Untold Mayhem

by Mark Tullius, Stacy Gonzalez (Narrator), Michael David Axtell (Narrator)

24 Tales of Madmen, Monsters, and Misery.

A tantalizing blend of horror, suspense, and crime stories; each unique but all dark, disturbing, and violent.

Between the covers lurk:
A tarot card reader who makes house calls.
A disabled man in a miserable marriage who is regaining the use of his arms.
An ex-con who can’t resist carrying out one last home invasion.
Bickering business partners that resort to unconventional mediation to solve their problems.
An alcoholic pedophile forced to spend time in the desert.
A troubled university student who goes on a bloody rampage.
An alert detective who makes an unorthodox decision when he finds himself in the middle of an armed robbery.




RUNNING TIME ⇒ 5hrs. and 48mins.

©2020 Mark Tullius (P)2020 Mark Tullius

Genres: Horror, Short Stories, Audiobook, Ebooks

6 pages, Audible Audio

First published February 25, 2020

About the author

My writing covers a wide range, with fiction being my favorite to create, with two dozen or so titles under my belt. There are 21 titles in my YA interactive Try Not to Die series and 30 more in the works. I also have two nonfiction titles, both inspired by a reckless lifestyle, playing Ivy League football, and battering the hell out of my brain as an unsuccessful MMA fighter and boxer. Unlocking the Cage is the largest sociological study of MMA fighters to date and TBI or CTE aims to spread awareness and hope to others that suffer with traumatic brain injury symptoms.

I live in sunny California with my wife, two kids, five cats, and one demon. Derek. He makes special appearance on my social media

You can also get your 3 free books by signing up to my newsletter. This letter is only for the brave, or at least those brave enough to deal with bad dad jokes, a crude sense of humor, and loads and loads of death.
Derek and I would love to have you join us!

Here are all my links -
Newsletter - https://subscribepage.io/TulliusNews
https://youcanfollow.me/MarkTullius

Reviews

[Farrah · Rating 4 out of 5]

⭐ 4 There are some real gems in here Stars ⭐️

Books like this are why I love short horror stories! Mark Tullius has a wild imagination and I enjoyed his 'show, don't tell' approach and following the clues to each story's conclusion.

Of course, a few of them didn't appeal to me but the one's that were good were 𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘺 good.

💋 𝙋𝙞𝙡𝙡𝙤𝙬 𝙏𝙖𝙡𝙠 - is Mr. Charming too good to be true?
📽 𝙉𝙚𝙬𝙨 𝙁𝙞𝙧𝙨𝙩 - a reporter who will stop at nothing to get the scoop.
🏜 𝙀𝙭𝙥𝙤𝙨𝙚𝙙 - a wicked revenge story.
And the final story.....
📜 𝙇𝙖𝙨𝙩 𝙒𝙞𝙡𝙡 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙏𝙚𝙨𝙩𝙖𝙢𝙚𝙣𝙩 - was so fun and just such a great way to close out the book!!

My first horror audiobook!! and the narrators were good. I was glad there was a range of voices so the stories never felt repetitive.

Thank you NetGalley for the copy of this book.

[Shannara · Rating 4 out of 5]

This overall was a really good group of short stories. Of course with every book of short stories you’re bound to like some and also to dislike some. For the purposes of this book, I have the following rating system: Hate (1), Dislike (3), Meh (7), Like (6), and Love (7).

I’m not going to go into detail for each story, but I will mention that the one I hate it’s News First and while I’m up for some good ole fashioned gore and nastiness, but damn. This story went there and beyond. It hit a little too close to home with the shooting then it took it too far. I hated it so much that I almost couldn’t take it.

The stories I absolutely love are The Hole, The Fine Print, Left Behind, Counting on It, No Service, The Feeling is Back, and Left Unfinished. Each one of these had a quality that was either creepy, scary, or had harsh justice that I can really get behind. Sometimes I didn’t see the ending coming and other times I was giggling with joy at the karma of it all. So while I really, really, REALLY hated the one story, there were too many that I liked or loved to say it was anything below four stars.

