Horror
February 2026

Recent Releases
Shiny Happy People by Clay McLeod Chapman
Shiny Happy People
by Clay McLeod Chapman

At sixteen, Kyra is still haunted by the horrors she saw growing up with her drug-addicted mother. She doesn’t feel like she belongs anywhere—and disturbing dreams come to her at night. When a new party drug makes its way to her high school, Kyra’s life becomes an actual nightmare. A video challenge spreads among the students—and though she doesn’t participate, Kyra can’t escape the inexplicable side effects. Try this next: When Devils Sing by Xan Kaur. 
The Works of Vermin by Hiron Ennes
The Works of Vermin
by Hiron Ennes

Enter the decadent, deadly city of Tiliard, a metropolis carved into the stump of an ancient tree. In this complex, chaotic city, Guy Moulène has a simple goal: keep his sister out of debt. For her sake, he'll take on any job, no matter how vile. As an exterminator, Guy hunts the uncanny creatures that crawl up from the river. His latest quarry is different: a centipede the size of a dragon with a deadly venom and a ravenous taste for artwork. For fans of: The Dead Cat Tail Assassins by P. Djeli Clark. 
Snake-Eater
by T. Kingfisher

In search of a fresh start after leaving her emotionally abusive fiancé, cash-strapped Selena heads to the small desert town of Quartz Creek, Arizona to stay at her late aunt's abandoned home. But not all is as it seems in Quartz Creek, as she soon discovers she's being watched by the same malevolent creature who targeted her aunt. Fans of dark fantasy/horror hybrids will want to check out this suspenseful and atmospheric latest from bestselling author T. Kingfisher.
A Box Full of Darkness
by Simone St. James

Eighteen years after the sudden disappearance of their six-year-old brother, Ben, the Esmie siblings return to their childhood home in upstate New York at the urging of Ben's ghost, hoping to find answers. For fans of: Model Home by Rivers Solomon.
Focus on: Short Stories
A Sunny Place for Shady People: Stories
by Mariana Enriquez; translated by Megan McDowell

Argentine author Mariana Enriquez (Our Share of Night) offers 12 creepy and darkly humorous tales starring women in contemporary Buenos Aires confronting horrors both mundane and supernatural. Try this next: Nineteen Claws and a Black Bird: Stories by Agustina Bazterrica.
Never Whistle at Night: An Indigenous Dark Fiction Anthology
by Shane Hawk and Theodore C. Van Alst Jr. (editors); introduction by Stephen Graham Jones

Incorporating social commentary and elements of folklore and traditional beliefs, this compelling anthology features 26 original horror tales from new and established Indigenous authors including Darcie Little Badger, Tommy Orange, and Brandon Hobson. For fans of: After the People Lights Have Gone Off: Stories by Stephen Graham Jones.
Out There Screaming: An Anthology of New Black Horror
by Jordan Peele (editor)

Edited by Academy Award-winning filmmaker Jordan Peele (Get Out), this creepy anthology collects stories from lauded Black authors including N.K. Jemisin, Tananarive Due, Cadwell Turnbull, and more. It's "essential reading for any horror fan" (Publishers Weekly). Try this next: The Black Guy Dies First: Black Horror Cinema from Fodder to Oscar by Robin R. Means Coleman and Mark H. Harris (nonfiction).
Mother Knows Best: Tales of Homemade Horror
by Lindy Ryan (editor) 

This twisted and disturbing anthology of 27 short stories and poems explores the horrors of domestic life and motherhood. For fans of: thought-provoking maternal horror novels like Mothered by Zoje Stage and Tantrum by Rachel Eve Moulton. 
Contact your librarian for more great books!
Forsyth County Public Library
660 W. Fifth St., Winston-Salem, NC 27101
336-703-2665

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