The White Room Runs Red: A Psychological Horror

by Matt Shaw

The White Room Runs Red is a new psychological horror from Matt Shaw


There’s two beds, one on either side of the room. There’s a single toilet for residents to share. There’s a two-way mirror through which the residents can be viewed. And then there’s James and Emily, two strangers - stripped of clothes and dignity - who have no idea how they came to be trapped within the room or why they’re there. The questions come thick and fast (why, how, who) but no answers come back, only instructions; when the light turns red, they must go to opposite corners of the room and stand with their backs to the room. From there, the handleless door will open and a nurse will come in to monitor their blood pressure, their temperature and - on occasion - take their bloods. There’s a Do not push back and their lives within the white room will be made infinitely more comfortable with a series of rewards. There’s a second Fight back and face the severe consequences, leading to the “experiments” starting again from scratch.



Trapped within the room, all James and Emily can do is speculate how they came to be imprisoned and why. Will the answers ever come? Will they ever be freed from the White Room or - will the white room run red?

Genres: Horror

180 pages, Kindle Edition

Published January 30, 2026

About the author

Biography

MATT SHAW was born, quite by accident (his mother tripped, he shot out) September 30th 1980 in Winchester hospital where he was immediately placed on the baby ward and EBay. Some twelve years later (wandering the corridors of the hospital and playing with road kill when he was on day release), the listing closed and he remained unsold, he was booted out of the hospital to start his life as a writer and hobbit – beginning with writing screenplays and short stories for his own amusement before finally getting published when he was twenty-seven years and forty-five seconds old.


Once Published weekly in a lad's magazine with his photography work, Matt Shaw is also a published author and cartoonist. Has to be said, can be a bit of a flirt and definitely, without a shadow of a doubt, somewhat of a klutz.

Favourite books
"Roald Dahl's Collection of Short Stories"
Tim Burton's Melancholy Death of Oyster Boy
Anything, really, written by himself. Because he is that good.

Reviews

[Stacy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sam is a horrible human! This book is devastating. Imagine waking up in a white room with only two beds, a toilet, and a mirror. Oh, and a roommate, and you are both naked, with no clue how you got there. Yeah, it was a rush. Matt's ability to write different genres shines brightly through this book.

[Liana Jade · Rating 4 out of 5]

This one was a quick and easy read - a wonderfully gripping thriller that had you turning pages wondering where it was going.

I also left soooo many unanswered questions too - this will kill me!

Very unsettling, the villain is proper evil and the other main characters aren’t quite as you think.

[Eunice · Rating 4 out of 5]

A dark medical psychological thriller that immediately pulls you into an unsettling and eerie atmosphere. The concept itself is disturbing in a fascinating way, and it kept me curious about what was really happening as the story unfolded. Shaw does a great job creating a tense psychological environment that makes you feel uncomfortable but in the way a good thriller should.
What I appreciated most was the disturbing tone and the psychological focus of the story. It explores the darker side of the human mind and puts the characters in situations that make you question what is real, what is ethical, and how far people can be pushed. That said, I did find myself wishing for more intense, edge-of-your-seat moments. The psychological tension is there, but I was hoping for a little more action or shocking twists to heighten the suspense even further.
Overall, it's still a gripping read for fans of dark psychological thrillers. The premise is unique, the atmosphere is unsettling, and it definitely leaves an impression.

[Katie · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked the ideas in this book, but I wasn't a huge fan of how the story unfolded. I get that we were supposed to get various glimpses into what was going on and then it would gradually come together, but I found myself getting a bit confused as to what the book was even about.
It starts off great with two confused people in a stark room with some odd things going on, then the POV switches and we're the other side of the glass. I kept losing track of the characters and getting them all mixed up as they weren't very distinctive.
I liked the gory parts and, like I said above, the ideas in this were interesting. An okay read but I didn't love it as much as other reviewers.

[Trish · Rating 5 out of 5]

From the opening scene to the final chapter the tension seeps through the pages. The clinical surroundings, the perspective changes and non linear storyline evokes a disquieting and disorienting response while reading.

I will never hear the word ‘Mother?’ again without being transported back to the White Room.

I am both terrified and desperate for Book 2 in March!

[Adam Wilson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely fantastic execution of this premise. Matt Shaw continues to improve drastically since he has mostly moved away from extreme horror. go figure. Great characters, excellent perspective from everyone involved, even a pretty small amount of of type owes. Some social commentary here as well without being too preachy. I am incredibly excited for the follow up.

[Jessica · Rating 5 out of 5]

wow it would definitely suck to wake up in a room with another guy. completely naked not knowing why you are there. finding out that you are a clone and your real self is dead and you don't know how many clones there are.
I cannot wait for book 2.

[Justine Biddle · Rating 3 out of 5]

loved the concept of this, and was good to read something different to what I normally do when it comes to Matt. I did find I struggled with the characters and remembering who was who, as for me nothing made them stand out but the storyline I enjoyed.

[Marktroth · Rating 3 out of 5]

THE WHITE ROOM

Not one of the best books I’ve read from Matt shaw however I have been distracted from this book as I’ve been on holiday so didn’t really read much but will be reading the second book in the series

[Ariel Kollmansberger · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such an honor to be a victim, such a great book!!!

[Sam · Rating 5 out of 5]

Quite a villain that Sam is. I'm excited for the room to run cold!

[Jason Duck · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a taut, fast paced thiller with some good plot twists along the way. Well worth a read. This was my first book I read of Matt Shaw's and it won't be the last.

[alison boothby · Rating 5 out of 5]

Matt you f####r

Fab book really enjoyed but a real cliff hanger end at least I don't have too long to wait for second book

[Oliver Behegan · Rating 2 out of 5]

Maybe it's a "me" issue, but I really struggled with this one. It didn't seem quite as tight and focused as Matt's previous work.

[amber · Rating 1 out of 5]

proofreading needs to be mandatory i fear