Whistling Past The Graveyard: Lex H Jones
Reviewed By Steve Stred
Over the last few years, I’ve had the pleasure of reading some of Lex Jones work, as well as appearing in an anthology with him. I adore his release ‘The Old One and The Sea,’ so I was very excited to discover he had a collection arriving shortly.
Jones kindly sent me a digital copy for review and I found I jumped in and out between his worlds with ease while reading some longer releases.
What I liked: ‘Whistling Past the Graveyard’ features thirteen stories that cover a variety of dark themes. His writing voice is that of a friend you’ve laughed with at the pub most weekends. Easy to read, but unsettling once things go full dark.
I really enjoyed the introduction Lex shares here, one I won’t spoil. I will say it is sweet, introspective and will make you smile. I think many of us in this line of writing share similar moments growing up.
I really dug each of the stories, but the standouts for me were ‘AC43R0N’ about a mysterious event, ‘Seance’ which is pretty self-explanatory with that title and the one-two punch of ‘NightTrain’ and ‘Whistling Past the Graveyard.’ Of all the stories, for me at least, the one that really had me creeped out and at the edge of my seat was ‘Lodge 328.’ God was this terrifying. Following a man going on vacation at a place he’d been previously. One simple note is left for him to follow and when he doesn’t, all things go upside down. If you read this, Lex – MAKE THIS A NOVEL!
What I didn’t like: As with each collection, each story will have different levels of enjoyment for each reader. All of the stories here were well done, but that’ll always be individual to every reader.
Why you should buy this: Lex Jones has crafted a fantastic batch of thirteen stories that will have you riveted and creeped out. He isn’t afraid to go dark and even darker and at times the pull in each of these stories is enough to leave you out of breath. This one has something for everyone and will definitely create a whole lot of new fans for his work.
Whistling Past The Graveyard
A hilltop cemetery where the dead just won’t stay sleeping.
An ill-fated voyage to an uncharted region off the coast of Iceland.
An English village reminded of its heritage through the discovery of ancient bones.
These tales and more can be found within the first short story collection from author Lex H Jones.
Light the fire, make yourself a comforting drink, make sure the doors and windows are lined with salt, and settle in to enjoy this gathering of haunts and horrors.
You can buy Whistling Past The Graveyard from Amazon UK & Amazon US
Steve Stred
Steve Stred is the author of a number of novels, novellas and collections. He has appeared in anthologies with some of Horror’s heaviest hitters.
He lives in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada with his wife, son and their dog OJ.
You can follow Steve on Twitter @stevestred
You can follow Steve on Instagram @stevestred
You can visit Steve’s Official website here
Leave a Reply