Book Review: Scratches
By Elizabeth Suggs
Scratches by Joshua Marsella is a horror novella about a mother and son who inherit a house after the death of a family member with a violent past.
This story, while horrific with fun horror elements, does touch on what true monsters are out in the world. In a way, it talks about what evil men and women are truly capable in a safe space. We need more stories like this out in the world, detailing the worst of humankind, not to glorify it, but to shed a light on something that should be addressed. This story does that while maintaining the theme of a fun horror story.
Marsella has a unique writing style that kept me on edge the entire time with great pacing. Another great quality of the story is the depth of the characters. And in that depth, we learn of some deep-seated questions. To survive, the mother and son have to put aside their differences, but at the same time, can either mother or son learn to understand each other?
Here’s a fun quote that sent shivers up my spine:
Heavy lascivious breaths released an obnoxious odor from the gaping rot mouth of the figure that stood erect in the darkness to watch the mother sleep.
I read this story in an hour, so if you’re looking for a quick scare, read this story.
Elizabeth Suggs is the owner and founder of Editing Mee and co-owner of Collective Tales Publishing. When she’s not writing or editing, she loves to dive deep into books (the weirder, the better!), and she loves to take random long walks to unplanned destinations. Check out her recently released book Collective Darkness with eleven other authors. Buy your copy here: www.CollectiveDarkness.com