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Ghost Camera
When Jenine finds an abandoned polaroid camera, she playfully snaps a photo without a second thought. But there's something wrong with the image: a ghostly figure stands in the background, watching her.
Fixated on her.
Moving one step closer with every picture she takes.
Desperate, Jenine shares her secret with her best friend, Bree. Together they realize the camera captures unsettling impressions of the dead. But now the ghosts seem to be following the two friends. And with each new photo taken, a terrible danger grows ever clearer…
INCLUDES CHILLING NEW BONUS STORIES:
*A woman survives a plane crash in a remote arctic tundra, accompanied only by a stranger who seems fixated on something moving through the blinding snow.
* A house stands empty. Hungry. Waiting for the children drawn to it like moths to a flame.
*A woman finds a shoebox filled with old VHS tapes. They have a note attached: "Don't watch. You'll regret it."
*And more!
Fixated on her.
Moving one step closer with every picture she takes.
Desperate, Jenine shares her secret with her best friend, Bree. Together they realize the camera captures unsettling impressions of the dead. But now the ghosts seem to be following the two friends. And with each new photo taken, a terrible danger grows ever clearer…
INCLUDES CHILLING NEW BONUS STORIES:
*A woman survives a plane crash in a remote arctic tundra, accompanied only by a stranger who seems fixated on something moving through the blinding snow.
* A house stands empty. Hungry. Waiting for the children drawn to it like moths to a flame.
*A woman finds a shoebox filled with old VHS tapes. They have a note attached: "Don't watch. You'll regret it."
*And more!
354 pages, Kindle Edition
First published July 29, 2014
779 people are currently reading
3927 people want to read
About the author
Darcy Coates
69 books14.1k followersDarcy Coates is the USA Today bestselling author of more than a dozen horror and suspense novels.
She lives in the Central Coast of Australia with her family, cat, and a collection of chickens. Her home is surrounded by rolling wilderness on all sides, and she wouldn't have it any other way.
You can hear about her next book by joining her newsletter: www.darcycoates.com/updates
She lives in the Central Coast of Australia with her family, cat, and a collection of chickens. Her home is surrounded by rolling wilderness on all sides, and she wouldn't have it any other way.
You can hear about her next book by joining her newsletter: www.darcycoates.com/updates
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 797 reviews
September 2, 2024
Ghost Camera ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Payment for the Dead ⭐️⭐️⭐️
Death Birds ⭐️⭐️
The House on Boxwood Lane ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
The Run to Broken Ridge Lighthouse ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Remains ⭐️⭐️
Untamed Things ⭐️⭐️⭐️
Cathedral ⭐️⭐️⭐️
A Box of Tapes ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Payment for the Dead ⭐️⭐️⭐️
Death Birds ⭐️⭐️
The House on Boxwood Lane ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
The Run to Broken Ridge Lighthouse ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Remains ⭐️⭐️
Untamed Things ⭐️⭐️⭐️
Cathedral ⭐️⭐️⭐️
A Box of Tapes ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
December 2, 2024
Short stories are something I don't gravitate to on the average.
I may read a few as a stand alone here or there but otherwise not.
I can't even tell you why.
The reason has been lost for years.
I saw the name Darcy Coates and without hesitation, bought it.
I didn't realize it was filled with shorts.
And that's okay.
There are 8 stories within which gave me varying degrees of reading enjoyment.
Just to name a few favorites.
Ghost Camera:
Janine finds an old polaroid camera, snaps a pic, waits for the instant development, and waits somemore and low and behold captures a few ghostly apparitions in frame. Uh oh, that's odd.
It's a good one.
Death Birds:
Ryan works the ER as a nurse. The Death Birds roam the halls waiting for death, waiting to feed. A few at a time are the norm, but when more and more of the birds arrive Ryan knows something horrible is about to take place.
This one was unsettling.
Untamed Things:
2 women are the lone survivors of a horrific plane crash. As they trek across the cold winter tundra to seek a working radio something follows them and its not quite human. It smells of rot.
This was my favorite.
A Box Of Tapes:
Mom and young daughter move into a new house. Mom finds a box of old VHS tapes in her daughter's closet complete with the warning " Don't watch. You'll regret it."
Of course she does.
I liked this one.
