🍼 Book Review: The Pram by Joe Hill (Kindle Edition, Creature Feature Collection #1)
A haunting meditation on grief, fatherhood, and supernatural obsession—Joe Hill opens the Creature Feature series with a chilling short story that’s more psychological than monstrous.
🧠 Overview
Published in September 2023, The Pram is a 57-page horror short story by Joe Hill, part of Amazon Original Stories’ Creature Feature Collection. The story follows Willy and Marianne, a couple who move to a remote farmhouse in Maine after suffering a miscarriage. Hoping for a fresh start, they settle into a quiet life—until Willy is offered a decrepit old baby stroller by a local shopkeeper.
At first, the pram seems harmless. But as Willy begins to hear phantom coos and grows emotionally attached to the stroller, it becomes clear that something sinister is unfolding. The pram becomes a vessel for Willy’s buried grief and rage, and the story spirals into a supernatural reckoning.
🔍 Key Themes & Highlights
- 💔 Grief and guilt: The emotional core of the story lies in Willy’s unresolved sorrow and resentment
- 🧠 Psychological horror: Hill focuses on internal dread rather than jump scares, making the horror feel personal and insidious
- 🧸 Symbolism of the pram: A chilling metaphor for lost parenthood and the dangers of unprocessed trauma
- 🕯️ Stephen King echoes: Fans of Pet Sematary will recognize thematic parallels—loss, rage, and the supernatural consequences of grief
💬 Reader Reception
- ⭐ Goodreads rating: 3.74/5 from over 26,000 ratings
- 📖 Readers praise the story’s emotional depth, atmospheric setting, and tight prose
- 🧾 Some felt the horror elements were underdeveloped due to the short format, wishing for a longer, more immersive experience
- 💬 “It’s eerie, sad, and quietly devastating. The pram isn’t just haunted—it’s a mirror for everything Willy refuses to face.” — Goodreads reviewer
⚠️ Considerations
- 📄 Short format: At under 60 pages, it’s a quick read—best approached as a psychological vignette
- 📚 Standalone: Part of the Creature Feature Collection, but works independently
- 🧠 Subtle horror: Not overly graphic—ideal for readers who prefer emotional suspense over gore
🏁 Final Verdict
The Pram is a thoughtful and unsettling horror short that showcases Joe Hill’s ability to blend emotional realism with supernatural dread. While the scares are quiet, the story lingers—especially for readers who’ve wrestled with grief or the complexities of parenthood. If you’re looking for a haunting tale that’s more cerebral than shocking, this Kindle edition is a compelling pick.
