🩸 Horror Fiction

Scry For Help: A Novella of Grief

✍️ Aaron Eischeid
Reader Score
4.6
(1 review)
$9.95
In stock — ready to ship Ships in 1–2 business days
📚 WHAT THE BOOK IS ABOUT

A queer horror novella about scrying to summon a dead lover from beyond the grave.

This text presents a narrative where supernatural events serve as metaphors for emotional pain. Nate’s journey is not merely about seeing ghosts but about confronting the reality of absence. The author uses the ritual of mirror gazing to structure the protagonist's internal conflict. As visions bleed into his waking life, the distinction between good and evil spirits becomes unclear. The story does not offer easy answers or closure. Instead, it presents a harrowing examination of how the mind copes with irreversible loss. The horror arises from the uncertainty of what returns from the other side and the danger of clinging to the past.

Key Themes
queer grief mirror scrying hallucinatory visions
Literary Context

This novella is set in Chicago's West Loop within a shared artist loft. It engages with queer narratives and gothic traditions of mourning. The work draws on ancient occult practices like mirror gazing to explore supernatural themes.

Difficulty
●●● Challenging
Recommended For Fans Of
Ramsey Campbell · M.R. James · Carmen Maria Machado · Thomas Ligotti
🩸
Horror Fiction
🏛 Paradigm Shift Productions 📅 2019 📖 156 pages 🌐 English 📔 Paperback ISBN: 9781733425605

📝 Description: Scry For Help: A Novella of Grief

Aaron Eischeid’s novella Scry For Help centers on Nate, a man left alone in a Chicago West Loop artist loft after his boyfriend Jamie dies. The narrative follows Nate as he struggles with isolation and begins experiencing hallucinations that blur the line between memory and reality. To cope with this grief, Nate adopts the ancient practice of scrying, or mirror gazing, hoping to summon Jamie from the other side. The story examines the intersection of queer love and supernatural horror. It draws on traditional occult methods to explore how mourning can distort perception. The plot moves through Nate’s descent into madness as he attempts to bridge the gap between life and death. Eischeid qualifies this work by focusing on the psychological toll of loss rather than simple scares. This book suits readers interested in ghost stories that address human conditions and mental health. It may not appeal to those seeking traditional jump scares or fast-paced action. The novella offers a quiet, intense look at how spirits can manifest through grief.

💎 Our verdict on Scry For Help: A Novella of Grief

“
🩸
Horror Reads editorial team
Horror desk
Aaron Eischeid delivers a poignant exploration of grief through the lens of mirror-gazing rituals, effectively using supernatural events as metaphors for emotional pain. The narrative excels in portraying Nate’s descent into madness with psychological depth, making the horror arise from uncertainty rather than jump scares. While it lacks fast-paced action or traditional closure, its strength lies in examining how the mind copes with absence. This work is best suited for readers who appreciate ghost stories addressing human conditions and mental health, offering a hauntingly beautiful depiction of love and loss.
✓ EDITOR'S REVIEW

📖 Why choose it

📖

Why this book is worth reading

Readers seeking a harrowing examination of irreversible loss and the psychological toll of mourning will find this novella deeply resonant. It is ideal for those interested in how grief distorts perception and blurs the line between reality and hallucination. Fans of slow-burn horror that focuses on internal conflict rather than external action will appreciate its quiet intensity. This book offers a unique intersection of queer love and supernatural horror, providing a nuanced look at the danger of clinging to the past without offering easy closure or simple answers.

⭐ Reader reviews

The starting rating comes from the team Horror Reads —

Reader rating

4.6
Based on 1 reviews
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Horror Reads editorial team

Aaron Eischeid delivers a poignant exploration of grief through the lens of mirror-gazing rituals, effectively using supernatural events as metaphors for emotional pain. The narrative excels in portraying Nate’s descent into madness with psychological depth, making the horror arise from uncertainty rather than jump scares. While it lacks fast-paced action or traditional closure, its strength lies in examining how the mind copes with absence. This work is best suited for readers who appreciate ghost stories addressing human conditions and mental health, offering a hauntingly beautiful depiction of love and loss.

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