Horror Short Review: The Fireplace (2026)

Written & Directed by Ben Daly, The Fireplace is an award-winning horror short that stars Lucy Appleton, Elizabeth Custodio, Ben Locke, and Tom Nunan.

Are fireplaces scary? I didn’t think so, and then I saw this short, and suddenly something so simple felt so oppressive. A similar vibe that a heavily pregnant woman, alone in a cold Airbnb, feels when she goes to light the fireplace. She is waiting for her partner, who is on route but stuck in bad weather.

Having lit the fireplace, she settles on the couch and starts to read the guest book which ends up revealing some frightening details about the place. Strange noises, the sound of a child crying, a woman’s voice, and more, all seemingly tied into a history that she is unaware of.

What happened here and how is it connected to the fireplace?

This is a great horror short, standing head and shoulders over many others because it looks and feels so professional. The story is gripping, the music is excellent, the acting is stellar, and it all pays off in impressive fashion.