With an autumn chill in the air and Halloween fast approaching, it’s the perfect time of year to curl up with a hot drink and a spooky story. From unwelcome houseguests and eerie small towns, to cursed movies and artificial intelligence, here is a list of some of the best hardback horror fiction released this year.
The Eyes Are the Best Part by Monika Kim
When their mother moves her obnoxious new boyfriend into their already cramped apartment, Ji-Won and her sister are not happy. He’s loud, domineering and has an obvious fetish for Asian women. But for some reason, Ji-Won can’t seem to stop thinking about his bright blue eyes… and wondering what they would taste like…
Horror Movie by Paul Tremblay
In 1993, a group of ambitious young film makers came together to make an indie horror movie about a mysterious figure known only as the ‘Thin Kid’. But tragedies strike one after another and only three scenes are ever released to the public. Thirty years later, the only surviving member of the original cast is approached for a Hollywood reboot. But playing the Thin Kid all those years ago has changed him in ways no one can imagine.
We Used to Live Here by Marcus Kliewer
Alone in the fixer-upper house she and her girlfriend have just purchased, Eve hears a knock at the door. It’s a family of five asking if they can come in and look around the house their dad grew up in. Hesitant at first, Eve finds she cannot say no. But as soon as the family enter, strange things begin to happen around the house. Who exactly has Eve invited into her home, and why can’t she get them to leave?
Incidents Around the House by Josh Malerman
Eight-year-old Bela lives with her Mommy and Daddo and Other Mommy. Other Mommy lives in Bela’s closet, and she used to come out only at night or when Bela was alone. But lately, Other Mommy keeps popping up around the house and even outside. And she keeps asking Bela if she can go inside her heart. Bela refuses each time, but she can tell that Other Mommy is getting very tired of hearing ‘no’.
Sorrow Spring by Olivia Isaac-Henry
Abandoned by her hippie mother in the quiet little village of Sorrow Spring, Rina Pine is forced to live with her estranged Aunt Agatha. At first, it seems as if her aunt is nothing more than a strict, God-fearing, elderly woman. But as Rina soon discovers, the women of Sorrow Spring have an agenda that goes far beyond the church’s influence. When children begin to go missing, Rina knows Aunt Agatha and her friends have something to do with it. But who can Rina turn to when she cannot trust anyone in Sorrow Spring?
William by Mason Coile
Agoraphobic engineer Henry has spent innumerable hours in his home lab and his hard work has finally paid off – he’s created artificial intelligence in the form of a half-finished robot he calls William. But there’s something unsettling about William and Henry is reluctant to let anyone (including his pregnant wife) meet him. Sequestered in the attic of their smart home, William knows he’s missing out on the full human experience. How far will he go to change that?