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FLY
96 pages, Kindle Edition
Published April 1, 2026
About the author
Lee Stackhouse
4 books24 followersLee's mind has always wandered toward the darker corners of storytelling. With a background in advertising, decades of experience crafting creative narratives, and a lifelong fascination with what makes people tick (and snap), Lee channels their love of true crime, thrillers, horror, mythology, and psychology into stories that blur the line between beauty and brutality.
Lee’s work combines the cinematic polish of their advertising years with the raw emotional grit of personal truth, exploring how trauma, identity, power, control and psychopathy intertwine to form the monsters we hide behind closed doors.
Influenced by an upbringing marked by loss and resilience, Lee writes from a deeply personal place—where pain meets satire, and tragedy is dressed in daydreams. Their writing is sharp, emotional, darkly funny, and unapologetic. They're inspired by creators who explore the psychology of monstrosity, but always through a lens of compassion for the damaged souls behind the mask.
In their personal life, you can find them blasting heavy metal, doting on their pets, attending circus spectaculars with their fiancé, or plotting their next story over coffee strong enough to wake the dead.
Lee’s work combines the cinematic polish of their advertising years with the raw emotional grit of personal truth, exploring how trauma, identity, power, control and psychopathy intertwine to form the monsters we hide behind closed doors.
Influenced by an upbringing marked by loss and resilience, Lee writes from a deeply personal place—where pain meets satire, and tragedy is dressed in daydreams. Their writing is sharp, emotional, darkly funny, and unapologetic. They're inspired by creators who explore the psychology of monstrosity, but always through a lens of compassion for the damaged souls behind the mask.
In their personal life, you can find them blasting heavy metal, doting on their pets, attending circus spectaculars with their fiancé, or plotting their next story over coffee strong enough to wake the dead.
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Displaying 1 - 24 of 24 reviews
Review of advance copy received from Author
Thanks to the author for the ARC. It's not 5 stars, rather 4.75, only because it was too short and I'd love for it to have more character development. It was absolutely thrilling to read. It is fast paced, scary, hopeful and not. Can't wait to go read her other work.
April 1, 2026
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
If I could give F L Y more than 5 stars, I would.
I started it thinking I would read a few pages and come back to it since I didn’t have time to actually sit and read it all at once, but let me tell you that I didn’t put it down until the last page had been read.
Responsibilities? What are those?
You’re immediately thrown into a world where there’s a sense of dread you can’t explain.
Maude is a relatable character and you truly feel her terror throughout the entire thing.
Stackhouse really nails the impending doom and keeps you on the edge of your seat through the whole story.
I urge you to read this story. You definitely won’t be disappointed.
If I could give F L Y more than 5 stars, I would.
I started it thinking I would read a few pages and come back to it since I didn’t have time to actually sit and read it all at once, but let me tell you that I didn’t put it down until the last page had been read.
Responsibilities? What are those?
You’re immediately thrown into a world where there’s a sense of dread you can’t explain.
Maude is a relatable character and you truly feel her terror throughout the entire thing.
Stackhouse really nails the impending doom and keeps you on the edge of your seat through the whole story.
I urge you to read this story. You definitely won’t be disappointed.
April 5, 2026
I loved this short story! It could be a movie, it’s so good! I devoured this one. It was a chilling, nail biting, and effervescent adventure. I love scary movies, and this story was practically just that. It’ll stick with me for years to come, I’m sure of it. I know what I’m recommending next time someone wants a unique and frightening tale!
May 4, 2026
Lee Stackhouse keeps you on the edge of your seat and feeling the impending doom that Maude feels throughout this entire short story! If I could give it more stars than 5 I would. You won't regret reading this
Review of advance copy received from Author
Thank you to the author for a copy of this short story. Wow this story was so wild. I had absolutely no idea where it was going and that ending, just great.
April 15, 2026
4:00 AM. I’m awake for some reason — could’ve been one of the cats, the beer from last night knocking, or half a century of breathing oxygen, who cares, really. Might just as well give a read for this new horror novelette from a fellow substacker. Twenty minutes of looking at backlit e-paper should knock me right back to sleep.
Big mistake.
