I gave this book a quick try, and ultimately decided to DNF -- my tastes have changed since I requested this. Many thanks to the publisher for sending me a copy of this book!

I tried - I really did. But this sadly was a DNF for me.

The outline of the story appealed to me, as did the style. Every chapter focuses on a different character/resident of the titular Tower, and each adds to the greater tale. I paid attention and was rewarded with the little 'easter eggs' in each chapter that referred to previous events. This was a jigsaw puzzle that gradually came together as the book went on.

Unfortunately, the audiobook was very difficult for me to enjoy.

The first chapter was great, with an excellent narrator and superb ramping up of tension. As a past resident of London (and City commuter), I fully engaged with the protagonist and was rooting for her to the end. Great, what's next?

The second chapter was interesting, in a Lovecraftian way, but this protagonist was very different. And then the third... both with the same problems for me. These lead characters were not endearing, interesting or likeable at all (perhaps intentionally?), and the narrators were both slow and not always easy to understand. Thick accents do not make for good auditory experiences.

After a while, I found myself really not looking forward to continuing with this book, so sadly put it aside. I may try with the print version, as I can speed through the duller sections more effectively than with an audiobook! Disappointed, but I just wasn't able to connect with the presentation as was.

Banyan Court, Tower Hamlets, London is one residential building you might not want to live in. Not ever.

Thirteen guests are each sent an invitation to dinner with the infamous Tobais Fells a wealthy businessman (and all round unsavory character), the building owner and tenant in the penthouse of Banyan Court.

They all accept. But before they get to the dinner party you must hear their haunting stories...one by one.

It is essentially twelve short stories that then tie together for the thirteenth and final chapter.
This was my first horror novel and I was pleasantly surprised how much I enjoyed the dark creepy nature of the book, it was atmospheric and Sims certainly knows how to create incredible dark tension. I also enjoyed the climatic end of the Thirteenth Story.

I would recommend this to fans of thrillers who want to try something a little different, I am also suggesting anyone who is possibly not a fan of audio books. Why? Because it is narrated by a full cast of thirteen different actors that brings a fresh perspective, builds tension and brings each character to life adding another layer of depth to the ghostly stories. In addition, the sound effects helped to build on the eerie creepy tension. I also enjoyed the music interludes as the audio moved from one chapter to the next and subtly suggesting its connection to the overall plot and final climactic Thirteenth Story in the book.

Together with the narration the sound effects brought this story together and to life beautifully. I was questioning continually are they each sane or insane or is this the paranormal at work or not? There were clearly some stories I enjoyed better than others overall the whole book came together really well through the narration and Sim’s clever plot.

I thought it was a brilliant setting for the book, a thirteen story residential apartment building, with two sides: apartments for the rich and affordable housing on the other for the poor residents and of course the metaphorical spin of the real world and supernatural world haunting the said building. Very clever Sims! I really like the book cover too which was one of the aspects that attracted me to the book.

Bravo, it was a brilliant debut!

Thank you to NetGalley and publisher Orion Publishing Group for a copy of this audio book in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for a copy of this audiobook in exhange for an honest review.

The debut novel from Jonathan Sims, best known as the creator and star of the horror podcast The Magnus Archives, revolves around a London building. Banyan Court is the creation of billionaire entrepreneur Tobias Fell who died when he invited 12 people to dinner. Each story about the residents tell us of paranormal experiences that they have while residing there and after each of them being given an invitation to join Tobas fell for dinner.

What a creepy and suspense filled read. The first 12 storeys focus on one of the invited guests at the party. There's quite a lot of characters and I kept forgetting who was who. The plotline is complex. This is an intriguing read that I can't say too much about as I would spoil it for potential readers.

The characters are an interesting and eclectic bunch of personalities who are all human with the diversity and flaws that being human entails. The stories in Thirteen Storeys are saturated in an eerie atmosphere with a creeping sense of unease and a sinister undertone. Some are insidious and offer a grounded and measured approach, are cerebral and use the adage of ‘less is more’ leaving your imagination to run wild. While others are far more visceral with sections that include some full-blown grotesque and macabre vivid imagery that aid in raising the creep factor and chilling the blood in your veins to ice-cold. With the differences in both the stories and the hauntings, Thirteen Storeys is a varied collection of immersive and unsettling tales. The one constant in the stories and this is where, for me, the true terror lies is that they are all written in such a way that you are left with a niggling doubt over whether what the characters are experiencing is psychological and they have fallen down a rabbit hole of delusion, their own fears, obsession and paranoia or if there is actually a hostile and malevolent supernatural force at play that has touched, corrupting and is influencing them.

Without going into detail, some favourite stories of mine were The Knock about a renowned art dealer who acquires a painting and becomes obsessed with it. Smart about a tech apartment which is a fascinating and frightening look at technology, our reliance upon it and how it can take over and control our lives. A Foot in the Door which is about a character researching the history of Banyan Court and Tobias Fell. Bad Penny about a child on the rich side, her always hungry imaginary friend and the games that they play. Round The Clock about two concierges working the rich half of Banyan Court. Old Plumbing about a plumber who is investigating the pipes in Banyan Court and the discoloured liquid that is flowing out of them. And finally, The Builder which is the last story gives reader’s their first glimpse at Tobias Fell and features the dinner party, all of the convened guests and the true events that transpired in the penthouse.

Very clever indeed, this is a haunted house story on acid. Here’s one talented author for sure. Highly recommended

Wow! This is without a doubt the finest example of an audio book I have ever heard! Top botch narration from a huge array of characters made the stories easy to follow and the added sound effects made for an eerie, gripping experience! I wasn't sure if I woyld like this, but each story drew me in deeper and deeper. I listened to the whole thing in one day! I'm not 100% sure about the ending but the whole experience was thoroughly enjoyable!

A very intriguing book that I personally felt was over complicated by too many characters, I felt little to no empathy for any of them and t one honest did not really care what happened to them, in written format it would have been too many in audio it was way too many especially as each character had its own narrator, I could have been more engaged if it had just been a single narrator, starting each new chapter with a different voice with different infections and tones was too jarring for me and consequently I lost interest, that aside it’s a good story that is highly readable (not listenable)