| Title | : | There's Something Wrong with Aunty Beth |
| Author | : | |
| Rating | : | |
| ISBN | : | - |
| Format Type | : | Kindle , Hardcover , Paperback , Audiobook & More |
| Number of Pages | : | - |
| Publication | : | Published March 24, 2023 |
There's Something Wrong with Aunty Beth' is a collection of my favourite horror journeys, the best of the best I've taken to date. Twenty terrifying tales with something to suit all horror fans, from straight-up dread to signature Towsey weird. You'll never be the same again, and that's a Towsey guarantee. Within these haunted pages, you'll also find my new novella, 'Mother Dearest.'
Mother: A word that should summon trust, loyalty, love, and protection. But what if something begins eating away at such security, slowly transforming said Mother into something else entirely?
There's Something Wrong with Aunty Beth Reviews
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Aunty Beth told me to give this five stars. And you don’t argue with Aunty Beth.
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This is a collection of 20 stories of varying degrees and different genres of horror, there truly is something in this collection for everyone! Dread filled, chilling, haunting, dark, brilliantly written stories, full of twists and turns and with a bit of a misty crack running through them….(read them and you'll understand my air of mystery 😉)
All of these stories are creepy, frightening, edge of your seat, nail biting fiction! I enjoyed every single story, but my favourites were, The Fruits of Labour, An Old Romantic, Long Distance Call, Just a Fly, and my overall favourite was Mother Dearest!!
As always with collections and anthologies, I will write a few words for each story!
THERE'S SOMETHING WRONG WITH AUNTY BETH (AN ODE TO NANA).... George is at his Aunty Beth's, she's become quite the character since the stroke. She also has a little gift for him, that she wants to give him in person…
Really creepy, with a tense atmosphere.
THE FRUITS OF LABOUR…. After his marriage ends, our MC, an author with writer's block, moves into a big old house all by himself. He wants to revive it to its former glory and the orchard and two trees in particular, become his inspiration. The words start to flow, but there's a very strange price to pay…
Eerie and haunting!
MY NAME IS MARK KELLIS…. Mark isn't the sporty type, more the nerdy type. Words and numbers are his thing and they happen to play a huge role in his life…and maybe his death…
Chillingly clever.
MAMA'S BOY…. Frank finds comfort in the voices in his head, at the beginning, but now he's on his way to the gallows for the sins they caused him to commit…
Dark and disturbing.
AN OLD ROMANTIC…. It's funny how quickly things can change, like the weather for instance. Jeremy is reminiscing on a lost love and at one with the ocean…
A beautifully dark and emotional love story.
MOTHER DEAREST…. Lance is haunted by what he sees in an old house, but not enough to stop him from moving in with his wife and daughter. Amy starts to suffer nightmares, real and imagined, after her mother's pregnancy changes her completely. When Amy meets a boy called Tom in the surrounding woods, he reveals some unnerving truths about the house and the family that once lived there….
Haunting, tense, gripping and horrifying. Will leave you breathless.
MUSIC MAN…. Tom's the new kid in town, which means relenting to peer pressure to fit in. Stealing one single coin from a blind mans busking wont hurt, right? I mean, he won't even see. But the consequences are dire….
Creepy.
BUCKET OF CHICKEN…. Tony has stopped his taxi for a bite to eat, he's off duty and just wants to chill, but he ends up with a passenger anyway, a passenger that has come to collect his dues….
Great chilling twist.
COSY STREET…. All is well at number 6 Cosy Street, at least it is in our MCs world…
Very creepy.
THE UNDERTONES…. John can hear unrelenting noises, and also feel their vibrations, but his wife doesn't seem to hear or feel anything. Is it just a case of tinnitus, something more sinister? Or is it something altogether more alien?
Great creepy twist.
A BAD HARVEST…. Jack and Liz thought it would be a great idea to buy a farmhouse to get them away from the hustle and bustle of city life, but Liz soon gets bored and Jack is left to pick up the pieces. Only, he can't even get that right, until eventually he seems to have some unexpected success with a new crop, but that ends up being a hideous reminder of his past mistakes….
