Horrorstör | Grady Hendrix | Reviewed by Erin
*Review copy c/o Netgalley
“Something strange is happening at the Orsk furniture superstore in Cleveland, Ohio. Every morning, employees arrive to find broken Kjerring bookshelves, shattered Glans water goblets, and smashed Liripip wardrobes. Sales are down, security cameras reveal nothing, and store managers are panicking.
To unravel the mystery, three employees volunteer to work a nine-hour dusk-till-dawn shift. In the dead of the night, they’ll patrol the empty showroom floor, investigate strange sights and sounds, and encounter horrors that defy the imagination.” - Source
Described brilliantly on Goodreads as a ‘traditional haunted house story in a thoroughly contemporary setting’ the book follows a group of Orsk employees led by Amy who is unhappy in her job and dislikes her colleague Basil. When she is called in to his office alongside fellow employee Ruth Anne Amy believes she is about to be fired but instead Basil asks them to work an extra shift. That night once the store has closed the three will team up to investigate the odd things that have been happening there. The story takes a spooky supernatural turn once night falls over Orsk and the group, joined by two more employees on a ghost hunt, find themselves trapped… but not alone.
I wouldn’t want to give away any more information about the mysterious story itself however I do want to talk about the clever design – the element that initially drew me in. Intended to look like a catalogue for the fictional store Orsk this brilliant design reflects the story’s ‘knock off version of IKEA’ setting perfectly. Starting out with simple product illustrations of bookshelves, sofas and everything you’d expect to find in an IKEA catalogue, as the story progresses and becomes more sinister so do the design elements of the book. After wanting to get my hands on this book for months I was kindly sent a digital copy for review however I also picked up the paperback version to compare. In all honesty I would recommend reading the paperback if possible as you really get the chance to experience how the design element and story work together.
This creepy tale was both intriguing and clever as well as an enjoyable quick read and would make a great addition to any coffee table – although one that might confuse your guests! If you’re a fan of classic haunted house horrors this refreshing twist on the genre will be right up your street!
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