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Dead of Winter
A boy becomes convinced that there is something not right about the snowmen in his yard...A man takes drastic steps to reconcile with his estranged daughters on Christmas Eve...Santa Claus takes a ride into the heart of darkness...A widower joins the search for a missing woman in an eerily deserted town...And a young man spends one last Christmas with his ailing father.
This is the DEAD OF WINTER, exclusively available in eBook format.
This is the DEAD OF WINTER, exclusively available in eBook format.
57 pages, ebook
First published December 15, 2010
About the author
Kealan Patrick Burke
191 books2,190 followersBorn and raised in a small harbor town in the south of Ireland, Kealan Patrick Burke knew from a very early age that he was going to be a horror writer. The combination of an ancient locale, a horror-loving mother, and a family full of storytellers, made it inevitable that he would end up telling stories for a living. Since those formative years, he has written five novels, over a hundred short stories, six collections, and edited four acclaimed anthologies. In 2004, he was honored with the Bram Stoker Award for his novella The Turtle Boy.
Kealan has worked as a waiter, a drama teacher, a mapmaker, a security guard, an assembly-line worker at Apple Computers, a salesman (for a day), a bartender, landscape gardener, vocalist in a grunge band, curriculum content editor, fiction editor at Gothic.net, and, most recently, a fraud investigator.
When not writing, Kealan designs book covers through his company Elderlemon Design.
A movie based on his short story "Peekers" is currently in development as a major motion picture.
Represented by Merrilee Heifetz at Writers House Agency.
Kealan has worked as a waiter, a drama teacher, a mapmaker, a security guard, an assembly-line worker at Apple Computers, a salesman (for a day), a bartender, landscape gardener, vocalist in a grunge band, curriculum content editor, fiction editor at Gothic.net, and, most recently, a fraud investigator.
When not writing, Kealan designs book covers through his company Elderlemon Design.
A movie based on his short story "Peekers" is currently in development as a major motion picture.
Represented by Merrilee Heifetz at Writers House Agency.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 257 reviews
August 15, 2020
Winter came, as harsh as grief. The earth grew icy teeth; the ground froze. And snow fell away endlessly, whispering rapturously of autumn's death.
I know that I always rave about Kealan's writing, so I'm sure it will come as no surprise to any of you that I adored every single page of this collection of wintry short stories, but let me go ahead and make this clear: this is the most flawless writing of Kealan's I've read thus far, and easily my favorite. I know beyond the shadow of any doubt that I will be picking this one up over and over again for rereading in the future, whether it's in the dead of winter (ha, ha) or any other season.
The boy stood in his bedroom, the cold licking his wrists and ankles. He shuddered. His bed stood only a few tantalizing feet away. The window was even closer.
But he couldn't move. Not yet.
This collection is so freaking atmospheric, and I honestly 5-starred every single story. I normally put together a list of favorites for short story collections, but that list would just be all of them in this case. You've got these terrible, dark stories like 'Black Static' and 'Visitation Rights', quiet and slow-moving tragedies like 'The Quiet' and 'They Know', or tales that are simply terrifying, like 'Snowmen'. They're literally all incredible and you can't afford to skip a single one!
The house is always cold. It didn't use to be, but then we used to have a son to warm it.
It's been cold since I killed him.
If you haven't read anything by Kealan yet, I don't know what the hell you're waiting for, but you should definitely do it as soon as humanly possible, because I promise you're missing out on something incredible. I highly recommend Dead of Winter regardless of what season you're in when you've found this review, but especially if you're looking for something to make the chilling bleakness outside just a little more threatening.
April 30, 2020
The weather here in the northeast right now is making it feel like we're still in the dead of winter. Going through the stack of books in my TBR, this title stood out like a sore thumb and here we are.
This collection centers around winter horror. Those short days when, after the snow has fallen, it's eerily quiet...sound has been dampened, and there's an illuminating glow from that snow after the sun goes down. Just enough of a glow to make shadows where there were none before. But, I ramble.
All of these stories were enjoyable but I especially loved DOOMSDAY FATHER CHRISTMAS. (To be honest, I really can't stand Christmas, so I agreed with Santa's feelings about it. Well, mostly.)
VISITATION RIGHTS was another special story that might not have worked in the hands of a lesser author.
Make no mistake, this book is dark. Grief and guilt are Kealan Patrick Burke's forte, he writes about them like no one else. These emotions are woven into his words, but the reader doesn't always know it at the time. It's when the story is over that it hits you like a freight train, or a bullet between the eyes.
Thankfully, I have a few of Mr. Burke's other books in my to be read stack. I am rationing them because I don't want to run out. It's great to have an author you know you can count on for entertaining stories.
Recommended!
You can get your copy here: https://amzn.to/2VO8len
*I bought this book with my hard earned cash.*
This collection centers around winter horror. Those short days when, after the snow has fallen, it's eerily quiet...sound has been dampened, and there's an illuminating glow from that snow after the sun goes down. Just enough of a glow to make shadows where there were none before. But, I ramble.
All of these stories were enjoyable but I especially loved DOOMSDAY FATHER CHRISTMAS. (To be honest, I really can't stand Christmas, so I agreed with Santa's feelings about it. Well, mostly.)
