The Pram

Creature Feature

by Joe Hill

A husband’s obsessive desire for a child leads to an unexpected manifestation of his yearning in a nightmarish short story about fatherhood dreams by New York Times bestselling author Joe Hill.

Willy and Marianne’s farmhouse in Maine has acres of meadow and fresh air, and a lonesome bridle path in the forest along which Willy daydreams and ambles. When he’s loaned a decrepit old baby stroller to cart his groceries home, the rickety squeak of the wheels comforts him. So do the sweet coos of a baby Willy knows can’t be real. Can it? In this twisted thicket, wishes come true—with a price.

Joe Hill’s The Pram is part of Creature Feature, a collection of devilishly creepy stories that tingle the spine and twist the mind. They can be read or listened to in one petrifying sitting.

Genres: Horror, Short Stories, Audiobook, Fiction, Thriller, Novella, Ebooks

58 pages, Kindle Edition

First published September 26, 2023

About the author

Joe Hill's debut, Heart-Shaped Box, won the Bram Stoker Award for Best First Novel. His second, Horns, was made into a film freakfest starring Daniel Radcliffe. His other novels include NOS4A2, and his #1 New York Times Best-Seller, The Fireman... which was also the winner of a 2016 Goodreads Choice Award for Best Horror Novel.

He writes short stories too. Some of them were gathered together in his prize-winning collection, 20th Century Ghosts.

He won the Eisner Award for Best Writer for his long running comic book series, Locke & Key, co-created with illustrator and art wizard Gabriel Rodriguez.

He lives in New Hampshire with a corgi named McMurtry after a certain beloved writer of cowboy tales. His next book, Strange Weather, a collection of novellas, storms into bookstores in October of 2017.

Reviews

[LTJ · Rating 5 out of 5]

“The Pram” by Joe Hill is the very first book I’ve read of his as I was super excited to finally read his work. It’s no secret that Hill is the son of the legendary Stephen King so you already know as a Constant Reader for over 25 years, I was eventually going to give his son’s work a shot.

Besides picking up this short story, I had a nice little book haul with more of Hill’s work. I went with, “The Fireman”, “Heart-Shaped Box”, and “20th Century Ghosts” to get a mix of his most popular novels and ones that spoke to me after reading their descriptions. Since it’s October and everyone’s favorite spooky season, I figured to start off with “The Pram” to get a small sampling of his writing style.

Wow, I was very impressed and now I can see that it obviously runs in the family. Before I jump into my review of this short story, here are the trigger warnings I found while reading…

- Miscarriages
- COVID-19
- Depression
- Dead raccoons (very graphic)

If any of these trigger you, please do not read this. Moving along, this was an amazing and horrific short story. It not only was scary as all hell but was filled with some good horror-infused tension. It gave me a mix of incredible horror-infused tension on top of creepy folk horror vibes.

It was impressive to see Hill do so much in just 58 pages. Don’t worry, I won’t spoil anything for you but I loved the subtle change in tone and utter darkness towards the end. This was wild to read, especially the descent to madness by one of the main characters. I got major “The Shining” vibes and well, you’ll see what I mean when reading, especially with the ending.

Speaking of which, the ending was absolutely insane! I was shocked that is what ended up happening and yes, I made many weird faces because it was that violent, gory, and again, horrific. Genuine ZOMG moments with an ending that was beyond satisfying and shocking with a nice plot twist. I was left in awe and needless to say, I can’t wait to read more of his books in the future because if this is any indication, I am in for many more exciting horror reading adventures.

I give “The Pram” by Joe Hill a 5/5 as it was everything I look for in a horror story and then some. It’s very hard to deliver such a knockout horror read in less than 60 pages but Hill crushed it as this was brilliant, especially with such a gruesome ending. I will highly recommend this for anyone who wants a super quick Halloween short story or an introduction to Hill and what I can immediately tell makes him such a fantastic horror author. I can’t wait to read more of his books after this one but now I will never look at an empty baby carriage the same ever again.

[Shelley's Book Nook · Rating 4 out of 5]

This story was creepy as fuck and a tad on the gory side but I liked it. (What does that say about me?) While reading it brought back memories of a movie that traumatized me as a kid. After seeing said movie I had nightmares of an evil baby living under my bed.



