Book Review - A Splash of Crimson

A Splash of Crimson: Strange and Scary Stories by Jackson Arthur
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

"A Splash of Crimson" contains seven short scary stories. The genres are mostly paranormal, verging on mystery and suspenseful tales. The stories alternate from first person to third, and the characters vary vastly in ages and situations. Most of the stories have to deal with death, or at least the looming presence of death before they step into the unknown world that lies just beyond the grave. It is a truly physiological thriller, because it makes you as the reader start to fear death and the unknown world that awaits the main character's spirit after it departs from their body.

My favourite story by far is "The Church at the Edge of Town." It strongly reminded me of something of a Twilight Zone episode or an unsolved mystery from the classic television show, X-Files. It was a short read, but a true chilling one. The ambiguous ending was truly satisfying, because it makes the reader want to learn more about the mysterious church and the great evil that lurks within it.

Overall, I enjoyed these short collections of paranormal stories. I would not say they are scary, per say, but they are definitely a good read if you like stories that verge on the edge of disturbing and the paranormal. The writing style was a bit jarring at times, but I think it suits the author's stories. I think Jackson Arthur did a great job, and I look forward to reading more of his work.

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