Thanks to #NetGalley and #BrillancePublishing for the book #NightAndDayInMisery by #CatrionaWard. Loved the creepy vibes and chills I got from this book. Stella’s husband and son died eight years ago. To remember them, Stella goes back to room 17, the last place her son and husband were before they passed. What she gets is a glimpse into what may have really happened.

I love these little short stories. This one is so incredibly sad. So tragic and so much grief. Such a read.

This story truly broke my heart. The loss of a child and a husband was written with such raw emotion, it felt like I was carrying the weight alongside the character. The grief was deep, and the pain came through every word. It was heavy and haunting, but also beautifully told. It stayed with me in a quiet, aching way.

Such a well paced and suspenseful book! The twists were believable and not predictable.
It had excellent writing and a fascinating plot.
Night and Day in Misery by Catriona Ward is a book which kept me thoroughly engaged from beginning to end.

This may be short, but it cuts deep. This haunting audio novella clocks in at just about an hour—whether you read it or listen to the audio—but the story stays with you far longer than that.

We follow Stella, a grieving mother who checks into Room 17 of a rundown hotel—the last place her husband and son stayed before their deaths eight years earlier. She’s not there for rest. She’s there to remember. To feel. To maybe even see them again. But as night falls and her mind starts to blur, the room answers her grief with a terrifying message of its own.

I saw a few reviewers stating that this wasn't horror. That can depend on what you feel horror to you. At its core, horror isn’t just jump scares or monsters in the dark. It’s what happens when something painful—like grief, trauma, or guilt—is stretched so far it almost becomes unreal. That’s exactly what Ward does here. She takes the raw ache of losing a child and turns it into something you can almost see in the corner of your eye… until it steps fully into view.

This story is heavy. There are themes of child death, abuse, self-harm, and addiction. But there’s also beauty in the writing, and a soft glimmer of hope at the end that feels like catching your breath after a long, painful cry.

This won't be for everyone, but if you're open to emotional, unsettling stories that linger like a ghost in your chest, this one’s worth your time. Especially for fans of other *The Shivers* stories—it’s horror that gets under your skin in all the right (and wrong) ways.

The end was interesting.. i may have not quite understood what was happening until then though :P I am always curious what this author comes up with and enjoy many of her works.

A amazing short story. I had a blast reading it. I found it very engaging and couldn't put it down. I'm a fan of this author and love to read all that she writes

Grief horror done right. Stella’s unraveling as she uncovers the truth about her family’s tragedy is heartbreaking, surreal, and utterly haunting.
Rating: 4.5 ⭐

Night And Day In Misery by Catriona Ward is short story number four of five in the Shivers Collection: "a collection of haunting stories that reveal the otherworldly terrors all around us."

From this atmospheric out-of-the-way motel setting, to the terrifying imagery, to the literal unknown - this book shook me to my core! I gasped aloud, found myself on the verge of tears and was utterly terrified! My emotions were played with and I can't shout my praises loudly enough for this perfectly well executed short story!

Mia Hutchinson-Shaw performed this audiobook to utter perfection; main character Stella sounded both haunted and full of fear, with her son's voice causing goosebumps!

Thank you NetGalley, Brilliance Publishing and Amazon Original Stories for the complimentary audio copy to read and review.

Night and Day in Misery is a short but powerful story that really left an impact. It’s eerie, emotional, and beautifully written. Catriona Ward creates such a tense, creepy atmosphere, and I was hooked from the start. The themes of grief, memory, and the supernatural were blended perfectly. As a mother, I really felt for the main character and her pain. The narration by Mia Hutchinson-Shaw was excellent and brought the story to life. It’s a haunting, emotional listen that sticks with you long after it ends.

I love grief horror and the fact that this is so short made it pack a punch even more. Completely devastated but felt a sense of hope too

⛓️ ALC REVIEW ⛓️

Thank you @netgalley , @brilliancepublishing and @catward66 for my early copy of Night and Day in Misery!

This was a short story instalment in The Shivers collection and for a short story, this packed a PUNCH! It was creepy and it was devastating and I enjoyed the hell out of it!! Cat does it again baby!

This audio will be released tomorrow April 15 and you need to get your filthy paws on it!

Night and Day in Misery by Catriona Ward is an unsettling, mind-bending masterpiece that kept me on the edge of my seat the entire time. Ward has a way of weaving psychological tension into every page, and by the time I finished it, I felt like I’d just stepped out of a dream—or more accurately, a nightmare.

The story is a slow burn, but in the best way possible. It takes its time to build atmosphere, carefully laying the groundwork for what’s to come. The alternating perspectives kept me engaged, offering glimpses into the minds of characters who are deeply flawed and hauntingly real. Ward has a remarkable ability to create people who feel like they could be your neighbors, yet their lives are laced with dark, twisted edges.

What really struck me about Night and Day in Misery was its exploration of duality. The constant back-and-forth between light and darkness, hope and despair, is woven into every aspect of the story. It’s as much about the characters’ internal battles as it is about the external horrors they face. The way Ward plays with perception—what is real and what isn’t—had me questioning every moment, every word, until the very end.

The pacing is relentless, not in an overtly fast way, but in the way tension builds with each passing chapter. Ward doesn’t rush the reveals; instead, she lets the suspense grow organically, letting the dread seep into the narrative until you can’t help but feel consumed by it.

By the end, I was both horrified and moved. Night and Day in Misery is a book that stays with you long after you turn the last page. It’s a dark, beautifully crafted psychological thriller that explores themes of identity, perception, and survival in a way that only Catriona Ward can. If you enjoy books that make you think, make you feel, and make you question everything you thought you knew, this one is not to be missed.

Having previously enjoyed Catriona Ward's writing I was excited to see her included in this collection, and her writing is as solid as ever. This is a hugely sad story, and so I would advise some readers approach with caution (check for content warnings folks) but a solid offering and one that may convince new readers to pick up more of her work.

This was such a solid short horror story! Definitely be warned that it involves the death of a small child (which you see in the Book Description. But overall, I could feel the tension, and as a mother, could deeply relate to the feelings of the main character. This story felt like it had a full arc and gave you all the creepy and emotional feelings throughout. And it’s a really good audiobook!

I would love it if this book would be available through libraries and not exclusively on Amazon. The story is incredible and stayed with me long after reading. Heartbreaking and devastating.

Thank you Brilliance Audio & Catriona Ward for this read!!

This book ripped my heart apart! This one is definitely a sad grief horror - check trigger warnings. It's emotional and confronting. There is some supernatural / paranormal elements but this one is horror in the way you need to go through it all with the narrator.

Grab your tissues with this one and strap yourself in for a journey back to room 17 where this all began.

The narrator was absolutely amazing. They added so much emotion to it!

This short story was just okay for me. I don’t know if it was the writing or the story. I just didn’t jive with it.
We follow Stella who went through a tragic event. She books a hotel room, while trying to sleep she has some crazy dreams.

what a sad story. it's the first Ward story I didn't hate. People need to read this. Yup....need to add more words

Solid 3 stars. I’m not sure if it’s anything special, but hey it was an hour on audio, so a perfect soooky bedtime story.