An ominous new slide on the playground leads to a world of fear in The Smashed Man of Dread End author J.W. Ocker’s latest middle grade horror, perfect for fans of R.L. Stine and Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark.

Griffin Birch isn’t known for being brave, but there’s something about the new black slide on the elementary school playground that’s made him curious. Against his better judgement, he just has to follow his best friend Laila down.

But the Black Slide is no ordinary piece of playground equipment. What Griffin and Laila find at the other end of this strange portal is a cruel world, populated by bloodthirsty creatures on a quest to become immortal.

And it’s up to Griffin to save himself, his best friend—and the future of earth itself.

Fans of classic horror will devour this creepy adventure packed with more twists and turns than the ominous black slide itself.

J.W. Ocker is the Lowell Thomas– and Edgar Award–winning author of macabre travelogues, spooky kids’ books, and horror novels. His books include Poe-Land, A Season with the Witch, Death and Douglas, and The Smashed Man of Dread End. J. W. Ocker lives in New Hampshire.

"A creepy horror novel that fans of Stranger Things will gravitate toward... A good choice for readers moving on from “Goosebumps” and in search of something to bridge the gap to YA horror."
— School Library Journal

"Ocker pushes the boundaries of middle grade horror... Griffin is well-developed and slowly comes into his own role as necessary hero, with vulnerability that adds some welcome depth to the horror framework." — Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books

"A genuinely bloodcurdling thriller... Dread-inducing." — Publishers Weekly

Praise for The Smashed Man of Dread End: "The imaginative and truly horrifying monster at its center makes this tale stand out." — Kirkus Reviews

"An eerie tale... readers of this effectively spine-tingling piece of horror will find it hard to ignore their own dark corners." — Publishers Weekly