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The Halloween Children
The Halloween Children are watching—they’re always watching in this chilling novel of suburban horror from Bram Stoker Award winner Norman Prentiss and Brian James Freeman of Cemetery Dance Publications.
The accommodations at Stillbrook Apartments aren’t exactly glamorous, but they’re quiet, affordable, and well maintained. The handyman is usually available to help with a leak or a broken bulb, his wife and two adorable kids often tagging along. When occasion dictates, the neighbors gather to wish each other well and spread the requisite holiday cheer. Everything’s very nice. Very normal.
But as Halloween approaches, strange occurrences are happening all around Stillbrook. The children tell disturbing stories, bizarre noises bleed through the walls, and one abandoned unit is found to be inhabited by something sinister—something that’s no longer alive.
For the safety of the tenants, the Halloween party has been canceled. There will be no decorations or masks, no candied apples or witch’s brew. But without treats to divert the Halloween Children, they have no choice but to play some very nasty tricks.
The accommodations at Stillbrook Apartments aren’t exactly glamorous, but they’re quiet, affordable, and well maintained. The handyman is usually available to help with a leak or a broken bulb, his wife and two adorable kids often tagging along. When occasion dictates, the neighbors gather to wish each other well and spread the requisite holiday cheer. Everything’s very nice. Very normal.
But as Halloween approaches, strange occurrences are happening all around Stillbrook. The children tell disturbing stories, bizarre noises bleed through the walls, and one abandoned unit is found to be inhabited by something sinister—something that’s no longer alive.
For the safety of the tenants, the Halloween party has been canceled. There will be no decorations or masks, no candied apples or witch’s brew. But without treats to divert the Halloween Children, they have no choice but to play some very nasty tricks.
189 pages, Hardcover
First published October 1, 2014
About the author
Brian James Freeman
98 books145 followersBrian James Freeman sold his first short story when he was fourteen years old and now writes full-time thanks to the support of his patrons on Patreon. He lives in Pennsylvania with his wife, three kids, a German Shorthaired Pointer, and an English Pointer. More books are on the way.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 152 reviews
October 4, 2022
Harris lives with his wife and two children in an apartment complex named Stillbrook. He's the handyman and his wife works remote as a hotline supporter from home. When Halloween is canceled by building management things turn strange. Who are the mysterious Halloween children? What happened to the people living in the apartments? What about Harris? The story started in a realistic way and soon turned into complete terror and madness. Who got mad? The story is told in different perspectives: interviews, Lynn's diary, Harris' narration... what a creepy Halloween tale. The more you read the more intriguing it gets until the book reaches its jaw dropping crescendo. Really recommended sinister stuff that will set you in a proper mood for Halloween!
June 6, 2017
4.5/5 stars!
Beautifully conceived and executed, The Halloween Children is a great and spooky read for anytime of year!
Husband and wife- Harris and Lynn, each tell their own story in alternating chapters. Lynn's chapters are addressed privately to her marriage therapist, and they contain a litany of complaints about her spouse and the way he parents their children. Harris' chapters tell the story from his point of view, but well after certain "events" have occurred. What those events are you'll have to read this book to find out.
My favorite type of horror is the kind with lots of suffocating atmosphere and psychological tricks, (Trick or Treat?), and The Halloween Children has both of those things, in spades. Plus, it features two children who get creepier by the second. How could it get any better for a horror fan such as myself? Oh yeah, it could finish off with an ending that actually gave me goosebumps, it was so perfect.
This is THE book to read when you are looking for that creepy kind of thrill, but it's an extra perfect book to read around Halloween. Just be sure you have some candy ready when the door bell rings and the children begin to arrive. They don't like it when they don't get candy and you don't want The Halloween Children to pull their tricks on YOU. Trust me on this!
Highly recommended, especially to fans of atmospheric, psychological horror!
Available for your Kindle on June 13,2017-here: The Halloween Children
*Thanks to NetGalley and to Hydra for the e-ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review. This is it.*
Beautifully conceived and executed, The Halloween Children is a great and spooky read for anytime of year!
Husband and wife- Harris and Lynn, each tell their own story in alternating chapters. Lynn's chapters are addressed privately to her marriage therapist, and they contain a litany of complaints about her spouse and the way he parents their children. Harris' chapters tell the story from his point of view, but well after certain "events" have occurred. What those events are you'll have to read this book to find out.
My favorite type of horror is the kind with lots of suffocating atmosphere and psychological tricks, (Trick or Treat?), and The Halloween Children has both of those things, in spades. Plus, it features two children who get creepier by the second. How could it get any better for a horror fan such as myself? Oh yeah, it could finish off with an ending that actually gave me goosebumps, it was so perfect.
This is THE book to read when you are looking for that creepy kind of thrill, but it's an extra perfect book to read around Halloween. Just be sure you have some candy ready when the door bell rings and the children begin to arrive. They don't like it when they don't get candy and you don't want The Halloween Children to pull their tricks on YOU. Trust me on this!
Highly recommended, especially to fans of atmospheric, psychological horror!
Available for your Kindle on June 13,2017-here: The Halloween Children
*Thanks to NetGalley and to Hydra for the e-ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review. This is it.*
October 2, 2017
THE HALLOWEEN CHILDREN, by Brian James Freeman and Norman Prentiss is number ten in Earthling Publications annual Halloween series. As you can tell by the title, this book was the perfect read for a gloomy, Halloween night.
It all begins in the Stillbrook Apartments Complex. This collaborative novel starts out immediately with a stark, oppressive atmosphere, that continues to build dramatically throughout the course of the story. The tension was such that I couldn't put this book down--literally, I carried it with me from room to room whenever I had to move!
Aside from the beginning, ending, and some small interludes in-between, the novel is broken into three main points of view: Harris Naylor, his wife, Lynn, and email correspondence from a tenant, Jessica Shepard to an off-site friend.
Harris and Lynn are at obvious odds with their overt favoritism of their two children, Matt and Amber, respectively. Scenes are so artfully woven that you'll be wondering if something is wrong with Harris, if Lynn is going crazy, or if something is just plain wrong with these two well-behaved children. The entire novel is able to capture this tension and sustain it throughout the entire course. In Stillbrook Apartments, even the most innocent of occurrences will have that shiver of dread creeping down your spine.
Highly recommended!
**Re-read October 2017: I'm changing my rating from a 4.5 (4*), to a solid 5*. There were so many details that I'm not sure if I had just forgotten, or didn't notice the first time around, but this book really got to me, mentally. To be able to keep the tension going for the duration of the entire book, and keep you guessing, was quite the feat! ***
May 6, 2017
3.5 Stars. For Me.....not exactly scary, but certainly Creepy! Creepy apartment building with a history, Creepy-weird family, and an absolutely Spooktacular 5 Star Creepy book cover!
What really happened the night Halloween was cancelled? Well...you'll have to use your imagination and sort out the clues while you read this Creepy tale of things that go bump in the night (and thump thump thump in the day) to find out.
While a few screeching cries....whispers of "help me"....and a few servings of Halloween gore make the time go by, it's a sinister little Halloween story within the story that set my sparks a flying!
Remember... "The Halloween children are everywhere."
Thank you NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group - Hydra for the ARC in exchange for an unbiased review.
March 23, 2017
A new October classic. (Yes, I am aware that it is March as I am writing this review.)
As Halloween looms, tensions are building between the members of the Naylor family. Relations are getting woefully strained. Fractured. Violent. To top it off the annual Stillbrook Apartment Halloween party has been cancelled. That was the last straw. The Halloween Children are not going to like that at all. Looks like the Naylor’s family woes are the least of their worries. There are much darker forces at work here. And they are about to make a grand appearance.
Damn, I wish I read this in October. It really was great, but I think it would have gotten a little extra juice had I read it during the Halloween season. Nevertheless, I enjoyed everything about this one. Solid 4.5 stars and a perfect Halloween read.
As Halloween looms, tensions are building between the members of the Naylor family. Relations are getting woefully strained. Fractured. Violent. To top it off the annual Stillbrook Apartment Halloween party has been cancelled. That was the last straw. The Halloween Children are not going to like that at all. Looks like the Naylor’s family woes are the least of their worries. There are much darker forces at work here. And they are about to make a grand appearance.
Damn, I wish I read this in October. It really was great, but I think it would have gotten a little extra juice had I read it during the Halloween season. Nevertheless, I enjoyed everything about this one. Solid 4.5 stars and a perfect Halloween read.
October 10, 2017
I’m giving The Halloween Children a solid four stars because it created a smothering sense of creepiness and managed to maintain it throughout the entire story and it held my attention from beginning to end. You know from the beginning that something terrible is coming but you’re never sure exactly what form that terribleness is going to take and when it’s finally revealed in all its gruesomeness it is quite terrible indeed!
But this isn’t a five star read for me because it is told by two very unreliable narrators and in the end many things were left unanswered. So many things! The authors could potentially write another short story just tying off all the dangly bits. I don’t need everything wrapped up in a bloody little bow but when I finished this story I felt like I needed to read it again in an attempt to learn more.
Basically it’s a story set in an apartment complex that may or may not be inhabited by insane occupants, murderous humans small and large, soul-stealing demons, or perhaps evil, whispering ghosts. Take your pick or choose them all, if you wish. Harris and Lynn are our main narrators and neither are very stable personalities, though usually entertaining to listen to. They have two children and they each favor a particular child and don’t work too hard at hiding their feelings. That’ll mess a kid up, just saying. Harris is the building maintenance man and starts to notice some very strange and usually smelly events occurring when he’s out on late night calls. When the party pooping property manager cancels the Halloween party the events ramp up and this strangeness begins to infect his personal space and, well, I can’t tell you any more without spoiling too much.
This is a great little story to read on Halloween. It has some delightfully ghastly imagery, creeped me out and even made me laugh a few times. I am very glad that I no longer live in an apartment complex and that I always bought candy for the brats when I did!
I received an ARC of this story from Netgalley, thanks Netgalley. I also read this book to participate in the Horror Aficionados October Group Read.
But this isn’t a five star read for me because it is told by two very unreliable narrators and in the end many things were left unanswered. So many things! The authors could potentially write another short story just tying off all the dangly bits. I don’t need everything wrapped up in a bloody little bow but when I finished this story I felt like I needed to read it again in an attempt to learn more.
Basically it’s a story set in an apartment complex that may or may not be inhabited by insane occupants, murderous humans small and large, soul-stealing demons, or perhaps evil, whispering ghosts. Take your pick or choose them all, if you wish. Harris and Lynn are our main narrators and neither are very stable personalities, though usually entertaining to listen to. They have two children and they each favor a particular child and don’t work too hard at hiding their feelings. That’ll mess a kid up, just saying. Harris is the building maintenance man and starts to notice some very strange and usually smelly events occurring when he’s out on late night calls. When the party pooping property manager cancels the Halloween party the events ramp up and this strangeness begins to infect his personal space and, well, I can’t tell you any more without spoiling too much.
