The stories that blend real-life worries with fictional horror are the ones that hit the hardest for me. Worry Box by Chris Panatier has you feeling for the family in this house, all while frightened by what supernatural forces could do to tear said family apart. A fresh and unique look at the haunted house concept by one of the most elite horror voices today.
The Martins need a new home for their growing family. For Alison, Nathan, daughter Dru, and foster child Lailah, it’s love at first sight when they see the house in Tumbling Hills. It even has a cozy attic, which is great for Lailah; she needs a quiet place to be alone when her intrusive thoughts creep in.
(crack an egg into the coffee machine)
The family gets settled. The house is perfect, and so is the timing – Lailah’s adoption will soon be finalized.
(push your sister down the stairs)
But as the date approaches, her intrusive thoughts get worse, and Lailah fears she’s losing control.
(burn them alive in their beds)
Worry Box is a new style of haunted house horror with the house taking a point-of-view and the unknown on who or what is causing such chaos. Haunted house stories are a dime-a-dozen, but one that takes the story to new heights is something special. Panatier crafts a story that brings real-life horrors and blends them with supernatural terror in a place that you should feel comfortable, a new home.
Panatier builds a family unit that is just what most of us want in life. Two partners, a couple of kids, maybe one that needs you more than you need them. Bringing us close to family and allowing us to care for their future, only to toss grenades of supernatural horror into the mix and through things into flux. There is a sense of mystery throughout, even as things are revealed, you still don’t know who or what is responsible. It’s an uneasy feeling that has you quickly turning pages to find the answers and by all means, hope for a happy ending.
The supernatural horror is why I showed up, but it’s the real-life pain that is felt inside the story that had me sticking around. A child that feel’s unwanted with a biological family that couldn’t care less, but a new family that wants you more than ever, not to mention the kid suffering from some thoughts that would scare most people away, only for things to go sideways had me hurting. Forget the pain the house itself is trying to cause, get this kid adopted is all I could say. This alone sounds utterly terrifying, but Panatier had to go ahead and add another level of fear to the mix.
Panatier mixes in a few twists and turns, just enough to keep you guessing, but not enough to give you whiplash. However, the twists land at just the right moment. Times of what the hell is Chris thinking, to only sit back and awe of the decision making going into his writing. The pacing was spot-on with steady storytelling that was never too quick and even during slower moments doesn’t feel bogged down. To be honest, I blasted through Worry Box in mere days.
I couldn’t figure out if Panatier’s Worry Box had the adult version of Goosebumps vibe reading hybrid between audiobook and physical copy due to Chris Sorensen‘s audio narration or if it was the overall structure and theme of the story. It just had this feeling at times of a more mature story in the vein of an R.L. Stine, which in my eyes is never a bad thing.
Worry Box is one of 2026’s best horror stories, if not the year’s top horror story. Chris Panatier draws you into the Martin family and their new home, only to crush you with a blend of real-life struggles and supernatural horror that had me speechless at times. Worry Box is must-read unique haunted house supernatural horror that is proof Panatier is a significant voice in horror.
Worry Box hits bookstores everywhere on September 22, 2026 from Angry Robot. The audiobook, narrated by Chris Sorensen, is available via Libro.fm!
