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What Goes On in the Walls at Night #1
What Goes On In The Walls At Night: Twisted horror short stories for adventurous readers
Blending horror, science fiction, and fantasy, What Goes On In The Walls At Night is fiction at its most bizarre.
A machine that consumes nature and spits out cash
A boy who eats buildings
A cure for alcoholism involving . . . ghosts?
An all-too-bizarre economic dystopia
. . . and more!
Have you ever listened to the walls at night? Go ahead, press your ear against the cool plaster . . .
You may find yourself stuck between worlds both strange and disturbing, disgusting and delightful—a world that Andrew Schrader discovered and now presents to you.
Let him quietly introduce you to thirteen unforgettable scenes in this shocking collection of short stories.
222 pages, Kindle Edition
First published April 4, 2017
96 people are currently reading
157 people want to read
About the author
Andrew Schrader
6 books12 followersAndrew Schrader is a Los Angeles-based author and filmmaker whose work has been featured in Stereogum and Paste Magazine. Between directing feature films and music videos, he wrote for the Cartoon Network show, “Tig n’ Seek."
He’s also the author of five books. His latest, Unnamable, received an Editor's Recommendation from Kirkus Reviews.
Yes, of course he loves cats.
He’s also the author of five books. His latest, Unnamable, received an Editor's Recommendation from Kirkus Reviews.
Yes, of course he loves cats.
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Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews
May 23, 2019
Stories incorporating a broad mixture of the bizarre, the fantastic, the grotesque, and the ghostly. There’s a cosy feel to this collection, where the tales are spun by a man haunted by the stories relayed to him by disquieting voices he once heard behind the walls. As the book progresses he recounts every word, unveiling a selection of fantastical and incomprehensible yarns. This is a nice tactic by the author, creating a firm underpinning for the collection. The tales themselves are connected by inventiveness. The author is obviously an ideas person, demonstrated by the level of attention to crafting an individual style that suits each story. Taken together, this is very entertaining stuff, fresh enough to transcend its knowing leaning towards horror and fantastic fiction paperbacks of a nostalgic heyday. A well crafted collection that harks back to the best of supernatural and speculative fiction, and successfully pulls together its influences to be an interesting new take.
February 27, 2020
3 Stars. Anthology. Some interesting concepts and stories. Not bad.
July 13, 2021
Cool but it dragged a little
Some of the stories were cool especially the last one and the reveal at the end.. others were just ok for me. I know they were supposed to connect but frankly I’ve forgotten most of them already.. that’s how I know it just didn’t all work for me.
Some of the stories were cool especially the last one and the reveal at the end.. others were just ok for me. I know they were supposed to connect but frankly I’ve forgotten most of them already.. that’s how I know it just didn’t all work for me.
February 8, 2018
Read this review and more on my blog at [Roxie Writes].
‘What Goes On In The Walls At Night: Thirteen Tales of Disgust and Delight’ by Andrew Schrader
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 5/5
Finished on February 17, 2018
GIVEN A FREE COPY IN EXCHANGE FOR AN HONEST REVIEW
FREE on Kindle Unlimited | $2.99 on Kindle | $11.99 in Paperback
BOOK DESCRIPTION:
Blending horror, science fiction, and fantasy, What Goes On In The Walls At Night is retro speculative fiction at its most bizarre.
An old man confesses the stories he was told by the voices in the walls. This collection of thirteen short stories take the reader on a journey both disgusting and delightful.
MY REVIEW:
I was given a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
‘What Goes On In The Walls At Night’ is made up of the stories:
“The Boy Who Swallowed Rocks”
-- This is a story about a young boy who starts out eating rocks and progresses to eating an entire building.
“The Big Feel”
-- Everett Thompson is a creepy TSA agent who gets a taste of his own medicine.
“Wings”
-- A friend goes to help an old friend who has lit upon the secret of becoming exactly who (or what) you want to be.
“Bradbury Walks At Midnight”
-- Ray Bradbury gives a boy the advice of a lifetime.
“The Developer”
-- The government has created a machine called The Developer that “develops” the world’s Resources and provides a profit for the people who feed it.
“The Sewers Are Angry!”
-- Children all over the world compete in flushing objects down the toilet. Edgar Thorpe is one of the best in America and becomes even better when he gets the help of a “shit monster” from the sewer. Together, they’re determined to accomplish the biggest flushing feat ever done -- flushing an entire human being.
This story was probably my favorite. I actually laughed out loud at the ending.
“The Night of Running Children”
-- For some inexplicable reason, all the children in a town start running. And running. And running.
“Every Day”
-- Richard and Jamie, husband and wife, keep their relationship fresh by being different people every day.
I loved this story. It’s bizarre but sweet, and the revelations reached by Richard and Jamie are things we could all stand to adopt into our lives.
“The Parasite”
-- A step-father is convinced his wife’s son is bad. When his wife gets inexplicably ill, he’s convinced the boy has something to do with it.
“2081”
-- The stock market has been renamed to the Freedom Index because the government came to the conclusion that freedom is correlated with economic growth. Herman Shute did everything right all his life to contribute to the Freedom Index, but a fateful decision during Market Appreciation Day sends it all toppling.
“Howlin’ Rain”
-- Big Bob, an accomplished hunter, goes out to sack a wolf. He misses his friend and hunting partner who went missing not long before, so he goes to the area where his friend disappeared. Camped out there, Big Bob discovers he’s no longer the hunter -- now he’s the prey.
“Who Goes There”
-- Through a series of letters, Alex recounts what happened to his brother, sister-in-law, and himself. His brother, Charles, was a lifelong alcoholic, so when he calls Alex asking for help, he assumes his brother is yet again making a mess of his life. When he gets there, he realizes his brother is stone-cold sober, but the means to which he got there is terrifying and supernatural.
I liked how this book is a blend of a novel and a collection of short stories. The tales are linked together by an over-arching story of a man needing to confess his secrets before he dies and the listener whose life is changed forever by hearing them.
I also liked how several of the stories seem as though they might be connected through mankind’s bleak future. This “could be” reality is harsh, frightening and, honestly, not all that unbelievable if you open your mind enough to the nature of humans.
Speculative fiction ranks among my favorite genres to read, and Schrader does a phenomenal job with these stories. Every single piece is an enjoyable read, something that’s not always the case in short story collections. They are creepy, fun, and thought-provoking. Well done, Mr. Schrader.
‘What Goes On In The Walls At Night: Thirteen Tales of Disgust and Delight’ by Andrew Schrader
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 5/5
Finished on February 17, 2018
GIVEN A FREE COPY IN EXCHANGE FOR AN HONEST REVIEW
FREE on Kindle Unlimited | $2.99 on Kindle | $11.99 in Paperback
BOOK DESCRIPTION:
Blending horror, science fiction, and fantasy, What Goes On In The Walls At Night is retro speculative fiction at its most bizarre.
An old man confesses the stories he was told by the voices in the walls. This collection of thirteen short stories take the reader on a journey both disgusting and delightful.
MY REVIEW:
I was given a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
‘What Goes On In The Walls At Night’ is made up of the stories:
“The Boy Who Swallowed Rocks”
-- This is a story about a young boy who starts out eating rocks and progresses to eating an entire building.
“The Big Feel”
-- Everett Thompson is a creepy TSA agent who gets a taste of his own medicine.
“Wings”
-- A friend goes to help an old friend who has lit upon the secret of becoming exactly who (or what) you want to be.
“Bradbury Walks At Midnight”
-- Ray Bradbury gives a boy the advice of a lifetime.
“The Developer”
-- The government has created a machine called The Developer that “develops” the world’s Resources and provides a profit for the people who feed it.
“The Sewers Are Angry!”
-- Children all over the world compete in flushing objects down the toilet. Edgar Thorpe is one of the best in America and becomes even better when he gets the help of a “shit monster” from the sewer. Together, they’re determined to accomplish the biggest flushing feat ever done -- flushing an entire human being.
This story was probably my favorite. I actually laughed out loud at the ending.
“The Night of Running Children”
-- For some inexplicable reason, all the children in a town start running. And running. And running.
“Every Day”
-- Richard and Jamie, husband and wife, keep their relationship fresh by being different people every day.
I loved this story. It’s bizarre but sweet, and the revelations reached by Richard and Jamie are things we could all stand to adopt into our lives.
“The Parasite”
-- A step-father is convinced his wife’s son is bad. When his wife gets inexplicably ill, he’s convinced the boy has something to do with it.
“2081”
-- The stock market has been renamed to the Freedom Index because the government came to the conclusion that freedom is correlated with economic growth. Herman Shute did everything right all his life to contribute to the Freedom Index, but a fateful decision during Market Appreciation Day sends it all toppling.
“Howlin’ Rain”
-- Big Bob, an accomplished hunter, goes out to sack a wolf. He misses his friend and hunting partner who went missing not long before, so he goes to the area where his friend disappeared. Camped out there, Big Bob discovers he’s no longer the hunter -- now he’s the prey.
“Who Goes There”
-- Through a series of letters, Alex recounts what happened to his brother, sister-in-law, and himself. His brother, Charles, was a lifelong alcoholic, so when he calls Alex asking for help, he assumes his brother is yet again making a mess of his life. When he gets there, he realizes his brother is stone-cold sober, but the means to which he got there is terrifying and supernatural.
I liked how this book is a blend of a novel and a collection of short stories. The tales are linked together by an over-arching story of a man needing to confess his secrets before he dies and the listener whose life is changed forever by hearing them.
I also liked how several of the stories seem as though they might be connected through mankind’s bleak future. This “could be” reality is harsh, frightening and, honestly, not all that unbelievable if you open your mind enough to the nature of humans.
Speculative fiction ranks among my favorite genres to read, and Schrader does a phenomenal job with these stories. Every single piece is an enjoyable read, something that’s not always the case in short story collections. They are creepy, fun, and thought-provoking. Well done, Mr. Schrader.
October 23, 2020
Reading this book was like being on a rollercoaster, and not in a good way...
I enjoyed the prologue, I thought that was really good and introduced the book perfectly. I did find it a bit convenient (and overdone) that this guy bumped into his all time favourite author from when he was a child though.
The book itself was split into several stories that were tales this author had heard in the walls, and some of them were far better than others.
When the stories were good they were absolutely brilliant, they got under my skin, made me feel sick, they built up the intrigue and interest perfectly and hooked you in!
But when they weren't the best you could really see the difference in quality. Some of them just didn't seem to be developed as well as others, one story went for the shock factor but you could see it coming a mile off and the final story I ended up DNFR because it was too much for me.
Towards the later couple of stories it felt as though the author forgot he was meant to be writing stories that were heard through a wall and they just got a bit crazy and away from the premise.
I enjoyed the prologue, I thought that was really good and introduced the book perfectly. I did find it a bit convenient (and overdone) that this guy bumped into his all time favourite author from when he was a child though.
The book itself was split into several stories that were tales this author had heard in the walls, and some of them were far better than others.
When the stories were good they were absolutely brilliant, they got under my skin, made me feel sick, they built up the intrigue and interest perfectly and hooked you in!
But when they weren't the best you could really see the difference in quality. Some of them just didn't seem to be developed as well as others, one story went for the shock factor but you could see it coming a mile off and the final story I ended up DNFR because it was too much for me.
Towards the later couple of stories it felt as though the author forgot he was meant to be writing stories that were heard through a wall and they just got a bit crazy and away from the premise.
September 17, 2018
This review contains no spoilers. I totally loved this collection of creative and original stories. The author demonstrates a rare talent in portraying vivid descriptions in these short stories. Some of the stories contain a pleasantly weird sense of humor, some contain a somewhat distressing but hilarious humor. The tales are overall dark and frightening.
The ends of the stories tend toward the typical dark story ending that is a little open ended. These endings leave me going "What?", but the stories are such wonderful rides through the amazing vivid writing and creative story lines that I don't even mind....and I hate vague endings.
When I look at this collection as a whole, I have to seriously wonder what the authors everyday thoughts are like. I have to ponder whether they could be incredibly brilliant or remarkably startling.
The ends of the stories tend toward the typical dark story ending that is a little open ended. These endings leave me going "What?", but the stories are such wonderful rides through the amazing vivid writing and creative story lines that I don't even mind....and I hate vague endings.
When I look at this collection as a whole, I have to seriously wonder what the authors everyday thoughts are like. I have to ponder whether they could be incredibly brilliant or remarkably startling.
June 23, 2025
Original and genuinely scary
None of the tales in this well-composed anthology finish up where you think they're headed.
The individual stories are quite unique, and forged in a creative, leftfield mind. They flow thanks to both the well-crafted prose and the author's ability to stick to each tale's goal. No faffage, just uncommonly good storytelling.
None of the tales in this well-composed anthology finish up where you think they're headed.
The individual stories are quite unique, and forged in a creative, leftfield mind. They flow thanks to both the well-crafted prose and the author's ability to stick to each tale's goal. No faffage, just uncommonly good storytelling.
July 7, 2018
Excellent book!
Great book,scary ,and very interesting stories. I really like this writer,he keeps you reading and you don't want to quit! Totally looking forward to reading more of this writer. Kept me up till 4am. Thank you for that, I love it! More please.
Great book,scary ,and very interesting stories. I really like this writer,he keeps you reading and you don't want to quit! Totally looking forward to reading more of this writer. Kept me up till 4am. Thank you for that, I love it! More please.
July 14, 2018
What Goes On In The Walls At Night
These short stories were all scary in their own way but they all will definitely make you think. With this author's imagination we will be seeing more books from him.
These short stories were all scary in their own way but they all will definitely make you think. With this author's imagination we will be seeing more books from him.
March 23, 2022
Interesting themes to some of these short stories - very anti-capitalist/anti-consumerist and concerned with social issues. A lot of focus on the economy, in a roundabout way. It was unusual compared to most of the horror I read but I liked it.
January 8, 2019
Amazing
These stories had me clued. There were twists and turns it kept me guessing what happens next. A most read!!!
These stories had me clued. There were twists and turns it kept me guessing what happens next. A most read!!!
December 24, 2019
I really liked these stories, gripping and imaginative. Who Goes There is a personal favorite. Nicely done.
January 14, 2021
These stories were quite strange at times but I just had to keep reading. That probably says a lot for the author to keep me interested. Would read this authors work again.
April 10, 2022
3.5 stars. Solid anthology.
Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews