Psychological Thriller Short Stories

An eclectic selection of short stories.

In this gothic, virtuoso debut collection, Mike McCormack dispenses nightmares both stylish and macabre. "A Is for Ax" offers alphabetized look at the killing of a parent, while the title story tracks a chilling sibling rivalry. Other works here offer multiple-quiz on the road to Calvary, a door-to-door saleswoman trafficking in strange and menacing feats, and a self-mutilating artist pushing himself to the limit. These sly and dangerous stories show us a young writer who was already a master of wicked formal play, and whose sly takes on life and death remain profoundly unsettling.

A young man struggles with flashbacks and nightmares in a society which has a new and controversial way to deal with violent crime. Some say this is a groundbreaking new form of justice. Others say it's criminal.

Step into a world where reality is fractured and nothing is as it seems. In this chilling collection of seven short stories, you’ll encounter mysterious shadows, broken relationships, and eerie forces that defy explanation. Each story explores the thin line between what’s real and what’s imagined. Brace yourself for a journey through the unexpected, where every ending leaves you questioning everything.

Susie has a humdrum life working in an airport coffee shop, but it doesn’t stop her from having big dreams. When the planes are grounded, life changes for her after she accepts a new job and a deal that puts her face to face with a serial killer. Who killed Shawn Davis? That’s the question Susie has to answer if she wants a better paycheck.

The first story collection from prize-winning author Fabio Morábito available in English, Mothers and Dogs features fifteen tales that show the emotional extremes in seemingly trivial details and quotidian situations: two brothers worry more about a dog locked in an apartment who hasn’t been fed than they do about their dying mother; when the lights go out on a racetrack, a man’s evening jog turns into a savage battle between runners; a daughter learns to draft business letters as an homage to her mother.

Step into the decaying halls of Grimwood and feel your grip on reality slip away. Every whisper, every shadow, every creaking floorboard will set your nerves on fire! A sweet warning: This psychological thrill ride will shatter your perceptions and leave you questioning everything you thought you knew! Is it real? Is it delusion? You won't know until it's far too late! Face the horrors lurking in the depths of your own mind! But remember - in Grimwood, escape is just another cruel illusion. So are you brave enough to lose your mind?

Edgar Allan Poe proposed that “the boundary line between instinct and reason is of a very shadowy nature” (1840). With its 21 stories of serial killers and sociopaths, fixations and fetishes, breakdowns and bad decisions crafted by authors as diverse as their writing styles, Shadowy Natures leads fans of psychological horror down dark and treacherous roads to destinations they will be too unsettled to leave.

Brace yourself for a heart-stopping journey as Dr. Allison Hayes battles an ancient evil disguised in the most innocent of melodies. Your pulse will race. Your skin will crawl. Reality itself will warp around you as you plunge headfirst into a world where every whispered note could spell doom. This cosmic horror will infect your mind, leaving you breathless, exhilarated, and forever changed. Forget everything you thought you knew about the power of music.

Driven by an uncanny mystery from his youth, Ian Randall became a “spiritual cleanser”, ridding disturbances from homes. But his belief in the beyond was challenged by his wife’s death. Merle House, the root of Ian’s obsession, could change that. The woods are restless again. Maybe here, Ian will find what he needs - if he’s willing to make a deal with the dark.

Enter the journalistic narrative of a traumatic childhood, told in the form of short stories. Listen to Memoirs of My Little Girl: A Collection of Short Stories: Part Two and experience the compelling world of part two in the series.

A robbery has recently gone awry in the quaint town of Evergreen. Due to Gretchen's sadistic boyfriend, Cliff, they have taken a hostage. However, the events that unfold next will challenge their sanity.

Meet Jeff Case before his world explodes. Former soldier. Defender of the innocent. Case may have left a war zone, but he soon discovers that the streets of America are just as dangerous. It was kill or be killed in combat, but Case is ready to turn his back on his military career and start a new life with his wife, Becky. During a final interview for his first civilian job, Case steps in to help a woman in danger. It is the catalyst that kick-starts the day from hell. A day that Case and Becky may not survive.

Step into a world where reality bends, and the impossible becomes plausible. "The Enigma Grid" by Craig S. Wilson is a mind-bending collection of short stories that will leave you questioning the very fabric of existence.

Otra vez habían llegado las mismas estaciones mortuorias y aburridas de cada año al pueblo de Tulluc (Francia) de 1800. Todos se perdían en sus interminables rutinas mediocres, los mismos días, los mismos rostros, los mismos excesos sodomitas, toda una copia de la copia del pasado. Para el viejo Turett que había vivido en ese pueblo por 55 años, aquello era pan de cada día, pero no para su hermosa hija Minerve de 16 primaveras, que añoraba viajar a todas las ciudades de Francia, para conocer el amor.

Claire Delaney is a typical young teenage girl who likes nothing more than reading the latest gossip about what the celebs have been up to. Her ultimate dream is to become a famous A-list star, but without any real talent to speak of a dream it must remain - according to her mother, at least. Things aren’t so clear-cut these days, though, and one does not necessarily need to be a skilled actress, singer or model to become famous. Sometimes the stars align and people get what they wish for...but is Claire truly prepared for the consequences?

The short story Voices follows Michael, a very successful business man. He loses each of his wives after they absurdly claim they can hear or talk to the spirits in the house. Michael is dragged through turmoil until he confronts the voices. Voices is loosely based on a true encounter.

Self-destructive. The worst thing that could happen to herself is continuing to be herself. Continuing to be where she is. The need to be released has found her. Taking steps forward is difficult, seeing the chaos in the world is difficult. And anytime she sees a glimmer of confidence, any crumb of thought that could be her savior the words of those closest to her ears refill her with doubt. Reminded of the worst in her, if there’s a best in her it’s unseen here.

Everyday I watch Johnny walk home from the bus stop, and everyday I watch him be tortured...it stops today.

Each short story is a self-contained experience — tight, twisty, and impossible to pause — written by acclaimed thriller author Sam Johnson and brought to life by the immersive voices of Lucy Walker and James Goodwin. Whether it's the woman trapped in an elevator with someone who remembers what she forgot… the man whose new phone begins syncing surveillance photos of himself… or the late-night confession that reveals the priest's own darkest sin, every tale is a psychological maze with no guaranteed way out.