Book Review | Thirteen Storeys by Jonathan Sims

Banyan Court is owned by a reclusive billionaire, Tobias Fell. It’s an exclusive development with luxury apartments at the front and an “affordable” block at the back. A group of strangers from the Court are invited to a dinner party hosted by Fell. By the end of the night, he is dead. But who is guilty?

Two figures stood inside, huddled close together, facing toward the back corner as though in close conversation, though Violet couldn’t make out what they were saying. […]

For some reason, the idea of stepping into that lift, slowly riding down those eight floors next to them, filled Violet with horror.

Thirteen Storeys is a brilliant haunted house story! It features thirteen interconnected stories with different characters living or working in Banyan Court, a fictional residential block in London. I’ve lived in apartments and I thought the way the author described the characters’ day to day life to be spot-on. The book has a large cast of characters and while it was hard to keep track at first, I thought they were all very interesting. There are rich residents including a tech guru and an art dealer. The poorer residents like a night shift worker and a single mother. And the workers, like the concierge and the plumber. Each character has their own struggle. I also appreciate how diverse they are in terms of race, class, gender and sexuality.

The book tackles the theme of the wealthy exploiting the poor by bringing up issues that are timely and socially relevant. There’s a sinister vibe throughout the story where Tobias Fell lingers in the background of each character without making an appearance. I was excited to see what will happen that leads to his death especially when the characters start receiving his dinner invitation.

What I really loved about the book was how creepy it is! The characters experience many strange, unexplainable things that are linked to their past. The horror is terrifying and effective because it’s personal to each character. Bizarre things in the pipes, a haunting painting, a mysterious late-night show, and a ghost child are some of the scares that appear in the book. The build-up is great, heading into the thirteenth story which is the climax of the book. I did find the last chapter to be rushed; I wanted to know more about the strings that Tobias Fell pulled to get to the others. But I thought the epilogue is a satisfying end to the story.

Thirteen Storeys is a unique take on the haunted house trope that will leave you with some unforgettable images. As a note, the author is the creator of the horror podcast The Magnus Archives so if you’re a fan then you’ll love this book!

CW: physical assault, cannibalism

I received a digital copy from the publisher and the Netgalley for review purposes.

About the author: Jonathan Sims

Photo by Liam Read