This is our season, people. The time of year where spooky stuff is everywhere and the type of things we celebrate year-round become socially acceptable, at least temporarily. That said, I have mixed feelings on these types of collections. Sometimes it can feel a bit opportunistic, and seasonally themed stories read like the holiday element was an afterthought in the story’s plot.
Ronald Kelly’s The Halloween Store doesn’t suffer from this. Quite the opposite. Something that stuck with me was how Kelly used the introduction as well as a couple essays at the end to wax poetic about his lifelong love of Halloween. The reader is transported back to the days of late September trips to the drug store - bins full of grotesque rubber masks and costumes in spades, presenting the opportunity to become anything for just one night. Then there’s the magic of the night itself. But I’m allowing a book review to turn into a nostalgia session here.
The Halloween Store collects seven stories with the aforementioned essays together. The titular story reflects and builds on the idea of being able to transform into your favorite monster for one night. We see the magic, the excitement, while also examining the horrifying consequences that would result from such an ability.
Some of the stories collected maintain a more traditional short story length, hitting fast and hard as I’ve discovered Kelly is wont to do. “Blood Suede Shoes”, “Clown Treats”, “The Cistern”, and “The Amazing and Totally Awesome Fright Creature!” all detail accounts that transpire on Halloween nights, but stray from the carefree fun you remember from childhood. Of these, “Clown Treats” is the probably the most deranged, and therefore obviously, my favorite.
The other stories have a little more length to them, and benefit from that added word count. “The Halloween Store” and “Mister Mack is Back in Town” are in that mold, but perhaps it works best in the almost novelette length “Pretty Little Lanterns”. Taking place in the 1920’s. This story is a fun, intriguing combination of murder mystery and slasher bringing in Jack the Ripper lore to craft something really memorable. Certainly my favorite offering in an already stellar collection.
At 150 pages, The Halloween Store is a quick read, and even though some stories are better than others, there are no clunkers. This may be a collection I revisit every year when the leaves begin to fall off the trees.

I received a copy from the author for review consideration.