Darcy Coates is the Queen of Horror and proved it once again with Ghost Camera.

This revised/expanded edition of her previous release includes more chills than the original.

A found camera takes pictures of the dead, and the story quickly spirals into a fast-paced, hellish game of cat and mouse.

I really enjoyed this story! I always struggle with short stories because I always feel like there’s something missing. This one was so good. It gave me chills. It actually reminded me of the movie Shutter. I was thrown off a bit with all the other short stories thrown in there too, as I wasn’t aware of it being presented as a collection of stories. However, I really liked all of them! Excited to read more from this author

4.5 stars. Wonderful collection of spooky stories. Ghost Camera, Death Birds, and The House on Boxwood Lane were my favorites. Didn't enjoy A Box of Tapes but it was plenty scary. Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC

As with any collection of short stories, these are a mixed bag.

Ghost Camera, the title story, is a novella about Jenine and Bree. While at a wedding, Jenine sneaks away to get some photos when she comes upon and old school Polaroid. She grabs it and takes a picture just because. But something odd is in the photo. Upon closer inspection, it looks like there are several ghosts... After taking several more pictures, it becomes apparent that there are indeed ghosts in the photos. And they appear to be getting closer. The pair enlist some help, but the ghost hunter freaks when he finds out that the devise the girls need help with is a camera. Apparently, he has some history with ghost cameras and it is not good.

I enjoyed this, but I can't decide how I feel about the ending. It's fitting and fair, but I'm not sure if I liked it or not.

Death Birds was an interesting premise: surrounding every death, a large carrion-type bird appears. Which is a little rough when you are working in a hospital. But the birds' curse is not definite - just because they show up doesn't mean a death is imminent; rather a possibility. Imagine trying to work with that watching over you. Literally.

The House on Boxwood Lane is a story about an old dilapidated house. Despite the fact that it looks like it's been abandoned for years, no one really remembers it being there. And all the doors and windows are open, almost as if in invitation... Saw where this was going, but still loved it.

The night that I read Ghost Camera my power went out. I coul.d not stop reading. I attached a battery backup and finished. And then I could not sleep. Several of the stories made the same impression. I was creeped out completely. I love Darcy Coates and the creep factor. For the most part, the stories in this collection kept me up nights. I was reminded of some classics and some stories. But I was always tense.

Ghost Camera is a collection of short stories with two novellas, one of which is called Ghost Camera. Ghost Camera was previously published in 2014, but Coates decided to revise it to include in this collection of new short stories.

I absolutely adored this anthology. There were a couple of stories that didn’t quite work for me, but most of them were absolutely gripping. Some were incredibly brilliant. Sometimes, after I finished a story, I didn’t want to start the next one. Instead, I just sat there, staring at the wall, contemplating what I’d just read.

My favourite stories (in no particular order):

The House on Boxwood Lane
Death Birds
The Run to Broken Ridge
A Box of Tapes
Like with her longform storytelling, Coates does a fantastic job of setting the scene and letting us dive headfirst into the characters’ heads. There’s a supernatural element to every one of these stories. Sometimes it’s revealed gradually, and other times it’s obvious right off the bat. Some of the stories are very short, and others are quite long. The one thing they all share in common is that they have a spooky, spine-tingling twist at the end.

I highly recommend this anthology if you’re looking for some bite-sized horror stories to keep you up at night!

This was my second Darcy book and I loved it ! It got me in the mood to read more spooky book already this year. It’s a perfect creepy vibes book you won’t want to put down. Its definitely a book you wanna add to your tbr this fall.

Thank you to Darcy Coates, the publisher and Netgalley for the ARC!

I don’t always gravitate towards short story collections, but I will read anything Darcy Coates write - she’s one of my auto-buy authors for sure! Although “Ghost Camera” is originally one of her older stories published years ago, here she jazzes it up and includes several other short stories. It was a quick, entertaining and scary read - perfect for in between other longer books!

“Ghost Camera” is out NOW!