Sinister and chilling.
LONG DISTANCE CALL…. Max is upset watching his Mum suffer, but he is suffering too, and having very vivid, very real nightmares…
Terrifying, heart wrenching and gave me goosebumps!
RETAIL THERAPY…. George and Maud are heading out of their comfort zone after becoming accustomed to online shopping and never having to leave the house during covid. They're a bit nervous but the world is pretty much back to normal now, right? And, they're wearing their masks so what could possibly go wrong….?
Fun, scary and sad.
TIME FOR A CHANGE…. Bec is confronting her abusive ex-boyfriend, the once love of her life. Where did it all go wrong and what is she prepared to do, what changes will she make to make sure it never happens again? A tale of solidarity and the ultimate karma!
Cathartic and satisfying.
MOUNT PLEASANT HOUSE…. A nursing home that isn't anywhere near as pleasant as its name suggests, the nurses are abusive and neglectful, pure evil. Alf is terrified of them, always tense, waiting to see what they might do next. But then he gets a visit from fellow "inmate" Edith, just when he needs her most. Are things about to change?
I love a good revenge story, this was one of them!
JUST A FLY…. Patrick is in love with Jade, smitten in fact, but it's not a normal attraction. He's away with his wife, hoping to rekindle their passion. Their relationship definitely transforms, takes on a true metamorphosis…
Horrifically beautiful 🖤
OLD TIMES…. Paul thinks his wife is cheating, but his friend Jed just wants to help him take his mind off things. By getting wasted, just like old times. And after a confession from Jed, things take a very nasty turn, and a dark twist!
TIME TO REFLECT…. A shortcut home is never the best option! For all his bravado and mickey taking, Will is a little unnerved when he sets off alone on the infamous trail, but he will soon get used to it…
A feeling of fear, dread and trepidation that is creepy and unsettling, join you on this journey.
THE BEDROOM WINDOW…. Eddie misses his brother Tommy. He wishes he could have done more. But Tommy still visits now and then, he just wants to play again, to have his brother back with him. A broken family and a creepy house make for a terrifying read.
MAKE ME SHINE…. James is a reporter, he's at a prison cemetery for his latest scoop. It seems that this is just the beginning for him. He has a unique way of telling others stories, but does he also have a ghostwriter?
Creepy and chilling.
THE CANDLE MAKER…. Seth and Jody are at a craft fair, looking for candles, something different from the usual type. And boy do they find it, these candles seem like they were made just for them, and with nothing but the love of the candlemaker…
A dark and disturbing love story. -
There’s Something Wrong with Aunty Beth features a collection of 20 short stories and one novella. All of them are written in true Towse style. These short stories offer something for every horror lover. If you like gross, that’s in here. If you like creepy, that’s in here too. Laughing at inappropriate things? Check! A field of horrors, juicy baby fruit, some aggressive and germy retail therapy, fly lust, and best of all, you get to meet Aunty Beth! She’s such a delight!
Most short story collections usually have at least one dud, but that is not the case here. Towse has tossed in a great mix of stuff, and I enjoyed each one of them. My favorites being There’s Something Wrong with Aunty Beth, The Fruits of Labor, Mother Dearest, A Bad Harvest, and Just a Fly. You’re always in for a treat with Towse’s writing. Don’t keep Aunty Beth waiting! Get it while it’s warm!
"Yeah, you did! You wanted a big ole slice of Aunty Beth's cherry pie." -
A collection of 20 horror stories. One of them a novella called "Mother Dearest". Solid collection of horror and weird tales that will appeal to horror fans. I enjoyed all of the stories. My top 3 stories were There's Something Wrong With Aunty Beth, A Bad Harvest, and An Old Romantic.
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I'm here to tell you, there IS something WRONG with Aunty Beth, and with a whole lot of other people populating the stories in this collection. Well, they spring from the imagination of Mark Towse--why should I be surprised?
Daytime reading only: do not enjoy a meal, do not read while alone, do not leave doors unlocked nor windows open.
