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Literally Dead: Tales of Halloween Hauntings Kindle Edition

4.3 out of 5 stars 229 ratings

"An exceptional collection of stories that is sure to become a Halloween classic."

Do you love All Hallows' Eve? Ghost stories? Tales from beyond that leave you feeling unsettled while walking to the kitchen at night? The orange-and-black vintage Halloween aesthetic? Haunted houses with shuttered windows?

Edited by Gaby Triana with John Palisano, this anthology of 19 short stories by some of the most terrifying names in horror is the perfect collection for a dark and stormy October night. Featuring tales to make you hide under the covers by: Jonathan Maberry, Gwendolyn Kiste, Catherine Cavendish, Tim Waggoner, Jeff Strand, Sara Tantlinger, Lee Murray, Alethea Kontis, Lisa Morton & more.

JONATHAN MABERRY - "When You See Millions of the Mouthless Dead Across Your Dreams in Pale Battalions Go"
LISA MORTON - "Halloween at the Babylon"
TIM WAGGONER - "No One Sings in the City of the Dead"
JEFF STRAND - "Ghosts of Candies Past"
LEE MURRAY - "The Ghost Cricket"
GWENDOLYN KISTE - "A Scavenger Hunt When the Veil is Thin"
SARA TANTLINGER - "How to Unmake a Ghost"
ALETHEA KONTIS - "The Ghost Lake Mermaid"
CATHERINE CAVENDISH - "The Curiosity at the Back of the Fridge"
SCOTT COLE - "Postcards From Evelyn"
DENNIS K. CROSBY - "Bootsy's House"
STEVE RASNIC TEM - "When They Fall"
CATHERINE McCARTHY - "Soul Cakes"
MAUREEN MANCINI AMATURO - "A Bookstore Made of Skulls"
HENRY HERZ - "The Ghosts of Enerhodar"
JEREMY MEGARGEE - "Always October"
DANA HAMMER - "A Halloween Visit"
DAVID SURFACE - "The Crawlers in the Corn"
EVA ROSLIN - "Pink Lace and Death Gods"
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Editorial Reviews

Review

"A new Halloween favorite." - Bob Lewis, Vine Voice

"Editor Gaby Triana has done a fabulous job in curating this anthology. A wonderful collection for the spooky season that keeps the reader wanting to read more. It feels like nineteen stories aren't enough and thirty-one would have been just right - one for each day of the Halloween month. There's a brilliant piece by the cover artist that makes for an equally good read, like the rest of the stories."
- Renata Pavrey, Tomes and Tales 365


"One of THE best & most heartfelt anthologies I've read in a LONG time. Left in tears more than once, so emotional readers beware. It is an incredibly wonderful collection of stories! Bravo."
- The Romero Theatre


"If you're looking for something Halloween-y to read this Halloween season, I could not come up with a more perfect recommendation for scratching that autumn itch."
- Cat Voleur

"This anthology, the first Triana has ever edited, is the gold class of ghost story anthologies. It will stay with me for a very long time."
- Theresa Derwin

"An exceptional collection of stories that is sure to become a Halloween classic."
- Lenore Sagaskie

"I've read this collection a number of times. It turns out that it took three times through to be able to select a few favorites for this review. They are all just that good."
- Matt Gleason

Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B09W22J622
  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Alienhead Press
  • Accessibility ‏ : ‎ Learn more
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ September 21, 2022
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • File size ‏ : ‎ 4.8 MB
  • Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Not Enabled
  • Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 280 pages
  • Page Flip ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Part of series ‏ : ‎ Literally Dead
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.3 out of 5 stars 229 ratings

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Customer reviews

4.3 out of 5 stars
229 global ratings

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Customers say

Customers find the book's stories range from good to great, with one review noting they vary in length and style. Moreover, the artwork on the cover receives positive feedback, and the writing is well-executed. Additionally, customers appreciate the book's warmth, describing it as having just the right amount of chill, and one customer mentions it draws readers in.

AI-generated from the text of customer reviews

14 customers mention "Storytelling style"14 positive0 negative

Customers enjoy the storytelling style of the book, with stories ranging from good to great, and one customer notes that they vary in length and style.

"...There is also an eerie and very timely tale of vengeful spirits in the Russian war on Ukraine (spoiler: things do not go well for the aggressors)...." Read more

"...The rest are fun short reads. I loved how I could devour one or two in just half an hour...." Read more

"...But what I can say is that the vast majority of the stories range from good to great...." Read more

"...The stories vary in length and style, which makes it an excellent choice as we head to the busiest part of the year...." Read more

7 customers mention "Value for money"7 positive0 negative

Customers find the book to be a good collection, with one customer noting it contains genuine standouts.

