I recently found a book of stories entitled Twilight Zone, edited by Carol Serling, Rod Serling’s wife. I came out in 2009, the 50th anniversary of the television series, and purports to contain stories reminiscent of that show. Each story even has an introduction and epilogue similar to what Serling would say before and after each show.
I have mixed feelings about this book. Most of the stories don’t fill me with dread and horror the way the show did. Many of them are more whimsical than scary.
That said, there are a few exceptions. The first story in the collection to get under my skin was “The Street That Forgot Time” by Deborah Chester, the story of a neighborhood where something is very wrong, but only one man can see it — definitely in the Serling tradition. “The Wrong Room” by R. L. Stine about a salesman lost in the wrong convention has merit, as do others about a soldier with a good luck charm, a man who’s put up with all he can from his wife, a strange little shop, and a confused man in two realities.
The last story is not a story at all but rather, a previously unpublished treatment that was never produced. It’s entitled “El Moe” — a con man takes the role of a long-dead Mexican hero. It’s Serling, so it’s very good. I’m sorry it was never published.
Bottom line — there are some good stories here. If you don’t expect them all to be The Twilight Zone quality, you won’t be disappointed.