Bring a blanket, huddle around the fire, and try to keep warm as you encounter psychotic abductors, deadly spirits and demons of the woods. When They Come Alone - One man's Halloween ritual is far more vicious than it seems. His playful prank is a mask for something more. A Monster in his Closet - A boy is troubled by something in his closet. But, as we will soon see, there is no monster in his closet. Eat Your Heart Out - A quarreling lesbian couple's camping trip goes awry. They may not survive the night when something intrudes in the night. Meet Me at the Looking Tree - A tragic tale of two boys, a towering tree, and a new pair of binoculars. When one of them goes missing, the other's life will never be the same. The Deer Cam - An avid hunter's first hunt of the season turns horrific when noises send him running home. The terror is not over when noises accompany his sleep. What Mustn't be Seen - One night, a boy hears his next door neighbor's home being invaded. But what he witnesses is much worse than a couple of thieves. He Who Waits - Ever since childhood, a girl is constantly watched by a suited man just outside her home. Nobody else can see him. Later in life, a tragedy shows the man's dreadful intentions. The Orb - A metallic, glowing sphere lands in a small town, and those who come close to it are flooded with euphoric visions. Those who touch it disappear in a flash. But unknown horrors await them on the other side. The Way of the World - A wealthy man invites a beggar over for dinner, but the menu may not be to his liking. You Should've Opened the Door - A lonely woman hears news of an escaped killer. That night, the strange knocking begins. Forgetful - A man awaits much needed sleep. But he soon realizes he has forgotten a few routine things. One of which may cost him his life. Sensations - A little girl enjoys spending the night at her grandparents, save for the fact that something visits her at night. Soon, she will learn the horrid truth of the sensations she feels at night. A Stranger's Approach - A distraught woman is having enough trouble affording life when a stranger begins to follow her. Quickly, the stalking becomes too much, and a fateful climax ensues. What people are saying about Brenden Dean's works - “Beautifully written. Absolutely amazing.” –David B. “Holy s***. That was amazing.” -Jacob S. “Now that’s how you write a f****** twist.” -Stefan T. “There’s a lot of good stories out there, but [When They Come Alone] is great.” -Fredrick H. “. . . It's very well written and personable. High praise.” -R. Bowers “F****** amazing. I love it.” -Paula M. “Oh, this is the first thing I’ve read on /r/NoSleep that actually freaked me out. Good job. Good f****** job.” -Cassie A. “Wow. Holy s***. . . The ending really got me.” -Bradley S. "This is probably the saddest story I’ve ever read on /r/NoSleep. God damn, made me cry even.

    As the body count begins a reasonable explanation cannot be found. A local backwoodsman puts Jeremy onto a possibility that seems too farfetched to be plausible. The Warden quickly learns that considering the impossible is the only way to combat what has shown up on his doorstep. And the only way to prevent more loss of life, including the woman he loves.

     The little beastie they buy comes with killer instincts and razor-sharp teeth, and Roy and Loretta quickly discover they have a prehistoric tiger by the tale. His name may be Gizmo, but he has no intention of being a pet, and when he escapes all hell breaks loose. “Little Dinosaurs” is a hot, funny mess of a novel, complete with a road trip, bloody carnage and a plot line that will have you laughing and remembering every crazy 60s sci fi/horror flick you ever enjoyed and came to love. It’s got great characters, scary little monsters, and plenty of fun, apocalyptic plot twists that will keep you laughing, gasping and guessing. It’s one of Audrey Swindon’s best, so you should definitely get in on the action and the fun and download it NOW!

    In its search for food, it finds a new hunting ground off the shores of an island resort. Stuck in a dead-end animal caretaker job for the resort, Marine Biologist Julie Forster begins to notice strange events plaguing the island. Whales are turning up dead in the local waters, and fishermen are disappearing. After setting out for a task on the water, Dr. Forster discovers an enormous shark lurking off the island coast. With a thick exoskeleton, the creature is unlike anything she has ever seen. With an insatiable appetite, the creature attacks anything that moves. As events unfold, she discovers the truth about the creature’s origin, and the imminent threat from its very existence.

    When she asks him who he is, he says that his name is 'God'. Security and social services can't find a mother or a father in the vicinity, and there are no reports of a missing child that match his description. Jennette offers to watch over the young boy for the weekend, and she is actually granted permission by the authorities to do so. The little boy takes the name, Alpha, because he says he likes it better than Omega. Strange occurrences begin to happen, almost immediately, starting with a gathering of whales and dolphins just off the coast of the Hotel Del Coronado...

    

    

    Craven. A psychopath takes Trick or Treating a step too far. And a woman's dream of a quiet life is shattered by a knock on the door.Afraid Of The Shadows is a collection of gripping- sometimes funny, always spooky- short stories from some of the biggest names in crime fiction.From possessed sweaters to creepy wardrobes and disco shape shifters, there’s something for everyone in this Halloween bucket of short story goodies making it the perfect companion to snuggle up with as the nights draw in. Though be warned, you might want to leave the lights on...****************************************************************CONTRIBUTORSAfraid Of The Shadows is brought to you by twenty bestselling crime and thriller writers who between them have topped the Sunday Times and Amazon charts, won the Crime Writers’ Association Diamond Dagger Award, Gold Dagger Award and New Blood Dagger Award, the Bath Novel Award, the UK National Book Awards and the WHSmith Best Crime Author of All Time Award.Special guests:M.W. CravenPeter JamesT.M. LoganMatt WesolowskiTrevor WoodRachael BlokElle Croft (Shortlisted for the 2021 CWA Short Story Dagger Award)Heather CritchlowJames Delargy (Shortlisted for the 2021 CWA Short Story Dagger Award)Clare EmpsonJo FurnissT.E. KinseyN.J. MackayS.R. MastersPhoebe MorganDominic Nolan (Shortlisted for the 2021 CWA Short Story Dagger Award)Robert Scragg (Shortlisted for the 2021 CWA Short Story Dagger Award)Victoria Selman (Shortlisted for the 2021 CWA Short Story Dagger Award)Kate SimantsAdam Southward (Longlisted for the 2021 CWA Short Story Dagger Award)****************************************************************Profits from the sale of Afraid Of The Shadows will be donated to the Barnardo's Children in Crisis Covid AppealThis delivers practical and emotional support to vulnerable children caught in a downward spiral of deprivation as a result of the coronavirus crisis.Children and families across the UK are increasingly in or on the brink of poverty as a result of coronavirus.The impact of the second wave is pushing a generation of the most vulnerable children into a downward spiral of deprivation. With your support Barnardo’s can deliver the practical and emotional support families in crisis need.

    Are you happy?'After her board exams are over, Sonali – Li to her friends– meets a mysterious stranger called Omi Daan on Facebook. What begins as an idle chat soon takes over her waking hours and her dreams, as she, and through her, her friends Jo and Neel, get sucked inexorably into a world of darkness, danger and death. Who is Omi Daan?As they try to find out, their lives disintegrate and Li discovers that one cannot deal with darkness and remain untouched ...

    Their home. Her sanctuary. When Prue Bridgewater first glimpses the abandoned old house, it's love at first sight. Her husband Ray is not so sure. The property has been neglected for decades, and Ray can’t help wondering why. But with Prue on the brink of a nervous breakdown, he’ll do whatever it takes to keep her sane, even if it means he has to live there. Once ensconced in their new home, Prue begins fixing up the place while Ray is away at work. But after a series of disturbing discoveries, she fears she's losing her mind. She hears things and sees people who couldn’t possibly be there, and she can’t shake the feeling she’s being watched. As Prue’s hold on reality begins to disintegrate, along with her marriage, she struggles to tell truth from delusion. But things go from bad to worse, and soon not just her sanity, but her survival hinges upon the long-buried secrets of THE HOUSE. This is a novella of approximately 27,287 words

