If there’s one oft-unsung medium for horror, it’s arguably books. There’s an insane plethora of spine-tingling tales of terror in book form for all tastes – and from all decades – just awaiting discovery. Not just fiction but nonfiction deep dives into horror cinema to satiate all fans.
And many exciting new additions to the shelf are slated for release this year. Whether you’re in the mood for short stories, a slasher sequel, or spooky Halloween comfort, 2023 has it all.
We narrowed it down to the ten upcoming horror books we can’t wait to read.
How to Sell a Haunted House by Grady Hendrix – January 17
Bestselling author Grady Hendrix gives his spin on a horror staple: the haunted house. Louise gets called back to her hometown after her parents die in an accident. More than begrudgingly leaving her daughter with her ex, Louise dreads dealing with her brother Mark most of all. She’ll have to put aside her volatile differences with Mark to prep their parents’ house for sale, but that’s before the place reveals that it doesn’t want to be sold. Enter mom’s creepy puppets. Hendrix’s distinct blend of scares and sentimentality aims to give a fresh spin on the familiar horror story.
All Hallows by Christopher Golden – January 24
Christopher Golden gives horror fans what they want with his latest: Halloween in January. Four children who do not belong quietly invade the trick-or-treating revelry on Halloween night, 1984, in Coventry, Massachusetts. The children, donning eerie vintage costumes, beg others to hide them away from The Cunning Man. Who is the Cunning Man, and why is the neighborhood descending into chaos? I’m eager to find out later this month.
Don’t Fear the Reaper by Stephen Graham Jones – February 7
Our favorite horror-loving Final Girl is back in proper slasher sequel form! Jade Daniels is released from prison right before Christmas when her conviction is overturned, four years after the events of My Heart is a Chainsaw. Her return to Proofrock coincides with the escape of convicted serial killer Dark Mill South, who’s out for revenge in her neck of the woods. As the body count rises to slasher sequel levels, will Jade be able to stop him? Jones wears his love of horror and slashers on his protagonist’s sleeves, ensuring a page-turning good time.
The Black Guy Dies First: Black Horror Cinema from Fodder to Oscar by Robin R. Means Coleman, Ph.D. and Mark Harris – February 7
This one is a must for fans of the acclaimed documentary Horror Noire, based on Coleman’s 2011 nonfiction book. Coleman teams up with prominent horror expert and journalist Mark Harris to analyze themes, tropes, and traits that have come to characterize Black roles in horror since 1968. The pair chronicle the history of Black horror films, from the fodder like Spider Baby to the Oscar-winning Get Out and beyond. Expect an illuminating and in-depth read from this impressive duo.
The Destroyer of Worlds: A Return to Lovecraft Country by Matt Ruff – February 21
The HBO series adaptation of Ruff’s Lovecraft Country may not continue in televised form, but the author expands the universe in his sequel novel. Atticus Turner and his father, Montrose, continue their travels in the weird world where the Jim Crow era collides with cosmic horror and creatures at every turn. And some returning characters have a score to settle.
Piñata by Leopoldo Gout – March 14
This possession tale has been described as A Head Full of Ghosts meets Mexican Gothic, a magical horror combo. Carmen Sanchez is in Mexico to oversee the renovation of an ancient cathedral as it’s turned into a hotel. Her teen daughters Luna and Izel visit her for the summer and are left to their devices as Carmen contends with contractor woes. Once Luna is nearly injured, the trio returns to New York City, but something’s wrong with Luna. It may be too late for the Sanchez family to escape what evil awakened.
Lone Women by Victor LaValle – March 21
LaValle is back with a haunting portrait of early-twentieth-century America. It’s 1915, and Adelaide is forced to pack up her things and head to Montana to become a homesteader after her deep, dark secret killed her parents. That secret she’s tried so desperately to lock away might be the only thing that will help her survive the harsh territory.
The Beast You Are by Paul Tremblay – July 11
The author of The Cabin at the End of the World and A Head Full of Ghosts is back, this time with a bone-chilling new collection of stories. The title novella is described as a “mini epic in which the destinies and secrets of a village, a dog, and a cat are intertwined with a giant monster that returns to wreak havoc every thirty years.” Could there be crossover with other Tremblay works, like the author’s story collection Growing Things? This one is likely to induce chills either way.
Those We Drown by Amy Goldsmith – July 11
YA aquatic horror. Enough said. But if you need more, the plot sees Liv’s best friend disappear on the first night of their semester-at-sea college program. Liv soon suspects that her friend isn’t just hiding away sick, as everyone says, but instead has succumbed to a sinister conspiracy on board. And something even more dangerous may be lurking beneath the water.
Silver Nitrate by Silvia Moreno-Garcia – July 18
Save for her love of horror and horror cinema, Moreno-Garcia refuses to adhere to a single subgenre, which is what makes every new release so exciting. Whereas Mexican Gothic delivered a Gothic romance, and The Daughter of Doctor Moreau retooled a sci-fi horror classic, Silver Nitrate takes on Nazi occultism and cursed films set in the film industry in ’90s Mexico City.
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