The Shivers short story collection on audiobook was spectacular. Anything that Catriona Ward writes, I am reading. Night and Day in Misery is heartbreaking and deals with grief and the death of a child. The Blanks by Grady Hendrix is my favorite story and had me feeling all the feelings. Mail Slot by Owen King is also a strong contender for favorite because it feels like old-school horror. The Indigo Room by Stephen Graham Jones took a classic fear and showed it in a new way. Jackknife by Joe Hill is the most uncomfortable story personally. Do not eat while listening to this one as there are graphic scenes. This is an excellent short story grab bag by some of the horror genre’s top authors. The narrators (Robert Fass, Kyla Garcia, Moniqua Plante, Mia Hutchinson-Shaw, Grover Gardner) are fantastic and kept me engaged. ALC was provided by Brilliance Publishing and Amazon Original Stories via NetGalley. I received an audiobook listening copy for free and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

The Shivers Collection
Overall, this was a fun sometimes heartbreaking collection of stories. I was already familiar with 4 out 5 of these authors (Owen Kings being the exception) and was pleasantly surprised by which stories I ended up favoring. This collection had an interesting mix of grief, old-school/traditional horror, paranormal elements, and strong familial themes. The narrators for each story did a great job at enriching the atmosphere and becoming the voice of the protagonists.

Jackknife by Joe Hill - 4 stars
I would classify Jackknife as paranormal, old-school horror. This story starts strong and within the first MINUTE establishes some great character development. Hill is obviously a master of his craft, because not many authors can establish the foundation of a character in under a minute. As the story progresses, more details about the character’s lives unfold and eventually lead into the horror portion of the story. A couple descriptions Hill uses in this had me laugh/choking on my on my drink. The ending didn’t feel as strong as the beginning and middle, but it was still a good story.

The Indigo Room by Stephen Graham Jones - 3.75 stars
The Indigo Room had some paranormal horror sprinkled into an uncomfortable office atmosphere. I really enjoyed Jennifer’s inner dialogue and the coworker dynamics. The quirks of the different office personalities being overly familiar with one another, but still maintaining that professional distance made me want to squirm. Ending with Jennifer having to confront her inner thoughts was intriguing but truthfully fell a bit flat for me. I’m a huge Stephen Graham Jones fan, but this one didn’t make it into my favorites.

The Blanks by Grady Hendrix - 5 stars
The Blanks is suburban horror with some old-school elements mixed in. I typically have mixed feeling about Grady Hendrix’s books, but I LOVED this one! I wish this was a full-length novel. It was a dark, eerie, heartbreaking story set in a vacation home community. There is social commentary about superficial conformity and the appeal of the care-free, wealthy, suburban lifestyle. I don’t want to say too much about this story and give anything away. Great story!

Night and Day in Misery by Catriona Ward - 4.5 Stars
Whenever I come across something written by Catriona Ward, I already know that it's going to be emotional and that I’m going to love the ride. This was about a woman confronting her familial grief and trauma. As the details unfold, we learn more and more about her past experiences and how they affect her current situation and decisions. This was semi-straight forward story, where the reader figures out major details before the protagonist does.

Mail Slot by Owen King - 4.0 Stars
I haven’t read anything by Owen King before, so this was a nice introduction. This felt like some old-school, paranormal horror, with familial themes. I enjoyed the classic feel of the story, the escalation of events, and ever-changing perspective of the protagonist.

Thanks to Brilliance Publishing, Amazon Original Stories, and NetGalley for the ARC of The Shivers collection.

Every story in this collection is top notch, which is t surprising considering the authors, but I especially loved The Indigo Room by Stephen Graham Jones and Letter Slot by Owen King. Somehow Stephen Graham Jones has made an intense and perfect office based tragic horror story, and Owen King’s story is just fantastic from beginning to immensely sad but satisfying conclusion. This is a group of stories by authors at the height of their powers.

Thank you to Netgalley and the UK publishers for a copy of this collection in exchange for an honest review.

I had a great time with these short stories and listened to them all in one day. They all delivered something different and yet all had in common that they managed to creep me out.

My personal favourite was Night and Day in Misery by Catriona Ward, but this was closely followed by Indigo Room by Stephen Graham Jones.

This was a real mixed bag for me but as a collection it was a great listen and had enough variation to make each story have a purpose in the collection.

I really enjoyed the stories by Joe Hill, Catriona Ward and Grady Hendrix but felt less excited by the Stephen Graham Jones and Owen King ones.

The narrators all did a fab job bringing these tales to life (which can sometimes be difficult when they're short stories!) and each had engaging voices to help keep me entertained.

Overall this was a quick easy listen and would be great for someone who hasn't read much horror before or haven't had a chance to check these authors out previously!

Very solid collection. Grady Hendrix's The Blanks kinda blows the rest of the stories out of the water-- it's the only one that really fulfills the promise of the collection title. That being said, I really enjoyed both Joe Hill's Jackknife and Owen King's The Letter Slot (SK taught them both well!) Unfortunately, both Catriona Ward and Stephen Graham Jones fall into their usual foibles and I'm not even sure Night and Day in Misery fully qualifies as horror. All in all, worth the listen for the standouts.

