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That Which Cannot Be Undone: An Ohio Horror Anthology
Beneath Ohio’s congenial midwestern facade lies a dark underbelly of urban legends, cursed sites, and unseen terrors. From a woman drawn to an underwater town haunted by its last resident to a killer desperately seeking to experience new life through the teeth of his victims, these eighteen stories all take place in the Buckeye State, some drawn from already-known accounts of strangeness and infamous settings, others completely the author’s invention.
Edited by Bram Stoker Award-winner Jess Landry, That Which Cannot Be Undone features works from new and established voices in horror, including Bram Stoker Award-winners Gary A. Braunbeck, Tim Waggoner, Lucy A. Snyder, Gwendolyn Kiste, and Kealan Patrick Burke, and New York Times and USA Today bestselling author, Megan Hart.
Edited by Bram Stoker Award-winner Jess Landry, That Which Cannot Be Undone features works from new and established voices in horror, including Bram Stoker Award-winners Gary A. Braunbeck, Tim Waggoner, Lucy A. Snyder, Gwendolyn Kiste, and Kealan Patrick Burke, and New York Times and USA Today bestselling author, Megan Hart.
244 pages, Paperback
Published September 30, 2022
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Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews
October 19, 2022
A gem. I’m an avid reader and writer and new to the horror genre. This was a great opportunity to explore a bunch of creative and very different authors. I snickered, I laughed, I almost cried from the beauty of several scenes. I lost my breath at several twists. I grinned at several regional legends brought to life. I’ve found a new genre.
October 14, 2022
This book contains 18 stories of the deranged, mysterious, spooky, and disturbed. These stories all take place somewhere in Ohio and include a little bit for everyone. There’s a possible vampire baby, a dead girl in the snow, gender-shifting, an underwater town, death by lawnmower, a reanimated body, a FrankenDaddy, and some insurance revenge.
The stories are so creative and well-written that I found myself just sinking into the book until I found myself at the last page. This speaks to the excellent editing, as well, because I am easily distracted by grammar errors, misspellings, duplicated words, etc. This book was so well edited, I remember thinking about it while I read, amazed I hadn’t encountered an error. A perfect addition to your spooky season reads! Just released and ready for you to grab now on Amazon!
Disclaimer:
I received an advance review copy for free thanks to @henryroi.pr and am leaving this review voluntarily.
The stories are so creative and well-written that I found myself just sinking into the book until I found myself at the last page. This speaks to the excellent editing, as well, because I am easily distracted by grammar errors, misspellings, duplicated words, etc. This book was so well edited, I remember thinking about it while I read, amazed I hadn’t encountered an error. A perfect addition to your spooky season reads! Just released and ready for you to grab now on Amazon!
Disclaimer:
I received an advance review copy for free thanks to @henryroi.pr and am leaving this review voluntarily.
October 13, 2022
This horror anthology is perfect for spooky season. All the stories are based in Ohio and honestly I didn't find 1 that I didn't like. They cover a range of topics from murder to magic puzzles to lake monsters.
October 10, 2022
This book brings together short stories that are very different from each other, all set in Ohio. Some are more horrific, others more melancholic, but they all have something original and appealing. Whether they are about ghosts, teeth, PTSD, or murder, they all have a dark and intriguing atmosphere that makes you want to keep reading. A perfect read for a cozy autumn evening.
October 11, 2022
If there is one thing I love, it is region based horror. It is the best way to really steep yourself in the local culture, landscape, and atmosphere of an area that you will probably never go to in real life. So when I saw this book's theme was Ohio based horror I had to snap it up.
And I was not disappointed. Each story has its own unique touch on local flora and fauna either real or unreal. Some stories, like Someone for Everyone by Marvin Brown, takes place in the cities of Dayton and Cleveland. While reading these I felt like I could comfortably walk those city streets myself. Or I would read Reclamation by the always impressive Kealan Patrick Burke and practically breathe in the fresh forest air.
But for me the real standout story was "Is Anyone There?" by Rami Ungar. This one takes place in Eastern State Penitentiary and is told from the point of view of one of the spirits residing inside. I found the mystery to be intriguing and a clever take on the premise.
Even if you have no interest in Ohio, the breadth and depth of the stories inside this book will surely provide a satisfying read.
And I was not disappointed. Each story has its own unique touch on local flora and fauna either real or unreal. Some stories, like Someone for Everyone by Marvin Brown, takes place in the cities of Dayton and Cleveland. While reading these I felt like I could comfortably walk those city streets myself. Or I would read Reclamation by the always impressive Kealan Patrick Burke and practically breathe in the fresh forest air.
But for me the real standout story was "Is Anyone There?" by Rami Ungar. This one takes place in Eastern State Penitentiary and is told from the point of view of one of the spirits residing inside. I found the mystery to be intriguing and a clever take on the premise.
Even if you have no interest in Ohio, the breadth and depth of the stories inside this book will surely provide a satisfying read.
