Amazon Original Stories, an imprint of Amazon Publishing, is pleased to present House of Crows, a four-part serial collection from master of suspense, New York Times bestselling author Lisa Unger.
Decades ago, four friends came face-to-face with dark events that they couldn’t explain as children and can’t bear to remember as haunted adults. The secrets they’ve tried to repress have lingered, shaping who they’ve become. Now, they’ll return to the shadowy house where it all began in hopes of finally putting these memories to rest.
Available May 27, 2021
These stories are not available in print – only in digital or audio format.
They are available on Amazon and if you are a Prime member – they are free!
Click here for more information.
ALL MY DARKEST IMPULSES
What really happened to the girl who walked into the woods and vanished forever? It’s a never-forgotten mystery that clings like a shadow in a short story about dark memories and inescapable fears.
For disgraced professor Matthew Merle, the inheritance of his grandfather’s crumbling mansion is both a burden and an offer of a safe haven. His childhood friend Claire Allen, a psychiatrist needs a haven of her own after one of her patients unleashes his dark side. At turning points in their lives, it’s inevitable that they should return to the past. And to Merle House. It’s been waiting for them.
FOG DESCENDING
A grief-stricken spiritualist thought his faith in life after death was broken. Until the ghosts of his past come calling in this short story about memories colored by fear.
Driven by an uncanny mystery from his youth, Ian Randall became a “spiritual cleanser,” ridding disturbances from homes. But his belief in the beyond was challenged by his wife’s death. Merle House, the root of Ian’s obsession could change that. The woods are restless again. Maybe here Ian will find what he needs – if he’s willing to make a deal with the dark.
CIRCLING THE DRAIN
Is it a hoax, or is it something unspeakably real? In this short story about evil games and spiraling secrets, whatever bargain you strike, there’s a price to be paid.
Mason Brandt dropped out of seminary and found a job at a spiritual center offering guidance to troubled teens. Mason was one himself years ago – a suspect in a young girl’s disappearance. When a female student is found murdered, Mason is dogged by suspicion and flees. He hopes Merle House will offer him sanctuary once again.
LOVE THE WAY YOU LIE
What’s drawn four damaged people back to haunted land? The answer could destroy them all in a gripping short story about trapped memories and the lies we tell ourselves.
Matthew, Claire, Ian and Mason haven’t been back to Merle House since the summer they were sixteen. They tried for years to put their histories behind them, to forget the mystery of the girl who vanished so long ago. But a powerful force from their past is still at play. This time, there’s no hiding from it.
My thoughts:
I am a huge Lisa Unger fan, so of course I jumped at the opportunity to read and review this, and since the audio was available I listened to it. It is narrated by a stellar cast of narrators, including Saskia Maarleveld, Frankie Corzo, Jonathan Davis, James Anderson Foster, Adam Verner and Susannah Jones and the entire audio of all four parts is just over 8 hours – easily making each story completely binge-able on its own.
I think this might be the first serial I have read and it grabbed me from the get-go. I was completely invested not only in each story but also with how they were all connected. There are dark undertones to the stories, making it a chilling, haunting read, and I loved how it kept me guessing throughout as to where it was headed. I really enjoyed this atmospheric serial thriller collection and know I’ll probably revisit it at some point!
