Book Review: THE WAGES OF BELIEF

by | May 15, 2025 | Horror World Library, Horror World News, Reviews | 0 comments

The Wages of Belief and Other Stories from the Dark Side
Elizabeth Massie
Macabre Ink (February 4, 2025)
Reviewed by Carson Buckingham

Elizabeth Massie is a Bram Stoker Award-winning author, and it isn’t hard to see why. She had a knack for seeing right through the motivations of humanity and the falls it takes for not paying attention. Her writing style is also reader-friendly and it is easy to dive right into her work.

The stories are all wonderful and follow:

“The Wages of Belief” – This novella picks up where Elizabeth Massie’s previous novel, Sineater, leaves off, but the story stands alone, if you haven’t read Sineater. This is a story about the destructiveness of blind, unthinking belief, in a small hamlet that had, and must have, a Sineater, and shows how lives can be ruined over a crazy, horrific belief that people come to worship. This story draws you in deeply right away. Brilliant.

“Cruising the Aisles” – Fauna, one of the idle rich, loses her personal shopper and her cook on the same day. Her worthless life is spent living for a soap opera, where she sends a multitude of scripts that are never acknowledged. When she decides to give grocery shopping a try, we see how disconnected she really is.

“Inside Out” – George Ricketts, a campground proprietor, finds a new way to get rid of headaches from an odd little camper. I loved this one.

“It’s in the Cards” – a self-published author attends her first sci-fi convention with her first book. She is bullied by a famous author at a nearby table, but karma is a real bitch.

“Those Who are Terrified” – Two grandparents, three children, and one fantastic ghost story. Another favorite.

“Keeping the Peace” – Be careful about teaching children that there are no exceptions to rules. Loved it.

A couple of cute horror poems—one funny and the other a clever parody of Poe’s ‘Annabel Lee’.

“Tunnel Vision” – Memories, a life ill-lived, and a kiddie train ride.

“In the Cow Pasture” – three kids decide to dig a hole to hell in a neighbor’s cow pasture.

“Stink Hole” – A story about environmental responsibility and how the Earth got tired of waiting.

You’ll want a copy of this book for your personal library. Not only is it a great first read, but will stand up nicely to re-reading.  And think about Christmas and birthdays. It’s an inexpensive gift that anyone who loves horror will adore! Beautifully written.

5 out of 5 stars

 

 

 

About Carson Buckingham

Professionally, Carson Buckingham has made her way in life doing all manner of things, most of which involve arson. She is currently employed as a freelance writer on a work release program. In her spare time, she studies forensics, in hopes of applying her new knowledge to eluding the authorities more effectively the next time. She is originally from Connecticut, but now resides in Kentucky—and Connecticut is glad to be rid of her.

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