Punk Rock Ghost Story

I've been reading David Agranoff this month. My first experience with him was The Last Night to Kill Nazis, and I've dabbled in his work, podcast, and excellent blog ever since. He's extremely diverse, popping in and out of genres while still maintaining his strong storytelling. That's a measure of talent that often goes unnoticed. 

His 2016 novel, Punk Rock Ghost Story, was published by Deadite Press. Like his debut, The Vegan Revolution...with Zombies, this book also boasts a flavorful combination of satire, comedy, seriousness, and outright horror. I described it to Nick at the Book Graveyard as Natural Born Killers throwing a basement party with the Manson Family and Black Flag. I'm not even sure that outrageous description does it justice. Maybe throw in Ari Aster to direct the party's cell phone footage.

The book is presented in a non-linear narrative that captures events from 1982 and 2006. Agranoff masterfully blends both into a penultimate moment when everything collides – people, places, and things. It's a careful orchestration to combine these two different eras in an entrancing plot that doesn't lose the reader. 

In 2006, Nate and his band are set to tour the country's dives and basements as the fictional Indiana punk band People's Uprising. As a mode of transportation, the group bought an old beater van that was once used by a mysterious fictional punk band called The Fuckers, who had one unforgettable tour in 1982 that culminated in their lead singer, Frank Fucker, disappearing. 

As the People's Uprising hits the road, Nate begins to hear voices from the van – voices that seem to resonate from The Fuckers in 1982. Nate begins to align his principles and beliefs with Frank Fucker as he descends into a pretty dark place. His girlfriend, Ericka (the star of the show), is revolted by Nate's transformation, an intriguing part of the storyline that makes for great drama. On the flip, readers are submerged into the 1982 tour and the violent crescendo of Frank Fucker's self-appointment as punk rock's unholy gatekeeper.

As a music journalist, I've been in some pretty crazy spots on the East Coast. This book brought back some memories for me (good and bad) of the music industry roadshow. Agranoff complimented the novel with a Blair Witch Treatment. He made an actual album of punk rock songs credited to The Fuckers, including songs mentioned in the book. Further, he made a mockumentary film with real Indiana punk bands, citing The Fuckers as an influence on their music. Outrageous. 

If you enjoy unique psychological horror, or just a great backstage music bio, then Punk Rock Ghost Story is an entertaining experience. Get it HERE.

Eric's Brand New Book Haul

Eric shares his latest book haul, featuring new releases from Stark House Press and a stack of horror books borrowed from a friend. He also talks about a pulp coffee table book and outlines upcoming plans for his show through the end of the year and into 2026. Stream below or on YouTube HERE.

The Shoppe of Endarkenment

Bradley J. Knefelkamp is a commercial photographer who possesses a strong passion for music (his drum covers to Rush are rad), graphic design, and writing. His first novel was 2016's Escape from Gehenna, a young adult adventure that was followed by a sequel, Return to Gehenna, in 2022. My first experience with the writer is his horror novel The Shoppe of Endarkenment, published in 2021. 

In the Victorian town of Brown's Creek, a new trinket store has just opened. Its mysterious owner, Phineas Stumpf, offers a charming assortment of oddities that captivate the apothecary and antique consumer. But Stumpf is a peculiar shopkeeper. He has a penchant for eating insects, especially the ones that crawl out of his own skin. Stumpf can also make inanimate objects move of their own accord. But his most uncanny ability is the nearly magnetic pull he has on his customers. They “must” possess his various trinkets and treasures - at any price. But, Stumpf proves to be a fair dealer in commodities. He warns every one of his consumers of the danger and responsibility of owning these physical objects. Humanity has a history of opposition to supernatural commands.

The Shoppe of Endarkenment is a type of short story collection. Through these six offerings, listed as “episodes”, six people buy an object from Stumpf and experience horrifying results. It's a variety of offerings, and offings, as these people are essentially killed by their own material possession. Maybe. But, as each episode unravels, readers learn that each of these characters was experiencing their personal demons, an inner darkness that Stumpf preys upon. In the last episode, Stumpf meets his match with a vengeful family man who brings Jesus into the conversation.

