22 New and Upcoming Horror Books to Keep You Up at Night
A sinister institute for "extranormal" children. A couple whose dream home attracts unsettling guests. A woman who becomes well-acquainted with the monsters lurking in the woods. These are just a few of the year's most foreboding frights that are haunting our readers' dreams.
Fans will recognize many favorites in this roundup, including Stephen King (of course), Joe Hill, Paul Tremblay, and Robert R. McCammon. We also have Stephen Chbosky, author of The Perks of Being a Wallflower, venturing into the world of supernatural suspense with Imaginary Friend. And just how did we narrow down our list?
We took a look at the most popular horror novels, novellas, and short story collections published this year so far as well as upcoming releases (we've included their publication dates below). Then we focused on the number of additions to Goodreads members' Want to Read shelves to measure buzz and anticipation.
Which of these spine-tingling tales will you be adding to your bookshelf? Tell us in the comments!
Fans will recognize many favorites in this roundup, including Stephen King (of course), Joe Hill, Paul Tremblay, and Robert R. McCammon. We also have Stephen Chbosky, author of The Perks of Being a Wallflower, venturing into the world of supernatural suspense with Imaginary Friend. And just how did we narrow down our list?
We took a look at the most popular horror novels, novellas, and short story collections published this year so far as well as upcoming releases (we've included their publication dates below). Then we focused on the number of additions to Goodreads members' Want to Read shelves to measure buzz and anticipation.
Which of these spine-tingling tales will you be adding to your bookshelf? Tell us in the comments!
Which of these books are you most excited to check out? Let us know in the comments!
Check out complete coverage of Horror Week:
Meet the Rising Stars of Horror
50 Most Popular Horror Novels on Goodreads
Victor LaValle Examines Lovecraft's Long-Lasting Influence
Check out complete coverage of Horror Week:
Meet the Rising Stars of Horror
50 Most Popular Horror Novels on Goodreads
Victor LaValle Examines Lovecraft's Long-Lasting Influence
Comments Showing 1-50 of 58 (58 new)
Read Invited and really enjoyed it!
Getting ready to read The Institute, looking forward to it.
Would like to also read Malerman's Inspection and Hill's Full Throttle.
Getting ready to read The Institute, looking forward to it.
Would like to also read Malerman's Inspection and Hill's Full Throttle.
I've already read a few of these and enjoyed them, but a notable gap is "Stoker's Wilde," a debut by Stephen Hopsaken and Melissa Prusi. Set in late Victorian years and featuring a number of real folks including Bram Stoker and Oscar Wilde as monster hunters, and a whole group of literary supernaturals--fun and funny, and one of the best horror reads of this past summer.
I plan on getting The Institute
I have the first two of McCammon's Matthew Corbett series, can't wait - he's an excellent writer and I keep procrastinating starting on these.
Hm, some of these I haven't heard of and need to check out.
I have the first two of McCammon's Matthew Corbett series, can't wait - he's an excellent writer and I keep procrastinating starting on these.
Hm, some of these I haven't heard of and need to check out.
Full Throttle! I was fortunate enough to win an ARC and plan on reading it right after I'm finished with Jeff Dunham's biography.
Wounds was bloody marvelous! Best book I've read this year. Looking forward to devouring this entire list.
I'd really like to read The Institute obviously, but I have Imaginary Friends lined up to go first because I loved Stephen Chbosky's first book and am intrigued to see how he gets on with horror!
I have added the following to my booklist of want to reads: The Invited, The Ninth House, The Twisted Ones, and Wakenhyrst. Book list is getting longer and longer!
I have been most excited about The Institute. I am reading now. I am a dedicated Stephen King fan and would not miss any of his books when they come out. I am also looking forward to Full Throttle by his son, Joe Hill. My TBR pile grows bigger by the day!
Reading The Institute right now and loving it, just received an ARC (my first ever) of Imaginary Friend, looking forward to that. Honestly, though, I want to read every single title on this list!
I was an avid king fan in his earlier days but I stopped reading him because his books didn't interest me. I'm now back as his new writing sounds great. Glad to be back
You are all so lucky, we have to wait a bit longer here in New Zealand to get some of these books, especially into our libraries and even then you have go on long waitlists to get them. I have The Institute (life long fan of SK) and Joe Hill on order along with several suggestions from above now. Some unfortunately aren't available in our local library yet.
I loved The Institute and thought it was right up there among King’s best work.
Perks is actually one of my all-time favourite stories, so I am very eager to read Imaginary Friend. I try and read at least 1 horror book every October - this is my one for this year.
Perks is actually one of my all-time favourite stories, so I am very eager to read Imaginary Friend. I try and read at least 1 horror book every October - this is my one for this year.
I cant wait to read the institute by stephen king and the invited by jennifer mc.mahon .wow just in time for halloween love the 22 New and Upcoming Horror Books to Keep You Up at Night list .
I'm just a little confused. Are the release dates for 2020 or have some of them been released earlier this year?
So many books! So little time to read them. So far I've here's ones I've gotten recently as I am a horror/speculative fiction junkie.
Full Throttle, Inspection, Growing Things, Wanderers, The Turn of the Key, The Institute, The Need, Recursion, Last Ones Left Alive, The Nobody People, The Quelling, The End and Other Beginnings, North American Lake Monsters: Stories, The Last Astronaut, Within These Walls, The Best Horror of The Year Volume 11, Echoes: The Saga Anthology of Ghost Stories, Confessions, HEX, The Luminous Dead, In the Shadow of the Spindrift House, Wastelands: The New Apocalypse, One of Us Will Be Dead by Morning, Middlegame, My Sister, the Serial Killer, The Hunger, Kingdom of Needle and Bone.