The other stories waivered in the 3 star area. But still, not too bad.
I'm just gonna wrap this up with a 4 star and call this collection a success.
I may read a few as a stand alone here or there but otherwise not.
I can't even tell you why.
The reason has been lost for years.
I saw the name Darcy Coates and without hesitation, bought it.
I didn't realize it was filled with shorts.
And that's okay.
There are 8 stories within which gave me varying degrees of reading enjoyment.
Just to name a few favorites.
Ghost Camera:
Janine finds an old polaroid camera, snaps a pic, waits for the instant development, and waits somemore and low and behold captures a few ghostly apparitions in frame. Uh oh, that's odd.
It's a good one.
Death Birds:
Ryan works the ER as a nurse. The Death Birds roam the halls waiting for death, waiting to feed. A few at a time are the norm, but when more and more of the birds arrive Ryan knows something horrible is about to take place.
This one was unsettling.
Untamed Things:
2 women are the lone survivors of a horrific plane crash. As they trek across the cold winter tundra to seek a working radio something follows them and its not quite human. It smells of rot.
This was my favorite.
A Box Of Tapes:
Mom and young daughter move into a new house. Mom finds a box of old VHS tapes in her daughter's closet complete with the warning " Don't watch. You'll regret it."
Of course she does.
I liked this one.
The other stories waivered in the 3 star area. But still, not too bad.
I'm just gonna wrap this up with a 4 star and call this collection a success.
June 12, 2025
i’ll be honest usually horror books don’t freak me out but the last story about the VHS videotapes SPOOKED!! There was a lot of short stories in here and it’s hard to write a review on them all but just know they were all amazing and I will be having nightmares tonight 😭🖤
September 17, 2025
My favorite stories were "Ghost Camera," "Deathbirds," "Remains," and "A Box of Tapes"
Want to read
August 7, 2024This is a creepy novella. I read it late at night and I do own one of these type of cameras and have been taking photos with it for my niece. Mine is a more modern model, but still. Creepy.
My kindle highlights -some of them might be spooky and/or spoilerish. You have been warned.
My kindle highlights -some of them might be spooky and/or spoilerish. You have been warned.
September 25, 2024
A quick and fun read!
Gave me major “Say Cheese and Die” vibes!
Gave me major “Say Cheese and Die” vibes!
September 1, 2024
3.5 rounded to 4.
I didn't realise this was going to be a bunch of short stories, alongside Ghost Camera. I really enjoyed 2 of the longer ones, Untamed Things and A Box of Tapes, they both gave me the spooks. The rest were ok, Ghost Camera had a really good concept and I'd have liked that to have been more detailed as it felt like it was summed up too fast.
I didn't realise this was going to be a bunch of short stories, alongside Ghost Camera. I really enjoyed 2 of the longer ones, Untamed Things and A Box of Tapes, they both gave me the spooks. The rest were ok, Ghost Camera had a really good concept and I'd have liked that to have been more detailed as it felt like it was summed up too fast.
July 30, 2024
I requested a copy of the ARC from the publisher, Black Owl Books, on NetGalley and was approved in exchange for consideration of a review. All opinions discussed are my own and are subjective to myself as a reader.
I admit, it was the cover that initially caught my interest for this collection, but once I read the book description about the featured story - it sounded way too good to pass up the opportunity, even though I'd only read one other book by this author. (DEAD OF WINTER)
That line in the description that says "Discover chilling new bonus stories"? ACCURATE. One got under my skin so thoroughly that I had to put it down for the night and pick it back up the next afternoon to finish in the daylight. (Wouldn't you know a random thunderstorm popped up?! Coincidence? UNLIKELY.)
+ A polaroid camera that captures the images of ghosts
+ Graverobbers who should have questioned why they were getting paid double their standard fee
+ Ghostly birds that feast on the newly departed
+ A house that eats children
+ An urban legend
+ A woman who survives a plane crash in a remote part of the arctic
+ An abandoned Cathedral...or is it?
+ A grieving widow who can't let go of her beloved husband
+ A woman finds a box of VHS tapes in her new home with a note "Don't watch. You'll regret it."
