Buttonholed Book Reviews
companionably invites you to these Tours & Spotlight readings:
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by
Stephen King & Peter Straub
Publisher: Scribner (Simon & Schuster) October 6, 2026
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Jack Sawyer, a beloved and enduring King protagonist, returns in the final book in the Talisman Trilogy, the #1 New York Times bestselling collaboration between “master craftsmen” (The Washington Post) Stephen King and Peter Straub.
“I wanted to go back to Mid-World, which was always the Territories by another name.” —Stephen King
This is Stephen King and Peter Straub’s epic and unforgettable finale to the Talisman Trilogy (including the novels Talisman and Black House) and a wrapping up of the fate of the worlds in King’s iconic, fiercely beloved Dark Tower epic. It is also a magnificent stand-alone novel, that will appeal to new readers, as well as to King’s Constant Readers.
Other Worlds Than These is the story of Jack Sawyer, whom readers first met when he was twelve, crossing America and “the territories” to save his mother’s life, and met again in Black House, where Jack faces a child killer and the Crimson King (among other evils). In Other Worlds Than These, Jack must stop a rampaging gang of infected teenagers from America-side, and the forces of the mysterious Gullet at the edge of Mid-World, before it destroys our world and all worlds. Jack is older now; his Ka-tet (echoing the world of Roland) is fraying; and his task, nearly impossible.
Magnificent, riveting, full of heart, and humor, Other Worlds Than These is a spectacular, propulsive adventure, and features thirty-six exclusive black-and-white illustrations by artist Gabriel Rodriguez. The title instantly announces to readers who already know these other worlds that King has returned to them. Other Worlds Than These will appeal to new King readers and his Constant Readers.
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by
Stephen King
Publisher: Scribner (Simon & Schuster) May 21, 2024
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From legendary storyteller and master of short fiction Stephen King comes an extraordinary new collection of twelve short stories, many never-before-published, and some of his best EVER.
“You like it darker? Fine, so do I,” writes Stephen King in the afterword to this magnificent new collection of twelve stories that delve into the darker part of life—both metaphorical and literal. King has, for half a century, been a master of the form, and these stories, about fate, mortality, luck, and the folds in reality where anything can happen, are as rich and riveting as his novels, both weighty in theme and a huge pleasure to read. King writes to feel “the exhilaration of leaving ordinary day-to-day life behind,” and in You Like It Darker, readers will feel that exhilaration too, again and again.
“Two Talented Bastids” explores the long-hidden secret of how the eponymous gentlemen got their skills. In “Danny Coughlin’s Bad Dream,” a brief and unprecedented psychic flash upends dozens of lives, Danny’s most catastrophically. In “Rattlesnakes,” a sequel to Cujo, a grieving widower travels to Florida for respite and instead receives an unexpected inheritance—with major strings attached. In “The Dreamers,” a taciturn Vietnam vet answers a job ad and learns that there are some corners of the universe best left unexplored. “The Answer Man” asks if prescience is good luck or bad and reminds us that a life marked by unbearable tragedy can still be meaningful.
King’s ability to surprise, amaze, and bring us both terror and solace remains unsurpassed. Each of these stories holds its own thrills, joys, and mysteries; each feels iconic. You like it darker? You got it.
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by
Richard Chizmar
Publisher: Gallery Books (October 2024)
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A group of students encounter a supernatural terror while on a road trip through Appalachia in this chilling new novel from the New York Times bestselling author of the “unforgettable and scary” (Harlan Coben) Chasing the Boogeyman.
1983: Three students from a small college embark on a week-long road trip to film a documentary on roadside memorials for their American Studies class. The project starts out as a fun adventure with long stretches of empty roads and nightly campfires where they begin to open up with one another.
But as they venture deeper into the Appalachian backwoods, the atmosphere begins to darken. They notice more and more of the memorials feature a strange, unsettling symbol hinting at a sinister secret. Paranoia sets in when it appears they are being followed. Their vehicle is tampered with overnight and some of the locals appear to be anything but welcoming. Before long, the students can’t help but wonder if these roadside deaths were really random accidents…or is something terrifying at work here?
in the meantime:
by
Richard Chizmar
Publisher: Gallery Books (October 10, 2023)
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The terrifying sequel to the acclaimed New York Times and USA best-selling novel Chasing the Boogeyman, was hailed as “genuinely chilling and something brand-new and exciting” (Stephen King) and “unforgettable” (Harlan Coben).
A riveting, haunting sequel to the New York Times bestselling thriller Chasing the Boogeyman—a tale of obsession and the adulation of evil, exploring modern society’s true-crime obsession with unflinching honesty, sparing no one from the glare of the spotlight. Will those involved walk away from the story of a lifetime to keep their loved ones safe? Or will they once again be drawn into a killer’s web? As the story draws to its shattering conclusion, only one person holds all the answers—and he just may be the most terrifying monster of them all.
