What do you think?
Rate this book
Active Reader: And Other Cautionary Tales about the Book World
Three stories which explore the darker side of the world of books.
In a style reminiscent of the old "Twilight Zone" television show, these three tales will take the book loving reader to a place that is somewhat familiar yet frighteningly surreal and disturbing.
Active Reader
Loyalty programs that track a reader's every preference are handy, save time and offer great discounts -- at least until your customer data gets into the hands of the wrong person.
Browsers
A passionate book lover is drawn into a mysterious and eerie little bookstore the way a moth might be drawn to a flame.
Distractions
How far might a desperate writer go when blinding following the advice of a popular self-help book to eliminate the distractions preventing him from completing his next novel?
In a style reminiscent of the old "Twilight Zone" television show, these three tales will take the book loving reader to a place that is somewhat familiar yet frighteningly surreal and disturbing.
Active Reader
Loyalty programs that track a reader's every preference are handy, save time and offer great discounts -- at least until your customer data gets into the hands of the wrong person.
Browsers
A passionate book lover is drawn into a mysterious and eerie little bookstore the way a moth might be drawn to a flame.
Distractions
How far might a desperate writer go when blinding following the advice of a popular self-help book to eliminate the distractions preventing him from completing his next novel?
- GenresHorror
Nook
First published April 17, 2010
2 people are currently reading
43 people want to read
About the author
Mark Leslie
124 books177 followersMark is a writer, editor and bookseller who was born and grew up in Sudbury, spent many years in Ottawa and Hamilton and currently lives in Waterloo, Ontario.
When he is not writing, he tacks "Lefebvre" back onto his name and works as a book industry consultant, having been a bookseller since the 1992, the same year his first short story was published.
Apart from publishing novels and non-fiction paranormal explorations under the name Mark Leslie, having works occasionally appearing on his mother's refrigerator door under the name Mark Lefebvre, and podcasting and consulting about the book industry under the name Mark Leslie Lefebvre for his Stark Publishing/Stark Reflections brand, Mark is a lover of craft beer.
When he's not enjoying craft beer or playing around with his three given names, he can usually be found wandering, awestruck through bookstores or libraries.
When he is not writing, he tacks "Lefebvre" back onto his name and works as a book industry consultant, having been a bookseller since the 1992, the same year his first short story was published.
Apart from publishing novels and non-fiction paranormal explorations under the name Mark Leslie, having works occasionally appearing on his mother's refrigerator door under the name Mark Lefebvre, and podcasting and consulting about the book industry under the name Mark Leslie Lefebvre for his Stark Publishing/Stark Reflections brand, Mark is a lover of craft beer.
When he's not enjoying craft beer or playing around with his three given names, he can usually be found wandering, awestruck through bookstores or libraries.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
December 18, 2025
“Literature has always fascinated me. With writing, humankind has developed the ability to elevate a person to a state of immortality.”
… “Perhaps that is why I had spent the last three decades of my life writing, trying to capture the spirit of myself on paper.”
Well, Mr Leslie, I gotta hand it to you. If this literary tidbit reflects your objective as an author and this gruesome, juicy collection of three little pieces of mayhem reflects “your spirit” on paper, then you’re one mighty sick puppy, LOL!
ACTIVE READER and Other Cautionary Tales From the Book World is a short (but most definitely not sweet) read at 64 pages that will take little more than an hour of your time. But the frisson factor and the number of times that you will find yourself raising your eyebrows with a wry head-shaking grimace are out of all proportion to the miniature proportions of the collection.
ACTIVE READER is a tale of stalking and psychopathy with a brilliant, totally macabre twist ending that would shock even hard-core fans of LAW AND ORDER: SPECIAL VICTIMS UNIT. BROWSERS is a tale of a bookstore with a twisted personality, reminiscent in my mind of the rooms in Robert A Heinlein’s AND HE BUILT A CROOKED HOUSE. If the limited reading time remaining in what we all know is our limited life bothers you, it is a tale that will give you pause and make you perhaps more careful of what you wish for. Last but not least, DISTRACTIONS is a cautionary tale that speaks against taking the simplistic mantras offered by many self-help gurus too literally.
