It’s not very often that I enjoy every story in a collected work— but let me tell you, The Naughty Corner by Mark Towse was an excellent mixed bag of three very different horror novellas.

The Generation Games
Imagine a near distant future in which people reaching their seventieth year are selected to be put to the most brutal test in order to continue the rest of their lives.

This is the new population control.

Broadcasted weekly on live television, The Generation Games seeks to have the elderly fight for their lives through a vicious set of ‘challenges.’ Challenges that will lead to a horrific demise if they lose, yet the desperation to earn a passport and survive the latter years is enough to get many to play. A geriatric version of The Hunger Games or Squid Game is a solid description of this story.

My Name is Brian
Narrator Tom Harper recounts the tale of how he met Brian, and how Brian was more than he ever seemed.

Brian was the new kid— larger than most, unattractive, and weird. He would ultimately become the new target of school bullies, Richard and Shane. Eventually, Brian unleashes a vengeance in a way you’d never expect on his childhood aggressors.

He told you his name was Brian— and he just wanted you to leave him alone.

The Naughty Corner
There’s a gated neighborhood, and within the community there’s a street called Melody Drive. The houses are immaculate, the lawns freshly mowed, and there isn’t a piece of trash in sight. And when you move in, you’re gifted with tea, pie, and licorice— delivered by your oddly pristine new neighbors. They already know your name. They already know what you like. Weird.

A family of three moves into a seemingly perfect home, but Melody Drive is more than meets the eye. Something sinister lurks behind the stretched smiles and beautiful faces of those in the community.

You think you’ve already read a story or two like it before, but I promise you haven’t read any creepy ‘neighbor horror’ with twists like this before. The Naughty Corner was my favorite of the three novellas— I was thoroughly entertained with all of the neighborhood’s secrets and its explosive revelation.

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Every story was filled with excellent writing, detailed characters, and truly unique plot lines. There are so many versions of horror, and Towse delivers on three separate sub-genres, giving us a taste of his versatility. If you’re not often into collected works like myself, The Naughty Corner may give you higher hopes. Another well-deserved ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ star read to the works of Mark Towse!