Darcy Coates blew me away with this collection. I loved every single story - which is rare. Think about it - how many collections by a single author have you read where you loved every single story? I can only think of a handful myself. I found each story intriguing and loved how the author built up the suspense and maintained that sort of breathless anticipation you get when you're expecting a jump scare in a horror movie.
This is a properly scary collection. Each story is either unsettling in some fashion or will have you snapping to attention to any wayward sound you hear in your house. I couldn't even go to sleep last night until I had both dogs and my husband there with me. (Stinking Elsbeth!) WORTH IT.
I am officially a Darcy Coates fan after this one. I've already purchased another collection of hers to read next: SMALL HORRORS. After that one, I'll work through her back log until her next new release!
A full non spoiler video discussion regarding my experience with GHOST CAMERA is on my BookTube Channel!
A heartfelt thanks to my Patrons on Patreon for their support towards my enthusiasm for reading and reviewing!
Special thanks to my highest level Patrons: Ev, Amanda L., Sharon, Andrew, Star, Kate, Gail, Amanda F., Tara, John, Ann, Chad K., Ashley E. & Mel
I admit, it was the cover that initially caught my interest for this collection, but once I read the book description about the featured story - it sounded way too good to pass up the opportunity, even though I'd only read one other book by this author. (DEAD OF WINTER)
That line in the description that says "Discover chilling new bonus stories"? ACCURATE. One got under my skin so thoroughly that I had to put it down for the night and pick it back up the next afternoon to finish in the daylight. (Wouldn't you know a random thunderstorm popped up?! Coincidence? UNLIKELY.)
+ A polaroid camera that captures the images of ghosts
+ Graverobbers who should have questioned why they were getting paid double their standard fee
+ Ghostly birds that feast on the newly departed
+ A house that eats children
+ An urban legend
+ A woman who survives a plane crash in a remote part of the arctic
+ An abandoned Cathedral...or is it?
+ A grieving widow who can't let go of her beloved husband
+ A woman finds a box of VHS tapes in her new home with a note "Don't watch. You'll regret it."
Darcy Coates blew me away with this collection. I loved every single story - which is rare. Think about it - how many collections by a single author have you read where you loved every single story? I can only think of a handful myself. I found each story intriguing and loved how the author built up the suspense and maintained that sort of breathless anticipation you get when you're expecting a jump scare in a horror movie.
This is a properly scary collection. Each story is either unsettling in some fashion or will have you snapping to attention to any wayward sound you hear in your house. I couldn't even go to sleep last night until I had both dogs and my husband there with me. (Stinking Elsbeth!) WORTH IT.
I am officially a Darcy Coates fan after this one. I've already purchased another collection of hers to read next: SMALL HORRORS. After that one, I'll work through her back log until her next new release!
A full non spoiler video discussion regarding my experience with GHOST CAMERA is on my BookTube Channel!
A heartfelt thanks to my Patrons on Patreon for their support towards my enthusiasm for reading and reviewing!
Special thanks to my highest level Patrons: Ev, Amanda L., Sharon, Andrew, Star, Kate, Gail, Amanda F., Tara, John, Ann, Chad K., Ashley E. & Mel
Read
October 22, 2025I have had Darcy Coates on my TBR for ages and have purchased (but not read) so many books by her. Well, I decided this spooky season was going to be the one for me and started with Ghost Camera! This is a collection of short stories that are mostly new, with the title story being one of the first she ever wrote. Make sure you get the author’s note in the front of the book for more detail on that, but thankfully it was included in the audiobook format as well. As with any collection of short stories, I enjoyed some more than others but the majority of them were utterly fantastic and super creepy.
The audiobook is narrated by Vanessa Moyen who did an amazing job bringing every single story to life. A full cast COULD have been better as with some short story collections, but she was so easy and enjoyable to listen to that it didn’t bother me. My favorites of the bunch were Ghost Camera, Untamed Things, and A Box of Tapes which also happen to be on the longer side of all of them. I felt like they had the most character development and fully formed storylines, and they were also very suspenseful and chilling. That being said, I loved all of them except for one which was good, just not my favorite, so that was a win in my book. Read this if you enjoy horror, short stories, weirdness, and feeling on edge!
