Book picks similar to
Night Games by Richard Laymon


horror
richard-laymon
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short-stories

Your Secret Admirer


Carl Laymon - 1980
    I know lots about you...From the moment I saw you in the park I haven't been able to get you out of my mind. Thoughts of you fill my days and haunt my nights...With all my heart,Your Secret Admirer"Janice's best friend things the guy who's writing these letters is looney--and may be dangerous! After all, what kind of person goes around sending anonymous letters? But Janice is secretly thrilled about the mystery person who is in love with her. Maybe now, Mike, the guy she really likes, will hear about her secret admirer and begin to take notice!

Bad Games: The Complete Series


Jeff Menapace - 2019
    All five books in the critically acclaimed Bad Games series under one terrifying roof. Bad Games: The Complete Series includes: BAD GAMES - The terrifying bestseller that started it all. The Lambert Family is heading to Crescent Lake, a rural cabin community in western Pennsylvania, for an idyllic weekend getaway. Some fishing, some barbecue, some games... The Fannelli brothers are heading to Crescent Lake too. Some stalking, some kidnapping, some murder, definitely some games...though not necessarily the type of games the Lamberts had in mind. But it doesn't matter. The Lamberts are going to play whether they like it or not. VENGEFUL GAMES - The Lambert family played the Fannelli brothers' twisted game and survived. Showed the brothers they'd messed with the wrong family. However, the game is far from over. There are some new players in town. Players who have close ties to the Fannelli brothers. Players who are taking things very personally...and promising results that are very deadly. BAD GAMES: HELLBENT - A year has passed. Marine and security specialist Domino Taylor shadows the Lambert family, the guilt he feels for the tragic events that unfolded in western Pennsylvania haunting him without mercy. When someone from Domino's past contacts him, begging for his help, Domino reluctantly agrees, not knowing the sinister truth lying in wait: there is one final game yet to play. BAD GAMES: MALEVOLENT - After years of silence, the game is back on. Widower Allan Brown is hosting a support group in his home for the bereaved. One of the guests in attendance will be Amy Lambert, this week marking the five-year anniversary of her family’s horrifying ordeal at Crescent Lake. Of course it’s hardly cause for celebration. Still, some unwanted guests plan on attending the support group to help Amy celebrate all the same... BAD GAMES: PSYCHOPATH - A decade has passed. Caleb’s increasingly violent temper sees him discharged from the Marine Corps. Carrie is failing at her second attempt at college. Aftermath, it would seem, plays the cruelest game of all. The only plus is Amy Lambert's success as a bestselling author, chronicling her family’s horrific ordeals over the years. But is it a success? It has brought some unwanted attention Amy’s way. Two fledgling killers who happen to idolize the late and infamous serial killers Arty and Jim Fannelli have been paying attention—and these two killers are eager to show the Lamberts just how much they truly admire their idols…with the help of Arty and Jim themselves? Find out how such a horrifying prospect comes to fruition in the fifth and final book in the Bad Games series, and prepare yourself for the game to end all games. What readers are saying about Jeff Menapace and the Bad Games series: ★★★★★ "I have been a lifetime reader of Dean Koontz, Stephen King, James Patterson, Lisa Gardner, and various other suspense and horror authors...I have found a new author to add to my list of greats." ★★★★★ "Jeffery Deaver look out...this guy plays with your head.

Faint of Heart


Jeff Strand - 2012
    They have a safe little home in the woods of Alaska with an excellent security system. Yeah, she knows she'll spend the entire time jumping at every noise, but she also knows that the danger is all in her head.By Sunday night, Gary still hasn't returned.And when somebody shows up at the house, it's not her husband. At gunpoint, Rebecca learns what has happened. Two men have kidnapped Gary. He went through a weekend of pure hell. They'll give him back to her, but first, Rebecca has to relive his entire experience, step by horrific step...and survive...

