Grady Hendrix’s “Horrorstör” follows employees of a big-box furniture store as they face both the daily grind of customer service and unexplained phenomena after hours. This book might trigger anyone who has ever done time working on the floor of a big retail chain store. Personally, I didn’t find the ghosts in this story to be much scarier than the thought of spending day after day forcing a smile while being subjected to the abuse of customers.

The book is marketed as a horror-comedy, but I found the humour slightly too subtle. The author’s strength lies in creating a sense of unease within a familiar setting, rather than relying on jump scares or gore. Where many horror authors take the time to build up suspense, Grady has a habit of throwing in a red herring, then suddenly propelling the characters into action. By the end of the book, I was left with more questions than answers.

I read the kindle edition, and I regret not picking up a physical copy of the book to experience the author’s clever design choice of presenting the book like an IKEA catalogue. Overall, I found that the story itself didn’t quite live up to its potential. It was difficult to connect with the characters, who felt underdeveloped and somewhat unlikable, especially the protagonist, Amy. By the time I reached the end, I found myself indifferent to her fate, which was perhaps fitting given the story’s lack of a proper resolution. Had Grady continued writing, we may have just had the same story again. And I’ll be honest, I wouldn’t want to read this again.