The audiobook is narrated by Vanessa Moyen who did an amazing job bringing every single story to life. A full cast COULD have been better as with some short story collections, but she was so easy and enjoyable to listen to that it didn’t bother me. My favorites of the bunch were Ghost Camera, Untamed Things, and A Box of Tapes which also happen to be on the longer side of all of them. I felt like they had the most character development and fully formed storylines, and they were also very suspenseful and chilling. That being said, I loved all of them except for one which was good, just not my favorite, so that was a win in my book. Read this if you enjoy horror, short stories, weirdness, and feeling on edge!
March 21, 2025
This collection primarily features short horror tales rather than focusing solely on the Ghost Camera. I found the Ghost Camera story particularly captivating and believe it could have been expanded to explore the complete history of the camera and the boy depicted in the photographs. Nevertheless, the other stories offered enjoyable quick reads.
February 3, 2025
This is a 4.5 🌟 read rounded ⬆️ to 5 🌟.
This was a creepy little tome with the namesake of the book, "Ghost Camera", being the main novella story with other short stories of various lengths added in this re-edited and updated version of the novel.
My favourite stories being "Ghost Camera", "Death Birds", "Untamed Things" and the pants-pooping "A Box Of Tapes". Seriously one of my favourite Australian authors.
As a bonus, this is another read off my "Have The Book - TBR" Reading Goals list.
This was a creepy little tome with the namesake of the book, "Ghost Camera", being the main novella story with other short stories of various lengths added in this re-edited and updated version of the novel.
My favourite stories being "Ghost Camera", "Death Birds", "Untamed Things" and the pants-pooping "A Box Of Tapes". Seriously one of my favourite Australian authors.
As a bonus, this is another read off my "Have The Book - TBR" Reading Goals list.
October 24, 2024
the title story was honestly my least favourite in the collection, it just didn't capture the on edge atmosphere I know and love Darcy Coates for!
But some of the other short stories were stand outs for me!
I don't know the names tbh, but my favourite was easily the last one, with the VHS tapes and the house. This felt like classic Darcy and I'd love her to write a full length like this!
But I also enjoyed the very short one about a wife and her husband and locking things in, and I enjoyed the lighthouse story as well, it felt very unique and creepy!
Overall I enjoyed the collection, they were all 3's and 4's which is shocking for a short story collection to have such high ratings only from me, typically theres a few I really dislike!
But some of the other short stories were stand outs for me!
I don't know the names tbh, but my favourite was easily the last one, with the VHS tapes and the house. This felt like classic Darcy and I'd love her to write a full length like this!
But I also enjoyed the very short one about a wife and her husband and locking things in, and I enjoyed the lighthouse story as well, it felt very unique and creepy!
Overall I enjoyed the collection, they were all 3's and 4's which is shocking for a short story collection to have such high ratings only from me, typically theres a few I really dislike!
July 31, 2024
There are very few authors whose novels I anticipate as eagerly as those of Darcy Coates. She continues to be one of my favorite authors, and her books never, ever fail to captivate me. Therefore, imagine my sheer joy when I discovered that I was approved for an ARC of GHOST CAMERA. It felt like unwrapping the BEST birthday present ever! Now, let's dive into my review.
GHOST CAMERA is a departure from Darcy Coates’s usual full-length novels, presented instead as a collection of short stories. Each tale is uniquely crafted and stands out on its own, yet all share the eerie atmosphere and chilling moments that we’ve come to expect from Darcy’s writing. Her ability to create immersive storytelling experiences and rich characterizations turns reading into a truly spellbinding experience. She’s able to instill fear in readers effortlessly with the incredible level of detail in her writing, her imagery making it so we can almost see and hear the action as it terrifyingly plays out on the pages of her books. In my opinion, very few authors can write in a way that evokes such a visceral response, but Darcy nails it every time!
With this collection of short stories, we get the same level captivating storytelling that is in each of her full blown novels. I enjoyed every one in a different way, each offering its own unique kind of horror, constantly keeping me on the edge of my seat. The stories range from unsettling to outright terrifying, exhibiting Darcy’s remarkable range as a writer. No one can build tension and instill utter fear like she can!
Overall, GHOST CAMERA is a testament to Darcy Coates's skill as a storyteller. She continues to prove why she is a powerhouse in the horror genre, and I can't wait to see what she has in store for us next. She delivers a series of haunting tales here that not only entertain us but also linger in our minds long after the story is finished.
I want to extend a huge thank you to NetGalley, Darcy Coates, and Poisoned Pen Press for gifting me the ARC of GHOST CAMERA! I appreciate you trusting me with an honest review!! It was a privilege to be able to read this fabulous collection of short stories before publication!
GHOST CAMERA is a departure from Darcy Coates’s usual full-length novels, presented instead as a collection of short stories. Each tale is uniquely crafted and stands out on its own, yet all share the eerie atmosphere and chilling moments that we’ve come to expect from Darcy’s writing. Her ability to create immersive storytelling experiences and rich characterizations turns reading into a truly spellbinding experience. She’s able to instill fear in readers effortlessly with the incredible level of detail in her writing, her imagery making it so we can almost see and hear the action as it terrifyingly plays out on the pages of her books. In my opinion, very few authors can write in a way that evokes such a visceral response, but Darcy nails it every time!
With this collection of short stories, we get the same level captivating storytelling that is in each of her full blown novels. I enjoyed every one in a different way, each offering its own unique kind of horror, constantly keeping me on the edge of my seat. The stories range from unsettling to outright terrifying, exhibiting Darcy’s remarkable range as a writer. No one can build tension and instill utter fear like she can!
Overall, GHOST CAMERA is a testament to Darcy Coates's skill as a storyteller. She continues to prove why she is a powerhouse in the horror genre, and I can't wait to see what she has in store for us next. She delivers a series of haunting tales here that not only entertain us but also linger in our minds long after the story is finished.
I want to extend a huge thank you to NetGalley, Darcy Coates, and Poisoned Pen Press for gifting me the ARC of GHOST CAMERA! I appreciate you trusting me with an honest review!! It was a privilege to be able to read this fabulous collection of short stories before publication!
January 5, 2025
This is a decent collection of short stories. When I picked it up, I didn’t know it was a short story collection- I truly just judged the book by the cover and politely told it “you’re coming home with me.”
Ghost Camera - 5⭐️ - you’ve probably read something similar to this, but this story was good, even if not a new idea. I liked it and the characters.
Payment for then Dead - 5⭐️ - short, creepy, made my brain alight on the subject and I went down various Google rabbit holes about grave robbers and grave robbing.
Death Birds - 5⭐️ - this definitely made me feel creeped out. This one would make a good Black Mirror episode.
The House in Boxwood Lane - 4⭐️ - a weird little story and why you shouldn’t go where you don’t belong.
The Run to Broken Ridge Lighthouse - 3.5 ⭐️ - this could have been fleshed out in to a full book. Not super original but interesting. Better once I knew what was going on. But left too many questions (unrelated to its ending….). And also, if my “boyfriend” got me involved with something like this without my consent, it wouldn’t be a ghost he’d have to worry about. Eek, watching out for spoilers.
Remains - 5⭐️ - I could have read more of this, a full book! This was too short. It left me wanting way more - more back story, what happened next. Just more.
Untamed Things - 3.75 ⭐️- this was the most unique story in the book. Interesting but I needed more details.
Cathedral - 4 ⭐️ - another cautionary tale on why you shouldn’t go where you don’t belong.
A Box of Tapes - 2 ⭐️- I didn’t jive with this one. It felt disjointed at times and slow. I got annoyed with the characters.
Ghost Camera - 5⭐️ - you’ve probably read something similar to this, but this story was good, even if not a new idea. I liked it and the characters.
Payment for then Dead - 5⭐️ - short, creepy, made my brain alight on the subject and I went down various Google rabbit holes about grave robbers and grave robbing.
Death Birds - 5⭐️ - this definitely made me feel creeped out. This one would make a good Black Mirror episode.
The House in Boxwood Lane - 4⭐️ - a weird little story and why you shouldn’t go where you don’t belong.
The Run to Broken Ridge Lighthouse - 3.5 ⭐️ - this could have been fleshed out in to a full book. Not super original but interesting. Better once I knew what was going on. But left too many questions (unrelated to its ending….). And also, if my “boyfriend” got me involved with something like this without my consent, it wouldn’t be a ghost he’d have to worry about. Eek, watching out for spoilers.
Remains - 5⭐️ - I could have read more of this, a full book! This was too short. It left me wanting way more - more back story, what happened next. Just more.