This is a great little story to read on Halloween. It has some delightfully ghastly imagery, creeped me out and even made me laugh a few times. I am very glad that I no longer live in an apartment complex and that I always bought candy for the brats when I did!
I received an ARC of this story from Netgalley, thanks Netgalley. I also read this book to participate in the Horror Aficionados October Group Read.
September 19, 2020
This was a great read!
I really enjoyed reading this book. It was a different style of writing as the story is told from a husband and wife's point of view in each chapter as they attempt to explain what happened to their children leading up to Halloween night. Both parents decided to cancel Halloween for their two children as punishment for something the children did, but by doing that, the parents started a chain reaction of events that lead to a Halloween tragedy.
Most of the beginning up to the middle of the book was kind of light hearted and kind of humorous in some parts of the story, but then the book takes a 360 degree twisty curve into something much more dreadful and intense as the children are not as angelic as you would think. If there is no Halloween and the children are not able to get candy, then it is too bad for everyone involved as the children have more than tricks up their sleeves.
This book was so fast paced that I had a hard time catching my breath while reading it and I could not put it down!
A perfect book for Halloween! Definitely a five star read for thrills and chills!
I really enjoyed reading this book. It was a different style of writing as the story is told from a husband and wife's point of view in each chapter as they attempt to explain what happened to their children leading up to Halloween night. Both parents decided to cancel Halloween for their two children as punishment for something the children did, but by doing that, the parents started a chain reaction of events that lead to a Halloween tragedy.
Most of the beginning up to the middle of the book was kind of light hearted and kind of humorous in some parts of the story, but then the book takes a 360 degree twisty curve into something much more dreadful and intense as the children are not as angelic as you would think. If there is no Halloween and the children are not able to get candy, then it is too bad for everyone involved as the children have more than tricks up their sleeves.
This book was so fast paced that I had a hard time catching my breath while reading it and I could not put it down!
A perfect book for Halloween! Definitely a five star read for thrills and chills!
August 28, 2022
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Alright, so this is dumb.
Harris is a handyman for an apartment complex. He's pretty mundane for a main character. His wife, Lynn, is a cold-ass bitch. She outright favours one child over the other, treating the unfavoured child like the Antichrist because he's too much like his father. Ohhhhhh, you mean the man you decided to have children with and are still married to? He's too much like that guy? Literally, none of the problems in their marriage have rhyme or reason. Lynn's attitude has zero context. It's just like, here are two married people who fucking hate each other. Enjoy!
And their children were so odd and lifeless, I don't really know how to feel about them. But basically, everyone is unlikable.
Weird things are happening at the apartment complex, so the owner cancels the annual Halloween party due to "safety concerns," and then all hell is unleashed... really boring hell.
This relatively short read feels awkward, like it doesn't know what it wants to be. It's not scary enough to qualify as horror. It was mildly creepy at times but the pacing is off and the characters sucked.
⭐⭐ | 2 stars
book source: Hydra via Netgalley in exchange for a review.
Alright, so this is dumb.
Harris is a handyman for an apartment complex. He's pretty mundane for a main character. His wife, Lynn, is a cold-ass bitch. She outright favours one child over the other, treating the unfavoured child like the Antichrist because he's too much like his father. Ohhhhhh, you mean the man you decided to have children with and are still married to? He's too much like that guy? Literally, none of the problems in their marriage have rhyme or reason. Lynn's attitude has zero context. It's just like, here are two married people who fucking hate each other. Enjoy!
And their children were so odd and lifeless, I don't really know how to feel about them. But basically, everyone is unlikable.
Weird things are happening at the apartment complex, so the owner cancels the annual Halloween party due to "safety concerns," and then all hell is unleashed... really boring hell.
This relatively short read feels awkward, like it doesn't know what it wants to be. It's not scary enough to qualify as horror. It was mildly creepy at times but the pacing is off and the characters sucked.
⭐⭐ | 2 stars
book source: Hydra via Netgalley in exchange for a review.
September 10, 2023
This is the tenth book in the Halloween series published by Earthling Publications. Harris, Lynn and their two children, Amber and Matt live at the Stillbrook Apartment complex. Lynn is a service rep for a computer company and works from home. Harris is the handyman for the Stillbrook apartments. The manager of the apartment complex decided to cancel the annual Halloween party that they have every year. The story is told from three different views. Harris, Lynn and Jessica, a tenant who is emailing a friend about the weird things that are happening. Lynn favors Amber and Harris favors Matt.
They always seem to be fighting about the children and this put a terrible strain on their marriage. Is there something wrong with Harris, is Lynn losing her mind or are the children up to no good? This Halloween will be remembered for along time to come. The ending was totally unexpected! Freeman and Prentiss have put together a scary and frighting tale for Halloween. I highly recommend this book.
They always seem to be fighting about the children and this put a terrible strain on their marriage. Is there something wrong with Harris, is Lynn losing her mind or are the children up to no good? This Halloween will be remembered for along time to come. The ending was totally unexpected! Freeman and Prentiss have put together a scary and frighting tale for Halloween. I highly recommend this book.
May 4, 2017
Super creepy!!! Will recommend highly. Thank you Netgalley and author Brian James Freeman for providing me with the opportunity to read an ARC of this spooky book.
