"Perfectly paced from the first sentence, these stories grab you by the collar with the urgency of mortal danger. Highly recommended."
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Bram Stoker Award nominee S.P. Miskowski, author of Strange is the Night
"When you first encounter Thorn’s writing, a number of qualities impress themselves: the macabre intelligence (brutal really), the chilling wit, the naturalness of the dialogue. Plus there’s the skill and style of the prose. It may all play out like a nightmare, but a terrible logic remains inherent."
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Robert Dunbar, author of The Pines and Willy
"
Darkest Hours is for readers wishing to take a thrilling walk on the dark side. Mike Thorn has delivered a promising debut with this collection showing off his commitment to stories of nuance, heart, and of course… darkness."
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Daniel Braum, author of The Night Marchers and Other Strange Tales
"Fast, fun and full of fear,
Darkest Hours turns on a dime from a laugh to a scream. Terrifying and sly, Mike Thorn writes with refreshing originality and hides fangs behind a smile."
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John C. Foster, author of Mister White
"Mike Thorn's debut story collection is not to be missed by those who enjoy an academic intellect with a potent flair for fiction."
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Dustin LaValley, author of A Soundless Dawn
"Take a dollop of Michael A. Arnzen and Brian Evenson’s quirky styles, and add a pinch of Mark Twain, stir well and let bubble, and you have a sense of Mike Thorn’s stories."
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Bram Stoker Award winner Marge Simon, author of Four Elements and Satan's Sweethearts
"Thorn presents a collection of horror stories that are not only scary, but also intelligent, thoughtful, and carefully planned confronting the anxieties of modern life."
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Waylon Jordan, iHorror
"One of the best and most rewarding feelings as a horror fan is reading a new author’s work and being blown away by their talent and the awe of discovering something cool. That is the exact feeling I got when I first sat down to crack open Mike Thorn’s debut story collection,
Darkest Hours.”
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Rich Duncan, The Horror Bookshelf
"
Darkest Hours is horror for horror people. For the 'confirmed ghost story and horror film addict,' if you will. But it’s also for people with strong emotions and a desire for philosophical thought. Funny, how horror often is."
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Alex Landers, One Critical Bitch
"There are times in Thorn’s prose where I’m reminded not only of some of the best Stephen King from
Skeleton Crew or
Night Shift, but also of some of the more bizarre stories from Clive Barker’s
Books of Blood."
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Tim Murr, Biff Bam Pop