"...the pitch-perfect story "The Collecting" by Cassandra Daucus; worth the entire book!)..." Read more

"There are some genuine standouts in this collection that will stay with you--even haunt you. The rest are fun short reads...." Read more

"...The stories vary in length and style, which makes it an excellent choice as we head to the busiest part of the year...." Read more

"Most were really good. Some I skipped Check it out for yourself. I love a good Halloween story and so will you" Read more

4 customers mention "Art quality"4 positive0 negative

Customers appreciate the artwork on the book's cover, with one noting its beautiful layout.

"...The cover art is even better up close, and well-suited to the haunting tales within...." Read more

"...It’s also beautifully laid out and is honestly on track to become a seasonal favorite of mine...." Read more

"The art work on the cover is awesome. Loved it. The stories were fantastic...." Read more

"Scary, sad, and beautiful..." Read more

4 customers mention "Writing quality"4 positive0 negative

Customers praise the writing quality of the book, with one noting it features great writers and another mentioning it is well edited.

"...There is a good variety of nicely written and well edited offerings to put some pumpkin spice in your soul and a pleasant chill in your spine...." Read more

"This anthology is full of some great writers. The table of contents, as a matter of fact, reads like something of a who’s who of modern horror...." Read more

"It’s a good collection of diverse stories. All of them are well written and many of them have good twists." Read more

"Fast read, fun stories. Quality writing. Perfect Halloween treat for yourself or as a gift (yes, I give Halloween gifts.)..." Read more

3 customers mention "Heartfelt story"3 positive0 negative

Customers appreciate the heartfelt story of the book, with one noting how it draws readers in.

"...Some incredibly heartfelt and touching stories right alongside some genuinely haunting tales. Would recommend for cozy autumn reading!" Read more

"...Very gripping and draws you in. I'm looking forward to the next book." Read more

"One of the most creative and heart felt Anthologies in a long time!!!..." Read more

3 customers mention "Warmth"3 positive0 negative

Customers appreciate the warmth of the book, noting it has just the right amount of chill, with one customer describing it as perfect for cozy autumn reading.

"...offerings to put some pumpkin spice in your soul and a pleasant chill in your spine...." Read more

"...Would recommend for cozy autumn reading!" Read more

"A very good collection, with just the right amount of chill. With a few authors that are new to me." Read more

Top reviews from the United States

  • Reviewed in the United States on October 19, 2023
    I have read (and re-re-re read!) "October Dreams" and "October Screams", and this little anthology, "Literally Dead: Tales of Halloween Hauntings" is the tastiest treat of the three. Yes, there are some very well known authors in "October Dreams", and yes, there are some real gems in "October Screams" (for example, the pitch-perfect story "The Collecting" by Cassandra Daucus; worth the entire book!) but the quality of writing in "Literally Dead" is exceptional and feels so much more 'polished' than the many of the stories in "October Screams". If you are seeking out just one collection of ghostly atmospheric tales to bring on the holiday (a few are nostalgic, most with a modern twist), then this has the ghosts with the most, or more accurately, it has the most ghosts. This has less of the gore, more of the spooky. The usual "Abused Avenger" and "Avenger of the Abused" is here, as is the "Oh, wait, what? I'm a ghost" trope (reminding me pleasantly of the haunting tales of the venerable recontour: Ambrose Bierce). There is a good variety of nicely written and well edited offerings to put some pumpkin spice in your soul and a pleasant chill in your spine. The cover art is even better up close, and well-suited to the haunting tales within. This would make a lovey gift for any fall-loving bibliophile (I would say a mature well-read 14 year old and up). Yes, there is some swearing (this is horror writing folks, and some horror authors have it in their head that expletive's are the stock-in-trade of the Horror genera, thanks to King, I presume) and yes there are some "adult themes" but where women and children have been terribly wronged, the authors here have exacted delicious revenge against the oppressor. There is also an eerie and very timely tale of vengeful spirits in the Russian war on Ukraine (spoiler: things do not go well for the aggressors). Each vignette feels like it would make a fine spooky movie in and of itself. I like to add little paper book flags to mark the stories I enjoyed most; my copy is now bristling with wee orange flags! There are a few that seem to go nowhere and left me wondering if I missed something or perhaps the author was just rushed? However, the vast majority I will be reading again and again and sharing with friends. Well worth reading any time of year. Pour yourself some hot spiced cider, light a scented candle and put on some ambient spooky Halloween music and settle in for a good read.
    5 people found this helpful
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  • Reviewed in the United States on October 24, 2022
    There are some genuine standouts in this collection that will stay with you--even haunt you. The rest are fun short reads. I loved how I could devour one or two in just half an hour. There isn't a bad story in the bunch, but nothing especially scary, either. This would make a great family read through the spooky season even for the 8 and ups.
    5 people found this helpful
    Report
  • Reviewed in the United States on November 6, 2023
    This anthology is full of some great writers. The table of contents, as a matter of fact, reads like something of a who’s who of modern horror. So my expectations were rather high going in, and I wasn’t disappointed. Were all of the stories knockout successes? Of course not. I’ve yet to find the anthology that’s 100% on point for any given reader. But what I can say is that the vast majority of the stories range from good to great.