An hour later, I keep reading. Eyes wide. “What… how…” on repeat in my mind.
I’m utterly stumped, how Lee can take this absolute worn out cliche of horror story and twist it into something that keeps my blood pumping in the middle of the night.
A cookie-cutter group of teenagers, loud and stupid with one who is silent and clever thrown into the mix, partying and going all stupid with the paranormal. Sounds like something that you’ve read and seen a couple of million of times already, right?
Wrong. This is different.
It’s suspenseful. It’s cleverly written. And it’s legit scary.
I’m going to shut up now, lest I start spoiling. Go and read this shit now. It’s like $2 in Kindle Store.
Big mistake.
An hour later, I keep reading. Eyes wide. “What… how…” on repeat in my mind.
I’m utterly stumped, how Lee can take this absolute worn out cliche of horror story and twist it into something that keeps my blood pumping in the middle of the night.
A cookie-cutter group of teenagers, loud and stupid with one who is silent and clever thrown into the mix, partying and going all stupid with the paranormal. Sounds like something that you’ve read and seen a couple of million of times already, right?
Wrong. This is different.
It’s suspenseful. It’s cleverly written. And it’s legit scary.
I’m going to shut up now, lest I start spoiling. Go and read this shit now. It’s like $2 in Kindle Store.
April 25, 2026
A short horror story that packs a punch. Like the Haunting of His House, when four friends decide to spend the night in an abandoned Smallpox hospital, you just know it’s not going to end well. The story moves along at a pace with little time to draw a breath. Just what is happening and why, becomes the main focus of their horror. Well done the author, for writing such an engaging story.
April 26, 2026
This was fantastic, I forgot to breath during the book!!
And everything I thought would happen, did not happen. Great thriller!
And everything I thought would happen, did not happen. Great thriller!
April 8, 2026
I really love how this story reminds of a childhood movie that I love but an adult version! And honestly I love the way it ended!
April 2, 2026
This was a short and creepy read. It kept me entertained and I literally read it in one sitting. If you like creepy, definitely give this a read!
Read your triggers!
Read your triggers!
April 1, 2026
FLY by Lee Stackhouse is the kind of horror that doesn’t just scare you, it conditions you. It rewires how you exist while you’re reading it. What starts as a reckless, almost familiar setup quickly mutates into something suffocatingly original, where sound itself becomes the enemy and silence is both a weapon and a death sentence. The concept alone is brilliant, but it’s the execution that makes this novella unforgettable. Stackhouse doesn’t rely on over-explanation or spectacle. Instead, she builds dread in the spaces between things, in hesitation, in breath, in the terrifying realization that instinct is no longer something you can trust.
The tension is relentless. Every laugh feels dangerous. Every whisper feels like a risk calculation. The rules seem simple until they’re not, and watching the characters try to navigate that unraveling logic is where the horror really sinks in. There’s an emotional brutality here too, especially in the way silence isolates people from each other. Connection becomes a liability. Love becomes a risk. And that’s what makes the story hit so hard. It’s not just about survival, it’s about what survival costs. The prose is sharp, restrained, and deeply intentional, allowing the atmosphere to do most of the work, and it works.
And that ending… it doesn’t just land, it lingers. FLY leaves you sitting in the quiet afterward, hyper-aware of every small sound around you, questioning whether silence ever really meant safety at all. This is psychological horror at its most precise and most punishing. A short read, but one that sticks to your ribs long after you’ve finished.
The tension is relentless. Every laugh feels dangerous. Every whisper feels like a risk calculation. The rules seem simple until they’re not, and watching the characters try to navigate that unraveling logic is where the horror really sinks in. There’s an emotional brutality here too, especially in the way silence isolates people from each other. Connection becomes a liability. Love becomes a risk. And that’s what makes the story hit so hard. It’s not just about survival, it’s about what survival costs. The prose is sharp, restrained, and deeply intentional, allowing the atmosphere to do most of the work, and it works.
And that ending… it doesn’t just land, it lingers. FLY leaves you sitting in the quiet afterward, hyper-aware of every small sound around you, questioning whether silence ever really meant safety at all. This is psychological horror at its most precise and most punishing. A short read, but one that sticks to your ribs long after you’ve finished.