Evil Lurking Within


Matt Shaw - 2013
    They had found their victim; a young boy from a posh school. They had done their homework; he came from a wealthy family who'd surely pay the earth to get him back.They had even justified why they were right in carrying out such an act; they had served their time and both felt as though they were being cheated from what was owed to them by the cruel society they were trying to integrate with. This was their plan and their time to put themselves on the straight and narrow. It was just a shame that no one told them......They never stood a chance.From Matt Shaw the author of 'The Cabin', 'The Lost Son' and 'The Infestation'. Expect twists, turns and unexpected friendships in this horror - you'll still never see them coming.

Monolith


Shaun Hutson - 2015
    A stunning creation of glass and concrete that will be a new landmark on London's skyline. And people are dying because of it...Dozens of mysterious unexplained accidents have claimed the lives of workmen during the construction and journalist Jessica Anderson is convinced that the owner of the building, a billionaire Russian businessman, knows more about the accidents than he is revealing.Enlisting the help of a former colleague, Jess tries to investigate the shadowy industrialist but finds that far harder than she imagined. Protected by a private security force and cocooned by his entourage, this powerful man proves to be as elusive as anyone she has ever known. He values his privacy and seems willing to go to any ends to protect it. But what is he hiding?As she delves into his background she discovers that one of his ancestors lived in London during the 1930's on the same site where the Crystal Tower was constructed and death and destruction surrounded that ancestor too. Is there a link between these two men? Jess is convinced there is and when a series of horrific attacks and murders take place, perpetrated against men who want to stop the Russians next building project, she finds herself plunged into a maelstrom of fear and events that threaten not just her life but her very sanity... Something from the darkest reaches of myth and superstition has been unleashed upon a modern world and it seems no one can stop it...

My Name Is Lydia


Stephen Leather - 2014
    Supernatural detective Jack Nightingale is called in to investigate a young girl who appears to be possessed by an evil spirit.

Sympathy for the Widow


Jon Athan - 2018
    The killer, Mario Flores, is found not guilty for reasons of insanity. Fifteen Years Later: Mario, free and rehabilitated, lives a peaceful life with his wife and daughter. His career is blossoming, his family is healthy, and his home is beautiful. However, Naomi Morrison, Trevor's widow, plans on changing that... Naomi has planned a night of gruesome torture for Mario and his family. She hopes to find closure, she hopes to find the truth. She wants an answer to her question: was Mario really mentally unstable when he killed Trevor or was he faking it? Jon Athan, author of The Law of Retaliation, brings you another tale of extreme horror and vengeance. Can you sympathize with a killer? WARNING: This book contains scenes of graphic violence and disturbing themes. This book is not intended for those easily offended or appalled. Please enjoy at your own discretion.

In This Skin


Simon Clark - 2004
    From Vaudeville, through the big bands and up to the hottest rock acts, the Luxor had them all. It's closed now, a boarded-up relic, standing alone in a run down industrial part of town. But the old dance hall isn't empty. A hideous presence lives there, a monstrous evil that has the ability to invade people's fantasies and nightmares . . . and bring them to life. Three strangers will soon learn the extent of the dance hall's power. As their lives become more and more entangled in its inescapable web, they will come to see that what haunts the Luxor is far worse than any ghost.

Laura


Amy Cross - 2017
    Ten years ago, something terrible happened. Ten years ago, they agreed to take the truth about Laura to their graves. All they had to do was forget, and keep their mouths shut. But when a hidden force starts cutting them down one by one, in a series of increasingly horrific incidents, the remaining friends are forced to face the truth. Somehow, Laura has come back. Laura is a horror story about six people who thought they could hide the truth, and about the girl who returns from the grave to make them all pay.

Failure


John Everson - 2008
    Cindy just plain doesn't care; she'll get on her knees for anyone beneath the football field bleachers to score a nickel bag hit. And Sal is a frustrated goon with a hook nose and an attitude so sour he can't nail a girl even with the lure of free dope and a getaway car.When these three desperate teens meet Aaron, a failed practitioner of the dark arts who offers them the best high they've ever smoked in exchange for some kinky sex play inside his pentagram, things can only go from bad to worse. Aaron hopes to ensnare and re-birth the spirit of a late witch, to capture her power from beyond the grave for his own.Soon, they'll all learn the darkest, bloodiest, most terrifying definition of Failure.Originally released as a limited edition hardcover chapbook from Delirium Books in 2006, this updated 2013 Dark Arts Books e-book edition of John Everson's novelette Failure features new cover art and an Afterword by the author.

