The Crooked Hour - 1 Minute Past Midnight: A Collection of Strange Tales and Horror Stories

Name: The Crooked Hour - 1 Minute Past Midnight: A Collection of Strange Tales and Horror Stories
Price: 13.50 USD
Availability: InStock
ISBN: 9781805881148

✍️ Scott J Kenna

Reader Score

4.5

(1 review)

$13.50

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📚 WHAT THE BOOK IS ABOUT

A thirty-one story collection exploring distorted reality and human obsession.

This anthology examines the intersection of historical trauma and supernatural horror. Kenna uses settings like German hostels and English gardens to ground his eerie narratives. The stories challenge the reader to confront the darkness within ordinary lives. Themes of betrayal, grief, and chaos are woven through each piece. The collection does not offer escape but rather a mirror to human frailty.

Key Themes

human obsession supernatural horror historical trauma

Literary Context

The book sits within the American horror fiction market, drawing on gothic traditions and historical periods like World War I. It reflects contemporary anxieties through supernatural lenses, appealing to readers interested in atmospheric dread and psychological depth.

Difficulty

●● Medium

Recommended For Fans Of

HP Lovecraft · Shirley Jackson · M.R. James · Thomas Ligotti

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Horror Fiction

🏛 Michael Terence Publishing 📅 2025 🌐 English 📔 Paperback ISBN: 9781805881148

📝 Description: The Crooked Hour - 1 Minute Past Midnight: A Collection of Strange Tales and Horror Stories

Scott J Kenna presents a collection of thirty-one short stories that examine moments when reality distorts. The narratives span diverse settings, including famine-stricken Ireland and the frozen front lines of the First World War. Readers encounter ordinary lives disrupted by supernatural forces, such as a grieving writer finding a forbidden iron door or a child whose drawings predict death. Other tales involve travelers consumed by greed in search of gold and soldiers facing ancient monsters in forests. The collection also explores modern anxieties through scenarios like a solar flare plunging civilization into chaos. These stories draw on gothic and horror traditions to highlight the crooked hours of human existence. Kenna writes with an emphasis on atmosphere and dread, focusing on choices and obsessions rather than simple scares. The book suits readers who appreciate reflection on the hidden shadows of the mind. It may not appeal to those seeking straightforward action or clear resolutions. Published by Michael Terence Publishing in 2025, this volume offers a cohesive exploration of fear. The stories are organized to show how time falters and safety becomes elusive. Each tale stands alone yet contributes to a broader meditation on terror. The author qualifies his work through a focus on psychological depth and atmospheric tension. This collection invites readers to consider the consequences of their own actions within twisted realities.

💎 Our verdict on The Crooked Hour - 1 Minute Past Midnight: A Collection of Strange Tales and Horror Stories

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Horror Reads editorial team

Horror desk

Scott J Kenna delivers a compelling anthology that excels in building atmosphere and dread through psychological depth rather than conventional horror tropes. The collection successfully weaves together historical settings like famine-stricken Ireland with modern anxieties, creating a unified exploration of fear where time falters and safety becomes elusive. Each story stands alone yet contributes to a broader meditation on the crooked hours of human existence, highlighting how obsession and grief distort reality. This volume is best suited for readers who enjoy gothic traditions and cosmic horror elements that challenge the mind. It offers a rich, reflective experience for those willing to confront the hidden shadows of the psyche, providing a sophisticated examination of chaos and frailty without resorting to simple scares or easy answers.

✓ EDITOR'S REVIEW

📖 Why choose it

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Why this book is worth reading

Readers who appreciate atmospheric depth over visceral gore will find value in this collection, as it prioritizes psychological tension and thematic resonance. Those interested in the intersection of historical trauma and supernatural horror will appreciate how ordinary lives are disrupted by eerie forces across diverse settings. It suits individuals seeking a mirror to human frailty, offering reflection on grief, betrayal, and obsession rather than simple scares. The anthology appeals to fans of distorted reality narratives who enjoy confronting darkness within everyday existence. By focusing on choices and obsessions, the book provides a cohesive meditation on terror for those willing to engage with challenging themes without the comfort of clear resolutions or straightforward action.

⭐ Reader reviews

The starting rating comes from the team Horror Reads —

Reader rating

4.5

Based on 1 reviews

Horror Reads editorial team

Scott J Kenna delivers a compelling anthology that excels in building atmosphere and dread through psychological depth rather than conventional horror tropes. The collection successfully weaves together historical settings like famine-stricken Ireland with modern anxieties, creating a unified exploration of fear where time falters and safety becomes elusive. Each story stands alone yet contributes to a broader meditation on the crooked hours of human existence, highlighting how obsession and grief distort reality. This volume is best suited for readers who enjoy gothic traditions and cosmic horror elements that challenge the mind. It offers a rich, reflective experience for those willing to confront the hidden shadows of the psyche, providing a sophisticated examination of chaos and frailty without resorting to simple scares or easy answers.