This is also a very sad story in its own dark way. The way Joe Hill set up the location and scenery was brilliant and was the perfect addition to my seasonal reads. I loved the feeling of foreboding that this story brought and for such a short book I felt completely satisfied by the conclusion and completely grossed out. Stephen King who?

[Peter · Rating 5 out of 5]

Somehow this book reminded me a bit on Rosemary's Baby and Children of the Corn. Was it the pram? Or something else? Willy and Marianne move to Maine (!), to Hobomeck in an old farmhouse. Marianne had a miscarriage in Brooklyn. Bringing back groceries from a nearby grocery story one day, Willy is allowed to use a pram the owner of the little store is lending him. Why does he hear cries from a little child and even envisions one inside the pram? Is it his way to come to terms with the miscarriage or is something else behind? Joe Hill comes up with a fireworks of horror. Starting slowly it soon erupts into bright flames of uncanny terror. Eerie, sinister with a covenant mentioned and the cult of the Sin-Planters. The author uses some great ingredients and presents a full flavour meal of horror I absolutely enjoyed. Highly recommended!

[Zain · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Thing?

Willy and Marianne are suffering from the effects of a miscarriage. They decide to move to a tiny village named, Hobomock.

They are living in a small town with people called the Sin-Eaters. Apparently a cult. It’s what they seem like when the realtor describes them.

But this story is not about the Sin-Eaters, per se, this story is about the pram.

Five stars. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

[Anne · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you don’t talk about your problems, they will eat you alive.
Perhaps literally if you live in a Joe Hill novel.



Willy and Marianne sold their apartment in the city and moved to a farmhouse in Maine after Marianne suffered a miscarriage earlier in the year. Marriane needed to heal.
But Will suffered too. He wanted that baby so much. He wanted to be a father so badly.
And maybe if he’d had someone to talk to, the wound wouldn’t have festered.
And if he hadn’t let it fester, then he might not have let that guy at the country store talk him into taking that creepy old pram home with him.
And then he wouldn’t have heard that baby crying…



But let's face it, their biggest mistake was moving to Maine.
Maine is where you go if you want to live in a haunted house with sewers full of clowns, rabid dogs roaming the streets unchecked, and knickknack shops run by the Devil.
They should have moved to Florida. At least the alligators aren’t demon-possessed.
Then again, no place is perfect.



Highly Recommended.

This (along with the other stories in the series) is free to Amazon Prime members through Prime Reading.

[Chrissy · Rating 4 out of 5]

A couple move to a quiet farmhouse, away from the city, for a fresh start after suffering a miscarriage. The husband, struggling with his grief, borrows a pram from the nearby shop to carry his groceries home. Short and definitely not sweet!

[Sydney Books · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wow okay this was so good!? I’d never read Joe Hill before but I’m definitely going to start.

[Lisa · Rating 4 out of 5]

I can see why Stephen King would be proud!! His son Joe Hill is a talent The Pram is a spooky, creepy horror that I loved even though it was short it had everything.


Willy & Marianne moved from NYC to Hobomeck Maine after Marianne suffered a miscarriage they bought a farm when Willy goes to the local shops to bring home supplies the store owner lends him pram it’s old & smelled but does the job.


But the pram has something in it that only Willy knows about & doesn’t want to give it back the question is why?


This was a creepy horror Novella that I enjoyed it was a quick read that left me gasping it was gory to the MAX. A must for all those who like a quick horror read.

[Kay · Rating 4 out of 5]

Creeeepy! When I think of horror stories, THIS is what I mean. An excellent short story!

After Marianne had a miscarriage, she and her husband, Willy left NYC. They bought a farmhouse in Hobomeck, Maine. Willy goes to a lovely country store in town to buy supplies. An old man and owner Brian Goodkind lends him an old and moldy pram. Willy loads it up with supplies and pushes it home. 😬

I'm going to dive into book two in the Creature Feature collection. It comes with audio. Free with Prime or KU.

58pages/ 1 hr and 31 mins

[Sadie Hartmann · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was incredible. Hill took a story we're familiar with, a couple in the throes of grief--are desperate for a reprieve. With hope, they opt for a change of scenery to promote a fresh start. The small town is home to a 'harmless' religious cult.
*wink*
Goddamn, I love a good, dark, folk horror story.
Triggers: Pregnancy, Miscarriage, depression.
Comps: Starve Acre by Andrew Michael Hurley

[Rachel Hanes · Rating 4 out of 5]

A Frightening read!!

This was the first story that I read in the Creature Feature Collection on Amazon (Kindle Unlimited), and after this one I can’t wait to read the rest of them! This was also the first story that I was able to read by Joe Hill, so I was even more excited! After reading this, I would say that the apple doesn’t fall very far from the tree, because Hill’s writing is just as good as his father’s, Stephen King.

In this short story, Marianne and Willy move to a farmhouse in Maine to get away from the city life in New York. They’ve also just suffered a loss, and Willy hasn’t quite dealt with his grief yet. While shopping at the local country market, Willy is given a pram to carry his groceries home. Once the pram is in Willy’s possession, very strange and bizarre things start to happen.

There are some gory scenes in this short story, but I was expecting them. I am also very pleased with how much information was packed into this short story. My only gripe was the ending- I’m not sure if I needed more closure or perhaps I was just a little confused? Either way, I highly recommend this short story and I am looking forward to reading more from Joe Hill in the future.

[Sandra · Rating 4 out of 5]

Marianne and Willy lose their baby when Marianne has a miscarriage. They eventually decide to leave their Brooklyn home, to get away from old memories. They move to a farmhouse in Hobomeck, Maine. While shopping in town one day the store owner gives Willy a pram to push his many purchases home. The pram is dirty and smelly, but Willy uses it anyway, it’s better than carrying his purchases on the long walk home. While pushing the pram through the eerie forest, he thinks he hears a baby’s cry. It seems like a baby is in the pram. Days later, Willy’s wife discovers the pram in the shed behind their house and wants to get rid of it. But Willy refuses. It seems that he has become attached to the pram… This was a captivating, strange, and unusual story. It had some very creepy moments, especially with the pram and the baby. The book also had good atmosphere. An entertaining and scary read by Joe Hill.

[Karen · Rating 4 out of 5]

First creepy book this month… it was just creepy enough!

[Dave Edmunds · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Baby won't you please come home? Because your daddy's so alone."

4.5 ⭐'s

Initial Thoughts

I'm a big fan of Joe Hill, son of the world's most famous horror writerStephen King. In fact, I've read all his books! But it's been bloody ages since he last released one...that being his fantastic short story collection Full Throttle. So I was over the moon when I heard he was releasing something fresh...even if it was a single, measly short story. In fact I'd just finished a run of massive books, so this was probably just what I needed!

Much like his dad, Joe is bloody brilliant at writing the scary stuff. So I wasn't surprised when I discovered that the new addition would fall into the horror genre. It is, in fact, the First entry in the 'Creature Feature' collection, which I believe includes six stories from some popular contemporary horror authors. But this one in particular was the one that had grabbed my attention.



The Story

With this being a short story, I don't want to say too much and give the game away. So just a brief synopsis to give you a feel of what it's all about.

The focus is on Willy and his wife Marianne who are moving right out in the sticks in rural Maine. This is in the wake of Marianne's miscarriage and the pair are hoping for a fresh start and to put the tragic event behind them. And to begin with it all looks so good, but with this being a horror novel you won't be surprised to find out that strange events are lurking on the horizon.

On his first trip to the little general goods store, Willy is greeted by the strange locals and is gifted a mouldy old pram to take his shopping home in. With his desire for a child, he soon becomes obsessed with it. Is there supernatural forces at work or is it his rapidly declining mental health that's causing strange goings on within that baby carriage? That's all I'm saying, you're going to have to read to find out.

The Writing

I think what elevates this short tale above most other horror yarns is the quality of Joe Hill's writing. It's descriptive and detailed with some exceptional imagery, without restricting the flow and pace of the story. It's certainly impressive how much this author can get out of fifty eight pages.

"He heard a bony thud on the exposed cherrywood floor. There was a second thud after that and a third, the sound of something crawling through the dark."