Untamed Things - 3.75 ⭐️- this was the most unique story in the book. Interesting but I needed more details.
Cathedral - 4 ⭐️ - another cautionary tale on why you shouldn’t go where you don’t belong.
A Box of Tapes - 2 ⭐️- I didn’t jive with this one. It felt disjointed at times and slow. I got annoyed with the characters.
July 26, 2024
Coates delivers per usual with an addictive reading experience featuring stories ranging from a camera that captures ghosts in the photos, to a plane crash, to a house that may or may not eat children and so much more.
The stories in this collection are captivating, strange, eerie, liminal, and tantalizing. I flew through the pages in a couple of days.
The feature story Ghost Camera, is one of the first stories that Coates ever wrote and I hadn't had the chance to read it until now. I thought it was fantastically weird and I highly enjoyed my time with it. The collection as a whole shimmers with ghostly light and strange happenings, as a Coates fan this book hit all the marks for me.
The stories in this collection are captivating, strange, eerie, liminal, and tantalizing. I flew through the pages in a couple of days.
The feature story Ghost Camera, is one of the first stories that Coates ever wrote and I hadn't had the chance to read it until now. I thought it was fantastically weird and I highly enjoyed my time with it. The collection as a whole shimmers with ghostly light and strange happenings, as a Coates fan this book hit all the marks for me.
March 5, 2025
3.5 rounded up
Thoughts: https://www.tiktok.com/t/ZT2QJfSmM/
Thoughts: https://www.tiktok.com/t/ZT2QJfSmM/
December 14, 2024
Ghost camera is only 100 pages and had so much crammed in.
Then there are 3 other short stories (one I've read before)
Then there are 3 other short stories (one I've read before)
October 9, 2024
I used to think I hated short stories. There’s never any substance to them and if it is a good story then usually ends right when I’m getting interested. Even big name authors like Stephen King, Joe Abercrombie, Christopher Ruocchio. Well Darcy Coates gave me my first collection of short stories and novellas that I’ve ever really enjoyed.
Ghost camera was Darcy’s first novella she ever wrote and it was spooky good. A girl finds an old camera but every picture she takes she’s able to see the dead. She later finds out that using this camera lets the dead find you and when they find you they kill you. The more she uses it the faster she will die, but death is an inevitability. She must find a way to save her own life and destroy the camera.
Darcy republished this story and included about 8 more stories. 2 of them I didn’t like at all because they were about 5 pages and the rest were all very enjoyable. This is my 3rd attempt with Darcy and it’s been at least 4 stars every time. As of this moment she’s my 3rd favorite horror author behind Robert McCammon and Brom.
Give this lady a shot for spooky season!
Ghost camera was Darcy’s first novella she ever wrote and it was spooky good. A girl finds an old camera but every picture she takes she’s able to see the dead. She later finds out that using this camera lets the dead find you and when they find you they kill you. The more she uses it the faster she will die, but death is an inevitability. She must find a way to save her own life and destroy the camera.
Darcy republished this story and included about 8 more stories. 2 of them I didn’t like at all because they were about 5 pages and the rest were all very enjoyable. This is my 3rd attempt with Darcy and it’s been at least 4 stars every time. As of this moment she’s my 3rd favorite horror author behind Robert McCammon and Brom.
Give this lady a shot for spooky season!
August 18, 2024
“Ghost Camera” was a solid novella with really interesting lore on the titular device
“Payment For the Dead” had a nice creepy twist
At first “Death Birds” seemed a lil too weird for me, but I quickly changed my mind and was hooked. It ended up being shocking and brutal and super super good!
“The House on Boxwood Lane” had a super unexpected twist and I liked it
“The Run to Broken Ridge Lighthouse” wasn’t my favorite but the ghost lore in it was really cool
“Remains” was also not my favorite but I do love crazy narrators so I liked that aspect
“Untamed Things” was about a plane crash and it was 10/10, one of the best short stories I’ve ever read, but I don’t feel like I can say anything else without spoiling things!