Knefelkamp's prose is smooth and to the point, never squandering the propulsive feel of each episode's obligatory demise. He maintains a quick pace while still offering enough characterization of these men, women, and children to allow the reader to care about their fate. This book should appeal to all ages, but it is targeting young adults. There are a few gory details (like disembowelment in a bathtub), but for the most part, it all remains PG-13. You can get the book in digital and physical editions HERE.

Things Have Gotten Way Worse Since We Last Spoke

Boston horror author Eric LaRocca devised a clever 100-page novel called Things Have Gotten Way Worse Since We Last Spoke. The story employs a storytelling device organized like a documentary film pieced together by a diligent researcher via Internet postings, emails, and instant messages. It’s an inventive way to tell a horror story.

The story begins with a somewhat rattling Internet posting from a woman named Agnes trying to sell her grandmother’s apple peeler and the response from another woman named Zoe. The two women (both lesbians) develop an online friendship that veers into sexual flirtation.

Once they start confessing their sexual fantasies to one another, things take a dark turn when Zoe reveals her preferences. It’s about total escalating control over another person. No spoilers here. Leave it at that.

And then the payoff comes and it’s…disgusting. The author is a fine writer but went for the revolting gross-out when something more subtle and menacing would have been more effective. I genuinely think he’s a great writer, so I look forward to checking out his other works. This one failed by going extreme without the requisite build-up.

Also: Gratuitous animal cruelty. You’ve been warned. Get the book HERE.

The Lost Village

Camilla Sten is a Barcelona-based Swedish author and comedian. She's gained recent notoriety for her critically acclaimed suspense novels, including a criminal psychologist character she's created, Rebecca Lekman. Her novel, The Resting Place, was one of Goodreads' Most Popular Horror Books of 2022, and she earned a Viktor Crime Award in Germany. I wanted to start with her debut, The Lost Village, published in 2021. The novel was praised by the New York Times and has been translated to multiple languages. The book has also been optioned for a movie deal.

If you are striving for a traditional, breezy reading experience, then The Lost Village is not the book for you. Instead, this novel is non-linear and alternates between events in the present with those in the mid-20th century. To assist me on my literary journey, I kept a scratch pad handy with character names for both periods. It may not be necessary, but I found it a valuable supplement to Sten's narrative.

In the past, labeled as “Then” in the chapters, a fictional small town called Silvertjarn comes to life through a handful of characters. It's a typical rural village that exists from the income earned through the local mine. It's complemented by charismatic, ordinary citizens who go to work, school, and church. But three monumental events occur that change Silvertjarn's blue-collar charm. First, a new pastor arrives who immediately begins to change the orthodox teachings of the local church. Second, the mine closes. Third, a young woman is tied to a pole and stoned to death. That last one surprised you, right?

In the present, aptly labeled “Now” in chapter headings, a small filmmaker named Alice Lindstedt leads her production crew to Silvertjarn to document the town. It's now completely abandoned, with its streets and old buildings being slowly consumed by nature. Alice wants to investigate the town and search for answers on why the town's population seemingly vanished one day. Helping her is a former ex-best friend (and her male friend), the film's financial backer, and her partner.

The Lost Village is like a cross between The Blair Witch Project and David Morrell's Creepers. The narrative's twisty first half is an atmospheric, downright spooky delve into the town's empty school, church, and residential homes. There's a feeling of cold regret, an edgy abrasiveness, and a cloak of impending doom that helps suffocate these characters. Enhancing the mood is a stalking vibe as these characters hear footsteps and laughter in this quiet, neglected place. 

Sten's second half storytelling is where The Lost Village drifts from something truly special into a formulaic cat-and-mouse thriller that doesn't develop into an inventive finale. The surprise reveal wasn't spectacular, and there's a giant plot hole that left me feeling a bit insulted as an invested reader. 

Despite the poor second half, I found there was enough spark here to still make The Lost Village an entertaining read. The panning out from present to past wasn't a unique combination, but it helped the story and propped up the mysterious circumstances involving the town's citizens. The characters were predictable, but compelling. I dislike past-tense presentation, but Sten made it work. I would read another one of her books, but I'm not in a rush to run out and get one.

Get The Lost Village HERE.

At Home With the Horrors: 14 Chilling Tales

Sammy Scott is a rising voice in contemporary horror, known for crafting stories that are as unsettling as they are imaginative. In At Home With the Horrors: 14 Chilling Tales, he turns everyday settings into landscapes of dread, pulling readers into worlds where something sinister is just beneath the surface.

Reviews of short story collections are usually unsatisfying, but here are my thoughts of the first four stories in the collection:

"What We Have Here" - Scott wastes no time scaring the crap out of the reader with this story of a marital communication failure of epic proportions. The things that happen to Emily and Elliott in this story was like a twisted Twilight Zone episode fed through a body horror meat grinder. The less you know the better. Read this story.

"Theresa" - Newlywed Theresa is shattered when her husband Ray is killed in an act of workplace violence until she hears from him beyond the grave. The catch? He’s calling from the day he was murdered. Can Theresa use this temporal time loop to save her man? Depressing, but effective, story. Would be a great Black Mirror episode.

"Blackbird" - Molly is seeing a shrink because she misses her dead mother so much. As you can imagine, she’s excited at the idea of participating in a new kind of psychotherapy where drugs and hypnosis can send Molly into a dream state to have conversations with her mom while unconscious. After a few sessions, Molly begins to wonder if her weekly reunions with mom are a dream placebo or something truly supernatural. Another rattling winner of a story with a tidy twist ending.

"The Sisters" - Andrea is a home health care nurse assigned to care for an Alzheimer’s patient named Delores. Before starting the gig, Andrea receives a briefing about Delores’ creepy and cruel sister, Edna. It’s quite a backstory. Delores is convinced her dead sister is haunting her, and damned if the author didn’t create another great final-page surprise.

You get the idea. The quality of the 14 stories never fades. Sammy Scott is a modern-day Rod Serling who has mastered the art of twist endings that land every damn time. This may be the best single-author horror short story collection since Stephen King’s Night Shift.

At Home with the Horrors is available for free on Kindle Unlimited or just pay for it on Amazon. It’s really something special. Get it HERE.

Joyride

Stephen Crye, possibly a pseudonym for Ronald Patrick, authored Joyride, a 1983 horror paperback published by Pinnacle. The book's blurb on the back cover suggests it is comparable to movies like Halloween and Friday the 13th, only more horrifying and grisly. I originally heard about the book during an interview I conducted with horror writer Brian Berry, who praised the book's use of slasher tropes. Will Errickson also mentioned the book in his interview with Nick Anderson of The Book Graveyard.

Joyride has a narrative that features events happening in both 1982 and 1974. In 1974, the author presents the story of young Robert, a 17-year-old high school kid that's tormented by his fellow students. At home, Robert is abused by his father, a wheelchair-bound dictator that dumps daily diatribes in an outward deflection of his own emotional instability. Robert's only peace is through books, writing poetry, and one-sided friendship with a popular 12th grader named Carla. The events of this period culminate in Robert being facially disfigured in a cruel joke.

In 1982, Robert now lives in the cemetery that his family owns. His mother and father are both dead. When a group of graduating seniors arrive to kickoff the rest of their lives, Roberts slips in behind them and locks the cemetery gates. As night descends, the teenagers are hunted and killed off one-by-one in a macabre murder spree. But, Robert has special plans for a girl named Priscilla, who he mentally sees as Carla, the girl that he had longed for previously.

If you love slasher cinema from 1973 through 1986, like Slaughter High, Prom Night, Graduation Day, etc., then this vintage horror novel will be a real pleasure. Crye/Patrick perfectly captures the spirit of the slasher genre by injecting this scarred madman into the narrative while serving him plenty of stereotypical teenagers to feast on. It isn't a masterpiece by any means, but it doesn't have to be. 

As one of the only true slasher books from that era, Joyride is a cause for celebration. Highly recommended. You can also watch my video review of this book HERE. Also, spend a fortune on acquiring the book HERE.