🩸 Horror Fiction

Playback

✍️ Latoya Lawrence
Reader Score
4.5
(1 review)
$10.99
In stock — ready to ship Ships in 1–2 business days
📚 WHAT THE BOOK IS ABOUT

A retired man confronts his buried past through a mysterious television channel.

Joss Bergen buys a new smart TV to fill the quiet of retirement. The set displays only one channel showing his darkest moments. These vivid scenes force him to remember every shadow he tried to leave behind. The story tracks his internal struggle as memories flood back. He must choose between facing the truth or burying it again. This choice risks everything he has built in his later years. The narrative focuses on psychological tension rather than external threats.

Key Themes
retirement isolation buried past technological haunting
Literary Context

Published in 2025 by Latoya Lawrence, this work sits within the contemporary horror genre. It draws on traditions of gothic fiction and supernatural suspense. The story reflects modern anxieties about technology and memory. It targets American readers interested in psychological dread.

Difficulty
●● Medium
Recommended For Fans Of
Shirley Jackson · Stephen King's 'It' · Richard Matheson · Paul Tremblay
🩸
Horror Fiction
🏛 Latoya Lawrence 📅 2025 🌐 English 📔 Paperback ISBN: 9798232645878

📝 Description: Playback

Latoya Lawrence presents Playback, a psychological thriller centered on Joss Bergen, a retiree seeking silence in his new home. His quest for peace is shattered by the arrival of a sleek 8K smart television. The device offers only one channel labeled Playback. This screen broadcasts vivid, cinematic scenes from Joss’s past. Each segment reveals a forgotten misdeed or shadow he hoped to bury forever. The broadcast begins with his first teenage transgression and moves forward through his life. The narrative forces Joss to confront the man he once was. He must decide whether to face the truth hidden in these recollections or suppress them again. The story examines the weight of past actions and the difficulty of redemption. Lawrence explores how technology can act as an unwilling confessor. The plot relies on the tension between memory and reality. Readers who enjoy character-driven horror and stories about guilt will find this work compelling. Those preferring fast-paced action or supernatural monsters may find the slow burn less engaging. The book concludes with Joss facing the consequences of his history.

💎 Our verdict on Playback

“
🩸
Horror Reads editorial team
Horror desk
Latoya Lawrence delivers a focused study on guilt through the lens of modern isolation. The concept of a television broadcasting one’s darkest moments serves as an effective metaphor for unavoidable self-confrontation. The narrative successfully maintains psychological tension by focusing on Joss Bergen’s internal battle rather than external dangers. This approach creates a claustrophobic atmosphere where the protagonist is trapped by his own history. The book excels in its examination of memory and reality, offering a compelling look at redemption. It will appeal most to readers who enjoy slow-burn horror and character studies. Those seeking traditional scares may find the pace too deliberate, but the thematic depth rewards patient engagement with the text.
✓ EDITOR'S REVIEW

📖 Why choose it

📖

Why this book is worth reading

Readers who appreciate character-driven horror and deep psychological tension will find this work compelling. It offers a nuanced exploration of guilt, memory, and the difficulty of redemption for those weary of external threats. The narrative provides a slow-burn experience that examines how technology can act as an unwilling confessor. Fans of stories about buried secrets and the weight of past actions will engage with Joss Bergen’s internal struggle. This book suits those who prefer introspective dread over fast-paced action or supernatural monsters. It is ideal for readers seeking a thoughtful examination of personal history and the consequences of one's choices in later life.

⭐ Reader reviews

The starting rating comes from the team Horror Reads —

Reader rating

4.5
Based on 1 reviews
5
0
4
1
3
0
2
0
1
0
H
Horror Reads editorial team

Latoya Lawrence delivers a focused study on guilt through the lens of modern isolation. The concept of a television broadcasting one’s darkest moments serves as an effective metaphor for unavoidable self-confrontation. The narrative successfully maintains psychological tension by focusing on Joss Bergen’s internal battle rather than external dangers. This approach creates a claustrophobic atmosphere where the protagonist is trapped by his own history. The book excels in its examination of memory and reality, offering a compelling look at redemption. It will appeal most to readers who enjoy slow-burn horror and character studies. Those seeking traditional scares may find the pace too deliberate, but the thematic depth rewards patient engagement with the text.

📖 From the series “Toya's Chiller Tidbits”

The Typewriter
★★★★★
★★★★★
4.5
Latoya Lawrence
The Typewriter
$10.99
81
Read →

✍️ More books by this author Latoya Lawrence

The Baker and the Beach: Two Chilling Thrillers
★★★★★
★★★★★
4.5
Latoya Lawrence
The Baker and the Beach: Two Chilling Thrillers
$12.99
81
Read →
The Ring
★★★★★
★★★★★
4.5
Latoya Lawrence
The Ring
$10.99
81
Read →
Don't Kill The Messenger Part Two: The Return Of The Messenger
★★★★★
★★★★★
4.5
Latoya Lawrence
Don't Kill The Messenger Part Two: The Return Of The Messenger
$10.99
81
Read →
Don't Kill The Messenger
★★★★★
★★★★★
4.5
Latoya Lawrence
Don't Kill The Messenger
$10.99
81
Read →
The Walls Of Dijon
★★★★★
★★★★★
4.5
Latoya Lawrence
The Walls Of Dijon
$11.99
81
Read →

🏛 Books from this publisher Latoya Lawrence

Strawman
★★★★★
★★★★★
4.6
Latoya Lawrence
Strawman
$11.99
86
Read →
Echo From The Bayou's Grave: The Spirit Of Justice
★★★★★
★★★★★
4.5
Latoya Lawrence
Echo From The Bayou's Grave: The Spirit Of Justice
$9.99
78
Read →
Baby Jake
★★★★★
★★★★★
4.5
Latoya Lawrence
Baby Jake
$10.99
81
Read →
The Typewriter
★★★★★
★★★★★
4.5
Latoya Lawrence
The Typewriter
$10.99
81
Read →
Ragdoll: A Child's Nightmare
★★★★★
★★★★★
4.6
Latoya Lawrence
Ragdoll: A Child's Nightmare
$12.99
86
Read →
Serenade In The Bayous: Jazz, Chords, and Drumbeats
★★★★★
★★★★★
4.5
Latoya Lawrence
Serenade In The Bayous: Jazz, Chords, and Drumbeats
$12.99
81
Read →

You might also like

See more →
Ragdoll: A Child's Nightmare ✨ New
★★★★★
★★★★★
4.6
1
Latoya Lawrence
Ragdoll: A Child's Nightmare
$12.99
86
Read →
Baby Jake ✨ New
★★★★★
★★★★★
4.5
1
Latoya Lawrence
Baby Jake
$10.99
81
Read →
The Haunting of Hill House -16% 🔥 Bestseller
★★★★★
★★★★★
4.6
7
Shirley Jackson
The Haunting of Hill House
$9.99 $12.00
92
Read →
Dracula (Masterpiece Library Edition) ✨ New
★★★★★
★★★★★
4.8
1
Dracula (Masterpiece Library Edition)
$22.99
92
Read →
Edgar Allan Poe: Collected Works ✨ New
★★★★★
★★★★★
4.8
1
Edgar Allan Poe
Edgar Allan Poe: Collected Works
$24.99
92
Read →
Frankenstein ✨ New
★★★★★
★★★★★
4.8
1
Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley
Frankenstein
$26.95
92
Read →

Have a question about this item?

Ask about the edition, condition, delivery or anything else — we reply by email or phone, usually within a day.

Home Genres
Cart
Wishlist