🩸 Horror Fiction

Skullface

✍️ Horrified Press
Reader Score
4.5
(1 review)
$14.65
In stock — ready to ship Ships in 1–2 business days
📚 WHAT THE BOOK IS ABOUT

A zombie wakes in an unmarked grave nine days before Halloween.

The narrative centers on a reanimated corpse named Skullface who emerges from his burial site with no memory of his former life. He wanders the Isle of Wight, using isolated areas to feed on humans while grappling with a fractured psyche. The plot advances through his gradual recovery of memories regarding his family and the reasons for his death. This psychological journey culminates in a final return to his home as the holiday deadline approaches.

Key Themes
undead memory loss Halloween deadline Isle of Wight setting
Literary Context

This text engages with Halloween traditions by using the nine-day countdown as a structural device. It draws on gothic horror tropes involving unmarked graves and reanimated corpses. The setting on the Isle of Wight provides a specific geographic context for the supernatural events described in the narrative.

Difficulty
●● Medium
Recommended For Fans Of
Stephen King · Clive Barker · Anne Rice · Thomas Ligotti
🩸
Horror Fiction
🏛 Lulu.com 📅 2014 🌐 English 📔 Paperback ISBN: 9781291858440

📝 Description: Skullface

Skullface begins his existence in an unmarked grave, waking just nine days before Halloween. He forces his way out to question his identity and the circumstances of his burial. The narrative follows him across the Isle of Wight, a location he uses for its secluded corners to hunt. He must kill, drink blood, and eat flesh to survive, a process that triggers a constant internal battle between two sides of his mind. As the holiday approaches, his memories sharpen, revealing details about his dysfunctional family and strange life. He repeatedly backs away from these recollections but understands that permanent death requires confronting his past. The story traces his final walk back to his home as Halloween arrives. This work by Horrified Press examines the psychological toll of undeath and the struggle for self-knowledge among the undead. Readers who enjoy character-driven horror stories set against specific holiday timelines will appreciate this focus on memory and guilt. Those seeking fast-paced action or traditional monster hunting may find the introspective tone less appealing. The book relies on the tension between survival instincts and the desire for rest.

💎 Our verdict on Skullface

“
🩸
Horror Reads editorial team
Horror desk
Skullface distinguishes itself by prioritizing psychological depth over visceral gore, creating a haunting atmosphere through its introspective tone. The narrative effectively utilizes the Isle of Wight's secluded corners to enhance the sense of isolation and dread surrounding the protagonist's hunt. While it may disappoint those seeking conventional action sequences, it rewards patients with a nuanced look at fractured psyches and familial dysfunction. The countdown to Halloween adds structural tension without overshadowing the internal journey. This title is best for readers who value atmospheric storytelling and complex character studies within the horror genre, offering a poignant reflection on what it means to confront one's past while burdened by undeath.
✓ EDITOR'S REVIEW

📖 Why choose it

📖

Why this book is worth reading

Readers who appreciate character-driven horror set against specific holiday timelines will find this narrative compelling due to its focus on memory and guilt. The book offers a unique exploration of the psychological toll of undeath, making it ideal for those interested in the struggle for self-knowledge among the undead. It is particularly suited for individuals seeking introspective tones rather than fast-paced action or traditional monster hunting scenarios. By tracing the protagonist's final walk back to his home as Halloween arrives, the story examines the tension between survival instincts and the desire for rest, providing a thoughtful examination of identity and past trauma.

⭐ Reader reviews

The starting rating comes from the team Horror Reads —

Reader rating

4.5
Based on 1 reviews
5
0
4
1
3
0
2
0
1
0
H
Horror Reads editorial team

Skullface distinguishes itself by prioritizing psychological depth over visceral gore, creating a haunting atmosphere through its introspective tone. The narrative effectively utilizes the Isle of Wight's secluded corners to enhance the sense of isolation and dread surrounding the protagonist's hunt. While it may disappoint those seeking conventional action sequences, it rewards patients with a nuanced look at fractured psyches and familial dysfunction. The countdown to Halloween adds structural tension without overshadowing the internal journey. This title is best for readers who value atmospheric storytelling and complex character studies within the horror genre, offering a poignant reflection on what it means to confront one's past while burdened by undeath.

✍️ More books by this author Horrified Press

In the Briar
★★★★★
★★★★★
4.5
Horrified Press
In the Briar
$6.20
81
Read →
Beyond the Shroud
★★★★★
★★★★★
4.6
Horrified Press
Beyond the Shroud
$12.27
86
Read →
Chrysalis
★★★★★
★★★★★
4.5
Horrified Press
Chrysalis
$6.50
81
Read →
The Fall of Cthulhu
★★★★★
★★★★★
4.5
Horrified Press
The Fall of Cthulhu
$13.86
78
Read →
The Fall of Cthulhu: volume II
★★★★★
★★★★★
4.5
Horrified Press
The Fall of Cthulhu: volume II
$13.97
78
Read →
Long Dead Before Dying
★★★★★
★★★★★
4.6
Horrified Press
Long Dead Before Dying
$13.66
86
Read →

🏛 Books from this publisher Lulu.com

Forty Seven
★★★★★
★★★★★
4.3
T L Bryant
Forty Seven
$17.07
69
Read →
The King in Yellow
★★★★★
★★★★★
4.6
Robert W Chambers
The King in Yellow
$15.95
86
Read →
Deepside
★★★★★
★★★★★
4.5
Raul P P Weston
Deepside
$40.00
81
Read →
Les Elus
★★★★★
★★★★★
4.5
Jade Coll
Les Elus
$39.52
78
Read →
Wild Strawberry: A Zombie Apocalypse: The Complete Trilogy
★★★★★
★★★★★
4.5
T a Donnelly
Wild Strawberry: A Zombie Apocalypse: The Complete Trilogy
$38.31
78
Read →
Kilmartin
★★★★★
★★★★★
4.6
Raymond Walker
Kilmartin
$45.46
86
Read →

You might also like

See more →
Nightmare Stalkers & Dream Walkers: volume II
★★★★★
★★★★★
4.6
1
Horrified Press
Nightmare Stalkers & Dream Walkers: volume II
$14.85
86
Read →
October's End
★★★★★
★★★★★
4.6
1
Horrified Press
October's End
$13.93
86
Read →
Natural Elimination: The Cotesia Incident
★★★★★
★★★★★
4.6
1
Roman Tibensky
Natural Elimination: The Cotesia Incident
$14.84
86
Read →
Unwound
★★★★★
★★★★★
4.6
1
Yolanda Olson
Unwound
$14.86
86
Read →
You Will Never Lose Me: Stories
★★★★★
★★★★★
4.6
1
Tim Jeffreys
You Will Never Lose Me: Stories
$14.88
86
Read →
The House of the Seven Gables: A Romance (Classics of Gothic Literature)
★★★★★
★★★★★
4.6
1
Nathaniel Hawthorne
The House of the Seven Gables: A Romance (Classics of Gothic Literature)
$14.98
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