A collection of dark and creepy horror stories to get you in the spirit of Samhain. Each tale a bit different so good variety and each can be read in one sitting.

Like a trick or treat bucket full of seasonal favorites this book has a bit of everything. So many allusions to classic horror and timeless Halloween cinema - this book is bloody and tense and gore-filled as monsters and nightmares made real burst from the pages. Fun and spooky in equal measure with a varied array of story lengths not unlike candy in a bucket of minis or full sized treats. Perfect for a horror fan on a Halloween reading binge!

This is a book with 10 Halloween stories, I rated them individually bellow. The first one was my favorite and reminded me of growing up messing with thing we shouldn’t have. It actually creeped me out a bit, the rest kinda fell flat imo. The writing was good but the last 3-4 stories was hard to read or even want to read. If you’re looking for quick creepy ish stories to read one at a time this is for you.

10 Tales of Halloween
Book 1: 5 👻
Book 2: 2.5 👻
Book 3: 3.5 👻
Book 4: 4 👻
Book 5: 3.5 👻
Book 6: 4 👻
Book 7: 4 👻
Book 8: 3 👻
Book 9: 2.5 👻
Book 10: 2.5 👻

Mischief Night Massacre is a collection of ten tales of Halloween short stories by Jason Parent.
I’m so excited I read this just days before Halloween.
Jason Parent is a very talented author who skillfully weaves an engrossing horror novella--one full of intrigue and fun.
It will surely keep you guessing to the very end.

Thank You NetGalley and Corpus Press for your generosity and gifting me a copy of this amazing eARC!

Welcome to your most terrifying Nightmares....Enter a World where only the Horror is implacable, humans are insignificant, hunted prey...and you'll be Trapped in circumstances impossible in mundane reality, and inescapable. And Remember: The Horrors are Always Hungry.

I tried. I feel for the authors who wrote some great short stories but the ones who felt the need to repeatedly use the r slur? Nah. It’s 2024 and that is not acceptable to just drop as a thoughtless and offensive insult. Stopped around 70% cause after the first two did it I thought give the other authors a chance, but by the third I’m done

I love Halloween, so I was excited to read this Halloween themed anthology. I was hoping for something a bit darker, but many of these stories had a YA feel to them. None of the ten stories stood out to me. Sadly, the longest story, Pulp, was my least favorite. I recommend checking this out if you are looking for a not-too-scary Halloween anthology to get you in the spooky mood for Halloween. Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC!

Our bookclub decided to have a Halloween night and we picked Mischeif Night Massacre for it's short stories. Ten members each read a story to the club and we rated it's spooky levels. I'm happy to say that all of them amanged to give us the creeps and some gave us serious chills. The concepy wenet over so well, we're on the hunt for another collection. We give Jason Parent's efforts a unanimous 5 stars.

It started off right away. Was fast pasted with some good stories. I enjoyed reading it. This is a new to me author and I will be checking out more of his books. You should check out his books. Good characters also likeable.

This book was incredibly thrilling to read and i couldn't stop until I got to the last page. I'd totally recommend it to anyone who likes to read horror-mysteries. Although I have not found a horror book, that really scared me, I think this book will point you in the right direction. I'm looking forward to read more of this author.

This was such a wonderful collection for spooky season! Each story was unique and I loved them all. Really well done. Unsettling. Interesting. Creepy. Brilliant.

Mischief Night Massacre: Ten Tales of Halloween is the perfect read for the spooky season! This was a page turner from beginning to end. The author was new to me and I look forward to reading other books from this author. One of my favorite stories was the Russian Dollhouse but all of the stories in this were scary and good. I enjoyed this book a lot and would recommend it to any reader who loves Halloween or horror stories. Thank you to NetGalley and publisher for this spooky read in exchange of my honest review of Mischief Night Massacre: Ten Tales of Halloween by Jason Parent.

Jason Parent’s Mischief Night Massacre: Ten Tales of Halloween is a blood-chilling collection that captures the true spirit of Halloween: dark, thrilling, and brimming with unexpected horrors. Parent takes the innocent veneer of Halloween festivities and twists it into a nightmarish ordeal where every flickering jack-o’-lantern and every costume hides something far more sinister than candy.

The collection offers a range of short stories that span traditional Halloween settings like haunted houses and amusement parks, while also venturing into less obvious environments, proving that terror can find you anywhere. Each story taps into the season’s atmosphere of mischief and mayhem, transforming it into something far more menacing. Whether it’s through urban legends come to life, horror-savvy kids navigating life-or-death situations, or the unleashed chaos of Halloween night itself, Parent’s mastery of the genre keeps readers on edge with every turn of the page.

Parent’s ability to balance homage to classic Halloween horror while injecting his own unique brand of storytelling makes Mischief Night Massacre a standout. His monsters, both human and supernatural, lurk just around the corner of every tale, ready to unleash dread in ways both subtle and grotesque. The mix of creatures, killers, and things that go bump in the night ensures that no story feels repetitive, keeping readers guessing at every twist and turn. And just when you think you’ve anticipated the next fright, Parent pulls the rug out from under you, delivering twists that are as satisfying as they are chilling.

What makes this collection especially appealing is how well it captures the different aspects of Halloween. There’s nostalgia in the tales of kids on their candy hunts, but that nostalgia is quickly subverted by the terror that waits for them just beyond their familiar, well-lit streets. Mischief Night Massacre doesn’t just celebrate Halloween’s mischief; it dives deep into the primal fears that the holiday awakens, making it a perfect read for horror fans who want to feel the full spectrum of Halloween’s darkness.