“Cathedral” was definitely cool but didn’t pack as much of a punch since it had to follow the perfection that was “Untamed Things”
“A Box of Tapes” was I think the longest novella in here and it was a suuuuper solid horror story. Engaging and creepy! Nothing tops “Untamed Things” for me though lol
“Payment For the Dead” had a nice creepy twist
At first “Death Birds” seemed a lil too weird for me, but I quickly changed my mind and was hooked. It ended up being shocking and brutal and super super good!
“The House on Boxwood Lane” had a super unexpected twist and I liked it
“The Run to Broken Ridge Lighthouse” wasn’t my favorite but the ghost lore in it was really cool
“Remains” was also not my favorite but I do love crazy narrators so I liked that aspect
“Untamed Things” was about a plane crash and it was 10/10, one of the best short stories I’ve ever read, but I don’t feel like I can say anything else without spoiling things!
“Cathedral” was definitely cool but didn’t pack as much of a punch since it had to follow the perfection that was “Untamed Things”
“A Box of Tapes” was I think the longest novella in here and it was a suuuuper solid horror story. Engaging and creepy! Nothing tops “Untamed Things” for me though lol
December 13, 2024
Short story collection anchored by the title novella, Ghost Camera. I didn't find any of the stories scary, and none were bad just not great. It takes great skill to write good short stories, to get enough detail into a minimum number of pages to make a story feel complete. These read more like underdeveloped works that were intended to be longer. This would be a great way for squeamish readers to dip a toe into horror, but I don't think it works for long time horror fans.
June 20, 2024
2.5
I like Darcy Coates and I can’t wait to try more of her books. This one didn’t do it for me the way I wanted it to. It could be the fact that short stories tend to be very hit or miss for me. It could be the fact that the first story had such strangely written dialogue between the characters that it soured the rest of the book. Im not sure but it wasn’t for me.
I like Darcy Coates and I can’t wait to try more of her books. This one didn’t do it for me the way I wanted it to. It could be the fact that short stories tend to be very hit or miss for me. It could be the fact that the first story had such strangely written dialogue between the characters that it soured the rest of the book. Im not sure but it wasn’t for me.
January 24, 2025
Overall Rating : B+
A collection of horror stories meant to disturb and frighten. I'll mention each story and rank each one according to fear factor; A,B,C, or D. But really, they were all good in their own, horrifying way. Think of them as the adult version of Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark.
Ghost Camera - B : A young woman finds an old polaroid camera in a lighthouse. With it, she can see the undead. The problem? They can see her, and they're not happy about it.
Payment for the Dead - C : Two graverobbers are paid to dig up a body. But something......other, has already happened to it.
Death Birds - A : Twenty years ago, people were able to see Death Birds, dark beings that flock to those about to die. Ryan, an E.R. nurse, is at the hospital when the Death Birds start coming in droves. Panic ensues when staff try to determine what and when this major tragedy will happen, and then it does.
The House on Boxwood Lane - A : A house suddenly appears in a neighborhood street, with lights on and doors open, presents lining the rooms. A bunch of kids decide to dare each other to go inside.
The Run to Broken Ridge Lighthouse - C : A group of friends around a bonfire dare each other to race to the lighthouse that holds a dark past, and a darker curse.
Remains - A : A very recently made widow reminisces about the love of her life, and how she tries to keep him with her, forever.
Untamed Things - B : After a plane crash in the cold mountains, two survivors make the trek to contact rescue, racing the clock before the monsters living there get to them first.
Cathedral - B : A couple pull over to look inside a dilapidated church, with disturbingly realistic statues.
A Box of Tapes - A : A young woman and her child move into a new home where she discovers a bunch of VHS tapes. When she watches the horrific scenes, something - or someone - starts to terrorize them both, with deadly intentions.
A collection of horror stories meant to disturb and frighten. I'll mention each story and rank each one according to fear factor; A,B,C, or D. But really, they were all good in their own, horrifying way. Think of them as the adult version of Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark.
Ghost Camera - B : A young woman finds an old polaroid camera in a lighthouse. With it, she can see the undead. The problem? They can see her, and they're not happy about it.
Payment for the Dead - C : Two graverobbers are paid to dig up a body. But something......other, has already happened to it.
Death Birds - A : Twenty years ago, people were able to see Death Birds, dark beings that flock to those about to die. Ryan, an E.R. nurse, is at the hospital when the Death Birds start coming in droves. Panic ensues when staff try to determine what and when this major tragedy will happen, and then it does.
