The stories THE RICH ARE DIFFERENT by Lisa Morton and THE COMFORTING VOICE by Norman Prentiss were both really good, and I read each one twice. They were well-written and genuinely creepy. The rest of the stories didn't really do it for me.

I'll give a mention to THE MANICURE by Nell Quinn-Gibney, not because I particularly liked it, but because it was original and not like anything I've read before – and there's definitely something to be said for that!

I loved this compilation of scary stories from famous authors. I even found a few I hadn’t heard of before. Great book for anyone who doesn’t have a lot of time to read because every story is somewhat short. I enjoy horror and I loved this book. Thank you for the opportunity to review it.

I'm starting to wonder if short story collections are really for me. But this one was okay. I wish I had enjoyed the Stephen King story more, but anything that involves hurting an older adult main character is not going to be my favorite. Overall I found the stories creepy, but more atmospheric than actually horrifying. I'll have to pick up some of the other volumes to see if I enjoy this series.

These stories are unsettling, but the last one -- "The Corpse King" just went on for far too long and moved too slowly. It was a good story, too, but maybe I was just too tired as I was reading it. I liked Steven King's re-done Tell-Tale Heart story the best -- definitely a product of the '70s, as the reference to O.J. Simpson demonstrates.

I really wanted to like this book because of the authors but the stories didn't capture my attention as much as I was expecting. The first story was particularly disappointing. I thought the slang was way overdone and didn't allow me to enjoy the story.

I've been reading the Dark Screams books since the first volume - they're quick reads for fans of horror fiction. This volume departs from the previous five volumes in some very slight ways.

First we have the cover as depicted above. This is a new look for the series as the first five books' original covers had a very different but similar to one another look. This cover definitely lets the reader know the type of fiction inside better than the older style.

The other difference is a slightly larger page count but perhaps because this volume includes six short stories whereas all the previous volumes only included five stories. We'll see if this continues or if it's because one of the stories was significantly shorter than average.

We start the book with Stephen King's "The Old Dude's Ticker." This is early Stephen King and it shows. But for someone like me, who has only read the early Stephen King, that's good news. The story deals with a Vietnam vet with PTSD. In his intro to the story, King lets the reader know that this was his playing around with the classic Tell-Tale Heart story and that until now the story has been unpublished. It's not a great King story, but kudos to the author for sharing early, rough work.

The next story is "The Rich Are Different" by Lisa Morton. This was a very different sort of story for me. In the story, a woman, who had written a book about 'the rich' is invited to meet one of the families she has written about. She has no clue just how different this particular rich family really is. I liked how Morton built the story and how the dark aspects of the story are subtler than most horror fiction. The sudden falling in love by the main character made the story end much too easily, however.

I don't know that I've ever encountered Nell Quinn-Gibney's work before and "The Manicure" is my least favorite story in this collection. A woman hates having her fingernails touched, but decides to have a manicure and squirms with angst over getting the manicure and a demon tries to assure her that nothing untoward will happen. Done.

"The Comforting Voice" by Norman Prentiss is unusual and a good read, but isn't the sort of story that leaves the reader with lingering thoughts (which I think a good horror story will do). A very young child has grown attached to her grandfather's unique voice - a voice deep and gravelly because of his throat cancer. When the grandfather passes away, the parents come up with another way to continue to sooth the child.

Joyce Carol Oates is not someone I associate with horror fiction, but she has a story, "Situations," in this collection. I could easily have done without this story as there isn't much to it. 'Daddy is always right' and the children telling the story fear him.

Easily the best story in the collection is the novella/novelette "The Corpse King" by Tim Curran. Curran's use of language to set the tone is absolutely delicious. The story follows a pair of grave-robbers who supply bodies to a local doctor and scientist clientele. They stay just barely one step ahead of law enforcement, but can't escape what lies in wait. It's wonderfully eerie and a fun read.

This series has stayed pretty consistent with the material they include. There always seems to be one story that I really don't like and at least one that I like quite a bit, and then a few others that, while not particularly memorable, are at least interesting and worth reading.

Looking for a good book? Dark Screams Volume Six has a fine collection of short, dark stories that will satisfy a reader's hunger for horror.

I received a digital copy of this book from the publisher, through Netgalley, in exchange for an honest review.

While I love a settling in for a good long novel read, there's definitely something to be said for a classic anthology. When you're working, juggling life and a household, it makes it hard to find time to burrow into a long book for any length of time. These little shorts are perfect for a busy person, like a little on the go snack. A read before bed won't keep me up all night because I can finish a story in one go.

Like any anthology, there were a couple that just didn't really do it for me. No fault of their own, just not my particular flavor. The Comforting Voice was one of my favorites, taking me a realistic level of creepy that left me questioning. The Corpse King had a classical feel to it, that pulled me right in to their antics and a dirty poor world that wasn't given a romantic bosoms and breeches feel. Definitely a top read. Stephen King is a class act as always. The others had their creep factors, but just didn't give me the willies like the others. Still, it was all around a worthy read, and a great addition to any anthology collection of the horror lover.

I received an advance reader copy (arc) of this book for the purpose of providing an honest review.

I continue to enjoy this anthology series and this installment again allows readers an introduction to a wide and varied group of authors … some great, some good and some deftly in the category of “other.” This is the largest of the anthologies yet … in terms of page count and the range from great to really bad in stories.

I enjoyed King and Prentiss as always. Morton and Oates also livened up the party. I wasn’t thrilled (but not overly disappointed) with Quinn-Gibney and would have rather been in Quinn-Gibney’s story than had to read Curran’s missive.

This anthology includes these stories:

—The Old Dude’s Ticker, by Stephen King. Would anyone like some re-heated Poe? But, in a good way. Any fan of Poe’s will find this updated a frenetic take on The Tell-Tale Heart entertaining and suspenseful. 4.5 stars

—The Rich Are Different, by Lisa Morton, And how truly different are they? Especially with our current political climate, we see what some are willing to exchange or comfort and prosperity. Humanity for sale? 3.5 stars

—The Manicure, by Nell Quinn-Gibney, An ordinary mani-pedi day dredges up a memory per digit with sinister results. 3.0 stars

—The Comforting Voice, by Norman Prentiss, As is Norman’s gift, he deftly brings this family of characters to life, breathing separate and distinct personalities into each. Does the end justify the means? You will have to decide. 4.5 stars

—The Situations, by Joyce Carol Oates, Sometimes the kitty wins and sometimes Daddy wins. I guess it depends on the situation. 4.0 stars

—The Corpse King, by Tim Curran, I have never been more disappointed in a story. Tortuous, arduous, rambling … I only finished reading the story as an object lesson in not giving up, painful though it was. 1.0 star

If you had to read Edgar Allen Poe in school, the first story is a repeat. For the younger generation, the language may feel as old as Poe did to those in their forties now. If you didn't like it the first time, or don't like it now, don't be discouraged, the other stories live up to the title of the book. Short enough to get through while waiting in the doctors office or for your connecting flight, yet creepy enough to make you look over your shoulder while reading it.

4 Stars!

Horror fans can rejoice that the Dark Screams series returns with its sixth volume. Brian James Freeman and Richard Chizmar come together once again to edit a new volume in the series bringing six tales of terror together in a novella sized collection. With writers such as Stephen King and Joyce Carol Oates along for the ride, there is plenty of star power in this book to please dedicated and casual fans of dark fiction.

The first story in the collection is “The Old Dude’s Ticker” by Stephen King. This short story is a retelling of “The Tell-Tale Heart” by Edgar Allen Poe with a Vietnam War veteran at the center of the madness. It is a story that King wrote toward the beginning of his career and has now reworked for a more modern presentation. Richard Drogan knows the world may think he is crazy, maybe driven made by PTSD, but only he knows the truth. Only he knew the truth. Only he knew that the old dude had to die. This short story has the feel of an old Stephen King story, which was good, but it just never came with the payoff that I expected when the story started. It is never a bad thing to kick off a collection with a Stephen King story and this one is no exception even though it read as more of a work of ephemera than a strong short story. This story kicks off the collection with star power but only packs a three-star punch.

“The Rich are Different” by Lisa Morton is a strange story yet a strong one by a name that may not be familiar to casual horror fans. Sarah Peck had made a living off exposing the secrets of the rich and famous yet even she could not begin to understand just how deep some of those secrets ran. She will learn this lesson the hard way when the opportunity of her career leads her into the darkest pits of one family’s secret. This story packs a bit of a punch and took a direction that I was not quite expecting. Those readers who are familiar with Morton’s works will not be surprised by how good this story is but those who have never read her stories before are in for a great new experience. This four-star story kicks the collection into high gear.

