This author participates in the Readers' Favorite Free Book Program, which is open to all readers and is completely free. The author will provide you with a free copy of their book in exchange for an honest review. You and the author will discuss what sites you will post your review to and what kind of copy of the book you would like to receive (eBook, PDF, Word, paperback, etc.). To begin, click the purple email icon to send this author a private email.
This author participates in the Readers' Favorite Book Donation Program, which was created to help nonprofit and charitable organizations (schools, libraries, convalescent homes, soldier donation programs, etc.) by providing them with free books and to help authors garner more exposure for their work. This author is willing to donate free copies of their book in exchange for reviews (if circumstances allow) and the knowledge that their book is being read and enjoyed. To begin, click the purple email icon to send this author a private email. Be sure to tell the author who you are, what organization you are with, how many books you need, how they will be used, and the number of reviews, if any, you would be able to provide.
Stephen Tallevi is a native of Ontario, Canada, where he lives with his wife and daughter. Twenty-five years ago he stumbled upon a copy of Algernon Blackwood’s The Willows in a used book store—he has been a fan of dark and weird fiction ever since. The Inheritance and Other Dark Tales is his second book.
Reviewed by Nino Lobiladze for Readers' Favorite
The crypt of an abbey in the town of Reachers hides ancient skeletons with puzzling anomalies. An anthropologist arrives in Reachers for research and is enchanted by Miss Brown's beautiful amber eyes. Is it a coincidence that the pagans he studies believed that eyes were the seat of the human soul? Richard Hartley inherits his late uncle's estate, along with its dark secrets and a mystifying artifact. What if the only barrier between our world and the realm of terror is walls of bones built by the unknown Bone Gatherers? A single father fears losing his daughter to the dark powers that, according to urban legend, reside in the ominous Crimson Oak. A phantasmagoria demonstration leads to dreadful results for its viewers. The Inheritance and Other Dark Tales by Stephen Tallevi, a collection of nine short stories and a poem by Isabel Sloane Tallevi, is a thrilling read for fans of horror, crime drama, and short stories.
Stephen Tallevi's writing is imaginative and gripping. The Inheritance and Other Dark Tales is not for the faint of heart. This collection stirs our deepest fears and makes us wonder: who are our friends, and who are our foes? My favorite story is The Crimson Oak, which explores the relationship between a father and a daughter and hints at the frailness of human life. The eerie urban legend warns us about the many faces and forms of evil. Phantasmagoria is set in 1888. This short story has unforgettable characters and a chilling final twist. A Soulful Parting by Isabel Sloane Tallevi is an expressive poem that leaves a lasting impression. The Forgotten King urges us to reconsider our role in the natural world and our responsibility toward animals. A Deadly Slice differs from other stories and offers a puzzling criminal investigation that took place in 1970. Stephen's appealing writing style corresponds to the historical periods he describes, be it the first half of the twentieth century or the 1800s. Every story has a well-researched, historically accurate background, peculiar imagery, and an unexpected ending.
