Ominous - A Collection of Dark Tales

If you’re craving a hit of horror, itching for a taste of terror, or desperate for a dose of dark fiction, this collection will satisfy that burning hunger within.

Contained within these pages are twenty works of flash fiction and shorts stories that feature brutal surgeons, tormented hitmen, sadistic trophy hunters and naive Devil worshipers.

The taste of these ominous tales will linger with you long after the book is closed... until you can’t resist opening it once more.

No Escape

An unstable leader, three vulnerable teenagers, and a merciless forest.

John moved to Vantage Point hoping for a fresh start. He had a new job, a new volunteer position with the local youth group ‘The Young Adventurers’, and a new place to call home. However, New Zealand is a small place, and news travels fast.

When a weekend trip away with three members of The Young Adventurers is potentially cancelled, an opportunity arises for John to prove to himself, and the inhabitants of Vantage Point, that he's a changed man. But deep within the mysterious West Coast forest, a series of unfortunate events results in the group fighting for survival, forcing them to come to the unsettling realisation that sanctuary can be a curse, and fear is always close.

Part one of the No Escape, the novella draws on inspiration from the stunning New Zealand scenery, Kiwi culture and the unforgiving wilderness to create a gripping and unsettling first installment into the dark world of Vantage Point – the small town that isn’t known for its happy endings.

The Search

Part two of the No Escape Series, the village rallies together to find the stricken Young Adventurers, but each passing minute pushes them towards another failed search and another set of grim statistics added to Vantage Point’s history.

The remaining leaders of the lost group are forced to put their difference aside as they scour the New Zealand wilderness, but deep within the west-coast forest, allegiances begin to unravel, and they soon need saving from themselves.

If you like haunted landscapes, tormented characters and a story that twists and turns its way to the very last page, then pick up a copy of The Search today.

The Hunt

Part three of the No Escape series: In the midsts of a round the world trip, Maria yearns for adventure. However, her partner Fabian has somehow replaced the hiking, climbing and rafting opportunities with museums, galleries and libraries. But a chance meeting with another couple presents an opportunity to explore the vast New Zealand backcountry, and what they soon discover makes them wish they’d never left the city.

A gripping and suspenseful dive into the punishing wilderness, where things are not what they seem. There is more to this place than meets the eye.

The Kill

Part four of the No Escape series: Maria is dragged from one nightmare to the next. With the infection spreading and at George’s mercy, she must continue to fight on all fronts if is she to have any hope of survival.

It has been almost two decades since the failed Young Adventures search, and while the inhabitants of Vantage Point may have moved on, Mitch struggles to heal from the deep scars it left. An unusual source presents the possibility of closure, but the answers Mitch seeks may open old wounds.

Keenan is not the only one trapped within the company's sinister grip. Jenny Wright is another faceless employee tasked with guarding generic corridors and doors. But a series of unfortunate events catapults her into the belly of the beast, and soon she is forced to come to terms with the human cost of progress and keeping secrets.

An interwoven story of three strangers forced to confront their own unique horrors, with a dramatic conclusion that will keep you on edge until the final page.

Ill-Gotten Gains

A fortunate find, an unfortunate encounter, and a haunting consequence that is felt over a century later.

During the New Zealand gold rush of the 1800’s, Job and his son Thomas have toiled for too long within the depths of the Vantage Point mines. Hoping to strike it lucky and return to their West Coast home rich men, a chance discovery offers them the means of escape. But news travels fast in this cursed place, and some prospectors make their own luck by the misfortune of others.

If you like immersive settings, tormented characters and vivid hauntings, then delve into this novella and discover how the past doesn’t stay buried for long at Vantage Point.