My Two Cents: THE PESTILENT PERILS SERIES by M.J. Mars

The Pestilent Perils series is comprised of two very different, but delightfully horrific short stories by M.J. Mars.

"Rat" is set in the Victorian Era, and centers around the crew of a clipper ship, the Cormorant, that encounters an abandoned prison vessel bound from England to Australia. The larger ship, the Tulketh Swain, appears completely empty upon inspection, but the Cormorant's kindhearted cabin boy begins to suspect that isn't the case. A dark presence seems to have followed them back aboard the Cormorant, and soon, its malevolent (and gruesome) intentions are made clear.

By contrast, "Flea" is set in contemporary times, and follows a world-weary police detective tasked with investigating a recent series of grisly murders in which the victims are found bearing unusual, telltale wounds, and appear to have been drained of blood. The case leads him to a top-secret laboratory conducting experiments of a truly diabolical nature.

"Rat" and "Flea" are quick reads, but Mars packs a ton of horror into the pages, building layer upon layer of well-paced, creeping dread. There's plenty of gore and body horror, too, and when these hit, they hit hard and fast. At the same time, Mars has crafted wonderfully developed main characters the reader feels connected to and cares about, a feat that's challenging enough in a novel-length story, never mind ones this short.

"Rat" and "Flea" also feature striking covers and beautiful interior designs that include fantastic illustrations. They're fun to look at, and even more fun to read, and I'm hoping she adds more installments to the Pestilent Perils in the near future.

"Rat" and "Flea" are available here.