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Kealan Patrick Burke
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The Number 121 to Pennsylvania & Others Kindle Edition

by Kealan Patrick Burke (Author), James Higgins (Illustrator) Format: Kindle Edition
4.4 4.4 out of 5 stars 73 ratings
See all formats and editions
Available for the first time in digital format, the acclaimed collection THE NUMBER 121 TO PENNSYLVANIA & OTHERS, almost 100,000 words of short fiction by the Bram Stoker Award-winning author of THE TURTLE BOY.

The lonesome sound of a long forgotten train draws an old man to memories of a horrific past... A journalist makes the mistake of visiting a website where real-life executions are the order of the day... At the foot of an old tree, an insidious evil awaits two boys digging for treasure... A browbeaten salesman finds hope and a possible escape from the banality of his world when he returns home to find a fairytale beanstalk sprouting from his garden... A man resists the social pressure to quit smoking and puts himself at an unimaginable risk... A high school student accepts a dare to ask out the ugliest girl in school and enters a world of pain and violence... A comedian finds himself faced with a most peculiar and deadly audience...The pariah of a village accepts an offer of peace at his mother's funeral, but the olive branch may have hidden thorns...A bunch of barflies doomed to murder sinners get together for one last drink in a dying town...

These are just some of the passengers, headed for a ride through the dark uncharted regions of the heart and mind...on The Number 121 to Pennsylvania.

Includes such reader favorites as "Empathy", "Mr. Goodnight", "Underneath", "The Grief Frequency" and "Peekers".

"In 14 dark fantasies collected here, Burke creates characters whose angst opens them up to uncanny incidents and ghostly encounters that seem an extension of their own spiritual malaise... Burke shows skill at imagining expressive supernatural experiences appropriate for his well-developed characters and their agitated emotions." - PUBLISHERS WEEKLY

"Don't read it late at night." - BOOKLIST

"Each tale grabs you within the first few sentences and never lets go, resulting in a collection guaranteed to take you on one of the scariest rides of your life." - RUE MORGUE

Contents:

Introduction
The Grief Frequency
The Number 121 to Pennsylvania
Mr. Goodnight
Empathy
Peekers
High on the Vine
Tonight the Moon is Ours
Prohibited
Underneath
Snowmen
Will You Tell Them I Died Quietly?
The Last Laugh
Cobwebs
Saturday Night at Eddie's
Story Notes
Previous page
  1. Print length
    257 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Sticky notes
    On Kindle Scribe
  4. Publication date
    August 15, 2011
  5. File size
    757 KB
  6. Page Flip
    Enabled
  7. Word Wise
    Enabled
  8. Enhanced typesetting
    Enabled
  9. See all details
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Editorial Reviews

Review

"The future of horror has many names, but one of them with lights around it is Kealan Patrick Burke. Keep both eyes on this one!" - Al Sarrantonio, author of Hallow's Eve and Toybox, editor of 999 and Stories (with Neil Gaiman)

"Kealan Patrick Burke shines a light on the darkness--both the kind that lurks in supernatural shadows, and the kind that lives beneath all-too-human skin. If you're looking for chills of the classic variety crafted with a contemporary touch, don't miss this promising young writer's work." - Norman Partridge, author of Dark Harvest and Lesser Demons


"With a nostalgic, sometimes elegiac, nuance that nods to Stephen King (especially in short form) and a deft treatment of the dark things lurking on the fraying fringes of normalcy that brings to mind John Connelly's Charlie Parker books, what's not to like?" - NOTES FROM THE BELFRY

About the Author

Born and raised in a small harbor town in the south of Ireland, Kealan Patrick Burke knew from a very early age that he was going to be a horror writer. The combination of an ancient locale, a horror-loving mother, and a family full of storytellers, made it inevitable that he would end up telling stories for a living. Since those formative years, he has written five novels, over a hundred short stories, six collections, and edited four acclaimed anthologies. In 2004, he was honored with the Bram Stoker Award for his novella The Turtle Boy.

Kealan has worked as a waiter, a drama teacher, a mapmaker, a security guard, an assembly-line worker at Apple Computers, a salesman (for a day), a bartender, landscape gardener, vocalist in a rock band, curriculum content editor, fiction editor at Gothic.net, and, most recently, a fraud investigator.

When not writing, Kealan designs book covers through his company Elderlemon Design.

A number of his books have been optioned for film.

Visit him on the web at kealanpatrickburke.com.

Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B005HG69O8
  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ (August 15, 2011)
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ August 15, 2011
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • File size ‏ : ‎ 757 KB
  • Simultaneous device usage ‏ : ‎ Unlimited
  • Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
  • Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Not Enabled
  • Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Sticky notes ‏ : ‎ On Kindle Scribe
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 257 pages
  • Page numbers source ISBN ‏ : ‎ 1481030094
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.4 4.4 out of 5 stars 73 ratings

About the author

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Kealan Patrick Burke

Kealan Patrick Burke

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Hailed by BOOKLIST as “one of the most clever and original talents in contemporary horror,” Kealan Patrick Burke was born and raised in Ireland and emigrated to the United States a few weeks before 9/11. Since then, he has written five novels, among them the popular southern gothic slasher KIN, and over two hundred short stories and novellas, including PEEKERS, SOUR CANDY and THE HOUSE ON ABIGAIL LANE, all of which have been optioned for film.

A five-time Bram Stoker Award-nominee, Burke won the award in 2005 for his coming-of-age novella THE TURTLE BOY, the first book in the acclaimed Timmy Quinn series.

As editor, he helmed the anthologies NIGHT VISIONS 12, TAVERNS OF THE DEAD, and QUIETLY NOW, a tribute anthology to one of Burke’s influences, the late Charles L. Grant.

Most recently, he adapted his work to comic book format for four volumes of John Carpenter’s TALES FOR A HALLOWEEN NIGHT series of anthologies and contributed a short story to Mike Mignola and Christopher Golden’s HELLBOY: AN ASSORTMENT OF HORRORS. He is currently at work on a new novel, MR. STITCH.

Kealan is represented by Merrilee Heifetz at Writers House.

He lives in an unhaunted house in Ohio with a Scooby Doo lookalike rescue pup named Red.

Customer reviews

4.4 out of 5 stars
4.4 out of 5
73 global ratings

Top reviews from the United States

Sheri L. Little
5.0 out of 5 stars Kealan Patrick Burke is the very Best Storyteller.
Reviewed in the United States on April 18, 2019
Verified Purchase
Wow! I am a fanatic about reading horror and I've been hearing the name [author:Kealan Patrick Burke|283369] for quite some time now and I can't imagine why it's taken me this long to read one of his books. This author is the real deal! He's not messing around.

It is an art writing short stories. There is absolutely no wiggle room for error. You either get it right or you don't. Kealan Patrick Burke nails it WITH EVERY STORY. Hands down!

I don't think I've ever been sucked into stories so quickly and with such an emotional investment in the characters. There is something about an author who has the ability to weave sentences together that are beautiful, poetic and written in such a way, I'll never forget them. I found that on every single page of this collection of stories.
I'm not kidding. Kealan Patrick Burke weaves words together like some weird literary word magician that leaves me breathless.

His biography states that he grew up in a family of storytellers and by golly, it shows on every page. Storytelling is such an intense skill and I have no doubt that it is in his DNA.

If I could, I would be doing back flips down the middle of the street while screaming the praises of this author and his book. Seriously. And well, maybe I did exactly that.
So, while I'm recovering from whiplash and throwing my back out, I ordered three more books by Kealan Patrick Burke. I can't wait for Kealan to scare me more!!
2 people found this helpful
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Chris
4.0 out of 5 stars Enjoyable, but needs an editor
Reviewed in the United States on April 3, 2021
Verified Purchase
Like all the author's other works, this is well written . . . except for all the typos. I hope he hires a proof reader in the future.
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jjrk
5.0 out of 5 stars Great Collection!
Reviewed in the United States on January 3, 2012
Verified Purchase
Do not hesitate to buy this book! You won't regret it. The stories contained within are brimming with horror and creeping unease. Burke succeeds in his attempt to pull a bait and switch in many of the tails and leaves the reader wondering where he will take them next. It is no wonder that his was Bram Stoker award material. As far as I'm concerned, Kealan is one of the best in the horror world right now. Spend the money and get these stories!!!
3 people found this helpful
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Kindle Customer
5.0 out of 5 stars Wow. Peekers. Worth it just for that short, guys.
Reviewed in the United States on July 18, 2016
Verified Purchase
I love horror shorts. I think they are interesting and compelling in a way that suits my weird psychological drives. But no short story has ever made my heart skip and my stomach to turn quite like "Peekers" did. Don't get me wrong, the whole book is amazing but geeeeeeesus. The purchase of book is worth it for that one stimulating experience. This guy can write. Check out this book, you won't be displeased.
3 people found this helpful
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recluse
5.0 out of 5 stars A Chilling Collection
Reviewed in the United States on September 27, 2011
Verified Purchase
...by a master of the craft. And Kealan Patrick Burke is a Master, able to create incredible short stories whose power to touch our deepest fears are magnified by their brevity. Whether it be the shadows that lurk within the human heart or those that originate from supernatural sources, Burke brings them to life in these stories and never fails to create an emotional bond with the reader, a talent which places him firmly at the top of any horror fan's "must read" list.
7 people found this helpful
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Steven
4.0 out of 5 stars This guy sees dead people!!!!
Reviewed in the United States on May 18, 2014
Verified Purchase
And it scares the bejesus out of me. I read everything this guy writes. Scares me out of my skin. Be prepared to be transported somewhere else - a place you most likely have never been before. This is my second read of this book of short stories. Still invigoratingly macabre.
3 people found this helpful
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Aurora M. Long
5.0 out of 5 stars Can't get enough Kealan Patrick Burke
Reviewed in the United States on February 13, 2013
Verified Purchase
How is this guy already not way more famous than he currently is? All of his writing oozes with talent and this collection of some of his short stories is a great big helping of that ooze. Enjoy!
One person found this helpful
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Diana Pepe
4.0 out of 5 stars A good read.
Reviewed in the United States on October 7, 2012
Verified Purchase
This was a good book..the stories were entertaining. But NOT at all scarey as the multitude of reviewers has noted. Not to say this is a bad read-not at all, definitely recommended. I have been looking for some good chillers, without much success. Recommendations are welcome!
2 people found this helpful
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Top reviews from other countries

