“A unique, startling, moving collection of genre-twisting stories that play out in those shadowed places that linger as the sun goes down” (Shroud Magazine Book Reviews). The living haunt the dead . . . These sixteen genre-bending stories are set against a backdrop of sudden violence and profound regret, populated by characters whose circumstances and longings drive them to the point of no return . . . and sometimes even further. A young girl takes a journey to see what is really hidden within the belly of an ancient water tower. A high school senior learns about defiance on a school bus and witnesses a tragedy that he won’t soon forget. Six survivors in an underground bunker discuss the possibility of Armageddon being an elaborate hoax. Two brothers take a walk on the dark side of the wheat field and discover that some bonds are stronger than death. And in the title story, a former train conductor must confront the ghosts of his past while learning that it’s not the dead who haunt the living, but the other way around. Traversing the back roads of the south and beyond, these stories probe the boundaries of imagination, taking the reader to the fringes of a society where the world looks different, and once you visit, you won’t ever be the same. “John Mantooth’s short stories crackle with intelligence and violence.” —Paul Tremblay, author of The Cabin at the End of the World “Good, spare, bleak storytelling, and some haunting images that will stick with readers like the kid at the end of the road.” —Publishers Weekly
Broken Branch, Alabama, serves as a refuge for the God-fearing, a shelter from the evils of the outside world. But who will protect them from the evil within? Trudy first met Otto and James after World War I, two traveling ministers, preaching the good word to anyone who’d take the time to listen. Together, they founded Broken Branch, a hideaway in Alabama where the faithful would be able to isolate themselves from the impurity of the rest of the world and live blessed lives in the eyes of God. But then the storms came, tearing apart their small compound, God’s punishment for hidden wickedness in their hearts. And when an old man wanders into Broken Branch, ranting about a secret hideaway and uncovers an old storm cellar that’s been hidden for years, Trudy begins to wonder what other secrets lie under the surface of their safe haven… Includes a preview of The Year of the Storm Praise for Broken Branch "The community of Broken Branch in John Mantooth's fine novella enacts the familiar American quest to found a religiously-pure settlement whose members might escape the evils and ills of the larger world—in this case, Depression-era America. A descendant of Hawthorne's Blithedale Farm, not to mention Puritan Plymouth, its inhabitants come the same discovery as their forebearers, namely, that they themselves contain more than sufficient darkness to undo their enterprise. Through a tight focus on the woman whose largesse has made Broken Branch possible, Mantooth portrays the movement from willful ignorance to painful wisdom. In these pages, tornadoes churn, stars fall burning from the sky, and a strange storm shelter offers a glimpse of another world full of awful beauty. Broken Branch offers compelling evidence of John Mantooth's ambitions and abilities as a writer."—John Langan, author of The Wide, Carnivorous Sky and Other Monstrous Geographies "John Mantooth's Broken Branch is filled with claustrophobic, creeping dread. It's a story of lies and belief, fear and deception, and it will stay with you long after you've finished the last page."—Damien Walters Grintalis, author of Ink
In this haunting, suspenseful debut novel, John Mantooth takes readers to a town in rural Alabama where secrets are buried deep, reality is relative, and salvation requires a desperate act of faith. When Danny was fourteen, his mother and sister disappeared during a violent storm. The police were baffled. There were no clues, and most people figured they were dead. Only Danny still holds out hope that they’ll return. Months later, a disheveled Vietnam vet named Walter Pike shows up at Danny’s front door, claiming to know their whereabouts. The story he tells is so incredible that Danny knows he shouldn’t believe him. Others warn him about Walter Pike’s dark past, his shameful flight from town years ago, and the suspicious timing of his return. But he’s Danny’s last hope, and Danny needs to believe…
Issue Six of Crime Factory, featuring exclusives from Angela Savage (The Half-Child; Behind the Night Bazaar); Tony Black (Paying For It; Long Time Dead); features by Jedidiah Ayres; Peter “Nerd Of Noir” Dragovich; Andrew Nette; Audrey Homan; Fiction by Eric Beetner; John Mantooth; Libby Cudmore; Graham Bowlin; Tom Larsen; Mike Sheeter; Sean May; Douglas Sullivan; Scott Miles; Nigel Bird and John M. Radosta.
www.thecrimefactory.comIssue Six of Crime Factory, featuring exclusives from Angela Savage (The Half-Child; Behind the Night Bazaar); Tony Black (Paying For It; Long Time Dead); features by Jedidiah Ayres; Peter “Nerd Of Noir” Dragovich; Andrew Nette; Audrey Homan; Fiction by Eric Beetner; John Mantooth; Libby Cudmore; Graham Bowlin; Tom Larsen; Mike Sheeter; Sean May; Douglas Sullivan; Scott Miles; Nigel Bird and John M. Radosta.
With our American Philosophy and Religion series, Applewood reissues many primary sources published throughout American history. Through these books, scholars, interpreters, students, and non-academics alike can see the thoughts and beliefs of Americans who came before us.
Unlike some other reproductions of classic texts (1) We have not used OCR(Optical Character Recognition), as this leads to bad quality books with introduced typos. (2) In books where there are images such as portraits, maps, sketches etc We have endeavoured to keep the quality of these images, so they represent accurately the original artefact. Although occasionally there may be certain imperfections with these old texts, we feel they deserve to be made available for future generations to enjoy.
Reprint of the original, first published in 1871. The publishing house Anatiposi publishes historical books as reprints. Due to their age, these books may have missing pages or inferior quality. Our aim is to preserve these books and make them available to the public so that they do not get lost.
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