My favorite stories in this collection:
There's Something Wrong With Aunty Beth [of course];
The Fruits of Labor [whoa whoa whoa];
My Name is Mark Kellis [again, whoa],
Music Man [speechless]
Bucket of Chicken [A whole lot of Sleepless Nights ahead]
The Undertones [I knew it all along!!]
Cosy Street is WAY TOO SCARY
and Long Distance Call is SAD.
A Bad Harvest. This may be my favorite in the entire collection. Why? It's way saddening, gory, reeks of despair, but man, Poetic Justice.
Retail Therapy: I'm with George. 100% Right On.
Time For A Change: Ah ha, definitely a special favorite among my favorites. Poetic Justice again, and Sisterhood.
Mount Pleasant Home: Painful story, but: Poetic Justice, and Schadenfreude.
Just A Fly: really unexpected, not for the faint of heart; but the protagonist's early views are precious (especially considering his object) and suffused with lyrical imagery.
Time To Reflect: Weeks if not months of sleepless nights will follow. It's all your fault, Mark Towse.
The Bedroom Window: and umpteen more months of sleepless nights!!
Make Me Shine: I begged and begged and begged the story NOT to turn out this way. Shouldn't have cold chills on a sunny
afternoon. No forgiveness, Mr. Towse.
The Candle Maker: YEARS of Sleepless Nights!!!
I'm noticing a couple patterns throughout these stories, and I wonder if these are continuing themes with Mr. Towse:
I
1. A character commits a certain act, out of peer pressure or rage or envy--for whatever reason--expecting a certain limited outcome. But it never works that way: like a stone causing ripp!es in a pond, the consequences are bound to be widespread and drastic.
2. Regret and remorse are useless. You can whine for forgiveness all you want, it's not coming; but retribution sure as Hades is.
3. The Crack in the Ceiling. Never just a crack, it's an always enlarging portal. -
This was a fantastic collection of stories. Each one of them was chock-full of wonderful, creepy weirdness, and I loved how atmospheric they all were. My favourite of course was, 'There's Something Wrong With Aunty Beth' which was a bit like a love letter to Mark Towse's other book, 'Nana' (another book I highly recommend checking out 😁).
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An excellent collection
An eclectic and entertaining set of stories that range from the seriously creepy to the bittersweet and the downright bizarre.
Recommended. -
Mark Towse is on fire with this outstanding horror collection featuring 20 stories and one novella titled Mother Dearest. I had a hard time picking a favorite story as every single one captured my imagination and left a lasting impression. You’ll find highly varied stories that has a little bit of everything. From the bizarre to supernatural, serial killers, ghosts, grotesque creature transformations and pure murder and mayhem, this book should be on every horror readers shelves.
It’s very rare to read a short story collection where every story is rated four to five stars and it just gets weirder and scarier! The one that really creeped me out was “Just A Fly.” If insects freak you out as much as it does me, just brace yourself and try not to read it while eating your lunch!
I had a hell of a good time with this book and wished some stories were longer because I just couldn’t get enough of them! “Music Man”, “Bucket of Chicken” and “The Undertones” being a few of them.
Amongst these stories you’ll find Mother Dearest, Towses latest novella. It’s an emotionally powered ghost story about a haunted house and the horrors of what loss can do to a family. Especially when Mother has been acting strangely after the move. This was an atmospheric and deeply unsettling story that gave me chills.
𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐖𝐚𝐫𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐬 for entire collection: Suicide, Murder, Infant Death, Child Abuse & Trauma, Alcoholism, Pteronarcophobia. -
Yet another excellent book from Mark Towse. The title story is delightful (in a truly horrific and disgusting way) if you're a fan of Nana (by the way, if you haven't yet read Nana, you really should). A great eclectic mix of stories, all excellently written. It ranks very highly amongst my other short story collections.
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This book is amazing and I absolutely love Mark Towse’s writing style. Each story is intriguing and have varying levels of disturbing plots. If you are a lover of the Horror genre, then you will enjoy this book very much and not disappointed in the least!!
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Great collection of shorts, horror, bizarre, weird and wonderful bite size stories!
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If you’re looking for a book that will make you laugh and scream at the same time, look no further. This book is a collection of 20 short stories and a novella that showcase Towse’s twisted imagination and wicked sense of humor.
You’ll meet Aunty Beth, who used to be a normal and loving aunt until something went horribly wrong with her. You’ll discover the secret behind the delicious and addictive fruits that grow on a remote country house estate. You’ll witness the horrifying consequences of a writer’s obsession with his muse. You’ll encounter a variety of monsters, ghosts, demons, and psychopaths that will haunt your nightmares.
But you’ll also laugh out loud at the absurd situations, witty dialogue, and dark comedy that Towse injects into his stories. You’ll enjoy his clever twists, his unexpected endings, and his signature Towsey weirdness. You’ll appreciate his references to other horror works, such as Nana, Sinister, The Amityville Horror, and more.
There’s Something Wrong with Aunty Beth is a book that will entertain you, scare you, and make you think. It’s a book that will leave you wanting more from this talented and original author. It’s a book that deserves five stars and a place on your shelf.
But don’t take my word for it. Read it for yourself and see if you agree with me. And don’t forget to check out Towse’s other books, such as Nana, Crows, The Bucket List... You won’t regret it.
Just don’t read it at night. Or alone. Or near Aunty Beth.
Absolutely highly recommended. 5⭐️ -
Mark Towse ows me a new pair of pants and new jaw. ' There is something wrong with Aunty Beth' is one fine collection of jaw dropping and terrifying enough tales to soil your pants.
From evil black fungal growth to gematrian murders and from the strangest fruit to weird motherly love, this collection of horror stories packs superbly written unique gems.
The author has managed once again to craft another sublime bouquet of horrors infused with his unique brand of horror and humor, one I cannot get enough of, even though he's been super busy releasing one great read after the other.
If you've never read one of his works, then this is a prime example to start with and then dive straight into his full catalogue and consider yourself blessed you've just met him.
Simply superb stuff from one of the most promising authors in the horror genre. -
Review to come
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What a fantastic collection of stories! No two were alike, yet they all had a sense of horror and dread. Enjoyed this a lot.
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Mark Towse knows how to show you a good time - he’s such a great writer! Amongst all the horror, there’s something so relatable in his stories (no I didn’t fall hot and heavy for a winged beastie!) Reading this unhinged and wild collection of shorts is like riding a rollercoaster - you are hurtling along in one direction then there’s a sharp veer off in the other. And some make you leave your stomach behind!!
Two stories really stood out for me and those were Retail Therapy and Just A Fly, the latter because it was so horrifyingly absurd but in the best possible way.
4.5 stars -
I loved this collection of short stories by Mark Towse. Each one was unrelated to the next. They abounded in creativity and highlighted prime cuts of horror.
There were some stories that I would have loved to see get turned into a novella, such as "The Fruits of Labour," which was a visceral and creepy story about strange fruit providing inspiration for a writer at a disturbing price.
My favourite stories were:
"The Fruits of Labour" - As mentioned above.
"Mother Dearest" - A freaky scenario that involved a haunted house and a family evolving into turpitude.
"Bucket of Chicken" - A greasy jaunt into the world of a man whose past has come to claim its due. "Time for a Change" - A feminist story about banding together and reclaiming the self after abuse.
"Old Times" - This fun tale reminded me of the movie "Mr. Brooks" in the best way.
"The Candle Maker" - A fantastic finale for this book that will make you think twice about immersing yourself in memories prompted by well-crafted scented candles.
It was a whirlwind collection that touched on various topics, with only the author being the common denominator. I reveled in that experience because it brought surprise with each new tale and kept me on my toes, eager for what fresh hell came next. Like a bouquet of feral babies, I whole-heartedly recommend this bundle of deranged joys. -
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
My appetite for new disturbing reads is almost insatiable. However, a lot of horrorbooks seem to have the same flavor and original stories are very hard to find. The happier I am that Mark Towse approached me out of the blue to introduce me to this book-baby he's so very proud of.
This book offers a unique collection of disturbing short stories and one novella. What I loved most about it, is that I never really knew where a story was going until it was too late and I found myself in a terrible, freaky but hypnotizing mess. All stories felt like they had a purpose and weren't only written for shock value. A lot of the stories had a very satisfying conclusion as well. Something I also have to mention is how wonderful this book is written. I involuntarily had to see, smell and sometimes even taste what took place in the story because it was described to vividly. I truly love the author's imagination
The only thing left to say is that I feel like a ghost, sharing a heartbeat with the ocean (and I'll never be able to see flies in a non R Rated type of way again 🪰) -
This is a great collection of short stories with a fantastic novella in the middle.
There is something for everyone here, tales that are creepy, haunting, revengeful, horrifying, disturbing and twisted. There is justice, metamorphosis, loss and love. It includes most of the horror genres, folk, cosmic, body, psychological and downright gruesome.
I loved the novella, Mommy Dearest, it is full of tension and a horrifying twist on a house haunted by its past. I loved the cosmic turn in The Undertones, the really twisted metamorphosis of Just a Fly, the madness of Retail Therapy, my absolute favourite was Make me Shine, a journalist researches forgotten crimes and his career flourishes but at what cost. But, Fruits of Labour comes a close second, a tree bears creative fruit, the flesh of which inspires a struggling writer, I’ve never read anything like it, fascinating and revolting in equal measure.
An excellent anthology, step in to this madhouse of the macabre! -
There’s Sonething Wrong with Aunty Beth by Mark Towse is the first book I’ve read by this author. This book was a very pleasant surprise as it’s full of short stories numbering to twenty. Plus there’s even novella in there to boot!!!
These are all horror stories! You like gore? It’s there… You like horror comedy? There. You like suspense horror? Guess what it’s there! Each short story tackled a different kind of horror element, it was masterful to read. I had a ball reading it! If your a lover of all things horror then this is definitely the book for you. I loved meeting and reading about Aunty Beth; you should definitely read and find out why she’s a big deal. I finished in one sitting but as it’s full of short stories if you don’t have a bunch of time to devote to reading… this would be a great way to get you horror fix, one story at a time!
Final review
4.5 stars out of 5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.✨ -
Another great collection of short stories from a fantastic author. I have yet to be disappointed by anything I have read by Mark Towse.
This particular collection begins with a great sort of prequel to his book Nana (which is disgustingly weird and great read, go check it out). Each story though separate, definitely have something in common and I love it when authors do this. Sometimes its obvious, sometimes its subtle. A perfect collection of stories to give you the chills, heebee jeebies or worse down right dread.
A few of my favorites from the collection include:
There's Something Wrong with Aunty Beth
The Fruits of Labour
An Old Romantic
Mother Dearest
Bucket of Chicken
A Bad Harvest
Mount Pleasant House
The Bedroom Window -
It’s never a question of “if” I’m going to read one of Towse’s new books but “when” I will get a chance to do so. I finally got to visit with Aunty Beth and a whole slew of other characters in this single author short horror anthology. There are twenty short stories, one of which is a novella.
All of these stories kept my attention. They are varied and offer something for all types of horror fans. I hadn’t read short stories by Towse in a while, so it was fun to have that experience again. I will admit, though, my favorite story length from him is his novella. I love having more pages and more time to spend with the truly weird characters he creates. That being said, don’t discount this book! Reading it will whet your appetite for more of his works -
Finished up There’s Something Wrong with Aunty Beth by Mark Towse A collection of 20 stories, including a novella What a fantastic read! There is literally something for everyone in this book. Stories of grief, guilt, revenge, and much more If you are looking for a solid collection of horror stories to read, look no further. Read it; you’ll dig it.
5 severed fingers out of 5 -
Loved this collection of short stories by Mark. The characters and writing style are brilliant. Horror fans will enjoy all of these stories.