April 25, 2017
Perfect for October 31st, but who has that kind of patience. In fact, reading this on a dreary rainy fall like April day was kinda like paying a visit to a favorite celebration ahead of time, sort of a sneak preview. This collaboration (I'd love to know how it works exactly) delivered all the eerie thrills you'd expect without skimping on any of the story's literary counterparts. In fact, it's a terrific story about the joys and dangers of parenting and the scars it leaves deliberately or inadvertently on the children. If that's too vague, I apologize, but this plot should be enjoyed without any giveaways, it's that good. Also, kudos to authors for the haunted apartment complex premise. Let's face it, most scary tales tend to isolate their protagonists in a remote location, small town, no or far away neighbors, etc. And, frankly, that's just lazy. After all, what's more terrifying than others, proximity of a variety of strangers confined in adjacent living arrangements, someone you may hear through the walls, but never really know. To a city person these are much more frightening scenarios, not to mention that psychological scares often can be much more effective than supernatural ones. Though this book generously offers both. Reader's choice. Great book, very entertaining, well done, succeeds as both a work of psychological fiction and a genre one. Wait if you can until October or enjoy it now and dream pumpkin dreams. Enthusiastically recommended. Thanks Netgalley.
October 2, 2017
Very freaky and a great book to read to start the month of October.
Want to read
May 21, 2018This hardcover edition is signed by Brian James Freeman and Norman Prentiss.
April 18, 2017
"The Halloween Children are watching me. They're watching us all ..."
This novella reminded me a bit of a Jack Ketchum story. The first 2/3 of the book is spent exploring the characters - in this case a quite dysfunctional family. A constant sense of dread continues to build as questions are strung throughout the narrative like carefully placed decorations, until you reach the end which comes screaming at you like a freight train lifted from its tracks.
The narrative point of views, in flipping from Lynn and Harris's perspectives, worked extremely well as you couldn't fully trust either of the two narrators. The savvy reader begins to get the real picture of what's going on by what's NOT being said. I've always enjoyed the unreliable narrator motif, and it's used here in quite a unique way that's not fully understood until you reach the end.
But the ending -- I'll admit, a few times I grew a little weary of the bickering between the two parents, but this has one of the best endings for a book I've ever read. The thematic metaphors woven throughout one of the most tragic and shocking finales you'll find ... as I was reading I felt as if my jaw kept dropping lower and lower. Beautifully crafted, this is horror that will affect even the most jaded of horror fans.
A fantastic collaboration between two amazing authors, this is a book that will stay with you long after you close the final page.
"You're all guilty. You're all the Halloween Children."
This novella reminded me a bit of a Jack Ketchum story. The first 2/3 of the book is spent exploring the characters - in this case a quite dysfunctional family. A constant sense of dread continues to build as questions are strung throughout the narrative like carefully placed decorations, until you reach the end which comes screaming at you like a freight train lifted from its tracks.
The narrative point of views, in flipping from Lynn and Harris's perspectives, worked extremely well as you couldn't fully trust either of the two narrators. The savvy reader begins to get the real picture of what's going on by what's NOT being said. I've always enjoyed the unreliable narrator motif, and it's used here in quite a unique way that's not fully understood until you reach the end.
But the ending -- I'll admit, a few times I grew a little weary of the bickering between the two parents, but this has one of the best endings for a book I've ever read. The thematic metaphors woven throughout one of the most tragic and shocking finales you'll find ... as I was reading I felt as if my jaw kept dropping lower and lower. Beautifully crafted, this is horror that will affect even the most jaded of horror fans.
A fantastic collaboration between two amazing authors, this is a book that will stay with you long after you close the final page.
"You're all guilty. You're all the Halloween Children."
June 30, 2017
7.5/10
An enjoyable short read that would have been a treat to read at Halloween. It’s not full on in your face gore but more a slow builder letting the tension drive at you and then leading to the final punch which is aiming to give you a shock.
The style of writing was engrossing, slipping between narratives showing the different viewpoints from the Mum and Dad and funny how they would interpret the interactions of the other. The delusional dad and the passive aggressive mum each viewing their children with very differing eyes and each interpreting their actions in very different ways.
This is a relative short read and can be gobbled up in a couple of sittings. I liked how much was packed into the short length. The characters were drawn out, the plot and slow build worked well taking the boiler pressure approach making each section crank up the tension. The ending was the only thing that fell flat, maybe because of the tension I was expecting more but it felt a little rushed to me. This is only a slight negative (leading to my slightly lower score) though to what is otherwise a great short horror story. One definitely to pick up at Halloween.
I received a free copy from NetGalley
An enjoyable short read that would have been a treat to read at Halloween. It’s not full on in your face gore but more a slow builder letting the tension drive at you and then leading to the final punch which is aiming to give you a shock.
The style of writing was engrossing, slipping between narratives showing the different viewpoints from the Mum and Dad and funny how they would interpret the interactions of the other. The delusional dad and the passive aggressive mum each viewing their children with very differing eyes and each interpreting their actions in very different ways.
This is a relative short read and can be gobbled up in a couple of sittings. I liked how much was packed into the short length. The characters were drawn out, the plot and slow build worked well taking the boiler pressure approach making each section crank up the tension. The ending was the only thing that fell flat, maybe because of the tension I was expecting more but it felt a little rushed to me. This is only a slight negative (leading to my slightly lower score) though to what is otherwise a great short horror story. One definitely to pick up at Halloween.
I received a free copy from NetGalley
March 21, 2017
The Halloween Children is that kind of exquisite little horror novel that stays with you long after you reach the end.
Interspersed with a very visceral tale of graphic horror, we witness the horror of a family falling apart. As you read a series of journal entries, emails, and interviews, you realize that our perfectly normal little family is rotting from within. And you wonder what exactly is real and what isn’t.
Note that this isn’t the type of story that wraps everything up neatly. Different readers may have different interpretations of what really happened…and who (or what) The Halloween Children really are.
But any reader should find this a very creepy tale that will have nerves on edge.
Extremely well done!