I loved the novella, Ghost Camera, and the rest of the scary short stories published with it 🖤 This is perfect for upcoming spooky season or whenever you are in the mood for a creepy story or two. This full book can be read in a day or a short story at a time. I read Ghost Camera in one day and then spaced out the other stories out over a week because I loved the scary vibes!

(This same review was shared on the Barnes & Noble website)

“Ghost camera” is a re-release of the novella combined with other short stories with similarly eery and spooky subject matter.

This was a refreshing read, the combination of several short stories made for a very quick read allowing time for a pause or a rest throughout the reading journey.

I enjoyed the haunting themes throughout and definitely got the creeps a few times! Each story ranges from mildly disturbing to downright terrifying so there’s definitely a selection for all tastes here.

Thank you to Darcy Coates, Poisened Pen Press and NetGalley for the EARC!

Publish date: July 30th 2024

There are very few authors whose novels I anticipate as eagerly as those of Darcy Coates. She continues to be one of my favorite authors, and her books never, ever fail to captivate me. Therefore, imagine my sheer joy when I discovered that I was approved for an ARC of GHOST CAMERA. It felt like unwrapping the BEST birthday present ever! Now, let's dive into my review.

GHOST CAMERA is a departure from Darcy Coates’s usual full-length novels, presented instead as a collection of short stories. Each tale is uniquely crafted and stands out on its own, yet all share the eerie atmosphere and chilling moments that we’ve come to expect from Darcy’s writing. Her ability to create immersive storytelling experiences and rich characterizations turns reading into a truly spellbinding experience. She’s able to instill fear in readers effortlessly with the incredible level of detail in her writing, her imagery making it so we can almost see and hear the action as it terrifyingly plays out on the pages of her books. In my opinion, very few authors can write in a way that evokes such a visceral response, but Darcy nails it every time!

With this collection of short stories, we get the same level captivating storytelling that is in each of her full blown novels. I enjoyed every one in a different way, each offering its own unique kind of horror, constantly keeping me on the edge of my seat. The stories range from unsettling to outright terrifying, exhibiting Darcy’s remarkable range as a writer. No one can build tension and instill utter fear like she can!

Overall, GHOST CAMERA is a testament to Darcy Coates's skill as a storyteller. She continues to prove why she is a powerhouse in the horror genre, and I can't wait to see what she has in store for us next. She delivers a series of haunting tales here that not only entertain us but also linger in our minds long after the story is finished.

I want to extend a huge thank you to NetGalley, Darcy Coates, and Poisoned Pen Press for gifting me the ARC of GHOST CAMERA! I appreciate you trusting me with an honest review!! It was a privilege to be able to read this fabulous collection of short stories before publication!

At first I thought this book was entirely about the ghost camera, I didn't realize it was a collection of short stories. I was, however, happily surprised because each and every story was great, spooky, creepy, sometimes familiar in lore, but overall easy to read and perfect for spooky season.

Thank you netgalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review

Coates delivers per usual with an addictive reading experience featuring stories ranging from a camera that captures ghosts in the photos, to a plane crash, to a house that may or may not be hungry for children and so much more.

The stories in this collection are captivating, strange, eerie, liminal, and tantalizing. I flew through the pages in a couple of days.

The feature story Ghost Camera, is one of the first stories that Coates ever wrote and I hadn't had the chance to read it until now. I thought it was fantastically weird and I highly enjoyed my time with it. The collection as a whole shimmers with ghostly light and strange happenings, as a Coates fan this book hit all the marks for me.

Ghost Camera was a novella about a girl who finds an old Polaroid camera and discovers that the photos seem to have some creepy elements to them. This story gave me the chills with how descriptive and spooky Coates writes. I really enjoyed this story and I wished it had kept going because I was so into it.

Ghost Camera by Darcy Coates  is an anthology of short horror stories.

First, let me thank NetGalley, the publisher Poisoned Pen Press and of course the author, for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

 
My Synopsis and Opinions:
As with any anthology, I will review each story on it's own.

Ghost Camera ...  Jenine finds an old polaroid camera that is taking pictures of ghosts....and they are suddenly aware of her.  She and her friend Bree try to find an expert who can help them.  People who have taken pictures with this camera die!  More of a novella than a short story.  Absolutely loved it!  5 stars

Payment for the Dead ... Times are tough, and he has 3 small kids and a wife to feed.  Is grave-robbing really so bad?    Good, but, familiar ... 3 stars

Death Birds ... A new species has appeared in the last couple decades.  Gigantic bird-like creatures that aren't really solid appear whenever someone is dying.  The ER always has them, but why are there so many?  Loved this one....great protagonist.  5 stars

The House on Boxwood Lane ... The kids can't figure out why they've noticed that house before. but the doors are open...  So predictable, but really good.  4 stars

The Run to Broken Ridge Lighthouse ...  6 teenagers on a beach where a girl had died, and apparently haunts the area..  4 of them, the boys carrying their girlfriends on their back, race to the lighthouse.  But this is more than a game.   I hated those boys!  Good story, though.   3 stars

Remains ...  A man tries to escape his loveless marriage by any means possible, but his wife loves him enough for both of them.  This was simply great!  5 stars

Untamed Things ... A plane crash in a remote area of the mountains has Chloe leading Ana to the front section of the plane so she can call for help.  Apparently there are untamed creatures in this untamed land.  Even though it was somewhat predictable,  I loved both Chloe and Ana, and absolutely loved this one!  5 stars

Cathedral ... A couple who are driving through the country spy a massive cathedral in a farmer's field.  They decide to stop.  Again, predictable, but okay  3 stars

A Box of Tapes ... A new homeowner finds a box of VHS tapes in her daughter's closet with a note saying she will regret it if she views them.  Needless to say, the six tapes are like a magnet.  This was quite good, another novella instead of a short story.     4 stars


First....it is strange to find the same title used for this collection as for the originally published single story.  That is just confusing.

Overall, I was surprised to see a couple familiar short stories, but then realized that the author had included shorts that she sent in her newsletters.  As well, Ghost Camera was originally published a decade ago.  So, I'm not really sure if any of these are "new".  But it doesn't really matter, because it is a good collection!

This book wasnt what i thought it was going to be and sadly it wasnt for me. Maybe someone else will get into it but i couldnt ever really find myself wanting to read anymore. It was a struggle just to finish.

Thank you to Darcy Coates, Poisoned Pen Press, and NetGalley for this copy of Ghost Camera. I’ve been more into supernatural/paranormal themes and love them once spooky season rolls around. However, this book and I just didn’t mesh well. I like a little bit of character development before you’re thrown into the main plot of the whole book. The dialogue between Bree and Jenine just felt so weird and off-kilter to me. It definitely was suspenseful and the premise is downright scary! 3 out of 5 stars

I have been on a journey this year with horror short story collections and Ghost Camera is exactly what I have been looking for. Darcy Coates nailed it!

The stories in this collection feel like Goosebumps for adults. They are wonderfully creepy, suspenseful, and campy in the best way, and each one was fun and satisfying to read. My favorites were the titular story Ghost Camera, Death Birds, Untamed Things, and A Box of Tapes, but I am happy to say I enjoyed every story in this book! If you like horror short stories, this book should be on your list.

Thank you to Netgalley for providing me with an advance copy in exchange for my honest review.

Ghost Camera is another solid entry into the Darcy Coates catalog. This one contains a handful of short stories and they are all entertaining and creative. My personal favorite was Ghost Camera - the characters were solid as was the pacing and the scares. This is a perfect read for the upcoming Halloween season and even for people just getting into the horror genre. One things for sure, you definitely won’t regret picking this one up!

A quick spooky read. It was so short though that it didn't feel fully fleshed out. It had some very scary moments but was all wrapped up a bit quickly for me. This was an okay read for me. I would have enjoyed a bit more form it.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher.