The time has come for ghosts and monsters. Eerie sounds and terrifying frights!
I’ve been celebrating Halloween since September 29th. But it’s less than a week away now, so I’m getting excited. Of course, my favorite form of horror is, has always been, and always will be, the horror novel. From reading Goosebumps as a child to devouring Stephen King as an adult, there is just nothing better to me than a good scary story. So, here are the top nine best horror novels I’ve read so far this year.
I won’t go into a lot of detail about these books, because I’ve reviewed many of them either here or on Haunted MTL. And of course, we’ll see some repeats here from my top ten best books of 2024 so far post back in June.
Coal Region HooDoo by Maxim W. Furek
This was a delightful historical read about some local ghost, alien and Big Foot sightings right in Western PA. You don’t have to be from this region to enjoy the stories, though.
Hearts of Darkness by Jana Monroe
This is the memoir of FBI agent Jana Monroe, who among other things coached Jody Foster when she was getting ready to play Clarice in Silence of The Lambs. It’s a fascinating look at the agency from a unique point of view.
Ghost Hunters by Ed and Lorraine Warren
Are the first three books on this list nonfiction? You bet they are because truth is always scarier.
Ghost Hunters is one of many books by the amazing Ed and Lorraine Warren about their battles against demons and vengeful ghosts. And even though I found out they wouldn’t have approved of me (being a practicing witch and all) I still really loved this book.
You Like It Darker by Stephen King
This was the latest short story collection by King, and it was great fun. There wasn’t a story in here I didn’t enjoy. But my favorite was a follow-up to the infamous Cujo.
The Hacienda by Isabel Canas
I have gushed about this book twice already. And I’ll probably keep doing it. A lonely hacienda in the middle of Mexico. A witch priest. A brutal murder. What more could you possibly want in a book?
Two Sides to Every Murder by Danielle Valentine
If you love slasher films, especially camp slashers, you’re going to love this one. And, of course, there’s a killer twist.
Bad Dreams in the Night by Adam Ellis
Adam Ellis writes some messed up stories. They’re only surpassed by the cute/creepy cartoons he creates to go along with them. My only complaint about this book was that it took me less than an hour to read.
Horror movie by Paul Tremblay
This one stuck with me! Horror Movie is a wildly smart book that absolutely got me. It sucks you in and is wickedly genre savvy. It’s about the horror film industry and all the dark seedy corners it contains. But it’s also about how we, as fans, react to horror. And how we, as artists, can get a little too caught up in it.
Mister Magic by Kiersten White
Finally, I cannot stop talking about this book. It’s amazing, it messed with me, and I am still not over it.
This book is about a group of people who used to be in a kid’s show. But more than that, it’s about being trapped in a community that tends to wrap itself around your neck and strangle you with banality. And by this, I do mean the LDS church.
So that’s it. Now I want to hear from you. What are the best horror books you’ve read so far this year? Let us know in the comments.
And if you want to follow along with what I’m reading, you can do so on Goodreads.
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