Howls from Hell: A Horror Anthology edited by HOWL Society, with a foreword by Grady Hendrix

HOWL (Horror-Obsessed Writing and Literature) Society

ISBN-13: 9781736780008

Available: Paperback, Kindle edition, Audible ( Bookshop.org |  Amazon.com )

Howls From Hell presents sixteen emerging horror writers from one of the largest horror communities in the world, the HOWL Society. I love reading horror anthologies and this volume holds a place in my personal library now. Each tale offers something different. Some stories that stood out follow in this review.

“Red Punch Buggy” by B.O.B. Jenkin involves a car accident leading to a new way of thinking for a young office worker when the accident victim finds his own mind has been…released. “She’s Taken Away” by Shane Hawk is told in a transcription, between a doctor and his patient, Annie Ellis, held in evidence by the Wichita Police Department. Annie has a twin sister who was institutionalized for violent and disturbing behavior, but Annie holds a secret to the case. In “Gooseberry Bramble” by Solomon Forse, the narrator relates a childhood memory in front of a court when he ignored a warning given by his grandmother about not journeying out of the area. As with most children in these stories, he discovers the disturbing truth when he decides to wander to the forbidden territory.

“Clement & Sons” by Joe Radkins is a great haunted house story. Lydia Carrigan purchases a “fixer upper” house, hoping to restore it to its former glory. She discovers an old grandfather clock that holds a strange power. In “Duplicitous Wings” by Amanda Nevada DeMel, Lisa craves revenge for familial betrayal committed by her brother. In her drunken fury, she summons a winged woman named Anza to take out Lisa’s ire on her brother and his family. Unfortunately for Lisa, Anza has her own plans.

“Possess and Serve” by Christopher O’Halloran comes closer to the length of a novella, and is a solid read. In this story, the police can possess and gain control over the body of an attacker to resolve a crime or problem before it gets out of hand. When Sarah discovers that one of their own could be using the service for nefarious reasons, she suspects she knows who the rogue cop is, and sets out to prove it.

Other authors in the anthology are J. W. Donley, P. L. McMillan, Joseph Andre Thomas, Alex Wolfgang, Lindsey Ragsdale, Justin Faull, M. David Clarkson, S. E. Denton, Quinn Fern, and Thea Maeve. Grady Hendrix provides an excellent foreword for this volume.

Howls from Hell is one of the best anthologies I have picked up recently. I like discovering what new writers have to offer. If you are looking for a new favorite author, consider picking this up. I look forward to seeing more of these authors’ work in the future.

Reviewed by Lizzy Walker

Highly recommended