Unusual Occurrences by Glenn Rolfe is a killer collection of tales that will draw you right into each town like you were a resident yourself, whether you like it or not!
I feel like I’ve said that about some of Glenn’s work before… 🙂
Let’s dive in!
My Thoughts on Unusual Occurrences by Glenn Rolfe –
UGH! The rollercoaster of emotions here! This collection is filled with anxiety, determination, grief, terror, survival, revenge, and SO much more!
Per usual, here are my notes on each tale!
Out of Range –
It’s been a while since the internet went down, and the people received an extraterrestrial warning. Long enough to wonder if anything was really going to happen. Until a stereo picks up something strange.
The anxiety I felt right from the start of this one! My goodness.
Abram’s Bridge –
When a young man becomes friends with a girl under the bridge, it’s not long until he realizes that she’s a ghost. Determined to find out what happened, he forgets that word spreads fast in a small town.
Heartbreaking, blood-boiling, and chilling! This poor girl. The determination the young man has to set her free was lovely, but the terror and action he kicks up is so scary!
The Fixer –
Deep in the throes of grief, this man makes a rush decision that comes back to bite him.
Oh my god, the last four lines…
Not Kansas Anymore –
When bats descended on a small town, the adults all thought a murder had just happened to have come at the same time. The kids knew better; they knew this was connected.
This has the classic case of curiosity getting the better of you mixed in with some gut-punch real-world horror. I was SO nervous to see where this one was going.
Skull of Snakes –
Finding an odd coin one day is the last bit of fun that was had before a slew of deaths rocks this small town.
The thought of something so small stemming into the terror that happened next is just so terrifying!
Fire –
Oh. My. Gosh. Short and terrifying, this tale is going to haunt me. What an impossible decision and such horrifying circumstances.
Too Much of a Dead Thing –
When zombie-like creatures begin to attack, our main characters run and do what they can to survive. But one day, two of them decide they don’t want to run; they want to fight back.
I was so excited and nervous to see what was to happen when these two storylines merged. Oofh, what a tale!
Harry’s Inevitable Extinction –
Sent on a job to report back about the scene of a terrible attack, this man runs into more than he anticipated…
I first had the chance to read this tale in Werewolves by KJK Publishing, but reading it a second time was even more fun!
Halloween Worm –
When forced to help with a revenge plan, this kid isn’t so sure he really wants to help out this school bully. But what he gets into is so much more than he anticipated.
Such a gross and chilling tale of revenge! The description of the old man’s hands had me ready to gag.
The Rooster –
Such an intense grief tale of all to real-world horror. This one will break you.
The House on Mayflower Street –
Determined to face their fears and end their nightmares, two teens break into a house with a spooky past. They have no idea what is lurking in the basement.
From a classic breaking and entering to pure terror, this tale is quick and so intense! Gosh, I hate dolls…
Jackie Boy –
This young man has an odd taste for his desserts… when his brother finds out, everything changes.
Oh dear, I made the mistake of getting to this one while having a snack…
Welcome to Paradise –
After meeting at a bar, these two go back to her place and find that they’re a wildly perfect match…
Girl By Day –
Ducking out of work one night after the boss demanded they do overtime, this duo heads on what the young man hopes is a fun date while getting a bite to eat. But he soon learns there was a reason why his mom didn’t want him out after dark on nights like these.
I was so excited to see how this was going to play out! I had a guess but this was so much more.
Boom Town –
When a town is shaken, literally, by random booms, the theories begin to fly. But when two teens discover some strange blue goop, things take a much more sinister turn.
This was WILD! The effects of the goop and the glowing alone were terrifying enough. This tale had so much more included that was just so creepy and traumatic. What a tale to end with!
My Favorite Passages from Unusual Occurrences –
Music is what got him through the mess life had decided to litter his path to adulthood with.
— Abram’s Bridge
A bruised sky, cloudy with the chance of death, swallowed what remained of the late September afternoon.
— Harry’s Inevitable Extinction
The human mind held such an amazing capacity for forgetting what it didn’t want to see.
— Girl By Day
My Final Thoughts on Unusual Occurrences –
My gosh, Glenn has such a unique way of making small-town horror tales jump right off the page! Horror fans, you’re in for a treat with this one!
Purchase your copy of Unusual Occurances
Thanks for reading!
And a shout-out to the publisher for granting me a copy via NetGalley! I totally forgot I had requested it and preordered a copy as well… haha oops!
