The Rats in the Walls

Title: The Rats in the Walls

Author: H. P. Lovecraft

Narrator: Jonathan Dunne

Original Publication: 1924

Public Domain: Yes

Series Placement: Number 15 in the Timeless Terrors series

Description:

The Rats in the Walls by H. P. Lovecraft is a nightmarish descent into ancestral horror and madness. First published in 1924, this tale follows a man who restores his family’s ancestral estate — only to uncover a terrifying secret lurking beneath its crumbling walls.

As he explores the ruins, strange noises echo through the corridors: the relentless scurrying of unseen rats. What begins as superstition soon reveals itself as a chilling connection to unspeakable horrors from the past. Lovecraft weaves themes of inherited guilt, cosmic dread, and the fragility of sanity into one of his most unforgettable stories.

This recording, narrated by Jonathan Dunne, captures the eerie atmosphere and rising terror that defines Lovecraft’s vision. While the text is in the public domain, this performance is an original work and copyright © 2025 Jonathan Dunne.

This audiobook is part of Timeless Terrors, a dedicated series bringing classic horror back to life — stories from the great masters of the macabre, narrated afresh to haunt a new generation.

Listeners should be prepared for creeping suspense, ancestral curses, and the inescapable pull of madness echoing through the dark.