*ARC provided via Net Galley
Interspersed with a very visceral tale of graphic horror, we witness the horror of a family falling apart. As you read a series of journal entries, emails, and interviews, you realize that our perfectly normal little family is rotting from within. And you wonder what exactly is real and what isn’t.
Note that this isn’t the type of story that wraps everything up neatly. Different readers may have different interpretations of what really happened…and who (or what) The Halloween Children really are.
But any reader should find this a very creepy tale that will have nerves on edge.
Extremely well done!
*ARC provided via Net Galley
October 27, 2024
It was the kind of book you don't want to pick up and yet you don't want to put down when you're reading it.
I'm not sure I liked The Halloween Children but I had a good time reading it, if that makes sense.
I hated Lynn and thought Harris was too dumb.
I'm not fuss about that kind of last twist at the end either.
All in all, it was okay. 3.5 rounded down
I'm not sure I liked The Halloween Children but I had a good time reading it, if that makes sense.
I hated Lynn and thought Harris was too dumb.
I'm not fuss about that kind of last twist at the end either.
All in all, it was okay. 3.5 rounded down
June 16, 2017
Quite possibly the best Halloween book I've ever read, reading The Halloween Children has become my yearly tradition. Since it was originally only available as a signed/limited edition from Earthling Press, I was somewhere north of stoked when Hydra decided to release this as an e-book. I was even more thrilled when I got approved for a NetGalley ARC.
How well do you know your neighbors? The residents of Stillbrook Apartments have a Halloween party every year, but as this one approaches, the general mood is becoming less than festive. With strange things happening around the building, even the handyman seems to be behaving oddly. By the time the Halloween party is cancelled, everyone is on high alert with each other and even...their own family?
The Halloween Children reaches a level of anticipation/anxiety that I've rarely had in reading a book, and if children didn't creep me out in general, this one seals the deal for me. Needless to say, I am in love with this book and very much hoping that the dream team, Norman Prentiss and Brian James Freeman, will be producing more of this creepiness together in the future.
I received an e-ARC of this from Hydra/NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
How well do you know your neighbors? The residents of Stillbrook Apartments have a Halloween party every year, but as this one approaches, the general mood is becoming less than festive. With strange things happening around the building, even the handyman seems to be behaving oddly. By the time the Halloween party is cancelled, everyone is on high alert with each other and even...their own family?
The Halloween Children reaches a level of anticipation/anxiety that I've rarely had in reading a book, and if children didn't creep me out in general, this one seals the deal for me. Needless to say, I am in love with this book and very much hoping that the dream team, Norman Prentiss and Brian James Freeman, will be producing more of this creepiness together in the future.
I received an e-ARC of this from Hydra/NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
October 7, 2017
The Halloween children. A weird tale with a lot of interesting mentions that never gets explored.
March 29, 2017
3.5
Children in horror - you can't really go wrong there. There is nothing as creepy as a child in a horror story. Two? Even better (or worse, as the case may be).
Most of story is in the blurb itself, but the way it is told changes this from an okay story to a pretty good one. The Halloween Children starts from the end, from a digital transcription where an interviewer is talking to an unnamed victim. You know something horrible is going to happen, but you have to be patient and wait for it.
There's a lot of foreshadowing. Those separate cases weren't really necessary because the whole thing is based on it. From there the story is patched up from Harris's account (as a handyman at Stillbrook Apartments he has access to everything), his wife Lynn's diary entries and a couple of emails one of the residents sent to a friend. All these people are completely unreliable, but it only adds to the creepiness of the story.
There are quite a few chilling moments sprinkled throughout this book. The whole story has this quality of a bizzaro dream.
Uncorrected ARC received from Random House Publishing Group - Hydra via NetGalley
Children in horror - you can't really go wrong there. There is nothing as creepy as a child in a horror story. Two? Even better (or worse, as the case may be).
Most of story is in the blurb itself, but the way it is told changes this from an okay story to a pretty good one. The Halloween Children starts from the end, from a digital transcription where an interviewer is talking to an unnamed victim. You know something horrible is going to happen, but you have to be patient and wait for it.
There's a lot of foreshadowing. Those separate cases weren't really necessary because the whole thing is based on it. From there the story is patched up from Harris's account (as a handyman at Stillbrook Apartments he has access to everything), his wife Lynn's diary entries and a couple of emails one of the residents sent to a friend. All these people are completely unreliable, but it only adds to the creepiness of the story.
There are quite a few chilling moments sprinkled throughout this book. The whole story has this quality of a bizzaro dream.
Uncorrected ARC received from Random House Publishing Group - Hydra via NetGalley
June 13, 2017
‘THE HALLOWEEN CHILDREN’ BY BRIAN JAMES FREEMAN AND NORMAN PRENTISS
Worth the read, I must say. This novelette about the evil that children do on Halloween gave me goosebumps more than once. Both Prentiss and Freeman have the perfect touch to build up the plot to a satisfying chilling climax. If you ever wonder how writers can still come up with original ideas nowadays then look no further than this title. Well-written, scary, and a heck of a fine characterization, THE HALLOWEEN CHILDREN is the sort of book one can devour in no time. Hope there is a second collaboration in the works for these two talented gentlemen.
Worth the read, I must say. This novelette about the evil that children do on Halloween gave me goosebumps more than once. Both Prentiss and Freeman have the perfect touch to build up the plot to a satisfying chilling climax. If you ever wonder how writers can still come up with original ideas nowadays then look no further than this title. Well-written, scary, and a heck of a fine characterization, THE HALLOWEEN CHILDREN is the sort of book one can devour in no time. Hope there is a second collaboration in the works for these two talented gentlemen.
