The Sick and the Sainted
B. Murphy and J. Mason
Bobbie Murphy Books, 2024
ISBN-13: 9798227044884
Ebook, 184 ppg.
There are the things we wish we could undo and unsee, but that doesn’t make them go away. That will never make them go away. The pain will linger and the horror will only grow. Left to fester in darkness, the terrifying thing will spiral out of control and take those harboring them onto a journey of darkness and despair.
The Sick and the Sainted by B. Murphy and J. Mason is a collection of stories reflecting this darkness. For the poor souls who somehow end up in the throes of evil or in the clutches of despair, the only way out is a one-way street.
I really enjoyed reading these stories. Filled with terror, horror, despair and pain, The Sick and the Sainted is a collection of stories that are the raw tellings from the twisted minds of characters or the unfortunate plight of those trapped in darkness. These stories made me cry, shudder, cringe, and grip my seat with fear.
The story “Responsibility” is one such story that really made me cringe. Yikes! It’s a good body horror story, coupled with one father’s very unique way of seeking vengeance against his daughter’s tormentor.
What I absolutely loved about some of the stories is how people are able to gain revenge against someone who either tormented them on the Internet or tormented someone else. Vengeance against someone who abused, bullied or hurt someone through the Internet is just one of the stories which I enjoy reading. There are so many creeps and trolls on the Internet! A lot of people can only wish they could get revenge against those who have hurt them online. For writers, we can obtain this vengeance in our stories. But for readers, it’s nice to see that happen, because it gives them a nice feeling of doing the same!
The story “Shattered” was heartbreaking. It especially touched a nerve for me because I am a survivor of the same thing, though what I went through did not happen from a stepfather. I completely understand the need to tell a story, in a way of setting the record straight and letting the truth be known. I did the same, telling mine as a fictional account. I know this is fiction, but I saw it in that way. Survivors of sexual abuse and rape need to tell their stories. I was sad how the character’s story ended. Sadly, this actually happens in real life; many victims are not believed, even blamed and called names, and end up doing the same thing that this character did. Even so, it is still a powerful story.
The last story in this book was disturbing but it was told from the disturbed mind of a character. It sure made for a creepy read!
The stories in the pages of this book are, indeed, those from the minds of “the sick and the sainted.” Readers must know that there are incidents in which a dog is killed and a pre-teen is first sexually assaulted then raped, so go into the reading of these stories with thick skin. But remember, they are just stories; no animals or children were actually hurt or killed in the writing of these stories!
Filled with tales of dread, horror and terror, The Sick and the Sainted leaves a lasting impression on readers of what dangers lurk around the corner, and how things are not what they seem. These are stories that are the stuff of nightmares, safely existing on the pages of a book. After reading these stories, they may linger once the reader has put the book down, and return to haunt in the most horrific ways through nightmares.
Five stars
Disclaimer: I received a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
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