Book picks similar to
Between the Dreaming and the Dead by Kelly Martin


horror
tbr-speculative-fiction
should-be-6-stars-books
rejected

1922


Stephen King - 2010
    It’s 1922. Wilfred owns eighty acres of farmland in Nebraska that have been in the family for generations. His wife, Arlette, owns an adjoining one hundred acres.But if Arlette carries out her threat to sell her land to a pig butcher, Wilfred will be forced to sell too. Worse, he’ll have to move to the city. But he has a daring plan. It may work if he can persuade his son.A powerful tale of betrayal, murder, madness and rats, 1922 is a breathtaking exploration into the dark side of human nature from the great American storyteller Stephen King. It was adapted into a film from Netflix.

Terror in the Shadows: Volume 4


Ron Ripley - 2019
    A terrified young woman is stalked by a grim specter in the form of man’s best friend. A beleaguered wage slave discovers that playing with toys at work can have deadly consequences…Scare Street’s team of horror authors brings you twelve delightedly macabre morsels of terror in this new, spine-tingling collection. Indulge yourself in a delicious feast of chilling nightmares and dark fantasies.Each tale will leave you craving another taste of fear. But beware. You may think you have an appetite for darkness…But the things that lurk in the shadows have an appetite for you, as well.

The Second Reality


R.R. Haywood - 2014
    They are unique to the individual and no two persons can ever experience the same dream. Or so Doctor Charlotte Henson thought when she started treating the enigmatic and charming Michael. From the best-selling author of The Undead Series comes a gut wrenching tale of twisted and brutal imaginings, a sickening exploration of the depravity the mind can force on a person...The Second Reality.... "He has created a whole new world" "It has some fantastic battle scenes, up there with the Undead ones" "Haywood paints such a clear picture of the scenes and characters in your mind and the relationships between them is brilliantly done." "the story and eloquence in its telling are inspirational." "absolutely loved the story had me hooked from chapter one it has a maturity which I was surprised at" Warning: This book contains graphic scenes of both a violent and sexual nature and is intended for adults.

Abandoned


Katie Berry - 2021
    On December 31st, 1981, high atop a snowy mountain peak in the rugged interior of British Columbia, Canada, ninety-eight beautiful people eat, drink, laugh and dance inside the opulent grand ballroom of The Sinclair Resort Hotel.The clock strikes twelve, a cheer goes up and the music swells; balloons drop and streamers swirl.Then blackness...Fifteen seconds later, the power returns and every living soul inside the ballroom has vanished, never to be seen again.Now, forty years later, Preternatural Investigator Lively Deadmarsh and his twin sister, Minerva, have been brought in to solve this decades-old mystery once and for all.Should they fail, they may become part of it, forever... "Shining-Like""Seriously Creepy""I couldn't put it down"

To Be Devoured


Sara Tantlinger - 2019
    The vultures circling outside her home taunt and invite her to come understand the secrets hiding in their banquet of decay. Fascination morphs into an obsessive need to know what the vultures know. Andi turns to Dr. Fawning, but even the therapist cannot help her comprehend the secrets she’s buried beneath anger-induced blackouts.Her girlfriend, Luna, tries to help Andi battle her inner darkness and infatuation with the vultures. However, the desire to taste dead flesh, to stitch together wings of her own and become one with the flock sends Andi down a twisted, unforgivable path. Once she understands the secrets the vultures conceal, she must decide between abandoning the birds of prey or risk turning her loved ones into nothing more than meals to be devoured.

The Andrew Mayhem Collection 4-Book Bundle


Jeff Strand - 2013
    But when the guy in the grave turns out to still be alive, things get just a bit more complicated. SINGLE WHITE PSYCHOPATH SEEKS SAME, in which Andrew is forced to pose as a serial killer known as The Headhunter. He must infiltrate a group of maniacs who’ve gathered in an isolated Alaskan mansion for a weekend of murderous games. Can he free the potential victims in time, or will he be forced to participate in their demise? CASKET FOR SALE (ONLY USED ONCE), in which Andrew is just taking a relaxing camping trip with his friends and family. No shortcuts. The gas tank is full. The sinister warning of the crazy old man is taken seriously. Unfortunately, when you’re Andrew Mayhem, you just can’t help being attacked by a group of savage killers bent on inflicting ghastly torture and bringing horrific death... LOST HOMICIDAL MANIAC (ANSWERS TO "SHIRLEY"), in which Andrew's past comes back to haunt him in a big ugly way, and he finds himself handcuffed to a beautiful woman who may or may not be a psycho killer. “Strand performs an incredible balancing act between humor and horror. Belly laughs are followed by stomach-churning terror, frequently on the same page.” –Cemetery Dance Includes a foreword by the lovely, talented, and frightening James A. Moore.

Once Returned


Darcy Coates - 2013
    Searches over the following five days failed to find him, and he was assumed dead from exposure.Two weeks later, Jon knocks on the front door of their home. Carol wants to accept his return as a miracle, but there are too many unanswered questions. Why is he so hostile? Why didn't he contact her sooner? How did he get the bloodstains on his shirt?And the most disturbing question: is the man sleeping next to her really her husband?

Faces of Fear


John Saul - 2008
    She is happier hanging with her friends and playing sports than admiring herself in a mirror. But when her mother, Risa, marries the premier plastic surgeon Conrad Dunn, he moves them from Santa Monica to his enormous home in exclusive Bel Air.Everywhere Allison and her mother look beautiful people have benefited from Conrad's skillful knife. With her new friends' encouragement, Allison and her mother reluctantly agree to her sweet sixteen-gift from Conrad: breast implants.Risa begins to realize Conrad's obsession with his deceased wife. She discovers not only his fixation with the beautiful dead Margot, but other dark, murky secrets begin to surface, as well, pointing to a more sinister agenda. What else does he have in mind for her daughter? Is it too late to save Allison from the scalpel of her ever so charming husband?

Dear Laura


Gemma Amor - 2019
    That stranger claims to know the whereabouts of her missing friend Bobby, but there’s a catch: he’ll only tell her what he knows in exchange for something... personal.So begins Laura’s sordid relationship with her new penpal, built on a foundation of quid pro quo. Her quest for closure will push her to bizarre acts of humiliation and harm, yet no matter how hard she tries, she cannot escape her correspondent’s demands. The letters keep coming, and as time passes, they have a profound effect on Laura.From the author of Cruel Works of Nature comes a dark and twisted tale about obsession, guilt, and how far a person will go to put her ghosts to bed.

The Nightmare Room: The Nightmare Begins!


R.L. Stine - 2001
    Take a step away from the safe, comfortable world you know. Unlock the door to terror. There's always room for one more in ... The Nightmare Room.A Triple threatDanielle hypnotized her brother as a joke --but now she can't wake him up!DON'T FORGET ME!Will Luke defeat the evil Fate Master who lives in his locker? Or will he pass the curse on to his best friend?LOCKER 13Maggie has her palm read at a carnival -- and then the terrifying accidents begin!MY NAME IS EVIL

Gloom


Ricky Olson - 2018
    In one, a model addicted to the internet gets invited to an elite party by a stranger. In another, a high school student obsessed with death tries to quench an ever-growing thirst. In others, embarrassing sex is explored, survival of the fittest is exercised, and death is redeemed. Throughout these twelve short stories one thing is common: Olson isn’t afraid to leave any rock unturned while exploring the dark side of the human condition.

Night Shoot


David Sodergren - 2019
    They have no choice. Their lead actress has quit. They’re out of time. They’re out of money.They’re out of luck.For Crawford Manor has a past that won’t stay dead, and the crew are about to come face-to-face with the hideous secret that stalks the halls.Will anyone survive… the Night Shoot?A delirious homage to the slasher movies of the 1980s, Night Shoot delivers page after page of white-knuckle terror.

V-Wars


Jonathan MaberryDacre Stoker - 2012
    The genes that once created vampires. Now, all over the world, people are beginning to transform. To develop unnatural and unstoppable hungers. Are they still human? Or is there now a brand new link in the food chain?The world is filled with vampire legend. Each culture with its own unique brand of blood-thirsty killer, but the stories aren't mere myth. Strange, savage, immensely powerful, and driven by a need to feed on human blood - vampires are returning.V-Wars is the chronicle of the first vampire war. From the savage murders committed by the patient zero of the plague to full-out battles with vampire terrorist cells, these are the stories of the most terrifying war mankind has ever faced.The vampire wars have begun.The world will scream. . .

The Girl on the Glider


Brian Keene - 2010
    This might be Keene's most personal — and powerful — work to date. This book is a must-have for every Keene fan, along with fans of classic horror tales told with a new twist.

Spot and Smudge


Robert Udulutch - 2017
    The Spot and Smudge series explores the love of a unique family, the loyalty of their very special dogs, and the perils of underestimating them. These smart, imaginative stories weave together elements of horror, thriller, mystery, espionage, crime, medical drama, and genetic engineering. Note: This series contains some colorful language and mature themes. "Shove over brother, let me show you the proper bloody way to strangle someone." The Hogans weren’t looking to start a war. They just wanted to leave their troubles behind, move closer to grandma, and let their kids adopt some damn puppies. But their quaint new town is harboring some gruesome secrets… …and their strange new pups are not what they appear to be. There’s a dark connection between these mysterious orphaned canines and the town’s twisted criminals…and that connection is dragging the Hogans into a ruthless fight they aren’t prepared to win. But the grit of a devoted family, like the loyalty of a faithful pair of dogs, shouldn't be underestimated… …Especially when those cunning dogs are the most significant leap forward in the forty million years of canine evolution.