It has been a couple of years since I did a post of Halloween reads and with so many incredible creepy books out at the moment, I thought it was time to give you an all-new list. I’m trying to avoid the classics that everyone is fully aware of (but I still love you Frankenstein) to take a look at the modern side of creepy fiction. Get your candle burning, turn out the lights and prepare to be scared!
Horrorstor by Grady Hendrix
This tale of an Ikea-style home store built on top of a barbaric prison manages to poke fun at retail and be pretty damn creepy at the same time. Not only that, it comes in a superb physical package that could easily be mistaken for an Ikea catalogue, even down to the similar print. This novel also has a kick-ass female lead and a brilliant ending.
Bird Box by Josh Malerman
In my opinion Bird Box is simply one of the greatest horrors I’ve ever read and one I will definitely be re-reading numerous times in the future. When vision becomes a vulnerability this tale something superbly stressful and claustrophobic.
There is something on the streets that causes people to become unhinged as soon as they see it, sometimes killing others but always killing themselves. Years after the incidents start one woman has adapted to a world without the risk of sight but it’s time for her leave the safe home she’s made and take her young children with her.
The Troop by Nick Cutter
It’s just another boys survival trip when Troop 52 take to Falstaff but when the troop leader spots a lone man dock onto the island in the middle of the night he has no idea what they’re in for. The stranger begs for food as he shovels dirt into his mouth and the troop leader knows there is something seriously wrong, the stranger has brought death with him.
The Testimony by James Smythe
This book is a tough one to classify, it’s not exactly horror but the insight Smythe gives us into the human psyche makes it equally dark.
When almost the entire population hears a static sound with no evidence of an origin across the world, everyone stops to listen. Later the static is followed by ‘My children..’ and later ‘do not be afraid.’ Is it God, is it aliens, is it the end?
Black Moon by Kenneth Calhoun
An illness is sweeping the world, an illness that steals sleep from the infected. At first, it was a rumour and sleeping pills started to run out, then people started to miss work and no one could function normally, society soon fell into ruins.
Matt’s one of the very few people who are still able to sleep and although he tried to keep his hallucinating girlfriend safe, she managed to escape and now he’s on a mission to find her in a world that’s falling apart.
Annihilation by Jeff VanderMeer
Area X has been a no-go zone for over thirty years due to contamination. Missions have been sent in to document the area but none went smoothly. One simply disappeared, one all committed suicide and another all returned with terminal cancer. Whatever secrets Area X contains, it’s trying to keep them. An unnamed biologist signs up for the latest expedition, not knowing all the facts, just knowing her partner returned suddenly from the most recent mission a different man. She’s on a mission to find out the truth about Area X and will do anything to find it.
The Three by Sarah Lotz
When four planes plummet to the ground the world jumps to conclusions but no signs of terrorism are found and when three children are found alive among the wreckage of the four crafts it’s hailed as a miracle. Soon messages from people on the doomed aircraft’s come to light, warnings of ” They’re here … The boy. The boy watch the boy watch the dead people oh Lordy there’s so many … They’re coming for me now. We’re all going soon. All of us. Pastor Len warn them that the boy he’s not to–“
Are the children everything they seem to be?
This Book is Full of Spiders by David Wong
This sequel to cult classic ‘John Dies at the End is probably best described as Bill and Ted horror. It’s funny, unusual, scary and great fun to read.
David’s not having the best day when he wakes up to find a giant spider attacking him, it becomes even weirder when it seems that other people can’t even see the creature. Things go from bad to worse when the spider escapes, crawls up a police officer and into his mouth, infecting him with something terrible…
So there you have it, some of the weirdest and wonderful stories from the dark side. All that’s left to say is …
HAPPY HALLOWEEN!