--- product_id: 40006716 title: "Darkness Creeping: Twenty Twisted Tales" price: "A$21" currency: AUD in_stock: true reviews_count: 9 url: https://www.desertcart.com.au/products/40006716-darkness-creeping-twenty-twisted-tales store_origin: AU region: Australia --- # Darkness Creeping: Twenty Twisted Tales **Price:** A$21 **Availability:** ✅ In Stock ## Quick Answers - **What is this?** Darkness Creeping: Twenty Twisted Tales - **How much does it cost?** A$21 with free shipping - **Is it available?** Yes, in stock and ready to ship - **Where can I buy it?** [www.desertcart.com.au](https://www.desertcart.com.au/products/40006716-darkness-creeping-twenty-twisted-tales) ## Best For - Customers looking for quality international products ## Why This Product - Free international shipping included - Worldwide delivery with tracking - 15-day hassle-free returns ## Description Imagine being trapped forever in someone else’s nightmare, with no means of escape. Or caught on one of the most terrifying roller coasters of all time, when suddenly the tracks ahead just disappear. Enter the world of Darkness Creeping, where hollow-eyed skulls arrive in the mail and nothing is as it seems. Boston Globe–Horn Book Award winner and beloved author Neal Shusterman walks on the dark side with this classic collection of masterfully creepy stories so horrifying, you may have to read them twice to remind yourself they’re not real. Review: Masterful, and not just for the story lines - I bought this book through an desertcart associate after reading about it somewhere, probably through desertcart reviews. What a lucky find; what a brilliant book! As an adult, I can't say that these stories scared me that much (though "An Ear for Music" is superbly clever/creepy). (However, I can easily see kids being totally terrified at the clever and unexpected plot twists.) No, what impresses me the most is the craft of Neal Shusterman's writing. Like a brilliant caricaturist, he creates several characters and a beginning plot line within two pages. Characters with real personalities and motivations. As a writer, I marvel at this ability. Shusterman can write the rough draft of a story while sitting on a plane or while sitting at a cafe. I am envious. He's the kind of artist who could create a little sculpture out of the napkins and bottle caps at a restaurant table. What strikes me just as strongly is the intelligence of these stories. Somewhere I remember reading that this book was aimed at readers aged 10 and up. Well, most 10-year-olds will not get many of the references in this book. In one paragraph in "Ralphy Sherman's Root Canal," -- beyond hysterical, by the way -- Shusterman brings up the Titanic, the SF earthquake of 1906, the atomic bombings at Hiroshima and Nagasaki, Kurt Cobain and "Smells Like Teen Spirit," Jimi Hendrix, Jim Morrison, Patsy Cline, and many more historical/pop references, all in the service of sight gags or to further the plot. Now what 10-year-old recognizes all these names? Doesn't matter. The stories work and adults have extra things to laugh at. One example from the same story: the children's "current nanny... was from a small eastern European country that no longer existed, but might exist again in a month or so, she hoped." That made me roar. Okay, you're not into the history of Lithuania, Estonia, Armenia, Chechnya, etc.? Fine. But that joke will work with history/current events fans. And in trying to find this passage, I just realized that a science project in this story is entitled "A Fistful of Molars," a joke which flew right past me the first time. Clint Eastwood spaghetti westerns, anyone? See, Shusterman doesn't write down to his audience; he brings them up a notch or two. And if they don't get it the first time, maybe they will the second or third time the read the book. Oh, did I mention that the author has a sharp wit and sense of irony? My favorites were "An Ear for Music," "Screaming at the Wall," "Catching Cold," the aforementioned "Ralphy Sherman's Root Canal," and "Security Blanket." Yours will probably be different. That's another great thing about this book. It's like a Ben and Jerry's for short stories. Something for everyone. Thank you, Neal Shusterman. You've inspired me to jot down ideas for horror stories. You find them almost anywhere. Beyond my mirror, I have to look a bit harder. Daniel Berenson Freaky Dude Books Review: These chilling stories are an excellent read and are very thought-provoking - These chilling stories are an excellent read and are very thought-provoking! I used two of the milder ones in my 6th grade classroom; they are great for making inferences, rich class/group discussions, and answering critical thinking questions using text evidence support. However, I would not recommend all the stories for kids that young. I'd book talk it for 7th grade and above with a hint that the stories are creepy in a non-gory way. ## Technical Specifications | Specification | Value | |---------------|-------| | Best Sellers Rank | #417,282 in Books ( See Top 100 in Books ) #215 in Teen & Young Adult Ghost Stories #224 in Short Stories in Teen & Young Adult Literature #5,001 in Short Stories Anthologies | | Customer Reviews | 4.6 out of 5 stars 88 Reviews | ## Images ![Darkness Creeping: Twenty Twisted Tales - Image 1](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/81Cv9ncZ8FL.jpg) ## Customer Reviews ### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Masterful, and not just for the story lines *by D***N on May 