What do you think?
Rate this book
Lethal Lore: The Weird Fiction Collection
Weird fiction at its finest. Take four harmless legends, add a dash of dark fantasy and a lashing of horror, and you've got Lethal Lore. From edgy sci-fi to eerie gothic to nail-biting contemporary, each short story delivers a chill of a different kind. For fans of Twilight Zone and The Outer Limits."Simple Math"A mathematician on the brink of suicide meets his doppelgänger, doubling his troubles."Killer Jack"A naïve Cajun bags more than he bargained for during a jackalope hunt. "Hell Cent"Good luck for one person is bad luck for another, as The Professor soon learns."The Bells of Bury St. Edmunds"A servant girl exacts revenge after her brother's death, unleashing terror on her medieval town.BONUS Explore the lore with facts, links, and illustrations.Download your sample or buy your copy today!
89 pages, Kindle Edition
Published October 27, 2015
2 people want to read
About the author
Monica Shaughnessy
17 books28 followersMonica Shaughnessy has a flair for creating characters and plots larger than her home state of Texas. Most notably, she's the author of the Cattarina Mysteries, a cozy mystery series starring Edgar Allan Poe's real-life cat companion. Ms. Shaughnessy has nine books in print, including two young adult suspense novels, a middle grade superhero novel, an Easter picture book, two cozy mystery novellas, and numerous short stories. Customers have praised her work time and again, calling it "unique and creative," "fresh and original," and "very well written." If you're looking for something outside the mainstream, you'll find it in her prose. When she's not slaying adverbs and tightening plots, she's walking her rescue dogs, goofing around with her family, or going back to the grocery store for the hundredth time because she forgot milk.
The best way to learn about her books is to join her mailing list, which can be found on her website: www.monicashaughnessy.com. You'll receive advance release notices, special discounts, and the occasional ARC.
The best way to learn about her books is to join her mailing list, which can be found on her website: www.monicashaughnessy.com. You'll receive advance release notices, special discounts, and the occasional ARC.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
March 13, 2016
This isn’t your normal horror novel, but it is in fact a book containing four short horror stories that are each meant to tell and portray their own different story, based on different myths.
I selected and downloaded this book free from Story Cartel in exchange for a honest and unbiased review, after receiving an email from their site. I chose this book as my first book to download and review, as it was recommended to fans of Stephen King and Edgar Allan Poe, so I was really looking forward to reading these stories.
I feel like I should review each individual story that’s in this book, but as they are short stories, in order for me to do that there may be spoilers.
Simple Math: “A mathematician on the brink of suicide meets his doppelgänger, doubling his troubles.” – This story in its simplest for, is about doppelgangers. Out of the four stories in Lethal Lore, this story, Simple Math, would have to be my favourite story. It’s the story that stays with the most and was the one whose meaning I was able to take away from the tale. I already guessed the twist ending before both men left the ValuMart, so when it happened and was revealed at the end, I wasn’t the slightest bit surprised.
Killer Jack: “A naïve Cajun bags more than he bargained for during a jackalope hunt.” This story comes across as being about jackalopes, but that is just the underline story with this one. Out of the four, this would have to be my second favourite. Again, the second that one of the characters said to the other “We’re hunting Jack”, I knew the ending to this tale, especially after the beginning of the story.
Hell Cent: “Bad luck for one person is good luck for another, as The Professor soon learns.” This story is about the luck, or bad luck a person can have with the flip of a coin. I couldn’t really get into this story until the ending, which is where all the action was. It did get interesting towards the end because there was some action and I did want to find out what was going to happen, but has for the rest of the story, I unfortunately didn’t understand it.
The Bells Of Bury St. Edmunds: “A servant girl exacts justice, unleashing terror on her medieval town.” I know that this story contains murder, love for a man who just doesn’t love her back, heart break and revenge, but I honestly can’t remember what happened in this story. Nothing in it appealed to me and it just confused me. I don’t to spoil it because it did start off strong but somehow just went downhill for me and just going over my head and not understanding. This had to be my least favourite out of them all.
