Title: The Morbid Museum

Author: James Pack

Genre: Horror

 

The museum curator welcomes new visitors into the museum. He begins the tour with a note of caution regarding the exhibits. Death will be featured prominently in many if not all of the exhibits. Mr. Grim views death as something to be accepted and viewed through a different lens. The exhibits are Trauma, Creatures, and the Supernatural. Jesse is a soldier with only regrets as bullets fly at Gettysburg in “Jesse’s Lament.” In “The Puppet Maker,” a son learns that his father is not who he thought he was—to his abject horror. The sighting of an undressed elderly woman wandering the highways turns deadly in “The Harpy of Miller Road.” A road-weary traveler exits “Highway 491” to witness something sinister under the big top.

James Pack has compiled an eclectic set of stories in a horror anthology guaranteed to make the spine tingle, in many instances. A couple of the stories share a disturbing link, but the majority are stand-alone. They are capably composed to evoke a reaction from the reader from dread to sadness and occasionally laughter. The brilliance of Pack to relay a story told from the point of view of a decrepit structure (“Gladiators”) is just one of many highlights in this book.

Death is an all-pervasive topic featured throughout every story in the collection. The characters’ reactions when facing death are the dynamic aspect of the compilation. The sadness of a senseless death in war brings a poignancy to one tale while the shock at the deaths brought about by remorseless killers leaves a lingering disturbed feeling. The frailties of human nature are featured prominently in “Trauma,” particularly the horrors inflicted among human beings while the fear of the unknown dominates the “Creatures” section, and the endless questions of paranormal phenomena are viewed in “Supernatural.”

The propensity of the story selections to unnerve do not confine themselves to “Trauma.” Despite the curator/narrator’s initial warning, many of the featured entries succeed in fraying the nerves. The stories featuring monsters/creatures along with the otherworldly will leave skeptics scratching their heads as even seeing doesn’t necessarily lead to believing. At its core, the visit to the museum leads to a reflection on how death is natural and inevitable, but also how life has consequences and humanity should not be disregarded.

Pack’s storytelling ability is apparent and while not relying heavily on the grisly to emphasize a plot point, he utilizes just the right amount to render a story chilling.

The majority of the stories will strike a chord with the reader. One of the narratives featured in “Creatures” entitled “The Fall of the Foot” will be quite familiar and summon nostalgia and has potential, yet the dark plot and the abrupt conclusion slightly detract from its overall impact.

The Morbid Museum wonderfully provides a guided tour into the world of the macabre. The assembled stories written by James Pack never fail to be entertaining, regardless of length. Clever plot twists are employed along with the occasional shock to the system in this splendid selection.

 

 

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