Jackknife by Joe Hill
After a college professor is found to have a questionable relationship with his student, he lands out of favor with his wife and his job. Just when he thinks he’s at his lowest, he encounters a vengeful tree. This protagonist is a real scumbag, so much so that I’m sorry but I was team tree. Get his ass. There was some fun gore, but overall this one was not for me.

Letter Slot by Owen King
I love how this was so much a typical King story about the mystically mundane- this one about a letter slot in an abandoned building that has mystic abilities. I really liked the concept, and the reveals happen at just the right pace. Combined with a really tragic ending that caught me by surprise, this was a really good little story about being careful what you wish for.

Night and Day in Misery by Catriona Ward-
In this heartbreaking story about a woman absolutely destroyed by her own grief, she seeks to try and understand the tragic accident that killed her husband and son. First of all huge huuuuge trigger warning for suicidal ideation and substance abuse. This is such a sad story. Like really, really sad. This starts the run of these stories that are about the fragility of parenthood and how abruptly children can be taken from you in ways you can’t control. Which is wild considering the other half of this collection is a haunted letter slot and a sadistic tree. Anyway, this is a real Catriona Ward story where even when you kind of know where it’s going, she manages to find ways to surprise you. I really liked this one.

The Blanks by Grady Hendrix
The Blanks takes place is a sunny, beautiful seaside town. The only drawback to a perfect life in a perfect location is there may be little weird creatures that scurry around the island and if you see them they come for you. Just don’t look. I loved this story. It’s is another story about the devastation and grief of not being able to protect your children from harm. Examining the powerlessness of being a parent in certain situations. I really loved the setting of this and it also has one of my favorite horror tropes- that monsters can dwell in the sunniest and idyllic settings too.

The Indigo Room by Stephen Graham Jones
The Indigo Room is a creepy office horror about a woman’s seemingly random visions in an office meeting room portend real events. When her son comes to the office, it ups the risk factor. What I thought was going to be like a weird severance meets the weird predictive photo elements of The Omen turned out to be an earnestly heartbreaking story about motherhood. It’s about the terrible reality that you can’t always protect your children. God Stephen Graham Jones, the man you are. Loved this.

Not very convinced by "Night and day in misery" by Catriona Ward or "Letter slot" by Owen King, not at all by "The indigo room", which I didn't understand a thing. But really very very happy to have been able to read "Jackknife" by Joe Hill and "The Blanks" by Grady Hendrix, which I loved!

3.5/5

This spine-tingling collection delivers five distinct and haunting tales that tap into supernatural horror hiding in the ordinary. Each author brings their own brand of unease—from Joe Hill’s signature tension to Grady Hendrix’s unsettling island mythology.
Standouts include Stephen Graham Jones’s The Indigo Room, a surreal office nightmare with razor-sharp commentary, and Owen King’s Letter Slot, which is both poignant and deeply creepy. While some stories land harder than others, the variety of voices and imaginative concepts make this a chilling and satisfying read for horror fans.
Perfect for readers who love their scares smart, subtle, and impossible to shake.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the chance to read this early

What a hell of a lineup! Bangers every one. Catriona Ward can do no wrong in my opinion, she is working on a level few comprehend - I believe. And naturally, I’m always happy to read new Stephen Graham Jones!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (4/5)

The Shivers collection is a quick but deeply unsettling set of five horror short stories—each one unique in tone, but all delivering a tingly, creepy punch. This is the kind of collection that makes your skin crawl in the best way, especially if you’re a fan of Stephen King-style psychological horror.

My favorite of the bunch was Letter Slot—an atmospheric, eerie slow burn that left me genuinely unsettled. I also appreciated the writing and storylines in the rest of the collection, with each tale offering something a little different in terms of fear. The only one that didn’t quite land for me was The Indigo Room, which felt a bit flatter compared to the others.

Still, as a whole, this is a solid, well-written anthology perfect for anyone who enjoys short-form horror that gets under your skin and stays there. A great pick for a spooky evening.

Thank you to Netgalley and Amazon publishing for this eARC in exchange for my honest feedback!

Overall, this anthology was fine. The Blanks was by far my favorite story- Grady, please make this a full-length novel! My least favorite was The Indigo Room- I have read Stephen Graham Jones before and I think I just don’t get his writing style. I didn’t understand his story. The other three were just fine. I liked Jack Knife’s horror element. Letter Slot and Night and Day Misery were less “scary” and more emotional horror.

I would definitely reread The Blanks, but not the others. I do think these would be popular if libraries somehow got Libby rights to these.

Shivers is a collection of short stories by some of the best thriller writers in the genre. I enjoyed all of them. They were quick, fun reads with varying degrees of creepiness.

Loved loved loved this collection of short stories, some y my favourite authors were standouts for me but overall this was a really fun read!

Jackknife by Joe Hill. While I didn’t necessarily enjoy the story (man ruined by scandal that he caused drinks too much), I enjoyed the mood and the creep factor. You’ve got to be a good writer to make a tree scary. 2/5

The Indigo Room by Stephen Graham Jones. I wanted to like this one, but it just didn’t happen. I found Jennifer, the main character, extremely unlikeable. I do feel the idea was there, it just missed the mark. 2/5

The Blanks by Grady Hendrix. This one was creepy and heartbreaking. While it is a complete short story on its own, it left me wanting to know more. The Blanks needs an origin story. I really enjoyed this one. My first Grady Hendrix read but will not be my last. 4/5

Night And Day in Misery by Catriona Ward. It is going to take some time to recover from this one. This was such an emotional read, my heart literally shattered for Stella. Fantastic writing. I have never read a short story that made me feel so deeply. 5/5

Letter Slot by Owen King. This is a classic short horror story complete with the twist at the end. It flows, its well written and the characters are very likeable. 4/5

Jackknife is a short story in The Shivers collection, by Joe Hill. Some impulsive sexting with a student ten years his junior, and Denis Lange’s marriage to Helena is over, his career as a college teacher is on the line. Staying at an Orono AirBnB, he takes a daily walk through the woods where he notices a certain sycamore, one with some unusual carvings and a knife embedded in the trunk. He pulls out the jackknife. The next day, he’d swear the tree is closer to the path. In fact, each day…. And it’s a tree with an appetite. Might he redeem his career with this unusual story? 4/5

The Indigo Room is a short story in The Shivers collection, by Stephen Graham Jones. A long and tedious meeting comes to an abrupt close when a young staff member pulls a stunt that results in a grisly image when the lights are killed, a digital artefact seems to presage a later event. Jennifer thinks she’s in awaking nightmare, and her young son seems to be part of it. 2/5

The Blanks is a short story in The Shivers collection, by Grady Hendrix. For years, Wood Breeze has been the idyllic family summer vacation spot: Rachel and Steve bring their children every year. Their annual catch up with the other families who own a summer house on Jeckle Island, the parties, the gorgeous weather: what could be better? There’s just one thing they all need to be careful of: not to see the Blanks: “you’re not supposed to see them, no one sees them; you look away, you ignore them— everyone knows you ignore them; as long as you don’t see them, everything is okay; as long as you don’t notice them, you’re lucky.” But eleven-year-old Callum has just seen one, and been noticed looking… 5/5

Night and Day in Misery is a short story in The Shivers collection, by Catriona Ward. Eight years after her alcoholic husband drove into a river with her two-year-old son, Sam, Stella heads to Missouri. She’s booked into the same motel room where Frank and Sam spent their last night. She intends to retrace their journey, but her night is disturbed, and her intention for the morning is thwarted. Moving and incredibly sad. 5/5

Letter Slot is a short story in The Shivers collection, by Owen King. Fifteen-year-old Blake Price’s widowed mom, Wendy works two jobs to make ends meet, while suffering pain from a knee injury, and having stomach issues. When his Life Studies teacher sets the class writing a letter about their life today and future challenges, Blake lists his concerns for her and worries for their future. On impulse he puts it into the letter slot of a derelict display home in James Ave. just as those worries seem to be become reality, mysteriously, a reply, offering to swap some good luck for the name of the person he most hates. Surely too good to be true, but what does he have to lose?
Good things happen to Blake and Wendy, hard to believe, but what happens to the named person is disturbing. Nonetheless, he uses the letter slot twice more before he understands what is really happening, and why. Armed with this knowledge, he asks once more… 5/5
This unbiased review is from an uncorrected proof copy provided by NetGalley and Amazon Original Stories

These were fun reads. I enjoyed all of them in their own way. Some i was like what the heck did i jus read, a few i actually got freaked out but they all had fun twisty endings i didnt expect.

🪾JackKnife by Joe Hill: POS MMC gets stalked by a killer tree. Only Joe Hill can make this work.

👩‍💼The Indigo Room by Stephen Graham Jones: Working Mom has a scary vision (or episode) during an office meeting. Is she losing it, or is something sinister at play? Not a good time for bring your kid to work day.

🏖️The Blanks by Grady Hendrix: Bougie family decides the best place to vacation every year is where everyone knows there are creatures that drag people away never to be seen again. But, remember it’s rude to stare! Look away and don’t talk about it, it’s not dignified!

🏨Night and Day in Misery by Catrina Ward: MFC goes to stay at a hotel that is haunted by her dark past. Will she survive the night?

📨Letter Slot by Owen King: Teenage boy is told to write a letter to no one about his future as a class assignment. When he decides to drop it in mail slot of an abandoned home, he is surprised when someone or something writes back offering a deal: a name in exchange for good fortune.

This is a good, but not great, set of short stories in the Amazon Originals Short Stories collection. You can read each of them for free with Prime or buy them separately.

This is an amazing group of authors and each story stands alone. While I only found one of the stories impressive, I still think reading the collection was worth my time and enjoyable.

#1 Jackknife by Joe Hill 2.5/5

#2 The Indigo Room by Stephen Graham Jones 3/5

#3 The Blanks by Grady Hendrix 3/5

#4 Night and Day in Misery by Catriona Ward 1.5/5

#5 Letter Slot by Owen King 5/5

If you like these, I recommend checking out the Creature Feature Amazon Original serie

The Shivers Collection offers a diverse range of horror stories that delve into the uncanny aspects of everyday life. While some stories may resonate more than others, the anthology as a whole provides a compelling exploration of fear and the supernatural.
Jackknife by Joe Hill - crafts a suspenseful tale that blends personal downfall with supernatural horror.
The Indigo Room by Stephen Graham Jones - weaves a narrative that combines workplace anxiety with eerie premonitions.
The Blanks by Grady Hendrix - delivers a haunting story about communal denial and its consequences.
Night and Day in Misery by Catriona Ward - a poignant exploration of loss and the supernatural.
Letter Slot by Owen King - a modern twist on the classic "deal with the devil" narrative, emphasizing the cost of desperation.
The Shivers Collection is a recommended read for us fans of psychological horror and those looking to discover new voices in the genre.

as with all these types of collections some stories are better than others. the stand out to me is Grady Hendrix and Joe Hill, both top of their game at the moment. if you have a gap in your reading schedule and you are looking for some short sharp stories then this collection is for you.

I’m not a big fan of short stories because they almost always leave you wanting more. When I saw this collection i had to try it because three of my favorite authors had stories in it. I ended up loving one story - Catriona Ward’s story. I had never read something of hers before and I really want to read more from her. Grady Hendrix’s story didn’t disappoint either but the rest of the stories were sadly not my cup of tea.

It feels unfair of me to rate these short stories because non of them were bad, just not to my liking. The storytelling was excellent through out and it is clear that all these authors are wonderful writers who know how to write a story. For me, some of the endings were to unclear and a bit too confusing for me. I love when a story has an understandable ending where I don’t have to guess and revisit the story to get it. But that’s just a personal thing, not that the story is bad.

The stories worked well together - I feel like the theme through this collection was otherworldly and unexplainable happenings. I really liked that the stories worked well together even though they were by separate authors. All in all - great work but simply just not for me personally.

