Killer VHS Series Examined

Shortwave Publishing's homage to the tapes that built modern horror

Nostalgia and horror: two things that often go hand in hand. Those of the Blockbuster age can recall Friday night rolling around, going to that rental counter with some good movies, perhaps picking up a pizza, all in preparation for movie night. Heading home, putting on your favorite pajamas & turning off all the lights. Basking in that TV glow & ready to get in the scares.

If this sounds like your type of fun, look no further than Shortwave Publishing. Their Killer VHS Series has 5 already published novellas, 1 set to publish in March 2025 and 1 more set for November 2025 release. I have rounded them up for you, in order of publication, so you can make some informed decisions.

Melon Head Mayhem by Alex Ebenstein follows cousins Carson and Sophia, who are in search of something new to watch. They find an unfamiliar VHS tape among some things in their grandmother’s house. Figuring 90 minutes is worth giving it a try, they put in the VCR and start watching. They unwittingly summon some real movie monsters in the form of melon heads, a local urban legend. This one was truly a creature feature.

Candy Cain Kills by Brian McAuley starts with a family on a holiday getaway. Siblings Austin and Fiona are less than thrilled over this “bonding time” but their parents want to make the best of it, despite having their own underlying issues. They all soon find out that their vacation site is home to a horrific past and come upon a camera containing some disturbing footage. Candy Cain is after blood and will slash anyone to get it. This is one of my favorite books of all time. It is no secret I love Brian’s writing and will read anything he puts out there.

Teleportasm by Joshua Millican is about four friends who are in search of a rather unique VHS tape that causes short-distance teleportation, when viewed. The reason this tape is sought after is for the euphoric after effects. This fact starts a very dangerous trend among people in search of such a high. As copies of the original are made & distributed, these effects become less predictable, to say the least. Needless to say, some will accept all these risks for one more trip. This book had me gobsmacked. It contained some of the most effective body horror I have ever read, while not being gratuitous simply for shock value. And that ending? PHEW!

Cicada by Tanya Pell takes place at a rural horror film festival about a giant killer cicada. We follow Ash, who ends up stranded in this small, landlocked town with her very irritating boyfriend. Seriously, he sucks. With only one way in and out of the town, things start to feel weirder and weirder for Ash. She stumbles upon something in the surrounding forest that truly freaks her out. Soon enough, she starts to realize she is starring in the sequel to this fucked up bug movie and these locals will not let anyone leave. This story scratched an itch of mine in the form of huge insect B-movies and I loved it.

Candy Cain Kills Again: The Second Slaying by Brian McAuley (yes, again and hush) is the sequel to Candy Cain Kills. This book picks up immediately after the events of the first book, with Fiona, Austin and what’s left of the crew sitting at a diner. They decide to head over to the church to speak to Pastor Wendell, not realizing that Candy Cain is not quite done. She is still out for blood and will stop at nothing to get it. I don’t think it is a shock that I absolutely ate this up (IYKYK). I keep imagining Candy Cain driving that fire truck and just cackle with glee. I also don’t think I can ever look at a can of beans the same.

Night of the Witch-Hunter by Patrick Barb is pending release. The publish date is March 18, 2025 and available for pre-order. This book takes place during the Y2K era. Josey has a school video project due and her work leads to the resurrection of Pryce, a demonic witch-hunter from the 1600s. Josey must call upon some help to stop Pryce from unleashing puritanical Hell on Earth in her small New England town. I am so excited to read this one. Thank you to Shortwave for sending me an ARC!

The Long Low Whistle by Laurel Hightower marks book #7 in the series, with release date set at November 04, 2025. Per Shortwave’s site, “in The Long Low Whistle, a woman searching for answers about her father’s death decades ago, joins a group of cryptid hunters to penetrate the abandoned mine where he was last seen”. I absolutely adore Laurel and cannot wait to see what she does with this story.

Shortwave Publishing was founded in 2022 by Alan Lastufka, who runs the press and manages daily operations. He is also an is an extremely talented artist and author. You must check out his work. We Shortwave offers a selection of original books, zines, and online stories with a focus on dark and speculative genre fiction. This small press’ attention to detail, marketing and customer service is unmatched and I will never stop yelling about them.