The Black Beacon Book of Horror

The Black Beacon Books of Horror #1

by Cameron Trost, David Turnbull, Edward Lodi

The Black Beacon Book of Horror features dark and disturbing tales from some of the most original and imaginative authors writing in the genre today. These tales of psychological, supernatural, folk, gothic, and cosmic horror will usher you into the darkest of realms and leave you there to fend for yourself. You'll lose your way in abandoned houses and hospitals, and be trapped on stormy beaches and along foggy country roads. There are haunted dolls, creepy-crawlies, malevolent spirits, creatures of legend, Lovecraftian terrors, and the demons within our own minds. But as varied as the settings and themes are, each tale has that one essential trait; the power to make you glance over your shoulder just to be sure the terror hasn't found a way to leave the page.

The Guisers by David Turnbull
The House on the Bluff by Edward Lodi
The Choir by Kev Harrison
Ruby's Syzygy by Matthew R. Davis
Humus by Sam Dawson
Questions a Man Ought Not to Ask by Elizabeth Broadbent
Marjorie by Meg Belviso
Children of Blood by Greg Chapman
Quiver by Angelique Fawns
Cameo by Deborah Sheldon
The Great Invocation by David Schembri
Dominion by Jeff Wood
Divine Liquor by C.C. Adams
Landslide by Harris Coverley
Holiday Home by Cameron Trost
Her Mother's Lullaby by Micah Castle

Cover art by Greg Chapman

Genres: Horror, Short Stories

230 pages, Kindle Edition

Published October 13, 2023

About the author

Cameron Trost is an author of mystery, suspense, post-apocalyptic, and horror fiction best known for his puzzles featuring Oscar Tremont, Investigator of the Strange and Inexplicable. He has written four novels, Dead on the Dolmen, Flicker, The Tunnel Runner, and Letterbox, and three collections, Oscar Tremont, Investigator of the Strange and Inexplicable, Hoffman's Creeper and Other Disturbing Tales, and The Animal Inside. He runs the independent press, Black Beacon Books, and is a member of the Australian Crime Writers Association and The Short Mystery Fiction Society. Originally from Brisbane, Australia, his home is now in southern Brittany, between the rugged coast and treacherous marshland.

I aim to rate every book I finish and I usually leave a short review. I rarely leave one-star or two-star ratings. If I don't like a book, I won't finish or rate it. I'm here to share good reads.

Reviewers: Send me a message if you'd like to receive ebook copies for review.

Authors: If you'd like to suggest I review your book, get in touch via my blog: https://trostlibrary.blogspot.com/p/b...

You can find me on Amazon, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, BookBub, TikTok, and other platforms. Complete links here: https://linktr.ee/camerontrost

Reviews

[Deborah Sheldon · Rating 5 out of 5]

What an entertaining anthology! Overall, the horror leans more towards the psychological and creepy rather than the gory. Each contribution is stylistically unique. (I'm leaving my own story out of this review.) Oh, there's so much to like, but some of my favourites would have to be "The Guisers" by David Turnbull, "The Great Invocation" by David Schembri, and "Holiday Home" by Cameron Trost. Highly recommended.

[Sam Dawson · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have a story in this, but that doesn't alter the fact that it's a singularly good collection with some real stand out stories and not a duff one to be found

[Steven Paulsen · Rating 4 out of 5]

A thoroughly enjoyable anthology with some fantastic stories. Diverse, strange, spooky and unsettling.

[Kristina · Rating 4 out of 5]

This excellent anthology included a diverse array of chills perfect for rainy nights! There were several outstanding folk horror tales as well as some suitably chilling psychological haunts. The writing was intelligent and relatable and the editing was on point. Highly recommended for spooky season!!

[Allen James · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed all of these stories except one. My favorites were "The Guisers", "Cameo", "Holiday Home".

[Scott · Rating 4 out of 5]

As with most anthologies, you’ll find a mix of stories; some you’ll like more than others. Each of these tales haunts the soul of your mind.

[NIna Wachsman · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love a good book of horror. My only comment on this one is MORE!

[Angelique Fawns · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a fun and scary anthology, perfect for the Halloween season.

[Robin Knabel · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoyed reading this collection! There are sixteen stories, each telling a unique tale of horror. I was pleasantly surprised by the amount of variety. Not only are the characters and the “monsters” varied, but the settings are, too. No matter if they take place in a car, an apartment, or an abandoned hospital, there’s no shortage of thrills and suspense in each. From folk tales to psychological horror, there’s something in this collection for every horror lover.

For my full spoiler free review: https://robinknabel.squarespace.com/r...

[Chuck McKenzie · Rating 5 out of 5]

An extremely enjoyable anthology of 16 dark tales, with a vibe that reminded me strongly of the classic Hammer Horror films and the Pan Book of Horror anthologies of my youth. In some cases the payoff of stories was obvious from the beginning, but the journey to get to those payoffs was never anything less than engaging. There wasn't a single dud tale in this book, but personal standouts for me included 'The Guisers' (David Turnbull), 'Landslide' (Harris Coverley), 'The House on the Bluff' (Edward Lodi), 'Children of Blood' (Greg Chapman), 'Divine Liquor' (C.C. Adams), and 'Her Mother's Lullaby' (Micah Castle). Highly recommended for lovers of modern and classic horror alike.

[Karen · Rating 4 out of 5]

An entertaining read. The horror is mild, so if you are into hardcore or slasher horror, this is not for you. There was some playing fast and loose with mythology in the version I read, which may offend some purists. However, I especially enjoyed "The Guises" by David Turnball, "Holiday Home" by Cameron Trost, "Her Mother's Lullaby" by Micah Castle and "Ruby's Syzygy" by Matthew R. Davis.