Walking With Ghosts by Brian James Freeman

WALKING WITH GHOSTS, Brian James Freeman, PS Publishing, 308 pages, £20, 9781786363237, reviewed by Barry Hunter.

This is a fantastic volume that gathers together the majority of Brian James Freeman’s short stories. If you have never read any of Brian’s stories, getting this volume will make your reading cup overflow with goodness.

After a forward by William Peter Blatty (yes, that Peter Blatty), the book is divided into four parts: Weak and Wounded, More Than Midnight, Dreamlike States and Lost and Lonely. You can be sure that the stories fit the description and will possibly leave you weak, lost, lonely, having strange dreams, and up after midnight because you want to finish this volume.

Favorites are “Mama’s Sleeping” is the kind of story that most cable installers might shy away from. “The Final Lesson” is one that when learned, will stick with you for a while. “Not Without Regrets” might just be a saying you hear, but after reading this story you might look at stormy nights differently. “Ice Cold Dan the Ice Cream Man” is an Afghan veteran with PTSD who keeps a rifle on his truck in case the enemy comes back. “One Way Flight” is one of those stories that you do not want to read before you have to fly. “The Last Beautiful Day” is the one story that hit too close to home and helped bring a good cry that had been long in coming.

This a volume that should definitely find a place on your horror shelf, especially if you prefer that psychologic horror that sneaks up behind you and slaps you in the back of your head. Dan is one of the folk that come into my office every day looking for help and I try to help them resolve the problem before it gets out of hand. Beautiful days are hard to come by, especially after reading this story and knowing exactly the feelings evoked. Brian James Freeman is a force to be reckoned with. He writes extremely well and his stories pack a punch to the gut. And to the heart.

This will be available in August, but you need to pre-order it now so you won’t be disappointed. www.pspublishing.co.uk is the link to use.