Listen free for 30 days

Listen with offer

  • The Waiting Room

  • By: F. G. Cottam
  • Narrated by: David Rintoul
  • Length: 10 hrs and 34 mins
  • 4.2 out of 5 stars (1,036 ratings)

$0.00 for first 30 days

Pick 1 audiobook a month from our unmatched collection - including bestsellers and new releases.
Listen all you want to thousands of included audiobooks, Originals, celeb exclusives, and podcasts.
Access exclusive sales and deals.
£7.99/month after 30 days. Renews automatically. See here for eligibility.
The Waiting Room cover art

The Waiting Room

By: F. G. Cottam
Narrated by: David Rintoul
Try for £0.00

£7.99/month after 30 days. Renews automatically. See here for eligibility.

Buy Now for £15.99

Buy Now for £15.99

Pay using card ending in
By completing your purchase, you agree to Audible's Conditions of Use and authorise Audible to charge your designated card or any other card on file. Please see our Privacy Notice, Cookies Notice and Interest-based Ads Notice.
activate_primeday_promo_in_buybox_DT

Listeners also enjoyed...

The Lucifer Chord cover art
The Memory of Trees cover art
The Colony cover art
Brodmaw Bay cover art
The Magdalena Curse cover art
The Going and the Rise cover art
The Creeper cover art
Therapy cover art
See How They Run cover art
The Winter Spirits cover art
The Murder of Harriet Monckton cover art
The Path of Thorns cover art
The Murder Wall cover art
The Toll House cover art
Colony cover art
The Testament of Gideon Mack cover art

Summary

The waiting room stands on a crumbling railway platform at the edge of a retired rock star’s vast estate. Abandoned to dereliction and isolated by a moat of thorny wilderness, it used to be a playground for his children. Until strange music and the terrifying spectre of a leering soldier frightened them away. Julian Creed is TV’s most popular ghost hunter. Only his small production team knows he is a complete fake who doesn’t even believe in the paranormal. Until he spends one night in the waiting room.

©2010 F.G. Cottam (P)2014 Audible, Inc.

What listeners say about The Waiting Room

Average customer ratings
Overall
  • 4 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    529
  • 4 Stars
    298
  • 3 Stars
    133
  • 2 Stars
    56
  • 1 Stars
    20
Performance
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    556
  • 4 Stars
    167
  • 3 Stars
    55
  • 2 Stars
    20
  • 1 Stars
    9
Story
  • 4 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    404
  • 4 Stars
    234
  • 3 Stars
    100
  • 2 Stars
    42
  • 1 Stars
    24

Reviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.

Sort by:
Filter by:
  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars

An oddly comforting ghost story

I did not know this author or this narrator, and both wove a strong spell. The narrator is very good, and the story very well crafted. No gore here, or very little, but a gradual build up of tension with some genuinely thought-provoking ideas on ghosts and people who have psychic sensitivity. I've read dozens of horror novels, from the great old ones to the scary gorey young'uns. this one was very good, had strong characters, and the ending was a great surprise, very original, very well thought out and fulfilling. I'll check out Cottam's other books right now.
Those who like this kind of book will LOVE Michelle Paver's "DARK MATTER", an excellent, atmospheric book magnificently read by Jeremy Northam ( here on audible too)

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

34 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars

Not to be missed

This is the best book I have heard in a while ,I had a spare credit and could not decide so went for this and was not disappointed its an amazing listen I was hooked would highly recommend it.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

11 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars

A brilliantly read chiller

This story stretches the listener's credibility but if you go with it and allow yourself to be swept along, then you are in for a genuinely scary tale that plays with time in an original and interesting way. I shall be downloading other audiobooks by the author and David Rintoul is, as ever, an excellent narrator.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

7 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

Very dramatic and scary in places

Good narration probably easier to listen to than read. I'll look out for this narrator

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

Very much enjoyed

I am a fan of F g Cottam and have read all his books to date, this being one of my favourites. Rather than re read, I though I would try the audio book and was not disappointed. I did find the narration rather over dramatic at some points, but got used to it in the end and it did not detract from an excellent story. Creepy and strangely comforting at the same time.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

A Great Compelling Ghost Story

I took a chance on this book when it was on a 2 for 1 offer and was really surprised how good the story was, the speed of the plot development and the characters relationships. This book reminded me of James Herbert's work and if you are a fan of his it might be worth a few hours of you're time.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

Nice twist

I struggled to get into this book but stayed with it and ended up enjoying it. Very good twist at the end!! Narration good.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

A superb find

I chose this audible book as my 3 for 2 and it turned out to be a real winner. It is a tingly supernatural read that kept me gripped from start to finish. I loved the narration which was clear and expressive. It was interesting all the way through and constantly kept my attention. The ending was very fitting and not at all disappointing I was invested in all the characters so much so I am disappointed I won’t meet them again! If you like chilling ghost stories then this is superb

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Shades of Sapphire and Steel - and enjoyable!

I actually chose this one because the summary reminded me of my favourite episode of television series Sapphire and Steel in childhood: the scariest episode, also set in a deserted railway station and featuring an amateur ghost hunter and a malevolent ghostly WW1 soldier with his own terrifying plans.
The build up of the apparitions in The Waiting Room was excellent - I could smell the steam train and the newly-watered flowers too - although the discoveries of the earlier incidents which triggered the events were maybe a little too pat, maybe too much perfect information for a traditional ghost story?
But it seemed a proper ghost story, not a gore fest, and the development of the fake ghost hunter’s character was well done. The thought-provoking ending caught me completely by surprise.
David Rintoul’s narration had the right amount of authority to carry the story well.
All in all, it was very enjoyable, even without the time guardians Sapphire and Steel!!!

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Marvellous spooky codswallop

I loved this ridiculous spooky ghost story, not least because of the Owen poem shot through it

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!