Title: Footsteps in the Dark: Stories of the Bizarre and Unusual
Author: Carlo Armenise
Publisher: Outskirts Press
ISBN: 978-1-6641-6011-8
Pages: 136
Genre: Horror/Supernatural
Reviewed by: Margie Przybylski
Hollywood Book Reviews
Footsteps in the Dark: Stories of the Bizarre and Unusual is a collection of eight tastefully spooky short thrillers by Carlo Armenise. The stories are delectably devourable – this work can be finished in an evening. After reading the stories once through – it’s tempting to go back and read them again, looking for clues to solve the mysteries between the lines. Armenise’s story telling pulls in even the most “horror averse” readers and turns them into murder mystery lovers. While the subject matter is pretty spooky and graphic – it’s not more than a mild imagination can handle. I refuse to watch scary or gory movies but I found this collection of scary stories entertaining. Fans of Dexter and True Crime would be pleasantly engaged with each “step” [story] in the collection.
While each story in the collection is unmistakably written by Armenise ,they vary from one another. The cast of characters included in the stories is a motley crew of cops, psycho serial killers, and a high-profile actress. Each character is a pleasure to get to know – even if for a very short time. Armenise uses the characters’ dialogues to tell the stories, making them quick and easy to read. The time with each set of characters appears short lived, however the next set turns out to be just as entertaining and lovable as the last.
Though Armenise approaches familiar scenarios and stock characters, nothing about his work screams cliche. He paints these common literary motifs in an entertaining light, rather than being off putting – these bite sized thrillers are candy to a book lover. This book is great to recommend to friends and family or bring on a trip. Due to the gruesome subject matter, I would not recommend it to children or young teenagers.
Footsteps in the Dark can turn any scaredy cat into a horror fan. What makes Armenise’s work so inviting is the length of the stories. They are just long enough to keep the reader interested, the characters move the plot swiftly along and just before the reader can suspect everything, it is tied together neatly. The amount of suspense is perfect, just enough to keep the reader guessing without being obvious.
Armenise’s collection of horror stories is a breath of fresh air to anyone who feels stuck reading the same genre over and over. The stories also inspire a new appreciation for daily life – imagine being stalked by a serial killer or perhaps stalking one. Footsteps in the Dark offers a fun (and perfectly brief) escape from reality.