدرسه تلفن بزنند ولی تلفن هایِ هتل قطع شده است... پدر سریع به یادِ تلفنِ همراهِ « دیوید» می افتد... گوشی را روشن میکند، ناگهان تلفنِ همراه در دستش شروع به زنگ خوردن میکند، پدر تلفن را جواب میدهد.... آنطرفِ خط «دیوید» است... میگوید: سلام بابا، من هستم

امیدوارم پسندیده باشید
«پیروز باشید و ایرانی»

[Arezoo · Rating 3 out of 5]

فکر میکنم انگار قبلن فیلمی با این موضوع دیده بودم
نمیدونم. ولی داستان خیلی برام آشنا بود. اما جالب و رازگونه بود
کوتاه و خوب

[Bookish Indulgenges with b00k r3vi3ws · Rating 4 out of 5]

Short & Freaky!
It gave me more of a freaky feeling rather than horror. But being a really short read, it doesn't really get a chance to set up the mood for the horror. Also, not a very unique concept, but has been treated and delivered perfectly. The book kept me engaged throughout.

[Sucheta Sirsikar (The Reading Addict) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Story 1 - ⭐⭐⭐
Story 2 - ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

[Chiara · Rating 4 out of 5]

scary

[Corey Walsh]

I think the book is one of the best i have read and i thin antony horowitz the phone goes dead and bathe night are my favorite i would buy all of his books and pay whatever price they are i read them at school with my teacher

[Rishan · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Phone Goes Dead
by Anthony Horowitz

Horowitz masterfully builds suspense as David begins receiving eerie calls from deceased individuals. The author's keen understanding of teenage psychology is evident in David's reactions, from initial disbelief to growing terror. The narrative is paced with precision, gradually escalating the tension as the ghostly callers' requests become increasingly demanding and dangerous.

The book's strength lies in its simplicity. By focusing on a single, central premise, Horowitz creates a claustrophobic and intimate horror experience. The limited cast of characters allows the reader to concentrate on the growing dread that envelops David. The ending, while somewhat predictable, is nonetheless satisfying and leaves a lingering sense of unease.

While The Phone Goes Dead may not be the most complex or groundbreaking horror story, it is undeniably effective. Horowitz’s ability to craft a compelling tale within a short format is impressive. Fans of the genre, as well as those seeking a quick and frightening read, will find this novella a worthwhile addition to their bookshelf.

Overall, The Phone Goes Dead is a well-crafted horror story that effectively exploits the modern fear of technology. It's a chilling tale that will stay with readers long after the final page.

-Rishan Sen Gupta

[Thomas Houghton · Rating 5 out of 5]

This short story deserves five stars just for the ending alone - a brilliant cliff-hanger that leaves us with several unanswered questions. I won’t spoil the story here but essentially a boy is given an old mobile phone which rings repeatedly, each time from a different unknown number - and which turn out to be from quite surprising origins. Likewise, Horowitz’ writing is superb and builds the suspense perfectly; go and read it now!

[Ushna · Rating 5 out of 5]

The ending I didn't really understand but the book it self is really freaky 👻

[Nicole · Rating 4 out of 5]

Such a quick short read, but such a cool creepy story this would have been perfect in October!

[Matrika Ghosh · Rating 5 out of 5]

CHILLING

[Irvine · Rating 5 out of 5]

Name Irvine Date 02/09/2014
The Phone Goes Dead: By Anthony Horowitz Book Review
Title: The Phone Goes Dead
Author: Anthony Horowitz
Story Elements
This book takes place on the Isle of Wight. Day time and night time. He lives in a hill close to the beach.

The main character is David Adams and he/she is kind and also scared.
Because the dead people phone him and he becomes scared but he does the things the dead ask him to do.
Another character is Mark Adams and he/she is Busy and works a lot.
Because first of he works as a teacher and also manages a hotel.
Another character is Jane Adams and he/she is busy working a lot.
Because she is a teacher and also works at the hotel and manages the payment.
David Adams got a phone from a person who died and now he has a connection to the dead and is asked to do things to help out a family and when he gets more and more calls he becomes scared. In the end the parents get a phone call from him from the exact same phone to contact the dead.
Events which happens in the story
1. He gets a new phone
2. He gets a phone call from a stranger and then when he is done helping realizes he was already dead
3. He discovers that it can contact the dead
4. He is not doing well in school because he gets scared
5. He starts ignoring the phone calls
6. Mother and father get news that a bus has been crashed and right after the news they get a phone call from the dead phone which is David.
The ending was when the parents were in the hotel and saw the news and saw that there was a bus crash where there kid was and that’s when David’s phone starts ringing and find out that it was… find out who it was read the book.

There wasn't a lesson in the book but I think the author was trying to get across to the readers that you should help people if they can’t do it themselves but it should be a good thing.

Opinion:
My opinion of the book is that I liked/ disliked it because I liked the book because it was short and easy to understand and even though it was short the interesting parts never took long they always came making the reader curios all the time.
The book was predictable/not predictable because the book was predictable at times such as the end of the book was predictable and when David got a phone call I never knew that it was from a dead person. The ending of the book was interesting but annoying due to the fact that it left me on a cliff hanger so I never knew what would happen. My favorite part was when he got a phone call from a dead person and did what the dead told him to do. A connection I made with the book was that David surfs as a free time and that’s what I do to.



Recommendation:
I would recommend this book to children because I really enjoyed this book and if others like horror or short books which are interesting the whole time. A rating for this book would be 8/10 because it left me on a cliff hanger and I don’t like that because I’m going to keep on wondering for the rest of my life or as long as I can remember the book what happens next but people are different I don’t like cliffhangers others do.
I liked the author’s style how he doesn't have it as three narrators such as when in one book there are 3 characters and you read separate things about them and what they are doing.
For example, in the garbage king which is another book. They did that and when I read it I had to read boring things of people I did not like I only liked the things of one person.
Overall I really like this book and enjoy it. It has a nice front cover picture that’s what I like about books so that’s why I read it. The book isn't really scary not for me but it had some good parts such as terrifying everlasting parts such as when this girls is going to destroy well you’re going to have to read on to know what she destroys and what happens and that’s not all this book also include two terrifying stories short and interesting read it to find out how both characters end up either dead or alive find out!

[Airi Mizoguchi]

The book "Phone Goes Dead", was really interesting, in my opinion. It showed the connection between the underworld and the living world. 16 year old David Adams was gifted a second hand phone, whose previous owner was murdered. The phone starts to reach different unknown calls from people that he never knew before, and learns that they were all dead. The strangers from the unknown asks David to pass the messages to the living.

[Molly · Rating 4 out of 5]

It was a good book read again if you have some spare time

[Owen Law · Rating 2 out of 5]

The horror didnt really impact that much. However, the word choice was good, making the book overall pretty average.

[Emily · Rating 3 out of 5]

so cheesy!

[Theodore Murphy · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was the first really scary book I ever read. It gave me nightmares. Do not let the fact that it is short make you think it has no impact. Sweet dreams! Ha, Ha! Ha!

[Matthew · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's such a cliff hanger

[Aileen · Rating 2 out of 5]

Read in about an hour, and I hadn't realised it was a book for teens. Two 'horror' stories that were an ok read.

[Lucas · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good book. Good to read if your into horror