Ramsey Campbell, Jack Ketchum, + Tales From the Lake Vol.2 Review

Written by: Paula Limbaugh

Are you ready to test the waters again? Tales from The Lake Vol. 2 from Crystal Lake Publishing is now out! Once again, we are given an eclectic collection to peruse. With selections from the likes of Ramsey Campbell, Jack Ketchum, Mark West, and Lisa Morton, there’s a little something for everyone.

The nicely done cover is from Ben Baldwin who gave us the cover for Volume 1, and inside… oh my, you’ll find some aptly done interior artwork created by Aaron Dries. Aaron is also another one of the contributors to this collection.

The first tale in the collection is from Jim Goforth. Lago de Los Perdidos is a sad story of those who have given up. The Lost Lake is a place where one can go and drown their despair.  Booker is a man who has lost all he had to the lake, and now as he ponders his loss, he finds the lake now wants him.

Rena Mason’s Winter’s Dollhouse is a creepy story that’s sure to cause a shudder. What started out to be a simple winter’s diving trip under an ice-encrusted lake soon becomes an expedition into terror. What Kirsten doesn’t realize is the terror below is no match for what waits above.

Wow, perfection… what some will do to obtain it. Jan Edwards gives us a glimpse in Bone Wary at the extremes one man takes to create that perfect piece of bone china. Only the finest materials will do.

Hmm… you may want to think twice before entering an elevator again after reading John Whalen’s Descending. There have always been rumors about the Lichfield Psychiatric Hospital where Henry worked. But, that’s just it, they’re rumors, right. Well, Henry is about to take a ride down to Hell, maybe there was some truth to those rumors.

Yum! I love Asian food. The spring rolls, the rice noodles, thinly sliced beef and, those little skewers of delectable BBQ pork, oh yeah, I’m getting hungry. Have you ever tried cooking it at home? For some reason, I can never mimic the flavorful tenderness, the just so taste of the meat. After reading Glen Johnson’s Prime Cuts, I’m not so sure I want to. Actually, I’m not too sure I’m still hungry; perhaps you better read this one on an empty stomach!

The above are just a little dip into The Lake, you will also find stories from Jonathan Winn, Edward Lee, Tim Lebbon, Richard Chizmar, Ben Eads, Hal Bodner, Raven Dane, Rocky Alexander, and Vincenzo Bilof. All in all, another great volume of stories from the eerily melancholy to the full-blown horrific, you will be entertained! Grab your copy here!

5/5