I’ve been a Mark Leslie fan for some time now and ACTIVE READER is obviously on the list of reasons why. Definitely recommended and a virtually certain addition to my Top Ten List for 2024.
And (LOL … I think!), once you’ve read the eponymous story, you’ll understand why I’m a little bit freaked that Mr Leslie signed my copy with the caption, “To Paul, one of my favourite ACTIVE READERS”!! Oh, oh!
I might also add that I'm prompted to seek out my long unread, languishing copy of George Stewart's EARTH ABIDES.
Paul Weiss
… “Perhaps that is why I had spent the last three decades of my life writing, trying to capture the spirit of myself on paper.”
Well, Mr Leslie, I gotta hand it to you. If this literary tidbit reflects your objective as an author and this gruesome, juicy collection of three little pieces of mayhem reflects “your spirit” on paper, then you’re one mighty sick puppy, LOL!
ACTIVE READER and Other Cautionary Tales From the Book World is a short (but most definitely not sweet) read at 64 pages that will take little more than an hour of your time. But the frisson factor and the number of times that you will find yourself raising your eyebrows with a wry head-shaking grimace are out of all proportion to the miniature proportions of the collection.
ACTIVE READER is a tale of stalking and psychopathy with a brilliant, totally macabre twist ending that would shock even hard-core fans of LAW AND ORDER: SPECIAL VICTIMS UNIT. BROWSERS is a tale of a bookstore with a twisted personality, reminiscent in my mind of the rooms in Robert A Heinlein’s AND HE BUILT A CROOKED HOUSE. If the limited reading time remaining in what we all know is our limited life bothers you, it is a tale that will give you pause and make you perhaps more careful of what you wish for. Last but not least, DISTRACTIONS is a cautionary tale that speaks against taking the simplistic mantras offered by many self-help gurus too literally.
I’ve been a Mark Leslie fan for some time now and ACTIVE READER is obviously on the list of reasons why. Definitely recommended and a virtually certain addition to my Top Ten List for 2024.
And (LOL … I think!), once you’ve read the eponymous story, you’ll understand why I’m a little bit freaked that Mr Leslie signed my copy with the caption, “To Paul, one of my favourite ACTIVE READERS”!! Oh, oh!
I might also add that I'm prompted to seek out my long unread, languishing copy of George Stewart's EARTH ABIDES.
Paul Weiss
June 21, 2011
A collection of three very interesting stories and an expose on how they were written. The tales are well written and fit in the horror genre. The collection is a quick and enjoyable read.
I recommend this collection to any avid reader.
I recommend this collection to any avid reader.
December 30, 2018
Active reader
A worker at a bookstores breaks in and kills a female costume taking her eyeballs with him along with a book to complete his collection. His dead mothers body lays in his guest bedroom held together by his acquired taxidermy skills. As a child his mother lost her sight and he read to her but she she died five years ago.He puts Kim’s eye into the empty sockets of his mother, cuddles next to her and reads “it creeps up on you”
Browsers
A book lover finds what looks like a small used bookshop bu indeed is a large shop with various rooms filled with books. After finding words and passages empty in books he gets lost he falls asleep in a room. Waking up he discover he’s been added on to the maze of rooms. A voice come in and tells him that he’ found his resting place.
Distractions
A desperate write takes no prisoners when it comes to eliminating distractions when he discovers a self-help author who’s advice he ales altitude too seriously. Firstly throwing the phone in the trash when his mother calls then chastises and throws the ball at his neighbor Danny’s ball. Believing every distraction is evil and constantly replays the Andy’s words in his head when any little thing happens. He drowns his cat when it rubs against his leg. When Danny did comes over with a bat he grabs a shotgun shooting Gus. Realizing he’s bleeding he calls to his wife for bandages but upon seeing he dead body he remembers that her choice to vacuum while he was working was stupid and e eliminated the distraction. Remembering that if you don’t forget about a distraction it will consume you. While he awaits the police he writes enjoying the silence.
A worker at a bookstores breaks in and kills a female costume taking her eyeballs with him along with a book to complete his collection. His dead mothers body lays in his guest bedroom held together by his acquired taxidermy skills. As a child his mother lost her sight and he read to her but she she died five years ago.He puts Kim’s eye into the empty sockets of his mother, cuddles next to her and reads “it creeps up on you”
Browsers
A book lover finds what looks like a small used bookshop bu indeed is a large shop with various rooms filled with books. After finding words and passages empty in books he gets lost he falls asleep in a room. Waking up he discover he’s been added on to the maze of rooms. A voice come in and tells him that he’ found his resting place.
Distractions
A desperate write takes no prisoners when it comes to eliminating distractions when he discovers a self-help author who’s advice he ales altitude too seriously. Firstly throwing the phone in the trash when his mother calls then chastises and throws the ball at his neighbor Danny’s ball. Believing every distraction is evil and constantly replays the Andy’s words in his head when any little thing happens. He drowns his cat when it rubs against his leg. When Danny did comes over with a bat he grabs a shotgun shooting Gus. Realizing he’s bleeding he calls to his wife for bandages but upon seeing he dead body he remembers that her choice to vacuum while he was working was stupid and e eliminated the distraction. Remembering that if you don’t forget about a distraction it will consume you. While he awaits the police he writes enjoying the silence.
June 16, 2012
All three of these stories were quite disturbing and I loved them all. Browsers was my favorite. It made me laugh and, in a strange way, realize how glad I am that I've never started a book that I haven't finished. All of the stories were very well written. While two of these stories were a little extreme, they were a good example of how serious some people, like myself, take their reading. They are all quite short and well worth the time it takes to read them.
November 29, 2017
Three short stories, each will leave you thinking after you listen. The first one, Active Reader, just made me cringe in a way that you do when you see a scene in a horror movie, but still love it. Browser, the second was my favorite of the three. It is reminiscent of a Twilight Zone episode and makes you think before ever not finishing a book! And Distraction was just disturbing in a way that you can't help but relate(and of course not take the same actions!). Mark Leslie is an author that I will definitely seek more of, I love the kind of books that peek your interest and leave you with an intelligent, well thought out story.
The choice of Eric Bryan Moore for the narration of this anthology is brilliant. EBM has a voice that can create that air of mystique and horror, making you crawl into the mind of the characters and feel their emotions. He did a spectacular job with these three short stories.
The choice of Eric Bryan Moore for the narration of this anthology is brilliant. EBM has a voice that can create that air of mystique and horror, making you crawl into the mind of the characters and feel their emotions. He did a spectacular job with these three short stories.
December 8, 2017
Creepy fun!
This was a collection of 3 short interesting and creepy stories. But, creepy like twilight zone or those late night shows like the hitchhiker. I don't believe I've ever read or listened to anything by Mark Leslie before. But, these stories were creative and fun.
I have, however, listened to Eric Bryan Moore, as he's one of my favorite narrators. And, it was very different than anything I've listened to narrated by him so far. Of course he did an amazing job, surprising me along the way. His characterization of Gus Sherrington was just great! Loved it. These were a lot of fun.
This was a collection of 3 short interesting and creepy stories. But, creepy like twilight zone or those late night shows like the hitchhiker. I don't believe I've ever read or listened to anything by Mark Leslie before. But, these stories were creative and fun.
I have, however, listened to Eric Bryan Moore, as he's one of my favorite narrators. And, it was very different than anything I've listened to narrated by him so far. Of course he did an amazing job, surprising me along the way. His characterization of Gus Sherrington was just great! Loved it. These were a lot of fun.
February 27, 2018
Good short stories. This was my first Mark Leslie's book. This audiobook contains three Horror short stories. All stories are well written and psychologically scarring! I'll think about this book each time I'll used a discount card! The narration was great, as usual with Eric Bryan Moore. I've read and listen this story.
March 17, 2024
A pleasure to read.
July 13, 2024
3 short stories involving books, readers, and writers. Te first story was my favorite.
February 5, 2011
Oh...the writing is pretty dodgy, but the first story in the collection resonated with a personal yip, so...two stars.
February 10, 2016
loved the short stories with a twist.
August 5, 2012
Wow. Bad. Wow. It's a short story collection, but sadly, most of them weren't short enough. Very amateur-ish in both content and quality.
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews