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Readers will need to leave the lights on as they devour these tales of terror that are sure to delight.
Hendrix offers an utterly engaging commentary on society and why things are viewed as right versus wrong, along with a generous dollop of magic.
PREMIUM
Vanishing Daughters
Pelayo transports readers, blending fairy tales, history, and urban legends with a true sense of fear. This novel will appeal to fans of horror where questions about the nature of a house haunting loom large, such as A Head Full of Ghosts by Paul Tremblay, and horror novels in which grief and loss feature heavily, such as White Is for Witching by Helen Oyeyemi.
An excellent collection perfect for night-time reading and reflective of the environmental terror that fills the news. Read-alikes include The Salt Grows Heavy by Cassandra Khaw, The Marigold by Andrew F. Sullivan, and the “Southern Reach” series by Jeff VanderMeer.
PREMIUM
Our Winter Monster
Ideal for fans of horror like Darcy Coates’s Dead of Winter, this novel is crime fiction blended with horror and psychological suspense. Mahoney (Ghostlove) has created a work that combines a monster story with the claustrophobia of a massive blizzard while also exploring PTSD and its effects on relationships and individuals.
Those who are drawn to explorations of horrific possibilities of the interconnected world, such as Things Have Gotten Worse Since We Last Spoke by Eric LaRocca, or apocalyptic stories with a social critique, such as the “Newsflesh” trilogy by Mira Grant, will find much to love here.
A listening experience akin to Daisy Jones and the Six as written by Stephen Graham Jones, performed by some of the best voice acting talent in the field.
PREMIUM
Tiny Threads
A slow-burn horror that deftly explores class, race, politics, power, and gender. Recommended for fans of Silvia Moreno-Garcia’s Silver Nitrate and Zakiya Dalila Harris’s The Other Black Girl.
PREMIUM
Haven
This spooky listen is highly recommended for gothic fiction readers and fans of Shirley Jackson’s The Haunting of Hill House.
Updating the earnest spiritual fantasy of Charles Williams and C.S. Lewis, Blish conjures a startlingly effective hellscape worthy of Hieronymus Bosch.
Christopher Golden pens an atmospheric horror thriller, Sarah Pinborough offers a gothic novel, and Caitlin Starling writes a medieval horror with a touch of fantasy.
This is a must for any library keeping abreast of the current zeitgeist of horror. It will appeal to more literary readers as well, as Chizmar is an expert at his craft. Some good companion books are My Best Friend’s Exorcism by Grady Hendrix, Edgar Cantero’s Meddling Kids, and Silvia Moreno-Garcia’s Silver Nitrate.
M.M. Olivas calls herself a “Chicana-futurist” and has had work published in such outlets as Uncanny Magazine, Weird Horror Magazine, and Apex. Her debut novel, Sundown in San Ojuela, will be published in November by Lanternfish Press. She talks with LJ about her interest in the horror genre, its cinematic connections, and the role of folklore in her novel.
An easy read with genuinely creepy scares, this is a good addition to libraries that are interested in quality small-press horror. Great companion books would be The Rack, a short-story collection edited by Tom Deady, and Living in Cemeteries by Corey Farrenkopf, which both offer pulp horror sensibilities and extremely palatable style.
PREMIUM
Model Home
This is an intense read with an increasing sense of unease as more and more of the truth is revealed. It will appeal to readers interested in exploring childhood trauma, secrets, and their long-term effects as in Just Like Home by Sarah Gailey or The Twisted Ones by T. Kingfisher.
Bestselling Chuck Wendig returns with a tale of small-town scares and a mysterious staircase to nowhere, while S.A. Barnes offers more space horror; plus multiple terrifying debuts.
Even those well versed in slashers and their tropes will be surprised by the directions Jones takes. Readable both as representative of slasher films and book and as an exploration of the rules of the genre, this novel will have wide appeal to readers who are new to Jones’s work as well as established fans. Recommended as a contrast for fans of recent “final girl” books like the ones by Grady Hendrix and Riley Sager and readers who enjoyed The Pallbearers Club by Paul Tremblay.
Cutter (The Troop; Little Heaven) is at the top of his game here, providing an intensely visceral and gripping tale.
Clearly inspired by Shirley Jackson’s “The Lottery,” with a nod as well toward Kindred by Octavia Butler, this is a compelling and immersive story.