March 3, 2023
Book Riot's Read Harder Challenge 2023: Read a book with under 500 ratings/reviews
October 12, 2022
This was the first time I have read a collection of short stories and this did not disappoint. This book has everything from creepy lake monsters to creepy children to this one that’s a mix between Handmaid’s Tale and Alien!
October 12, 2022
This is a horror themed short story collection with a diverse range of topics. All stories have two things in common - they take place in Ohio and the underlying theme is that somehow something in the story is irreversible. As always with such collections I enjoyed some stories more than others, yet there weren't any that I actually disliked. I think the editor did a good job putting this anthology together. Some stories had so cool concepts that I was "enraged" when they ended, wishing they were made into novels or movies. A few were based on myths or locations authors knew about.
🎨 And may I point out the amazing cover art by Greg Chapman?!
📖 There's the weird and gore, the unexplained, otherworldly mixed with current affairs. Diseases. Death. Heartbreak. Crazy cult. Serial killers. Vengeful places. Lonely places. Mad scientists and mind-bending experiments. Even madder biochemicals. "Tall grass". Everlasting love. Everlasting stardom. No escaping your destiny. Lake monsters. Odd obsessed small-towns. Survival of the fittest. Ghosts and their views on the living. Stalkers. Or aliens? Deals made with puzzled hand. Revenge. Many stories were written with the strange humorous style that sometimes accompanies horror stories. I truly enjoyed this collection and I'd like to tell all about my favorites right now. But. But!
Some really imaginative and original stories in here that did manage to "wow" me and make it quite easy to recommend this anthology.
🎨 And may I point out the amazing cover art by Greg Chapman?!
📖 There's the weird and gore, the unexplained, otherworldly mixed with current affairs. Diseases. Death. Heartbreak. Crazy cult. Serial killers. Vengeful places. Lonely places. Mad scientists and mind-bending experiments. Even madder biochemicals. "Tall grass". Everlasting love. Everlasting stardom. No escaping your destiny. Lake monsters. Odd obsessed small-towns. Survival of the fittest. Ghosts and their views on the living. Stalkers. Or aliens? Deals made with puzzled hand. Revenge. Many stories were written with the strange humorous style that sometimes accompanies horror stories. I truly enjoyed this collection and I'd like to tell all about my favorites right now. But. But!
Some really imaginative and original stories in here that did manage to "wow" me and make it quite easy to recommend this anthology.
October 3, 2022
What a great idea for a horror anthology. These eighteen stories, all set in Ohio, weave different aspects of the state into their terrifying narratives. From the cities of Cleveland and Columbus, to an old prison, a drowned town, an abandoned winery, and many other natural and notable locations, these stories place Ohio front and centre on the map of horror landscapes.
As with all anthologies, some stories stood out more than others.
Randall Drum’s I Dream of Teeth chills to the bone in this superb tale of a serial killer with an original ability.
Gwendolyn Kiste’s Seven Myths They Tell You About The Town Beneath The Lake haunts with a story of a woman obsessed with a sunken town and it’s denizens.
Kealan Patrick Burke’s Reclamation fills the reader with dread in this masterclass in atmosphere.
Rami Ungar’s Is Anyone There? is heartbreaking and horrific in an original take on a haunted prison.
A frightening anthology that has ensured if I ever visit Ohio, I will be very afraid.
Thank you to the publisher for providing me with an ARC. I’m voluntarily leaving an honest review.
As with all anthologies, some stories stood out more than others.
Randall Drum’s I Dream of Teeth chills to the bone in this superb tale of a serial killer with an original ability.
Gwendolyn Kiste’s Seven Myths They Tell You About The Town Beneath The Lake haunts with a story of a woman obsessed with a sunken town and it’s denizens.
Kealan Patrick Burke’s Reclamation fills the reader with dread in this masterclass in atmosphere.
Rami Ungar’s Is Anyone There? is heartbreaking and horrific in an original take on a haunted prison.
A frightening anthology that has ensured if I ever visit Ohio, I will be very afraid.
Thank you to the publisher for providing me with an ARC. I’m voluntarily leaving an honest review.
November 2, 2022
What a perfect read for this time of year! I love a good horror story collection and this one really appealed! All 18 stories are set in Ohio and are based on things like urban legends or dark cursed sites.
I have to say once I started I found it difficult to put down! I liked every single story in this collection - all are very different from each other, with stories about dark gods, cursed/haunted buildings, teeth, prison, a ghost town under a lake, death in the snow, and more. Some brought a smile to my face, others were creepy, brought out goosebumps, or made me shiver. I had read the lot before I knew it and really enjoyed them all, which is a great testament to all the authors and their ability to draw in the reader with their words - I would love to visit Ohio and see some of these places for myself!
Well worth the read if horror is your thing, you won't be disappointed!
