There was this small town cop who received a call about a disturbance in the woods. When he arrived, there were no signs of anyone at first. But then he started to feel like he was being watched. As he walked deeper into the woods, he saw strange symbols carved on the trees. Suddenly, a large, shadowy figure emerged from the bushes. He drew his gun but the figure just vanished. It was a terrifying experience for him.
A small town cop once chased a suspect into a cemetery at night. As he was looking for the suspect among the tombstones, he saw a pair of glowing eyes. When he approached, it seemed like the ground was shaking slightly. He then heard a voice whispering his name. He got so scared that he immediately left the cemetery without catching the suspect.
The plot might involve the small - town cop, who is seen as a 'god' in the sense of being highly respected in the town. On his vacation, he gets drawn into a power struggle. There could be a group in the town trying to take over certain aspects of it, like the local businesses or the political scene, and he has to use his wits and influence to stop them.
I haven't read all of the 23 specifically, but generally small town horror stories often involve things like strange disappearances. Maybe a local kid vanishes without a trace and the town is left in shock. There could be an old, abandoned house where people hear unexplained noises at night.
One of the main characters would be the small - town cop with his 'god - like' attributes. There might be a journalist in the town who is trying to expose the truth about certain events. She teams up with the cop during his vacation when she realizes they are both after the same goal. And there could be a mysterious stranger who arrives in town and is somehow connected to the problems that the cop has to face.
Often, there are strange characters. It could be the town hermit who has a really dark past or a newcomer who brings an air of unease. Another common thing is a sense of isolation. Small towns can feel cut off from the outside world, and this makes it easier for horror to breed. For example, when something bad happens, help may be far away.
The sense of isolation. In a small town, it can feel like there's no escape. For example, in many stories, the town is cut off from the outside world, and the horror is trapped within. This intensifies the fear.
One of the best is 'Salem's Lot' by Stephen King. It's set in a small town where a vampire arrives and starts to turn the townspeople. The sense of isolation in the small town makes the horror more intense.
Well, for one thing, small town horror novels often tap into our sense of the familiar. We can all picture a small town, and when horror is introduced into that seemingly idyllic setting, it's a shock. They also usually have a strong sense of community, and seeing that community disrupted by horror is both fascinating and terrifying. There's also the idea that small towns might be hiding things, like old curses or dark pasts, that add to the allure.