What I liked about this book was that after each story there was a little myth fact tale that tells you where the myth for each story originates from. If you don’t want to read it then you don’t have to, but it is there for those who do and its nice to know the stories behind the stories. I have to admit that I was disappointed by these stories and was really looking forward to reading some really good horror tales with the recommendations that they came with. I am a massive horror junkie so I was let down. I’d still give it a 3 out of 5 stars for the first 2 stories and the ending of the third one and would give the last a read at another time.
They are all short stories so give them a read and see what you all think.
I selected and downloaded this book free from Story Cartel in exchange for a honest and unbiased review, after receiving an email from their site. I chose this book as my first book to download and review, as it was recommended to fans of Stephen King and Edgar Allan Poe, so I was really looking forward to reading these stories.
I feel like I should review each individual story that’s in this book, but as they are short stories, in order for me to do that there may be spoilers.
Simple Math: “A mathematician on the brink of suicide meets his doppelgänger, doubling his troubles.” – This story in its simplest for, is about doppelgangers. Out of the four stories in Lethal Lore, this story, Simple Math, would have to be my favourite story. It’s the story that stays with the most and was the one whose meaning I was able to take away from the tale. I already guessed the twist ending before both men left the ValuMart, so when it happened and was revealed at the end, I wasn’t the slightest bit surprised.
Killer Jack: “A naïve Cajun bags more than he bargained for during a jackalope hunt.” This story comes across as being about jackalopes, but that is just the underline story with this one. Out of the four, this would have to be my second favourite. Again, the second that one of the characters said to the other “We’re hunting Jack”, I knew the ending to this tale, especially after the beginning of the story.
Hell Cent: “Bad luck for one person is good luck for another, as The Professor soon learns.” This story is about the luck, or bad luck a person can have with the flip of a coin. I couldn’t really get into this story until the ending, which is where all the action was. It did get interesting towards the end because there was some action and I did want to find out what was going to happen, but has for the rest of the story, I unfortunately didn’t understand it.
The Bells Of Bury St. Edmunds: “A servant girl exacts justice, unleashing terror on her medieval town.” I know that this story contains murder, love for a man who just doesn’t love her back, heart break and revenge, but I honestly can’t remember what happened in this story. Nothing in it appealed to me and it just confused me. I don’t to spoil it because it did start off strong but somehow just went downhill for me and just going over my head and not understanding. This had to be my least favourite out of them all.
What I liked about this book was that after each story there was a little myth fact tale that tells you where the myth for each story originates from. If you don’t want to read it then you don’t have to, but it is there for those who do and its nice to know the stories behind the stories. I have to admit that I was disappointed by these stories and was really looking forward to reading some really good horror tales with the recommendations that they came with. I am a massive horror junkie so I was let down. I’d still give it a 3 out of 5 stars for the first 2 stories and the ending of the third one and would give the last a read at another time.
They are all short stories so give them a read and see what you all think.
February 12, 2017
Please visit me at Shh, I am Reading for reviews and more!
I received this eBook from the author in exchange for an honest review.
Oh my goodness! This was such a trip down memory lane for me. The stories reminded me of a mish mash of Tales from the Crypt, Stephen King’s Creepshow and the Twilight Zone.
I have reviewed each story separately in order to touch on how each book read to me. Plus each should have it’s own spotlight.
Simple Math is about a mathematician who got into the world of gambling and in order to save his family, is willing to sacrifice himself. When a freak accident places him and his doppelgänger in the same vicinity of each other. Eventually you get to the twist in the story and I admit, I had to laugh a little. It was a bit obvious but the author explained it perfectly. It was very Twilight Zone-esque.
I know very little about jackalopes other than they look super cool. But in Killer Jack, I have learned that jackalopes like good whiskey and can murder men. Out of all the stories, this was my least favourite. Murderous bunny like creatures with a craving for hard liquor are on a scale of meh for me.
In Hell Cent, this was a tougher story. It was more of a psychological thriller for me. The other tales were more fantasy driven. This story focused more on this gender-less Professor who has become an outcast to society and their psyche unravels as they continue to pull murderous acts on people. I did enjoy this Professor underestimate their opponent/victim. Everyone makes a mistake sooner or later.
I had no idea of the tale about the Green Children of Woolpit. Quite the interesting mystery there. This tale was about the children surviving on Earth. The sister had begun to adapt to the foods while her brother refused to eat and thus died at the hands of a cruel monk. She begins to exact revenge on the monk in The Bells of Bury St. Edmunds. There is murder, rejected love affections and a girl determined to fit in despite her differences.
I definitely recommend this book, especially if you enjoy unique tales. Each tale was also backed with history and facts, which made the novel really unique, in my opinion.
I received this eBook from the author in exchange for an honest review.
Oh my goodness! This was such a trip down memory lane for me. The stories reminded me of a mish mash of Tales from the Crypt, Stephen King’s Creepshow and the Twilight Zone.
I have reviewed each story separately in order to touch on how each book read to me. Plus each should have it’s own spotlight.
Simple Math is about a mathematician who got into the world of gambling and in order to save his family, is willing to sacrifice himself. When a freak accident places him and his doppelgänger in the same vicinity of each other. Eventually you get to the twist in the story and I admit, I had to laugh a little. It was a bit obvious but the author explained it perfectly. It was very Twilight Zone-esque.
I know very little about jackalopes other than they look super cool. But in Killer Jack, I have learned that jackalopes like good whiskey and can murder men. Out of all the stories, this was my least favourite. Murderous bunny like creatures with a craving for hard liquor are on a scale of meh for me.
In Hell Cent, this was a tougher story. It was more of a psychological thriller for me. The other tales were more fantasy driven. This story focused more on this gender-less Professor who has become an outcast to society and their psyche unravels as they continue to pull murderous acts on people. I did enjoy this Professor underestimate their opponent/victim. Everyone makes a mistake sooner or later.
I had no idea of the tale about the Green Children of Woolpit. Quite the interesting mystery there. This tale was about the children surviving on Earth. The sister had begun to adapt to the foods while her brother refused to eat and thus died at the hands of a cruel monk. She begins to exact revenge on the monk in The Bells of Bury St. Edmunds. There is murder, rejected love affections and a girl determined to fit in despite her differences.
I definitely recommend this book, especially if you enjoy unique tales. Each tale was also backed with history and facts, which made the novel really unique, in my opinion.
March 14, 2016
I received a free download of this book from Story Cartel, thank you!
I really enjoyed all of the stories in this book.
I like Twilight Zone-ish stories, and Simple Math totally fit the bill. What if there's another me? Scary thought.
Living in the southwest, I can relate to hunting for jackalopes. I have never caught one though. (after reading Killer Jack, not actually sure I want to anymore...)
Hell Cent takes you into the crazy mind of someone who is now over the verge, and it's a scary place.
Finally, I had never heard the story of the green children, but the author's version was definitely an entertaining read.
I especially like how the author finishes each story by relating it back to the original tale or legend. That was cool.
For the record, my brain first read King Stephen as Stephen King also. Oh, and heck yeah those monkey things are creepy!
I would recommend this book to others and I would read more by this author.
I really enjoyed all of the stories in this book.
I like Twilight Zone-ish stories, and Simple Math totally fit the bill. What if there's another me? Scary thought.
Living in the southwest, I can relate to hunting for jackalopes. I have never caught one though. (after reading Killer Jack, not actually sure I want to anymore...)
Hell Cent takes you into the crazy mind of someone who is now over the verge, and it's a scary place.
Finally, I had never heard the story of the green children, but the author's version was definitely an entertaining read.
I especially like how the author finishes each story by relating it back to the original tale or legend. That was cool.
For the record, my brain first read King Stephen as Stephen King also. Oh, and heck yeah those monkey things are creepy!
I would recommend this book to others and I would read more by this author.
March 28, 2016
This book is four shorter stories, perfect for reading in one day, or one sitting. My favorite two were the jackalope story, called Simple Math, and The Bells of Bury St. Edmunds. The other two stories are Killer Jack and Hell Cent. They are all well written, but the jackalope has long been a favored tale of mine. This one was creative and had a good ending. The Bells of Bury St. Edmunds was good enough to be its own entire book. I think I have become a fan of this author's books. I need to go read more of her books now.
My copy came from Story Cartel in exchange for my honest review and nothing more.
My copy came from Story Cartel in exchange for my honest review and nothing more.
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews