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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 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
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.
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
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.
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.
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.
PREMIUM
Sanctuary
Fans of Isabel Cañas’s The Hacienda and Shirley Jackson’s The Haunting of Hill House will savor this solidly scary yarn.
PREMIUM
This Wretched Valley
A fast-paced, dread-filled survival tale, perfect for fans of Scott Smith’s The Ruins.
PREMIUM
The Molossus of Old Man Moyer
A perfect ghost story for fans of The Amityville Horror or listeners who prefer not-so-subtle scares. The short runtime makes this a quick supernatural thriller that ends with a decidedly loud bang.
PREMIUM
Indian Burial Ground
Expertly blending timelines and perspectives, Medina delivers another atmospheric, unsettling, and downright eerie read that will keep readers guessing until the last page.
Multiple vampire tales, including ones from Johnny Compton, Rachel Harrison, and Kiersten White; a gothic horror from LJ Best Booker Olesya Salnikova Gilmore; and YA authors Lilliam Rivera and Vincent Tirado make their adult debut.
PREMIUM
The House That Horror Built
An unsubtle but tense tale of self-aware gothic horror from Henry (Good Girls Don’t Die).
PREMIUM
Lost Man’s Lane
Carson (Where They Wait), pen name of Michael Koryta, delivers a captivating and eerie tale that weaves together family curses, the Y2K panic, and the very real horrors of adolescence. Xennial readers will especially enjoy revisiting cultural touchpoints of their own coming-of-age. Give this one to fans of Michael Koryta and Chuck Wendig’s Black River Orchard.
PREMIUM
The Gathering
Tudor’s (The Drift) latest blends elements from the horror, thriller, and mystery genres to create a compulsive and fantastic read. Well-paced action, great characters, a satisfying conclusion, and the setup for a sequel make for an easy recommendation, especially for fans of T. Kingfisher and Catriona Ward.
PREMIUM
What Grows in the Dark
A spooky walk in the woods for fans of supernatural mysteries, LGBTQIA+ protagonists, and folk horror such as The Blair Witch.
PREMIUM
Red River Seven
A fun romp with echoes of Jeremy Robert Johnson’s The Loop or Nick Cutter’s The Troop. Bloody escapism at its best.
Outstanding narratorial performances take this novel to the next level. Fussner doesn’t offer easy answers but allows listeners to ponder the existence of the invisible world.
A dream team of narrators, combined with Wendig’s masterful storytelling, makes for a listening experience as intoxicating as a Ruby Slipper apple.
Incredibly written and performed historical horror that, though heartbreaking, might give modern readers a spark of hope.
PREMIUM
The Night House
Nesbø’s first foray into horror lacks a tightly focused plot but makes up for it with imaginative scenes that fascinate even when separated from the whole.
PREMIUM
The Paleontologist
Fans of Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child’s “Pendergast” series should especially enjoy Dumas’s intriguing blend of supernatural and psychological horror, with its sharp prose, well-drawn characters, and just the right amount of humor and social commentary.
PREMIUM
Mister Lullaby
Those who enjoy King’s Castle Rock novels or dark fantasies that involve a weakening veil between worlds should enjoy this journey to Lalaland.
PREMIUM
A Light Most Hateful
Throughout this intense blend of horror, romance, and fantasy, listeners will be glad for Parker’s performance. A twisty, shocking novel for fans of Richard Kadrey’s The Dead Take the A Train.
A collection of Indigenous horror stories that offers something for every listener, from quietly unsettling tales to gruesome body horror. Don’t miss this one.
PREMIUM
Good Girls Don’t Die
Thriller/horror fans who dabble in mysteries and YA dystopian novels will savor Henry’s fourth-wall-centered assault on well-known genres.
PREMIUM
Edenville
While some listeners may get lost in Rebelein’s ever-confusing landscape, those who like their cosmic horror with a touch of humor should enjoy.
PREMIUM
Where the Dead Wait
Horror for fans of nautical disasters such as Dan Simmons’s The Terror or Jennifer Niven’s The Ice Master.
Terrifying tales of crime and supernatural horror; plus new books from LJ Best Book authors Grady Hendrix and Gabino Iglesias.
The collaboration of these uniquely gifted narrators with extraordinarily talented Black horror authors results in a thrilling, multifaceted audio experience that belongs in all fiction collections.
PREMIUM
Dwellings
Readers who enjoyed Afterlife with Archie by Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa or Octopus Girl by Toru Yamazaki will enjoy untangling the plots of these six cutesy yet highly disturbing stories.
PREMIUM
Sanctuary
Fans of Isabel Cañas’s The Hacienda and Silvia Moreno-Garcia’s Mexican Gothic will breathe in this book’s brooding atmosphere, even as its emotional punch of a climax leaves them breathless.
PREMIUM
The Woods All Black
Readers will be drawn in to this horror novella with broad crossover appeal, thanks to its skillful blend of trans love story, historical fiction, and Southern gothic folk horror.
Full of emotions, humorous moments, spinetingling scenes, and lots of tension, Thorne’s newest is a modern horror story that will grab readers and not let go.
This horror sequel invokes more about Sara rights and splinter cells, and Mia remains a fascinating protagonist to watch as she works through her own pain while trying to stay alive.
Balancing a terrifying cursed film with examinations of artistic creation, fandom, and truth, Tremblay’s latest is smart and well-paced and will have broad appeal. Recommended for fans of Tremblay’s The Pallbearer’s Club as well as Clay McLeod Chapman’s The Remaking.
LJ Best Book authors Stephen Graham Jones and Chuck Tingle have new books out in July, along with best-selling James Patterson.
PREMIUM
Chicano Frankenstein
The way Olivas builds on the classic Shelley story and sets it within a futuristic context makes it an intriguing read that will speak to disenfranchised voices and spark discussion among its readers. A good read-alike for Tim McGregor’s Eynhallow and Frankenstein in Baghdad by Ahmed Saadawi.
S.A. Barnes is the author of Dead Silence and the forthcoming Ghost Station. She works in a high school library by day, recommending reads, talking with students, and removing the occasional forgotten cheese stick used as a bookmark.
PREMIUM
Nestlings
A novel for fans of the monstrous and grotesque. Share this menacing listen with fans of Chase Novak’s Breed or Ben H. Winters’s Bedbugs.
PREMIUM
Bless Your Heart
Ryan’s (Throw Me to the Wolves) compelling horror/mystery hybrid is bursting with serious scares, humor, and Southern charm. Fans of Grady Hendrix and Rachel Harrison will appreciate.
LaRocca (Everything the Darkness Eats) is a viral sensation for all the right reasons, showcasing why extreme horror is so resonant, thought-provoking, and necessary. Suggest to fans of Tender Is the Flesh by Agustina Bazterrica and We Are Here To Hurt Each Other by Paula D. Ashe.
PREMIUM
Ghost Station
Barnes (Dead Silence) is quickly cementing herself as the go-to author in space horror. This will appeal to fans of sci-fi/horror hybrids that are heavy on the planetary-exploration details, such as David Wellington’s Paradise-1, and also readers who enjoy the psychologically intense polar horror of Ally Wilkes.
PREMIUM
Oracle
Suggest to fans of popular horror/thriller series by Christopher Golden, Chuck Wendig, and Mira Grant.
PREMIUM
The Day of the Door
Hightower’s (Silent Key) story, dripping with visceral dread from every corner, will draw in fans of intense psychological horror such as A Head Full of Ghosts by Paul Tremblay, Mapping the Interior by Stephen Graham Jones, and Graveyard of Lost Children by Katrina Monroe.
Jones has given the world a gift, an epic tale for the ages, both a violent, high-octane slasher and a frank, thought-provoking indictment of the U.S., past and present.
Pelayo (The Shoemaker’s Magician) has given readers another can’t-miss novel, marked by its pervasive unease and riveting storyline. For fans of ghost stories that mine memory, fairy tales, and mystery, such as the works of Simone St. James, Jennifer McMahon, and Helen Oyeyemi.
PREMIUM
12 Hours
Wood (Telecommuting) showcases the strengths of the novella as the perfect vehicle for horror storytelling, in a captivating tale that is in equal measures beautiful and brutal, presenting terror both terrestrial and supernatural; similar to the work of Gabino Iglesias and V. Castro.
This novel is a mystery and a love story fraught with heartbreak, infused with Islamic mythology, and written in evocative, lyrical prose. Fans of Isabel Allende and Alice Hoffman will be enchanted with this beautiful book.
LJ Best Book authors Gretchen Felker-Martin, Josh Malerman, and Paul Tremblay have new titles, while others make their horror debuts.
PREMIUM
Eye of a Little God
Mashing up multiple genres, this is a story for fans of modern (and frightening) fairy tales.
From intensely unsettling to heartbreakingly beautiful moments, the best horror novels of 2023 offer fresh spins on terrifying tropes.
PREMIUM
A Haunting in the Arctic
The novel’s very metaphysical ending might leave some readers disappointed, but its atmosphere and harrowed heroines make this a good book to read during cold and dark nights.
PREMIUM
At the End of Every Day
This audio will appeal to listeners seeking atmospheric, unsettling horror that blends otherworldly chills with childhood nostalgia. Recommended for fans of Megan Collins, Kiersten White, and Jennifer McMahon.
PREMIUM
Vampires of El Norte
This complex blend of historical fiction, romance, and horror captivates on many levels. Share with fans of Silvia Moreno-Garcia, Alma Katsu, and Andy Davidson.
PREMIUM
Burn the Negative
One doesn’t need a Needle Man to poke holes in the plot, but Winning has created an immersive love letter to late-20th-century horror cinema that will draw fans of supernatural slashers like flies to corpses.
Rosson’s dialogue and characters may attract fans of noir-adjacent fiction, but it’s the true horror fans who will love riding out this apocalypse.
This perfect synergy of author and narrator will have broad appeal. For fans of Rachel Harrison and Grady Hendrix and anyone seeking a unique haunted-house story.
PREMIUM
No Child of Mine
Though Giraldes’s tale is sometimes dragged down by its ghosts, readers of domestic horror will likely respond to the depiction of an increasingly isolated expectant mother.
This is a must-buy for libraries that are looking to add fresh new horror to their collection. The story has broad appeal and will entice patrons with its additions to the classic Frankenstein story, as well as horror readers seeking something new. Recommend to those who liked T. Kingfisher’s What Moves the Dead and Philip Fracassi’s Boys in the Valley.
PREMIUM
We Ate the Dark
With stunning prose, Pearson draws readers into the lives of her characters and weaves a horror-esque fantasy tale.
PREMIUM
The Haunting of Velkwood
Fans of My Best Friend’s Exorcism by Grady Hendrix won’t want to miss Kiste’s (The Rust Maidens) latest.
PREMIUM
Red Rabbit
This meandering, lushly described weird West tale will be a treat for fans of Alma Katsu, Rob DeBorde, and Rhett C. Bruno.
PREMIUM
The Handyman Method
A haunted-house story possessed by the shades of Stephen King’s The Shining and The Tommyknockers. Horror fans will be enthralled.
PREMIUM
My Darling Girl
Full of twists, turns, and plenty of suspense, this slow-burn horror novel has depth and plenty of holiday chills. Fans of McMahon’s other works will not be disappointed.
Music and horror fans who like their ghost stories gooey and their music loud should give this story a spin.
PREMIUM
Disturbance
Though the subject matter is disturbing, Clake’s window into the horror wrought by abusive relationships resonates. A haunting literary horror for fans of Carmen Maria Machado’s Her Body and Other Parties.
PREMIUM
Ghost Tamer
A paranormal thriller that offers thrills and chills in addition to a touching exploration of grief, love, and moving on.
PREMIUM
Hemlock Island
A thrilling story, laced with horrors both real and otherwise; recommended for audiences who loved Nick Cutter and Andrew F. Sullivan’s The Handyman Method and Thomas Olde Heuvelt’s Echo.
PREMIUM
Girl Among Crows
A captivating listen, just the thing for thriller readers seeking supernatural scares. The twists come fast, and the characters’ decisions lead to brutal consequences. Share with fans of Stephen King and Riley Sager.
PREMIUM
Dracula: A Full Cast Audio Drama
This dramatized adaptation of Stoker’s classic tale is a perfect spooky listen for those seeking a new experience of the original novel. Recommended for any audio classics or horror collection.
PREMIUM
Phantom
Listeners who don’t mind unappealing characters or messy plots may want to check this out, but it’s an otherwise optional purchase for most libraries.
PREMIUM
Spin a Black Yarn: Novellas
A great sampling of Malerman’s novellas, brought to life by an ever-engaging group of talented voice actors.
PREMIUM
Looking Glass Sound
With an abundance of moving parts, Ward’s multilayered tale is a delightful challenge for anyone who loves reverse-engineering their thrillers.
Hand’s reworking of the Hill House legend is brilliant on its own, but sinister sound effects and Monda’s spine-tingling narration (which includes show-stopping renditions of the spooky murder ballads) make this an absolute must-have for horror collections.
PREMIUM
The Daughters of Block Island
While there are numerous references here to horror icons such as Shirley Jackson and gothic novels, including Jane Eyre and Wuthering Heights, they do not fully resonate with the characters of Carmen’s debut novel (after the short story collection Something Borrowed, Something Blood-Soaked: Thirteen Stories), making it read like a disjointed collection of tropes.
