Short Reads
Wed 26/08/2026
Explore our collection of novellas, short story collections, and anthologies, packed with unforgettable characters, thought-provoking ideas, and powerful storytelling. Perfect for a lunch break, commute, or cosy evening read.
Pop into Catford, Deptford or Downham Library to browse the displays and discover your next great short read, or borrow instantly from Libby & BorrowBox to start reading straight away. 📚✨
The Most
By Jessica Anthony
2024
Literary Fiction
144 pages
A tense portrait of a marriage over the course of a single day. Sharp observations reveal hidden desires and disappointments beneath suburban life.
Find the eBook on Libby
Of the Flesh: 18 Stories of Modern Horror
By Susan Barker
2025
Horror Short Stories
416 pages
A collection of unsettling tales exploring fear, transformation and the uncanny. Contemporary anxieties meet chilling supernatural elements.
The Inseparables
By Simone de Beauvoir
2022
Literary Fiction
160 pages
A poignant novel inspired by Beauvoir's childhood friendship. Examines female companionship, freedom and social expectations.
Find the eBook on Libby
A Psalm for the Wild-Built
By Becky Chambers
2021
Science Fiction
160 pages
A gentle, philosophical story about a travelling tea monk and a curious robot. Explores purpose, community and what makes life meaningful.
If We Cannot Go at the Speed of Light
By Kim Choyeop
2026
Science Fiction Short Stories
240 pages
Lyrical speculative stories about technology, distance and human connection. Thoughtful science fiction focused on emotion rather than action.
Cursed Bunny
By Bora Chung
2021
Horror, Speculative Fiction
272 pages
Darkly imaginative stories blending horror, folklore and satire. Strange events expose social fears and inequalities.
Find the eBook on Libby
She's Always Hungry
By Eliza Clark
2024
Horror Short Stories
288 pages
Bold, provocative stories filled with obsession and bodily transformation. Sharp social commentary mixes with disturbing humour.
The River Has Roots
By Amal El-Mohtar
2025
Fantasy
144 pages
A lyrical tale of family, magic and folklore. Rich prose creates an enchanting and emotional atmosphere.
Find the Audiobook on Libby
A Woman's Story
By Annie Ernaux
1990
Memoir
96 pages
Ernaux reflects on her mother's life and death with honesty and precision. A powerful exploration of memory, class and family.
Hail Mary
By Funmi Fetto
2024
Contemporary Fiction
320 pages
A vibrant story of identity, family and cultural expectations. Examines modern womanhood with warmth and insight.
Find the eBook on Libby
This Is Pleasure
By Mary Gaitskill
2019
Literary Fiction
96 pages
A nuanced exploration of friendship, power and reputation. Questions how people interpret behaviour in the wake of scandal.
Find the eBook on Libby
The Yellow Wallpaper, Herland
By Charlotte Perkins Gilman
2015
Classic Feminist Fiction
208 pages
Two influential works challenging gender roles and social restrictions. Combines psychological tension with feminist utopian ideas.
We Have Always Lived in the Castle
By Shirley Jackson
2009
Gothic Fiction
160 pages
Two sisters live in isolation after a family tragedy. A haunting classic full of suspense, strangeness and dark humour.
The Hotel
By Daisy Johnson
2025
Literary Horror
224 pages
A surreal and unsettling tale set in a mysterious hotel. Johnson combines psychological tension with dreamlike imagery.
Find the eBook on Libby
No One Belongs Here More Than You
By Miranda July
2015
Literary Short Stories
224 pages
Quirky, tender stories about loneliness and connection. Unusual characters navigate awkward and revealing moments.
Find the eBook on Libby
Oddbody
By Rose Keating
2025
Horror Short Stories
272 pages
A collection centred on bodies, transformation and desire. Blends visceral horror with emotional depth.
Autocorrect: An Anthology
By Etgar Keret
2025
Short Story Collection
224 pages
Inventive, witty stories filled with absurdity and humanity. Everyday situations take unexpected and often surreal turns.
A Fisherman of the Inland Sea
By Ursula Le Guin
2024
Science Fiction Short Stories
288 pages
Thought-provoking stories exploring time, culture and human relationships. Le Guin pairs imaginative worlds with profound ideas.
Wild Boar
By Hannah Lutz
2025
Literary Fiction
224 pages
A quiet, atmospheric novel set in rural Sweden. Nature and isolation shape the lives of its characters.
Her Body and Other Parties
By Carmen Maria Machado
2017
Literary Horror
256 pages
Boundary-pushing stories examining gender, sexuality and the body. Blends horror, fantasy and experimental storytelling.
On Earth as It Is Beneath
By Ana Paula Maia
2025
Literary Fiction
160 pages
A dark novel focused on workers dealing with death and decay. Explores dignity, labour and mortality.
Find the eBook on Libby
Cinder House
By Freya Marske
2025
Historical Fantasy
320 pages
Mystery and magic intertwine in an atmospheric setting. A compelling blend of fantasy, romance and intrigue.
Find the eBook on Borrowbox & Libby
Find the Audiobook on Libby
Paradais
By Fernanda Melchor
2022
Literary Crime Fiction
144 pages
A dark, intense story of obsession and violence. Examines inequality, masculinity and social frustration.