LaRocca gives readers an unforgettable protagonist, a complicated man who will repulse them at first but will ultimately steal their hearts. Suggest to those who like the extreme horror of Paula D. Ashe or the work of Kathe Koja; it’s also a good pick for those looking for intense horror, as seen in What Kind of Mother by Clay McLeod Chapman.
Shaw’s striking stories will connect with a wide range of readers, especially those who like to be simultaneously entertained and asked to think about what they just read, much like in the short fiction of Philip Fracassi and Cassandra Khaw or the novels of Jeremy Robert Johnson.
A satirical look at the cultish nature of beauty and influencer mentality, Sathue’s debut deserves to be heard. Jackson’s narration pops and snaps the sharp dialogue and alliterative writing like bubblegum. Similarly disturbing tales about the dark side of the beauty industry are Ling Ling Huang’s Natural Beauty and Mona Awad’s Rouge.
PREMIUM
Ghost Station
Barnes crafts an oppressive space horror that’s equally a psychological and bodily nightmare, with Johnson’s narration providing additional layers of dread. Fans of the Alien film franchise will feel right at home with this title.
This might not be for those who prefer their horror to have a certain amount of creatures or carnage, but it’s a must read for readers looking to explore human evil through fiction.
PREMIUM
Guillotine
A fast-paced daylight-horror book for readers looking for a new favorite horror author.
PREMIUM
Incidents Around the House
Fans of the movie Poltergeist (or fans of horror featuring child protagonists) will be sucked into Bela’s story, wondering if she makes it through with her heart intact. For fans of Zoje Stage’s Baby Teeth.
PREMIUM
Heads Will Roll
A story for slasher fans who just want a gory good time. Pair with Stephen Graham Jones’s I Was a Teenage Slasher for even more bloody fun.
PREMIUM
Indian Burial Ground
Medina explores how generational trauma takes root in a family and on a reservation. Much like Indigenous horror writers Stephen Graham Jones and Erika T. Wurth, Medina demonstrates how to write a story with both horror and heart.
These interconnected stories centered on the craft of writing are both intriguing and thought-provoking. Suggest to fans of Carmen Maria Machado.
PREMIUM
Diavola
This immersive gothic haunted house tale will have listeners questioning whether the true horror is the ghosts or the family dynamics. Recommend to fans of Black Sheep by Rachel Harrison and How to Sell a Haunted House by Grady Hendrix.
PREMIUM
Bless Your Heart
This campy and creepy debut full of Southern charm includes a cast of distinctive characters enhanced by the audio experience. Ryan hits the sweet spot of combining horror and mystery with humor that will attract a wide variety of listeners, including ones who may not think they enjoy horror.
A terrifying tale for fans of Christopher Golden’s The House of Last Resort. Listeners will be hooked from the beginning and may find themselves unable to hit pause.
PREMIUM
Wilderness Reform
Supernatural horror and summer camp folklore make for a thrilling and entertaining ride. Recommended for fans of Nick Cutter’s The Troop or Chuck Tingle’s Camp Damascus.
Listeners seeking classically told horror with the bite of visceral splatterpunk need look no further. A mesmerizing and unputdownable collection that shocks, provokes, and appalls.
PREMIUM
The Gathering
Tudor’s latest, an atmospheric blend of horror, fantasy, and police procedural, is both riveting and highly recommended.
PREMIUM
Monsters We Have Made
This book is a haunting portrayal of the defining power of stories and family, perfect for fans of cerebral horror.
PREMIUM
All the Hearts You Eat
A must-read for those who enjoyed Piper’s Bram Stoker award-winning Queen of Teeth. Like Nat Cassidy’s Nestlings, it takes the vampire story and turns it into something new.
PREMIUM
Northern Nights
Fans of speculative anthologies will want to read these stories on cold nights, particularly if they like stories where the land is as much an antagonist as a monster with sharp teeth and claws.
PREMIUM
Cold Snap
Ryan (Bless Your Heart) writes a haunting and affecting novella that portrays the wrenching nature of grief and guilt.
PREMIUM
Fragile Anthology
All of the writers in this collection seem to have fun with the premise of a mover and a cardboard box’s mysterious contents, creating a worthy showcase for sci-fi and horror fans looking for their next favorite author.
Readers have scary new stories to look forward to from three LJ Best Book authors: Stephen Graham Jones, Cynthia Pelayo, and Erika T. Wurth.
PREMIUM
Ghost Mother
Dwyer’s (Tracks of Angels) atmospheric, multilayered ghost story explores the ways strong desires can manifest. It is a must-read for fans of “The Yellow Wallpaper” by Charlotte Perkins Gilman.
PREMIUM
This Cursed House
Sandeen has written a strong debut novel that will appeal to readers who enjoy complicated family histories and an increasing sense of paranoia, such as in Midnight Rooms by Donyae Coles, and gothic thrillers like Spite House by Johnny Compton.
PREMIUM
The Book of Witching
A good pick for readers interested in witch trials throughout history, as Cooke melds elements of horror, historical fiction, family drama, and a police procedural into this witchy novel.
PREMIUM
Devils Kill Devils
Fans of Clive Barker’s dark fantasy will like the universe Compton teases, while readers who enjoy Nick Cutter’s gorgeously gory prose will love how Compton describes all the myriad ways that flesh and bone can come apart.
PREMIUM
American Rapture
Those who loved Leede’s style in her debut, Maeve Fly, will enjoy this grimly complicated story.
PREMIUM
The Devil by Name
A must-buy for libraries that purchased Fever House or for those interested in modern horror. This duology is a delight for both horror readers and fans of apocalyptic fiction. Recommend to those who liked The Stand by Stephen King, Zone One by Colson Whitehead, or The Rising by Brian Keene.
PREMIUM
Narcissus
Godfrey’s (Campfire Macabre) latest blends horror, myth, and thriller in an unputdownable listen. A winner for fans of dread-filled novels like Christina Henry’s The Ghost Tree or Cassandra Khaw’s Nothing but Blackened Teeth.
PREMIUM
The House That Horror Built
Henry’s novel draws readers in not by being terrifying but by being both fun and frightening. Perfect for horror fans who prefer playful eeriness over gore.
In his graphic novel debut, cartoonist Horvath’s stunningly gorgeous painted artwork evokes classic children’s book illustration to create a sense of witnessing raw transgression against all that is good and pure. The effect is both viscerally disturbing and, for fans of horror and serial killer thrillers, immensely thrilling.
A mushroom-filled, cosmic, cli-fi novel; a historical horror featuring vampires and a sapphic romance; spooky stories of those living with cursed objects; and even more tales to terrify this month.
Genre-bending literary horror, a winter monster, social horror, and more feature in these novels, which include books from big names Eric LaRocca and Clay McLeod Chapman.
Bestselling author Rachel Harrison was nominated for a Bram Stoker Award for Superior Achievement in a First Novel for The Return. She is also the author of Black Sheep, Such Sharp Teeth, and Cackle. Her next novel, So Thirsty (Berkley), is forthcoming this September. She talks with LJ about vampires, centering women in stories, her appreciation for libraries and librarians, and the inspiration for her writing.
Vampires stake a renewed claim, women’s stories and translated novels expand the genre, and psychological horror challenges tropes.
Give in to terror with tales of fear, exploration, confrontation, and all manner of haunts that hide under the bed—and in the mind.
With a realistic protagonist who faces choices that are sometimes scarier than monsters, this book will have readers sinking their teeth in.
Even those well versed in slashers and their tropes will be surprised by the directions Jones takes. Readable both as representative of slasher films and book and as an exploration of the rules of the genre, this novel will have wide appeal to readers who are new to Jones’s work as well as established fans. Recommended as a contrast for fans of recent “final girl” books like the ones by Grady Hendrix and Riley Sager and readers who enjoyed The Pallbearers Club by Paul Tremblay.
PREMIUM
William
A late-act reveal helps this story stand out among other technology-going-bad tales, and those who like the trope, or enjoy a good techno-thriller, will want to watch William play with his human toys.
In his most accessible work to date, Iglesias has crafted a coming-of-age story that blends friendship, vengeance, and mysticism in beautifully written prose that demonstrates the thinness of the boundary between the spiritual world and grim reality. Recommended for fans of S.A. Cosby and Stephen Graham Jones and those who enjoy Nordic noir, with its strong sense of place and of the power of weather.
PREMIUM
Pay the Piper
For fans of both Kraus’s novels and Romero’s films, this bloody Southern story highlights the strengths of both auteurs.
PREMIUM
Blood Like Mine
Fans of monster-themed books like Liz Kerin’s “Night’s Edge” series and Neville’s other mysteries and thrillers should give this novel attempt at horror a taste.
PREMIUM
The Science of Ghosts
Paranormal soft horror with a sexy vibe. Readers, especially mystery fans, will find this blend of the arcane and the academic intriguing.
Debut novelist Donyae Coles talks with LJ about horror’s emotional resonance, the roles of Black characters in the genre, and her other creative outlets.
PREMIUM
The Body Harvest
Seidlinger’s (Anybody Home??) squirm-inducing and thought-provoking novel spins the fear of the COVID era into something terrifying in a whole new way. Suggest to those who like the immersive discomfort of books like The Seventh Mansion by Maryse Meijer, Things Have Gotten Worse Since We Last Spoke by Eric LaRocca, and This Thing Between Us by Gus Moreno.
PREMIUM
The Drowning House
Priest (Cinderwich) is popular with library audiences from teen to adult, and her latest will appeal to both. A great suspenseful and twisty story, reminiscent of Hex by Thomas Olde Heuvelt, The Twisted Ones by T. Kingfisher, and The Winter People by Jennifer McMahon.
PREMIUM
Midnight Rooms
Coles’s novel is another stellar example of how marginalized voices are taking a perennially popular genre, previously dominated by white characters and authors, and revitalizing it for 21st-century readers in a manner that honors its history but injects brand-new terrors, similar to Mexican Gothic by Silvia Moreno-Garcia and The Hacienda by Isabel Cañas.
PREMIUM
The Night Guest
Knútsdóttir will hook readers with her first title to be translated into English. For fans of disorienting psychological horror marked by extreme tension and familial trauma, such as in The Grip of It by Jac Jemc, My Sister, the Serial Killer by Oyinkan Braithwaite, and anything by Catriona Ward.
Pedersen’s debut skillfully balances character and atmosphere. Recommend to readers who like creepy, methodically paced stories that focus on unease, such as the work of Kevin Brockmeier. Also a good pick for those who enjoy tales that use mythology in a revenge plot, like The Only Good Indians by Stephen Graham Jones.
With her eerie and unnervingly probable plot, strong narrative voice, and focus on the small, beautiful moments of life amid disaster, Trías’s (The Rooftop) tale will continue to haunt readers long after they turn the final page. Pair it with other thoughtful and subtle horror stories such as Sealed by Naomi Booth or Fever Dream by Samanta Schweblin.
A stunningly illustrated exploration of alienation, obsession, and the experience of yearning for connection with another human being, particularly when one feels that they are only capable of expressing themselves through art.
PREMIUM
The Deviant, Vol. 1
Bestselling author Tynion (Blue Book) and illustrator Hixson (The Plot) deliver a moodily illustrated and psychologically complex horror thriller that examines the consequences of refusing to acknowledge the humanity of an individual who does not conform to the societal expectations of the prevailing culture.
With horror’s popularity, this accessible, entertaining, and informative book will be in high demand. Pair with 101 Horror Books To Read Before You’re Murdered by Sadie Hartmann to capture a similar vibe for stories in print.
PREMIUM
What Feasts at Night
Fans of gothic horror and Kingfisher’s unique blend of horror and humor will enjoy this frightfully fun slice of Gallacian folklore.
PREMIUM
The House of Last Resort
Terrifying, uncomfortable, and unputdownable. Fans of Danielle Trussoni’s The Ancestor will want to pick this up.
PREMIUM
Womb City
Speculative, dystopian fiction blending Botswanan mythology with considerations of family, technology, and autonomy. Share with fans of Nnedi Okorafor, Temi Oh, and Octavia Butler.
If this book and the trilogy are Jones’s love letter to the slasher genre, it could just as easily make other readers fall in love with it too.
PREMIUM
Your Shadow Half Remains
Postapocalyptic stories like this and Josh Malerman’s Bird Box often focus on what changes when society stops working. In this uneasy tale, Moraine suggests that what changes is how humans interact with one another.
PREMIUM
The Haunting of Velkwood
An intriguing ghost story, perfect for fans of both bombastic hauntings, like Richard Matheson’s Hell House, and more cerebral hauntings, like Shirley Jackson’s The Haunting of Hill House.
PREMIUM
Lost Man’s Lane
Fans of Clive Cussler and Dean Koontz may be intrigued by this mashup of crime thriller, coming-of-age story, and supernatural horror.
Genius narration pairs with an excellent collection to create a must-listen audiobook, particularly for fans of John Hornor Jacobs’s A Lush and Seething Hell and Laird Barron’s The Beautiful Thing That Awaits Us All.