I haven't started Full Throttle, or The End and Other Beginnings. As I'm currently reading The Institute. But there are books up there that I've thought about buying, but hesitated. Toll, The Twisted Ones, and Songs for the Unraveling of the World. But maybe (through more likely not) my library will get them.
Anyway, I hope I everyone enjoyed the recs. ✌
Full Throttle, Inspection, Growing Things, Wanderers, The Turn of the Key, The Institute, The Need, Recursion, Last Ones Left Alive, The Nobody People, The Quelling, The End and Other Beginnings, North American Lake Monsters: Stories, The Last Astronaut, Within These Walls, The Best Horror of The Year Volume 11, Echoes: The Saga Anthology of Ghost Stories, Confessions, HEX, The Luminous Dead, In the Shadow of the Spindrift House, Wastelands: The New Apocalypse, One of Us Will Be Dead by Morning, Middlegame, My Sister, the Serial Killer, The Hunger, Kingdom of Needle and Bone.
I haven't started Full Throttle, or The End and Other Beginnings. As I'm currently reading The Institute. But there are books up there that I've thought about buying, but hesitated. Toll, The Twisted Ones, and Songs for the Unraveling of the World. But maybe (through more likely not) my library will get them.
Anyway, I hope I everyone enjoyed the recs. ✌
Christy wrote: "You are all so lucky, we have to wait a bit longer here in New Zealand to get some of these books, especially into our libraries and even then you have go on long waitlists to get them. I have The ..."
At my local library in Sydney I can reserve a book before it's in the library if it says it is "on order".You might be able to beat those long waitlists!
At my local library in Sydney I can reserve a book before it's in the library if it says it is "on order".You might be able to beat those long waitlists!
Ah, just what I needed, more books added to an insurmountable reading list. Looks like a lot of good stuff in this list.
Angela wrote: "Christy wrote: "You are all so lucky, we have to wait a bit longer here in New Zealand to get some of these books, especially into our libraries and even then you have go on long waitlists to get t..."
Yes we have that in Whangarei too however there are a lot of other people also on the waiting list for the new books; especially Stephen King! I am patient though. Good things come to those who wait. And one of the books I've ordered was ready for collection the same day so am looking forward to getting stuck into Break the Bodies, Haunt the Bones! Just have to finish my current book first!
Yes we have that in Whangarei too however there are a lot of other people also on the waiting list for the new books; especially Stephen King! I am patient though. Good things come to those who wait. And one of the books I've ordered was ready for collection the same day so am looking forward to getting stuck into Break the Bodies, Haunt the Bones! Just have to finish my current book first!
I am a huge fan of Stephen King. I've heard a lot of good things about The Institute, so I'm looking forward to reading it soon.
Janet wrote: "I've already read a few of these and enjoyed them, but a notable gap is "Stoker's Wilde," a debut by Stephen Hopsaken and Melissa Prusi. Set in late Victorian years and featuring a number of real f..."
Thanks, Janet. You'll be happy to know that the sequel, "Stoker's Wilde West," will be coming out in the summer of 2020 from Flame Tree Press. Oscar and Bram find themselves hunting vampires in the American wild west.
Thanks, Janet. You'll be happy to know that the sequel, "Stoker's Wilde West," will be coming out in the summer of 2020 from Flame Tree Press. Oscar and Bram find themselves hunting vampires in the American wild west.
Recently finished Wanderers by Chuck Wendig and loved it. The storyline is superb with interesting characters. For a book of 800 pages it was never a chore. Big surprise ending.
Loved Wounds, and currently reading Skidding into Oblivion, which I can't help but slowly savour every story because I really don't want it to ever end.
Looking forward to a Song for the Unraveling of the End of the World!
Looking forward to a Song for the Unraveling of the End of the World!
Christy wrote: "You are all so lucky, we have to wait a bit longer here in New Zealand to get some of these books, especially into our libraries and even then you have go on long waitlists to get them. I have The ..."
Well I get what you’re saying. It takes almost a month at times to get the book you want, especially if it’s in demand. I’ve been there before.
Well I get what you’re saying. It takes almost a month at times to get the book you want, especially if it’s in demand. I’ve been there before.
The Lost Causes of Bleak Creek, I've been waiting for it forever it seems. Really excited to see what Rhett and Link wrote.
i read the invited a month too early but it was a good creepy ghost story and i am looking forward to reading a few others on this list.
I just got my hands on a signed copy of T. Kingfisher's The Twisted Ones and am excitedly bracing for all the horror!
From everything I've heard, this will "scare the everything" out of me, and I can't wait.
From everything I've heard, this will "scare the everything" out of me, and I can't wait.
I've read Inspection, The Institute, The Invited, Growing Things and a good portion of Full Throttle. Maybe a third of it.
Inspection was really good. The Institute was also quite good. The Invited? Not so much. It started out well, but then became really bland, boring and forgettable.
Growing Things is also a high quality collection of stories.
Full Throttle has been great so far.
Looking forward to starting Imaginary Friend soon. I got it from the library, but am kind of worried about its length versus its reviews.
Inspection was really good. The Institute was also quite good. The Invited? Not so much. It started out well, but then became really bland, boring and forgettable.
Growing Things is also a high quality collection of stories.
Full Throttle has been great so far.
Looking forward to starting Imaginary Friend soon. I got it from the library, but am kind of worried about its length versus its reviews.
I got a copy of Break the Bones, Haunt the Bodies and it was the single most weird, yet satisfying book I've read in the past year.
Full Throttle is great as well, some nice stand-outs, pick up that one when it's out!
And I've started reading Imaginary Friend this morning. Intriguing so far...