Crystal Lake Shorts

Series · 3 books · 2018

By Dave Jeffery, Gene O'Neill, Darren Speegle

Books in series

A Puddle in the Wilderness

A Varying Distances Short Story

2018

On a trip through the Sipsey Wilderness Area in remote Alabama, a couple is rescued from the flooded river they’re canoeing by two burly men in overalls who seem to have their best interests in mind. That’s until the two brothers deliver Blaine and Casey into the horrifying nightmare that is their twisted household—the patriarch of which is involved in a project that exceeds the human realm. This free short story is merely a sample of what to expect in Darren Speegle’s Varying Distances collection, out now from Crystal Lake Publishing—Tales from the Darkest Depths. This story is perfect for fans of Horror, Mystery, thriller, supernatural, adventure, and mystical stories.

The Wolf of White Wharf

A Beatrice Beecham Young Adult Short Story

2018

“Tonight, tonight The moon shines bright And the beast will come To tear and bite!” Teen sleuth Beatrice Beecham and her gang of friends have a new case to solve. In the coastal town of Dorsal Finn a timber wolf escapes from a smuggler’s boat at White Wharf. Livestock is found mauled, and the locals are crippled with fear by the hideous sound of snarls and howls in the moonlit nights. Because Dorsal Finn is not like any other town, things are often drawn to it, strange creatures that are not meant to exist. Now Beatrice and The Newshounds have to find out if the creature roaming the fields and moors is actually an escaped wolf, or something far more sinister. And somehow stop it before the beast adds the residents of Dorsal Finn to its menu! This free short story is merely a sample of what to expect in Dave Jeffery’s Beatrice Beecham series, including Beatrice Beecham’s Cryptic Crypt, available from Crystal Lake Publishing—Tales from the Darkest Depths. This story (and the Beatrice Beecham series) is perfect for fans of werewolves, shapeshifters, American werewolf in London, The Hardy Boys, Nancy Drew, Scooby-Doo, The Monster Squad, The Goonies, Teen Wolf, Secret Seven, Famous Five, and Three Investigators.

Firebug

A Frozen Shadows story

2018

Fires are being started in abandoned warehouses in the older industrial area of San Francisco, and none of the professionals in the fire department can figure out how they're being started in order to catch the arsonist. What is the motive? Why is the arsonist setting fires? Insurance? Revenge? Some kind of psychological perversion? This story is merely a glimpse of Gene O’Neill’s work. If you enjoy “Firebug,” be sure to pick up Gene’s Frozen Shadows and Other Chilling Stories collection, available from Crystal Lake Publishing—Tales from the Darkest Depths.

Authors

Dave Jeffery

Author · 11 books

"What singles Jeffery out as an author worth binge-reading, is not just his versatility, his grasp of pace and atmosphere, or his engaging characterisation, it's the sheer joy and gusto he takes in telling compelling stories that you simply cannot put down." Jasper Bark, Splatterpunk award-winning writer of THE FINAL CUT and QUIET PLACES. "Jeffery is one of our best writers." - Chris Kelso, author of THE DREGS TRILOGY, I DREAM OF MIRRORS & VISTAS. "Jeffery is an author who knows his craft. The future of the genre is in safe hands with class writers like him around." - Paul Kane, bestselling and award-winning author of SHERLOCK HOLMES AND THE SERVANTS OF HELL, BEFORE and ARCANA. "A master of the craft." - William Meikle, bestselling author of THE S-SQUAD SERIES, WATCHERS and THE QUALITY OF MERCY. "There are few UK horror authors as versatile and inventive as Dave Jeffery." - Tony Jones, GINGER NUTS OF HORROR. Dave Jeffery is an award-winning author of 18 novels, two collections, and numerous short stories. His Necropolis Rising series and yeti adventure Frostbite have both featured on the Amazon #1 bestseller list, while the A Quiet Apocalypse series continues to garner critical acclaim. His YA work includes the Beatrice Beecham supernatural mystery series and Finding Jericho. His screenwriting credits include award winning short films Ascension and Derelict. Before retiring to write full-time, Jeffery worked in the NHS for 35 years specialising in the field of mental health nursing and risk management. He holds a BSc (Hons) in Mental Health Studies and a Master of Science Degree in Health Studies. His novel Finding Jericho is an amalgamation of his experiences of working with service users who have experienced stigma and social exclusion due to their mental illness. As a novel, Finding Jericho (Demain Publishing) has featured on both the BBC Health and Independent Schools Entrance Examination Board's ‘Recommended Reading’ lists Jeffery is a member of the Society of Authors, British Fantasy Society (also as a regular book reviewer), and actively involved in the Horror Writers Association where he is a mentor on the HWA Mentorship Scheme and recipient of the HWA Mentor of the Year Award, 2022. He is also co-chair of the HWA Wellness Committee. Jeffery is married with two children and lives in Worcestershire, UK. Latest release: TRIBUNaL: A Quiet Apocalypse 4 Coming late 2023: The Devil Device (Crossroad Press)