I have to say once I started I found it difficult to put down! I liked every single story in this collection - all are very different from each other, with stories about dark gods, cursed/haunted buildings, teeth, prison, a ghost town under a lake, death in the snow, and more. Some brought a smile to my face, others were creepy, brought out goosebumps, or made me shiver. I had read the lot before I knew it and really enjoyed them all, which is a great testament to all the authors and their ability to draw in the reader with their words - I would love to visit Ohio and see some of these places for myself!
Well worth the read if horror is your thing, you won't be disappointed!
January 15, 2024
That Which Cannot Be Undone
In The Clearing - 5/5
Those Who Trespass - 2.5/5
I Dream Of Teeth - 4/5
Someone For Everybody - 1/5
Seven Myths They Tell You About The Town In The Lake: 4.5/5
Every Good Deed…: 1/5
Reclamation: 4/5
A Cure For Living: 4/5
The Garden of Love Is Green: 3.5/5
The Infernal Gift: 3.5/5
Wishing You The Best Year Ever: 4/5
It Came From The Lake: 3/5
Is Anyone There?: 2/5
All Ghosts Are Liars: 1.5/5
Navigation By Starlight: 2/5
Among The Wolves: 3/5
When Daddy Was All Fixed-Up And Everybody Was Happy: 5/5
Avocation: 0/5
Average rating: 2.9/5
Some stories lack any meaningful connection to Ohio (just saying it’s “near Toledo” doesn’t make it feel like Ohio) and some stories have no business being in a horror anthology (although my only 5/5 story hits both of the knocks, it’s just that good). The highs were absolutely worth the time spent reading, even if the lows dragged the rating down a bit.
In The Clearing - 5/5
Those Who Trespass - 2.5/5
I Dream Of Teeth - 4/5
Someone For Everybody - 1/5
Seven Myths They Tell You About The Town In The Lake: 4.5/5
Every Good Deed…: 1/5
Reclamation: 4/5
A Cure For Living: 4/5
The Garden of Love Is Green: 3.5/5
The Infernal Gift: 3.5/5
Wishing You The Best Year Ever: 4/5
It Came From The Lake: 3/5
Is Anyone There?: 2/5
All Ghosts Are Liars: 1.5/5
Navigation By Starlight: 2/5
Among The Wolves: 3/5
When Daddy Was All Fixed-Up And Everybody Was Happy: 5/5
Avocation: 0/5
Average rating: 2.9/5
Some stories lack any meaningful connection to Ohio (just saying it’s “near Toledo” doesn’t make it feel like Ohio) and some stories have no business being in a horror anthology (although my only 5/5 story hits both of the knocks, it’s just that good). The highs were absolutely worth the time spent reading, even if the lows dragged the rating down a bit.
October 8, 2022
Who would have thought that an unremarkable midwestern state could have such a mysterious history to inspire these spooky stories?
That Which Cannot be Undone brings forth a captivating array of eerie tales, each from a different author. Small morsels of chilling goodness in each account. The stories are so compelling of your attention, that you are left hoping and wishing that they will be at some point crafted into full length novels.
A delightful compilation of mysterious tales for enjoying by the fireplace with a warm cup of cocoa on a brisk autumn evening.
That Which Cannot be Undone brings forth a captivating array of eerie tales, each from a different author. Small morsels of chilling goodness in each account. The stories are so compelling of your attention, that you are left hoping and wishing that they will be at some point crafted into full length novels.
A delightful compilation of mysterious tales for enjoying by the fireplace with a warm cup of cocoa on a brisk autumn evening.
October 10, 2022
I loved this book of short stories based on Ohio ghost/folk/spooky stories. Some of them made me want to explore the story more, some made me look over my shoulder, and one actually made me cry. It was interesting collection that I really enjoyed reading. It is different from what I usually read and it was a nice change to read these smaller tales that had more a true crime, ghost hunter, paranormal activity feel to them.
October 10, 2022
So glad I had this creepy captivating horror anthology to read during the short breaks between bands at a huge metal/rock festival over the last four days.
This anthology written by multiple authors had stories ranging from ghosts to murder to horrific creatures. This dark and chilling collection was a joy to read.
If you like horror stories check it out!
This anthology written by multiple authors had stories ranging from ghosts to murder to horrific creatures. This dark and chilling collection was a joy to read.
If you like horror stories check it out!
October 30, 2022
As an Ohio resident, this book made me feel like I was there. It haunted and terrified me, but also forced me to reflect on the nature of death and depravity. Who knew Ohio had such a powerful collection of ominous authors!
November 11, 2022
Great collection from local writers! I always love seeing things I recognize in books and stories from my home state.
June 22, 2023
Cool horror anthology with a strong "sense of place". A good variety of high quality tales. Check it out.
January 6, 2024
Overall, a great anthology --especially for anyone with ties to Ohio. It is a horror anthology, so there is some gore and whatnot, so if that's not your jam . . .
Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews