Where Madness Sleeps

De: Liddell Rayne

Narrado por: Big Bear Audio

Every asylum has its secrets. Some refuse to stay buried.

When ambitious young psychiatrist Dr. Eleanor Harper accepts a position at the recently reopened Ashwood Asylum, she’s determined to leave behind the mistakes—and the darkness—of her past. But Ashwood is not what it seems.

The staff are wary, the patients too familiar. Whispers in the halls seem to call her by name. Mirrors reflect a version of herself that she doesn’t recognize. The deeper Eleanor immerses herself in her work, the more the edges of reality begin to fray.

Her dreams are haunted by strange memories—a fire, leather restraints, a man’s desperate pleas—memories that don’t belong to her. Or so she thought.

As the line between sanity and madness blurs, Eleanor realizes that Ashwood may be hiding more than just the pasts of its patients. It might be feeding on hers.

Some doors, once opened, can never be closed.

©2024 Liddell Rayne (P)2024 Liddell Rayne

Asylum Thriller

"Where Madness Sleeps" is a short story thriller about Dr. Eleanor Harper accepting a position at the newly reopened Ashwood Asylum. From the beginning, Eleanor is unsettled by feeling familiar with the asylum as well as her patients eerily telling her the walls are excited for her to be home. She spends her time there trying to uncover the past whilst teetering between sanity and madness.

The Narrator- Big Bear Audio did a hauntingly good job at narrating this story. The cadence was well done as well as the voices. The ability to swing from quiet and collected to eerie, unhinged voices of ghosts was incredible. There was a point in the book where the narrator suddenly rasped out "Eleanorrr" and it was so unexpected it made me jump. 5/5 for this narrator and I plan on looking up other books they have narrated.

This story was definitely spooky and I was sucked in trying to figure out the mysteries behind Sshwood Asylum. Asylum stories always snag me and freak me out at the same time. Eleanor is a character I was drawn to, even without knowing much about her. I did enjoy the twists that came throughout- without giving anything away. It was hinted at and I did have it somewhat figured out before the reveal. However, there were details I had not picked up on and liked learning about.

I was a little let down on fully knowing more about Eleanor before the asylum. Things were kind of mentioned but not fully delved into. I also wanted to know more about the other Doctor she was working along side of. I also think this book was unnecessarily explicit. I don't mind explicit being in books if it adds to the story and I am not sure it helped in this one.

Anyone that has enjoyed Hill House by Shirley Jackson, this gives similar vibes and is a quick read. And anyone that likes short-story medical thrillers should also give this one a try!

Gets too predictable

Couldn't like it, the plot felt like it has been done so many times. Narration was okay.

Started strong, hated it

This started off very Edgar Allen Poe, but the attempt to built anticipation was just repetition. Water was mentioned a lot. I’m still not really sure what I just experienced, but i did.