The House on Boxwood Lane - A : A house suddenly appears in a neighborhood street, with lights on and doors open, presents lining the rooms. A bunch of kids decide to dare each other to go inside.
The Run to Broken Ridge Lighthouse - C : A group of friends around a bonfire dare each other to race to the lighthouse that holds a dark past, and a darker curse.
Remains - A : A very recently made widow reminisces about the love of her life, and how she tries to keep him with her, forever.
Untamed Things - B : After a plane crash in the cold mountains, two survivors make the trek to contact rescue, racing the clock before the monsters living there get to them first.
Cathedral - B : A couple pull over to look inside a dilapidated church, with disturbingly realistic statues.
A Box of Tapes - A : A young woman and her child move into a new home where she discovers a bunch of VHS tapes. When she watches the horrific scenes, something - or someone - starts to terrorize them both, with deadly intentions.
January 23, 2025
Oops I completely forgot to write a review for this!
This was a good time! I actually completely forgot it was a short stories book, so I was confused why our main girl was COOKED so early in the book hahahah, yeah she was BURNT in that story.
Some of these short stories were kinda lame and I was justwaiittinnnggg for them to be over.
![](https://media.tenor.com/IN52ar9IOSoAAAAM/sips-oop.gif"description"/)
A good portion of these stories were fun though!! A nice fun easy read! Darcy is always writing these fun books, so I'm not surprised.
This was a good time! I actually completely forgot it was a short stories book, so I was confused why our main girl was COOKED so early in the book hahahah, yeah she was BURNT in that story.
Some of these short stories were kinda lame and I was just
A good portion of these stories were fun though!! A nice fun easy read! Darcy is always writing these fun books, so I'm not surprised.
February 19, 2025
Overall I'm giving this a 3⭐️ which is upsetting because the couple of novellas that were the longest and not just a few pages were my favorites. But when I average out my ratings for all of them it's those shorter stories that really brought down the overall rating.
Ghost Camera ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Payment for the Dead ⭐️⭐️⭐️
Death Birds ⭐️⭐️
The House on Boxwood Lane ⭐️⭐️⭐️
The Run to Broken Ridge Lighthouse ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Remains ⭐️
Untamed Things ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Cathedral ⭐️⭐️
A Box of Tapes ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Ghost Camera ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Payment for the Dead ⭐️⭐️⭐️
Death Birds ⭐️⭐️
The House on Boxwood Lane ⭐️⭐️⭐️
The Run to Broken Ridge Lighthouse ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Remains ⭐️
Untamed Things ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Cathedral ⭐️⭐️
A Box of Tapes ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
October 19, 2024
This book was something. The original story „Ghost Camera“ was amazing. Some other short stories were a bit boring, but the last short story had me on my toes. Definitely recommend this one
October 14, 2024
Such a great collection of creepy short stories!
November 10, 2024
4.5 rounded up to 5
Darcy Coates has to be one of my favourite writers so I was really intrigued to see how she tackled this short story anthology. I was pleasantly surprised. Coate’s iconic style flows through each story, as we delve deeper and deeper into a world of horror and fright. All the stories were unique and equally terrifying and enjoyable. I just wish that there was more of a connection in theme between them all which would have rounded off the collection nicely.
Darcy Coates has to be one of my favourite writers so I was really intrigued to see how she tackled this short story anthology. I was pleasantly surprised. Coate’s iconic style flows through each story, as we delve deeper and deeper into a world of horror and fright. All the stories were unique and equally terrifying and enjoyable. I just wish that there was more of a connection in theme between them all which would have rounded off the collection nicely.
February 28, 2025
The longer stories Ghost Camera and A box of tapes were the best. If it were just these two stories I would have given it 4,5** The rest of the stories did get me less, some even bored me and therefore only 3,5** for the book as a whole
December 6, 2024
Okay maybe it’s just me but this book was EXTREMELY misleading. It was advertised as Ghost Camera (with a collection of other stories) but the main story of the book is barely the first 100 pages. The ghost camera story itself was going strong then fizzled out too fast. If the other short stories had been about the previous owners it definitely would have had potential, but they were completely irrelevant. Feels like the author should have spent more time developing the ghost camera plot instead of these mini stories.
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