The Blanks is about a young family enjoying their summer home on a small island just outside of NYC. It is a rustic yet exclusive summer full of friends, and beach days and cookouts and frozen margaritas. Just don’t talk about and look at The Blanks. Because when The Blanks notice you, they come for you. This is about the lies we tell ourselves and the toxicity and secrets we are willing to live with to maintain our comfort level. The Blanks were terrifying, but the denial and acceptance was CHILLING. Moniqua Plante‘s narration captured the deep tension and anxiety in the characters as they pretend everything is fine. Pitch perfect.

Jeckle island is the perfect vacation destination, come for the long summer days, the beaches, and the community. Children spend all day outside and not on a screen and everybody is willing to pitch in for a Friday night get together.

Just don't look.

Hear a rustling in the bushes? No you didn't.

See something standing over the body of your neighbour? Nope, it must've been a deer.

Everything is fine as long as you Just. Don't. Look.

Hendrix has such a fantastic way of using the Middle Class dream as a smoke screen distraction for the rotting underbelly. This may have been a tiny story but it patched a punch of horror and insanity.

The narrator did a fantastic job of sounding like a holiday commercial when necessary and then flicking the switch to desperate mother the next minute.

What a chilling short story!

Though this short story moved at a slower pace than I expected, I found myself enjoying it. It took its time, but the narrative made sense and felt intentional. The slower buildup actually worked in its favor, allowing the story to unfold in a thoughtful way. Overall, I appreciated it—it may not have been fast-paced, but it left a solid impression.

Grady Hendrix is known for twisting the familiar into something deeply unsettling, and The Blanks was no exception. What starts out as an ordinary family vacation quickly veers into a quiet nightmare—and the scariest part is how normal everything seems… until it doesn’t.

Rachel brings her kids to Jeckle Island, a place where children run free and the rules are simple: ignore the strange things you might see, and you’ll stay safe. For most families, that unspoken agreement works. But when Rachel’s son breaks that unspoken rule, everything changes. The fear doesn’t come from jump scares or gore—it comes from the eerie realization that something horrifying has always been there… and everyone just pretends it isn’t.

I loved how this story lulls you in with a peaceful setup. It’s like you’re reading about any family’s summer trip, full of laughter, sunscreen, and sibling squabbles. And then, with zero warning, you hit a wall of dread. The shift is jarring in the best way—like Pleasantville or The Stepford Wives, where everything looks picture-perfect until you zoom in and realize it’s all built on something rotten.

As a mom, the ending gutted me. It’s not just a spooky tale—it’s a devastating one. There’s a real sense of grief and helplessness that lingers after the last word. If you’re sensitive to stories involving child death, this one might be too much. But if you’re looking for something that unsettles you without showing its full face, this delivers. Short, sharp, and haunting—this story proves you don’t need a full novel to feel completely unmoored.

I am thoroughly spooked 😳 I haven’t had this much anxiety from a book—and it was just a short story—in forever. Creepy in the best way. Definitely planning to read the rest of this collection. Audiobook was super well done too! 👻🎧

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC!

The Blanks is a chilling short story from acclaimed horror writer Grady Hendrix and one of the most disturbing tales in The Shivers (short story) Collection. The story follows Rachel, her husband, and their children, who take their annual summer trip to Jeckle Island. Everything is going well until Rachel's son finds one of the family's friends collapsed and comes face to face with one of the “Blanks,” an eerie island inhabitant that residents share an unspoken agreement about: stay clear of them and life will go on peacefully. With the suspicion that the Blanks have now made her son a target, Rachel knows she should prepare for the worst but instead seeks help from neighbors.

This fast-paced short story would be the perfect prequel to a full-length novel about the Blanks. The story doesn’t explicitly state what “The Blanks” are; instead, they are depicted as some kind of monstrous creature with glowing eyes. As the story unfolds, readers learn that people are not supposed to look at them—if you catch their gaze, you’ll be guaranteed a timely death!

To fully enjoy this deliciously horrifying tale, you’ll have to suspend your disbelief at several plot points and the over-the-top dialogue, all intentionally designed to give a quick punch of creepy entertainment. Readers will question why the parents would choose to go to this island with their children for extended periods every year if they knew there was such a fatal risk. Putting that aside, the parents do show genuine concern when their son makes eye contact with one of the Blanks, and the story quickly escalates in drama and suspense from there. The abrupt ending will leave readers horrified, unsettled, and contemplating how they would do things differently if put in the family’s predicament—for this reason it’s a great book club option to read together and discuss afterwards!

On audio, the story is about an hour and can easily be devoured during a daily commute. Narrator Moniqua Plante does a spectacular job creating atmospheric suspense and bringing the island and its odd inhabitants to life. Her portrayal of protagonist Rachel is entirely engrossing and authentic, perfectly capturing a mother who’s both terrified and living in denial, all while trying to keep it together for the sake of her family. She adds the perfect nuances to each character and shifts her performance to build tension in the second half. Her performance is one you’ll quickly devour, making audio the definite way to go!

Overall, The Blanks is a highly original, gripping punch of horror, similar to short story offerings by Stephen King! Hendrix weaves a tale that will creep you out while evoking an emotional reaction for the well-being of the characters. If you’re looking for your next quick horror fix, be sure to grab a copy of this audiobook and also consider other short stories from The Shivers Collection!

A chilling urban legend meets devastating emotion on Jeckle Island. Don’t look, don’t speak of them—or they’ll come for you. Creeptastic! I need a full-length novel of this.
Rating: 4.5 ⭐

The Blanks by Grady Hendrix is a very short story that packs a very large and spooky punch! When this audio finished I had to rewind and listen again because it was so good that I was disappointed that it was over! In this story we follow a family spending the summer on a remote island where the residents have an unspoken pact, ignore the unnatural inhabitants of the island. However, one day the young son cannot look away and the family is then forced to deal with the consequences. Such a good short story!

Thank you to NetGalley and Amazon Original Stories for the advance listening copy in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts are my own.

Thank you Netgalley and Brilliance Audio for the ALC.

Story: 🌟🌟
Narration: 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
Overall: 🌟🌟 ✨

The Blanks is about an island inhabited by mysterious figures that threaten the residents. It is a quick, spooky tale with a truly bleak twist. Excellent narration.

ALC was provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Easily my favorite listen and read in this Amazon Original short story collection. It sure packed an impressive and emotional punch! The narrator was the perfect choice, I immediately recognized her as the narrator who did American Rapture by CJ Leede. I found The Blanks incredibly bleak and creepy and so perfect. Totally recommend.

✌🏼for Tuesday
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I’ve been killing my TBR this month so I’m doubling down on reviews today- I was gifted two short stories from The Shivers collection from @amazonpublishing on @netgalley. Here are my thoughts!
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The Blanks- ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️- I haven’t stopped thinking about this one. This one follows a family in a coastal town that is haunted by these creatures called The Blanks. The rules are you don’t acknowledge them if you see them, this family learns the consequences of you do. This one scared me so bad 🤣. I haven’t been able to stop gushing about this one, it’s truly one of the best and most original horror ideas I’ve read in a minute. Highly recommend this one!

The Blanks is a creepy, fast-paced short story that really stuck with me. Grady Hendrix creates such an eerie, unsettling vibe on Jeckle Island, where one rule matters—don’t look at “the blanks.” The mystery around them adds to the suspense, and even though I wasn’t sure exactly what they were, the fear felt real. Moniqua Plante’s narration was excellent—she captured the mood and emotion perfectly, especially for Rachel. It’s a quick listen, just about an hour, but it delivers a lot. If you like quiet horror with a twist, this one’s a must!

This is a quick, well-done short horror story.nots creepy and atmospheric and gives enough details to get you hooked without getting into a whole novel. Whether you’re a Hedrix fan or not, it’s a good listen and the rest of the series interests me.

The Blank is a chilling short story by Grady Hendrix—and yes, I'm fully in my Grady Hendrix era (I love pretty much everything I've read).

📖 Rating: 4.5 (Rounded to 5) out of 5

Moniqua Plante does an excellent job narrating this audiobook. She evokes each character's emotions—especially Rachel' s—with nuance and tension that pulls you deeper into the story. As someone who reads a lot of short stories and novellas, I think this one hit all the right notes. We follow Rachel and her family as they head to their summer vacation home on Jeckle Island—a perfect escape from the stress of city life. But there's a catch: follow the island's rules, and everything will be fine. That's all I'll say—any more would spoil the slow, subtle suspense that makes this story so good.

Hendrix masterfully builds that relatable unease, where everything seems fine on the surface—but you know something's off. The atmosphere is eerie but grounded, and I was hooked from start to finish.
Would I love this as a full-length novel? Absolutely. But it delivers everything a short story should: tension, mystery, and a lingering sense of what happens next?

Perfect for fans of quiet horror, island secrets, and unsettling vacation reads.


**Thank you to NetGalley and Brilliance Publishing for the ALC for an honest review**

Wow. For fans of Lute by Jennifer Thorne blended with The Village and The Lottery. Top tier storytelling in such a short period of time. Please make these available for libraries and not limit them to Audible.

wow, my first Grady I REALLY liked. It got my brain going. I would really for this to be turned into a full length book

A creepy island where the residents all agree to “look the other way” in regards to the unnatural inhabitants.

This short story was mixed for me, it was definitely creepy and unsettling but I was also confused at some points.

A quick audio book which can be completed within an hour!

Thank you for the gifted copy,

Publish date: April 15th

Rating: 3.5/5 Stars
Pub Date: 4/15
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This is another short story from The Shivers Collection. The Blankets focuses on Jeckle Island where a family visits for the summer. This story was a little bit confusing, there is talk of "the blanks" and I wasn't really sure what exactly they were but I am going to assume that they are some kind of monster type thing. Regardless, you aren't supposed to look at them, if you do there is a price to pay. I cant lie, it made me a bit angry at the selfishness of the parents to knowingly go to this island with these monsters and their children and put their kids at risk and then to blindly just be okay with the situation that comes...
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For a short story that really packed a punch though, it really left me with my jaw on the ground. I listened to this one via audiobook. It's fast paced and comes in right about an hour which is perfect. Moniqua Plante is the narrator and she killed this one. Created the perfect eerie atmosphere for such a creepy story.
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Overall, I think people will eat this one up! If you need a quick horror fix, check this one out and the rest of The Shivers Collection! Huge thank you to NetGalley, Grady Hendrix, Amazon Original Publisher and Brilliance Publishing for the ALC in exchange for my honest review.

Do not read if you are a parent of young kids!! Also, spoilers ahead!

This was not for me…. I tend to be more of a thriller/mystery reader than horror, but I think it’s more about the fact that I can’t handle books where parents knowingly put their kids in danger. And I can never understand a mom who is grateful for summers at a beach house even if it meant her child was killed by the monsters that patrol the island?! Nope. There is no world in which I would be okay. Or would leave my child to die as an offering to the monsters.

That being said, the narration is good and this is really creepy…the plot was just not for me.

A short story by Grady Hendrix, yes please. Even better when the short story is similar to BirdBox.
We follow Rachel and her family when they travel to their vacation home for the summer. While there her son sees something horrifying. So Rachel and her family have to deal with the consequences from what he saw.
So creepy snd terrifying.
Loved it