Those who have read other books in the Twisted Tails series already know that genre is not the driving force behind them. There is a general theme, sure, but no specific limits to where a story can take off from or a destination to which it should travel. We thrive on surprise and that is what makes the Twisted Tails books unique. Each story ends in the unexpected. Sometimes that's a little subtle, but most of the time the reader is cautioned to be careful of his/her footing. The authors of these little whiplash generators are masters at providing the required back-wrenching twist, so do be mindful of your step and we bid you welcome.

In this book, Twisted Tails III, we are dredging up fear and wallowing in it as if it were something to be played with, cuddled and fingers lovingly run through its fur like a cherished pet. What we're doing here is tinkering with terror of the primal kind. You know what I mean, the sort of fright that lies coiled and ready to spring from the dark corners of the mind with no warning. It awaits all, lurking in the deeper shadows of consciousness. No one is immune and, frequently, there is no cure, you just sink into its roiling depths and are no more. If you do manage to escape, life will no longer be what it was before and you will find yourself glancing nervously over your shoulder whenever you hear something strange in the darkness or see a shadow move in the night...or day. Enjoy...

SYNOPSIS

TABLE OF CONTENTS

FOREWORD

1. SCHOOL DAYZED by Biff Mitchell
2. THE GHOST OF KORRIM McKARTHY by Brandon Berntson
3. THE BEAST IN THE BASEMENT by J. Richard Jacobs
4. DAY OF THE DEAD by Marilyn Peake
5. THE RAFT by Kim McDougal
6. DIVINE MESSENGER by K.L. Nappier
7. TRAPPED by Christopher Hoare
8. ALONE AND AFRAID by A. J. Chaboya
9. THREE ON A MATCH by John Klawitter
10. LUNCH WAS NOT ENOUGH by Kim McDougall
11. POST APOCALYPSE by Ann Dulhanty
12. ARACHNOTAIL by Biff Mitchell
13. THE ADVENTURES OF JACK CHEESE by John Klawitter
14. BACKSLIDE by K.L. Nappier
15. ABANDONED by Geoff Nelder
16. COMING ALIVE by John Klawitter
17. HANDYMAN by J. Richard Jacobs
18. A COMMUNICATION FROM THE DEAD by Ginny Davis

REVIEW

In this third compilation of Twisted Tails, you'll be greeted with some old favorites, and you'll pick up a few new favorite authors. And, as always, you're guaranteed a collection of spooky tales that'll send shivers cascading down the back of your neck. If a tale can make my skin crawl when my cat jumps through an open window to greet me, it's a tale well written-and Twisted Tails III: Pure Fear is filled with them.

In "The Ghost of Korrium McKarthy" by Brandon Bernston, nine-year-old Samuel Driscoll takes his imagination to a scary level that he can't control, pushing him closer to death and madness.

How does a vampire survive when he's lost at sea? Find out in "The Raft" by Kim McDougall. This story will have you wondering whether Theo is really a vampire-or if he's just allergic to the sun.

In "Divine Messenger" by K. L. Nappier, Emily tries to outwit Death when he comes knocking at her door to take her husband's soul.

"Arachnotail" by Biff Mitchell will have you cringing in fright as a spider gets cosmic revenge on a young man who accepts a stupid dare that puts him in a perilous situation.

A housewife wonders if the man on her porch is there to fix her fence or drive nails through her skull in "Handyman" by J. Richard Jacobs. This story reminded me of the time when my brother and his wife visited the water gardens in a remote section of the county, and he started to wonder how many bodies the guy approaching on an ATV had buried beneath the sludge of the water garden.

With the Twisted Tails series, each collection touches on a different realm of fear. In this third edition, the fear stems from psychological terror. Each story reaches in and taps on that locked door in your mind where your most depraved fear lurks-and you pray the door never swings open.

Though I'm not usually one to enjoy short story collections, I always look forward to reading the next offering of Twisted Tails. The stories are all so well-written and imaginative that they keep me snared in their clutches until I've read the last tale-and Twisted Tails III: Pure Fear is no exception.

So come on...dive between the pages of this book-and you might just find out what scares you the most.

Reviewed by: Nights and Weekends
www.nightsandweekends.com

EXCERPT

The Raft, by Kim McDougall

I awoke to such complete darkness that, for a moment, I thought I was blind. The raft sloshed side to side, and I fought down nausea.

"What are you doing?" I asked, and pushed myself up. Theo ignored me and continued to struggle with a large object, trying to push it overboard. My eyes adjusted to the gloom and I saw.

Melanie.

"My God. Leave her alone." I yanked him back and Melanie fell into the raft with a thud.

"Melanie. Oh, Melanie." I shook her harshly and Theo tried to pull me away. I smacked him with the back of my hand. He caught my arm and twisted it painfully behind my back so that I rose to my feet and then crumpled to my knees.

"She's dead," he said tersely, and let me go.

I didn't care. I couldn't push Melanie into the cold ocean, but I saw the sense of it-rotting body, small raft-and let Theo do the dirty deed. I couldn't watch, but I heard the faint splash that was the end of my life-long obsession.