The Indigo Room: A Gripping Descent into Office Horror
It’s rare to find a short story that lingers in your mind long after the final page, but Stephen Graham Jones has done just that with The Indigo Room, the second installment of The Shivers Collection. As an avid reader of horror, I was particularly drawn to this title, not only because of my familiarity with Jones’s captivating storytelling but also due to my own workplace experiences, making me keenly aware of the uncharted territories that can exist in seemingly mundane office environments. Given my fondness for Jackknife by Joe Hill, I was excited to dive back into this new, eerie offering.
In The Indigo Room, Jones takes a familiar setting—the office—and deftly twists it into a landscape of dread. The story follows a character whose daily routine is interrupted by a haunting presence within an indigo room, an ethereal space that serves as both a sanctuary and a site of horror. It brilliantly captures the isolation and unease that can fester in corporate life, especially as tensions escalate towards the shocking climax. The slow-burn approach that Jones is known for kept me on edge; he builds the tension gradually, crafting an unsettling atmosphere that feels simultaneously relatable and surreal.
What strikes me most about Jones’s writing is his ability to weave profound observations on human nature into the narrative. Characters are often multifaceted, making decisions that echo our own fears and vulnerabilities. As office shootings emerge as a theme, one can’t help but reflect on the fraying fabric of workplace safety and sanity. The use of a concise 36-page format amplifies the urgency, and just when you think you have a grip on the story, Jones delivers a jaw-dropping twist that makes you question everything you thought you knew.
One notable highlight was the way Jones captures the visceral discomfort of office life. He writes, “Once the horror hits, you’ll start making weird faces while reading,” and I couldn’t agree more! The realization of what lurks beneath the surface—right in a place where we often feel secure—creates memorable moments that resonate with anyone who’s ever spent too long in front of a computer screen.
As I turned the final pages, I was left in a state of shocked exhilaration. The ending was nothing short of insane; it’s the kind of twist that lingers, keeping you awake at night, replaying the narrative in your mind. For someone who’s worked 15 years in retail and over a decade in sports media, I found myself chuckling nervously whenever I thought about the meetings and Zoom calls that follow.
I wholeheartedly give The Indigo Room a 5/5. It’s a masterful blend of psychological horror and social commentary, and I believe it will resonate with both long-time fans of SGJ and newcomers looking for something unique. If you appreciate character-driven stories with an unsettling twist, this is a must-read. With each page, you’ll find a reminder of the uncanny truths hiding just below mundane life’s surface—a read that leaves you with a flavorful aftertaste of dread mixed with curiosity.
Now, I’m ready to see what other horrors await in the following books of The Shivers Collection. But if you’ll excuse me, I think I’ll be avoiding any indigo rooms—and perhaps even my next Zoom meeting—for a while!
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