    And it’s also a perfect seasonal book because the stories manage to evoke a lot of classical or nostalgic senses of what autumn and the Halloween season ought to be about. It’s also beautifully laid out and is honestly on track to become a seasonal favorite of mine.

    It’s come to my attention that this is actually part of a series of other holiday-themed horror anthologies, and I for one can’t wait to dive into the rest of them if they’re anything at all like this one!
    4 people found this helpful
    Report
  • Reviewed in the United States on October 9, 2023
    This book has been just what I needed this spooky season. With many genres and storylines, there is something available for everyone and every taste. The stories vary in length and style, which makes it an excellent choice as we head to the busiest part of the year. No matter how much time you have available, you can have the satisfaction of completing a story even if you only have a short moment in which to get some reading done.

    For those of you, like me, who really enjoy the feeling of being truly creeped out, there is much in this book that will get you there, while other stories have just enough spookiness to keep the reader on edge, but not enough for a sleepless night.

    I could recommend this book for all readers varying from the age of ten and upward, who enjoy a bit of thrill in their books.

    Thank you, Alienhead Press for the Advanced Reader Copy of Literally Dead: Tales of Halloween Hauntings – It was just what I needed at this time of year! 
    3 people found this helpful
    Report
  • Reviewed in the United States on October 30, 2023
    Most were really good. Some I skipped
    Check it out for yourself.
    I love a good Halloween story and so will you
    One person found this helpful
    Report
  • Reviewed in the United States on October 12, 2023
    I read a few stories a night and was so disappointed when I realized I'd finished the last one! Some incredibly heartfelt and touching stories right alongside some genuinely haunting tales. Would recommend for cozy autumn reading!
    3 people found this helpful
    Report
  • Reviewed in the United States on July 27, 2024
    Perfect reading for spooky season, when you want to curl up with a book as Fall has set in! Highly recommend!
    One person found this helpful
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  • Reviewed in the United States on November 4, 2024
    A very good collection, with just the right amount of chill. With a few authors that are new to me.
    One person found this helpful
    Report

Top reviews from other countries

  • MM
    5.0 out of 5 stars Fantastic Stories
    Reviewed in Canada on October 30, 2022
    I knew I would enjoy this book, drawn by the description and gorgeous cover art, I expected spooky Halloween tales. This book delivered on that expectation and beyond. The stories have a traditional feel but provide oh, so much more; stories that stay with you. A great read for Spooky Season or any time.
  • Ms. Theresa M. Derwin
    5.0 out of 5 stars Oustanding Ghostly and Ghastly Gourmet Read
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on September 29, 2022
    Literally Dead – Tales of Halloween
    Editor : Gaby Triana
    Publisher: Alienhead Press
    Release date: 21st September 22

