Horror for Weenies: Everything You Need To Know About the Films You’re Too Scared To Watch

In the first in a new series of “Outsider’s Guides” from Quirk, Hughes presents a book best described as a conversation with a horror-fan bestie. She includes 25 influential films from three eras, spanning the 1960s to the 2010s. The brilliance of the book is in how those movies are presented in seven categories: “The Basic Idea,” “You Might Actually Want To Watch If,” “But You Should Definitely Avoid If,” “Okay, Here’s Exactly What Happens,” “Say This at a Party,” “Iconic Moments,” and finally, “Can’t Watch It? Read These Instead.” This structure gives Hughes the room to fully explain and frame each film, while also allowing readers to decide when and if a particular entry is too much for them. Interspersed throughout are asides that perfectly balance humor and information, such as definitions of various tropes, one-line spoilers of more movies, and a discussion of the jump scare. Hardcore horror fans will also find plenty to enjoy.