Maze – Short Stories to Faze

by Sean Sheehan

Two shop assistants are disturbed by the behaviour of a girl who displays an unusual interest in insects. A train driver is traumatised by a fatal incident when he is driving a train. When a murder happens near his home a pensioner, suffering from cognitive decline, wonders if he witnessed an event that led to the murder. A burglar, during a robbery, stumbles upon an object that leads to a terrible discovery. The rivalry between twin sisters leads to destruction. A pharmacist finds himself in deadly conflict with the IRA during the War of Independence in Ireland. A traveller gets caught up in the armed struggle during the War of Independence in Ireland.
These are some of the stories in a collection that spans contemporary Britain and Ireland and twentieth-century Ireland.

216 pages, Kindle Edition

Published July 24, 2022

Reviews

[Likely Story]

Maze: Short Stories to Faze feels like sitting around listening to someone tell eerie local legends, strange moral tales, and old Irish ghost stories while rain taps against the windows. The collection jumps between crime fiction, psychological horror, folklore, tragedy, and dark little character studies, but what ties it all together is Sheehan’s fascination with ordinary people drifting into unsettling situations. The stories aren’t flashy or overly literary. Instead, they lean heavily into atmosphere, conversation, and the quiet weirdness that can sit underneath everyday life.

The standout for me was definitely “The Maze.” It starts almost deceptively simple, introducing supermarket workers, elderly couples, and lonely men in a very observational way, but gradually the story tightens into something genuinely sinister. Albert is one of the creepiest characters in the collection because he never feels exaggerated. His awkwardness and odd conversational habits make him believable long before the full horror of what he’s capable of becomes clear. At the same time, Pat and Maeve provide the emotional center of the story. Their aging, memory lapses, and quiet affection for one another give the story a melancholy warmth that balances the darkness extremely well. The final sections involving Pat’s Alzheimer’s diagnosis were honestly more emotionally affecting than I expected from a crime-centered story.

A lot of the collection works this way. The stories are often less concerned with twists and more interested in human behavior. Sheehan spends time on small details: cups of tea, village gossip, old songs, awkward conversations, routines, and social rituals. Sometimes that pacing really works because it creates a strong sense of place and personality. The Irish settings especially feel authentic without trying too hard. Stories like “The Pharmacist” lean heavily into Irish history and political tension, while others move into stranger or more psychological territory. The overall effect is that the collection feels varied without completely losing its identity.

That said, the writing style is very straightforward. Readers looking for highly polished prose or subtle symbolism may find some stories a little blunt in how they deliver information or themes. Some stories also end a little abruptly, almost like modern folktales rather than fully fleshed-out literary pieces. But honestly, I think part of the charm of the collection comes from that simplicity. It reads like a storyteller more interested in getting the unsettling idea across than showing off stylistically.

Check out my full review here: https://likelystory.blog/2026/06/11/r...

[Eliza Rose]

Haunting, Thought-Provoking, and Utterly Unforgettable

Maze: Short Stories to Faze is a masterclass in storytelling that lingers in the mind long after the final story ends. Each tale peels back the layers of seemingly ordinary lives to reveal unsettling truths, eerie twists, and moments of unexpected beauty.

From a little girl’s disturbing obsession with insects to a retired man grappling with both memory loss and a possible murder mystery, every story pulses with emotional depth and suspense. The author deftly moves between eras and landscapes of contemporary Britain, modern Ireland, and the turbulent times of the Irish War of Independence, while maintaining a strong emotional thread of identity, morality, and memory.

Standouts for me included the tragic introspection of the train driver’s story and the chilling encounter with the IRA from the perspective of a simple pharmacist, both emotionally charged and historically resonant.

The prose is vivid without being overindulgent, and the characters feel deeply human, their flaws and fears rendered with subtlety and care. This is not just a collection of stories, it’s a map of the human psyche, drawn with precision and a hint of menace.

If you enjoy short fiction with bite, depth, and a touch of the uncanny, Maze is a must-read. A stellar debut (or follow-up, if this isn’t the first!) I’ll be thinking about these stories for a long time.

[Bookread2day]

I love reading short stories, when the opportunity of a good book full of short stories comes along.

As soon as I opened the book I was immediately drawn to the story The Maze, with a boy hearing a mobile phone ringing inside the maze. I can just imagine how hard it would be to find a mobile phone that is ringing. Can you imagine being in a maze hearing a mobile phone ringing and trying to find it?

I’m often drawn to quite a few of the short stories in a book, but I always end up having special favourite story.

What has amazed me about this particular short story book is that the author has packed so much detail in to all the short stories.

I can’t believe how author Sean Sheehan has the gift to write so much information into my favourite story The Diary, in sixteen and half pages. The Diary is my favourite because it was a crime story, with an amazing twist in the tale. But of course to say anything about the brilliant short story would give too much away.

These are some of the stories in a collection that spans contemporary collection Britain and Ireland and the twentieth century Ireland.

There are ten short stories with two of them being a true story, the other eight are fictional stories about different topics.

I most certainly recommend the book The Maze as it has some amazing stories.

[Dani (piggindani_reads)]

Overall Rating ~ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

The Maze - 4 ⭐️
Clever how it connects.
Was a little lost at the start but quickly realised what was happening.
Sad story on 2 counts ~ The SA & Murder of the 14 year old boy & Pat’s Alzheimer’s diagnosis.

Clever link between Pat’s disease & a maze!

The Pharmacist (A True Story) - 4 ⭐️
Fascinating, a subject I know little about & interested to learn more. Intense.

Old Tom (A True Story) 4 ⭐️
Very similar to the pharmacist. Powerful & sad.

Insects - 5 ⭐️
This one was brilliant. Dark, twisted and a little disturbing.
Never expected that ending!

We Are Family - 3 ⭐️
This was a little too long, scenes that didn’t really need to be included and that ended was blah. A little boring.

The Diary - 4.5 ⭐️
Another I really enjoyed, I only wish it was longer.

The Architect - 4.5 ⭐️
Again, close to giving it 5 I just wanted it to be longer.

The Train Driver - 4 ⭐️
Definitely one that’s very sad.

The Librarian - 3 ⭐️
This one was bizarre and I don’t really know how to feel about it. Very weird.

Robin Hood - 3 ⭐️
This was ok and had promise, but a little too surreal.

A bizarre and wondrous collect of stories with clever connections & intriguing characters.

Thank you, Booknetwork.co.uk and Sean.
This is my honest review.

[Charlotte]

Thank you to thebooknetwork.co.uk and Sean Sheehan, for a physical copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

"Maze" is a collection of 10 short stories, which span contemporary Britain and Ireland and 20th century Ireland. Some are based on true stories and events.

I've come to realise that short stories aren't a genre I'm likely to start to enjoy as I like to really get to know the characters over the course of the book. Of course, that's a "me" issue, not an issue with this book in particular.

Having said that, I also struggled with this book. Whilst the premise of the stories was good, the sentence structure was very simple, and there were a few grammatical/general errors that I feel should have been picked up by an editor.

Having said that, I did enjoy elements of the book. I'm inspired to go away and learn more about Ireland in the 1920s, the IRA and "the troubles." They were all quick and easy to read, which means I could fit a story in whenever I had 5 minutes to spare.

My favourite short story was "Insects," purely for the twist at the end, which I didn't see coming.

[KIRA GRIFFO]

A Powerful and Unsettling Collection

This story collection skillfully blends contemporary life with historical depth, moving between modern Britain and Ireland and the turbulent era of the Irish War of Independence. Each story is distinct yet connected by themes of memory, trauma, and moral ambiguity.

Highlights include a train driver haunted by a fatal incident, a pensioner grappling with cognitive decline amid a nearby murder, and a girl’s strange obsession with insects unsettling shop assistants. The historical pieces are especially gripping a pharmacist’s deadly clash with the IRA and a traveller drawn into Ireland’s fight for freedom are told with vivid realism.

The writing is sharp, atmospheric, and emotionally resonant. Whether dealing with domestic tension, psychological mystery, or historical drama, this collection leaves a lasting impression. A haunting, thoughtful read.

[Moona]

Like a labyrinth of the mind, "Maze – Short Stories to Faze" by Sean Sheehan winds through unsettling scenarios, where the ordinary collides with the extraordinary. Each story is a twist of reality, drawing you deeper into a maze where tension lurks at every turn.