VISITATION RIGHTS was another special story that might not have worked in the hands of a lesser author.
Make no mistake, this book is dark. Grief and guilt are Kealan Patrick Burke's forte, he writes about them like no one else. These emotions are woven into his words, but the reader doesn't always know it at the time. It's when the story is over that it hits you like a freight train, or a bullet between the eyes.
Thankfully, I have a few of Mr. Burke's other books in my to be read stack. I am rationing them because I don't want to run out. It's great to have an author you know you can count on for entertaining stories.
Recommended!
You can get your copy here: https://amzn.to/2VO8len
*I bought this book with my hard earned cash.*
January 13, 2019
Kealan Patrick Burke sucks all the holiday cheer from the season and tells his readers seven stories to make your chilly nights a whole lot chillier--and we stand in line for this!!
The collection starts off with that cover...wow.
Then an introduction by KPB sharing with us the origins of these dark tales which really made me laugh. I love when authors share the history of their stories with us--some of these have really been around the block! But they were all new to me.
SNOWMEN was a great start.
VISITATION RIGHTS really solidifies its place in the center of the book; the ending smacking you square between the eyes and leaving a tingle in your spine.
If you're brave enough to move forward, THE QUIET was my favorite piece. It's an unflinching tale that hits on an all-to-real fear...everything we say to a loved one carries the potential to be the last words they hear. A well told "empathy-horror" story that rattles around in your bones long after you read it. There's also so lingering tears in my eyes and that hollow feeling in the pit of my stomach as I think of it.
Damn good storytelling.
Again, this is one for every horror collection. You can take it out around the holidays and spoil your warm fuzzy feelings.
The collection starts off with that cover...wow.
Then an introduction by KPB sharing with us the origins of these dark tales which really made me laugh. I love when authors share the history of their stories with us--some of these have really been around the block! But they were all new to me.
SNOWMEN was a great start.
VISITATION RIGHTS really solidifies its place in the center of the book; the ending smacking you square between the eyes and leaving a tingle in your spine.
If you're brave enough to move forward, THE QUIET was my favorite piece. It's an unflinching tale that hits on an all-to-real fear...everything we say to a loved one carries the potential to be the last words they hear. A well told "empathy-horror" story that rattles around in your bones long after you read it. There's also so lingering tears in my eyes and that hollow feeling in the pit of my stomach as I think of it.
Damn good storytelling.
Again, this is one for every horror collection. You can take it out around the holidays and spoil your warm fuzzy feelings.
January 5, 2021
The winter time is always the best season for short horror stories. I was delighted to discover Kealan Patrick Burke had a collection of winter themed tales, to keep me sufficiently spooked during these cold nights, after I had previously enjoyed his Halloween collection.
The stories are as follows: Snowmen, Doomsday Father Christmas, Black Static, Visitation Rights, Home, The Quiet and They Know.
Doomsday Father Christmas was a highlight for me, following Santa Claus himself and his cynicism at the modern day Christmas. How the myth of him is perpetuated by humanity’s greed.
Visitation Rights really hits you with a jarring twist. It initially starts out so seemingly different to where I thought it was going to go and the ending left me feeling haunted.
Burke’s writing never fails to impress me, his stories are always wonderfully dark and have a satisfying conclusion.
The stories are as follows: Snowmen, Doomsday Father Christmas, Black Static, Visitation Rights, Home, The Quiet and They Know.
Doomsday Father Christmas was a highlight for me, following Santa Claus himself and his cynicism at the modern day Christmas. How the myth of him is perpetuated by humanity’s greed.
Visitation Rights really hits you with a jarring twist. It initially starts out so seemingly different to where I thought it was going to go and the ending left me feeling haunted.
Burke’s writing never fails to impress me, his stories are always wonderfully dark and have a satisfying conclusion.
January 10, 2019
4.5 Stars.
This is the second time Burke has released a seasonal themed collection, and I love it. This is also the second time he's included a list of recommended books in a collection, and I adore that as well. Burke knows horror, and his recommendations are flawless. Every horror lover should pay attention to these lists and make note of the books he suggests. He knows what he's talking about.
I love the inspiration behind this collection so much! Burke explains in the introduction how he was inspired to write a Christmas story based on a drawing a friend of his had done as a kid. Of course Burke saw something very sinister in that drawing, and he liked the story enough to send it to his email contacts in lieu of Christmas cards that year. It's become a tradition for Burke to send out his annual Christmas story, and I can't even imagine getting such an amazing gift each year. Those stories make up part of this collection.
Burke is the master of creepy stories. And these are even more sinister because they take place during the winter, a time of gloomy darkness or even during holiday cheer.
Snowmen is a story that I read in another collection, and it doesn't get any less creepy the second time you read it. Everyone remembers being a kid and having an overactive imagination. This story explores one child's fearful imagination becoming all too real.
Doomsday Father Christmas is the story that resulted from the drawing, and is a fantastic re-imagining of Santa Clause. This is the Santa that horror lovers believe in.
Visitation Rights is a surprising tale of grief. I love how Burke can lead the reader in one direction for the bulk of a story, and then take it completely off the rails at the end.
Home is another story that takes you by surprise. A father begins to panic when his family fails to arrive home on his daughter's birthday. A blizzard is raging outside, and as the hours go by, he can only sit and imagine all of the terrible things that could have possibly happened to them.
They Know is probably my favorite in this collection. It's a story about guilt and friendship that keeps you guessing until the very end. This one is infused with creepiness too, and has quite an unexpected ending.
I really enjoyed this collection. I think my only issue is that I wish it had been longer. Rest assured though that you cannot go wrong with anything written by Burke. A new release from him is an event.
This is the second time Burke has released a seasonal themed collection, and I love it. This is also the second time he's included a list of recommended books in a collection, and I adore that as well. Burke knows horror, and his recommendations are flawless. Every horror lover should pay attention to these lists and make note of the books he suggests. He knows what he's talking about.
I love the inspiration behind this collection so much! Burke explains in the introduction how he was inspired to write a Christmas story based on a drawing a friend of his had done as a kid. Of course Burke saw something very sinister in that drawing, and he liked the story enough to send it to his email contacts in lieu of Christmas cards that year. It's become a tradition for Burke to send out his annual Christmas story, and I can't even imagine getting such an amazing gift each year. Those stories make up part of this collection.
Burke is the master of creepy stories. And these are even more sinister because they take place during the winter, a time of gloomy darkness or even during holiday cheer.
Snowmen is a story that I read in another collection, and it doesn't get any less creepy the second time you read it. Everyone remembers being a kid and having an overactive imagination. This story explores one child's fearful imagination becoming all too real.
Doomsday Father Christmas is the story that resulted from the drawing, and is a fantastic re-imagining of Santa Clause. This is the Santa that horror lovers believe in.
Visitation Rights is a surprising tale of grief. I love how Burke can lead the reader in one direction for the bulk of a story, and then take it completely off the rails at the end.
Home is another story that takes you by surprise. A father begins to panic when his family fails to arrive home on his daughter's birthday. A blizzard is raging outside, and as the hours go by, he can only sit and imagine all of the terrible things that could have possibly happened to them.
They Know is probably my favorite in this collection. It's a story about guilt and friendship that keeps you guessing until the very end. This one is infused with creepiness too, and has quite an unexpected ending.
I really enjoyed this collection. I think my only issue is that I wish it had been longer. Rest assured though that you cannot go wrong with anything written by Burke. A new release from him is an event.
January 6, 2021
Overall, I would go with 4 STARS for this collection of short stories by Kealan Patrick Burke!
I am going to rate each short story along with stating my favorites.
Snowmen - 3 stars
Doomsday Father Christmas – 4.5 stars
I really liked this one! It was dark, brutal and on point.
Black Static – 1.5/2 stars
It just wasn’t long enough. I needed so much more from this one.
Visitation Rights – 5 stars
My favorite of all of them! This one was twisted at the end. So good!
Home – 3 stars
The Quiet – 3 stars
They Know – 3.5 stars
I will always say that if you love the horror genre, check out the writing of Kealan Patrick Burke.
His writing is always descriptive, dark and twisted. He always knows how to write the horror and dark thoughts of people and situations. Well done!
I am going to rate each short story along with stating my favorites.
Snowmen - 3 stars
Doomsday Father Christmas – 4.5 stars
I really liked this one! It was dark, brutal and on point.
Black Static – 1.5/2 stars
It just wasn’t long enough. I needed so much more from this one.
Visitation Rights – 5 stars
My favorite of all of them! This one was twisted at the end. So good!
Home – 3 stars
The Quiet – 3 stars
They Know – 3.5 stars
I will always say that if you love the horror genre, check out the writing of Kealan Patrick Burke.
His writing is always descriptive, dark and twisted. He always knows how to write the horror and dark thoughts of people and situations. Well done!
January 8, 2021
What beautiful writing!
The stories in this collection are good -all of them! KPB warns you in the introduction but these do not have happy endings. I'm ok with that. The writing! Omg, my heart be still! It is BEAUTIFUL! dreamy, poetic, whispers in the dark, those are words that come to mind if I had to describe it. This wasn't my first read by this amazing & super talented author and it sure won't be my last!
The stories in this collection are good -all of them! KPB warns you in the introduction but these do not have happy endings. I'm ok with that. The writing! Omg, my heart be still! It is BEAUTIFUL! dreamy, poetic, whispers in the dark, those are words that come to mind if I had to describe it. This wasn't my first read by this amazing & super talented author and it sure won't be my last!
April 23, 2020
Kealan Patrick Burke knocks it out of the park yet again! At this point I’m convinced that it’s impossible for him to write something I won’t love. He has such a way with words, no matter the length of the story he draws you right in and gets under your skin. I’m glad I didn’t read this during the Christmas season because it is absolutely, deliciously creepy and would have given me nightmares. Summer is a safe place to read these stories and beware, you’ll never look at the holiday season in the same way again!
December 19, 2018
So bleak, so beautiful. I don’t think this Burke guy can write a bad book. 😉 It’s like magic that every story in here makes you feel chilled to the bone, caught in an icy maelstrom of despair, with no hope in sight. Every single story earned these 5 stars!
December 29, 2020
Una recopilación de relatos de horror cuyos temas centrales son el crudo invierno y sobre todo, la Navidad. Alguno que otro se me hizo más infantil que nada, pero disfruté todos.
December 28, 2018
"Winter came, as harsh as grief."
I loved this grim winter collection from Kealan Patrick Burke! There's an excellent mix of stories here, and I enjoyed Dead of Winter the entire way through. There are 7 stories in this collection, so it's a very quick read.
My top 3 stories were Snowmen, Doomsday Father Christmas, and Visitation Rights. Some of the stories deal with heavier topics than I expected, and I enjoyed the depths of horror that I found here. I read all the story between 3.5 to 5⭐, and there's not a bad story in this collection. Get this one while it's still cold!
I loved this grim winter collection from Kealan Patrick Burke! There's an excellent mix of stories here, and I enjoyed Dead of Winter the entire way through. There are 7 stories in this collection, so it's a very quick read.
My top 3 stories were Snowmen, Doomsday Father Christmas, and Visitation Rights. Some of the stories deal with heavier topics than I expected, and I enjoyed the depths of horror that I found here. I read all the story between 3.5 to 5⭐, and there's not a bad story in this collection. Get this one while it's still cold!
December 16, 2019
Review to come!
January 31, 2019
"Jake thought he knew what it felt like to be that tree - immobile, rooted to the ground, trapped and powerless to do anything but stand by and watch the passage of time, unable to run away from the grief, the sorrow and all the dark things that sharpened the edges of life."
Dead of Winter is not only the second seasonal assortment of short stories by Kealan Patrick Burke, but it's the second book of his that I've read. I enjoyed this collection just a wee bit more than Dead Leaves, but both are wonderful and are a good place to start with Burke's work. I'm also a huge fan of the recommended books list that can be found at the back of this collection, as well as Dead Leaves. My nerdy heart appreciates that added touch!
Dead of Winter is melancholic and sinister. It's drenched in sadness. Much of the focus within this collection is on loss and the effects it has on you. Grief, loneliness, heartache.
Burke truly is a master of building dread. Unsettling tension mounting, while a visceral unease haunts each story. Bleak, yet poetic.
My favorites were:
-Visitation Rights
-The Quiet
-Home
"Winter came, as harsh as grief.."
Dead of Winter is our worst fears.. come to life. One that takes hold of you by the throat in it's icy grasp. Plausible, genuine horror.
Dead of Winter is not only the second seasonal assortment of short stories by Kealan Patrick Burke, but it's the second book of his that I've read. I enjoyed this collection just a wee bit more than Dead Leaves, but both are wonderful and are a good place to start with Burke's work. I'm also a huge fan of the recommended books list that can be found at the back of this collection, as well as Dead Leaves. My nerdy heart appreciates that added touch!
Dead of Winter is melancholic and sinister. It's drenched in sadness. Much of the focus within this collection is on loss and the effects it has on you. Grief, loneliness, heartache.
Burke truly is a master of building dread. Unsettling tension mounting, while a visceral unease haunts each story. Bleak, yet poetic.
My favorites were:
-Visitation Rights
-The Quiet
-Home
"Winter came, as harsh as grief.."
Dead of Winter is our worst fears.. come to life. One that takes hold of you by the throat in it's icy grasp. Plausible, genuine horror.
January 1, 2019
4.5 stars.
Review pending.
Review pending.
December 18, 2022
I skimmed the last story because it was way too wordy 🫣 my ranking would be:
7. They Know
6. Doomsday Father Christmas
5. The Quiet
4. Snowmen
3. Black Static
2. Home
1. Visitation Rights
7. They Know
6. Doomsday Father Christmas
5. The Quiet
4. Snowmen
3. Black Static
2. Home
1. Visitation Rights
February 21, 2020
This is my second seasonal collection by Kealan Patrick Burke, with DEAD LEAVES being the first, and I'm really loving how the stories pair to the time of year.
While in the previous collection, the stories carried the crisp air of Autumn and the creepy feel of Halloween between their lines, in this one, whatever warmth leftover from Fall has completely abandoned the reader. The cold bleakness of the stories in DEAD OF WINTER will chill you to the bone!
The collection houses just 7 short stories, so you can easily read this in a single sitting (I read it by candlelight in the bath, and 5/5 would recommend this method!).
My favorite stories were "VISITATION RIGHTS" and "SNOWMEN". The latter in particular would receive a 10 star rating alone if I could do that, because it completely took me by surprise, and if any of you following me for awhile know anything, it's that I freaking LOVE shocking twists in my reading (when well done, of course)!
None of the stories got less than 3 stars from me, so I'd say this is a pretty solid collection! Definitely check it out, and pick up DEAD LEAVES while you're at it as well, because having both books next to each other gives a happy feeling that you'll want to hold onto after reading about all the sad, cold things that winter can bring. ;)
While in the previous collection, the stories carried the crisp air of Autumn and the creepy feel of Halloween between their lines, in this one, whatever warmth leftover from Fall has completely abandoned the reader. The cold bleakness of the stories in DEAD OF WINTER will chill you to the bone!
The collection houses just 7 short stories, so you can easily read this in a single sitting (I read it by candlelight in the bath, and 5/5 would recommend this method!).
My favorite stories were "VISITATION RIGHTS" and "SNOWMEN". The latter in particular would receive a 10 star rating alone if I could do that, because it completely took me by surprise, and if any of you following me for awhile know anything, it's that I freaking LOVE shocking twists in my reading (when well done, of course)!
None of the stories got less than 3 stars from me, so I'd say this is a pretty solid collection! Definitely check it out, and pick up DEAD LEAVES while you're at it as well, because having both books next to each other gives a happy feeling that you'll want to hold onto after reading about all the sad, cold things that winter can bring. ;)
November 12, 2019
4.5 stars!
Kealan Patrick Burke has not dissapointed me this year! Dead of Winter is a collection of 7 creepy tales that all have the same theme, winter.
I enjoyed this one A LOT. The story Visitation Rights is ABSOLUTELY terrific!! I legit gasped near the end. Doomsday Father Christmas is another gem, a very creative look at the classic Santa Claus. Burke introduces some things into this story, that I found to be genius. The opening story, Snowmen, sets the tone for this collection perfectly. A very creepy tale!
The stories I liked a little less were, Black Static and Home. The first was just a little too short for me and the second lost me at the end. They were both good, but not the most memorable.
Here are my individual ratings:
Snowmen 🌟🌟🌟🌟💫
Doomsday Father Christmas 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
Black Static 🌟🌟🌟
Visitation Rights 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
Home 🌟🌟🌟💫
The Quiet 🌟🌟🌟🌟
They Know 🌟🌟🌟🌟
If you want to get all mathmatical, this shouldn't be a 4.5 star collection, based on the individual ratings. But I like this one a little better than Dead Leaves (the Halloween short story collection by Burke), because of two tremendous standouts: Visitation Rights and Doomsday Father Christmas. I have no trouble rating it the way I did. So... fight me!
Kealan Patrick Burke has not dissapointed me this year! Dead of Winter is a collection of 7 creepy tales that all have the same theme, winter.
I enjoyed this one A LOT. The story Visitation Rights is ABSOLUTELY terrific!! I legit gasped near the end. Doomsday Father Christmas is another gem, a very creative look at the classic Santa Claus. Burke introduces some things into this story, that I found to be genius. The opening story, Snowmen, sets the tone for this collection perfectly. A very creepy tale!
The stories I liked a little less were, Black Static and Home. The first was just a little too short for me and the second lost me at the end. They were both good, but not the most memorable.
Here are my individual ratings:
Snowmen 🌟🌟🌟🌟💫
Doomsday Father Christmas 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
Black Static 🌟🌟🌟
Visitation Rights 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
Home 🌟🌟🌟💫
The Quiet 🌟🌟🌟🌟
They Know 🌟🌟🌟🌟
If you want to get all mathmatical, this shouldn't be a 4.5 star collection, based on the individual ratings. But I like this one a little better than Dead Leaves (the Halloween short story collection by Burke), because of two tremendous standouts: Visitation Rights and Doomsday Father Christmas. I have no trouble rating it the way I did. So... fight me!
March 28, 2020
So rare for me to find a collection in which every story was just awesome, but this was one of those times. The writing is excellent, the stories are imaginative, and although I’m not sure they fit comfortably under the label ‘horror’, every one of the tales gripped me. I’m already searching for more Burke.
January 8, 2024
TW: alcoholism, toxic parent relationships, language, abuse, dementia, blood, violence, grieving, depression, anxiety, death, PTSD, attempt of death by suicide, guns
*****SPOILERS*****
About the book:A boy becomes convinced that there is something not right about the snowmen in his yard...A man takes drastic steps to reconcile with his estranged daughters on Christmas Eve...Santa Claus takes a ride into the heart of darkness...A widower joins the search for a missing woman in an eerily deserted town...And a young man spends one last Christmas with his ailing father.
Release Date: December 15th, 2010
Genre: Horror
Pages: 84
Rating: ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐
What I Liked:
1. Introduction
2. Love his writing style
3. The stories all flowed from one to the next
4. The winter book suggestion at the end
5. The book is so atmospheric
What I Didn't Like:
1. Nothing
Overall Thoughts:
You know what I love? The way the author writes his stories. He can scare you and frighten but still manages to bring it back and make you sad. I wish I knew what magical witchcraft he used.
snowmen:
This was definitely a creepy story that took you places you thought you knew where you were going. I was reading and the whole time I assumed that Ryan was just seeing two snowmen and being a kid his imagination ran away with him, but finding out it was his parents and he had let the "monster" into his room was scary. I enjoyed this story a lot. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
doomsday father Christmas:
This story with Santa feeling hopeless and lonely reminded me a lot of the old joke;
So who brings joy and hope to Santa when he is the one who gifts the children with these feelings? This story was sad.
Poor Santa is being forgotten so he decides that he is just going to end it all. There some things that I thought was weird though. Why did he not care about leaving his wife? Why couldn't he just quit? Why did he kill the reindeer? The story was okay. Written very well but parts dragged on that weighed down the story and were kind of boring. ⭐⭐⭐
black static:
I really enjoyed this one. Short & sweet and right to thr point but completely depressing. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
visitation rights:
Well I did not expect that his children and wife were dead. Wow just wow. I actually dropped my mouth in surprise. It was also interesting that even with them being dead he can't forgive himself and his children are scared of him. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
home:
Another sad and depressing story but it was written so well. Loved it. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
the quiet:
This story reminded me a lot of Johnny Got His Gun by Trumbo, which is one of the most horrific books I have ever read. There were definitely parts of it that gave those vibes. I liked the message in this story that the father should have listened to his son. The whole time he complained about his son never listening to him or being good, but the father never self reflected until it was too late and his son was dead. Solid story though it gave me goosebumps. I was worried about what was in the corners of my dark room. ⭐⭐⭐⭐
they know:
This was the longest story of them all. There were times where I was a little bored and conversation would ramble. I liked where the story took us. I love snow though. ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Final Thoughts:
I loved pretty much every story which can be a hard feat when dealing with short stories. Most times they can be hit or miss but this novella is full of creepiness, sadness, and desperation. It's all so perfect. There is a reason the author is one of my favorites - he just has this way with words and the style in which he puts them to paper is fantastic.
IG |
*****SPOILERS*****
About the book:A boy becomes convinced that there is something not right about the snowmen in his yard...A man takes drastic steps to reconcile with his estranged daughters on Christmas Eve...Santa Claus takes a ride into the heart of darkness...A widower joins the search for a missing woman in an eerily deserted town...And a young man spends one last Christmas with his ailing father.
Release Date: December 15th, 2010
Genre: Horror
Pages: 84
Rating: ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐
What I Liked:
1. Introduction
2. Love his writing style
3. The stories all flowed from one to the next
4. The winter book suggestion at the end
5. The book is so atmospheric
What I Didn't Like:
1. Nothing
Overall Thoughts:
You know what I love? The way the author writes his stories. He can scare you and frighten but still manages to bring it back and make you sad. I wish I knew what magical witchcraft he used.
snowmen:
This was definitely a creepy story that took you places you thought you knew where you were going. I was reading and the whole time I assumed that Ryan was just seeing two snowmen and being a kid his imagination ran away with him, but finding out it was his parents and he had let the "monster" into his room was scary. I enjoyed this story a lot. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
doomsday father Christmas:
This story with Santa feeling hopeless and lonely reminded me a lot of the old joke;
A man walks into a psychiatrist’s office and says, “Doctor, I’m depressed. I’m sad all the time; there’s no hope; life doesn’t seem worth living.” The doctor says, “Go to the theater tonight. There’s a famous clown, Pagliacci, performing, and if you watch him, you won’t be depressed.” The man looks up and says, “But doctor, I am Pagliacci.”
So who brings joy and hope to Santa when he is the one who gifts the children with these feelings? This story was sad.
Poor Santa is being forgotten so he decides that he is just going to end it all. There some things that I thought was weird though. Why did he not care about leaving his wife? Why couldn't he just quit? Why did he kill the reindeer? The story was okay. Written very well but parts dragged on that weighed down the story and were kind of boring. ⭐⭐⭐
black static:
I really enjoyed this one. Short & sweet and right to thr point but completely depressing. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
visitation rights:
Well I did not expect that his children and wife were dead. Wow just wow. I actually dropped my mouth in surprise. It was also interesting that even with them being dead he can't forgive himself and his children are scared of him. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
home:
Another sad and depressing story but it was written so well. Loved it. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
the quiet:
This story reminded me a lot of Johnny Got His Gun by Trumbo, which is one of the most horrific books I have ever read. There were definitely parts of it that gave those vibes. I liked the message in this story that the father should have listened to his son. The whole time he complained about his son never listening to him or being good, but the father never self reflected until it was too late and his son was dead. Solid story though it gave me goosebumps. I was worried about what was in the corners of my dark room. ⭐⭐⭐⭐
they know:
This was the longest story of them all. There were times where I was a little bored and conversation would ramble. I liked where the story took us. I love snow though. ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Final Thoughts:
I loved pretty much every story which can be a hard feat when dealing with short stories. Most times they can be hit or miss but this novella is full of creepiness, sadness, and desperation. It's all so perfect. There is a reason the author is one of my favorites - he just has this way with words and the style in which he puts them to paper is fantastic.
IG |
January 29, 2019
Kealan Patrick Burke is just one of those authors that knows how to get under your skin, inside your brain, and rattle your nerves. This collection of short stories is perfect for winter. I chose to read it now because Atlanta metro is predicting this ice storm (which has yet to make any iota of appearing) and I thought Dead of Winter would make the perfect read while being cooped up indoors.
In the stories presented, you can practically hear the quiet and loneliness. You can feel the isolation, sadness, and fear all at once. It's hard to explain but reading these stories made me FEEL colder physically. I thoroughly enjoyed this collection! 4 stars!
In the stories presented, you can practically hear the quiet and loneliness. You can feel the isolation, sadness, and fear all at once. It's hard to explain but reading these stories made me FEEL colder physically. I thoroughly enjoyed this collection! 4 stars!
December 28, 2018
Here comes another collection of seasonal stories, this Christmastime winter wonderland set following closely on the heels of Dead Leaves: 9 Tales from the Witching Season, Burke's Halloween and fall-themed stories.
I love the idea of these little sets of themed stories and Dead of Winter spoke to me. There are only seven stories here, but I read the collection in the week leading up to Christmas, one or two before bed each night and it was the perfect spooky treat for those of us looking for a bit more holiday fear than cheer.
There is just an innate darkness that oozes from Burke's writing. When you start reading, you just feel the dread creeping in, and sometimes you know where the story is going (and sometimes you just think you know) and sometimes it is a total surprise, leaving that dead weight in your stomach.
One reason I didn't love the Halloween collection was because at times it felt very overwritten, but these stories didn't fall into that trap. The writing was much more natural and didn't have any stilted overuse of adjectives or overwritten dialogue.
These wintry stories will last you long past the holidays and into those dark winter nights when the snow is falling silently and you're all alone. I'm definitely looking forward to getting into Burke's work more in the new year.
Such a small weird complaint, but it bothered me in Dead Leaves too: the mix of curly quotes and straight quotes—WHY, sweet Jesus, why?? Such an easy fix and any good proofreader would catch it.
I love the idea of these little sets of themed stories and Dead of Winter spoke to me. There are only seven stories here, but I read the collection in the week leading up to Christmas, one or two before bed each night and it was the perfect spooky treat for those of us looking for a bit more holiday fear than cheer.
There is just an innate darkness that oozes from Burke's writing. When you start reading, you just feel the dread creeping in, and sometimes you know where the story is going (and sometimes you just think you know) and sometimes it is a total surprise, leaving that dead weight in your stomach.
One reason I didn't love the Halloween collection was because at times it felt very overwritten, but these stories didn't fall into that trap. The writing was much more natural and didn't have any stilted overuse of adjectives or overwritten dialogue.
These wintry stories will last you long past the holidays and into those dark winter nights when the snow is falling silently and you're all alone. I'm definitely looking forward to getting into Burke's work more in the new year.
Such a small weird complaint, but it bothered me in Dead Leaves too: the mix of curly quotes and straight quotes—WHY, sweet Jesus, why?? Such an easy fix and any good proofreader would catch it.
December 22, 2022
If you're looking for a collection of short stories that perfectly capture the bleakness, dread, and chill of winter, then look no further. This is the book for you!
As the cold creeps in, so does the darkness, the depression, the hopelessness. What do you fear most? The winter will bring it.
Doomsday Father Christmas, Visitation Rights, and Home > are particularly haunting tales that will stick with you like cold in the bones.
My personal favorite was They Know, which paints snow as an entity that knows your secrets and is ready to purge them. This story makes me glad I live in the South where it doesn't snow!
At the end, Burke also recommends other winter-themed horror novels he has read and enjoyed. I appreciate him paying it forward, and I'm looking forward to getting my hands on the book recommendations I haven't already read.
As the cold creeps in, so does the darkness, the depression, the hopelessness. What do you fear most? The winter will bring it.
Doomsday Father Christmas, Visitation Rights, and Home > are particularly haunting tales that will stick with you like cold in the bones.
My personal favorite was They Know, which paints snow as an entity that knows your secrets and is ready to purge them. This story makes me glad I live in the South where it doesn't snow!
At the end, Burke also recommends other winter-themed horror novels he has read and enjoyed. I appreciate him paying it forward, and I'm looking forward to getting my hands on the book recommendations I haven't already read.
January 13, 2019
Kealan Patrick Burke has permanently claimed a spot on my favorites shelf. Dead of Winter, his second seasonal collection of stories, is my favorite so far. Burke's writing showcases the reality that horror is much more than just scares. This collection contains stories that are haunting, but it also explores themes of grief/loss, regret, guilt, and resentment.
My favorite stories were:
-Doomsday Father Christmas
-Black Static (not even two full pages, but it packs a punch)
-Visitation Rights
-Home
The stories in this collection gave me chills, made me smile or chuckle at times, and also left me a bit melancholy-in the best way possible.
As always, I can't wait to add more to my KPB collection!
My favorite stories were:
-Doomsday Father Christmas
-Black Static (not even two full pages, but it packs a punch)
-Visitation Rights
-Home
The stories in this collection gave me chills, made me smile or chuckle at times, and also left me a bit melancholy-in the best way possible.
As always, I can't wait to add more to my KPB collection!
December 31, 2018
Wow! These short stories were excellent! My favorite were The Quiet and They Know both stories kept me up at night. Kealan Patrick Burke has a way with words and I love his writing. I'm looking forward to read his novels next.
January 16, 2019
Wonderfully creepy collection of stories with a Winter/Christmas theme! My favorites were Snowmen and Visitation Rights. No other author can scare me the way KPB can. Recommend for all horror fans.
July 4, 2023
This short story collection started and ended strongly with some (unwanted) breathing room in the middle.
3 Spooky Stars
3 Spooky Stars
January 16, 2019
4.5 stars!
April 24, 2020
This review can also be found on my blog.
This was my first time reading Kealan Patrick Burke and in all honesty, I was pretty disappointed. This collection had an average of 4.2 on Goodreads, so I was expecting something rather spectacular. It wasn’t bad by any means, but it certainly fell short of what I was hoping for. This is a rather short book (only 96 pages!) containing 7 short stories. I think that part of the issue for me is that it’s difficult to fully develop a story in so few pages. Some stories did remarkably well considering their length, but others just didn’t do much for me.
My ratings for each story are as follows:
Snowmen 3.5/5
Doomsday Father Christmas 2/5
Black Static 2/5
Visitation Rights 4/5
Home 4.5/5
The Quiet 3/5
They Know 4/5
Which comes to an average of 3.29. Like I said, not a bad rating by any means. My favorites, as you can probably tell, were Visitation Rights, Home, and They Know. In particular, Home went in a direction I wasn’t expecting and really hit me in the gut, as did Visitation Rights. They Know was the longest story in the collection and its length allowed for a lot more development of the story and the characters. A couple of the stories have tugged at the back of my brain in the couple days since I’ve finished the book, which I always take to be a good sign as well.
I have to wonder if this was just a poor introduction to Burke’s work for me, and think that may be the case. When I love short story collections, I really love them, but others can fall flat easily. This unfortunately settled into the latter category. I had a similar reaction to Paul Tremblay’s book of short stories recently, but I love his novels from what I’ve read. So I’ll definitely be picking up more of Burke’s work, even if this set of stories didn’t work very well for me personally.
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This was my first time reading Kealan Patrick Burke and in all honesty, I was pretty disappointed. This collection had an average of 4.2 on Goodreads, so I was expecting something rather spectacular. It wasn’t bad by any means, but it certainly fell short of what I was hoping for. This is a rather short book (only 96 pages!) containing 7 short stories. I think that part of the issue for me is that it’s difficult to fully develop a story in so few pages. Some stories did remarkably well considering their length, but others just didn’t do much for me.
My ratings for each story are as follows:
Snowmen 3.5/5
Doomsday Father Christmas 2/5
Black Static 2/5
Visitation Rights 4/5
Home 4.5/5
The Quiet 3/5
They Know 4/5
Which comes to an average of 3.29. Like I said, not a bad rating by any means. My favorites, as you can probably tell, were Visitation Rights, Home, and They Know. In particular, Home went in a direction I wasn’t expecting and really hit me in the gut, as did Visitation Rights. They Know was the longest story in the collection and its length allowed for a lot more development of the story and the characters. A couple of the stories have tugged at the back of my brain in the couple days since I’ve finished the book, which I always take to be a good sign as well.
I have to wonder if this was just a poor introduction to Burke’s work for me, and think that may be the case. When I love short story collections, I really love them, but others can fall flat easily. This unfortunately settled into the latter category. I had a similar reaction to Paul Tremblay’s book of short stories recently, but I love his novels from what I’ve read. So I’ll definitely be picking up more of Burke’s work, even if this set of stories didn’t work very well for me personally.
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January 22, 2019
4.14 / 5
A couple of days ago we were supposed to get 6-10 inches of snow. I had my plans: this book and hot cocoa by the window, late at night. That I did. But we never got snow. Not even an inch. I know it was supposed to be a big storm, and it's good we didn't get it, but I have to admit I was also disappointed.
Dead of Winter is the second collection in the Dead Seasons series by Kealan Patrick Burke. Dead Leaves is the other one, which I promise to wait and read it during the upcoming halloween season.
There are seven short stories in this collection, all of them were published elsewhere. This is my first time reading Mr. Burke, all these stories were new for me.
With Almost 100 pages, Dead of Winter surely is a quick read.
Let's start with the cover. Just look at it, it's a great one let me tell ya. Even my non-reader friends were amazed by it.
Each story in Dead of Winter is set during the colder times of the year and I liked every one of them. My absolute favorite was Visitation Rights!
Here's the full list and my individual rating:
- Snowmen 🌟🌟🌟🌟💫
- Doomsday Father Christmas 🌟🌟🌟🌟
- Black Static 🌟🌟🌟🌟
- Visitation Rights 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
- Home 🌟🌟🌟🌟💫
- The Quiet 🌟🌟🌟💫
- They Know 🌟🌟🌟💫
A couple of days ago we were supposed to get 6-10 inches of snow. I had my plans: this book and hot cocoa by the window, late at night. That I did. But we never got snow. Not even an inch. I know it was supposed to be a big storm, and it's good we didn't get it, but I have to admit I was also disappointed.
Dead of Winter is the second collection in the Dead Seasons series by Kealan Patrick Burke. Dead Leaves is the other one, which I promise to wait and read it during the upcoming halloween season.
There are seven short stories in this collection, all of them were published elsewhere. This is my first time reading Mr. Burke, all these stories were new for me.
With Almost 100 pages, Dead of Winter surely is a quick read.
Let's start with the cover. Just look at it, it's a great one let me tell ya. Even my non-reader friends were amazed by it.
Each story in Dead of Winter is set during the colder times of the year and I liked every one of them. My absolute favorite was Visitation Rights!
Here's the full list and my individual rating:
- Snowmen 🌟🌟🌟🌟💫
- Doomsday Father Christmas 🌟🌟🌟🌟
- Black Static 🌟🌟🌟🌟
- Visitation Rights 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
- Home 🌟🌟🌟🌟💫
- The Quiet 🌟🌟🌟💫
- They Know 🌟🌟🌟💫
December 26, 2018
I’m yet to be disappointed by KPB and this was just amazing! All the stories were so original and reading about Santa I thought was going to take the cake until I came to the final story. I was reading it nodding my head thinking how hard Christmas can be for some families and then boom! I was hit in the head a fuckin shovel and lights were glaring in my eyes as I realised the story I was actually reading. Hats off to you Kealan.
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