Thanks to Brillance Publishing and NetGalley for this audio arc.

I had a pretty good time listening to The Shivers, a collection of 5 authors including Grady Hendrix and Catriona Ward. If you’re a fan of horror you’ll have a fun time!

Amazon Originals return with another horrifying collection of short stories in The Shivers Collection. With tales from some of horror's top writers, Joe Hill, Stephen Graham Jones, Grady Hendrix, Catriona Ward, and Owen King, The Shivers invite us into a world where the supernatural hides in plain sight.

The Shivers is a collection of haunting stories that reveal the otherworldly terrors all around us. Each tale is unique in it's own way where things lurk within an old tree, get horrific visions of the future, stalk an idyllic beach, the lines blur between reality and the supernatural, and whisper through a letter.

With each tale the narrator brings to life the story being told by these fantastic authors. The narrators know which author they are reading to you and enhance each tale to new heights.

Jackknife

Ruined by scandal, Dennis Lange is desperate to rebuild his reputation. His only chance may be selling a story of what lies within the roots of a cursed tree. The story may change his fortune–but will come with a deadly risk. This monstrous short story from New York Times bestselling author Joe Hill kicks off The Shivers Collection.

Dennis awakens something evil when he removes a decades-old jackknife from the trunk of a gnarled old sycamore. Once pinned in place—now thoughtlessly freed—the tree returns to its roots. An act of vigilante justice took place under its boughs long ago. But its taste for blood has only grown stronger...

While Hill has made a name for himself over the years–outside the shadow of his father–Hill's tale brings back vibes from old school horror similar to Stephen King's short stories from the 1970s and 1980s in Jackknife. An eerie mystery surrounding an old tree that brought fear to the pages of this collection. Jackknife delivers an awesome read with its atmospheric tension and satisfying, well-written ending. The tale pays homage to the haunting style of old-school horror that sticks with you long after the story concludes.

The Indigo Room

People always say don't get caught up in office politics and they may be right. This chilling blend of workplace drama and true horror is a short story by New York Times bestselling author Stephen Graham Jones as part of The Shivers Collection.

When the lights go out and the slideshow begins, middle manager Jennifer has a disturbing vision: a headless colleague right across the boardroom table. Is it a trick of the light, or a vision of the future? She tries to brush it off and salvage the afternoon—but when her ex unexpectedly drops off her son at the office after school, suddenly her whole world takes an alarming turn.

The Indigo Room gave off huge Final Destination vibes while still giving off a unique feeling of its own. As a fan of premonition-style horror, this short story met that desire. While it may not break new ground and the ending left me a bit puzzled, it was still an enjoyable read. Its unique plot added something fresh to The Shivers Collection, making it perfect for the series.

The Blanks

Residents share an unspoken agreement with the island's eerie inhabitants: steer clear of them, and life goes on peacefully. But in New York Times bestselling author Grady Hendrix's short story from The Shivers Collection, one boy can’t look away—and pays the price.

Jeckle Island offers Rachel’s children the chance to spend summers roaming wild and free, as long as they follow the rules. But when her son comes face to face with a terror they dare not speak of, she must prepare for their perfect world to change. Forever.

Hendrix brings one of the more disturbing stories to The Shivers Collection with The Blanks. The tale is truly terrifying in ways that are less jumpy and more eerie, unsettling and creepy. Hendrix strikes a cord at not only my fearful side, but emotional side that left me in awe after finishing the last page. The Blanks alone makes the entire collection worthwhile.

Night and Day in Misery

In the gloom of her hotel, a mother readies to rejoin her past. Feverish nightmares meet the chilling light of day in this haunting short story, as part of The Shivers Collection, from USA Today bestselling author Catriona Ward.

Room 17 was the last stop on her husband and son’s journey. Eight years after their deaths, Stella books the same room, hoping to commune with their memories. But as she tries to sleep, disturbing and urgent visions blur the lines between reality and the supernatural, and the other side sends a terrifying message.

Ward gives us a chilling grief-driven horror short story in Night and Day in Misery. From the start, I was hooked and just when I thought I knew where she was taking us, Ward threw in a twist that completely turned the story on its head, leaving me reeling with surprise. Catriona crafts a twisty, horrifying, and grief-driven short story that was a fitting addition to The Shivers Collection.

Letter Slot

A helping hand, a fateful cost. In this ominous short story, as part of The Shivers Collection, from New York Times bestselling author Owen King, the cost of living keeps rising—and it collects payment from the soul.

Sensing his mother’s failing health, a struggling teenager pours out his worries in a letter and drops it through the mail slot of an abandoned show house. He’s surprised when a response arrives, promising good fortune for the price of just one name: someone he hates. He’d give anything for his mother. But the true cost may be more than he’s willing to pay.

Letter Slot is quite a deep tale with a truly dark twist. While not outright scary, this short story is undeniably unsettling, with a creeping tension that lingers long after the final sentence. Much like Joe Hill's Jackknife, Owen King's Letter Slot carries echoes of their father's storytelling ability. However, Owen's unique voice shines through with a cleverly crafted ending that I didn't see coming.