Under the Stairs: An Anthology of Homebound Horror

by Adam Vine, E.E. King, Phil Ford

Twenty short stories about losing one's sense of a sleep study gone wrong, a pair of ghostly baby shoes that won't leave a grieving father alone, a serial killer who lurks in the shadows of suburbia, a halfway house haunted by an unorthodox kind of ghost, a hallucinogenic plant that compiles the most gruesome elements of past and future; penned by some of horror fiction's best upcoming authors, these are just a few of the terrifying tales in 'Under the An Anthology of Homebound Horror.' Please note that the stories in the audiobook version of this anthology differ slightly from the print and ebook versions. No AI was used in the creation of this audiobook or its print and ebook counterparts.

Genres: Audiobook, Short Stories, Horror

Audible Audio

Published May 15, 2026

About the author

Adam Vine was born in Northern California. He has lived in five countries and visited almost forty. A narrative designer for video games by trade, he is also the author of two novels and many short stories. When he is not writing, he is traveling, reading something icky, or playing his guitar.

Reviews

[Bookworm86 · Rating 5 out of 5]

BLOG TOUR REVIEW

Review for 'Under The Stairs' Edited by Adam Vine

'Under The Stairs' discusses/includes some topics/subjects that may upset some readers or may not be suitable for others. I like to point this out ahead of time in my reviews so you can judge if this book is for you or not. This book discusses/includes scenes of extreme violence, struggles with mental illness, economic despair, emotional and physical abuse, and other themes exploring the loss of one's sense of home. This is the exact warning that Adam includes this at the front of her book but I have also included it here.

OMG!!! I ABSOLUTELY LOVE, LOVE ,LOVED THIS BOOK OF SHORT STORIES, AN ABSOLUTELY AMAZING, GRIPPING AND PAGE TURNING EXPLOSIVE MUST READ/LISTEN!!

CLEAR YOUR SCHEDULES AND GRAB THIS PAGE TURNING SINISTER HORROR ANTHOLOGY!! GRAB YOUR COPY NOW!! I CAN GUARANTEE THAT YOU WILL NOT REGRET IT!! YOU CAN THANK ME LATER, WELL, MAYBE NOT IF YOU GET NIGHTMARES, WHICH YOU MAY!!!

This may be the first book/stories I have listened to or read by these extremely talented authors and editor but there is no way in hell it it is going to be my last!! What a blooming epic read!! Seriously, if you are a fan of horrors, psychological, the twisted, thriller and/or suspense you will LOVE this!! If you are looking for a nice, light and sweet read then look the other way as there is nothing sweet about this story!!!

This is one of the few books that I have listened 100% on Audiobook. If I listen to a book on audiobook I usually also read the physical book between but I listened to the whole book and I was extremely impressed by the absolutely fantastic narrators! This book was narrated by Dean Liapis and Hilary Halpern who both did an absolutely incredible job of portraying the fear, tension and suspense in each of the characters voices. This is the first time I have listened to a book narrated by either of these authors but I will definitely be looking for other books they have narrated as they did a brilliant job!! Adam has definitely chosen extremely talented narrators for this book and they definitely did the story's justice. Well done Adam, Dean and Hilary!! Dean also wrote the story called Happy Wife, Happy Life in this anthology so clearly a very talented person! This book consists of 23 (if I have counted correctly) short stories or 43 chapters if listening to the audiobook. In the audiobook version there is also a story called 'Dream House' which is spread throughout the story in 23 parts. These stories are filled with horror, wonders, thrills, supernatural, monsters, creatures, thrills, awe, fear, science, myths, non-fiction, legends, psychological suspense/thriller, creature horror, escapist fiction, action, drama, twists, surprises, shocks and absolutely everything you could ask for in a gripping page turner plus so very much more!!!!. What I usually do with books of short stories or poems is say a bit about them individually and then give an overall rating at the end. However, with there being so many I wont be going into details of the stories so if you want to find out more you will just have to grab a copy for yourselves!!! The kindle version is 265 pages, the physical copy consists of 263 pages and the audiobook takes approximately 4 hours and 24 minutes to listen to.
The stories included in this book are:

Opening Credits 0:55
Opening Credits (Audiobook): 55 seconds.
Dream House (In the Audiobook version): Total of approximately 19 minutes
Sound Asleep by Ryan E. Felton: 5 minutes 50 seconds.
Stay by Courtney M. Privett:
Baby Shoes by Brandon Naylo: 10 minutes 30 seconds.
Open House by E. E. King
Stalker by Chelsea Pumpkins: 4 minutes 11 seconds
Evidence by Jessica Peter
Don't Eat The Bundyroot by Robert Bagnall: 19 minutes 23 seconds.
Lime Soda by Ria Rees: 9 minutes 59 seconds.
Night Mother by Vincent Wolfram: 15 minutes 33 seconds.
Trapped by Francesca Maria: 5 minutes 46 seconds.
Frank Warner by Phil Ford: 8 minutes 38 seconds.
Teeth by H.V. Patterson: 10 minutes 30 seconds.
These Famished Walls by Sharmon Gazaway: 14 minutes 15 seconds.
They Surrounded The Baby With Sin by Chris Kuriata: 16 minutes 24 seconds.
Gutting The House by Andrew Kozma: 5 minutes 52 seconds.
Landlocked by Richard Farren Barber: 16 minutes 54 seconds.
The Magpie by J.M. Connors: 17 minutes 5 seconds.
Happy Wife, Happy Life by Dean Liapis: 17 minutes 27 seconds.
A Bell Once Rung by Benjamin R. Barnes: 12 minutes 35 seconds.
No Place For The Poor by Breighton Zorn
Stomach Pains by Samantha Shaw: 16 minutes 1 second.
Dust In The Barn by Elinora Westfall: 9 minutes 10 seconds.
2am by Adam Vine: 13 minutes 26 seconds.
End Credits (Audiobook): 57 seconds.


Well, if those titles have not tempted you in on their own then you cannot call yourself a horror fan!! I mean without even reading the stories themselves the titles alone are enough to send shivers down most peoples spines!! I have put the audible length of time next to the titles to give you some idea of the length of each story to read/listen to. As you can see I have not done it with them all and that is because the titles without times besides are from the list of stories in the physical version which I do not have. I got the title list from the sample on Amazon. This is not to say they are not in the audible version but they may come under Dream House titles in the audible version as the parts of those range from just 7 seconds up to 4 minutes 41 seconds. I just wanted to give you the titles to give you an idea of the stories but they are in a different order on the audiobook version.

This book is an absolutely amazing collection of dark, disturbing, gory, horrific, ghostly, suspenseful and tension packed short stories each filled with horror and PERFECT for horror lovers!! A fantastic collection of short stories with an excellent range of situations, characters, locations and narratives.

Regardless of how you read or listen to this as you can see from the lengths of the story it is ideal to be able to pick up and read a story during a break or while making a cuppa!! I would probably avoid reading them as a bedtime story though!!! I am a huge fan of horror stories and the gorier the better for me!!! The excellent descriptions throughout ensures you feel the hair raising on your arms and the chill on your skin!!! The fact that these are short stories also allows you to pick it up and read a story at a time or read it in one sitting which is perfect for those who like to read multiple books at one time. Adam has absolutely amazing writing/curation skills and an incredible imagination and I cannot wait to read more of his books!!

These authors have absolutely amazing writing skills and an incredible imagination and Adam has created an absolutely brilliant and chilling anthology and I cannot wait to read even more of his books along with more stories and books by many of the authors in this brilliant anthology!! As with all books of short stories you may or may not like or resonate/enjoy with them all but on the other hand it is practically guaranteed that you are likely to enjoy and connect with/love some so give it a go and see which stories that you like best!

Pick up your copy today and find your favourite stories. I would love to see which you've loved so please come back and comment to let me know!

An absolutely amazing collection of dark, unique, gory and strange short stories each filled with randomness and PERFECT for fans of uniqueness, darkness, karma and/or short stories! A fantastic collection of short stories with an excellent range of situations, characters, locations and narratives.

Grab your copy of 'Under The Stairs' to discover your favourite story!!

Clear your schedules before turning a single page as this book is truly unputdownable!!! However, I recommend you read this in the day with company although I still couldn't guarantee you wouldn't have nightmares!!

This book is one THE BEST horror anthology books I have ever read !!! This book really is a truly unique page turner that I picked up and had devoured within a couple of hours!!! It had absolutely everything you could ask for and more!!! GET IT NOW!!

Well done Adam Vine on an absolutely addictive and explosive page turner and I would definitely like to welcome you to the top spot of my favourite horror authors of all time!!! Congratulations on an absolutely fantastic success and here is to what is guaranteed to be many more 🥂

Overall an absolutely addictive, action and nightmare packed, chilling sinister anthology filled with horror that will keep you turning the pages until you've devoured the book in hours!!

#UnderTheStairs #AdamVine #HilaryHalpern #DeanLiapis #RyanEFelton #Courtney #MPrivett #BrandonNaylor #EEKing #ChelseaPumpkins #JessicaPeter #RobertBagnall #FrancescaMaria #RachelsRandomResources #rararesources

@AdamVine @HilaryHalpern @DeanLiapis @RyanEFelton @Courtney @MPrivett @BrandonNaylor @EEKing @ChelseaPumpkins @JessicaPeter @RobertBagnall @FrancescaMaria @RachelsRandomResources @rararesources

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[Melissa · Rating 4 out of 5]

I listened to the audiobook edition of Under the Stairs, and I have to say that these stories feel even more unsettling in audio than they might on the page. There is something about hearing horror aloud that brings me right back to ghost stories shared at slumber parties or around campfires, where every creak in the house suddenly seems significant. I also appreciated the choice to use two narrators, alternating between stories and giving the collection an extra layer of texture.

The stories themselves range from quietly spooky to genuinely sinister, touching on subjects including domestic violence, hunger, and homelessness. Despite the variety of voices and styles, the anthology is held together by its central question: what happens when home is no longer a place of safety? That theme works remarkably well. As I listened, there were some pieces that didn't resonate with me personally and others that felt eerily familiar—not in their actual content, but in their tone and worldview, occasionally echoing elements of my own writing.

Anthologies have always appealed to me because they invite a different kind of reading experience. You can dip in and out, listen for a while, set the book aside, and return later without feeling as though you're trying to keep track of an intricate plot. Under the Stairs offers a satisfying mix of shorter and longer tales. There were certainly a few stories that I would happily have seen expanded into something larger, but for the most part, each one seemed to occupy exactly the amount of space it needed.

For listeners who enjoy horror that explores the uneasy spaces closest to us, this anthology offers a thoughtful reminder that sometimes the most frightening things are the ones waiting behind our own front doors.

Goes well with: crisp apples, sharp cheddar, and a handful of lightly salted cashews, along with a glass of wine or cup of tea.

[Sarcastically Yours Jen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Under the Stairs: An Anthology of Homebound Horror These stories were all good. The one where the little boy was talking about his night Momma was creepy as heck. I can’t imagine being in that situation. What would I do? Make sure to lock your doors and windows; you never know who might be out there waiting for you to go to bed. Yes. I got the creeps with a lot of the stories. Loved the vivid details as you got more of a feeling of what was going on and where they were located. The story about teeth had me gagging lol. Icky. These stories sure had me on edge to see what was coming up next. I listened to the audiobook; it had different narrators that seemed to vibe with the stories being told. If you like Under the Stairs: An Anthology of Homebound Horror These stories were all good. The one where the little boy was talking about his night Momma was creepy as heck. I can’t imagine being in that situation. What would I do? Make sure to lock your doors and windows; you never know who might be out there waiting for you to go to bed. Yes. I got the creeps with a lot of the stories. Loved the vivid details as you got more of a feeling of what was going on and where they were located. The story about teeth had me gagging lol. Icky. These stories sure had me on edge to see what was coming up next. I listened to the audiobook; it had different narrators that seemed to vibe with the stories being told. If you like short horror stories, check this out. Received this as an ARC reader and am leaving my unbiased review.

[Colin Garrow · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is an audiobook, but I also bought the eBook version which contains some interesting illustrations to go along with the narratives. Exploring the theme of losing the sense of ‘home’, this is a collection of twenty-four horror stories and begins with a warning that some tales feature abuse, violence and mental illness, among others.

‘Sound Asleep’ by Ryan E Felton and ‘Baby Shoes’ by Brandon Taylor, both contain that special something that drew me in but my favourite has to be ‘Open House’ by E E King, which focuses on Miss Lavinia, an elderly woman who puts her house up for sale and delights in knocking up batches of cookies for prospective buyers. However, when she does get a buyer, Miss Lavinia cooks up something special. Creepy, very creepy. Of the others, I also particularly liked ‘Teeth’ by H V Patterson, where the heroine’s abusive partner gets more than he bargained for when her pearly whites take revenge.

Few of the remaining stories hit the mark for me, which is usual with a collection like this – there are always some that grab my attention and several that don’t, but there you go.

An interesting and wonderfully ghoulish collection.

[Claire Reviews · Rating 4 out of 5]

🏚 Home has never felt so unsettling.🏚

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Under the Stairs is a solid collection of bite-sized horror that proves some of the darkest nightmares are hiding in the places we should feel safest. The stories are short, sharp, and packed with visceral body horror, making it an anthology that's easy to dip in and out of without losing momentum.

As with any collection, it's a mixed bag — some stories lingered long after they ended, while others didn't leave quite the same impression. But the variety kept things interesting, and there was always another unsettling tale waiting just around the corner.

The audiobook is well worth picking up. While I found one narrator not quite to my taste, the other struck a balance that really let the stories shine. At a great length, it's an entertaining listen that never outstays its welcome.

Verdict: If you're looking for quick, gruesome horror with plenty of imagination and a generous helping of gore, Under the Stairs is well worth opening... just don't expect to feel entirely comfortable once you step inside.

[Jessica · Rating 5 out of 5]

EXCUSE ME 😭

Under the Stairs is a horror anthology with quick, brutal, and to-the-point stories that each left me with my jaw on the floor. It contains a lot of body horror, and as a pretty seasoned horror fan, it made my skin crawl... which is an absolute compliment toward the authors.

I loved how short the stories were. They show just how incredibly talented each of these authors are. It takes such fine crafting of a story to be able to build a world, characters, and scare your reader with such a small amount of words. And I think every story in this did just that.

I can't pick a favorite story because they were all so good, but there were a few that I think will stick with me for a long time.

This did exactly what I hope horror will do when I pick it up: It made me gasp, made my skin crawl, and made me stare at the wall for a bit after each story.

[Ginger Kat · Rating 3 out of 5]

These were very short stories, and a lot of them were very good. Unfortunately, I felt a lot of them didn't really hit the mark for me. Still, the good stories were very good. There was lots of violence and gore, and even some sad parts. I think my favorite stories were Baby Shoes, Magpie, Nightmother, Teeth, and They Surround the Baby with Sin. I would still recommend this book, especially if you like your horror short and to the point.

[Sherry · Rating 4 out of 5]

Weird But Good

The stories were good but a little too short and disjointed for me. Just a story got going it was over. If you need really short reading segments then this is your book.

[Toni Sanders · Rating 4 out of 5]

Food for thought....

Stories are quick, often brutal, but right to the point. They make you think, they make you wonder, they make you go hmmmmm....

[Angie Macias Dial · Rating 5 out of 5]

Creepy and fun read

This book of creepy and interesting short stories was a very good read and I enjoyed reading them. I am a fan of horror stories.

[Staceywh_17 · Rating 4 out of 5]

I think I got so much more from this by listening to the audio version rather than just words on a page.

This would be a great collection of stories to retell around the campfire. They're short, spooky, and will have your skin
crawling in no time.

The narrators of the audio gave depth to the stories, and the authors descriptions added the clarity needed to bring scenes alive.

They're creepy, twisted, and gorily good. A really enjoyable listen.

[Georgina Candy · Rating 3 out of 5]

I listened to this one Sunday, thankfully for some of the stories, during the day. Some were certainly eyebrow raising, but most just plain weird! I especially linked, Baby shoes, They Surrounded The Baby With Sin, and The Magpie. All the stories are different, with varying degrees of horror.

I did skip a couple as the ladies voice was too high pitched American for me, being hard of hearing high tones don’t always sound right.

If you like scary stories, or ones that have no explanation, read/listen to this collection.