Small Horrors

A prominent scholar and narrator of Russian history, Count Alexei Konstantinovich Tolstoy was also heavily influenced by German Romanticism and old Gothic tales. Here is his own foray into the macabre story genre—a novel as complex and tangled as any palace intrigue.

Have you ever wondered why winning lottery tickets always seem to be purchased in a small town in the middle of nowhere? Nadine did more than wonder. Unhappy with the way her life turned out and desperate for a change, she devises a plan to travel to a remote town that appears to pay out lottery winnings every week. Her lackadaisical husband Sam is hesitant at first (which irritates the hell out of Nadine) but then joins her on a trip that will surely change their lives. W

Hotaru torna nel paese natale, un piccolo borgo tranquillo attraversato da un fiume, per dimenticare le sue pene d'amore. Era andata ad abitare a Tokyo dove per otto anni aveva vissuto una relazione sentimentale con un uomo sposato, un fotografo sempre impegnato nel lavoro che inaspettatamente l'abbandona. Il ritorno di Hotaru è un ritorno all'infanzia, un modo per ritrovare pace e serenità tra gli amici e l'affetto della nonna. La madre è morta e il padre, un famoso psicologo, è in viaggio in California.

In Ireland, in the Spring of 1881, a new pastor by the name of Reverend Gabriel Proctor is appointed to lead the people of the town of Brackley on the path to salvation. However, upon his arrival, he becomes smitten by the beauty of his young housekeeper, Eloise. His devotion to her become a dangerous obsession which brings him into conflict with the local RIC inspector, Abraham Gault.

The Queen of Spades is decidedly one of Pushkin's gloomier tales. It inspired several movie adaptations and a magnificent opera by Tchaikovsky. Its determined, but misguided, protagonist stakes his life with dire consequences on a very old secret that might or might not even exist.

Haunted by the murderous demons of her past, Kathleen Freeborne rips down her shingle as a paranormal investigator and hammers up a new one as a clairvoyant, hoping to better the lives of her shell-shocked clients. Her dreams of a harmonious life are quickly shattered when she feels a man's terrifying rage coursing through her body. With the help of local police, she investigates disturbing events and learns the shocking truth - a feral animal is infecting locals with a rage virus.

Ivan Turgenev's Ghosts is a rare venture into the supernatural for this writer, and all the more precious for it. The story has all the beauty of Turgenev's language, all the power of his description, and the decidedly chilling feel of a true ghost story.

A true horror classic of Ukrainian literature, Nikolai Gogol's Terrible Revenge raises the notions of terror, betrayal, and revenge to an entirely new level.

When a young man goes from the demands and rigors of the army to a luxurious and serene country living, his mind is bound to wander where it should not. Such is the fate of Alexei Alexeyevich Fedyashev, who becomes so absorbed in his newfound idleness that he falls in love with an old portrait. When the famous conjurer and medium Count Cagliostro accidentally ends up at Fedyashev's escape, the young man begs him to bring his dream to reality. "Be careful what you wish for" is the lesson young Alexei has yet to learn - and how!

Anton Pavlovich Chekhov is considered a very "real life" writer, his feet solidly on the ground at all times. The Black Monk is his foray into madness and mysticism to rival the likes of Dostoyevsky, Saltykov-Shchedrin, and Kuprin.

Un condannato trascorre i suoi ultimi minuti narrando le terribili vicende che hanno sconvolto la sua esistenza e quella degli umili abitanti di Caresana...

This lovely and nevertheless rather spooky tale by Nikolai Gogol is rooted in Ukrainian lore. It starts quite ordinary - a young man is in love with a beautiful young girl, but other people and unforeseen circumstances stand in the way of their happiness. Quite unexpectedly, our young hero receives an offer of help from a very unlikely source.

Ana, a widowed mother, and her family move to the countryside to find a better life and stumble upon a family that has the whole town helping in hiding their horrific secret. But right when Peter starts to develop feelings for Veronica, he and his mother stumble upon their carnivorous ways. So now the question is, will they stop them or will they try to escape?

Alexander Grin is known for his strange and chilling tales, and this one is certainly one of the oddest of them all. The author would like us to consider what would happen if a creation not only outsmarted its creator but became truly dangerous.

Alexander Belyaev's rare foray into a bit of mysticism, The Witches' Castle is a reminder how careful must be wandering around the woods, especially when mysterious strangers and spooky buildings might be involved.

It is difficult to combine mysticism with humor, but Alexander Grin takes on the challenge and comes out with flying colors. For all its mystical and mythical references, An Incident at the Apartment of Madam Cerize, is quite a heartwarming story, giving all of us some hope that, sometimes, powers that be do care.

While making rounds in an old palace, a devout, dyed-in-the-wool supporter of the 1917 Bolshevik Revolution meets an unexpected visitor and gets to hear his thoughts on the latest events and allocation of power.

Prince Vladimir Odoyevsky's beautifully written and powerful take on the age-old question: "What would happen if you received exactly what you wanted?"

A Mysterious Incident at the Mental Institution is a spooky, chilling tale from Nikolai Leskov based on a true incident.

The Engineering Castle is a real building that still exists. It remains one of the most sought-after landmarks in St. Petersburg, and it is steeped in legend, ghost stories, and lore every bit as much as Nikolai Leskov makes it sound.