When The Century Knocks: : A Halloween Anthology
4.7 (3 ratings)
ThrillerHorror

When The Century Knocks: : A Halloween Anthology

Eight centuries. Eight places. Eight stories.

Across different times and far-flung places, something has been waiting.

A whisper in the woods.
A shadow where no one should be.
A door that should never open.
A presence that refuses to stay buried.

For centuries, people have encountered things they couldn't explain—strange occurrences that appeared to have no connection to one another.

Or so they thought.

WHEN THE CENTURY KNOCKS brings together eight chilling tales from Kirsten Gale, J.D. Setzer, Tamara Rector, Jim Donohue, Kendra Smart, Abby Woodland, Hayley Bernard-Ryan, and J.K. Charles, each exploring a different century, a different place, and a different nightmare.

What will come from the trees when the century knocks?

Why is it happening?

And what has been waiting all this time?

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Available in: Ebook

Reader Reviews

4.7

3 ratings

Serena M.

Oct 19, 2026

I like how all the stories were connected by this scary tree and they took place every century. That was a really cool and creative choice. While not all the stories were my cup of tea, I did really enjoy some of them. A Trail Without God was good, as was The Weeping Woman. My favorite story was probably The Third Knock. That story was creepy and sad, and I liked the headless horseman type creature. This is a solid Halloween anthology. I received a free copy of this story and write this review voluntarily

Kerri D.

Sep 29, 2026

This was such an interesting take on a short story collection, and not one that I have seen done previously. Throughout all the stories, there is one central tree that is woven into each individual story. Some stories pull on folklore, while in others there are spooky creatures, but all of it comes together in an exceptional collection.

You have my vote for a Christmas Anthology now!

Beckie B.

Sep 28, 2026

This anthology was fascinating! I loved the lore across the centuries and the different cultures with the tree and its restless, evil spirit serving as the central focus.

Although the backgrounds were different, every author brought to life a frightening tale of the knocking demon who seeks what was lost or demands a repayment in flesh or blood for past wrongs. The legends of the witch trials to LA Llorona to the Headless Horseman to the Japanese Neko were tied in effortlessly. Also the new, unique spin on the lovers initials to the futuristic water dwellers. I am in awe how amazingly vivid these stories were. A lot of time obviously went in to vividly paint the gothic, macabre settings and to tie them together in an eye-opening epilogue.

Bravo to all 8 authors involved in putting together this brilliant collection that in my opinion needs to be a Halloween staple.

About the Author

Tamara Rector
Tamara Rector writes romantic suspense and horror stories about complicated relationships and the choices people make when things start to go bad. She lives in New Brunswick with her husband and two daughters, where she spends most of her time writing, thinking about stories, and getting distracted by new ideas for the next book.