The Shadow: A Horror Short Story

by Andrew S. French

Darkness lies at the heart of humanity, and only the strongest can survive.

Will you?

Genres: Short Stories, Horror

21 pages, Kindle Edition

Published May 7, 2022

Reviews

[Peter Topside · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars. My first Andrew French joint. I tend to be harder on short stories and novelettes, and this had a very unique approach, but I rather enjoyed it. Experiencing the same ugly situation from all these different character's perspectives was solid. You got the proper context for everything and even a first person POV narrative from The Shadow, itself. You can guess where my critiques revolved around on this one, all on the length. This could have been much longer and kept my attention all the same. A nice way to start my Thursday and get into my horror mindset.

[alexandra · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.75 stars.
Very quick and simple thriller story about a mysterious shadow lingering near a girls dead body. I liked the way the author did the switching of POV’s with everyone’s perspective of this peculiar sighting, however this was a little lacklustre for me. It’s literally 21 pages so wasn’t expecting much. An ok surreal read.

[William · Rating 5 out of 5]

Entertaining horror listening 🎶🔰

This is a free novella on Amazon. Oh my those free books?

This is a number of will written short stories. Each story is different with interesting well developed characters lots of horror racing to each conclusion. I would recommend this novella and author to 👍 readers looking for something in different plus it's free. 2023 👒😀💘🏡

[Madison · Rating 2 out of 5]

literally read this while at a bar on nye. wanted to get to 50 books in 2023 & but had places to be & things to do so i read this as a last minute filler. probably closer to 1 or 1.5 stars but i don’t think that it’s the book’s fault. just not my thing & i was cramming.

[Faye Tipper · Rating 3 out of 5]

Quick easy read

[Brianna Bello · Rating 3 out of 5]

A decent little short story about a living shadow told from multiple view points. My favorite was the husband. He seemed like a sadistic dude for sure. Very entertaining!

[Joan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Review of eBook

Rose has accompanied her mother, Kara, have come to visit her grandmother. Not that Rose wants to visit the elderly woman who lived in an advanced state of forgetting. But Internet Influencer Zoe is across the road near the Prince statue shooting an advertisement. And Rose wants to become famous like Zoe.

While Rose stands outside, Sally jumps from a tenth-floor window.

And what is that crawling from her body?

=========

Told from several viewpoints . . . Rose, Kara, Jack the paramedic, Bob the clown, Sally’s husband, Terry, and, of course, the Shadow . . . the unfolding story provides several points of view with reference to Sally’s fall from the tenth floor and how each person is affected by that fall.

The clever plot takes several interesting turns as each character reveals a bit more of the necessary backstory; the unexpected denouement is likely to surprise most readers.

Recommended for readers who enjoy horror with a twist.

[Dan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Gran is losing the plot. (I like this saying! I need this in my lexicon.)

Rose’s mother has hired out carers for Gran. But it’s hard for Rose to see Gran deteriorate, so she doesn’t visit too often.

In fact, Rose only comes to Gran’s today because Zoe the Instagram Influencer is shooting an advert across the road—by a random Prince statue.

Rose is 18, and she wants to be famous, like Zoe or even Prince.

Then a woman throws herself out a nearby window, and we’re off.

POV switches from Kara to Jack to Bob to Terry…and finally to the Bad Guy.

More intriguing and suspenseful than actually scary; interesting read, nonetheless.

[Alan Loewen · Rating 3 out of 5]

A Horror Story Told From Different Perspectives

The story is unique in that it relates what appears to be either a suicide or a murder from several viewpoints. As the reader pieces the story together from the different narratives the true horror of the situation becomes the main focus of the story.

All in all, an interesting experiment.

[Kelby Free · Rating 2 out of 5]

I'm not sure I'd say this was horror. Honestly, I'm not really sure what I was expecting, or what I really read.
21 pages didn't seem like enough to convey a real story, but maybe that's where the horror was supposed to come in? Something so short, so simple with the "villain" breaking the 4th wall to tell the reader they may be next.

[Megan Windsor · Rating 3 out of 5]

Quick and easy read.

While interesting, I was rather disappointed that we didn’t get to see the visit with Sally’s husband. He was due for some comeuppance after what he put her through. Otherwise, it leaves you thinking about the inherent goodness and inherent evil that people do and don’t have lurking inside of them.

[Beth Lynn · Rating 3 out of 5]

I’ve never really read short novellas, so this was an interesting change for me. I really liked the different perspectives and the eeriness of the story. I just wish it was longer, because I actually really liked the plot! I think 21 pages just isn’t enough to build up the thrill and intensity. 3⭐️

[Abbie · Rating 2 out of 5]

Due to the length of the book, I wasn’t expecting much but I felt like the story was incomplete.
There were far too many characters with not really any significance. If the whole story had been the shadows story, I think I would have enjoyed it a lot more.

[Jon Fellman · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was fine. Not great and not terrible, fairly standard demon stuff. Reads like the intro to a full book. Not convinced I would read a full version of this story but it was fine as a way to kill a half hour.

[Bill · Rating 5 out of 5]

A very short horror story about a living shadow, told from several viewpoints, including the shadow's

[Artist_carrie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Who do I pick

I totally enjoyed this. Different but very good! I love short stories like these. I received this and voluntarily choose to reveiw

[Christal Esse · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed the different perspectives

[giada · Rating 5 out of 5]

had chills for the whole time.
recommend this to all horror fans for a quick yet intense read!
5/5

[Valérie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not a bad short story.

I would have liked it to be a bit longer though! I wanted to find out what the ‘demon’ was going to do to Sally’s husband…And which body it chose as its host!

[Kamila · Rating 2 out of 5]

i kinda wanted more

[Erin Garvey · Rating 3 out of 5]

What an insanely twisted story. It kind of reminded me of the movie “Ghost” at first. When the spirits came out of the bad men. Very weird and creepy.

[haze_books · Rating 4 out of 5]

For a book only 21 pages long i loved this it was a fun interesting read and didnt take long was good for a easy read

[Ryann Rice · Rating 2 out of 5]

Sometimes shorter isn’t better

[Amber S. · Rating 3 out of 5]

A quick horror read with multiple pov's. I enjoyed the story just wish it was a little longer.

[Nicole Milazzo · Rating 3 out of 5]

This short story is about a shadow that leaves a women’s body. I enjoyed how the author used multiple POVs to tell the story. It was a quick read with a nice twist.

[Natalie · Rating 3 out of 5]

shadow

It was an ok short story, I enjoyed it, it was cute, I wouldn’t class it as horror but it was ok

[Bethan Thomas · Rating 2 out of 5]

Good premise but it is so odd as a short story. I think it would be great as an actual book.

[Samantha Forson · Rating 1 out of 5]

Kindle

[Nat’s life Library · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.25 stars ⭐️

[Morgan Whitehead · Rating 3 out of 5]

Honestly, it was a vibe, just a little weird for me.