Narrated by: Stephen King, Holter Graham, Mare Winningham, Denis O'Hare, Ron McLarty, Jill Eikenberry, Ben Shenkman
Length: 14 hrs and 52 mins
Publisher's synopsis: King's brand new fiction title: a captivating collection of tales with dark - and light - twists from the master of this wonderful form. What would you do if your everyday world were turned upside down in an instant? Here are 12 riveting stories about relationships with unexpected twists. Be very careful what you wish for.
My thoughts: This makes it onto one of my top listens ever. The multiple narrators (including King!) make each story so engaging and the quality is top-notch. Because King's horror is situational in nature, listening to his short stories on audio is kind of like slipping into virtual reality. You're there. With the characters, facing their deepest fears.
The short story collection had been compiled from King’s previous publications in various magazines, with the exception of N. Not all of them are pure horror though, some are more action-y, and a few are quite though-provoking. I enjoyed each one of them, so I decided to give my thoughts on some of them.
Willa - David is at the train station when he discovers that his fiancée, Willa, has disappeared. This is a story that is full of atmosphere and very character-driven, predictable yet chilling. I felt so much for the characters in the end.
The Gingerbread Girl – After losing her only child, Em picks up the habit of running, which leads her to be imprisoned in the house of a psychopath. This is one of my favorites. The action and suspense never stops!
Rest Stop – John is about to bring out his inner hero when he witnesses a man abusing a woman at a rest stop. A compelling story about bravery.
Stationary Bike – Richard embarks on a frightening journey when he starts playing a pretend game to help him lose weight. This one was one hell of a ride, and I enjoyed every second of it! How many of us are living in our own delusional little world without even realizing it?!
N – A psychiatrist is disturbed by the troubles of his patient, whom he refers to as N. What a fascinating story about obsessive compulsive disorder! Stephen King delves into the thought processes of insanity, and just how easy it is to slip into psychosis.
A Very Tight Place – A delightful little tale of survival about a man who has to escape from, as the title aptly says, ‘a very tight place’. Although the premise is terrifying (and this is not a story to be read if easily grossed out), I found it to be incredibly humorous! Grunwald is such a comical character and there are some very funny phrases in the story. Definitely another one of my faves.
Overall, thoroughly entertaining and highly recommended. 5/5.
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