Review of advance copy received from Author
ARC Review
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫
ARC Review
Fly by Lee Stackhouse
A Deadly Silence Story
Release date: April 1st, 2026
First of all: thank you for this ARC. Truly. I didn’t realize silence still had new ways to mess with me, but here we are.
Fly is a short story that takes sound—something harmless, automatic, comforting—and turns it into a threat. Not the loud kind. The subtle kind. The kind you don’t even notice until it’s already too late. This is a story about what isn’t said. About listening instead of reacting. About moving carefully, hesitating, second-guessing every instinct you’ve ever trusted.
There are rules. You think you understand them. You think you’re safe if you follow them. You’re not. Because once silence is broken, there’s no undo button. No escape route. No second chance wrapped in mercy.
I can’t tell you more without ruining it—and honestly, ruining the quiet would be a crime. So instead, I’ll leave you with the line that lodged itself somewhere uncomfortable and refused to leave:
“Quiet did not mean safety. Quiet meant distance.”
Four and a half quietly disturbing stars. The only reason it’s not a full five is the first chapter—I wanted to fly straight into the dread, and instead I hesitated. Maybe that hesitation was the point. Or maybe I just missed something important. Either way, the unease stayed.
If you want to understand what not being silent can truly cost you, don’t skip this one.
Fair warning: don’t read it on a train. Hold your breath at night. Leave the light on.
Silence doesn’t protect you here—it watches you.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫
ARC Review
Fly by Lee Stackhouse
A Deadly Silence Story
Release date: April 1st, 2026
First of all: thank you for this ARC. Truly. I didn’t realize silence still had new ways to mess with me, but here we are.
Fly is a short story that takes sound—something harmless, automatic, comforting—and turns it into a threat. Not the loud kind. The subtle kind. The kind you don’t even notice until it’s already too late. This is a story about what isn’t said. About listening instead of reacting. About moving carefully, hesitating, second-guessing every instinct you’ve ever trusted.
There are rules. You think you understand them. You think you’re safe if you follow them. You’re not. Because once silence is broken, there’s no undo button. No escape route. No second chance wrapped in mercy.
I can’t tell you more without ruining it—and honestly, ruining the quiet would be a crime. So instead, I’ll leave you with the line that lodged itself somewhere uncomfortable and refused to leave:
“Quiet did not mean safety. Quiet meant distance.”
Four and a half quietly disturbing stars. The only reason it’s not a full five is the first chapter—I wanted to fly straight into the dread, and instead I hesitated. Maybe that hesitation was the point. Or maybe I just missed something important. Either way, the unease stayed.
If you want to understand what not being silent can truly cost you, don’t skip this one.
Fair warning: don’t read it on a train. Hold your breath at night. Leave the light on.
Silence doesn’t protect you here—it watches you.
Review of advance copy received from Author
4/5
I always feel like short stories are the best way to see inside an author's mind, and this story told me that Lee Stackhouse's mind is brilliantly disturbing.
Fly follows Maude, who goes to a party with her friends at an abandoned hospital. There, they discover that the hospital houses an evil force that attacks anything that makes noise.
Fly is beautifully written and very haunting. As soon as they enter the hospital, something feels off, which is shortly confirmed when the first of her friends is hurt by the entity. Because it's a short story, you don't know much about Maude or her friends, but you learn quite a bit through their reactions to the force that's attacking them. Maude is the first one to catch on and you get the sense that she's used to being quiet to avoid conflict.
That's where the metaphors come into play. Fly shows how people sometimes learn to be quiet to stay safe in their life. But it also brings up how being quiet doesn't necessarily keep you safe, it just creates distance between you and those you care about.
Fly is a great short story, but I'm so intrigued by it that I'd love to see it turned into a full-blown novel. I'm interested in the characters individually and would love to know more about Maude and what made her that way. Overall, this is absolutely worth the read and has a lot of meaning packed into only about 60 pages.
I always feel like short stories are the best way to see inside an author's mind, and this story told me that Lee Stackhouse's mind is brilliantly disturbing.
Fly follows Maude, who goes to a party with her friends at an abandoned hospital. There, they discover that the hospital houses an evil force that attacks anything that makes noise.
Fly is beautifully written and very haunting. As soon as they enter the hospital, something feels off, which is shortly confirmed when the first of her friends is hurt by the entity. Because it's a short story, you don't know much about Maude or her friends, but you learn quite a bit through their reactions to the force that's attacking them. Maude is the first one to catch on and you get the sense that she's used to being quiet to avoid conflict.
That's where the metaphors come into play. Fly shows how people sometimes learn to be quiet to stay safe in their life. But it also brings up how being quiet doesn't necessarily keep you safe, it just creates distance between you and those you care about.
Fly is a great short story, but I'm so intrigued by it that I'd love to see it turned into a full-blown novel. I'm interested in the characters individually and would love to know more about Maude and what made her that way. Overall, this is absolutely worth the read and has a lot of meaning packed into only about 60 pages.
Review of advance copy received from Author
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ A Masterclass in Atmospheric Horror
Lee Stackhouse's F L Y is a short story that lingers far after you've finished reading. What begins as a tale of a college dropout's flight home transforms into a relentless psychological horror that had me holding my breath.
The premise is simple yet terrifying: Maude finds herself trapped in a mysterious building where silence is mandatory. Make a sound, and you're dead!
Stackhouse's prose is hauntingly elegant, creating an atmosphere that was so tense that I caught myself reading more quietly, as if the force might somehow ear me through the pages.
The pacing is immaculate. Stackhouse knows exactly when to let tension simmer and when to strike with visceral horror. Suffocating in the best possible way. And that ending, gut-wrenching and shocking.
Stackhouse proves that the most terrifying monsters don't always make noise, they stalk it.
If you love horror that's equal parts psychological and primal, F L Y is essential reading. Just remember, be quiet!
Lee Stackhouse's F L Y is a short story that lingers far after you've finished reading. What begins as a tale of a college dropout's flight home transforms into a relentless psychological horror that had me holding my breath.
The premise is simple yet terrifying: Maude finds herself trapped in a mysterious building where silence is mandatory. Make a sound, and you're dead!
Stackhouse's prose is hauntingly elegant, creating an atmosphere that was so tense that I caught myself reading more quietly, as if the force might somehow ear me through the pages.
The pacing is immaculate. Stackhouse knows exactly when to let tension simmer and when to strike with visceral horror. Suffocating in the best possible way. And that ending, gut-wrenching and shocking.
Stackhouse proves that the most terrifying monsters don't always make noise, they stalk it.
If you love horror that's equal parts psychological and primal, F L Y is essential reading. Just remember, be quiet!
Review of advance copy received from Author
The premise of this novella is absolutely chilling, an abandoned smallpox institute combined with a force that reacts to sound is equal parts terrifying and fascinating 🖤🔇. From the very first page, the tension and stakes had me holding my breath, torn between rooting for the characters and dreading every sound they made.
I loved how Lee Stackhouse built the psychological tension alongside the survival elements, making silence feel heavy and suffocating. The moral dilemmas, choosing between staying alive or connecting with those you love, added depth beyond the typical thriller beats. The pacing is relentless, making this a novella you’ll devour in one sitting while quietly screaming at the characters’ choices 😬✨.
If you love horror-thrillers that rely on atmosphere, suspense, and a creeping sense of dread rather than gore, this one is for you. Every creak, laugh, or scream feels loaded with danger, and the isolation of the island setting amplifies the terror beautifully 🌊🏚️
I loved how Lee Stackhouse built the psychological tension alongside the survival elements, making silence feel heavy and suffocating. The moral dilemmas, choosing between staying alive or connecting with those you love, added depth beyond the typical thriller beats. The pacing is relentless, making this a novella you’ll devour in one sitting while quietly screaming at the characters’ choices 😬✨.
If you love horror-thrillers that rely on atmosphere, suspense, and a creeping sense of dread rather than gore, this one is for you. Every creak, laugh, or scream feels loaded with danger, and the isolation of the island setting amplifies the terror beautifully 🌊🏚️
April 18, 2026
FLY is an inspiring and heartfelt story that blends personal growth, resilience, and emotional honesty in a way that feels both uplifting and deeply human. Lee Stackhouse writes with clarity and compassion, guiding the reader through a journey that is as reflective as it is motivating. The book’s strength lies in its ability to speak to anyone who has ever felt stuck, uncertain, or ready for a new chapter.
