| Red Hands by Christopher GoldenHow it begins: Surviving a horrifying encounter with a man whose touch can kill, Maeve Sinclair discovers that the mysterious affliction has been passed on to her when she accidentally kills her own family.
What happens next: After Maeve flees into the mountains, "weird science expert" Ben Walker is tasked with finding the grief-stricken woman before those with more menacing plans (including the new voice inside Maeve's head) get to her first.
Series alert: Red Hands is the suspenseful and action-packed 3rd entry in the Ben Walker novels. |
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| We Hear Voices by Evie GreenWhat it is: a creepy debut set in a post-pandemic near-future London.
What it's about: Rachel's six-year-old son Billy bounces back from the J5X virus with the help of his imaginary friend, Delfy. But when Delfy's influence begins to exert a terrifying control over the boy, Rachel learns that Billy is not the only child whose recovery has been bolstered by an unseen presence...
For fans of: Imaginary Friend by Stephen Chbosky. |
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| A House at the Bottom of a Lake by Josh MalermanThe premise: Teenage lovebirds James and Amelia find a submerged house under an unmapped lake and decide to explore the uncanny wonders within.
Read it for: the heady rush of first love; the eerie atmosphere reminiscent of a fairy tale.
Is it for you? Readers who appreciate slow burns and ambiguous endings will enjoy this thought-provoking novella from Bird Box author Josh Malerman. |
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| The Blade Between by Sam J. MillerStarring: photographer Ronan, who's just returned to the gentrifying hometown that ostracized him for being gay; Dom, Ronan's ex-boyfriend who’s struggling to gain acceptance as a Black police officer; community organizer Attalah, Dom's wife.
What happens: Teaming up to expose the corporate investors taking over the town, the trio find themselves grappling with horrors both human (racism, homophobia) and supernatural (ghosts, unexplained deaths).
Book buzz: Rife with incisive social commentary, The Blade Between is a compelling addition to the gentrification horror subgenre. |
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| Bunny by Mona AwadWhat it's about: loner MFA student Samantha's life takes a bizarre turn when she's invited to join "the Bunnies," a Stepford Wives-esque clique of four fellow students whose sweet appearances hide horrifying motives.
One of us! As she begins taking part in the group's sinister, cult-like rituals, Samantha morphs into an unreliable narrator with a skewed sense of reality.
Why horror fans might like it: Surreal moments of gruesome violence add ample shock value to this genre-defying novel. |
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| My Sister, the Serial Killer by Oyinkan BraithwaiteStarring: hardworking, practical Korede; her beautiful sister Ayoola, who seems to have developed a habit of killing her boyfriends.
What it's about: Korede is the one who disposes of the bodies and keeps her sister out of jail. But when the handsome doctor with whom Korede has fallen in love notices Ayoola and asks for her number, Korede faces a dilemma.
Why horror fans might like it: Slasher meets satire in Nigerian author Oyinkan Braithwaite's darkly humorous, award-winning debut. |
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| Final Girls by Riley SagerThere can be only one: The lone survivor (aka "final girl") of a massacre a decade ago, Quincy Carpenter carves out a Pinterest-perfect life for herself in hopes of keeping her repressed memories at bay.
But then... when a final girl named Lisa dies of an apparent suicide, another final girl, Sam, warns Quincy that she may be in danger. But can Sam be trusted? And will Quincy be able to survive one more time?
Why horror fans might like it: This unrelenting thriller from the pseudonymous Riley Sager offers a page-turning homage to popular horror movie tropes. |
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| Little Eyes by Samanta Schweblin; translated by Megan McDowellWhat it is: a creepy novel in vignettes longlisted for the Booker Prize.
Toy...or terror? Kentuki -- robotic, camera-equipped stuffed animals, purchased by "keepers" and controlled by "dwellers" -- are the hottest new tech craze, allowing strangers across the globe to connect with each other. But not all dwellers have their keepers' best interests at heart...
Why horror fans might like it: Reminiscent of a Black Mirror episode, this uncanny latest from Fever Dream author Samanta Schweblin exposes the disturbing underbelly of tech-facilitated isolation. |
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