I've read most of J.R. Rain's works including his Vampire for Hire series which so far is my favorite. I really enjoyed the Jim Knighthorse books and the Spinoza series and have had alot of fun reading all the Vampire for Hire short stories so I thought I'd give these a try and boy was I not disappointed. I knew Mr. Rain was a great writer whose stories always entertain me and hold my attention but up until reading Black Rain: 17 Dark Tales I never truly realized what an immagination J.R. Rain has. There's alot of stories in this books and even though I'd already read all of the vampire for hire short stories I still found this book worth every penny. You get to read about everything from ghosts to a really mean refrigerator that has a mind of it's own. On more than one tale I found myself surprised that it took a completely different twist than where I thought it was going. Mr. Rain knows how to keep you at the edge of your seat in suspension and I found myself biting my nails at more than one story. I like his wicked sense of humor and just really really enjoyed my time reading these short stories. Whether you've read his works or not do yourself a favor and read these tales. There's alot to offer here and at the end I was thinking on all the short stories I've read in my life, especially from Stephen King and I realized I liked this as much if not more than anything else I've ever read. ( )