Thirteen Storeys

By: Jonathan Sims

Narrated by: Ayesha Antoine, Aysha Kala, Ben Elliot, Cloud Quinn, Jonathan Sims, Jot Davies, Katherine Press, Katie Leung, Laurence Dobiesz, Lula Suassuna, Sophie Roberts, Theo Solomon

Length: 13 hrs and 14 mins

Publisher's summary

Thirteen voices. Thirteen storeys. One dinner party to die for.

An innovative haunted house tour-de-force from the creator of THE MAGNUS ARCHIVES podcast.

GOING UP?

A dinner party is held in the penthouse of a multimillion-pound development. All the guests are strangers - even to their host, the billionaire owner of the building
.
None of them know why they were selected to receive his invitation. Whether privileged or deprived, they share only one thing in common - they've all experienced a shocking disturbance within the building's walls.

By the end of the night, their host is dead, and none of the guests will say what happened. His death has remained one of the biggest unsolved mysteries - until now.

But are you ready for their stories?

'A modern horror classic from one of the most exciting writers in the field today' Starburst Magazine

'Combines a creeping sense of unease with all-out gore . . . Nerve-jangling.' Guardian

'A wonderfully creepy climax, hitting that perfect spot of uncanny horror' Grimdark Magazine

©2020 Jonathan Sims (P)2020 Orion Publishing Group

Horrific Vindication

Those who may know Sims from his work on The Magnus Archives will recognize his style in taking the emotion and more ephemeral aspects of distressing real life experiences and translating them into a very real and literal manifestations of horror. This style has allowed him to bring very uncomfortable subjects in contemporary life into a very stark relief for those listening/reading about them. His work has an added brilliance, however, by not simply turning metaphor into literal grotesque moments. Rather he recognizes that moments of trauma, helplessness, true real world fear are made possible and are exacerbated by the emotions tied to them. He is not content to simply wave his hand over a blunt metaphor for economic disparity and say “Oh it’s all just a metaphor”, instead highlighting that the emotion and more personal details one brings to the experience are just as important as the literal monsters on display. In many ways they are even more important. While there are still plenty of moments of very blunt comparisons and lambasting of things like the ultra-rich and their actions, I cannot say it is without merit or that such bluntness is not paid off by the conclusion of the work. It shows that Sims is well aware of these comparisons and wishes to justify them through skillful writing of a truly interconnected world and genuinely relatable characters, despite many of them in fact being reprehensible in their own ways.

Beyond this, the VO work of each and every actor involved is spectacular. Each character being allowed their own unique voice has done wonders for bringing their already vibrant personalities in written form across as deep, meaningful, and truly 3-dimensional. The final culmination in the end as all come together makes for a wonderfully-tense ending that will have anyone gripped and dying to know what comes next.

This was a work that only occasionally dips into the realm of finger-waving PSA on the dangers of late-stage capitalism, and honestly, even when it does, there is a certain tinge of vindictive glee to be found from it that makes the occasional lecture worth it. Truly a good chicken soup for the lower-class soul.

Compelling and thoughtful!

Compelling story - a real page turner! I couldn't wait until I could get back to hearing more. Thoughtfully portrayed characters - for example, there is a trans character who's transness is never specifically called out, nor is it a story element; it is simply alluded to through a few passing details, and the character gets to have a story beyond that identity. As a trans person, I was delighted and appreciative.

Pleasantly grotesque horror.

If you're looking for an anti-capitalist and aware piece of spooks, this one's probably a good bet on it.

like discovering Agatha Christie all over again.

has a beautiful unique feeling to it. loved all the characters, but a couple sorta blend together after a bit. I liked every voice actor. very well done.

Another Amazing Story

Fresh take on the old dinner party bit. Beautiful storytelling and captivating characters all wrapped up in a spooky setting. I did enjoy that the audiobook is 1: hours long too

wonderfully creepy

Sims showcases his knack for weaving together short horror stories into an overarching theme with a lovely crew of voices to help. Subtle hints and bits throughout the book help you - the reader - be able to collect the threads that lead to the finale, that might not be what you think it is.
absolutely lovely, and a perfect book to get lost into during the spooky season.

A wonderful break-out novel for Jonathan Sims

If capitalist gothic was a genre, this would be the centerpiece work. It is masterfully read and paced, I couldn't wait to get back to listening after each pause. The different voices for the different characters definitely helped to keep the story interesting and keep the threads clear as the story progressed. Spooky and still very touching. I am definitely going out to purchase a physical copy to keep this one in my library. I can't wait to see your next book Mr. Sims!

Slow burn, but absolutely worth it

The story(s) build slow, but they hook you all the same. If you've listened to The Magnus Archives podcast, the formst will feel similar but it's a new story.
This book highly recommends itself to 2nd and 3rd reads to piece more together after you have the full picture.

I HIGHLY recommend this book!

My new Favorite Novel

I'm a fan of Jonathan Sims and this work is one of his finest. Diverse narrators of a robust cast made every unique story more enjoyable and memorable. Each chapter fit together like a puzzle, expanding on clues I had pieced from prior chapters. I enjoyed listening again to make a timeline of how the characters met and affected each other in their own stories, which made the progression feel more organic and intricate. I couldn't put it down and kept with the book until the end. This one left a deep impression and I plan to share it with my family and friends. I highly recommend it even for those who don't normally enjoy horror or supernatural. The writing was expertly done and the narrators brought it to life, and I loved the addition of sound effects in the later chapters for that extra touch to the story. For anyone looking for a follow up to Sims's work like The Magnus Archives, this one is for you!

Came for Jonny Sims-stayed for a good horror story

I bought this book because I am a huge fan of Sims' work (see The Magnus Archives)
I knew he was good but the storytelling, the writing, the utter creepy undertones of this entire story & how it all tied together was wonderful.
The Voice actors created their characters in such a way that the listener is invested. 10/10 would recommend to anyone who loves a good ghost story.