From eerie, slow-building dread to outright carnage, Parent delivers a range of horror that appeals to both fans of psychological terror and those who prefer their horror bloody and intense. The stories are short but pack a punch, making them ideal for reading in one sitting or savoring over several nights in the lead-up to Halloween.

Parent’s prose is sharp and descriptive, making it easy to visualize every creepy setting and horrific detail. The pacing in each story feels just right, with enough build-up to ratchet up the tension before the inevitable, often shocking, payoff. And while every story has its own unique premise, they are unified by the central theme of Halloween night gone horribly wrong, giving the collection a cohesive feel.

Overall, Mischief Night Massacre is an excellent addition to the Halloween horror canon. Jason Parent has crafted a collection that horror fans will eagerly return to each year, its tales lingering long after the Halloween decorations have come down. If you’re looking for a chilling, fast-paced, and memorable read this Halloween season, this book is a must-have. It’s the kind of collection that will make you wary of every shadow on Halloween night—and maybe even the nights beyond.

A great mix of short horror stories to get you in the mood for spooky season! I find with some short story books they can be a bit hit and miss, but these were all hits. My particular favourite was Not So Scary Halloween. I really enjoyed reading these and they definitely have me ready for Halloween!

Thank you to Netgalley for the ARC.

I really enjoyed most of the stories in this anthology. Some of them actually were pretty scary and some made you really think about what is out there that we can't see.

It was alright, but I was a bit underwhelmed by the stories.

(I received a free digital copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review)

*Thank you Netgalley for giving me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review

Jason Parent has been on my radar for a few years. I have never read anything by him, but his name gets a decent amount of buzz in the horror book communities. I have been wanting to read something from him for a while. What better book to start with than some Halloween themed shorts!

Mischief Night Massacre is an awesome set of short stories!! 😮 Almost all of them are a home run! There was one or two that just wasn’t for me. All the stories are very well written and so creative!

I love Halloween. I love horror. What’s better than reading a book of Halloween horror?! 😀 10 great stories? Yes please! This was a great book to get you in the mood for the spookiest holiday. ❤

The writing style is a total pleasure to read. Great pacing, plot, and characters. Each story was very unique. I truly enjoyed finally reading something by this author. So fun. I will gladly pick up some other books from him. 🙂

Thank you NetGalley for this arc!!

I don’t read many short stories, but I definitely really liked this one!

I’ll check out more from this author.

What’s better than Halloween? It’s a selection of horror stories all set on the night of Halloween! I love both and really enjoyed this anthology, read to a spooky playlist and with candles flickering in the background. That’s the vibe.

Are they the scariest stories ever? Not when you’re numb to horror like me; but if you love ALL things horror then you’ll love this anthology.
I’m borrowing the precis of the stories someone else kindly listed in their review as I forgot and so that you can see what is what if you land on my review.

Russion Dollhouse:
The old house on Waterford Lane has been abandoned for years. Eager to impress her crush, Kit goes to the house with a group of friends for a harmless Halloween prank but they end up walking in to a house of horrors.

Dia De Los Muertod:
A war veteran with PTSD is living in Mexico and wanders out amongst the Day of the Dead celebrations to get a drink but things end in a bloody showdown.

Easy Pickings:
Two bullies get their comeuppance on Halloween night when they choose the wrong kid to pick on.

Keeping Up Appearances:
A group of criminals use the anonymity of Halloween and its masks to rob the homes of old, rich people and end up getting a little taste of their own medicine.

A Not-So-Scary Halloween:
Danielle and her brother Robby are trick-or-treating in the suburbs of Orlando while their cousin regales them with horror stories about the local alligators…

Rain:
When a rainstorm traps Georgie and his brother inside the house on Halloween night, their dad starts to tell scary stories. It’s up to Georgie to decide if they’re real or not.

Black:
Max and Rose’s marriage is falling apart and it’s going to take a lot more than a trip to Frightmare to fix it… or will it?

Ride Like The Devil:
Taye goes to the local carnival with his sister and her boyfriend where there are rumors of a ride that some people didn’t come out of last year…

Pulp:
In the longest story of this collection, there’s a bit of a mash-up between Scream and Groundhog Day, where Jaime must learn to trust his instincts if he wants to survive the party in the woods.

Last Halloween:
When two girls go out trick-r-treating and run in to a couple of boys from school, they decide to get drunk in the woods but something is lurking out there and they may not make it out alive.

If you like all things horror. If you love Halloween. If you enjoy graveyards and tales by the campfire...you'll enjoy this.

Mischief Night Massacre is just the book for spooky season! This collection of 10 short stories was a delight to read. Russian Dollhouse by far was my favorite and had me on the edge of my chair. A group of friends enters an abandoned house to find a game ready to be played. Dia De Los Muertos took a fantastic turn giving just enough backstory into the mindset of the main character. Each story has a unique theme and set of characters you are sure to find one or ten that you will enjoy!

The Author had wonderful way of setting up the scene giving just enough detail to paint the picture, Dia de los Muertos is one that really hit the mark with the atmosphere setup.

Tropes you will run across: haunted houses, revenge, vampires, monsters, slow burn, gore