FRIGHTLY! Scary Stories and Tales of Terror

Enjoy a family fright night with stories that thrill—but don’t traumatize. FRIGHTLY! drags classic and original horror tales into the cold light of your headphones (or car). From haunted manors to twisted minds, each story is performed with cinematic intensity—no cheap jump scares, no clichés, just unsettling beauty and bone-deep dread. Hear the masters of the macabre reborn, alongside new nightmares crafted to feel too real for comfort. Because fear deserves better storytelling. FRIGHTLY! is part of Short Storyverses (shortstoryverses.com), a growing collection of podcasts devoted to exceptional storytelling. Explore Litreading—our original classic short story podcast featuring a variety of timeless tales; Season’s Readings to brighten your holidays any time of year; New Tales Told for original storiesr; and Readastorus for for younger listeners. Search for all of these titles wherever you get your podcasts. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Episodes

  1. The Judge's House – A Classic Ghost Story by Bram Stoker

    11/19/2025

    The Judge's House – A Classic Ghost Story by Bram Stoker

    Some houses advertise their menace. Others wait. In The Judge’s House, Bram Stoker gives us a quiet old home with a history no one wants to speak aloud. A university student, seeking absolute solitude to study, leases the abandoned residence of a long-dead magistrate known for his severity—and for something darker. At first, it is only the silence that unnerves him. Then comes the persistent scurrying of a single gray rat. Then the eyes. And finally, the feeling that the judgment passed in this house never truly ended. Bram Stoker (1847–1912) was an Irish writer whose work shaped modern horror. While best known for Dracula, Stoker spent his career constructing atmospheric tales that lingered on fear, superstition, and the unseen forces pressing at the edges of ordinary life. His short fiction often explored the tension between rational men and irrational evil—a conflict that defines The Judge’s House. Stoker’s influence reaches far beyond vampires; he helped establish the psychological and supernatural vocabulary of horror that writers still draw from today. This story is part of The Short Storyverses, a growing multiverse of storytelling. Explore classic tales on Litreading, original fiction on New Tales Told, playful adventures for young listeners on Readastorus, and warm, timeless holiday stories on Season’s Readings. One place, multiple storyverses, endless stories. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    48 min
  2. The Cask of Amontillado - A Classic Scary Story by Edgar Allan Poe

    11/14/2025

    The Cask of Amontillado - A Classic Scary Story by Edgar Allan Poe

    Beneath the streets of old Italy, where carnival laughter drowns out good judgment, Edgar Allan Poe takes us into one of literature’s most unsettling descents. The Cask of Amontillado is a cold, precise story of pride, manipulation, and a man who knows exactly how far he’s willing to go to avenge an unnamed insult. What begins as a simple invitation to taste a rare wine turns into a slow walk into the darkness—brick by brick, step by chilling step. Poe doesn’t rush. He lets the dread spread, flicker, and settle in the reader’s bones. This is one of those tales that reminds us how quietly a human being can plan something monstrous. Edgar Allan Poe (1809–1849) reshaped American literature with his haunting explorations of the human mind. His stories of psychological tension, obsession, and quiet cruelty helped forge the modern mystery and horror genres. In works like The Cask of Amontillado, Poe shows how terror can arise not from the supernatural, but from the precise and calculated darkness people carry within them. For more timeless classics and new tales inspired by this tradition, visit Short Storyverses, a collection of rich storytelling universes featuring Litreading, Readastorus, New Tales Told, Season's Reading, and FRIGHTLY!. Discover short fiction that entertains, unsettles, inspires, and transports—all at shortstoryverses.com. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    17 min

Ratings & Reviews

3
out of 5
2 Ratings

About

Enjoy a family fright night with stories that thrill—but don’t traumatize. FRIGHTLY! drags classic and original horror tales into the cold light of your headphones (or car). From haunted manors to twisted minds, each story is performed with cinematic intensity—no cheap jump scares, no clichés, just unsettling beauty and bone-deep dread. Hear the masters of the macabre reborn, alongside new nightmares crafted to feel too real for comfort. Because fear deserves better storytelling. FRIGHTLY! is part of Short Storyverses (shortstoryverses.com), a growing collection of podcasts devoted to exceptional storytelling. Explore Litreading—our original classic short story podcast featuring a variety of timeless tales; Season’s Readings to brighten your holidays any time of year; New Tales Told for original storiesr; and Readastorus for for younger listeners. Search for all of these titles wherever you get your podcasts. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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