Series: Vintage Toyshop Mysteries
Author: Barbara Early
Liz McCall here…
Author: Barbara Early
Liz McCall here…
When you think of toys, the mind naturally goes to Christmas
and all those shiny presents under the tree. But at Well Played, our vintage
toyshop, we stock any number of toys and games perfect for a spooky Halloween.
Here’s my list of the top five toys guaranteed to trigger
nightmares in those little brats who toilet-paper your trees.
1. My sister-in-law Cathy might disagree with me, but you could put just about any doll, but especially those with chipped faces and not-quite-focused eyes, onto the list. Then again, if the eyes focused, that could be creepier.
2. Santa. Santa is scary. Ask any toddler who has been
unwittingly shoved into his lap. You could hide any serial killer under that
white beard. (Even if his eyes don’t glow demonic red.) This one was likened to a
“bad Christmas Eve over Chernobyl” in MURDER ON THE TOY TOWN EXPRESS.
3. The cymbal monkey, otherwise known as Jolly Chimp. If you’ve read DEATH OF A TOY SOLDIER, you know I’ve nominated this one as the toy most likely to be inhabited by a hoard of demons. It probably didn't help that ours had a slippery catch and started moving on its own. Happy to say I found a home for this one.
4. Any ventriloquist dummy, but counts double if it has some
age and is wearing a toddler’s vampire costume. (Say hi to Charlie. If Charlie
says hi back, I’m out of here.)5. More specifically in the doll category…moving dolls, especially if there’s maniacal laughter involved.
And yes, we have all these currently in our shop, Well
Played, and I think you should come and buy them…mainly so I don’t have to look
at them anymore. (Shudder.)
Read more about Liz McCall—toy shop manager and amateur sleuth—in the Vintage Toyshop mysteries!
Death of a Toy Soldier (now in paperback!)
Murder on the Toy Town Express (recently released!)
And you can now subscribe to Barbara Early's newsletter.
GIVEAWAY: Have any children’s playthings ever given you the willies?
I’ll be giving a Kindle copy of your choice of either Death
of a Toy Soldier or Murder on the Toy Town Express to one commenter. Please
include your email address in a safe format, ie, myname (at) provider (dot)
com. Winner chosen at random. Giveaway closes at noon on November 1st.
Posts
Some puppets did. They can be scary.
ReplyDeletedebby236 at gmail dot com
Dolls are the creepiest to me. I feel like their eyes follow me around. cking78503(at)aol(dot) com.
ReplyDeleteThe Charlie McCarthy type would be the scariest to me. I have seen too many movies. One of the old Dr. Who's has him crawling out of his case at night and murdering... Thanks for the chance at an ebook.
ReplyDeleteMarilyn ewatvess@yahoo.com
As a child I always hated marionettes and ventriloquist dummies, for no apparent reason. A spooky movie with dolls wouldn't bother me at all.
ReplyDeleteSock monkeys. Hate them. Also, my dolls used to creep me out at night when I was little. mcastor07(at)gmail (dot)com.
ReplyDeleteAny doll that has lost its hair creeps me out.Candykennexy45@gmail.com
ReplyDeleteI always thought Cabbage Patch Kids were creepy! [If I win, I'd like Death of a Toy Soldier] Thanks for the opportunity! bobwiesmann (AT) gmail (DOT) com
ReplyDeleteVentriloquist dummies are freaky.
ReplyDeleteOoo, all those eyes staring a you, unblinking!
ReplyDeletelibbydodd at comcast dot net
The cymbal monkey!! Thanks for the chance. maceoindo(at)yahoo(dot)com
ReplyDeleteI never liked clowns, they creep me out.
ReplyDeletediannekc8(at)gmail(dot)com
I never liked clowns, they creep me out.
ReplyDeletediannekc8(at)gmail(dot)com
I got a doll for my daughter that I was able to "design" to look like her -- but it didn't end up looking like my daughter, though it did resemble a little girl, but it was the creepiest doll I have ever seen. She always seemed to turn up in strange places (I think my daughter was trying to hide her away), and one night she was sitting on the sofa when I had to go through the den for something, and I'm convinced her eyes glowed. She went into the closet after that! bobandcelia@sbcglobal.net
ReplyDeleteQuite a few dolls freaked me out. Clowns did. That monkey, Jolly Chimp, gave me nightmares. My mom has a room full of them. My kids won’t even go in there. Lol.
ReplyDeleteCristinaalaska@gmail.com
Some dolls or puppets can be creepy. musiqmom(at)yahoo(dot)com
ReplyDeleteThe only toy that scares me is a Chucky doll.Legallyblonde1961 at yahoo dot com
ReplyDeleteI don't really remember any toys creeping me out when I was a child. There is one currently available on Amazon that I wouldn't want to turn my back on. It's called Glitterpoop the Unicorn and when you squeeze it the mouth opens to show fangs. Great way to give your child nightmares!
ReplyDeletehttps://amazon.com/Feisty-Pets-Glitterpoop-Unicorn-Squeeze/dp/B01MSQH5OV/ref=sr_1_14?ie=UTF8&qid=1509303302&sr=8-14&keywords=unicorn
I don't remember any toys scaring me.
ReplyDeleteim2early4u(at)gmail(dot)com
I don’t like the Jack in the Box . I hated when it popped out.
ReplyDeleteJhdwayne(at)peoplepc(dot)com
Old dolls creep me out. Peg_Halley(at)twc(dot)com
ReplyDeleteI don't care for those monkey's that have the symbols. Used to have one as a kid that had a weird smile on its face...no thank you! lol Tammie Lou
ReplyDeletei don't remember any toy scaring me as a child. I just felt I was blessed with what I did get from Santa. I was the oldest of 8 children so money was tight. As an adult I don't like scary dolls, clowns or story figurines. gheruska44(at)gmail(dot) com Thanks for the opportunity to win this giveaway.
ReplyDeleteI don't think I remember any toys scaring me at all. catwoman-1(at)comcast(dot)net
ReplyDeleteI didn't have any scary toys as a child. But, the doll in the front row of that picture to the left of the one in the yellow dress seems zombie(ish). patwalkerp(at)gmail(dot)com
ReplyDeleteNo, my Mother would never have allowed anything spooky.
ReplyDeletecjreynolds52(at)comcast(dot)net
I was absolutely terrified of clowns! Toy clowns, pictures of clowns, live clowns, you get the picture!
ReplyDeletekaren(dot)kenyon(at)rogers(dot)com
Any doll/stuffed animal that cries, laughs, talks to you, etc is really creepy.
ReplyDeleteturtle6422(at)gmail(dot)com
Creepy looking Ventriloquist dummies. Thank you for this chance! areewekidding(at)yahoo(dot)com
ReplyDeleteI am not a fan of monkeys. The give me the creeps. Toy ones or real ones. NO, no, no! nettiem(at)toledotel(dot)com
ReplyDeleteI had one of the ventriloquist dummies when I was little, like Jerry Mahoney, and it really scared me because the mouth would hang open at a weird angle all the time. Kuzlin at aol.com
ReplyDeleteYes to all of those ideas. YIKES! Jack in the Box too with those creepy clowns inside.....
ReplyDeleteVWinship at aol dot com
Some dolls can be too realistic centraleast2 at gmail dot com
ReplyDeleteVentriloquist dummies, especially older ones, creep me out. Thank you for the chance to win. Dmskrug3(at)hotmail(dot)com
ReplyDeleteLeftover Halloween masks are creepy- the empty eye holes. Thanks for the opportunity. cheers at MarjimManor dot com
ReplyDeleteI'm not fond of those creepy rubber snakes and spiders. Somehow there are people who find it hilarious to plant them in areas where unsuspecting individuals can find them, scaring the bejeebers out of that individual. Thanks for the opportunity to enter the giveaway. My fingers are crossed my name is pulled. robeader53(at)yahoo(dot)com
ReplyDeleteNothing like a Jack In The Box for scaring a little one. doward1952(at)yahoo(dot)com
ReplyDeleteI don't remember any toys scaring me. I am not overly fond of scary clowns.
ReplyDeletekckendler at gamil dot com
I'm with you on the dolls. Some of them just aren't right! mbradeen (at) yahoo (dot) com
ReplyDeleteI had a jack in the box and loved it but it always scared me to death when it popped out....vickiela3@hotmail.com
ReplyDeleteMessed up!!!! Mine was the crazy jack in the box that scared me when it popped out..vickiela3 (at) hotmail (dot) com
ReplyDeleteI agree with Kara Marks above somewhere...That Chucky doll creeps me out after seeing whatever movie it was in.
ReplyDeletelkish77123 at gmail dot com
The only things I had a problem with was those icky feeling rubber spiders. Della at deepotter (at) peoplepc (dot) com
ReplyDeleteMy sister had a puppet that she was always freaked out over, she finally tossed it in a box, taped it shut and threw it away.
ReplyDeletelilyanngill56(at)gmail(dot)com
I don't remember any creepy toys when I was growing up. Now it is the video games kids are addicted to that scare me! jeaniedannheim (at) ymail (dot) com
ReplyDelete