It's been quite a while since I have read short stories or novellas. I do not read them often unless it is of the horror genre. Recently, I got a copy of this book and started reading it.
This is a set of three novellas. The first one is about two couples who go hiking up the hills. They encounter some weird warnings as they ascend. Eventually, they realize what they are for, but things go berserk. The second novella is about a couple on their way to meet the girl's parents. They board an overnight train with a strange set of rules. They soon realize that this will be one heck of a ride. Unless they stick to the rules. The third story is based on an urban legend set in a shopping mall where many stores are getting shut down post-pandemic. A woman and her kid get lost in an abandoned section.
These stories stand up to the usual style of the writer. These creepy stories brush through the subject of isolation on different levels. The first novella was an average read and the mood took time to set in. Towards the end of the first story, the pace picks up and the same continues for the rest of the book. The second and third ones are spooky and have interesting plots. The third novella is told from the angle of two persons and it is interesting to see how both POVs converge at some point. The book is a quick read that can be finished in a single sitting. The author maintains the chills and thrills as in previous books. The gore is maintained on the lighter side. There are tense moments but there seems to be no ambiguity or twist anywhere. The stories move plainly but the plots maintain the interest factor that keeps us engaged. There could have been a few illustrations which always hypes me for a read. I liked how the author uses various properties like the warnings and sirens in the first, the train in the second and the mannequins in the third stories.
In short, an interesting combination of horror novellas that can provide you with an interesting and quick read.
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