Newly arrived horror fiction
Lost Man's Lane by Scott Carson
Sixteen-year-old Marshall Miller's dream summer internship with a PI investigating a shocking local kidnapping in Bloomington, Indiana, turns into a nightmare. Initially praised for his keen observations, a terrifying incident leads to public accusations of lying and jeopardising the case, his mentor withdraws, and whispers surround him. But Marshall knows the darkness engulfing Bloomington extends beyond one crime. Now, he must unravel the truth and clear his name, facing a town gripped by a deeper, more sinister mystery.
I'll Be Waiting by Kelley Armstrong
Facing a limited lifespan, Nicola Laughton found unexpected years and deep love with Anton, who promised a shared future but only months after their wedding, tragedy struck; Anton's dying words, "I'll be waiting for you," became public, twisted into a ghostly vow. Exploited by spiritualists, Nicola's family hires a parapsychologist for a séance at Anton's former lake house. Soon, unsettling events plague the house: opening doors, insect swarms, phantom sounds. Haunted by hidden nightmares and a concealed identity, Nicola discovers a corpse and is soon in a terrifying fight for her life against both the living and the spectral.
Sorrow Spring by Olivia Isaac-Henry
In 1978, teenager Rina is mysteriously abandoned in the village and taken in by a close-knit circle of formidable older women. In 2019, Cate arrives in Sorrow Spring searching for her missing aunt, Rina. As Cate delves into the village's secrets, she uncovers a dark history connected to a local spring, a long-ago missing child, and a murder that casts a long shadow. The seemingly tranquil community hides sinister truths and the powerful influence of the women who guard them.
She's Always Hungry by Eliza Clark
Through speculative and often grotesque scenarios, characters grapple with intense desires, exploring various forms of hunger: physical, emotional, and societal. A teen obsesses over perfect skin, a scientist cares for alien plants, and others seek connection or escape. Clark blends body horror, sci-fi elements, and sharp social commentary to examine the insatiable nature of human longing for acceptance, beauty, power, and even self-destruction in a contemporary world. The stories are visceral, darkly humorous, and thought-provoking in their exploration of our deepest needs.
The Library Thief by Kuchenga Shenjé
Florence, the daughter of a bookbinder, a woman of mixed heritage passing as white in 1890s Manchester, is cast out by her father after a scandal. Cashing in on her father's reputation, she secures a job at the remote Rose Hall, but soon discovers Lord Belfield's library holds secrets, especially surrounding his late wife. When the library is broken into, Florence discovers a burnt diary, hinting at a dark truth about the mistress's death. A gothic tale of race, identity, gender, and class set within a compelling mystery.
What Moves the Dead by T. Kingfisher
In this retelling of Edgar Allan Poe's The Fall of the House of Usher, Kingfisher introduces Alex Easton, a 'sworn soldier' who comes to the aid of their childhood friend Madeline Usher, a woman plagued with a mystery disease. As Madeline worsens, her brother Roderick, American doctor Denton and redoubtable mycologist Miss Potter (aunt to the equally redoubtable Beatrix) search for an answer which may very well lie in the crumbling mansion itself. A creepy, clever and humorous take on the original.
The Empusium by Olga Tokarczuk
Reimaging a classic gothic setting, The Empusium unfolds in a remote sanatorium in 1913 Western Poland where men gather for supposed healing. However, the atmosphere is thick with intellectual debate and a growing sense of unease with war on the horizon. Tokarczuk explores themes of masculinity, philosophy, and the unsettling undercurrents of a seemingly idyllic retreat to create a story that plays with the tropes of the gothic genre, while also adding a very modern, and Tokarczukian, twist.
Witchcraft for Wayward Girls by Grady Hendrix
Fifteen-year-old Fern finds herself at Wellwood House in 1970s Florida, a home for unwed mothers hidden away to give birth in secret. There, she and other ostracised girls, Rose, Zinnia, and Holly endure strict control and a predetermined future of adoption. When Fern discovers a book on witchcraft, the girls find a potential source of power to reclaim their agency. However, their foray into the occult reveals that this power comes at a terrifying price, blurring the lines between liberation and destruction as they fight for their own futures.