10, 2013* I bought this book through an Amazon associate after reading about it somewhere, probably through Amazon reviews. What a lucky find; what a brilliant book! As an adult, I can't say that these stories scared me that much (though "An Ear for Music" is superbly clever/creepy). (However, I can easily see kids being totally terrified at the clever and unexpected plot twists.) No, what impresses me the most is the craft of Neal Shusterman's writing. Like a brilliant caricaturist, he creates several characters and a beginning plot line within two pages. Characters with real personalities and motivations. As a writer, I marvel at this ability. Shusterman can write the rough draft of a story while sitting on a plane or while sitting at a cafe. I am envious. He's the kind of artist who could create a little sculpture out of the napkins and bottle caps at a restaurant table. What strikes me just as strongly is the intelligence of these stories. Somewhere I remember reading that this book was aimed at readers aged 10 and up. Well, most 10-year-olds will not get many of the references in this book. In one paragraph in "Ralphy Sherman's Root Canal," -- beyond hysterical, by the way -- Shusterman brings up the Titanic, the SF earthquake of 1906, the atomic bombings at Hiroshima and Nagasaki, Kurt Cobain and "Smells Like Teen Spirit," Jimi Hendrix, Jim Morrison, Patsy Cline, and many more historical/pop references, all in the service of sight gags or to further the plot. Now what 10-year-old recognizes all these names? Doesn't matter. The stories work and adults have extra things to laugh at. One example from the same story: the children's "current nanny... was from a small eastern European country that no longer existed, but might exist again in a month or so, she hoped." That made me roar. Okay, you're not into the history of Lithuania, Estonia, Armenia, Chechnya, etc.? Fine. But that joke will work with history/current events fans. And in trying to find this passage, I just realized that a science project in this story is entitled "A Fistful of Molars," a joke which flew right past me the first time. Clint Eastwood spaghetti westerns, anyone? See, Shusterman doesn't write down to his audience; he brings them up a notch or two. And if they don't get it the first time, maybe they will the second or third time the read the book. Oh, did I mention that the author has a sharp wit and sense of irony? My favorites were "An Ear for Music," "Screaming at the Wall," "Catching Cold," the aforementioned "Ralphy Sherman's Root Canal," and "Security Blanket." Yours will probably be different. That's another great thing about this book. It's like a Ben and Jerry's for short stories. Something for everyone. Thank you, Neal Shusterman. You've inspired me to jot down ideas for horror stories. You find them almost anywhere. Beyond my mirror, I have to look a bit harder. Daniel Berenson Freaky Dude Books ### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ These chilling stories are an excellent read and are very thought-provoking *by C***B on December 4, 2015* These chilling stories are an excellent read and are very thought-provoking! I used two of the milder ones in my 6th grade classroom; they are great for making inferences, rich class/group discussions, and answering critical thinking questions using text evidence support. However, I would not recommend all the stories for kids that young. I'd book talk it for 7th grade and above with a hint that the stories are creepy in a non-gory way. ### ⭐⭐⭐⭐ A little bit of everything *by L***N on June 3, 2012* Two things before I go any further: 1)I'm an adult. I read a lot of teen/YA fiction because I have a 13 year old daughter. I want to know what she's reading, I want to be able to discuss and recommend books to her. I like a LOT of books geared to this age group ~ good writing is good writing: good plots are good plots, well-drawn characters are well-drawn...you get my drift 2)I really like Neal Shusterman. Maybe not all his books are destined to be classics, but on the whole he writes well, is imaginative, and understands how to hook his reader. This collection of short stories has a little bit of everything ~ ghosts, ghouls, you name it. Not all the stories will work for all readers: but every reader will find something that haunts them after the book is back on the shelf. There's plenty of creepiness without any graphic gore: these are scary stories that will make your skin crawl, but won't turn your stomach. A lot of people can and do write scary/gross; not so many can write scary/eerie. In this collection Mr Shusterman proves he can walk that fine line with ease. If you want something to creep you out late at night, this is a great book for you. --- ## Why Shop on Desertcart? - 🛒 **Trusted by 1.3+ Million Shoppers** — Serving international shoppers since 2016 - 🌍 **Shop Globally** — Access 737+ million products across 21 categories - 💰 **No Hidden Fees** — All customs, duties, and taxes included in the price - 🔄 **15-Day Free Returns** — Hassle-free returns (30 days for PRO members) - 🔒 **Secure Payments** — Trusted payment options with buyer protection - ⭐ **TrustPilot Rated 4.5/5** — Based on 8,000+ happy customer reviews **Shop now:** [https://www.desertcart.com.au/products/40006716-darkness-creeping-twenty-twisted-tales](https://www.desertcart.com.au/products/40006716-darkness-creeping-twenty-twisted-tales) --- *Product available on Desertcart Australia* *Store origin: AU* *Last updated: 2026-10-27*