October 9, 2017
I received a copy of this title from the publisher via NetGalley over the summer, but given the awful state of affairs with my perpetual TBR stack I didn't manage to get to this novella until now. But damn if October certainly isn't a mighty fine time to read something like The Halloween Children.
Early on in this story, authors Brian James Freeman and Norman Prentiss write about how an apartment complex is the perfect setting for a haunted house. You don't need an ancient Native American graveyard or a scene of senseless mass slaughter (although they certainly help!). Apartment complexes present a transitory population, often times with rapid turnover, various cultures, ethnicities, and beliefs - a virtual melting pot, really, for ghoulish horrors to develop and mingle over years or decades.
Or this bit of stage-setting could just be ramblings of insanity told by the damned...
The Halloween Children is a multi-POV narrative, with the chapters structured as interrogation interviews, recordings made by Harris (the apartment complex's handyman), his wife's journal, and e-mails from a college student recently moved into the complex. Between these various devices, Freeman and Prentiss keep the tension ratcheted up high and left me guessing as to who the ultimate culprit - or culprits - were in this story of madness.
Between some solid scares, psychological shenanigans, and brief yet brutal depictions of horrifying violence, this one's a winner. I found The Halloween Children to be a perfect kick-off to this season of the witch.
Early on in this story, authors Brian James Freeman and Norman Prentiss write about how an apartment complex is the perfect setting for a haunted house. You don't need an ancient Native American graveyard or a scene of senseless mass slaughter (although they certainly help!). Apartment complexes present a transitory population, often times with rapid turnover, various cultures, ethnicities, and beliefs - a virtual melting pot, really, for ghoulish horrors to develop and mingle over years or decades.
Or this bit of stage-setting could just be ramblings of insanity told by the damned...
The Halloween Children is a multi-POV narrative, with the chapters structured as interrogation interviews, recordings made by Harris (the apartment complex's handyman), his wife's journal, and e-mails from a college student recently moved into the complex. Between these various devices, Freeman and Prentiss keep the tension ratcheted up high and left me guessing as to who the ultimate culprit - or culprits - were in this story of madness.
Between some solid scares, psychological shenanigans, and brief yet brutal depictions of horrifying violence, this one's a winner. I found The Halloween Children to be a perfect kick-off to this season of the witch.
September 23, 2014
Review copy
For more than a decade publisher Paul Miller celebrates his favorite holiday with the release of one novel of flat-out horror, usually featuring classic terrors such a s monsters and haunted houses rather than psychological suspense or real-life horrors.
This year, it's the story of The Halloween Children, written by Brain James Freeman and Norman Prentiss.
"The Halloween Children are everywhere and they know our fears" - written in black marker on a bench outside the Still brook apartments.
From a survivor..."When did you realize something wasn't right that Halloween night?" After a long pause. "When I discovered that so many of my neighbors were dead."
The story is primarily told through the eyes of Harris and Lynn Naylor, parents of Mattie, their son, and daughter Amber. A couple with distinctly different parenting styles creating an interesting dichotomy as Harris favorites Mattie, and Lynn, Amber.
Harris works as a handyman at the Stillbrook Apartments where is boss has decided to cancel the complex's traditional Halloween party.
The Halloween Children is suitably creepy and scary with voices in the walls, a dead body that just disappears, and a story by Amber Naylor, as told to Mother, called, "The Bad Place."
Along the way there are some wonderfully gruesome surprises and I found this Halloween treat to be delightfully disturbing.
The Halloween Children is available as a limited edition hardcover, signed by both authors, from Earthling Publications. With a print run of only 500 copies, you'll want to get your order in soon if you want to read this one for Halloween.
Strongly recommended.
For more than a decade publisher Paul Miller celebrates his favorite holiday with the release of one novel of flat-out horror, usually featuring classic terrors such a s monsters and haunted houses rather than psychological suspense or real-life horrors.
This year, it's the story of The Halloween Children, written by Brain James Freeman and Norman Prentiss.
"The Halloween Children are everywhere and they know our fears" - written in black marker on a bench outside the Still brook apartments.
From a survivor..."When did you realize something wasn't right that Halloween night?" After a long pause. "When I discovered that so many of my neighbors were dead."
The story is primarily told through the eyes of Harris and Lynn Naylor, parents of Mattie, their son, and daughter Amber. A couple with distinctly different parenting styles creating an interesting dichotomy as Harris favorites Mattie, and Lynn, Amber.
Harris works as a handyman at the Stillbrook Apartments where is boss has decided to cancel the complex's traditional Halloween party.
The Halloween Children is suitably creepy and scary with voices in the walls, a dead body that just disappears, and a story by Amber Naylor, as told to Mother, called, "The Bad Place."
Along the way there are some wonderfully gruesome surprises and I found this Halloween treat to be delightfully disturbing.
The Halloween Children is available as a limited edition hardcover, signed by both authors, from Earthling Publications. With a print run of only 500 copies, you'll want to get your order in soon if you want to read this one for Halloween.
Strongly recommended.
April 21, 2017
Spoiler-free review of THE HALLOWEEN CHILDREN by Brian James Freeman and Norman Prentiss
4/5
This review is for an advance reader copy received via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
October is my favorite time of year. As a life-long lover of all things horror and Halloween, the Fall season holds a special place in my heart. I never read THE HALLOWEEN CHILDREN during its initial, limited release back in 2014, so I immediately jumped on the opportunity to review an ARC for its 2017 release. Horror and Halloween?! Sign me up, please!