Neil Quinn-Gibney checks in next with a bizarre tale entitled “The Manicure.” A manicure is a simple thing to most people. For the narrator of this story, however, a manicure is a trip into the heart of hell through a tortured past with every snip bringing old demons back to life. This story snaps back and forth between the simple manicure of the present and the terrors of the past that it calls to the character’s mind and can be a bit disorienting. The story works in a strange way, though, and I enjoyed it even if I had a hard time figuring out exactly what it meant. “The Manicure” is another solid, if strange, three-star entry in the collection.

“The Comforting Voice” by Norman Prentiss is next and gives the reader a unique twist on a ghost story of sorts. Lydia was a very challenging baby. She cried almost nonstop and the only thing that seemed to sooth the child was the rough voice of her grandfather. The biggest problem with this was the horrible past between the old man and the child’s mother and the fear that this evil may be unleashed on the child through the old man’s presence. The greatest problem is that the actions of the father to save his child may be the one thing needed to unleash the family’s secret upon the child and start the cycle of abuse anew. Prentiss does a good job of mixing the evils of the human world with that of the supernatural to craft a story that is sure to chill the reader’s bones to the marrow. This was the best story in the collection and a true five-star effort.

I have read many stories by Joyce Carol Oates over the years so “The Situation” did not come as a surprise to me. This story is undeniably an Oates story and one that the author’s fans will be able to sink their teeth into. The story does not have a linear structure but is more a series of events showing that father knows best even if what he knows is something terrible. This is a story designed to keep the reader off balance and which finds its power through the doubts it casts. This story is not for those who do not like to think long and hard about the stories they read but is a three-star treat for those who are willing to take time with the story.

“The Corpse King” by Tim Curran is the final story in the collection and is one of the best as well as the longest story. Kierney and Clow have the dubious distinction of being grave robbers who are always one step ahead of the police if not making a great living for themselves. It was a difficult life full of constant peril but there was also a never-ending line of buyers to keep the men going. They had always kept one eye open for the law but they are soon going to learn that there is something else hunting for them as well. Unlike the police, however, this new pursuer is not bound by the law and the end of the chase would mean their deaths. Curran mixes history with horror in this novella to present a terrifying story in his unique voice. Curran never fails to deliver and this wicked story is just another great example of that. It is always a treat to read a new Curran story and this one delivers in five-star fashion.

Overall, this is another fine entry into the series and a great way for the reader to get to revisit some old favorites and maybe discover some new favorites along the way. As with every book in the series so far, this one is highly recommended.

I would like to thank Random House Hydra and NetGalley for this review copy. Dark Screams: Volume 6 is available now.

This was one of the easiest, yet most unsatisfying 1-star ratings I've ever given a book. I love horror anthologies. I own a million (okay, more like thirty) of them in assorted formats and they're just such a fun way to spend an evening for me. When I really want to enjoy one, I do what I did with this book, and I wait to read it until it's late at night and everyone else is asleep and the house is quiet, just for maximum impact.

Didn't help.

I'm gonna break this one down by story, because... well, why not?

THE OLD DUDE'S TICKER by Stephen King ➳➳ ★★★★☆
A horror anthology starting with King? Should be a good sign, right? King prefaced the story by explaining this one was an old, unpublished short of his from the 70s. It's a slightly humorous retelling of The Telltale Heart, which is one of my favorite Poe pieces, so I had fun with this one.

THE RICH ARE DIFFERENT by Lisa Morton ➳➳ ★★★☆☆
This one was... okay? It tells the story of an author who meets this bizarre rich family she wrote a book about, and ends up falling in deep with one of the men of the house, and shit gets kind of weird. I wasn't wild about it, but I liked the writing.

THE MANICURE by Nell Quinn-Gibney ➳➳ ★★☆☆☆
I read this one twice because I was so freaking confused by the ending. It starts off with serious potential and this weird sense of dread that makes you simultaneously eager to learn the ending, and dreading what is to come... and then, what? Nothing happens. I'm not kidding. I literally read it again just to see if I had missed an important detail - I hadn't.

