Dr. X: Twelve Cautionary Tales (Paperback) (ISBN-13: 9798278301226)

A collection of short horror stories and novelettes, haunted by the spectre of Dr. Nathaniel Eldtritch, antiquarian of the occult. Twelve characters battle their personal demons, yet fail to see the demonology in their midst until it is too late. The social realities of modern society are laced with the influence of an ancient adversary and his many conduits. "Be careful what you wish for."

Acoustics I: A lonely gent turns to a dating agency in hope of adventure, but money can't buy love. A strange pawnbroker is only too eager to help. When a bachelor has unreasonable expectations, he might regret his wishes when his dreams come true.

Walk On By: Damaged by trauma, a young woman escapes to a seaside resort to start again, but the bane of her life walks back into sight. Confrontation looms as she braves the hall of waxen faces, and the wave after wave of blind rage that rises within her.

Day Tripper: An unassuming villager eagerly anticipates the senior citizen's annual coach trip. Shaking off his gossiping companions, he ventures into a rambler's paradise of glorious lakes and enchanted hills, but there is more to his yearly ritual than meets the eye.

Shot At Fame: A warped young man dreams of celebrity. The dark web that weaves through his online world further facilitates his macabre fantasies. If he can take his one big shot, the Birmingham Hippodrome will one day overshadow Dealey Plaza.

Call You Later: A notorious psychic passes away, bequeathing her dark legacy to the parishioners of Godney. While her son is distraught, her daughter hopes to flee with the cash. Tempted to teach him a final lesson, she mistakenly invokes a vengeful wrath.

Bugging Me: Mourning the loss of his beloved wife, a lonely pensioner battles a parasitic infestation, or his inner demons made flesh. Holding true to his principles, but urgently in need of support, he has the fight of his life just to be believed.

Congratulations: An age-discrepant couple withstand scornful parents, cruel rumours and persistent doubts while trying to start a family. Terrifying, ominous visions plague the young mother, yet a kindly doctor offers a helping hand to deliver her cherished progeny.

The Curious Case of Dr Polizzo: A troubled doctor decamps to Whitby to escape her past. Puzzled by the records left by her predecessor, she soon uncovers the bloody truth of a local legend. The undead horror of war rears its ugly head and drags her son into a living nightmare.

Appointment at Kirriemuir: Haunted by grief, a librarian races into the sunset in search of her shadow. The Neverland she discovers confounds and torments her. Release from her trial is not found by escaping the past, but by embracing an eerie truth woven into its fabric.

A Close Shave: A Glasgow barber receives an unexpected visit from some illustrious clients. Meanwhile, violence erupts throughout the divided city as a gangland boss wreaks his havoc. The course of rock n'roll history careens toward a perilous collision.

The Clay Man: The manager of a London nightclub is sent back to the site of a torturous memory. While he thinks he is merely finishing an old job, tying up loose ends for the boss, it has long been written in fate's ledger that he will embody the kabbalist's curse.

Acoustics II: A songwriter is charmed by a mysterious, antique guitar and lured into a devious pawnbroker's trap. Craving escape from a rapacious music industry, the devilish instrument gives him more than he bargained for-down by the Old Blue river.

Author: John Meachen
ISBN-13: 9798278301226
Publisher: Independently Published
Language: English
Published: 12/13/2025
Pages: 376
Format: Paperback
Weight: 1.11lbs
Size: 9.00h x 6.00w x 0.78d