Cryptures

Reviewed By Sarah Stuart for Readers' Favorite

Cryptures by Jw Grodt is a collection of ten short stories written for fans of the horror genre in all its many guises. Chilling and spine-tingling, these are dark tales of monsters, invaders, and deadly creatures that multiply in any climate on the planet. Clark Mason, diagnosed with terminal cancer, feels free to share the story of gold miner and guardian of a secret, Crazy Pete, with a group of boys eager to listen. Stanley Portchec was an ordinary family man, until he sees an abandoned truck on his way home from work. Abra Scott and fiancé, Jake Barlow, misguidedly decide to spend the night on a forbidden beach. A crew of four sets sail on an innocent exploration of the sea ... and so the reader's macabre journey goes on.

These hugely entertaining tales aren't merely horror, they are extreme horror. Lengths vary, but I defy any reader to stop before the end of one, or indeed putting the book down half-read, assuming one has the courage and the strong stomach required to embark on reading the stories. Any of Jw Grodt's longer tales made into a movie would make Final Girl and The Girl who Kicked the Hornet's Nest pale into insignificance. What The Night Brings comes to mind, and very likely will in nightmares tonight. Cryptures is a five-star book: brilliant!