Translate all reviews to English
Yvonne S.
5.0 out of 5 stars Großartige Anthologie
Reviewed in Germany on January 3, 2019
Verified Purchase
"The Number 121 to Pennsylvania & Others" ist eine großartige Anthologie bestehend aus 14 Kurzgeschichten. Leider wurde diese Sammlung bislang nicht ins Deutsche übersetzt, was wirklich schade ist, denn die Lektüre lohnt sich. Bis vor einigen Jahren konnte ich Kurzgeschichten nicht viel abgewinnen, das hat sich jedoch geändert seit ich auf einige Perlen gestoßen bin. Einer der Autoren, die diese schwierige Kunst herausragend gut beherrschen, ist definitv Kealan Patrick Burke. Er ist nicht nur äußerst produktiv in diesem Metier, sondern schreibt auch qualitativ sehr gut. (Randbemerkung: Seine Romane stehen dem in nichts nach.) Doch genug der einleitenden Worte, kommen wir zu diesem Werk.

Es ist schwierig eine Anthologie zu rezensieren und dabei nicht zu viel zu verraten, deshalb möchte ich auch nicht auf jede einzelne Geschichte im Detail eingehen. Aber ich kann sagen, dass es hier keinen einzigen Fehltritt gibt. Ja, es gibt einige wenige Stories, die mich nicht komplett abholen konnten, schlecht war aber keine von ihnen. Dafür gibt es allerdings verdammt viele richtig gute Geschichten in dieser Sammlung: "Mr. Goodnight", "Snowmen" und "Saturday Night at Eddie's" (Auszug aus dem Roman "Currency Of Souls"/"Seelenhandel"). Diese Geschichten sind allesamt hervorragend geschrieben. Letztere ist speziell und sicher nicht für jeden etwas, ich mochte sie sehr, kenne und liebe aber auch den Roman, der daraus entstanden ist.
Eine ganz besondere, eigene Note haben "High on the Vine" (eine gelungene Hommage an "Jack und die Bohnenranke"), "The Number 121 to Pennsylvania" und "Tonight the Moon is Ours". Sie sind originell, berührten mich und/oder sind sehr schön geschrieben.
Meine absoluten Favoriten aber sind "Peekers", "Empathy", "Underneath" und "Cobwebs". WOW! "Peekers" ist kurz aber unglaublich beängstigend. Der Horror schlägt unerwartet und heftig zu. Richtig, richtig gut und das ganz ohne Splatter oder Blutvergießen. Chapeau! "Empathy" konnte mich richtig fesseln und war wie ein Schlag in die Magengrube. Heftig und mit Nachhall. In "Underneath" geht es um Mobbing und was für Konsequenzen daraus entstehen können. Spannend und schockierend zugleich. Mit "Cobwebs" hat mich Burke nicht nur überrascht, sondern auch unglaublich berührt. Diese Erzählung hat mich wirklich zu Tränen gerührt (und das passiert selten!) und noch lange beschäftigt. Sie ist intensiv und auf eine sehr nachdrückliche Weise furchterregend, weil sie ein Thema anspricht, das mir persönlich sehr nahegeht.

Wirklich gefreut habe ich mich über die am Schluss zu jeder Geschichte gedruckten Anmerkungen des Autors. Ein schöner und äußerst interessanter Einblick, den Burke uns hier gewährt und der das Leseerlebnis perfekt abgerundet hat.

Fazit:
Diese Anthologie ist eine wahre Perle und definitiv eine absolute Leseempfehlung meinerseits. Für mich war es die erste Leseerfahrung mit Kealan Patrick Burke auf Englisch (seine ins Deutsche übersetzten Werke habe ich alle bereits gelesen) und sicher nicht meine letzte. Er hat einen sehr besonderen Stil, der mich stets berührt und einfängt – auf die eine oder andere Weise. Und genau das ist es, was ich möchte, wenn ich ein Buch aufschlage. Danke für diese intensiven Lesemomente!
Customer image
Yvonne S.
5.0 out of 5 stars Großartige Anthologie
Reviewed in Germany on January 3, 2019
"The Number 121 to Pennsylvania & Others" ist eine großartige Anthologie bestehend aus 14 Kurzgeschichten. Leider wurde diese Sammlung bislang nicht ins Deutsche übersetzt, was wirklich schade ist, denn die Lektüre lohnt sich. Bis vor einigen Jahren konnte ich Kurzgeschichten nicht viel abgewinnen, das hat sich jedoch geändert seit ich auf einige Perlen gestoßen bin. Einer der Autoren, die diese schwierige Kunst herausragend gut beherrschen, ist definitv Kealan Patrick Burke. Er ist nicht nur äußerst produktiv in diesem Metier, sondern schreibt auch qualitativ sehr gut. (Randbemerkung: Seine Romane stehen dem in nichts nach.) Doch genug der einleitenden Worte, kommen wir zu diesem Werk.

Es ist schwierig eine Anthologie zu rezensieren und dabei nicht zu viel zu verraten, deshalb möchte ich auch nicht auf jede einzelne Geschichte im Detail eingehen. Aber ich kann sagen, dass es hier keinen einzigen Fehltritt gibt. Ja, es gibt einige wenige Stories, die mich nicht komplett abholen konnten, schlecht war aber keine von ihnen. Dafür gibt es allerdings verdammt viele richtig gute Geschichten in dieser Sammlung: "Mr. Goodnight", "Snowmen" und "Saturday Night at Eddie's" (Auszug aus dem Roman "Currency Of Souls"/"Seelenhandel"). Diese Geschichten sind allesamt hervorragend geschrieben. Letztere ist speziell und sicher nicht für jeden etwas, ich mochte sie sehr, kenne und liebe aber auch den Roman, der daraus entstanden ist.
Eine ganz besondere, eigene Note haben "High on the Vine" (eine gelungene Hommage an "Jack und die Bohnenranke"), "The Number 121 to Pennsylvania" und "Tonight the Moon is Ours". Sie sind originell, berührten mich und/oder sind sehr schön geschrieben.
Meine absoluten Favoriten aber sind "Peekers", "Empathy", "Underneath" und "Cobwebs". WOW! "Peekers" ist kurz aber unglaublich beängstigend. Der Horror schlägt unerwartet und heftig zu. Richtig, richtig gut und das ganz ohne Splatter oder Blutvergießen. Chapeau! "Empathy" konnte mich richtig fesseln und war wie ein Schlag in die Magengrube. Heftig und mit Nachhall. In "Underneath" geht es um Mobbing und was für Konsequenzen daraus entstehen können. Spannend und schockierend zugleich. Mit "Cobwebs" hat mich Burke nicht nur überrascht, sondern auch unglaublich berührt. Diese Erzählung hat mich wirklich zu Tränen gerührt (und das passiert selten!) und noch lange beschäftigt. Sie ist intensiv und auf eine sehr nachdrückliche Weise furchterregend, weil sie ein Thema anspricht, das mir persönlich sehr nahegeht.

Wirklich gefreut habe ich mich über die am Schluss zu jeder Geschichte gedruckten Anmerkungen des Autors. Ein schöner und äußerst interessanter Einblick, den Burke uns hier gewährt und der das Leseerlebnis perfekt abgerundet hat.

Fazit:
Diese Anthologie ist eine wahre Perle und definitiv eine absolute Leseempfehlung meinerseits. Für mich war es die erste Leseerfahrung mit Kealan Patrick Burke auf Englisch (seine ins Deutsche übersetzten Werke habe ich alle bereits gelesen) und sicher nicht meine letzte. Er hat einen sehr besonderen Stil, der mich stets berührt und einfängt – auf die eine oder andere Weise. Und genau das ist es, was ich möchte, wenn ich ein Buch aufschlage. Danke für diese intensiven Lesemomente!
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💕MissAngieP💕
5.0 out of 5 stars love all the books
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on April 26, 2013
Verified Purchase
This is grate, I never wanted to put it down, I would sit up all night reading it I have read most of Kealan Patrick Burke books
and loved every one of them
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Confessions of a Reviewer
5.0 out of 5 stars Short story heaven.
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on December 30, 2012
Verified Purchase
Nothing you read by Mr Burke is going to be bad. Short story writing at it's best. My fave were Peekers, High On The Vine and Underneath.
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