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by
Richard Cizmar
Publisher: Gallery Books (October 6, 2026)
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The terrifying conclusion to the New York Times and USA TODAY bestselling trilogy that includes Chasing the Boogeyman and Becoming the Boogeyman!
Notorious serial killer Joshua Gallagher—dubbed “the Boogeyman” by the media—has vanished from prison. One moment, he was locked inside a maximum-security cell; the next, he was gone, leaving behind on the wall a crude hangman puzzle and two chilling words: IT’S TIME.
Now, days later, the world is coming apart again. Bodies are turning up near writer and Gallagher confidante Richard Chizmar’s home, echoing the Boogeyman’s signature horrors. The news frenzy reignites while the police chase shadows…even as Gallagher’s twisted true crime fanbase celebrates online, acknowledging that he’s something more than human now.
To everyone else, it’s a desperate hunt for answers. To Chizmar, it’s more like destiny closing in. The evidence, the sightings, the voices in the dark all point to one unthinkable conclusion: the Boogeyman never left. And very soon, Chizmar must come face-to-face with the thing wearing Gallagher’s skin, and learns all too quickly that some nightmares don’t return—they evolve.
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by
Richard Chizmar & W.H. Chizmar
Publisher: Gallery Books (September 30, 2025)
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New York Times bestselling author Richard Chizmar, “one of horror’s indispensable writers” (Paste), and his son W.H. Chizmar, critically acclaimed author of Them (hailed by New York Times bestselling author Josh Malerman as “one of the best debuts I’ve ever read”) present a riveting found footage narrative about doomed thrill-seekers trapped in a haunted lighthouse.
“This is a bad place. I don’t think people are meant to live here.”
Longtime residents of Harper’s Cove believe that something is wrong with the Widow’s Point Lighthouse. Some say it’s cursed. Others claim it’s haunted.
Originally built in 1838, three workers were killed during the lighthouse’s construction, including one who mysteriously plunged to his death from the catwalk. That tragic accident was never explained, and it was just the beginning of the terror. In the decades that followed, nearly two dozen additional deaths occurred in or around the lighthouse including cold-blooded murder, suicide, unexplained accidents and disappearances, the slaughter of an entire family, and the inexplicable death of a Hollywood starlet who was filming a movie on the grounds.
The lighthouse was finally shuttered tight in 1988 and a security fence was erected around the property. No one has been inside since.
Until now.
Told across two harrowing incidents from 2017 and today, those who enter the Widow’s Point Lighthouse, searching for material for the next big thing, will find themselves cut off from the outside world. And although no one has recently stepped foot inside the structure, they will not be alone.
In this remarkable collaboration, father and son writing team, Richard and W.H. Chizmar combine forces to tell a terrifying ghost story that will make you think twice about what is waiting for you in the dark.
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by
Kenneth W. Cain, Stephen King, Pete Kahle, Todd Keisling, Tom Deady, Josh Malerman, Paul Tremblay, Jonathan Maberry, Jeff Strand, Tim Waggoner
Publisher: Bloodshot Books (November 14, 2020)
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A LOVING HUSBAND AND A DEVOTED FATHER
A DEDICATED BOOK REVIEWER AND HORROR FAN
A KIND AND CARING FRIEND
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The horror community lost Frank Michaels Errington and his absence has been so thoroughly felt by all who were lucky enough to interact with him. Kind, gracious, inclusive, and just an all-around nice man. Frank made a large impact as a book reviewer, but he also had a positive effect on many individual creators by making sure that everyone felt welcome and acknowledged.
One of Us: A Tribute to Frank Michaels Errington is filled with stories of writers whose lives Frank touched in one way or another. He challenged them, cheered them on and he made sure to read the big names and small names alike.
Frank needed a new kidney. He was undergoing dialysis treatments and hoping for a compatible donor, but, unfortunately, he was not able to get the help in time to save his life. Because of this, proceeds from the sale of this book will be donated in Frank's name to the American Transplant Foundation. Help us help others in Frank's situation before another vital person is lost to those who value them.
This book represents the camaraderie and love that Frank instilled in the horror community. If you ever feel alone or out of place, just remember the words that Frank himself told many creatives while he was still alive.
"You're one of us."
