The build-up is great, heading into the thirteenth story which is the climax of the book. 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 horror is terrifying and effective because it’s personal to each character. 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. I was excited to see what will happen that leads to his death especially when the characters start receiving his dinner invitation. There’s a sinister vibe throughout the story where Tobias Fell lingers in the background of each character without making an appearance. The book tackles the theme of the wealthy exploiting the poor by bringing up issues that are timely and socially relevant. I also appreciate how diverse they are in terms of race, class, gender and sexuality. And the workers, like the concierge and the plumber. The poorer residents like a night shift worker and a single mother. There are rich residents including a tech guru and an art dealer.

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. I’ve lived in apartments and I thought the way the author described the characters’ day to day life to be spot-on. 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. įor some reason, the idea of stepping into that lift, slowly riding down those eight floors next to them, filled Violet with horror. 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. A group of strangers from the Court are invited to a dinner party hosted by Fell. It’s an exclusive development with luxury apartments at the front and an “affordable” block at the back.

Banyan Court is owned by a reclusive billionaire, Tobias Fell.

13 storeys jonathan sims