🩸 Horror Fiction

Dead Water

✍️ Simon Bestwick
Reader Score
4.4
(1 review)
$8.43
In stock — ready to ship Ships in 1–2 business days
📚 WHAT THE BOOK IS ABOUT

An anthology of five horror stories exploring dangerous water by Bestwick and others.

This collection gathers five distinct narratives from Simon Bestwick, Alan Spencer, David Moody, Daniel S. Boucher, and Maynard Sims. The PentAnth series continues with this fifth installment, focusing on the terrifying aspect of water. The stories examine how a fundamental necessity for survival can become a threat. Each author brings their specific style to the common theme of aquatic horror. The book does not rely on complex world-building but rather on immediate atmospheric dread. Readers find a compact volume that delivers concentrated scares through varied literary voices. The organization highlights the individual strengths of each contributor within the shared framework.

Key Themes
hostile water supernatural terror gothic fiction
Literary Context

Published in 2014 by Createspace Independent Publishing Platform, this work sits within the Hersham Horror Books PentAnth range. It contributes to the tradition of short horror anthologies that explore supernatural and gothic themes through multiple author voices.

Difficulty
● Easy
Recommended For Fans Of
David Moody · Alan Spencer
🩸
Horror Fiction
🏛 Createspace Independent Publishing Platform 📅 2014 🌐 English 📔 Paperback ISBN: 9781499775815

📝 Description: Dead Water

Hersham Horror Books presents Dead Water, an anthology featuring five original stories by Simon Bestwick, Alan Spencer, David Moody, Daniel S. Boucher, and Maynard Sims. This volume belongs to the PentAnth range, continuing a series dedicated to chilling tales of terror. The collection explores the unsettling possibility that the essential element for life might also be a source of danger. Readers encounter narratives where water transforms from a life-giving force into something hostile and untrustworthy. Simon Bestwick contributes to this group effort alongside four other established writers in the horror genre. The book organizes these distinct voices under a unified theme, allowing each author to explore their own interpretation of aquatic dread. The structure relies on the strength of individual storytelling rather than a single continuous plot. This format appeals to readers who enjoy varied perspectives on supernatural and gothic fiction. The anthology suits those interested in short-form horror that challenges familiar natural elements. It may not satisfy readers seeking long-form novels or historical non-fiction. The content focuses entirely on fictional terror derived from the source material provided. Each story offers a unique entry point into the genre, maintaining a consistent tone of unease throughout the pages.

💎 Our verdict on Dead Water

“
🩸
Horror Reads editorial team
Horror desk
Dead Water successfully unifies five distinct authors under a shared theme of aquatic dread, creating a cohesive yet varied reading experience. The anthology excels in delivering concentrated scares through individual storytelling strengths rather than a continuous plot. Each contributor brings their specific style to the unsettling transformation of life-giving water into something hostile. This structure allows for immediate atmospheric impact, appealing strongly to fans of gothic and psychological horror. The collection maintains a consistent tone of unease throughout, making it a potent choice for those who prefer short-form narratives that challenge familiar natural elements. It is best suited for readers who value atmospheric tension over complex narrative arcs.
✓ EDITOR'S REVIEW

📖 Why choose it

📖

Why this book is worth reading

Readers seeking compact volumes of immediate atmospheric dread will find this collection rewarding. It appeals to those who enjoy varied literary voices exploring the same terrifying premise without complex world-building. The anthology offers distinct entry points into aquatic horror, allowing fans to experience how different writers interpret the threat of water. It is ideal for short-form horror enthusiasts who appreciate supernatural and gothic fiction that challenges familiar natural elements. Those looking for long-form novels or historical non-fiction should look elsewhere, as this work focuses entirely on fictional terror derived from its specific thematic framework.

⭐ Reader reviews

The starting rating comes from the team Horror Reads —

Reader rating

4.4
Based on 1 reviews
5
0
4
1
3
0
2
0
1
0
H
Horror Reads editorial team

Dead Water successfully unifies five distinct authors under a shared theme of aquatic dread, creating a cohesive yet varied reading experience. The anthology excels in delivering concentrated scares through individual storytelling strengths rather than a continuous plot. Each contributor brings their specific style to the unsettling transformation of life-giving water into something hostile. This structure allows for immediate atmospheric impact, appealing strongly to fans of gothic and psychological horror. The collection maintains a consistent tone of unease throughout, making it a potent choice for those who prefer short-form narratives that challenge familiar natural elements. It is best suited for readers who value atmospheric tension over complex narrative arcs.

📖 From the series “Pentanth”

Anatomy of Death: In Five Sleazy Pieces
★★★★★
★★★★★
4.5
Stephen Bacon
Anatomy of Death: In Five Sleazy Pieces
$9.24
78
Read →
Demons & Devilry
★★★★★
★★★★★
4.5
John Llewellyn Probert
Demons & Devilry
$10.24
78
Read →

✍️ More books by this author Simon Bestwick

The Joining: Scenes of Wedding Terror
★★★★★
★★★★★
4.5
Simon Bestwick
The Joining: Scenes of Wedding Terror
$13.99
81
Read →
Nightmare Abbey 9
★★★★★
★★★★★
4.6
Simon Bestwick
Nightmare Abbey 9
$16.95
86
Read →
Jaeger
★★★★★
★★★★★
4.5
Simon Bestwick
Jaeger
$10.99
81
Read →
A Different Kind of Light
★★★★★
★★★★★
4.5
Simon Bestwick
A Different Kind of Light
$10.99
81
Read →
Nine Ghosts
★★★★★
★★★★★
4.5
Simon Bestwick
Nine Ghosts
$4.99
81
Read →
Devils Of London
★★★★★
★★★★★
4.5
Simon Bestwick
Devils Of London
$10.30
81
Read →

🏛 Books from this publisher Createspace Independent Publishing Platform

Memento Mori
★★★★★
★★★★★
4.5
Paul Holbrook
Memento Mori
$13.94
78
Read →
Mona Livelong: Paranormal Detective II: The Case of The Powerless Witch
★★★★★
★★★★★
4.5
Quinton Veal
Mona Livelong: Paranormal Detective II: The Case of The Powerless Witch
$12.00
78
Read →
The Manitou
★★★★★
★★★★★
4.5
Jessie Cox
The Manitou
$10.50
78
Read →
The Phantom of the Opera
★★★★★
★★★★★
4.5
Alexander Teixeira De Mattos
The Phantom of the Opera
$17.00
81
Read →
The Trial
★★★★★
★★★★★
4.5
David Wyllie
The Trial
$10.25
81
Read →
Prey Until Dawn
★★★★★
★★★★★
4.5
Daryn Guarino
Prey Until Dawn
$50.00
78
Read →

You might also like

See more →
Wolf's Hill
★★★★★
★★★★★
4.6
1
Simon Bestwick
Wolf's Hill
$15.95
86
Read →
Singing Back the Dark
★★★★★
★★★★★
4.5
1
Simon Bestwick
Singing Back the Dark
$6.99
81
Read →
Midnight Seasons
★★★★★
★★★★★
4.6
1
Ron W Koppelberger Jr
Midnight Seasons
$8.49
86
Read →
The House on the Borderland
★★★★★
★★★★★
4.6
1
Anton Rivas
The House on the Borderland
$8.49
86
Read →
Frankenstein: ou le Promethee moderne
★★★★★
★★★★★
4.6
1
Mary Shelly
Frankenstein: ou le Promethee moderne
$8.50
86
Read →
The fall of the House of Usher: (low cost). limited edition
★★★★★
★★★★★
4.6
1
Edgar Allan Poe
The fall of the House of Usher: (low cost). limited edition
$8.50
86
Read →

Have a question about this item?

Ask about the edition, condition, delivery or anything else — we reply by email or phone, usually within a day.

Home Genres
Cart
Wishlist