THE COMFORTING VOICE by Norman Prentiss ➳➳ ★★☆☆☆
Another one with a decent style, but subpar plot. A baby can only be soothed by her mean old grandpa, and after he dies, her dad has to mock his words to get her to stop crying. This one was honestly just a bit traumatic and sad, but I certainly didn't understand how it got into a horror anthology.

THE SITUATIONS by Joyce Carol Oates ➳➳ ★☆☆☆☆
To be fair, I knew going into this story that I wouldn't like it, because I am not much of a JCO fan. It was horribly sad, kittens were murdered, and none of it made any sense. It felt pointless and I, again, found myself wondering how it "belonged" in the collection.

THE CORPSE KING by Tim Curran ➳➳ ★☆☆☆☆
YOU GUYS. THIS. STORY. This story ruined any chance the book had of a 2-star rating. You know how, typically, every story in an anthology is of a similar length? That makes sense, right? RIGHT? Well, not to this editor, apparently. I felt like the other stories were only even included to give the editor an excuse to get this tale out to the world without it being in a book of its own. It literally takes up the last 55-60% of the book by itself and it was so incredibly slow and boring that I ended up skimming the majority of it. I would have just DNFd, but... you know... I kept expecting there to be more stories after it. Nah.

I'm sorry, but I can safely say I will never pick up another Dark Screams collection. I honestly wouldn't recommend these to anyone.

Thank you to NetGalley and Hydra for granting me an ARC of this book! All opinions expressed here are my own.

The covers to these volumes are freaking AMAZING! If I saw them in the bookstore I would pick them up because they just scream "pick me up."
Wow a story from Stephen King in here that was very impressive something that I never thought would have happened though I am glad it did. Now his story wasn't that scary but it was pretty cool. I think the one I enjoyed the most was The Comforting Voice. To me that was just a bit creepy and the way the ending went I was just thinking oh man he is turning into his father in law and this is not good! I did like the gruesomeness of The Corpse King. I think the author did an amazing job with the details and how the grave robbers were. The bodies being stacked in the room gave me the willies! Way to go on that one.
If you are looking for something just to pass the time pick this volume up, I think there might be a little bit of something for everyone.

Brian James Freeman allowed me the opportunity to receive an ARC (Advanced Reader Copy) of Dark Screams: Volume One back in 2014 in exchange for an unbiased review. Thankfully, he didn’t hate it and continued to allow me the amazing opportunity to receive and review the four volumes that followed – and I’ve enjoyed every minute of it.

Recently, Brian and Richard decided to continue the series – and again, I was lucky enough to be chosen to review ARCs.

Let me start by saying this: The Dark Screams series of books is a superb collection for those wanting to get their pallet wet in the horror genre. Brian and Richard choose a wide array of authors, some well-known, others, not so much. The stories are just as diverse; providing something for everyone.

Dark Screams: Volume Six doesn’t disappoint.

As usual with short stories, writing a review of each can be tricky in order to not give away too much, but I’ll try:

1) THE OLD DUDE’S TICKER by Stephen King – this is the only story in the book that has a forward by the author. Not only that, but King goes on to apologize for the story to both the reader and to Poe – from whom the story idea originated. This is Mr. King’s revised version of Poe’s The Tell-Tale Heart. I enjoyed it, so no apology necessary.

2) THE RICH ARE DIFFERENT by Lisa Morton – If you’ve followed my reviews, you have heard the name Lisa Morton on more than one occasion. I enjoy her style and technique, and her stories are top notch in the genre. I read this story in Cemetery Dance magazine (Issue 74/75) in December and didn’t hesitate to reread it now. My reading time is very sparse, so I usually don’t reread things – especially not in such a short time span – but I enjoyed this one so much the first time, that I relished the opportunity to read it again. It really points out just what the obscenely rich are willing to pay to get what they want.

3) THE MANICURE by Nell Quinn-Gibney – This story is one of those psychological ones that on the surface doesn’t make sense, until you think about it. I can honestly say I’ve never had a manicure, and don’t think I’ll ever get one after reading this story.

4) THE COMFORTING VOICE by Norman Prentiss – Sorry, Lisa, but Norman’s story wins for being my favorite in this group. I enjoyed this story so much, that I actually found Mr. Prentiss on Facebook and wrote him a message telling him such. Baby Lydia screams, all the time at the top of her lungs, and there is nothing her parents can do to calm her. That is, until her grandfather talks to her using his electronic voice box (due to throat cancer). This hit home as my own daughter, due to colic, would do the same – and the only thing that soothed her was the sound of the vacuum cleaner. Because of that, this story was very relatable.

5) THE SITUATIONS by Joyce Carol Oates – OK, like I’ve said before, in every anthology there is bound to be one story that doesn’t resonate with you. This is the one for me in this collection. I found it to be confusing, disjointed, and just plain weird.

6) THE CORPSE KING by Tim Curran – and taking up more than half the book is this novella. I’ve never heard of this author, but I liked his style. This tells the tale of two grave robbers in Edinburgh, trying to stay one step ahead of the noose, but unable to outrun something more terrifying. This one was unbelievably creepy. Thanks to Mr. Curran’s talent for setting a scene, I had to take a long, hot shower after reading it, and then another just to make sure I was clean.

There you have it – another outstanding collection of stories from some very talented individuals. Don’t pass this one up.

I am usually a huge fan of short stories. In fact, my favorite short story collections are by Richard Matheson! So I was really excited to read this book, "Dark Screams: Volumn Six" which features stories by Stephen King, Joyce Carol Oates, Norman Prentiss, and others. I have to say, the book as a whole left me a bit disappointed, but there were some gems in the collection I want to point out.

THE RICH ARE DIFFERENT by Lisa Morton:

This story was so odd. It reminded me a bit of the Island of Dr. Moreau mixed with Bridesmaids and maybe a dash of the short story classic "The House on Haunted Hill'. Kind of a wild combo, right? Anyways, this was about a woman falling in love with a very wealthy, and very strange man. It starts out with her waiting for something very frightening about to happen and then you are taken back to when she first meets this rich family. Anyways, I don't want to give anything away but this story takes an aesthetically pleasing to look at setting and turns into it into something potentially grim and dangerous. I loved it.

THE MANICURE by Nell Quinn-Gibney

I thought this was so odd and kind of creepy in a hilarious dark way. And I don't think I was supposed to think it was funny at all. But it starts out with this character who is terrified of these nail clippers but they visit a nail salon anyways. Snip snip right? Well, this was worth reading as each finger takes you back to a weird memory of something going very very wrong.

THE COMFORTING VOICE by Norman Prentiss

I liked this one and I thought it was very disturbing but entertaining. A couple have a baby and the wife invites her father to live with them. The grandfather has reconciled with his daughter and can't wait to dote on his new grandchild. Well the husband doesn't trust any of it. And well...I don't want to give anything away but it's a really captivating and bizarre story.

So, those three were gems and I think those are worth seeking out and reading. But the others...I was disappointed by Stephen King and the short story by Joyce Carol Oates was oddly forgettable. And the last story was very long and I didn't finish it. Just didn't catch me.

DARK SCREAMS: VOLUME SIX won't take away the "Best of the Series" award from Volume Four but it is still a solid player. I would say that two of the stories were slightly disappointing but then the volume also included six stories instead of the usual five. Plus since one of the disappointing stories was an early unsold story by Stephen King, which kind of negates the negative aspect. Once again I like the smaller size of the volume; it allows me to finish it relatively fast though real life interruptions still made it too long. I've been reading some longer collections that are taking me forever to finish; I'm looking at you Stephen Jones and your MAMMOTH BOOK OF BEST NEW HORROR. Longer novels build that excitement and tension which helps to accelerate the reading during the second half of the book. Short stories, by definition, aren't going to get the length to build that acceleration. By the same token though, I can sample more flavors of authors with short stories than I can with a book by a single author. Anyway, I've digressed. Here are the stories of this volume in order of least favorite to most.

"The Manicure" by Nell Quinn-Gibney - While the story is pretty straight forward (woman with finger issues goes in for a manicure), there are many cringe-worthy moments during the telling. Times where you have been in a similar situation and either the pain happened for real or you feared that it would happen. Unfortunately it felt more like a collection of memories and not an engaging story.

