Published October, 2022
Throwing Shadows: A Dark Collection, by Jerry Roth is an enticing mix of chilling tales that incorporate varying elements of horror. I liked that each story ramped up in tension and fear, beginning with A Woman's Strength, and climaxing with a terrifying finale in Lightning Crashes.
Each time I thought a story was going to be my favourite, another one came along that I liked even more.
I especially liked the unexpected turn the stories all ended with and Jerry did such a great job of building up to the final outcome, I never saw the end twists coming.
While these stories are filled with creeping dread and terrifying scenarios, they also hold a lot of raw emotion and conflict which weave together to fully immerse the reader into the lives of these haunted characters. In My Soul To Take, the real horror was the dilema faced by the father and the measures he would have to resort to that was the most terrifying aspect. The Ice Cream Man is another tale that builds a chilling picture until the author suddenly casts the lead character in an alternate light. I quite admire Jerry's skilful story building when it comes to unexpected twists and layered plotting.
As a huge fan of classic TV and film, I found the stories to be reminiscent of old favourites like Creepshow, Tales From The Dark Side and such. Overall this is an entertaining collection with enough frightening scenarios to unsettle you while also offering an emotionally charged experience.