From the eerie curiosity of a girl obsessed with insects to a train driver haunted by a fatal accident, the collection spans a spectrum of human emotion and historical reflection. Set against the backdrop of contemporary Britain, Ireland, and the War of Independence, these tales unravel with a dark elegance, blending psychological intrigue with sharp social commentary.

Sean Sheehan crafts each narrative with a subtle, haunting prose that lingers long after the last page. The stories reveal unexpected truths, exploring the thin line between perception and reality.

[Abigirl]

Maze is the kind of collection that lingers with you long after you finish. Each story is like a room in a dark house—you enter not knowing what you’ll find, but you leave changed. The standout for me was the tale of the pensioner slowly losing his memory while becoming convinced he witnessed—or even solved—a murder. The way the author explores the fragility of memory and the blurred lines between delusion and reality is astonishing. I also appreciated how the historical stories didn’t feel like history lessons but emotionally resonant slices of life. A must-read for anyone who enjoys short fiction with real emotional weight.

[TOM]

“A literary labyrinth worth exploring.”
This is a rich, complex collection that doesn’t spoon-feed its readers—and that’s a compliment. The writing is sharp, evocative, and often lyrical. While not every story landed equally for me (the twins’ story felt a bit over-the-top), most were absorbing. The IRA-era pharmacist story was particularly gripping; I felt thrown right into the political and personal chaos of the time. There’s a subtle interconnectedness between the stories that rewards close reading. It’s the kind of book I’d return to just to trace the thematic threads of identity, guilt, and truth.

[Jack E.]

Dark, intelligent stories with bite.

If you’re looking for feel-good fiction, this isn’t it—and that’s exactly what makes it so compelling. There’s a darkness that runs through Maze, but it’s not sensationalized. The young girl with the insect obsession? Pure nightmare fuel. The way the author uses small, almost mundane moments to escalate tension is masterful. I’d compare this collection to Shirley Jackson meets Kevin Barry: unnerving but grounded in deeply human emotions. Some stories I had to reread, not because they were confusing, but because I didn’t want to miss any nuance.

[Edward]

Too much style, not enough substance.

While I admire the ambition of this collection, it didn’t resonate with me. The writing is elegant, yes, but I found some of the stories overly abstract or slow. I wanted more narrative drive, especially in the historical pieces, which felt like mood studies rather than fully realized stories. The train driver’s story had promise but didn’t delve deep enough into his emotional arc. It’s clear the author has talent, but the book might appeal more to readers who enjoy experimental, meditative fiction than to those looking for gripping storytelling.

[Ben]

Complex, unsettling, and rewarding.

This is a collection for readers who enjoy being challenged. Many of these stories don’t offer tidy conclusions they provoke, unsettle, and leave questions in your mind. I loved that. The prose is stunning in places, especially in the quieter, reflective stories. I felt a real emotional punch in the train driver’s arc, and the burglar’s discovery chilled me to the bone. Not every story is perfect, but as a whole, this book achieves something rare: it makes you think differently about the ordinary and the forgotten.

[Barbara Tsipouras]

There are a couple of (true) historical stories from Ireland, the first story is about an old man who thinks he witnessed a murder and the rest o the stories are about some people who work all in the same supermarket.
As always with anthologies, some stories are better than others, but none did really grip me and neither did the writing style. Scene after scene that seem unconnected at first where somebody in the end "takes his leave".

[Michael Frank]

A beautifully written and emotionally engaging story. The characters feel real, the plot is well paced, and the themes are handled with depth and subtlety. A compelling read that stays with you long after the last page.

[Cindi]

If you enjoy short stories then this book is for you. There are two real life stories, which are my personal favorites. The author does a great job of “blending” the stories while still keeping each stories individual integrity. There are themes of suicide, murder, arson and sexual assault of a minor. I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a well written short story.

[Staceywh_17]

Maze is an interesting collection of fairly short stories designed to faze (disturb) you.

I enjoyed the majority of the stories, sadly the ones featuring the IRA didn't (I have personal reasons why). Some read as standalones and others are cleverly connected into other stories, along with several recurring characters.