Book Review: The Last Stall by Wayne Staples

When I heard that there was another horror author knocking around in Hoo (is there something in the air around here?), I figured it’d be rude not to show some support and give their book a go! So I grabbed a copy of Wayne Staples’ ‘The Last Stall’ and got to reading it. It’s not a very long read – I got through it in one evening – but it is full of chills and some great imagery.

The book is self-published, and I’ll admit there is some creative formatting that I found a bit distracting at first. But that aside, ‘The Last Stall’ is a solid horror story with some really well-written and atmospheric scenes and a premise that I’ve not seen elsewhere. Imagine if Leland Gaunt from ‘Needful Things’ decided to set up a stall at a small-town indoor boot fair in the UK, and you’ll have an idea of what to expect. Since I’m living in the same town as Wayne, as I read I had a really clear image of the hall I assume he was thinking of when he wrote it, and I will definitely think twice before I set foot in there on my own!

It would have been nice if the story were longer, and the characters were given a bit more time to flesh out. Having said that, as a short (ish) story it’s well paced and intriguing. The ending put a shiver up my spine, and I have lots of unanswered questions – just as it should be at the end of a horror story. If Wayne can keep writing stories like this, I’d love to see them together in a short story collection one day.

In summary, it’s not a long read but it’s well worth the time and I hope Wayne continues to write more.