HORRORSTÖR: A Novel by Grady Hendrix

Last week as I was walking by the New Fiction books a colleague handed me, HORRORSTÖR by Grady Hendrix.  How fortuitous.  I was heading off to Chicago-land that weekend and would be making my inaugural visit to IKEA, and this title was the perfect primer, (in a twisted sort of way, that is).

Grady Hendrix's book is a fast, very funny read.  HORRORSTÖR, takes place at ORSK: THE BETTER HOME FOR THE EVERYONE, an IKEA wannabe.   The book is cleverly designed with each chapter, at least initially, showcasing a named piece of furniture. The first, the BROOKA, is a very Scandinavian-like sofa, with clean lines and a description that screams IKEA.  "A sofa that's everything you ever dreamed a sofa could be.  With memory-foam cushions and a high back that delivers the support your neck deserves, BROOKA is relaxing beginning to the end of your day.".

Something has gone amiss at ORSK, greatly amiss.  Every morning staff arrives to find furniture broken, glassware shattered and worse.  Three employees agree to work an overnight shift to try to discover what is happening during the nighttime hours.  As the night progresses, the pieces of furniture prefacing each chapter change.  We move from the sofa to bookshelves, to a dining room table to instruments of torture.  As the story unfolds we learn that this suburban Ohio ORSK store was built on the site of a prison, a prison of unspeakable horror.  While not the scariest of stories, HORROSTÖR, more than makes up for that weakness in the sleek design and packaging of the book.  Both fans and those who are not so keen on the IKEA experience will find HORRORSTÖR very entertaining.