The Door to 1998: A Liminal Horror Story

by E. Reyes

What if you found a door that led back to your childhood… but everyone else was gone?

Daniel moves into a quiet suburban home and discovers something strange in the shed behind the house.

A locked door.

When he finally opens it, he steps into something impossible.

His childhood neighborhood.

The year 1998.

Everything is exactly the way he remembers it—the same houses, the same streets, even his old home.

But something is terribly wrong.

The neighborhood is completely empty.

No neighbors.
No cars moving.
No voices.

Just endless silence and the unsettling feeling that he isn’t actually alone.

At first, Daniel believes he’s been given a miracle—a doorway back to the past.

But the longer he stays, the more the world begins to feel like a trap.

Because nostalgia can be dangerous.

And some doors should never be opened.

THE DOOR TO 1998 is a dreamlike liminal space horror story perfect for fans of backrooms horror, eerie nostalgia, and quiet suburban nightmares.

Genres: Horror

168 pages, Kindle Edition

Published April 17, 2026

About the author

E. Reyes is a writer, a horror fanatic, and the author of The Love Song of Nathan Crane, Night of the Jack-O'-Lantern, and The Door to 1998. Overloading on books and movies and working retail, Reyes brings terror and the unimaginable to everyday life with his experiences and transcends them into a different range of characters and situations. When not watching scary movies and reading books, E. Reyes is busy being a father and a husband. He resides in Arizona. Follow E. Reyes on social media @ EReyesAuthor

Reviews

[Jan Agaton · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm not a huge fan of the liminal spaces thing, but I get the appeal, and after watching the Backrooms movie, I decided to give this one a try, and it did not disappoint. It encapsulated the creepy nostalgic vibes really well. My biggest gripe was just in regards to the moments where it felt like he was just listing as many nostalgic things as he could on one page just to get it all out there. I also didn't see the point of Janice doing the thing she did other than to stir the pot and show that their marriage isn't perfect, but I feel like there are other ways without going that extreme just for there to be no addition to the overall plot.

[Cari-Leigh Lenzi · Rating 5 out of 5]

As a millennial who really misses the 90s, I was so excited for this book. It made me feel such nostalgia for things I hadn’t thought of in years, while also being super creepy. I loved the element of it being a liminal space or almost like the back rooms. It was a super quick read that packs a big punch.

“This can all be an elaborate trap. This time, this nostalgia is one that all of us millennials long for. It’s all we think about—the simpler times. Nowadays, back across that hallway, everything has gone to complete shit, and technological advancement has done more harm than good.” This line felt so real for me. I think we all long to go through the green door that would bring us back to those times. Hopefully with less monsters though.

The Door to 1998 was everything I was looking for, and then some.

[Trish · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was such a fun, quick, and creepy read! I’ve really grown fond of liminal space stories lately, and I think they might be my new obsession, so this one was right up my alley! The fact that it takes place in the ’90s made it even better. I loved the nostalgic vibes! I listened to the audiobook while reading along, which made for an enjoyable, immersive experience. If you’re looking for a quick, creepy read with some ’90s nostalgia, this one was a lot of fun! 👻

[Rachel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ok, as of right now I'm obsessed with E. Reyes. Everything about this is purely millennial. I know he's around my age but damn if they wouldn't have gotten me with the green door. I'm a huge VHS collector and I have almost everything he mentioned in these books (minus the food). I am constantly wishing things were more slower like in the 90s but he brought up such a good point. I only remember the good stuff not the bad and he's definitely got me thinking and as a matter of fact

Nostalgia is a hell of a drug and I'm currently addicted.

[CosmicGore · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a fun, freaky nostalgic trip back to the 90's. Overall it's a quick, entertaining read with some damn creepy monsters 3.5⭐️

[Anthony Taylor · Rating 4 out of 5]

Do You Dare Enter?

It was like I returned to '98 & reminisced of all the things from my past. A great read!

Now, open the green door...

[Michelle Damante · Rating 4 out of 5]

Loved the 90’s nostalgia!

[Madison · Rating 2 out of 5]

I was intrigued by the story but ended up getting pretty bored by how repetitive it was with the same monsters and all the 90s stuff listed out. I’m glad there was somewhat of an explanation for the monsters and why they were there, but I wanted more depth. A quick and easy read, nonetheless.

[Stephanie · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Door to 1998 was a quick read that will transport you to years past. Daniel has a shaky marriage and teenage daughter who no longer wants to have anything to do with her father. When they move to a new house in a safer neighborhood, Daniel is hopeful this will be the fresh start his family needs. But the discovery of a mysterious door, one that shouldn’t be able to exit, in the backyard shed, will change everything. Curious, Daniel goes through the doorway and finds himself in his old childhood home and neighborhood from 1998. At first, he’s thrilled to explore, eat his favorite snacks, and just get away from the stress of his current life. But he quickly notices that something is wrong, and he finds himself fighting to escape the nostalgia of days gone by.

I loved the concept of this story, as longing for simpler times seems to become a common part of growing up and aging. Daniel had real struggles experienced by many people, and his wanting to get away from it all, even temporarily, is relatable. The 1998 time period was unsettling and rather creepy. A few parts got a bit redundant for me, and the ending, while fitting, was a bit predictable. Overall, this is a fun story that I recommend.

[Zach · Rating 3 out of 5]

A creepy, tense, and nostalgia-filled trip! I heard about this book from TikTok, and immediately purchased it because the premise sounded intriguing, and I'm happy to support independent authors. I thoroughly enjoyed the many references to the late 90's era. I also genuinely found the premise to be quite tense and creepy, and breaking out into goosebumps a few times throughout. However, this book has quite a few flaws, including quite a few grammar mistakes (which is forgivable considering it's independently published - even major publishing companies have a handful of mistakes that I will note along the way), and some cheesy or poorly placed dialogue. I also did not care for the book being written in present tense - it gives it a tone that I don't particularly enjoy. The plot towards the end lost me a little bit - it would have been nice to spend some more time in the added areas in the last 20 or so pages. Regardless of these criticisms, I did enjoy the book, particularly the ending, and I liked the added aspects of the main characters' family dynamic playing into the setting, as well as the little hint of the true nature of the setting revealed at the end. 3 / 5

[Anabel · Rating 5 out of 5]

We all think of nostalgia as a sweet, wonderful time and catch ourselves reminiscing on the good ole' days, when everything was much simpler, days seemed longer, food tasted better and we didn't have to pay taxes.

Many of us ofter ponder, what if we could go back to that time? Well, this does that, literally gives you a door to the past... would you open it and go through it? What if someone or something is waiting in the other side?

"...It was always great to catch a horror movie on TV- and they'd pop up at random. Nowadays, you can just YouTube it all. There's no anticipation. And that, I think, really killed the magic."

Literally sat down to read, and I couldn't stop. Just kept going until it was over and let me tell you.... H O L Y S H I T! What a ride! This is my first book by Reyes and I'm already ready for my next one!

[Nicole Mann · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ah, nostalgia.

I've enjoyed E. Reyes's books for a long time, but this one got me especially excited. I love liminal and analog horror, and this book delivered both. That alone is impressive, because I've only ever seen this achieved as visual media. It was really cool to see this style of horror in written form!

Daniel was also an interesting narrator. I could definitely see why he wanted to step back into a simpler time. Parenting is hard. Life is hard. Childhood looks great in retrospect, but nostalgia is a trap. (Which is a great theme, done well.)

No spoilers, but 90s kids will love this book.

[James Hernandez · Rating 3 out of 5]

Just finished The Door To 1998. This was a fast paced book that kept me engaged and intrigued. Wanting that nostalgia and reading about things I had forgot about placed me back in that time. I loved how it slightly had a stranger things vibe without trying to have a stranger things vibe. The chapters were nice and short so made reading a breeze. Reyes writing just kinda flows and takes you on the journey. I definitely recommend giving this a read. The love song of Nathan Crane is still my favorite by Reyes followed by After the pink moon.

[gab (goob) · Rating 3.75 out of 5]

First off, I truly enjoyed this book. It took me a little while to settle into the author's writing style, but once I got into the groove it is campy in an original Friday the 13th/Freddy Kreuger showdown way. The .25 keeping it from four stars is what we don't learn from the plot. I'm hooked on the imaginative reason for this liminal world's existence and want to know more about it! So maybe Reyes can expand this door series and give us one less paragraph recounting nostalgia and one more paragraph exploring the physical and metaphorical 'gates' of his universe.

[Rachel Lang]

read "The Door to 1998" which follows a man who is moving into a new house with his family and discovers a mysterious green door in the shed. He goes through it and ends up in his old neighborhood back in 1998 but absolutely no one is around.

This was a quick novel and had a really interesting concept but it never did end up hooking my interest. It was a fine time reading but I pretty much guessed where the plot was going from the first chapter 🤷‍♀️

[Monique Kelly · Rating 3 out of 5]

As someone who grew up on the south side of Tucson in the 1990s, reading Door to 1998 by E. Reyes felt wonderfully nostalgic. It was refreshing to instantly picture the places being described and recognize the atmosphere of the Tucson I remember. That familiarity made the story feel especially vivid and personal. I truly enjoyed seeing my hometown—and an era that shaped me—represented through the perspective of a local author.

[Alexandra Contreras · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book so much. It is nostalgic and eerily creepy. The story is good from start to finish and funny at times when it shouldn’t (in a good way). If you’re looking for something to read with a backrooms type of vibe with a bit of humor sprinkled in I would highly recommend reading this!! 5/5

[C.D. Steele · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Door to 1998 is a great psychedelic trip to the past for all those missing the 90s. The story is an easy, quick read that makes you want to see how things will unfold for Daniel. The way it plays out is great, as you never know what will happen next. Plus Daniel’s emotions are well written leaving you with that longing for the past even if it wasn’t always a smooth ride.

[Christopher Adkins · Rating 4 out of 5]

As a millennial that sometimes feels the pull of nostalgia….even more now in the days of AI slop, I definitely understand some of the main characters feelings.
I’ve become pretty enamored with liminal horror lately and this book certainly delivered some off putting settings. Overall it’s not a bad read and it’s pretty quick. Part of me wished we didn’t get any explanation for the 1998 world.

[Peachy Chipmunk · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this one a lot. The concept of it was super interesting and sometimes I wish I could find a green door back to my own childhood home… minus the silhouettes. The ending made me a bit sad, I wanted more.

[Nick Silverstein · Rating 5 out of 5]

First of all, as a millenial born in 1990, I loved all the references and attention to detail, from shows to snacks to toys. This is like Backrooms meets 1998 and reads like a Goosebumps book for adults! Also has an incredible ending!

[Rey R · Rating 5 out of 5]

Had a great time with this one. As someone who was a child of the 90s myself this almost felt like reading an adult goosebumps story. It gave me the liminal fix I was looking for and by the end I wanted to keep going.

[SJ · Rating 5 out of 5]

Talk about a creepy trip down memory lane! 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐃𝐨𝐨𝐫 𝐭𝐨 1998 took me straight back to my childhood, but made it eerie and strange. It’s a fun, quick read, and I ended up staying up all night finishing it. I was not expecting that ending. Easily one of my favorite reads from E. Reyes!

[Bee · Rating 5 out of 5]

A quick read that completely hooked me from the start.

[Nicole Cleaveland · Rating 4 out of 5]

I devoured this book!!! It is so good. As a 90s kid I wont view certain things the same way. The ending was intense! Highly highly recommend!

[Misti Shereda · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was fun and creepy, made me afraid to open my eyes in the dark again!

[Bianca Newby · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was genuinely creeped out by this book. I loved Reyes concept of creating a liminal horror space within nostalgia. As someone who was 5 in 1998, I was reminiscing with the main character over all the things he missed during that time. The Door to 1998 slowly builds into the the eerie, creepy setting while riding the wave of nostalgia. Once the story gets locked into 1998, it is a WILD RIDE. I loved my time with this and it solidifies the fact that I love my time with E. Reyes books.

I highly recommend this now while people are enjoying anything like the Backrooms movie and liminal space horror. This is perfect for a quick horror read. But, I definitely recommend this for the millennials.

[Karm Barter · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was such an odd book. I enjoyed it and it brought me back to my childhood sort of

[Opal Chatam]

This sounds so good just from the premise.

[§am I Am · Rating 3 out of 5]

Its not that this book is badly written im just nit a liminal rooms fan. Picked this book up for the nostalgia and it did not disappoint!

Follow daniel through a green door in a shed that takes you back to the 1998 his beloved year he yearns for. How many times can he go back before hes stuck there? Is the price of nostalgia a bit much for daniel? Will he be able to return to 2026?