Growing Things and Other Stories

By: Paul Tremblay

Narrated by: Sean Crisden, Graham Halstead, Cassandra Campbell, Sarah Naughton, Michael Crouch, Caitlin Kelly

A chilling collection of psychological suspense and literary horror from the multiple award-winning author of the national bestseller The Cabin at the End of the World and A Head Full of Ghosts.

A masterful anthology featuring nineteen pieces of short fiction, Growing Things and Other Stories is an exciting glimpse into Paul Tremblay’s fantastically fertile imagination.

In “The Teacher,” a Bram Stoker Award nominee for best short story, a student is forced to watch a disturbing video that will haunt and torment her and her classmates’ lives.

Four men rob a pawn shop at gunpoint only to vanish, one-by-one, as they speed away from the crime scene in “The Getaway.”

In “Swim Wants to Know If It’s as Bad as Swim Thinks,” a meth addict kidnaps her daughter from her estranged mother as their town is terrorized by a giant monster . . . or not.

Joining these haunting works are stories linked to Tremblay’s previous novels. The tour de force metafictional novella “Notes from the Dog Walkers” deconstructs horror and publishing, possibly bringing in a character from A Head Full of Ghosts, all while serving as a prequel to Disappearance at Devil’s Rock. “The Thirteenth Temple” follows another character from A Head Full of Ghosts—Merry, who has published a tell-all memoir written years after the events of the novel. And the title story, “Growing Things,” a shivery tale loosely shared between the sisters in A Head Full of Ghosts, is told here in full.

From global catastrophe to the demons inside our heads, Tremblay illuminates our primal fears and darkest dreams in startlingly original fiction that leaves us unmoored. As he lowers the sky and yanks the ground from beneath our feet, we are compelled to contemplate the darkness inside our own hearts and minds.

“Horror” that actually made me think…

All of these stories are extremely well-written and really none of them were a let down for me. The ambiguity in many of them added to the eerie, cold feeling. You could tell Tremblay was experimenting a bit but he never lost me. It was effective. All of these stories were unique and interesting.

Love this guy!!!

Every book I read gets better and better, I really appreciate his style. Night reading is discouraged, unless you want to be up all night!!!!!!!

It was ok

The stories were ok, but a bit too obscure for my taste. I did still find myself entertained

Classic Tremblay

This may be premature, because I’m only halfway through, but so far the collection is everything I’ve come to expect from Paul Tremblay. Complex stories, believable characters, unexpected twists, and maximum tension with minimal gore. The title story will stay with me for a long time, long time. The intersection of madness and innocence and family dynamics is fertile ground for horror, and Tremblay tills that ground for all it’s worth.

Indulgent in all the right ways

A wide and thoughtful variety of story premises really defines this collection. The author indulges in deep dives into the characters' perspectives and personalities and plays with standard tropes in innovative and timely ways. The narration is flawless and the production is top-notch. A total treat to listen to.