    Utterly brilliant." Marjorie Hall-Venmore - reviewer A couple and their young son burn to death in a house fire. A girl dies from a nut allergy. A woman falls under a train during the rush hour. An accountant falls down the steps to his basement.Their deaths appear to be accidents but Gloria knows they were murdered because she murdered them. And every time Gloria kills she buys a doll.But how many dolls will she need to keep her satisfied?When Gloria takes a room as a lodger her behaviour starts to spin out of control. Gloria wants love and happiness and friendship and she will do anything she can to get what she wants... What everyone is saying about The Doll Collector: "Amazing book. Loved it from beginning to end." Tracey Shults - reviewer"The ending was a real twist and I did not see it coming" Michelle Debnam - reviewer"OMG. A crime book with a difference." Nicki's Book Blog"The Doll Collector is one hell of a creepy read that is sure to give you goosebumps." Chelle's Book Reviews"I highly recommend this book.... a breath of fresh air and not too graphic." Peggy Beaver - reviewer"OMG I loved this twisty and creepy read which had a couple of twists I just didn't see coming!" Sandra Robinson - reviewer The Doll Collector is a twisty and gripping serial killer thriller. It will appeal to fans of psychological thrillers, as well as fans of authors like Mel Sherratt, Sharon Bolton, Jenny Blackhurst and Rachel Abbott.

    They built it outside the Suffolk town so it would not infect the healthy with its horrors. But the town itself is long gone, washed away by the North Sea. Only the Leper House remains, a shelter for the unwanted. A bereaved man strays there on a stormy night when the bell tolls once again beneath the waves. In a nearby house, a woman waits for history to repeat itself. When time isn’t what it seems, nor is love and nor are ghosts. And nor are we. The Leper House is a 19,000-word novella, written for Kindle Singles and available here for the first time. Andrew Taylor is a British crime and historical novelist whose books include the international bestseller, The American Boy (a Richard-and-Judy selection), and the Roth Trilogy (filmed for TV as Fallen Angel). Among his many awards are the Cartier Diamond Dagger for Lifetime Excellence in crime writing. His latest novel is The Scent of Death, winner of the 2013 Historical Dagger.

    An unrequited crush. A break-in and near assault.Life wasn't going too well for Joyce Manning. Given her circumstances, it wasn't surprising that she was willing to accept the strange condition in the will of a heretofore-unknown relative. Joyce would inherit a house, and an income, if she lives in the property for two years. Joyce doesn't hesitate to leave Chicago for upstate New York. It's not until she's almost there that she begins to worry that the house might be a rickety shack with no lights or running water, and filled with feral cats.It's not. In some ways, it's worse. The house is like something out of a nightmare, crawling with gargoyles and grotesques. The nearest neighbor to the isolated house, depending on who you talk to, is a spa -- or a mental asylum.But it's not all bad. The interior of the house, thankfully, doesn't match the outside. Not one but two local men actively pursue Joyce -- more attention than she garnered in Chicago. And not having to work for a living is a dream come true.Things would be great, if it weren't for the odd occurrences in the house, and the changes on its outside that make Joyce wonder whether her imagination is too vivid or if she's losing her mind. Will Joyce realize that when something seems too good to be true, it usually is? Because the house has a horrifying secret, and there was a special -- and sinister -- reason Joyce was lured there.

    Within three days, the undead have taken over most of town. Despite heroic efforts and swift initiatives from the government, disaster keeps spiraling. Soon, the infection reaches the nation's borders, threatening to become a worldwide pandemic.Will this be the end of mankind?This is the end of the world - one day at a time.

     A tale of Bigfoot, bad guys, and one woman’s ride to the brink of utter madness, Devil of the Forest builds with thrills and spills to a climax that will leave you seeing devils everywhere—even the face in the mirror.