Jenny Kiefer is a Kentuckian and an avid rock climber. Together with her mother, she is the owner and manager of Butcher Cabin Books, an all-horror bookstore. Her work has been featured in Pseudopod, Cosmic Horror Monthly, Fantasy & Science Fiction, and Howls from the Dark Ages. This Wretched Valley is her debut novel.
This latest from Datlow is a consistently creepy anthology made for long, dark solstice nights (or long days, if you’re in the Southern Hemisphere).
PREMIUM
Midnight on Beacon Street
Verona’s debut is a riveting thriller and a thoughtful love letter to horror films. It will find its most enthusiastic audience with fans of the babysitter final girl trope from any medium, such as the movie Halloween and the novel The Babysitter Lives by Stephen Graham Jones.
PREMIUM
The House of Last Resort
Golden is already a library favorite, and his latest will be eagerly devoured. This title would make a great suggestion for fans of The Ancestor by Danielle Trussoni or Mexican Gothic by Silvia Moreno-Garcia.
A stunning novel that purposefully plays with genre conventions and centers love, even as it actively terrifies readers to their core, much like recent novels from Victor LaValle, Rachel Eve Moulton, and Chuck Tingle.
PREMIUM
Where the Dead Wait
Fans of the historical horror Alma Katsu or polar exploration nonfiction, such as In the Kingdom of Ice by Hampton Sides, will rejoice, but the intense psychological horror and isolation will also appeal to those who enjoy space horror similar to Dead Silence by S.A. Barnes.
PREMIUM
Edenville
In his debut novel, Rebelein confidently writes in a sardonic tone, mixing humor with over-the-top cosmic horror, a combination that will appeal greatly to fans of We Sold Our Souls by Grady Hendrix, but don’t sleep on the academic aspects, as also seen in Catherine House by Elisabeth Thomas.
PREMIUM
Womb City
Tsamaase, like Oghenechovwe Donald Ekpeki, is a rising star in African speculative fiction whose work will appeal to readers from across the globe, especially fans of Philip K. Dick, Margaret Atwood, and Blake Crouch.
PREMIUM
Your Shadow Half Remains
Creepy from its first lines, this deceptively quiet roller-coaster of intense unease, palpable emotional trauma, and engrossing menace will appeal to a wide swath of readers.
A terrifying debut, rendered with the intensity and skill of Scott Smith’s cult favorite The Ruins and touches of The Hunger by Alma Katsu and Echo by Thomas Olde Heuvelt. The novel announces Kiefer’s intentions to boldly begin her climb to the top of the genre.
PREMIUM
Camp Damascus
Tingle’s foray into a new genre pays off. Share with horror fans looking for complex, multilayered characters and unexpected storylines or anyone seeking piercing commentary on faith, conversion therapy, and religious trauma.
PREMIUM
All Eight Eyes
Foxe’s (Dark X-Men) scripting emphasizes thrills and chills over exposition without shortchanging character development in this exhilaratingly pulpy horror thriller.
Vampires prowl the pages, and new titles arrive from S. A. Barnes, Eric LaRocca, and Thomas Olde Heuvelt.
PREMIUM
The Pale House Devil
This solid novella will appeal to horror readers who like quirky protagonists. Recommended for fans of Kadrey’s “Sandman Slim” series or of Edgar Cantero and Jim Butcher.
While some readers might be drawn to this book by Peele’s star power, this is a well-crafted anthology that’s perfect for introducing readers to emerging and established Black authors.
PREMIUM
Candy Cain Kills
This Christmas slasher, in the vein of movies like Silent Night, Deadly Night, is a quick read and a perfect book for gorehounds to devour on a cold Christmas night where there’s a fire in the hearth, some cocoa on the nightstand, and possibly something murderous in the snowy dark.
PREMIUM
Good Girls Don’t Die
Featuring a unique premise and culminating in an engaging twist, this book offers a poignant feminist horror story with strong women characters.
PREMIUM
A Haunting on the Hill
Where Jackson gave glimpses of possibility, Hand purposefully pulls back the curtain on a Hill House in its full derangement, but this haunted-house tale stands on its own very spooky legs.
PREMIUM
My Darling Girl
With detail that is simultaneously luscious and eerie and a story that is at once familiar and yet possessed by something unnamable, this novel won’t disappoint fans of McMahon (The Children on the Hill) or first-time readers.
PREMIUM
The Horror at Pleasant Brook
The sheer number of expendable characters sometimes slows down the action, but fans of Stephen King’s and Dean Koontz’s stories of small-town evil infestation will love seeing Pleasant Brook fall into darkness.
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