The Shivers Collection is a compilation of five short stories, each penned by a prominent name in contemporary horror: Joe Hill, Stephen Graham Jones, Grady Hendrix, Catriona Ward, and Owen King. Each story runs around 40–50 pages, so they’re substantial enough to feel like more than just a glimpse into the author’s world, but still short enough that they need to deliver their impact quickly.
The anthology is an interesting mix of voices and styles, with each author bringing their own approach to tension, character, and atmosphere. Some stories lean more into emotional resonance, others focus on dark humour, and a few attempt a more traditional horror punch. As a whole, it makes for a diverse reading experience, though the quality and impact of each story varies.
Below, I’ve broken down my thoughts on each individual story, from the ones that stood out as highlights to those that, for me, fell a bit flat.
Jackknife – A Let-Down
⭐️⭐️
I usually rate Joe Hill’s short fiction pretty highly, but Jackknife just didn’t do it for me. The protagonist is an unlikeable dickhead from start to finish, and not in a way that makes him compelling or fun to read about—just in a way that makes you not care what happens to him.
Even knowing this is a short story, it still feels like it lacks everything that makes a short story great. There’s no real punch, no atmosphere that lingers, and no character you want to spend time with. Instead, it comes across like a half-formed idea that never really gets off the ground.
Sure, there are flashes of Hill’s usual style here and there, but overall this one feels like filler. Forgettable, flat, and not at the level I’ve come to expect from him.
The Indigo Room – Still Not Clicking
⭐️⭐️
I’ve only read a couple of Stephen Graham Jones’ books before, and honestly, neither of them really landed with me. The Indigo Room falls into the same category.
The setup is interesting enough on paper, and I can see why people who enjoy his style might get more out of it. But for me, it just didn’t click. The atmosphere never really drew me in, the characters felt distant, and by the end I was left shrugging rather than unsettled. It’s one of those stories where you can see the craft, but the emotional or horror punch just isn’t there.
I know Jones has a big following and a lot of people love his work, but at this poin,t I think his writing just isn’t for me. The Indigo Room hasn’t changed my mind.
The Blanks – A Standout in the Shivers Collection
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Of all the stories in the Shivers collection, The Blanks by Grady Hendrix is easily one of the best. It’s got that signature Hendrix blend of dark humour and unsettling weirdness that makes his work so fun to read.
What I liked most is how quickly it pulls you in. The premise is both absurd and creepy in that very “Hendrix” way, and he manages to balance the horror with wit without undercutting the tension. It actually feels like a complete, satisfying short story—something a few of the other entries in the collection didn’t quite manage.
It’s not the scariest thing you’ll ever read, but it’s clever, entertaining, and sticks in your head after you’ve finished. Definitely a highlight of the anthology, and a reminder of why Hendrix has become such a big name in modern horror.
Night and Day in Misery – A Different Kind of Haunting
⭐️⭐️⭐️
Catriona Ward’s Night and Day in Misery took me by surprise. I went in expecting something sharp and chilling, but what I got instead was an unexpected emotional story. It’s more about mood and feeling than outright scares, and while that makes it stand out in the Shivers collection, it also left me a bit conflicted.
On the one hand, Ward’s writing is beautiful—she has a way of weaving atmosphere that feels heavy and intimate at the same time. On the other hand, the story doesn’t quite hit with the impact I was hoping for. It’s moving, yes, but it feels like it stops just short of being truly memorable.
Overall, I’d say it’s a solid piece with an emotional core that I wasn’t anticipating, but it doesn’t quite reach the heights of her longer work. A good story, but not the one that stuck with me most from the collection.
Letter Slot – Overstuffed and Underwhelming
⭐️
Owen King’s Letter Slot is, unfortunately, a major disappointment. The story feels like it’s trying to do way too much in too little space. It’s packed with ideas, subplots, and attempts at tension, but none of it gets the room it needs to land properly.
It honestly reads more like the outline for a full novel than a completed short story. Characters aren’t developed, the plot jumps around, and the pacing is all over the place. By the end, I was left exhausted and underwhelmed rather than intrigued or unsettled.
It’s a shame, because you can see some kernels of an interesting story buried in there—but cramming all of that into such a short format just doesn’t work. This one didn’t stick with me at all.
Gareth Ellis - Author 