WITH STORIES, POETRY, AND ANECDOTES BY
Alan Baxter * Matt Bechtel * doungjai gam bepko * John Boden * Geoff Brown * Kealan Patrick Burke * P.D. Cacek * Kenneth W. Cain *Somer Canon * Christa Carmen * Catherine Cavendish * Greg Chapman * Richard Chizmar * Tom Deady * T. Fox Dunham * Robert Ford * Christopher Golden * J.F. Gonzalez * Mark Allen Gunnells * Jeremy Hepler * Pete Kahle * Nicholas Kaufmann * Shane Douglas Keene * Todd Keisling * Stephen King * Curtis M. Lawson * Evans Light * John R. Little * Chad Lutzke * Jonathan Maberry * Josh Malerman * Alessandro Manzetti * John McIlveen * John McNee * Tim Meyer * Lee Murray * Paul F. Olson * Kelli Owen * John Palisano * Jason Parent & Kevin Rego * David Price * Anthony J. Rapino * Hunter Shea * Rob Smales * Wesley Southard * Jeff Strand * Brett Talley * Sara Tantlinger * The Sisters of Slaughter * Richard Thomas * Paul Tremblay * Tony Tremblay * Joshua Viola * Tim Waggoner * Terry M. West * Douglas Wynne * Stephanie M. Wytovich * Mercedes M. Yardley
Proceeds from the sale of this book will be donated in Frank's name to the
My review
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by
Sadie "Mother Horror" Hartmann
Publisher: Page Street Publishing (August 8, 2023)
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The Ultimate List of Must-Read Horror
Curious readers and fans of monsters and the macabre, get ready to bulk up your TBR piles! Sadie “Mother Horror” Hartmann has curated the best selection of modern horror books, including plenty of deep cuts. Indulge your heart’s darkest desires to be terrified, unsettled, disgusted, and heartbroken with stories that span everything from paranormal hauntings and creepy death cults to small-town terrors and apocalyptic disasters. Each recommendation includes a full synopsis as well as a quick overview of the book’s themes, style, and tone so you can narrow down your next read at a glance. Featuring a foreword by New York Times bestselling author Josh Malerman and five brand-new essays from rising voices in the genre, this illustrated reader’s guide is perfect for anyone who dares to delve into the dark.
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Now I Lay Me Down To Sleep: A Charity Anthology Benefitting The Jimmy Fund / Dana-Farber Cancer Institute (Necon Anthologies) (Volume 5)
by
Dana-Farber Cancer Institute (Author),
P.D. Cacek (Editor), Laura J. Hickman (Editor), Cortney Skinner (Illustrator)
Publisher: CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform (July 7, 2017)
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There is no greater horror in the world than watching a loved one battle cancer ... especially if that loved one is a child. But we are not powerless against this disease, and some of the world’s finest purveyors of nightmares have come together to fight a monster far scarier than anything they could ever dream up.
Necon E-Books is honored to present NOW I LAY ME DOWN TO SLEEP, an anthology of horror bedtime stories from which 100% of all proceeds will be donated to The Jimmy Fund.
Edited by P.D. Caceck and Laura J. Hickman and featuring cover artwork by Cortney Skinner, this anthology contains contributions from the incredible roster listed in the Table of Contents, all of whom have donated their work in support of this essential cause.
Available exclusively on Amazon.com in trade paperbacks and digital editions, please join us in this fight by purchasing your copy today. And in the words of our friends and partners at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, “Thank you for helping us conquer cancer.”
Table of Contents:
Foreword by Christopher Golden
Mother and Daughter by Jack Ketchum, Messages by Errick A. Nunnally, Sleepless by Mark Steensland, The Vacant Lot by Thomas Tessier, Blood, Cold Like Ice by Doungjai Gam, A Life Unremembered by G. Daniel Gunn, Wired by Elizabeth Massie, Blue Stars by Tony Tremblay, Happy Now Mother? by John Buja, Nina by John M. McIlveen, Housing the Hollygobs by Marianne Halbert, Inertia Creeps by Charles Colyott, Leave Here Alive by Bracken MacLeod, Sleep Well by Angi Shearstone, The Fine Art of Madness by Gary Frank, The Beach by Cara M. Colyott, Angel Tears by Jill Bauman, Darkness on the Edge of Town by James A. Moore, Would You, Could You, In the Dark? by Craig Wolf, Wishing Won’t by Richard Dansky, The Phobia Where You’re Afraid of Words by Paul McMahon, Nightly Rituals by William Carl, White Wings by Mark Morris, The Other Side by Paul McNally, Truth or Dare? by Bev Vincent, Unexpected Attraction by Matthew Costello, The Ritual Remains by Jonathan Lees, The End of All Stories by Trevor Firetog, Duality by Brian Keene, The Lake Children by Izzy Lee, The Circus Under the Bed by T.J. Wooldridge, 1-2-3 Red Light by Gregory L. Norris, The Old Men Know by Charles L. Grant, The Oldest Fear by Shikhar Dixit
Afterword by Matt Bechtel
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