It's got those classic horror vibes, with a modern feel to it. I was slightly put off at the start, when Hill focused on the pandemic. I know him and his dad are obsessed with it, but I've had more than enough. But it was good to see he got off that track and started to focus on building the plot. And what an enthralling plot it is.

What's really impressive though is how detailed and fleshed out this author can make his characters in such a short timeframe. No matter how brief their appearance. Particularly Willy, who he uses to tackle the subject of grief in really effective fashion. It's something that we're used to seeing from the female perspective so to get it from the man's was a bold move that I really liked. In his desperate bid to look after Marianne, Willy neglects his own issues and that sets up the horror in this tale.

Final Thoughts

What you're getting here is a fast paced description of desperation and loss with some really creepy moments. It certainly gave me the Joe Hill fix I was looking for, even though it isn't quite a full novel.

There's strong Wickerman vibes, with the isolated rural community getting up to all sorts of wacky business. If anything, it was over to quickly. I definitely could have spent more time here and there was without doubt enough here for a full novel.

So a very good start to this creepy series and if the other additions are the same quality I'm in for a treat. Which one to read next though? Have you encountered this series? Help me out here!

And thanks for reading and...cheers!

[Dez the Bookworm · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you have little children...beware.

This hit me hard. Dark, horrific and written so descriptive, I could clearly imagine the scenes as if it were happening.

TW for a miscarriage - for horror fans with this issue in particular and can handle gore but are sensitive to this kind of loss. I oddly enjoyed this, hearing from a father's perspective on loss.

This one-sit read is effortless, meant to chill the bones and raise your hair. I felt the creepiness through my very soul.

What a wild start to my Hallows Eve reads. Part of KU's "creature feature collection". Hell YAS to free spooky short reads.

[Ruben · Rating 4 out of 5]

When I started reading this short fiction story, I thought how it was interesting most of the plot would take place in Maine. I had no idea Joe Hill is the second of SK's sons so this was actually a pleasant surprise.

Now, going back to this short story, Willy and Marianne have recently lost their unborn baby to an unfortunate miscarriage, their grief and the need to start afresh takes them away from Brooklyn to Maine, where they can connect with nature and peace and attempt to forget all past events.

Marianne seems to be doing better, but Willy, who's constantly thinking/dreaming of their unborn child and what it might've been like to become a parent.

One day, he takes a stroll to the local shop to get some groceries, the only problem is how he'll be able to take them home. After borrowing a pram where he takes his groceries, he starts hearing sounds and seeing weird things, the sounds of a baby and the apparent movements of it in the pram. Is it all a product of his imagination or something real?

It seems the only answer is getting immersed in this short story to find out.

I would say this short fiction contains a good balance of elements that make you experience a wide range of emotions that make it complete. Hopefully, you will enjoy it, too!

[Ginger · Rating 5 out of 5]

Welcome back Joe Hill! Write more buddy, I missed your books and stories.

I thought The Pram was creepy, to the point, and I loved everything about this one.
Great start to the Creature Feature collection!

[Carl Bluesy · Rating 4 out of 5]

There’s something extra creepy about parents at lost stories. But this one was something extra too. The and General field to this whole story was super creepy it the best ways. It was super short and easy to get through and I enjoyed every second I spent with this story.

I always appreciate when an author knows want to stop a story and doesn’t drink it out too long. I’ve been said I do feel like this could have been much longer and still have been fantastic! There is so much much lower it could have explored, but of course leaving all that stuff in the air mystery is also very interesting.

There are parts of the story expressing the end that reminded me of pet semetery and I wonder if the book played any role in inspiring this story.

[Suhailah · Rating 5 out of 5]

Happy Halloween everyone!!

“The Pram” is also part of the Creature Feature Amazon Original Stories Collection for Prime members and Kindle Unlimited!!

Well, I am very impressed. This is my very first time reading any of Joe Hill’s work (AKA Stephen King’s son!), and I’ll be looking at more of his work.

Horrifyingly realistic at times, mixed with some gore, and brimming with sinister happenings, this short story lit things up for the low number of pages. I walked away feeling like I’d read a whole lot more than I had. The buildup is eerie and foreboding. Central to the plot is the tough topic of miscarriages. So please take caution as this is a potential trigger warning. ⚠

“The universe had settled into the business of taking things away from him..”