I enjoyed some of these. They did not give me the shivers. Grady Hendrix is one of my favorite authors but this short story fell a little flat.

sadly this collection did not work for me.
i wanted horror and what the collection title suggest, shivers running down my spine - instead i found myself slightly uncomfortable with two stories, one story making me uncomfortable with its realistic portrayal of horrible men and their unpunished behavior and two stories just lacking horror let alone spine shivering fear but rather a bit of a thrilling moment if at all.

the authors collection should have worked with the authors coming together but with each authors unique writing style not working with the other and each story being so wildly different and not connectable with the other it just didn’t feel like something that was supposed to work together.


“Jackkife” 3⭐️
was okay (a bit heavy on the sexual thoughts and mentions) but it was eery and had a good ending that worked for the suspense of the short story. but overall it felt a bit lack luster and more like a bit of a rant of why men over 30 should not be made accountable for sexting or actual having sex with 18 to 20 year old girls because those girls should know better. not saying that was what the author intended to say with the story just saying that it gave me that feeling and that made the entire thankfully short story read in an uncomfortable why i do not want to read.
even if that was part of the point.


“indigo room” 1.5⭐️
was just strange and felt like a man writing a woman go crazy because work stresses her out too much and sorry but in todays climate i do not need that especially if it doesn’t even has some moments that make it worth it which this story did not have.


“the blanks” 3⭐️
was a bit eery again but was written a bit too open for me. this reminded me of “bird box” in the sense that we are told but never actually shown what is going on and have characters behaving strangely and badly and even horrifically but never get an explanation of why or how or what and i am sure that works for some people but to doesn’t for me. but i know this will find its audience and some will love this.


“night and day in misery” 2.5⭐️
less horror in the slim shivering way and more horrific about the real life elements that would have needed more story telling for me to actually work well and become into something that might be actually utterly horrific. as it stands it’s more of a heartbreaking story and less of a horror story.


“letter slot” 2⭐️
i can see this working for other readers but similar to “night and day in misery” for me this was to rushed feeling and to not just feel like a bit of a thrill try, this story would have needed a longer buildup and overall a bit lover story to become eery and maybe even actually horrific -for me. i think as it is it will work for new horror reader or those that enjoy the more thriller like horror instead of the spooky horror.


so overall it was okay but not great and i was expecting a lot more from this collection of authors. i was especially disappointed by how most of those stories weren’t really horrific.
maybe i went into this expecting too much or all of those authors need more then at the most 50 pages to actually work for me.

but since it was by them all before and expected more horrific and terrifying writing this was not what i expected from this assemble of authors and what the collection stated to be.


thanks netgalley for proving me with a free ecopy of this entire collection in exchange for a free and honest review.

This was a great set of short stories. This was my first foray into some of these authors but I will definitely be looking into more of their work. I love that the vibe was different in all of them. I loved the tension in The Letter Slot and the desperation in both Night and Day of Misery and The Blanks.

This collection of short stories is written by an all star lineup of horror authors. Starting with Jackknife by Joe Hill, we are thrust into the life of a professor trying to lie low in the middle of nowhere. Until one day he finds a Jackknife stabbed into a tree and the horrors begin. The Indigo Room by Stephen Graham Jones is the perfect example of why I don’t want to return to the office. You might just catch a glimpse of things to come. The Blanks by Grady Hendrix puts an interesting spin on vacation horror and how we can only do so much to protect the ones we love. Night and Day in Misery by Catriona Ward shows us the power of grief and how it can take over. Sometimes we need those that we lost to show us the way. And finally, Letter Slot by Owen King. How far would you go to turn things around for yourself and your family? Who would you be willing to hurt?

This was a short story collection from some notable authors such as Joe Hill, Grady Hendrix and others. Each story was different and intriguing in their own right. I enjoyed each separately and this was definitely an introduction to authors that I want familiar with like Catriona Ward.

Short stories aren’t usually a favourite of mine but I think this is a good introduction collection for those looking to get into horror/suspence fiction.

Fair warning throughout that this is an uncorrected copy, but it doesn’t take away from the writing.