It's time to move beyond 2024 and look ahead to the many promising horror books that will be released this year. Based on an early look at what's coming out in the next 12 months, I bet many readers will be stuffing their shelves as their to-read lists grow increasingly lengthy.
In January alone, we get new titles from acclaimed authors like Grady Hendrix, Camilla Bruce, and Eric LaRocca. The following eight novels are coming out this month, so maybe you can plan your purchases early and set aside a book budget!
Gothic Tales
At the Bottom of the Garden by Camilla Bruce (Jan. 28): When a murderess becomes the guardian of her two unusual nieces, Lily and Violet, she quickly learns that they could cause the unraveling of her carefully built life. Yes, Clara Woods has killed before, and though she has no personal interest in children, when her nieces are suddenly orphaned and sent to her as per their parents' will, Clara thinks she could take advantage of the situation to get control of their assets. Unfortunately for her, it looks like her new charges are gifted with the ability to see all the ghosts of Clara's victims.
Mystery/Thriller Vibes
Strange Pictures by Uketsu (Jan. 14): Mysterious horror YouTuber Uketsu, the Japanese author known for wearing a white mask and black bodysuit in all of his appearances, will publish his debut novel internationally this month via HarperCollins. The unorthodox book is structured around nine "childlike drawings," each containing a disturbing clue that urges readers to solve an overarching mystery connecting them all.
Clever Little Thing by Helena Echlin (Jan. 14): A perfect follow-up to novels like The Push and Nightbitch, Clever Little Thing taps directly into a mother's worst fears when Charlotte detects a stark change in her daughter Stella's behavior following the sudden death of her babysitter. Suddenly, Stella begins showing traits similar to the deceased, causing an unsettled Charlotte to fear for her second baby.
Old Soul by Susan Barker (Jan. 28): The description for this "genre-defying" suspense novel compares Susan Barker's new book to Under the Skin and The Historian. I can't think of a more intriguing set-up than that. Old Soul centers on two strangers who learn they've both lost someone after that person crossed paths with the same "beguiling woman" that no one else seems to have seen.
Our Winter Monster by Dennis Mahoney (Jan. 28): Publishers Hell's Hundred (who previously published Come Closer and youthjuice) return with another disturbing horror tale. A holiday horror novel, Our Winter Monster is about a couple trying to mend their relationship after something happened during "that one winter." They hope spending time together at a ski village will help to mend their relationship. Cut to Sheriff Kendra Book receiving a call about a couple in trouble and reports of a terrifying creature roaming near the area where they were last seen.
Apocalyptic
Wake Up and Open Your Eyes by Clay McLeod Chapman (Jan. 7): Noah's formerly pleasant Virginian parents have succumbed to a terrifying form of possession caused by consumption of far-right media outlets in the vein of horror stories like When Evil Lurks and The Last of Us. A Brooklyn resident, Noah is forced to drive down south when his mother warns him of the incoming "Great Awakening." Reviewers have made it clear that this story veers off in an unexpected direction, so even if you think you know where things are headed... think again.
Fantastical Horror
Witchcraft for Wayward Girls by Grady Hendrix (Jan. 14): The author of How to Sell a Haunted House and The Final Girl Support Group returns with his latest book, a novel about witchcraft. Wellwood House in St. Augustine, Florida, is known as a place for unwed girls to give birth in secret. One teen, 15-year-old Fern, arrives at Wellwood in 1970 and meets others like her, some of whom want to escape the eerie commune and even keep their babies. Fern comes up with a plan for them to take back their power after receiving a book on witchcraft from a librarian. But magic always comes with a cost.
Queer Horror
At Dark, I Become Loathsome by Eric LaRocca (Jan. 28): Bram Stoker Award-nominated author Eric LaRocca releases his latest book this month. At Dark, I Become Loathsome is described as a "horrifying—yet hopeful—tale of death, trauma, and love" and one that focuses on the complexities of grief. It centers on Ashley Lutin, a character grieving the loss of his wife who has developed a strange ritual for those with an intense desire to "live a better life." The book is being published by The Walking Dead star Norman Reedus' imprint bigbaldhead in partnership with Blackstone Publishing.