The storytelling is sincere and grounded, and the lessons woven throughout feel earned rather than forced. Stackhouse invites readers to look inward, to question old patterns, and to imagine what life could look like with courage at the center. It is a book that encourages hope without ignoring the realities of struggle.
FLY is a meaningful read for anyone seeking encouragement, perspective, or a gentle push toward becoming a stronger version of themselves. It leaves you with a sense of possibility and a reminder that transformation is always within reach.
The storytelling is sincere and grounded, and the lessons woven throughout feel earned rather than forced. Stackhouse invites readers to look inward, to question old patterns, and to imagine what life could look like with courage at the center. It is a book that encourages hope without ignoring the realities of struggle.
FLY is a meaningful read for anyone seeking encouragement, perspective, or a gentle push toward becoming a stronger version of themselves. It leaves you with a sense of possibility and a reminder that transformation is always within reach.
Review of advance copy received from Author
I received an advanced copy from Author.
Fantastic!!
While it was a short read, this book was loaded!
I love the flow and Maude, I just wish I had more!
If you haven't added this book to your cart, it's available for pre-order now!
Favorite lines:
Dedication > "The ones who learned how to be quiet too well."
"This wasn’t something to fight. It was not something to dominate. It didn’t care about courage or anger or threats.
It wanted peace. Or it would give you wrath."
I will be checking out her Diary of a Damsel Dame in the near future!
Thank you for allowing me to read ❤️
Fantastic!!
While it was a short read, this book was loaded!
I love the flow and Maude, I just wish I had more!
If you haven't added this book to your cart, it's available for pre-order now!
Favorite lines:
Dedication > "The ones who learned how to be quiet too well."
"This wasn’t something to fight. It was not something to dominate. It didn’t care about courage or anger or threats.
It wanted peace. Or it would give you wrath."
I will be checking out her Diary of a Damsel Dame in the near future!
Thank you for allowing me to read ❤️
Review of advance copy received from Author
FLY is a fast and thrilling read that delivers until the very end and beyond! Stackhouse weaves a variety of horror tropes into a truly unique tale of terror. With expert plotting, spot-on dialogue, and cut-to-the-quick prose, Stackhouse’s FLY is the perfect read for a lazy afternoon, a rainy weekend, or a few lunch breaks. No matter how or when you read it, once FLY has you in its clutches, it won’t let go.
Review of advance copy received from Author
FLY is claustrophobic, brutal, and relentlessly tense. Every page tightens the vice, turning sound, connection, and instinct into deadly liabilities. Lee Stackhouse delivers a chilling reminder that sometimes the most terrifying thing isn’t what’s chasing you—it’s what you’re forced to give up to survive.
May 10, 2026
Wow! What a rollercoaster! I was hooked from the first page and the tension only ramped up! If you like scary (and I mean scary- I perhaps should not have read before bed 😂 ) shorts with excellent characterisation and an amazing use of place then you will love this. Brilliant all the way through, especially the ending! I'm still a little scared now!
Review of advance copy received from Author
Loved it! The writing to this story is intense! You can also feel the vibe of what’s happening within yourself! I will say that it is scary in a sense that people don’t know what they can stir up going to old unknown places. This story definitely kept me intrigued all the way! Well done!!! ❤️
Review of advance copy received from Author
This book is hauntingly beautiful it captures the way in this world people keep quiet to feel safe the ones who are loud create the chaos everyone else lives in! she turned this into horror story and it was an incredible read!
Review of advance copy received from Author
This Novella pulls you in quickly, 5 friends , beach hangout when one returns, old building. What happens after brings back memories of places you've been that you shouldn't. Of what happens when the after meets the now. Such a good thrilling story. I can't wait to read more by this author.
Review of advance copy received from Author
Lee Stackhouse knows exactly how to build tension without overexplaining, and that restraint is what makes the fear really creep up on you.
I will be reading more of her work. Easy five stars.
I will be reading more of her work. Easy five stars.
Displaying 1 - 24 of 24 reviews