The Abducted Heiress: An Alex Booker Thriller


Al Macy - 2018
    Literally. A genetic experiment de-aged his body and turned him into a teenager. Because of his wise old mind, he’s cautious and thoughtful. But adolescent hormones don’t do “cautious.”Although he’d been an accountant in his “former life,” impetuous young Alex has chosen to become a private investigator. Bad idea. Business is slow—who would hire a detective who looks like he belongs in high school?When heiress teen Misty Langwell disappears, the police wait for a ransom demand that never comes. Desperate, Misty’s parents turn to Booker and Associates for help. Alex is perfect for the job. He’s just the man—or kid—to go undercover.Her disappearance turns out to be much more sinister than a simple kidnapping, and Alex soon finds himself stuck in a prison camp deep in the Amazon jungle. Is he in over his young head?If he can’t find a good balance between wisdom and impulsiveness, Misty will never be seen again. And neither will Alex.The Abducted Heiress may be read as a standalone book or as Book Two in the Alex Booker series.

Tequila's Sunrise


Brian Keene - 2007
    Chalco, a young Aztec boy, feels helpless as conquering Spanish forces near his village. But when a messenger of the gods hands him a key to unlock the doors of human perception and visit unseen worlds, Chalco journeys into the mystical Labyrinth, searching for a way to defeat the invaders. He will face gods, devils, and things that are neither. But he will also learn that some doorways should never be opened and not all entrances have exits... Tequila's Sunrise. Take the shot and open the door... if you dare. Deadite Press is proud to present this author's preferred edition of Brian Keene's long out-of-print novella, which contains material not included in previously published editions. Also included in this edition are seven bonus short stories: Dust, Burying Betsy, Fade To Null, Golden Boy, Two-Headed Alien Love Child, That Which Lingers, and Bunnies In August.

Faces of Fear


Graham Masterton - 1995
    Contains:- Evidence of angels- The Hungry moon- Grief- The Secret Shih-Tan- Men of Maes- Fairy story- Suffer Kate- Spirit-Jump

The Worst Kind of Monsters


Elias Witherow - 2016
    There's something horrible in that storm over the ocean. What does "feed the pig" mean? What are those ropes in the sky? Why is Dad acting so funny? In these dark tales you will experience every type of horror imaginable. It is so gruesome, frightening, and demented that only the bravest of readers will make it through these pages.

How Shall I Know You?: A Short Story


Hilary Mantel - 2014
    She had a face of feral sweetness, its color yellow; her eyes were long and dark, her mouth a taut bow, her nostrils upturned as if she were scenting the wind."In "How Shall I Know You?," a melancholic and ailing writer reluctantly travels east of London to give a lecture before a literary society. Mr. Simister, the organization's secretary, lures the world-weary novelist turned biographer with promises of a modest stipend and lodging at a charming bed-and-breakfast for her trouble. Nevertheless, on that rainy day she meets Mr. Simister at the train station, she wonders why she ever agreed to come in the first place. Driving past steel-shuttered windows and Day-Glo banners, Mr. Simister takes the writer to her hotel for the evening, which turns out to be crumbling and isolated rather than picturesque. As she crosses the threshold into the dank stench of Eccles House she is faced with the feral porter, Louise, and suffers through an evening that may be more than she bargained for.From Hilary Mantel's brilliant and darkly comic collection of contemporary stories, The Assassination of Margaret Thatcher, comes a tale told with her distinctive blend of subversive wit and gimlet-eyed characterization. "How Shall I Know You?" showcases the extraordinary genius of Hilary Mantel, called one of our "greatest living novelists" (NPR).