Antisocial Housing

by Tim Mendees

Some land should never be built upon
Called to a newly-built low-rise block of flats on a Cornwall housing estate, plumber Paul Cannon finds more than a blocked toilet to contend with. Teaming up with a pair of local police officers, Paul's humdrum existence is turned upside down as something old and hideous stirs in the foundations. The tenants are vanishing, the nosy neighbour is in uproar and there is something definitely wrong with the pipes.
Uncovering a nightmare that stretches into the town's distant, and often murky past, it's up to a rag-tag assortment of local characters to ensure that what lurks in the walls of that cursed building never makes it to the outside world.

Genres: Horror, Novella, Lovecraftian

158 pages, Paperback

First published April 16, 2022

About the author

Tim Mendees is a horror writer from Macclesfield in the North-West of England that specialises in cosmic horror and weird fiction. A lifelong fan of classic weird tales, Tim set out to bring the pulp horror of yesteryear into the 21st Century and give it a distinctly British flavour. His work has been described as the love-child of H.P. Lovecraft and P.G. Wodehouse and is often peppered with a wry sense of humour that acts as a counterpoint to the unnerving, and often disturbing, narratives.
Tim has had over eighty published short stories and novelettes in anthologies and magazines with publishers all over the world. He also has five novellas and a short story collection on sale with more coming soon.
When he is not arguing with the spellchecker, Tim is a goth DJ, crustacean and cephalopod enthusiast, and the presenter of a popular web series of live video readings of his material and interviews with fellow authors. Tim is also a co-host of the Innsmouth Book Club podcast. He currently lives in Brighton & Hove with his pet crab, Gerald, and an army of stuffed octopods.
https://timmendeeswriter.wordpress.com/
https://tinyurl.com/timmendeesyoutube

Reviews

[Melki · Rating 4 out of 5]

Residents of an apartment block find that thin walls and noisy neighbors are the least of their problems when a pesky shoggoth comes to call.



What follows is an action-packed, horror/thriller Lovecraft tribute with a well appreciated dollop of humor.

And, then . . .

Everything grinds to a halt while we're treated to a deadly dull story of another group of hapless folk who discovered the creature decades earlier.

I get how it was necessary to waddle through so that the second group could garner hints as to how to slay the beast, but perhaps the chapters could have been interwoven somehow . . . anything to keep the momentum from the first part of the book flowing.

Anyway, this was fun, and I'd certainly read more by this author.

Thanks to NetGalley and Nordic Press for the read.

[Kirsty Carson · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 rounded up to 4.
Called to a newly-built low-rise block of flats on a Cornwall housing estate, plumber Paul Cannon finds more than a blocked toilet to contend with. Teaming up with a pair of local police officers, Paul's humdrum existence is turned upside down as something old and hideous stirs in the foundations. The tenants are vanishing, the nosy neighbour is in uproar and there is something definitely wrong with the pipes.

This was an enjoyable, quick read, but you have to go in aware that the storyline is a concept best coupled with a sense of humour.

With an explosive and gripping opening this novella definitely grabs your attention but sadly I felt it fell a little flat as the story progressed.

I didn’t really like or relate to any of the characters which in turn made it hard to feel tense or worry for their predicament. I also felt the plot was a little underdeveloped and the end a little underwhelming.

However, I did enjoy Mendees’ writing style and thought that there were elements of real flair in his writing, especially when depicting the gorier aspects of the story.

Won’t say this won’t be my last Mendees as I think with more revision and redrafting this could have been a great wee story, so I am keen to check out some more of his work.

[Bandit · Rating 3 out of 5]

Well, how can you resist a cover like that? Or a cutely clever title like that? Seriously? Apartment living is a naturally horrific thing – the neighbors, the landlords, the noise, etc. – but Antisocial Housing takes it to new heights.
So yeah, this is one of those cosmic horror on a housing estate situations. Lightly humorous approach to a gore-splattered scenario and oodles of tentacled fun all around. All with a distinctly British flavor.
My first book by the author and a very nice introduction indeed. Quick one sitting read at just 89 pages and a fun one at that. Recommended for genre fans. Thanks Netgalley.

[Join the Penguin Resistance! · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the first story I have read from author Tim Mendees, and it is delightfully Horrifying and a fine Lovecraftian and Poe-ian tribute. In Cornwall, a new two-tower housing estate has been constructed on the site of two former (also poorly built) towers. Now Cornwall is the site of a plethora of underground subsidence, due to geology, overabundance of mining, and smugglers' tunnels routing inland from the sea. In addition, this particular location is even more fraught, connecting as it does to the Monstrous.


If you love Lovecraft and Poe, you'll surely devour the contemporary and historical horrors contained in ANTISOCIAL HOUSING!

[Emma · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5

I don't think monster horror is my thing. But I did enjoy the goop and its many eyes.

[Curiosity · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was provided to me as an ARC. I was pleasantly surprised by how intrigued I was by the story from the first chapter on. Mendees knew exactly how to captivate me from the second I started reading. No time is wasted in this novel, we are dropped into the action right away. It was my first read from this author and I'm definitely going to read more books by them.

I loved the creature, it reminded me of Lovecraftian monsters. The atmosphere created by the author kept me engaged and entertained. The descriptions of the action and the creature's way of attacking the residents makes me wary of my shower, sinks and toilet (to this day). The narrative slowed down a little once we went back in the past to learn about how the creature was set free. However, I felt that the characters in that part of the story were quite charming.

If you like gory action-filled monster horror, I absolutely recommend this novel!

[Brenda · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the first story I've read by Tim Mendees. What a fun, horrifying little story. The story jumps right into the gory action almost from page one. Plumbing issues are never fun, and this takes it to a whole new level.

This is the type of story that makes you afraid to use the bathroom late at night.

Thank you to Netgalley and Nordic Press for allowing me to receive and early copy of this book. Antisocial Housing will be available for purchase on April 30, 2022.

[Kathy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Apartment living was never a pleasurable experience. Forget about obnoxious neighbors, thin walls or faulty electricity. Worry about the plumbing, and true to the genre, stay out of the basement or whatever runs beneath. An unlikely group must figure out a way to fight and defeat the other-worldly horror that is trying to invade the apartment building, Cornwall, and ultimately the world. Antisocial Housing is a fun, quick read. Great for reading in one sitting. Cosmic horror at its best!

Special thanks to NetGalley for a free copy in exchange for my review.

[Deb · Rating 5 out of 5]

Betyls Cove is a charming place to settle down if you are comfortable with elder gods, dodgy gastropubs, carnivorous plants and low budget social housing. I hear they do serve a nice cup of tea. In this visit to the universe according to Tim Mendees, we find ancient tunnels under the town that have an epicentre under a poorly rebuilt social housing project. The first one failed under mysterious circumstances. In this one, the plumbing could use more than a tap of a wrench. The local constabulary will need more than citations to deal with what lurks beneath. This is a worthy addition to the Mendees mythos.

[Luke Emery · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’ve read a fair amount of Tim Mendees’ stuff, and this is another great British cosmic horror tale. You take the action of Die Hard, the horror of Lovecraft and the humour of Hot Fuzz, put it all together and you get Antisocial Housing. This is a nice quick read and great way to spend an evening. Highly recommend.

[Tasha · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you #NetGalley and #NordicPress for sending me #AntisocialHousing by #TimMendees for review.

This is a short story that jumps right in to the thick of it! Fast paced, a freaky creature called a shoggoth. It is full of tentacles and yellow eyes.
The ending wraps real quick though.

[Mary · Rating 5 out of 5]

Everyone hates it when their plumbing gets plugged up. It’s icky to think of what might be in there clogging the pipes and you cringe at the thought of having to go after the offending mass to free the drains. Well, what if the tables are turned and that offending mass comes after YOU? Ponder the Sloggeth next time you take too long on the toilet.
#AntisocialHousing was a wild, high-speed ride from the start. This is a fun scare that will hold your interest to the end. Thank you #netgalley for allowing me to read and review this quick read.

[Gwendolyn · Rating 5 out of 5]

I haven’t technically read anything from HP Lovecraft but from the books, movies & TV shows that I have read
/watched that claim that they are Lovecraftian, than I would surmise that this book is also Lovecraft like. So if that is something that interest you, than you will really like this book. It’s not too long and it goes directly into the action. I really like that the author didn’t add a bunch of fluff to make the book longer.

I received this ARC from Netgalley & the publisher. These are my honest opinions of this book.

[Ami Morrison · Rating 5 out of 5]

Originally published on the book blog Creature From the Book Lagoon.

*Thank you Netgalley for the Advanced Reader Copy in exchange for an honest review.

YESSSSSSSSS!!!! This novella had EVERYTHING I could possibly want from a story. Fun plot? Check. Likable characters? Check. Nasty creatures on the loose? Check. Chaos and action? Check!! 😀

I had a total blast reading Antisocial Housing! 🙂 This is a pretty short book, and we do NOT waste any time get to getting. The flow is consistently fast paced. I FLEW through this book. I just could not put it down. I wish it had been a little longer… I was super sad it ended so fast. I was having so much fun and did not want to say bye so soon.

