Thirteen Storeys

By: Jonathan Sims

Narrated by: Ayesha Antoine, Aysha Kala, Ben Elliot, Cloud Quinn, Jonathan Sims, Jot Davies, Katherine Press, Katie Leung, Laurence Dobiesz, Lula Suassuna, Sophie Roberts, Theo Solomon

Length: 13 hrs and 14 mins

Publisher's summary

Thirteen voices. Thirteen storeys. One dinner party to die for.

An innovative haunted house tour-de-force from the creator of THE MAGNUS ARCHIVES podcast.

GOING UP?

A dinner party is held in the penthouse of a multimillion-pound development. All the guests are strangers - even to their host, the billionaire owner of the building
.
None of them know why they were selected to receive his invitation. Whether privileged or deprived, they share only one thing in common - they've all experienced a shocking disturbance within the building's walls.

By the end of the night, their host is dead, and none of the guests will say what happened. His death has remained one of the biggest unsolved mysteries - until now.

But are you ready for their stories?

'A modern horror classic from one of the most exciting writers in the field today' Starburst Magazine

'Combines a creeping sense of unease with all-out gore . . . Nerve-jangling.' Guardian

'A wonderfully creepy climax, hitting that perfect spot of uncanny horror' Grimdark Magazine

©2020 Jonathan Sims (P)2020 Orion Publishing Group

Horrific Vindication

Those who may know Sims from his work on The Magnus Archives will recognize his style in taking the emotion and more ephemeral aspects of distressing real life experiences and translating them into a very real and literal manifestations of horror. This style has allowed him to bring very uncomfortable subjects in contemporary life into a very stark relief for those listening/reading about them. His work has an added brilliance, however, by not simply turning metaphor into literal grotesque moments. Rather he recognizes that moments of trauma, helplessness, true real world fear are made possible and are exacerbated by the emotions tied to them. He is not content to simply wave his hand over a blunt metaphor for economic disparity and say “Oh it’s all just a metaphor”, instead highlighting that the emotion and more personal details one brings to the experience are just as important as the literal monsters on display. In many ways they are even more important. While there are still plenty of moments of very blunt comparisons and lambasting of things like the ultra-rich and their actions, I cannot say it is without merit or that such bluntness is not paid off by the conclusion of the work. It shows that Sims is well aware of these comparisons and wishes to justify them through skillful writing of a truly interconnected world and genuinely relatable characters, despite many of them in fact being reprehensible in their own ways.

Beyond this, the VO work of each and every actor involved is spectacular. Each character being allowed their own unique voice has done wonders for bringing their already vibrant personalities in written form across as deep, meaningful, and truly 3-dimensional. The final culmination in the end as all come together makes for a wonderfully-tense ending that will have anyone gripped and dying to know what comes next.

This was a work that only occasionally dips into the realm of finger-waving PSA on the dangers of late-stage capitalism, and honestly, even when it does, there is a certain tinge of vindictive glee to be found from it that makes the occasional lecture worth it. Truly a good chicken soup for the lower-class soul.

Compelling and thoughtful!

Compelling story - a real page turner! I couldn't wait until I could get back to hearing more. Thoughtfully portrayed characters - for example, there is a trans character who's transness is never specifically called out, nor is it a story element; it is simply alluded to through a few passing details, and the character gets to have a story beyond that identity. As a trans person, I was delighted and appreciative.

Pleasantly grotesque horror.

If you're looking for an anti-capitalist and aware piece of spooks, this one's probably a good bet on it.

like discovering Agatha Christie all over again.

has a beautiful unique feeling to it. loved all the characters, but a couple sorta blend together after a bit. I liked every voice actor. very well done.

Another Amazing Story

Fresh take on the old dinner party bit. Beautiful storytelling and captivating characters all wrapped up in a spooky setting. I did enjoy that the audiobook is 1: hours long too

wonderfully creepy

Sims showcases his knack for weaving together short horror stories into an overarching theme with a lovely crew of voices to help. Subtle hints and bits throughout the book help you - the reader - be able to collect the threads that lead to the finale, that might not be what you think it is.
absolutely lovely, and a perfect book to get lost into during the spooky season.

Spooky and Entralling

This book was amazing as always.

As someone terrified of the grotesque and nasty Leon's story was a lot I was revolted in the best way possible. and Carrie's story actually moved me deeply.

I loved how the story at first felt like an anthology, but as the complex was more explored the stories began to weave together and become one interwoven piece.

lovely job!

A Modern Gothic Masterpiece

Thirteen Storeys is an amalgamation of, as the title indicates, thirteen stories (although it is in fact a bon mot regarding the thirteen floors of a building as well) that circle around people who become in various ways roped into the will of something seemingly out of their control.

The reason I find this work to be a modern gothic masterpiece is for the literary purposes through which other gothic/horror writers have exercised the fears prevalent in society at the time of their conceptions (e.g., Frankenstein and the fear of modern science replacing God, Dracula and its overt sexuality and xenophobic tendencies).

Sims’ work excels in this very same vein — although with the “modern twist” — in its exploration of the machinations of a billionaire who is apathetic to the world at large as well as the suffering and deaths of those who he has deemed lesser than himself. The twist to which I refer is how the characters choose to react in opposition to a deal that seemingly no one could refuse.

I’ve followed Sims’s work since The Magnus Archives and find his work to be extremely interesting and compelling. I was curious to see how well executed his writing would be on his own without the production team of TMA, but found myself loving every second. I fully recommend to any horror fan. Remember patience is a virtue, give the book its due and wait for the end. You won’t be disappointed.

Terrifficly Terrifying!

Awesome book for anyone who loves horror stories. An anthology series up there with the likes of The Twilight Zone, and Tales from the Darkside!

Wonderful

This was such a wonderful story. I enjoyed it immensely. I read the book and now have finished the audio book. The story has so much foreshadowing and clues, that it is well worth listening or reading it twice! If you know The Magnus Archives, you will not be disappointed. I look forward to his next book!