They Come From Below

by Joe Prosit

Abby Hendrix keeps an ax next to her living room couch. Most nights, it stays there untouched while she snuggles under a pile of blankets and reads the latest book from her favorite gothic horror novelist, HHR Eventide. Her life as an accountant in her quiet hometown in northern Minnesota is mundane. And she’s just fine with that. Her only real problem is, every time her strict sense of virtue falters, a demon from Hell climbs up her basement steps.

That’s what the ax is for.

Abby has become fairly practiced at slaughtering these hell-born abominations before they reach the surface. Her existence, as tortured as it is, has become routine. That is until she meets Eric, a friendly electrician with a smile like a yellow lab who sends her moral compass spinning. He’s been hired to make repairs directly underneath the courthouse where Abby works, which means there’s nothing between him and the things from below.

If she’s going to keep Eric safe, she must remain pure of heart and mind, or go to the place where her demons live and attack them head on.

Genres: Horror

231 pages, Paperback

Published November 14, 2024

About the author

Joe Prosit writes sci-fi, horror, and psychological fiction. His novels are "They Come From Below," "Look What You Made Me Do," "Bad Brains," "99 Town," "7 Androids," "Zero City," and coming soon "The Reality Reaction Team." He has been published in various magazines and podcasts, most notably, in 365Tomorrow, The NoSleep Podcast, Metaphorosis Magazine, and Kaidankai Podcast. He lives with his wife, kids, and dog in the Brainerd Lakes Area in northern Minnesota.

Reviews

[Spooky Book Dragon · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is great for fans of horror! This book had me up half the night both on edge and reading completely hooked until the very end!!

[Trista · Rating 5 out of 5]

I got this book on a total whim, based on how it was described to me. I found it to be absolutely worth it, and I enjoyed this book so much that I devoured it in a day. Abby enjoys reading her favourite author and living her quiet life in her small town. She has just one issue: demons. When her morals start to waver, the demons start to come. So every so often, when this happens, she has to slay them with an axe. She has this down and has adjusted to this life until Eric turns her world around, making it that much more insane. It's rare I find a book that has me second-guessing my predictions up until the last page, but this book was it. Just when I thought I had nailed down the plot points, something else comes out and surprises me. I simply couldn't put this book down, and I had to keep reading to find out what happens. The ending totally took me by surprise, and overall I felt the story was a decent mix of horrifying, absolutely insane, and very healing. We follow Abby as she comes to terms with what her life is, and how she has to deal with and heal these demons in her life. It's both supernatural and realistic, and I found myself relating to the character often. I look forward to more from this author.

[Kearstin Ellis · Rating 5 out of 5]

Abby has to fight the demons or remain at peace.

The forms are uncanny and keep her from truly
Living as she is in a constant state of trying to keep the demons below.

She is strong willed but ultimately she wants security

The writing is phenomenal and the story kept me intrigued

[Cami Eslick · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the third book I've read by this author and it is amazing. The author has always had such unique ideas, but the writing has improved in this book.

Creepy, kept me guessing, left me wanting more and haunted my thoughts until I could get back to it. Read this book!!

[Kaylie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really really enjoyed this! It reminded me of Salem’s Lot

[Riki (˶˃⤙˂˶) · Rating 3 out of 5]

3💫

The writing was stunning—rich, immersive, and effortlessly vivid. Prosit’s prose painted every scene with eerie clarity, making the atmosphere one of the strongest aspects of the book. Every moment felt tangible, heavy with an underlying sense of unease. But the pacing struggled. Some stretches dragged, and my interest wavered at times, making it difficult to stay fully engaged. While the haunting tone and detailed descriptions carried the story, the lack of momentum kept it from being truly gripping. Still, the sheer beauty of the writing made it a worthwhile experience.