"The Old Dude's Ticker" by Stephen King - The story itself didn't really pull me in. Maybe it was the seventies slang. Maybe it was not being able to identify with the main character. I don't know. However, what I did like was that Chizmar and Freeman allowed Stephen King to provide a Forward to the story. He talked briefly about what led to him writing the story which was pretty cool. I've always liked when authors tell a little about the inspiration behind the story.

"The Rich Are Different" by Lisa Morton - This was a good story but not a standout one. The mood and style were good but the story was a little too convenient at points. The different events happened a little too easily.p>

"The Situations" by Joyce Carol Oates - This was one of those stories where the topic is dark and the character reprehensible but at the same time you can't look away. Like the daughters in the story, you hope for something happier and better to happen. Unfortunately this is what the father in the story wants too.

"The Comforting Voice" by Norman Prentiss - This was another dark story. This time though it was disguised as something much happier. As I was reading it, I was wondering where the story was going and where the horror was going to come in. Then after I was fully engaged in the character's life, I got to a part where I thought "Oh no, that's not a smart decision." Then almost immediately afterwards I went "Oh crap!" And then the other shoe dropped and the story ended. At first, I was left wanting a bit more. But then five minutes later, the story and the horror still hung with me. And then a few days later, it still hung with me. Prentiss ended it exactly right.

"The Corpse King" by Tim Curran - Curran benefited by having his story be novella length instead of just a short story. This let him really build out the world in his story and it shows. The amount of details he included in the story shows the research that he must have done. The world is disgusting and gross but realistic for grave-robbers in that time period.

Despite a disappointing offer from Stephen King (I usually enjoy his work, but the Old Dude's Ticker left me unimpressed) I really enjoyed this collection of horror tales.

Take away The Old Dude's Ticker, and The Manicure and I'd recommend it to anyone who loves a good chilling tale.

As a mother of a screamer, "The Comforting Voice" bothered me in a way more than the more "Horrific" horrors. I want to see the baby grow up, see what kind of relationship it forms with the dad.

The one that really did it for me, however, was The Corpse King. That was truly an "I can't stop til I finish it" tale.

There were some really great short stories in here. My favorite was The Manicure by Nell Quinn-Gibney. I tried looking up the author but couldn't find anything else by her! Please write more!! The Comforting Voice was also a very memorable and creepy story. The one that surprised me the most though, was the longest in the bunch, The Corpse King. It's like Burke & Hare meets Perfume: The Story of a Murderer. The author, Tim Curran, is an incredible writer and super descriptive in his writing.

First, a disclosure: I love anthologies. There is generally an interesting mix of authors and subjects - something for everyone. This one had some big names, as well as some not-so-big. Despite being a big King fan, I find that I enjoyed Lisa Morton's The Rich Are Different the most. A strange story about an author's look into the lives of people about whom she had thought she knew a great deal. I also thought that Nell Quinn-Gibney's story The Manicure was interesting, if a bit disjointed. It twisted a very common event (a manicure), and I don't think I'll ever view one the same.

All of the stories were well-written and entertaining. Four stars.

The Old Dude's Ticker (Stephen King)
Easily the worst story by King I remember reading. The obsessive repetition of the "dig it" phrase really grated my nerves, though I understand that it was one way to describe the guy's way of thinking. The plot itself was OK, but nothing special. *

The Rich Are Different (Lisa Morton)
Though definitely a bit corny, I really enjoyed this story as some light entertainment. ***

The Manicure (Nell Quinn-Gibney)
It was OK but not remarkably so, and it seems I already forgot most of it. **

The Comforting Voice (Norman Prentiss)
My favorite story in this collection, it describes a very normal nightmare situation each parent can relate to. I loved the weird idea the author presented to solve the 'problem'. ****

The Situations (Joyce Carol Oates)
I'm still a bit confused what the author wanted to tell me, but I liked the dark feeling the story created. **

The Corpse King (Tim Curran)
This was a novella-sized story, which IMHO could have been condensed to a short story. Lots of repetitive chapters and descriptions of the poor and dirty life people of that time had to master, but which did nothing to push the story on. Especially the dialogues in their poor attempt to be funny soon became boring and I was glad every time talking was relieved by action. **

So far, this is my least favorite part of the series, but I'm sure things will get better with the next volume.