When management at the Stillbrook Apartments attempts to curtail Halloween festivities, a change comes over the modest complex; strange, seemingly preternatural occurrences arise. Caught in the middle of the unfolding mystery and horror are the Stillbrook residents and our central characters: resident handyman, Harris Naylor, and his wife, Lynn, along with their two children.
The story is written as a recollection of past experiences through diary logs, accounts and emails. The chapters alternate between these formats and largely the contrasting perspectives of Harris and Lynn regarding their shared experiences.
This is a challenging plotting technique because it often results in a disjointed story or jarring transitions between chapters. This is never the case in THE HALLOWEEN CHILDREN; the flow between perspectives is seamless and tension inexorably builds to a roiling boil, which is quite amazing given the fact that the book was written by two authors. In fact, I believe the book benefited from this structure; the style lends itself to an easy read as we unravel the mystery from our characters' perspectives. In particular, the waxing tension from the straining relationship between Harris and Lynn, combined with their stark difference in raising children, when juxtaposed, creates a compelling reading experience in which readers should begin to question their own perceptions of the story and feelings toward characters.
While there is a tiny lull in the middle of the book, there are spine-tingling scenes aplenty from beginning to end to keep readers glued. The finale, in this reader's opinion, is worthy of a standing ovation. The final third of the book culminates in a thrill-ride of genuinely unsettling and grotesque scenes that should stick with readers for days.
Recommended.
4/5
This review is for an advance reader copy received via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
October is my favorite time of year. As a life-long lover of all things horror and Halloween, the Fall season holds a special place in my heart. I never read THE HALLOWEEN CHILDREN during its initial, limited release back in 2014, so I immediately jumped on the opportunity to review an ARC for its 2017 release. Horror and Halloween?! Sign me up, please!
When management at the Stillbrook Apartments attempts to curtail Halloween festivities, a change comes over the modest complex; strange, seemingly preternatural occurrences arise. Caught in the middle of the unfolding mystery and horror are the Stillbrook residents and our central characters: resident handyman, Harris Naylor, and his wife, Lynn, along with their two children.
The story is written as a recollection of past experiences through diary logs, accounts and emails. The chapters alternate between these formats and largely the contrasting perspectives of Harris and Lynn regarding their shared experiences.
This is a challenging plotting technique because it often results in a disjointed story or jarring transitions between chapters. This is never the case in THE HALLOWEEN CHILDREN; the flow between perspectives is seamless and tension inexorably builds to a roiling boil, which is quite amazing given the fact that the book was written by two authors. In fact, I believe the book benefited from this structure; the style lends itself to an easy read as we unravel the mystery from our characters' perspectives. In particular, the waxing tension from the straining relationship between Harris and Lynn, combined with their stark difference in raising children, when juxtaposed, creates a compelling reading experience in which readers should begin to question their own perceptions of the story and feelings toward characters.
While there is a tiny lull in the middle of the book, there are spine-tingling scenes aplenty from beginning to end to keep readers glued. The finale, in this reader's opinion, is worthy of a standing ovation. The final third of the book culminates in a thrill-ride of genuinely unsettling and grotesque scenes that should stick with readers for days.
Recommended.
March 13, 2017
Norman Prentiss and Brian James Freeman wrote what may be my favorite Halloween story ever. I first read it in 2015 when Norm agreed to his first interview for this blog. When I saw that Hydra was going to release it on kindle, I found I needed to help spread the word!
What’s going on inside the gated community apartments? Nothing, if management has its way. No parties, no decorations and certainly no trick or treating. The annual potluck is canceled. It’s to be just another night.
But at the apartment belonging to handyman Harris and his family something strange is happening. Harris’ wife is keeping a journal for a marriage counselor that only she is seeing. And that’s just the beginning…
Prentiss and Freeman write flawlessly attesting to their skill and professionalism. They weave their words together as if they had always written together and this reader hopes they will continue to publish stories together. What a treat THE HALLOWEEN CHILDREN was. Originally published in October 2014 by Earthling Publications in a limited run of 500 signed copies, available on kindle from Hydra in June 2017.
Highly recommended!
What’s going on inside the gated community apartments? Nothing, if management has its way. No parties, no decorations and certainly no trick or treating. The annual potluck is canceled. It’s to be just another night.
But at the apartment belonging to handyman Harris and his family something strange is happening. Harris’ wife is keeping a journal for a marriage counselor that only she is seeing. And that’s just the beginning…
Prentiss and Freeman write flawlessly attesting to their skill and professionalism. They weave their words together as if they had always written together and this reader hopes they will continue to publish stories together. What a treat THE HALLOWEEN CHILDREN was. Originally published in October 2014 by Earthling Publications in a limited run of 500 signed copies, available on kindle from Hydra in June 2017.
Highly recommended!
October 21, 2015
Man, what a perfect Halloween read! This one was incredibly creepy, with a sinister tone underlying the whole thing. I loved the format, which was essentially a series of journal entries alternating between a husband and wife who clearly had marital/child issues, with some cryptic email exchanges thrown in for good measure. The horror builds perfectly as new things are revealed and the situation spirals out of control, building to a very satisfying conclusion.
This is a very worthy addition to the excellent Earthling Halloween series, and highly recommended!
This is a very worthy addition to the excellent Earthling Halloween series, and highly recommended!
June 12, 2017
Halloween in June? I guess so. This eerie Halloween tale which is a bit on the nasty side is being published in its first trade appearance this summer. It seems a little early but since Christmas is now getting celebrated beginning in October, I guess we can start Halloween a little early. In fact after reading this, it may be a wise idea.
Not that the timing matters. A good horror story is welcomed any time of year. Brian James Freeman and Norman Prentiss has written a neat little horror novel in The Halloween Children and any time is a good time to celebrate. The plot centers around the Naylor family and set just before Halloween. Harris is the maintenance man for the Stillbrook apartment complex where he and his family lives. His wife Lynn works at home while their two children, Matt and Amber are basically just typical children. Yet there is a dark side developing around the complex and the Naylor family has edges around them are just do not add up and may feed into that darkness. Matt and Lynn bicker about how to discipline the children and it is clear that mom and dad has favorites. Amber is telling weird stories that Lynn cannot believe are coming from her daughter and Harris has a disturbing way of teaching Matt how to take care of Amber's habit of putting her toys on his side of the room. On top of this there are odd and spooky things going on throughout the apartments: loud noises above their apartment from someone the children name Mr. Stompy, strange smells, and to add to the problem, the manager has cancelled the Halloween party. Let's just say this will not end well.
There are all the bells and whistles that make for a good and creepy Halloween tale but what makes this above average is the characterizations of the Naylor family. They seem average yet not quite together. The alternating chapters give first person narrations for both Harris and Lynn. We get a ongoing narrative with the advantage of seeing both persons' perception of what is going on and that gives us the tension. Which side is correct? Are either side giving us anything close to the truth? When odd and scary things happen, we wonder the same thing Harris is wondering, is he crazy or are people, or things, really out to get him? We do not get an answer until the end and that answer may not answer all our questions. But at the same time, it sets up a nice Halloween legend that fits into the story and the holiday.
So if you want to start Halloween a little early this is a good place to start. There is all the creepiness and haunting phenomena you can hope for. But whatever you do, don't cancel Halloween!
Not that the timing matters. A good horror story is welcomed any time of year. Brian James Freeman and Norman Prentiss has written a neat little horror novel in The Halloween Children and any time is a good time to celebrate. The plot centers around the Naylor family and set just before Halloween. Harris is the maintenance man for the Stillbrook apartment complex where he and his family lives. His wife Lynn works at home while their two children, Matt and Amber are basically just typical children. Yet there is a dark side developing around the complex and the Naylor family has edges around them are just do not add up and may feed into that darkness. Matt and Lynn bicker about how to discipline the children and it is clear that mom and dad has favorites. Amber is telling weird stories that Lynn cannot believe are coming from her daughter and Harris has a disturbing way of teaching Matt how to take care of Amber's habit of putting her toys on his side of the room. On top of this there are odd and spooky things going on throughout the apartments: loud noises above their apartment from someone the children name Mr. Stompy, strange smells, and to add to the problem, the manager has cancelled the Halloween party. Let's just say this will not end well.
There are all the bells and whistles that make for a good and creepy Halloween tale but what makes this above average is the characterizations of the Naylor family. They seem average yet not quite together. The alternating chapters give first person narrations for both Harris and Lynn. We get a ongoing narrative with the advantage of seeing both persons' perception of what is going on and that gives us the tension. Which side is correct? Are either side giving us anything close to the truth? When odd and scary things happen, we wonder the same thing Harris is wondering, is he crazy or are people, or things, really out to get him? We do not get an answer until the end and that answer may not answer all our questions. But at the same time, it sets up a nice Halloween legend that fits into the story and the holiday.
So if you want to start Halloween a little early this is a good place to start. There is all the creepiness and haunting phenomena you can hope for. But whatever you do, don't cancel Halloween!
April 6, 2017
Slightly disturbing and gory this book was a page turner. If I was 15 years old this book would definitely have been a 5 star book. I definitely think the target audience is a younger age bracket--maybe 16 to 20 years old. However, even at my current age the story was able to creep me out. This is a perfect Halloween scare book. The ending is a little over the top but the suspense the authors built in to the book is perfect. My anxiety grew and grew until I just wanted it to be over with and find out what the heck happened that Halloween night.
Thank you to Netgalley for the chance to read this book and give an honest review.
Thank you to Netgalley for the chance to read this book and give an honest review.
October 11, 2019
"The Halloween Children are watching me. They're watching us all."
I've been wanting to read The Halloween Children for a few years, and I was thrilled to finally have a copy. Unfortunately, I didn't end up having a very good time with this one.
The Halloween Children has a very slow start, but it did keep me interested for a while. This book is mostly about a family that is falling apart. The parents in this book are insufferable. They were miserable people who hated each other, and each only liked one of their children. This could have been done in a way that was entertaining, but it was a slog to get through.
There's some animal cruelty in this book that, as always, I could have done without. There's a lot of fixation on it, so it keeps being brought up. Ugh.
The part that interested me the most (one character's emails) barely fit into the story. It felt like there was no point in it.
By the time things got going in the book, there was so much gore smushed together that it just felt like overkill. The ending irritated me, and I couldn't stop rolling my eyes as it went on.
I've been wanting to read The Halloween Children for a few years, and I was thrilled to finally have a copy. Unfortunately, I didn't end up having a very good time with this one.
The Halloween Children has a very slow start, but it did keep me interested for a while. This book is mostly about a family that is falling apart. The parents in this book are insufferable. They were miserable people who hated each other, and each only liked one of their children. This could have been done in a way that was entertaining, but it was a slog to get through.
There's some animal cruelty in this book that, as always, I could have done without. There's a lot of fixation on it, so it keeps being brought up. Ugh.
The part that interested me the most (one character's emails) barely fit into the story. It felt like there was no point in it.
By the time things got going in the book, there was so much gore smushed together that it just felt like overkill. The ending irritated me, and I couldn't stop rolling my eyes as it went on.
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