Dead Ringer: A Horror Short Story

Name: Dead Ringer: A Horror Short Story
Price: 5.99 USD
Availability: InStock
ISBN: 9781502386465

✍️ Jason Brant

Reader Score

4.4

(1 review)

$5.99

In stock — ready to ship Ships in 1–2 business days

📚 WHAT THE BOOK IS ABOUT

A paper salesman mistaken for a baseball player faces deadly consequences.

The narrative centers on Clark Sandford, an unremarkable employee who bears a striking resemblance to a local athlete. His life changes when he is forced to assume the player's identity due to a lack of funds and identification. This accidental impersonation grants him access to spaces and people he would never meet otherwise. However, the glamour of fame quickly fades into danger. The story explores the dark side of being recognized for the wrong reasons. Clark learns that notoriety attracts threats rather than admiration. The text remains tightly focused on his immediate survival. There is no subplot or secondary character development. The horror stems from the realization that he is trapped in a role he cannot escape. Brant uses this premise to critique the superficial nature of celebrity. The story concludes with Clark facing the lethal reality of his situation.

Key Themes

identity theft celebrity danger urban isolation

Literary Context

This work sits within the tradition of American urban horror fiction. It reflects anxieties about identity and public perception in mid-2010s literature. The setting anchors the narrative in Milwaukee, grounding the supernatural elements in a specific geographic reality.

Difficulty

● Easy

Recommended For Fans Of

Shirley Jackson · Stephen King · R.L. Stine · John Carpenter's 'The Thing'

🩸

Horror Fiction

🏛 Createspace Independent Publishing Platform 📅 2014 📖 62 pages 🌐 English 📔 Paperback ISBN: 9781502386465

📝 Description: Dead Ringer: A Horror Short Story

Clark Sandford works as a paper salesman in Milwaukee. He shares an uncanny physical resemblance with the city’s second baseman. This likeness becomes his defining trait among local residents. After forgetting his wallet following a sale, Clark faces a simple logistical problem. He cannot secure a hotel room without identification. A stranger mistakes him for the athlete and offers him lodging. Clark accepts this mistaken identity and steps into the public eye. The narrative follows his experience within this borrowed fame. He discovers that celebrity status carries hidden dangers. The story examines how notoriety can lead to fatal consequences. Brant constructs a tense atmosphere around ordinary circumstances turning sinister. The plot relies on the tension between anonymity and unwanted attention. Readers interested in psychological horror will find this work engaging. Those seeking complex world-building may find it too narrow. The text is organized as a single continuous narrative arc. It does not divide into chapters or sections. The pacing moves steadily from relief to dread. Brant qualifies himself through his focus on supernatural fiction and horror genres. His style emphasizes immediate peril over long-term lore. This short story appeals to fans of urban legends. It avoids grand mythology in favor of personal stakes. The ending delivers a sharp conclusion to the premise. Clark’s journey ends in violence rather than redemption.

💎 Our verdict on Dead Ringer: A Horror Short Story

“

🩸

Horror Reads editorial team

Horror desk

Jason Brant constructs a tense atmosphere around the simple logistical problem of forgotten identification, transforming it into a nightmare of mistaken identity. The narrative excels in maintaining a steady pace from relief to dread, keeping the focus tightly on Clark Sandford’s immediate survival. By avoiding complex world-building, the story emphasizes personal stakes and the terrifying reality of being trapped in an unescapable role. This approach suits readers who prefer psychological horror over supernatural spectacle. The text remains engaging for those interested in the dangers of borrowed fame, delivering a sharp, focused experience that critiques the superficial nature of celebrity through immediate, visceral peril rather than abstract themes.

✓ EDITOR'S REVIEW

📖 Why choose it

📖

Why this book is worth reading

Readers who appreciate tight, focused psychological horror will find this narrative engaging due to its relentless pacing and lack of distracting subplots. It appeals to those interested in the dark side of celebrity culture, offering a critique of how notoriety attracts threats rather than admiration. Fans of urban legends and stories where ordinary circumstances turn sinister will enjoy the tension between anonymity and unwanted attention. The book suits readers seeking immediate peril over long-term lore, providing a sharp conclusion to its premise without unnecessary world-building or secondary character development.

⭐ Reader reviews

The starting rating comes from the team Horror Reads —

Reader rating

4.4

Based on 1 reviews

Horror Reads editorial team

Jason Brant constructs a tense atmosphere around the simple logistical problem of forgotten identification, transforming it into a nightmare of mistaken identity. The narrative excels in maintaining a steady pace from relief to dread, keeping the focus tightly on Clark Sandford’s immediate survival. By avoiding complex world-building, the story emphasizes personal stakes and the terrifying reality of being trapped in an unescapable role. This approach suits readers who prefer psychological horror over supernatural spectacle. The text remains engaging for those interested in the dangers of borrowed fame, delivering a sharp, focused experience that critiques the superficial nature of celebrity through immediate, visceral peril rather than abstract themes.