I came across The Judge’s House completely by chance while exploring a new YouTube channel called Voice of the Veil. The narrator there has a truly captivating voice, and although his audiobook collection is still quite small, he’s selected some hidden gems: short and lesser-known stories that definitely deserve more attention. One of them was The Judge’s House by Bram Stoker, the author of Dracula. I read the blurb and was instantly intrigued.

„A student arrives in a small town looking for a quiet place to stay while preparing for his examination. Making light of the local superstitions, he moves into an old mansion where a notorious hanging judge once lived. He is comfortably settled and engrossed in his work when, in the middle of the night, he is visited by an enormous rat with baleful eyes. As soon as the giant rat appears, other rats that infest the old house fall silent. When the great rat returns on the second night, the student begins to feel uneasy. He soon learns why the locals fear the Judge’s House.“

Blurb

The atmosphere in this story was what really stood out to me. It felt dark, eerie, and extremely isolated. Perfectly setting the stage for the events that unfold. The strange noises, the building tension, and the strange occurrences in the house created a very immersive and unsettling experience. While it’s a bit of a slow burn at first, the story is only around 25 pages long, so the pacing felt just right in the end.

The real payoff comes in the final section, which brings a twist that I found surprisingly original and effective. It reminded me of a blend between The Picture of Dorian Gray and the more mysterious early chapters of Dracula. Stoker’s writing style here is accessible and engaging. I found myself slipping into the world of the story almost immediately.

All in all, The Judge’s House was a chilling and atmospheric short story with a satisfying conclusion. For me, it was a solid 4-star read and a great discovery thanks to Voice of the Veil.

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️