So while I totally do recommend this, watch out, when the description says violence, they mean it!! If you’re not into the blood and gore, definitely skip News First and be cautious when reading the rest. But enjoy!!!!

Thanks so much to NetGalley, Vincere Press, and Mark Tullius for a copy of this book for my honest and unbiased opinion.

[Erin]

eBook Giveaway Win!

[Aly · Rating 3 out of 5]

Okay, I did not know this would be so dark and gory. Some of the stories I liked, they were twisty and creepy, but some were over the top with carnage and I didn't like them as much. In one story, a guy's head pops off, ew! They didn't link together, which I was kind of bummed about. I think I would have enjoyed this more if there was a common character or this built toward something, but the stories are all independent, with maybe two having a small connection.

I think my favorite was the pedophile who got what he deserved, it was a good revenge story. I also liked the creepy ones where a monster lurked just out of sight. The stories where an innocent person was murdered by a crazed killer were my least favorite.

I received this audiobook from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

[Amy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Soooooooo.....yeah. This is my first audiobook. I wasn't sure how well this was going work out because I prefer a physical book in my hand. I was pleasantly surprised.

The narrators do an amazing job. The stories unfold beautifully. I found myself in total enjoyment. The stories are written well. As with any short story collection, there were some stories that were alright, and then those that made you sit up and take notice. Or I should say scared the dickens out of you. I will say that this book is very much worth your time, for the narration, as well as the writing. I cannot wait to read my next Mark Tullius book.

Thanks to Netgalley, the publisher and Mark Tullius for a copy of the audiobook in exchange for an honest review.

[debbicat *made of stardust*]

I am not going to finish this one. Narrators are good. It is too gory.
Marking read bc I want to remember why I didn't finish it. Not all of the stories are bad. I suppose if I were reading instead of listening I could skim and pick only the stories that don't bother me.

I won't give it a rating. That is not fair in my opinion. I had it as a NG audio and did send back a note to the publisher giving feedback as to why I would not be reviewing.

[Trinia · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you NetGalley and Vincere Press for a copy of this audiobook in exchange for an honest review.

I Loved this collection of short stories! I felt like each one was a mystery in itself. Each story was unique and grotesque in it's own way and I couldn't wait for the next one to start. Each Narrator brought their own style to the stories and I appreciated their diversity.
Having grown up with Stephen King and Dean Koontz, I really appreciated Mark Tullius's writing. I will listen to this one again and again.
Recommended for fans of HORROR, Mystery thrillers and those seeking a quick read.
loved it!

[akacya ❦ · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is a collection of various short horror stories. As you can tell from my rating, I was not a fan. A lot of the stories were too short, which led to them not being meaningful and ending awkwardly. There was also a lot of harmful language, such as “r*tard(ed),” which was incredibly off-putting. However, a couple of the stories were alright, hence the two stars instead of one.

I would not recommend this book.

[Natalie all_books_great_and_small · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received an advance reader copy of this book on audio to read in exchange for an honest review via netgalley and the publishers.

Untold Mayhem is a book of short stories by Mark Tullis. I read the audio version which was narrated by afew different narrators.

This book ranges from chilling tales, murder, crime, horror, madness and sinister tales.

Some of these tales I loved and some I wasn't keen on but overall this book is definitely worth a read if your a horror or dark fiction fan.

[Mellisa · Rating 3 out of 5]

24 stories of Madness, Madmen and Mayhem. A book filled with chilling, creepy tales.

I personally found some of the stories better than others within the book. I think my favourite was probably 'The Hole' as I remember this one clearly, and it felt genuinely chilling.

A good, quick read for horror fans.

[Vicki Willis · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book of short stories. They were a perfect length for me and were different aspects of horror, suspense and thriller. Some were shocking and scary. All of them were worth reading.

[HollyLovesBooks · Rating 4 out of 5]

This audiobook was a good collection of stories that are perfect for Halloween. They range from believable to fantastical but were well done. There were a couple that were more gruesome than I expected but overall, this collection was more clever in its inferences than the outright statements of what was happening. I think the one that struck me most by surprise was The Season, narrated by Landon Woodson. That was well done in both chilling nature of the topic and how it was narrated. It will stick with me.
The other narrators were a good match for their respective stories as well. They all did a great job and kept me listening. My other favorite is Chris Andrew Ciulla whose voice is wonderful for audiobooks and I adore listening to his work. The story Numbered Days was read by Michael David Axtell and my only criticism of this one is that I wanted more information about the backstory leading to this current situation.

#UntoldMayhem #Netgalley #VincerePress #IBPAMembersAudiobooks

[April · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed each story. I knew every book would end in a death, but for some reason each story blew me away. Some were a lot better than others, but overall they were all so good! This is the first time I've read a collection on stories in any genre, and I must say, I am so happy this was my first!

[Chris N · Rating 3 out of 5]

This collection of short stories was a mixed bag for me. Some stood out from others. News First was a gruesome one, anything to get the news story and consequences be damned. I loved the detail in it. The Fine Print is about hurrying through a contract reading only to suffer the consequences of not reading the fine print. Last in Line had a nice twist at the end that was not only good but also case of just deserts. Dead Spot was one of my favourites about misunderstandings and jumping to conclusions. A few others made my list of interesting and gory stories. I enjoy Last Will and Testament, I can see Mark wanting something like he wrote about.... what his wife thinks would be a different matter lol.

I have to admit that quite a few of the shorter ones fell flat for me, I either didn’t understand then or just thought they were meh.

There is something for everyone in here and there is gore abound to satisfy any bloodlust you may have.

A solid 3.5 stars.

Thanks to Mark for the ARC in exchange for a fair and honest review.

[Caroline Bartlett · Rating 2 out of 5]

Untold Mayhem is a collection of short stories reminiscent of creepy campfire tales. It was the perfect audiobook for the last week of October. Overall, the audiobook worked well--I was grateful for different narrators for each story so that I could tell when one story ended and the next one began.

Some of them were confusing, such as In The Cards and Results Guaranteed. I wasn’t really sure what had happened when the story finished and felt like I needed more information.

Some of them were interesting, and I would like to see them expanded into full stories. Pillow Talk, News First, Counting on It,

Some were too over the top--I���m not a fan of pedophilic themes such as in Exposed.

This collection was interesting, and I’m glad I listened!

[Carla Taylor · Rating 5 out of 5]

I don't always write reviews, but this author blew me away. His stories were scary, imaginative, & overall unique with twist endings I didn't see coming. It definitely kept me reading late into the night. I seriously could not stop reading until I finished it. Not to mention he is one of the friendliest authors I've ever had the chance to "meet ". If you are a horror fan... Pick up his book...you will love it. I will definitely read more from this author.

[Vanessa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Title: Untold Mayhem
Author: Mark Tullius
Format: Audiobook

Quick Take: 24 Tales of Madmen, Monsters, and Misery.
A tantalizing blend of horror, suspense, and crime stories; each unique but all dark, disturbing, and violent.
Between the covers lurk:
A tarot card reader who makes house calls.
A disabled man in a miserable marriage who is regaining the use of his arms.
An ex-con who can’t resist carrying out one last home invasion.
Bickering business partners that resort to unconventional mediation to solve their problems.
An alcoholic pedophile forced to spend time in the desert.
A troubled university student who goes on a bloody rampage.
An alert detective who makes an unorthodox decision when he finds himself in the middle of an armed robbery.

Review: Holy hell, what is this book!? And I mean this is the best way possible. I did not know how much I needed this book in my life, until it was there. And having it in audiobook format was *chef’s kiss* perfect. Each story was narrated by the most perfect person. The only thing to make this book more perfect is to make it into a Netflix limited series or something...with no changes to the writing of course. Recommended to anyone who likes a bit of violence and gore with their horor.

Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

[Keerthana · Rating 4 out of 5]

Untold Mayhem is a collection of short horror stories. I really like most of the stories and some i felt were a little predictive. i think audiobook version is better because every narrator did the job perfectly. Overall it is an enjoyable book.

Thank You Netgalley,author and publisher for giving me the opportunity to read and review #UntoldMayhem.

[Illustrious Illusions · Rating 3 out of 5]

*Audiobook Review*

Great quick stories with some tension and drama. A nice mix of narrators to break them up as well.

Some stories were just too obvious and not as intriguing, others just the horror factor...some wher well flushed out and fascinating. Overall a good mix that kept me entertained.

[Ashley · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley for a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. I absolutely loved this book and I appreciated it even more due to listening to the Audiobook version (my first audiobook for NetGalley).

This book included multiple short stories that were all gritty, dark, violent, and thrilling (my favorite type of books). While I have read some other books before with multiple stories, (Strange Weather, If It Bleeds) this one has twenty-four! Amazing. I found myself loving some of the stories so much that I wished they were not so short but I also appreciated the fast-pace of each story as it always kept you wanting more to listen to/read. Also, the audiobook version was great because each story was told by a different narrator which made the story that much more intriguing.

Prior to reading, I thought that 24 short stories would be too many to read, but it absolutely worked here. This was my first book read by Mark Tillius and I am excited to explore more options written by this author. These stories are definitely not for the faint of heart, but if you appreciate some gore in your life, then this collection is perfect for you.

[Julie · Rating 4 out of 5]

It took me awhile to get through all 24 stories in this story anthology. Not because they weren't good -- but because I wanted to take my time and enjoy just a couple tales at a time.

I love it when I come across a collection of horror stories that are as varied as this one. Every story was different.....some atmospheric and violent, some gory, others just downright creepy. While I liked some of the tales more than others, there wasn't a single one I didn't enjoy.

This is my first venture into horror by Mark Tullius. I'm definitely going further down this dark path -- I like his writing!

I listened to the audio book version of this story collection. Great listening experience. All the narrators were talented. I love horror stories on audio -- just adds an extra dimension to the creepy experience!

**I voluntarily listened to a review copy of this audio book. All opinions expressed are entirely my own.**

[Stacy Adams · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoy this assortment of stories, it's like an adult version of Scary Stories to Tell In the Dark :) My stand out stories were The Hole; which really just creeped me out. Taking Out the Trash; which made me feel sorry for the main character. Numbered Days was great and well written, which once again made me feel sorry for the wrong person, or maybe the right person depending on how you look at it. Lastly, Left Unfinished was very creative and I would love to one day see an adventures of Larry Damien book! I received this book free as a Goodreads giveaway, but all opinions are my own.

[Alexa · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed the audio book. The stories were weird, creepy, and mind provoking enough to make one say "What the heck?!" The narration was excellent and flowed well. I love the changing of all the narrators because it helped to know where one story ended and one began because there wasn't always a clear distinction. Overall it was creepy and enthralling enough to keep me captive. This is definitely one to listen to while sitting around a campfire with others because the stories can create discussion which I love!! Thank you for allowing me to listen to this audio book! Definitely recommed.

[Sandi · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was spooky fun! If you're a fan of Twilight Zone, this is the book for you. Lots of short stories with that extra little twist of creepiness. It's a fast read, the stories (chapters) are just a few pages each. Love how the author was able to let you read the chill factor with just a few words. One or two were a little bit gory but just enough to make me cringe, not enough to make me turn away. Really good book!!!! Can't pick a favorite but Fine Print is in the top 3. I could definitely hear Rod Serling narrating as I read.

Thanks to Mark for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

[Amanda · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have to say I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book - just the right amount of creepiness and gore. My favorite chapter is probably the last one "Last Will and Testament" as I very much agree with it's take on life and death. It reminds me of the parades they have in New Orleans when someone passes. I'd love to be honored and remembered in such a fun way! I'm the mean time, I look forward to reading more of Marks books!

[Jennifer · Rating 4 out of 5]

I won this on Goodreads Giveaways.
I love horror fiction and I love short stories. Short stories are tough. I've muddled through some really bad ones. Stephen King is a master of the horror short. Mark Tullius would make King proud. These were just the right length to read a couple at a stretch. Some were scary, some creepy, all just plain good reading.
If you're a horror fan, pick this one up but be wary of reading in the dark.