There is also some COVID representation and a creepy small town cult thrown into the mix! I particularly thought it was cleverly terrifying to add COVID into the story as the main character is victim to the infamous loss of smell from having COVID. I can really relate to this suffering as I too was a victim of loss of smell for 3 straight months back in 2020 after my first COVID recovery. So trust me, I truly felt the pain in this quote when he referred to the state of his home after him and his wife both had COVID.

“This is literally a place of sickness and death..”

Final Words: Be careful when someone offers you something—especially a physical object symbolizing some of your deepest and darkest pain!

[SVETLANA · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a horror short story by Joe Hill about family and parenthood.

After COVID companies don't care anymore where you are living and Willy and Marianne move away from New York to a farmhouse in Hobomeck, in the vicinity of Sin-Planters cult.

One year before this Marianne had a traumatic miscarriage and decided that she didn't want to be pregnant again. Willy still dreams of being a father.
One day, walking to the country store, he is offered an old pram to help him carry the bought things home, only to find that it is not a usual one.

[PattyMacDotComma · Rating 4 out of 5]

4★
“Sometimes when you needed a break, the world threw you a rope.”

Willy and Marianne have been through a miscarriage and Covid and he is desperate to get her out of the city into some fresh country air. Working from home since the pandemic, they can move to Maine, where she grew up.

As Sally, the real estate agent, shows them around the Maine farmhouse they’re visiting, she chatters on about room for the kids, and Marianne visibly crumbles.

“Marianne accepted Sally’s hug and smiled in the face of Sally’s indignation on their behalf—as if there were somewhere they could lodge a complaint about Marianne’s miscarriage. By the time they came back downstairs, Sally and Marianne were laughing about something, and when Marianne caught Willy’s eye, her gaze bright and wicked, he felt a rush of gratitude.”

That’s when Willy makes the remark about the world throwing him a rope. He can look forward to the future now.

They ask about the old-fashioned folk they've seen and are told the locals call them the Sin-Eaters. What?

“The Covenant of the Sorrowful Leaf, that’s their real name. They worship in groves instead of churches.”

Willy discovers a beautiful path through the trees that is a shortcut between the farm and the store in the village. He loves its peaceful, churchlike feel, with branches overhead forming a “dim, witchy tunnel” and thinks the Sin-Planters probably had a point about wild spaces being holy.

Not only that, he can blow off steam without upsetting anyone.

“Alone, in the woods, with no one to judge him, he could help himself to all the resentment he liked. Striding along the bridle path, he could admit it felt good to marinate in an unfocused and unmoderated rage.”

I’d read only the beginning of a Joe Hill novel before and knew it wasn’t for me, but I figured I’d try a short story instead. I really enjoyed this one – until the last couple of pages. It didn’t go in the horror direction I expected, but I can’t say it was exactly unexpected either.

I like his writing. I’ve always enjoyed his father’s (Stephen King’s) writing (when it isn’t horror), so I hope Joe has written, or would consider writing, some ‘straight’ novels, too.

Thanks to #NetGalley and Amazon Original Stories for this #CreatureFeature Collection copy for review. This is the first of the six stories in the series.

[Sarah ♡ (let’s interact!) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Joe Hill’s The Pram is Book One of Kindle’s Creature Feature short horror novella collection - written to be read in one-sitting, by some well known authors of the genre.

The Pram is about a husband’s desire for fatherhood after his wife, Marianne, lost their child before he was even born. Willy’s obsessive yearning for a child they never got to know leads to an unexpected manifestation of his dream. But will that dream turn out to be a nightmare? 💀

This short story built up well over its 50 pages, from a story centered around a couple’s shared grief and the difficulty of the husband still longing for a child when the wife has decided that she cannot emotionally put herself through it again. To it suddenly descending into a horrifying tale with a Rosemary’s Baby-type feel to the ending. I feel a little fatigued by COVID-19 mentions in stories by this point, and the beginning of this one was littered with them, but at least it didn’t carry on and tie into the horror themes.

3.6 Stars

tw:// miscarriage

[NZLisaM · Rating 4 out of 5]

Creature Feature is a collection of six Amazon-Original scary stories, each focusing on a different monster, penned by well-known authors in the horror and thriller genres. This is 1/6.

