THE EYES BENEATH MY FATHER'S HOUSE by Tyler Bell

 

In the dusty agave fields of the Guadalajara countryside, a peasant girl cuts a deal with the insidious thing living beneath her father’s house. An industrial accident aboard a space station in humanity’s distant future forces an unappreciated laborer to survive an unpredictable alien menace. A young man recounts his last days as the caretaker of a reclusive elderly woman in her remote - and possibly haunted - mansion. Welcome to the Westside Fairytales, where nothing is as it seems and everything is connected. A universe of possibility, horror, and madness spanning humanity’s past, present, and future. If you think you’re brave enough, and clever enough, then we entreat you to discover the mysteries of The Eyes Beneath My Father’s House.

The author of this collection reached out to me, and I decided to check out what this book had to offer.

THE UMBRELLA MAN: Well, this was quite a creepy coming of age story about four friends who discover something very dangerous while checking out an abandoned house. Very creepy indeed. And so interesting I couldn't stop reading. Really enjoyed this one!

BEST ROSES, MANASSAS, WEST VIRGINIA: I couldn't get into this story, and wound up giving up because I wasn't feeling any of the characters or what was going on.

MUD OF THE HEART: This is a confessional tale told by a man who takes care of a peculiar, ill woman. While I liked the atmospheric feel of the location and the creepy nature of the manor, in the end I found it underwhelming. 

OH, HEAVEN: DNFd this one. 🫤

OJOS OSCUROS: I was enjoying this one until all that awkward sexual abuse stuff started and then I lost interest...

WITHIN AS WITHOUT : Another story that I found hard to focus on because it was a bit dull.

THE MOVE: DNF.

DOG STAR: I enjoyed this creepy psychological SF mind trip in space. It was interesting, tense and Mikosh goes through a lot. And I mean a LOT.

THE THREE FLIGHTS OF MATEO JEFFERSON: Another story I found hard to connect with.

CARRIER: Wow. What a messed-up tale this one was. It's as gross as it is wrong, and so intriguing I couldn't stop reading about Ollie's horrid ordeal. 😟

Well, this collection turned out to be a mixed bag. Although I couldn't get into quite a few of these stories, the ones I did enjoy were excellent. And the illustrations are super cool, too.

I appreciate the chance to read this. Thank you, Tyler.