The nitty-gritty: At times uncomfortable and disturbing, Eric LaRocca’s stories explore the dangerous side of human relationships. Eric LaRocca is quickly becoming my go-to horror author when I’m looking for well-written, edgy horror, horror that isn’t like anything else out there. I believe this is my third book of theirs I’ve read, and in fact […]
The nitty-gritty: A lush, bloody, sweeping saga of an unusual relationship that spans centuries. “Love makes monsters of us, Constanta, and not everyone is cut out for monstrosity.” I’ve been eyeing A Dowry of Blood ever since the self-published edition made a splash on social media, but it went out of print before I could […]
The nitty-gritty: With a strong beginning and a thrilling ending, I enjoyed parts of House of Hunger, especially the darker horror elements, but overall it turned out to be a mixed bag for me. Of this I am utterly certain: I will never again know peace. —VANESSA, FIRST BLOODMAID OF THE HOUSE OF HUNGER House […]
The nitty-gritty: Creepy and unsettling, thrilling and terrifying, Gallows Hill is the perfect story to read with the lights off—if you dare. “”It might be easier to go over everything in three parts,’ Kant said. ‘Before the bells. After the bells. And once they’re in the house.’” I’m so glad I’ve finally read my first […]
The nitty-gritty: Monsters, magic and murder take center stage in this trio of wild, weird and bloody stories. I love a good weird western, and I have to say these stories scratched that itch for me. West of Hell contains three short novellas written by three different authors, and while I didn’t enjoy all of […]
The nitty-gritty: Alan Baxter’s latest delivers chills, gore and a cast a colorful characters in this carnival thrill ride-like tale of otherworldly revenge, perfect for horror fans seeking a fun summer read. Alan Baxter really knows how to write small town folk horror, and Sallow Bend has all the markings of a good one. With […]
The nitty-gritty: The Book Eaters is a delicious, dark surprise, strange and compelling and utterly original. “A moment of perverse beauty: one child holding another, with Cai’s mouth on the baby’s ear. Almost a kiss, almost a cuddle. It was love and it was death and Devon thought that, for her, those things had become […]
The nitty-gritty: Gailey’s latest is delightfully unsettling, with unexpected twists, dangerous characters and ominous secrets. “The outside of Vera was shaped like the inside of this house. This was the house her father had built with his two strong hands. This was the goldfish tank where she’d grown to the size she would always be, […]
The nitty-gritty: Four childhood friends are forced to confront the past in Ronald Malfi’s latest, an epic, nightmarish tale with unforgettable characters. “Do you want to see a magic trick?” After absolutely loving Come With Me last year (which made my top five books of 2021), I was both excited and hesitant to read Ronald Malfi’s […]
The nitty-gritty: A creepy and atmospheric retelling that pays homage to the original story while adding many unique elements, What Moves the Dead induces both laughter and dread, often in the same paragraph. “The mushroom’s gills were the deep-red color of severed muscle, the almost-violet shade that contrasts so dreadfully with the pale pink of […]