Devil’s Hill by Steven Reyes

A town in Arizona, a satanic tree and 18 stories of horror set to chill on Devil’s night.

Evil is abroad in the town of Devil’s Hill on Halloween night, and each of these interconnected stories describes a different resident’s encounter with something wicked. Most of the protagonists are teens, which perhaps reflects the author’s love of R.L. Stein’s Goosebumps series, however, these tales are definitely for grown ups. With strong language, drink, drugs and lots and lots of disturbing horror, these stories are not for the faint hearted.

Each story features a different creature of the macabre. There are clowns, pumpkins, witches, la llorona , cat people and many more. It’s like a hit list of Halloween celebrities, each handled in a creative way.

I have seen short story anthologies that feature a shared universe, but this is the first time I’ve seen an single author anthology attempt it, and it is something I’m eager to experiment with after reading Devil’s Hill. Not every story is a hit, and the writing is a bit rough in places, especially in the first few stories, but Devil’s Hill is a town I think I could now navigate, and that I never, ever want to visit.

I made the mistake of reading this book at night, in the dark, and several tales seriously creeped me out. As a life long fan of horror, I can tell you that very few books or movies spook me anymore. While I didn’t have to sleep with the light on, I was very glad that I share my bedroom with a large dog (pictured above).

I highly recommend Devil’s Hill, and I look forward to reading more from this author. I award this collection…

Click here to buy Devil’s Hill on Amazon.