    With an introduction by terrific cover artist Lynn Hansen, an incredibly nostalgic and delightfully spooky piece of cover art, plus whimsical interior design ghosties * dingbats * by Marzy, I am in awe of the book I hold in my metaphorical hands. * reader, this is on Kindle *
    Fair warning, this is a long review and I touch on every aspect of the book.
    The first story, ‘The Curiosity at the Back if the Fridge’ by Catherine Cavendish is a slightly creepy yet strangely delightful story of a lonely child finally finding a break from poverty in Halloween and an almost Dickensian feast.
    The tone of the narrator’s voice – and the denoumant – the imagery and the sheer absurdity reminded me a little of Tales of the Unexpected or The Hammer House of Horror TV series.
    ‘A Bookstore made of Skulls, Salem, Mass’ by Maureen Mancini Amaturo comes next.
    If you love Halloween or anything spooky, odds are you will be aware of the tragedy that struck Salem Massachusetts in 1692. It’s a place I’ve always wanted to visit. To pay my respects and to indulge in a little kitsch.
    The imagery and Halloween vibe is strong in this one. I’ve never read a story by Amaturo before. I can appreciate the writing, the pay off was disturbing if a bit low-key compared to the twisted build up yet, I also have an urge to re-read it.
    Postcards from Evelyn by Scott Cole follows on.
    Again, Cole is a new writer to me but another pleasing discovery.
    In this story, Andy has moved into his inherited house and as Halloween approaches, he starts to receive vintage postcards asking if he’s coming to a Halloween party.
    The date of these? 1910.
    I loved the backstory to this one and it fit the cover to perfection.
    The Crawlers in the Corn, by David Surface is next. Every now and again, you come across a writer, or a story, that makes you truly feel.
    Occasionally you’ll react viscerally and think “holy sh..”.
    This was the one.
    When they Fall, by genre luminary Steve Rasnic Tem is a somewhat poignant and abstract story of many Halloweens, and Ralph who lives in an old gabled house avoiding the Trick Or Treaters.
    Deftly written it has the kind of ending you want to read a few times just to take it in.
    Always October – Jeremy Megargee
    Oh god, boo .... Or boo hoo 😭 take your pick. Another new writer for me and one I will definitely seek out, because this story hit all the feels. It is indescribably beautiful.
    How To Unmake a Ghost by SARA Tantlinger shares some elements with the Megargee story – and is just as beautiful and poignant as the former.
    A Halloween Visit – Dana Hammer
    We get some nice, light relief in this one, just a conversation between two people to start with, but I chuckled my way through most of it, and it was a great palate cleanser or intermission.
    Bootsy’s House by Dennis K. Crosby is a bit light-hearted but also grim as hell.
    Damon and Justus break into the mansion that used to belong to first the Elstons, the epitome of elitism, then Bootsy Robinson. Family man, philanthropist ... serial killer?
    So, burglary, in a notorious possibly haunted house on Halloween.
    This has all the spills, thrills and wonderful Chicagoan history you’d expect.
    It’s a terrific urban legend, haunted house tale, with genuine creepy moments and a lot of smiles. At least if you’re a horror reader.
    Soul Cakes by Catherine Mccarthy brings us wweet memories of a young Welsh woman and her Nan making Soul Cakes together. Another lyrical and poignant tale.
    Ghosts of Candies Past Jeff Strand seriously had me laughing my particulars off.
    To lighten the tone, it’s another palate cleanser, because you know, you may be a bit stuffed by now with stories and chocolate, so we have Jeff Strand, who never fails to amuse.
    In this story, we have a debate about which one is better – retro candy or modern candy.
    You may well bust a gut laughing at this one.
    Halloween at the Babylon LISA Morton is a beautiful story set in an aged theatre where the ghost of a performer sits waiting – and a modern day ghost hunting team and medium are investigating. We get historical flashbacks, female solidarity and slowly a mystery is unravelled.
    Ghosts of Enerhodar Henry Herz starts in a nuclear power plant in the Ukraine in the present.
    This is a well researched, incredibly – strangely – heart-warming story, which uses facts and Urkranian folklore to create literary karma. I won’t say much, but it is a standout story in the anthology, cinematic in its atmosphere and I bloody loved it.
    The Ghost Lake Mermaid ALETHEA Kontis has female ghosts, diverse characters, and is beautiful and funny. This is a stunning story of feminine power and choices. Buckle up buttercup, it’s a good one.
    Pink Lace and Death Gods Eva Roslin is set on Halloween in New Orleans and Bianca finds the best costume ever for the party that night.
    With mythology, history, and diaspora interwoven, this one had it all. I think this is one of my favourites in this anthology.
    The Ghost Cricket by Lee Murray is a delightful, traditional morality tale, that adds a dash of humour amidst the darker aspects of the story. The ending is the proverbial chef’s kiss.
    No One Sings in the City of the Dead by Tim Waggoner follows, and in true Waggoner style, is bloody and grim. And original as hell.
    Halloween is known as that night that the veil between the living and the dead is at its thinnest.
    In A Scavenger Hunt When the Veil is Thin, Gwendolyn Kiste, tells the tale of a woman who narrates the hunt she’s part of in a haunted house. It’s deftly written in second person present tense and has a very different feel to the other stories. Though it’s themes will be familiar to many female readers.
    The final story is When You See Millions of the Mouthless Dead Across Your Dreams in Pale Battalions Go by Jonathan Maberry.
    I want to swear. I want to cry. I want to scream for Alex. For his brother Joey and all of the other young men in this story.
    Most of all, one day, as a writer, I want to make a reader’s heart drop the way mine just has, near the end of this story.
    So, holy cow...
    I’ve had to read this book over a few days, to take breaks and absorb the stories.
    This anthology, the first Triana has ever edited, is the gold class of ghost story anthologies.
    It will stay with me for a very long time.

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