Love, love, LOVED the icky creature! Slug like slime blob thing with LOTS of eyes? Ew. These things are wild! 😀 Their method of dispatching people is pretty impressive. Legit my only complaint is that I wish there had been more human causalities (that we got to witness that is)! 😀

The characters are just a joy to hang out with. They have amazing chemistry together. 🙂 The main group are just so likable, too. I really enjoyed watching them interact with each other as well as watching them figure out what the hell was going on and how to fight the slug slim! They had plenty of great back and forth banter. I had a great time cheering for their fight for survival.

Antisocial Housing is just pure madness and fun. I’m trying to find a clever way of saying just how entertaining it is, but the novella just left me speechless. Just go read it and enjoy it for yourself!! 😀 I look forward to reading other stories from this author.

[Kennie Morrison · Rating 5 out of 5]

Antisocial Housing by Tim Mendees is a cosmic horror novel that had me as soon as I saw the title and cover of the book. In the council estates in Cornwall, residents of Burridge court on the Edwards estate are starting to disappear. It’s just another day for handyman Paul Cannon and was meant to be a quiet domestic call out for police Sergeant Gary Fisher and PC Charlotte Granger. However, these three soon find themselves amid a cosmic nightmare as they investigate the disappearances of the residents of the beloved Edwards estate.

Antisocial housing is a phenomenal pulp horror novel. It’s short but sweet with gory kills, memorable lines, and a familiar back story for those who love stories of Lovecraftian horrors. The book starts innocently enough with a resident lazily enjoying his alone time before being gruesomely liquefied alive and sucked down the plug hole of his kitchen sink. From there, it's a continuous barrage of fantastic lines, humorous characters, and a creature that only utters the words Tekeli-li. The only issue I found with this book is that it wasn't any longer. While it dives into the pretty exciting back story of how this came to be on a council estate, I would have loved it if it went even further with the narrative, but for what it was, I thoroughly enjoyed it.

Thank you, #NetGalley, Tim Mendees, and Nordic Press for allowing me to read this book!

[Janalyn, the blind reviewer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Borridge Court Apartments is government housing. It’s where you live when everything else in life is failed. When the story starts there’s a complaint about the plumbing and a complaint about the guy complaining about the plumbing. This is why the plumbers and the detectives show up at the towers. Which will eventually lead to the archaeologists showing up and even though archaeologist love to find old things they’re not prepared for what they’ll find out at this complex. It will be the oldest thing they’ve ever found and the deadliest. I didn’t know how to write the review for antisocial housing, I read it in one sitting and I loved the characters in the original plot. I thought chapters went by quickly and I was eager to get to the next one so that was a plus. I gave this five stars because it is such an original idea and I honestly want to read more from this author. I wish I could tell you with more flair about this book but that isn’t a talent I possess just know if you love horror you’ll love this book. I was given this book by net Gally and I am leaving this review voluntarily. Please forgive any grammar or punctuation errors as I am blind and dictate my review but all opinions are definitely my own.

[Joyce · Rating 5 out of 5]

87 pages

Short Story - 5 stars

What a hoot! I get such a kick out of these little tales. This is my first Tim Mendees story, but it definitely won’t be my last. I am an avid follower of Hunter Shea’s more “creative” stories, so Mr. Mendees is a sure fire addition to that shelf.

When the old tenement is torn down, a new apartment dwelling is planned. However, the work is shoddy, the doors don’t fit, the electricity is wonky and the plumbing is …well…let’s say odd. Something is alive in the drains. Something that eats people by literally dissolving them.

Two police officers and a plumber happen into this horrible mess. They can’t exit the building due to a locked door. What are they to do?

We are given background information through a journal left behind by one of the former occupants.

The tension in this story is delicious and the action is non-stop. It is well written and plotted. I thoroughly enjoyed this little story and look forward to reading more of Mr. Mendees’ stories.

I want to thank NetGalley and Nordic Press for forwarding to me a copy of this great story for me to read, enjoy and review. The opinions expressed here are solely my own.

[Billie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Some land should never be built upon
Called to a newly-built low-rise block of flats on a Cornwall housing estate, plumber Paul Cannon finds more than a blocked toilet to contend with. Teaming up with a pair of local police officers, Paul’s humdrum existence is turned upside down as something old and hideous stirs in the foundations. The tenants are vanishing, the nosy-neighbour is in uproar and there is something definitely wrong with the pipes.
Uncovering a nightmare that stretches into the town’s distant, and often murky past, it’s up to a rag-tag assortment of local characters to ensure that what lurks in the walls of that cursed building ver makes it to the outside world.

This is a thrillinread.
Wonderful well written plot and story line that had me engaged from the start.
Love the well fleshed out characters and found them believable.
Great suspense and found myself second guessing every thought I had continuously.
Can't wait to read what the author brings out next.
Recommend reading.

I was provided an ARC from NetGalley and the publisher. This is my own honest voluntary review.

[Kate Victoria RescueandReading · Rating 3 out of 5]

This tale jumps right into the action!
A plumber & a pair of cops, with the help of an addled archeologist, take on a nightmare monster in a housing unit from hell.

While I enjoy an action packed, fast paced story, I was also left with a few unanswered questions. For example, what happened to the other students in the tunnels, as the seal hadn’t been broken yet? I’d also love to know more of the smuggler Squire Edwards’ story, and his broken pact.

Overall, this is an excellent read for fans of creature features, HP Lovecraft, and anyone who’s read “The Graveyard Apartment” by Mariko Koike.

Thank you to NetGalley, Nordic Press & Tim Mendees for a copy.

[Mini Mochi · Rating 3 out of 5]

I actually give this 3.5 stars. I really liked this book but I got a smidge confused with the Sarah storyline. So Sarah saves the survivors. We flashback which isn't super clear either. Once that's over Sarah isn't there and has committed suicide?? How did she save them if she was dead? But overall I really enjoyed this book. I think you can definately see the H.P. Lovecraft inspiration throughout the story espically with the monster. Also gave me live old-school/obsucure horror movie. I honestly would love to see the Archology part just as a book alone.

[Katrina · Rating 4 out of 5]

This one was so much fun! I won't go into a ton of detail about the plot bc this little novella clocks in at a sharp 89 pages and you can probably tell from this awesome cover! The beginning of this was so wonderfully executed it felt like I was watching Creepshow! It reminded me of the true horrors of living in an apartment building haha. I recommend this one to cosmic horror beginners and creature feature enthusiasts. Thank you Netgalley for this arc in exchange for my honest review.

[Will · Rating 3 out of 5]

Short pulpy fun that's dragged to a crawl in the middle when it switches voice to a wordy and posh old retelling of the origins of the monster. I think this segment would have been better off at the beginning rather than as an interruption to the action and could have been much shorter. Otherwise, you get what you can imagine just by looking at the cover and you'll have a good time if you enjoy crazy eldritch horror as much as I do
Thanks to Netgalley for providing me with an ARC!

[Brenda · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the first story I've read by Tim Mendees. What a fun, horrifying short story. The story jumps right into the gory action almost from page one. Plumbing issues are never fun, and this takes it to a whole new level.

This is the type of story that makes you afraid to use the bathroom late at night.

Thank you to Netgalley and Nordic Press for allowing me to receive and early copy of this book. Antisocial Housing will be available for purchase on April 30, 2022.

[Xóchitl Meza · Rating 2 out of 5]

The story was interesting and the use of the diary for a flashback was a nice touch. The action scenes were well written and engaging. Although it was an entertaining read but I couldn’t for the life of me distinguish between characters. I didn’t find the monster scary because the descriptions of the monster attacking were too vague.

Thanks to Net Galley for providing me an E-ARC in exchange for an honest review

[Jeremy Fowler · Rating 5 out of 5]

WHAT A RIDE FROM START TO FINISH. This was my first Tim Mendees horror novel, but it will most assuredly not be my last. Lovecraftian horror with a gelatinous twist, this shoggoth story truly brings the house down. With quick pacing and fun characters, this story has a little bit for everyone. Run and don't walk to go out and get this book!

[Lindsay · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a great read, I really enjoyed this I love horror and have a soft spot for Lovecraft style too.
A quirky fun read of a council building that is haunted by this nightmare as it takes the tenants one by one. There’s escape if they can get there in time. A must read definitely I’m going to look for other books now by this author too

[Karen Makeham · Rating 5 out of 5]

There is a new build council block where corners were cut in the construction quality. Something horrible and evil comes out of the plumbing. No-one is safe as it travels fast through the block. Can Gary and Charlotte free the residents before they are devoured?
Great horror and humorous too. I like the chapters on the original discovery. Would make a great scary movie!

[Annarella · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is one of those book that should be read by a lot of people because it mixes cosmic horror with dark and paradoxical humour.
I love it, had fun and will surely read other books by this author.
Highly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine

[ᛚᚨᚱᚲᚨ × ᚠᛖᚾᚱᛁᚱ (Semi hiatus) · Rating 3 out of 5]

Quick and sweet read for horror aficionados! Especially recommended for people who like creatures and breezy executions.

[Dominick Allen · Rating 4 out of 5]

I thought it was just rats I had to worry about coming up though my plumbing!