Recitatif
By Toni Morrison
2026
Literary Fiction
96 pages
Morrison's only short story explores race, memory and friendship. Ambiguity encourages readers to question assumptions.
Find the eBook on Libby
Find the Audiobook on Borrowbox
Homesick for Another World
By Ottessa Moshfegh
2017
Dark Literary Short Stories
256 pages
Darkly comic stories about alienation and flawed characters. Moshfegh finds humanity in discomfort and dysfunction.
Find the eBook on Libby
Open Water
By Caleb Azumah Nelson
2021
Literary Fiction
160 pages
A lyrical love story set in contemporary London. Explores art, identity and vulnerability.
Find the eBook on Libby
The Argonauts
By Maggie Nelson
2016
Memoir, Cultural Criticism
160 pages
A genre-defying exploration of love, family and gender. Blends personal experience with philosophical reflection.
Find the eBook on Libby
Find the Audiobook on Libby
The Accidentals
By Guadalupe Nettel
2025
Literary Fiction
224 pages
A collection examining unexpected encounters and disruptions. Precise storytelling reveals the fragility of everyday life.
Automatic Noodle
By Annalee Newitz
2025
Science Fiction
320 pages
Robots, workers and entrepreneurs fight for autonomy in a future food industry. A witty, optimistic look at technology and labour.
Find the eBook on Libby
Only Stars Know the Meaning of Space
By Remy Ngamije
2024
Literary Short Stories
272 pages
Stories about migration, belonging and identity across borders. Rich characterisation and humour illuminate contemporary life.
What Is Not Yours Is Not Yours
By Helen Oyeyemi
2016
Magical Realism
320 pages
Interconnected stories linked by mysterious keys and locked doors. Whimsical, inventive and filled with hidden meanings.
Find the eBook on Libby
The Wax Child
By Olga Ravn
176 pages
A haunting collection steeped in folklore and the uncanny. Explores motherhood, bodies and transformation.
A Shock
By Keith Ridgway
2021
Literary Fiction
224 pages
Interconnected narratives reveal lives shaped by chance and uncertainty. Playful yet incisive in its observations.
Find the eBook on Libby
Graveyard Shift
By M. L. Rio
2024
Gothic Horror
128 pages
A dark, atmospheric novella steeped in mystery. Secrets emerge in a setting haunted by the past.
Send Nudes
By Saba Sams
2023
Contemporary Short Stories
224 pages
Sharp, compassionate stories about intimacy and modern relationships. Captures moments of vulnerability and desire.
Find the eBook on Borrowbox & Libby
Find the Audiobook on Libby
Good and Evil and Other Stories
By Samantha Schweblin
2025
Literary Speculative Fiction
176 pages
Strange and unsettling stories that blur reality and nightmare. Schweblin excels at creating tension from ordinary situations.
Find the eBook on Borrowbox & Libby
Find the Audiobook on Libby
Grand Union: Stories
By Zadie Smith
2019
Literary Short Stories
320 pages
Diverse stories examining contemporary life and human connection. Intellectually playful while remaining emotionally grounded.
Find the eBook on Libby
Terminal Boredom
By Izumi Suzuki
2021
Science Fiction Short Stories
240 pages
Cult Japanese stories about alienation, identity and futuristic societies. Cool, unconventional and sharply observed.
Find the Audiobook on Libby
Clowns: An Anthology
Edited by Michelle Tea
2026
Horror / Weird Fiction Anthology
288 pages
A collection inspired by the unsettling figure of the clown. Features imaginative and often dark interpretations.
Witch: An Anthology
Edited by Michelle Tea
2025
Fantasy / Horror Anthology
352 pages
Stories celebrating witches in all their forms. Explores power, resistance and transformation.
Eros: Queer myths for lovers
By Zoe Terakes
2026
Mythological Retellings
288 pages
None
Reimagines classical myths through a queer lens. Romantic, inventive stories explore love and identity.
Table for two
By Amor Towles
2024
Literary Short Stories
464 pages
None
Elegant stories focused on chance encounters and personal choices. Richly drawn characters navigate moments of change.
Runs in the blood
By Matthew J. Trafford
2026
Horror Short Stories
272 pages
None
Chilling stories combining body horror with emotional resonance. Explores what people inherit and what they cannot escape.
Flowers from the void
By Gianni Washington
2024
Speculative Fiction
256 pages
None
A collection blending science fiction, fantasy and literary themes. Examines identity, survival and transformation.
Find the eBook on Libby
Attrib. and other stories
By Eley Williams
2017
Experimental Literary Fiction
288 pages
None
Playful stories exploring language, communication and relationships. Clever, inventive and formally adventurous.
Moderate to poor, occasionally good
By Eley Williams
2024
Literary Short Stories
304 pages
None
Sharp, witty stories focused on everyday misunderstandings. Language itself becomes a source of humour and insight.
Find the eBook on Libby
Deliverywoman
By Eva Wyles
2025
Dystopian Fiction
208 pages
None
A surreal journey through a fractured society. Examines work, identity and survival with dark humour.
Kitchen
By Banana Yoshimoto
2024
Contemporary Literary Fiction
160 pages
None
A tender novel about grief, healing and chosen family. Simple, elegant prose captures the comforts of everyday life.
Find the eBook on Libby