Creature Feature is a collection of six Amazon-Original scary stories, each focusing on a different monster, penned by well-known authors in the horror and thriller genres. This is story 2/6.

Ankle Snatcher by Grady Hendrix – 5 Pumpkins 🎃🎃🎃🎃🎃

When Marcus Needham was six his father was arrested and sent to prison for killing his mother. But the night it happened his father told his young son that he didn’t do it, that the Ankle Snatcher had grabbed his mother because she’d gotten out of bed in the dead of night without turning on a light first. Always turn on the light before getting out of bed his father warned. And even though Marcus has always believed his father to be delusional, he has always turned on the lamp first, even as an adult, until the night his girlfriend stays over, and she gets up to use the bathroom in complete darkness…

Ankle Snatcher is the shortest of the Creature Feature stories but it certainly left its mark – but fortunately not a physical one on my ankle. Who wouldn’t be terrified of something lurking under the bed? Especially something that only exists after dark. Are you superstitious? Would you turn on the light before getting up in the middle of the night just in case? The ending the protagonist found himself in was quite the conundrum. This little gem creeped me out.

I'd like to thank Netgalley, Amazon, and Grady Hendrix for the e-ARC.

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