[Alison · Rating 3 out of 5]

An interesting collection of horrific short stories. Some gave me goosebumps and some didn't quite take with me, but all of them were gruesome stories!

Thank you to the author and Goodreads Giveaways for allowing me to read this book.

[Christy · Rating 5 out of 5]

While I'm not too fond of horror movies, I'm someone who frequents /r/nosleep on Reddit and LOVE a good horror story. I search for them on youtube and in podcasts. I prefer shorter horror stories and love stories with unexpected twists or shocking, violent ends. This book is a collection of short horror stories that hit all of my buttons!

While each story varies in length and builds up differently due to the narrator, they all feature something shocking or fear-inducing. Some of them are just vulgar and go for a gross-out factor, while others are well planned out and plan for a surprise ending that leaves you wondering what the heck you just listened to!

The narrators of each story did an excellent job of bringing each story to life. They change their voices for different characters. They change their infliction to bring the story to life! I enjoyed each reader's style and how they crafted the story beyond just the writing.

My favorite story was News First, which went with a shock factor. The narrator, again, did a beautiful job bringing the story to life. The main character was vain enough to be realistic and cocky enough to realistically be put in the situation that she put herself into. This story made me chuckle, gasp, and grimace.

My second favorite is the first story on the audiobook, In the Cards, which I easily related to as a pagan, myself. This one also went for a shock factor but included little details that sucked me in and kept me interested from start to finish. This story kept me captivated and left me surprised.

With over 20 stories on this audiobook, any short story horror lover is bound to find something they enjoy!

[SamDojtez · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.75/5
TW: Abuse, self-injurious behaviour, suicide, excessive violence, death, blood, mental illness

This book is a compilation of horror short stories. Everything horror related is in it, from crime to paranormal stories, nothing is forgotten. To give you chills and keep you up at night or to make you paranoïd about that weird neighbor of yours, this book will do it all.

I got this book as an audiobook on Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. I really enjoyed this book. Obviously as for every short story collection some were better than others. My personal favourites were the first two stories. All the stories are smartly crafted and the tension is nearly constant. Unfortunately I felt like some mental disorders are badly represented but it’s quite common in horror.

The cast of narrators is great. They each give life to the stories in their own way. The fact that the voices are often changing makes it easier to understand that you're not on the same story if you weren’t paying attention when they announced the chapter titles.

Even if I’m not a fan of short stories because I often feel like they aren’t as impactful as a whole book, I found that these really worked well and had a great pacing.

I think the audio format worked well for the stories as it made them even scarier in my opinion.

The only thing I would change is the representation of mental disorders and maybe diversify the characters a bit more.

All in all I recommend this book to everyone who wants to be a bit scared and who aren’t afraid of gore.

[Kat, lover of bears... · Rating 4 out of 5]

First of all, I am not usually a fan of short stories. I avoid reading them because they are corny or ridiculously predictable. However, I had just finished a novel late in the day and wanted to listen to something shorter than a full novel. I found this book available on NetGalley and thought I would give it a go.

I was pleasantly surprised that these stories read like creepy old campfire stories. Some were told in first person (which added a level of creepiness) and others in third person. I listened to the audiobook version and was pleased to hear a different voice for several stories before the voice(s) repeated; feeling fresh again. Although a couple stories were predictable, they were still fun to listen to. “News First”, story #6, is the only story that I would have omitted. As a retired first responder, the crimes that break us and cause us the most trauma are crimes against children. The fact that this story involved crimes against many children, it is very triggering.

That one story aside, I truly enjoyed the uniqueness of most of the stories and how many involved karma. There were times I laughed or cringed at the ending. I found that the book was also available on KU. I downloaded the kindle copy so I could continue to read when unable to listen. The description of the book was completely accurate, "A tantalizing blend of horror, suspense, and crime stories; each unique but all dark, disturbing, and violent." It takes talent to tell so much in so little time, Tullius achieves that wonderfully.

Thank you NetGalley and Vincere Press for the opportunity to listen to this audiobook in exchange for an honest review.