Written by Jeramey

Before recognizing the mental haze that engulfed him, the traveler found himself in an unfamiliar world. The suspenseful Edgar Allen Poe describes in “A Tale of the Ragged Mountains” how the mind can drift through a dream to awaken in a distant land.

Meanwhile, a dark horseman is seen galloping through the forests of “Sleepy Hollow.” Washington Irving’s tale of a superstitious village has made readers tremble for nearly one hundred years. These two famous stories, with more than a dozen others, have all been conjured forth by author Graeme Davis just in time for Halloween.

In this new collection of tales, the most spine-tingling legends of the macabre have been gathered into the anthology, Colonial Horrors. Readers will be lead through the darkest realms of literature in these haunting tales of witchcraft and the occult. Both the horror enthusiast and those who enjoy a blood-curdling scare will appreciate these stories for their stimulating content as well as their relevance to American history.

For example, scenes of slavery and prejudice towards non-whites make these accounts as relevant today as they were a century ago. Author John Neal writes of Tituba, a Native American woman accused of being bewitched, and speaks of her in a tone that leaves the modern reader grateful that progress has been made towards racial equality. For this reason, the short story “Rachel Dyer” offers its readers an accurate glimpse into the early American mindset.  

Photo by Jeramey Reamer: Colonial Horrors edited by Graeme Davis 

Colorado-resident Graeme Davis worked diligently to compile these often-challenging tales into Colonial Horrors. Graeme is no stranger to the mysterious aspects of literature. He got his start writing for the legendary tabletop game “Warhammer” in the 1980s and most recently was the editor for “Colonial Gothic,” a conspiracy-horror game. Only through pouring his attention into the sources of colonial literature did he find the worthiest entries to be included in the new book.

“The themes of the stories are as relevant and accessible to the modern reader as they have always been, because at the root of all great horror is the question of human nature,” Davis explained, adding how deeply these tales delve into the paradox of morality. “While evil can offer a shortcut to power and wealth, it almost always exacts a high price.”

Colonial Horrors is the perfect addition to anyone’s bookshelf this Halloween season. By offering its readers both a scare and historical content, there is something for everyone to enjoy.

Be sure to check out Colonial Horrors, but one word of caution: Keep the lights on, you never know when the headless horsemen will ride again to claim his next victim!  

More about Graeme Davis, including his upcoming events and past successes:

https://graemedavis.wordpress.com/