Doorbells at Dusk: Keeping Up Appearances by Jason Parent

To get into the Halloween spirit, I’ll be reading (and dissecting) the Halloween-themed anthology Doorbells at Dusk. My thanks goes to Erin Sweet Al-Mehairi and Corpus Press.

~𝓚𝓮𝓮𝓹𝓲𝓷𝓰 𝓤𝓹 𝓐𝓹𝓹𝓮𝓪𝓻𝓪𝓷𝓬𝓮𝓼

What felt like a millipede’s thousand legs tickled the back of his neck.

Synopsis: A man and his crew go trick or treating for Halloween, yet instead of candy, they seek valuables. Unfortunately for them, their latest target isn’t as easy.

Keeping up Appearances was yet another notable tale that appealed to me. It set up the scene well; introducing characters that weren’t entirely likeable, however their inevitable fate proved more horrific than their lack of morals. I enjoyed the gloomy atmosphere, and the quick mention of Japanese myth interested me a great deal (how could it not?). I found myself doing a little homework into the subject, searching for creatures that suitably fit the bill, and when a story motivates me to do that, then I know there’s something good about it.

I’m not  a total stranger to Parent’s work, as I’ve previously reviewed his novel What Hides Within. You can find it here.

Rating: 🎃🎃🎃🎃

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 In his head, Jason Parent lives in many places, but in the real world, he calls New England his home. The region offers an abundance of settings for his writing and many wonderful places in which to write them. He currently resides in Southeastern Massachusetts with his cuddly corgi named Calypso.