Under the Stairs

An Anthology of Homebound Horror

De: Adam Vine, Dean Liapis, Ryan E. Felton, Courtney M. Privett, Brandon Naylor, E.E. King, Chelsea Pumpkins, Jessica Peter, Robert Bagnall, Francesca Maria

Narrado por: Dean Liapis, Hilary Halpern

Twenty short stories about losing one's sense of home: a sleep study gone wrong, a pair of ghostly baby shoes that won't leave a grieving father alone, a serial killer who lurks in the shadows of suburbia, a halfway house haunted by an unorthodox kind of ghost, a hallucinogenic plant that compiles the most gruesome elements of past and future; penned by some of horror fiction's best upcoming authors, these are just a few of the terrifying tales in 'Under the Stairs: An Anthology of Homebound Horror.' Please note that the stories in the audiobook version of this anthology differ slightly from the print and ebook versions. No AI was used in the creation of this audiobook or its print and ebook counterparts.

©2023 Adam C. Kennedy (P)2026 Adam C. Kennedy

Creepy and Thoughtful

I listened to the audiobook edition of Under the Stairs, and I have to say that these stories feel even more unsettling in audio than they might on the page. There is something about hearing horror aloud that brings me right back to ghost stories shared at slumber parties or around campfires, where every creak in the house suddenly seems significant. I also appreciated the choice to use two narrators, alternating between stories and giving the collection an extra layer of texture.

The stories themselves range from quietly spooky to genuinely sinister, touching on subjects including domestic violence, hunger, and homelessness. Despite the variety of voices and styles, the anthology is held together by its central question: what happens when home is no longer a place of safety? That theme works remarkably well. As I listened, there were some pieces that didn't resonate with me personally and others that felt eerily familiar—not in their actual content, but in their tone and worldview, occasionally echoing elements of my own writing.

Anthologies have always appealed to me because they invite a different kind of reading experience. You can dip in and out, listen for a while, set the book aside, and return later without feeling as though you're trying to keep track of an intricate plot. Under the Stairs offers a satisfying mix of shorter and longer tales. There were certainly a few stories that I would happily have seen expanded into something larger, but for the most part, each one seemed to occupy exactly the amount of space it needed.

For listeners who enjoy horror that explores the uneasy spaces closest to us, this anthology offers a thoughtful reminder that sometimes the most frightening things are the ones waiting behind our own front doors.

Goes well with: crisp apples, sharp cheddar, and a handful of lightly salted cashews, along with a glass of wine or cup of tea.