The Pram by Joe Hill – 4.5 Pumpkins 🎃🎃🎃🎃.5

After suffering a miscarriage Marianne Halpeeny is a shadow of her former self, so her husband Willy decides a move from Brooklyn to a dilapidated farmhouse in Maine (where Marianne grew up) is exactly the fresh start she needs. One day, Willy strolls to the corner store, and when he buys too many groceries to carry home, the shopkeeper gives him an antique pram to transport his bags. But there is something strange and magical about this pram.

Joe Hill delved into the heartbreaking trauma of miscarriage, and how the emotions of the father are often overlooked. Willy's entire focus was on taking care of and being strong for his wife. When she fell apart, he couldn't afford to and bottling up his own feelings of grief and loss, meant Willy was more susceptible to the enticing nature of The Pram, when on the surface it seemed like Marianne was the one who was more in pain. It was a harrowing and tragic read and elevated the evilness to a whole new level. Like his father Stephen King, it seems Joe Hill favours the setting of Maine as well. Their writing styles are similar too, and The Pram reminded me of The Shining, which I read last year.

I'd like to thank Netgalley, Amazon, and Joe Hill for the e-ARC.

Available Now!

[Phrynne · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have enjoyed all of Joe Hill's novels and The Pram shows he knows how to put together a great short story too.

After a traumatic miscarriage Marianne and her husband, Willy, move to a farmhouse in Maine for a fresh start. Marianne at last is moving on from her tragedy but it seems Willy is not. There are lots of moments of foreboding as he becomes overly attached to a pram he has borrowed from a local shopkeeper. Then things take off in typical Joe Hill fashion and you could not even begin to imagine what happens next.

Read it and find out.

This is an Amazon Original story. Thanks to Netgalley for the opportunity to read and review.

[Chris Lee (away) · Rating 3 out of 5]

A couple moves out to a farmhouse and has some interesting dealings with something sinister after the husband brings his groceries home in a loaner baby stroller.

This story hangs its hat on previous horror stories and uses it's built in language to try and graft together an interesting story. The only problem is that it does not have that extra gear of creativity or added ingredient to help make it stand out.

⭐ | Rating | ⭐
❖ 2.5 out of 5

[Carolyn Walsh · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is a novella (58 pages) by bestselling horror writer, Joe Hill, who is the son of Stephen King. I found it more repulsive than scary. It is available from Kindle Unlimited.

[Helga · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sometimes, when you need something, you pray hard.
Sometimes when you want someone, you pray the hardest.
Sometimes your prayers are not answered.
Sometimes they are.
Sometimes you wish they weren’t.

The Pram is a creepy and unsettling short story with Levin’s ‘Rosemary's Baby' and King’s ‘Pet Sematary’ vibes.

Sometimes when you need a break, the world throws you a rope.
The important thing is to take care not to put it around your own neck!

[CuriousHerring · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Here on the bridle path, with no one to watch or judge, no one to find him foolish, he could push the pram along, taking a walk with the baby that never was."



Unsettling grief mixed with small creepy village vibes, and an undertone of cult mentality. What's not to love!? As a huge fan of Joe Hill's longer novels, I'm so glad that he decided to write this Creature Feature as it really shows off his world-building on a shorter scale.

The Pram has tones of Pet Sematary which made me feel so nostalgic, yet it is still its own identity. It's funny, because the only author that can rival the work of SK, for me, is Joe Hill. He definitely has learnt from the best, and it shows.



"You must have felt it. The Covenant did, and they acted accordingly. Planted their trees all along it. Planted them and nourished them with blood."

[Brooke (~!Books are my Favorite!!~) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Come to Papa....
Masterful short horror about grief and resentments. I thoroughly enjoyed this. All Five Stars :D

TA: child loss, miscarriage

[John (JC) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Now that was a tasty morsel. Note to myself: Quit reading horror stories at night. I felt Hill was leaning toward The Shining for a brief period but that thought was soon straightened up. In a way, this novel had a tinge of sadness but that was soon scared away. Just enough suspense … just enough gore … just enough of a good read.