PREMIUM
A Child Alone with Strangers
While the audio clocks in at over 18 hours, fans of crime novels and Stephen King’searly works will find this a thrilling ride.
PREMIUM
Transmuted
A queer body horror tale with a deep emotional center, speaking to the determination of one woman who will risk anything to be whole.
No need to wait until spooky season to read scary stories. Put these horror novels up for display now.
PREMIUM
A Mask of Flies
Epic in scope and deeply steeped in its place, Lyons’s crime caper/horror hybrid will appeal to fans of titles like This Wretched Valley by Jenny Kiefer, The Devil Takes You Home by Gabino Iglesias, and The Children of Red Peak by Craig DiLouie.
PREMIUM
Heads Will Roll
Winning continues to write great horror novels, and this is a must-buy for libraries that are seeking new and insightful horror that will captivate their readers. Recommend to those who enjoyed My Heart Is a Chainsaw by Stephen Graham Jones, The Final Girl Support Group by Grady Hendrix, or Clown in a Cornfield by Adam Cesare.
Captivating and creative, Tingle continues breathing new life into old tropes with a gory examination of art and the lives that fuel it.
PREMIUM
Incidents Around the House
Malerman is extraordinarily skilled at bringing fear to the ordinary and building a sense of unease into terror. He can terrify readers even while writing from a believable child’s perspective and voice. For fans of novelists who deftly deploy unease and surreal takes on the routine like Neil Gaiman, Catriona Ward, or Paul Tremblay, or Scott Thomas’s Violet, another novels about an imaginary friend.
Monika Kim is a second-generation Korean American living in Los Angeles’s Koreatown. She learned about eating fish eyes from her mother, who immigrated to LA from Seoul in 1985. The Eyes Are the Best Part is her first novel.
LJ Best Book author Hailey Piper offers a twist on vampire mythology; plus new books from Kelley Armstrong, Richard Chizmar, and Stoker Lifetime Achievement Award-winner Nuzo Onoh.
With obvious nods to the serious issues that underpin Toni Morrison’s The Bluest Eye, and clearly inspired by Gillian Flynn’s seminal Gone Girl, Kim has written a novel that every library needs to own.
PREMIUM
The Z Word
King-Miller’s (Ask a Queer Chick: A Guide to Sex, Love, and Life for Girls who Dig Girls) fiction debut expertly balances social commentary with fun in a novel that will have readers cheering for her queer heroes and questioning their own brand loyalties. Will have wide appeal for fans of Jennifer Government by Max Barry, Pride and Prejudice and Zombies by Seth Grahame-Smith, and Manhunt by Gretchen Felker-Martin.
A great read for fans of authors who embrace slasher-movie tropes in their storytelling such as Brian McAuley, Grady Hendrix, and Stephen Graham Jones, and also those who love tales where artists and cursed objects collide, such as Gothic by Philip Fracassi.
PREMIUM
Cuckoo
No one writes like Felker-Martin (Manhunt), and her unrelenting and brutally honest novels are crucial inclusions to all horror collections. Pair with Chuck Tingle’s Camp Damascus or Lucy Snyder’s Sister, Maiden, Monster. This is also a great update to the classic film Invasion of the Body Snatchers.
A great introduction to today’s cosmic horror, featuring a plethora of talented new voices. An easy hand sell to fans of Jordan Peele, The Ballad of Black Tom by Victor LaValle, or the work of rising star Hailey Piper.
A captivating, alluring, and, at times, illicit book that is conscious of the craft of the storytelling process without sacrificing an extraordinary reading experience. It recalls Fever Dream by Samanta Schweblin, Looking Glass Sound by Catriona Ward, and Coyote Songs by Gabino Iglesias.
PREMIUM
Ghostroots: Stories
Aguda’s excellent story collection deserves a wide audience. With a breadth similar to the critically acclaimed Jackal, Jackal by Tobi Ogundiran, this will also appeal to readers of Eugen Bacon, Lisa Tuttle, and Karen Russell.
A must-buy title that updates the enduringly popular form of the gothic novel from a new perspective (as in Mexican Gothic by Silvia Moreno-Garcia or The Hollow Kind by Andy Davidson), while also adding depth to the horror that unites Thomas’s literary universe, similar to Goblin and Spin a Black Yarn by Josh Malerman.
PREMIUM
This Wretched Valley
A fast-paced, dread-filled survival tale, perfect for fans of Scott Smith’s The Ruins.
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