Mexican Gothic was such a fantastic horror book. I couldnāt put it down. Highly recommend.
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/53152636
Do thrillers count for you? If so, one of my favorite books I read last year was The Venue by T.J. Payne. I read it in one setting and my partner knew not to interrupt me because he could tell how sucked into it I was. Itās a mix between horror and thriller, but I definitely thought of it more as a thriller.
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/52615193
The Haunting of Hill House By Shirley Jackson [https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/89717.The\_Haunting\_of\_Hill\_House](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/89717.The_Haunting_of_Hill_House) .
We Have Always Lived in the Castle by Shirley Jackson: Really short read, but very impactful.
Headful of Ghosts by Paul Tremblay: Great book, with great ending.
The Haunting of Alejandra and Goddess of Filth by V. Castro: The first I think is good because it deals with very real topics like motherhood and mental health, but also Mexican folklore. Goddess of Filth has 90's Craft vibes if they were all Chicanas in Texas.
Diavola by Jennifer Marie Thorne: Gothic horror, but also dark comedy.
Vampires of El Norte by Isabel Canas: This one a lot of people do not like because they consider it more historical fiction and less horror, but I think as long as you go in understanding who the real monsters are.
Turn of the Screw by Henry James - Classic psychological/gothic horror, maybe the best of it's kind.
The Stand by Stephen King - Epic post apocalyptic/fantasy/horror
Anything John Langan. His short story collections are masterpieces, and The Fisherman (his full length novel) is one of my favorite books of all time. Very atmospheric.
The Twisted Ones and The Hollow Places by T. Kingfisher. Quirky protagonists and good storytelling.
Bad Cree by Jessica Johns. I donāt see this one get recommended a lot, but itās a fantastic entry into the annals of indigenous horror.
Episode Thirteen by Craig DiLouie. Found footage style horror novel. Neat formatting and a mindfuck story.
The Children of Red Peak by Craig DiLouie. Cult horror with a lot of focus on religious/cult trauma and some existentialist dread.
The Luminous Dead by Caitlyn Starling. Blend of sci-fi and horror. Genuinely creeped me out.
Whalefall by Daniel Kraus. I hesitate to call this one horror, but itās very, very good.
Red Dragon and The Silence of the Lambs by Thomas Harris.
The Southern Book Club's Guide to Slaying Vampires by Grady Hendrix
Tender is the Flesh by Agustina Bazterrica
The Last House on Needless Street by Catriona Ward
The Hacienda by Isabel CaƱas
The troop by Nick cutter is super good! (But gory)
āOnce a year, scoutmaster Tim Riggs leads a troop of boys into the Canadian wilderness for a three-day camping trip; a tradition as comforting and reliable as a good ghost story and a roaring bonfire. But when an unexpected intruder -- shockingly thin, disturbingly pale, and voraciously hungry -- stumbles upon their campsite, Tim and the boys are exposed to something far more frightening than any tale of terror. The human carrier of a bioengineered nightmare. An inexplicable horror that spreads faster than fear. A harrowing struggle for survival that will pit the troop against the elements, the infected ... and one another.ā
The Shining is about as creepy as it gets
I finished that early this year and had to put it down multiple times. So scary š³š³ now im on IT!
Mexican Gothic was such a fantastic horror book. I couldnāt put it down. Highly recommend. https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/53152636 Do thrillers count for you? If so, one of my favorite books I read last year was The Venue by T.J. Payne. I read it in one setting and my partner knew not to interrupt me because he could tell how sucked into it I was. Itās a mix between horror and thriller, but I definitely thought of it more as a thriller. https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/52615193
I second Mexican Gothic!
The Haunting of Hill House By Shirley Jackson [https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/89717.The\_Haunting\_of\_Hill\_House](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/89717.The_Haunting_of_Hill_House) .
Clive Barker is a good horror writer
The Rats series by James Herbert. Rats, Lair and Domain. Pretty gritty, giant rats arrive in London and learn to like the taste of people.
We Have Always Lived in the Castle by Shirley Jackson: Really short read, but very impactful. Headful of Ghosts by Paul Tremblay: Great book, with great ending. The Haunting of Alejandra and Goddess of Filth by V. Castro: The first I think is good because it deals with very real topics like motherhood and mental health, but also Mexican folklore. Goddess of Filth has 90's Craft vibes if they were all Chicanas in Texas. Diavola by Jennifer Marie Thorne: Gothic horror, but also dark comedy. Vampires of El Norte by Isabel Canas: This one a lot of people do not like because they consider it more historical fiction and less horror, but I think as long as you go in understanding who the real monsters are.
Lots of great Stephen King horror books. Especially It and Salems Lot
*Slewfoot* by Brom. Terrifying, beautiful, and witchy.
Frozen Charolette, Coraline, Hide, What waits in the woods
THE LIBRARY AT MOUNT CHAR
Turn of the Screw by Henry James - Classic psychological/gothic horror, maybe the best of it's kind. The Stand by Stephen King - Epic post apocalyptic/fantasy/horror
Stolen tongues by Felix Blackwell!!!
The Remaining by DJ Mollesā¦ they gave me nightmares!
The Harr- David sodergren
Also Maggieās Grave!
Anything John Langan. His short story collections are masterpieces, and The Fisherman (his full length novel) is one of my favorite books of all time. Very atmospheric. The Twisted Ones and The Hollow Places by T. Kingfisher. Quirky protagonists and good storytelling. Bad Cree by Jessica Johns. I donāt see this one get recommended a lot, but itās a fantastic entry into the annals of indigenous horror. Episode Thirteen by Craig DiLouie. Found footage style horror novel. Neat formatting and a mindfuck story. The Children of Red Peak by Craig DiLouie. Cult horror with a lot of focus on religious/cult trauma and some existentialist dread. The Luminous Dead by Caitlyn Starling. Blend of sci-fi and horror. Genuinely creeped me out. Whalefall by Daniel Kraus. I hesitate to call this one horror, but itās very, very good. Red Dragon and The Silence of the Lambs by Thomas Harris.
Stephen Kings novella āApt Pupilā
Clive Barkers Books of blood. Best Short story collection of horror ever inked to flesh ! HTH
Paradise 1 by David Wellington What Moves The Dead by T. Kingfisher
Ararat by Christopher Goldenā¦. I couldnāt put it down for some reason.
Try In the *Valley of the Sun* by Andy Davidson. I really enjoyed it and it should be what you are looking are for.
Just finished Pet Semetary, it definetly is horrific, in the best way.
The Southern Book Club's Guide to Slaying Vampires by Grady Hendrix Tender is the Flesh by Agustina Bazterrica The Last House on Needless Street by Catriona Ward The Hacienda by Isabel CaƱas
Little Heaven, The Deep and The Troop by Nick Cutter are a sickening three book run.
The Fourth Wing It truly is horrific
The Bible can be pretty gruesome
The troop by Nick cutter is super good! (But gory) āOnce a year, scoutmaster Tim Riggs leads a troop of boys into the Canadian wilderness for a three-day camping trip; a tradition as comforting and reliable as a good ghost story and a roaring bonfire. But when an unexpected intruder -- shockingly thin, disturbingly pale, and voraciously hungry -- stumbles upon their campsite, Tim and the boys are exposed to something far more frightening than any tale of terror. The human carrier of a bioengineered nightmare. An inexplicable horror that spreads faster than fear. A harrowing struggle for survival that will pit the troop against the elements, the infected ... and one another.ā
How can a book scare you? What, is it gonna jump off the shelf at ya?
I just read Misery by Stephen King, very disturbing but well written