Introduction to Horror

 

Horror can be an incredibly daunting genre, but it just so happens to be my favourite. I'm truly convinced had I attempted to read something as long as Robert R McCammon's "Swan Song," or as extreme as Judith Sonnet's "No One Rides For Free," before dipping my toes in the water, I may have never picked up another horror novel again. Both of those books are deemed masterpieces by the community, but are absolutely not good starting points. I have thought long and hard, and decided that if I were to approach the genre again- this is how I would do it. Regardless as to whether you're a complete newbie to horror wondering where to start, or a seasoned reader, these are absolute must-reads! 

Recommendation #1: The Girl Who Loved Tom Gordon- Stephen King

Stephen King is the definition of horror for lots of people. I'm currently flying through (and loving) "The Shining." However, King's writing (whilst masterful) can ramble and be difficult to read for the first time, hence why I've chosen "The Girl Who Loved Tom Gordon." This is a very short piece of fiction, that whilst rather scary (still look up trigger warnings) shouldn't traumatise new readers, in fact this is a good starting point for children (12+). It involves a young girl called Trisha, who finds herself lost in the woods- the only thing keeping her sane, the broadcasts of the Red Sox games, featuring her idol- Tom Gordon. This is especially great for Sports fans, but the references are not crucial to what I consider to be a great story.

Recommendation #2: Seed- Ania Ahlborn 

Ania Ahlborn is considered one of the greats in modern horror, and for good reason. Whilst the general consensus seems to be that "Brother," is her best work, I believe "Seed," is a superior introduction. Perhaps I have a soft spot, plainly because this was one of MY first horror novels, but this blew my mind at the time. This is a very psychological horror, centred around a demonic possession. This is most definitely a step up from "The Girl Who Loved Tom Gordon," but should do nothing more than make you ensure your feet are under the covers that night (please check triggers regardless). Jack Winter finds himself and his family plagued by a hauntingly familiar evil from his past- can he escape it again?

Recommendation #3: Burnt Offerings- Robert Marasco

Burnt Offerings is Robert Marasco's masterpiece of a haunted house novel, that Stephen King himself recommends. This is psychological horror at its finest, and so easy to read. Regardless of what you think of the genre, or haunted house tropes, I can almost guarantee that any reader who picks this up- will struggle to set it back down. A family of three are dying to escape their cramped New York apartment for the Summer, and they're in luck. A gorgeous "fixer-upper," type estate is offered to them for the Summer for the low low price of £700. What could possibly go wrong? The ending will blow your mind, and the underlying sense of unease throughout is impeccable.

Recommendation #4: Feet Bound- Kelsea Yu

Kelsea is a reviewer herself, and knows what readers want. She delivers in this absolute cracker of a ghost story, in which she explores grief and betrayal- all in 120 pages. I read this in one sitting and absolutely adored it- now a Shirley Jackson Award Nominee, I'm sure you will too. This is the third book in the FABULOUS Sadie Hartmann's "My Dark Library," collection- which has yet to fail me. A woman and her friend break into Portland's Chinese Garden on the night of the Hungry Ghost Moon. If you read and enjoy this, I suggest you also pick up Ling Hun by Ai Jiang- another unique and mind-boggling ghost story.

Recommendation #5: Dead of Winter- Darcy Coates

I'm not exaggerating when I say, that any Darcy Coates novel is a great place to start in the horror genre- and there is a lot of them. Dead of Winter differs from most of her work, and is an isolation horror/ thriller with completely insane twists and turns along the way. Yes there's plenty of gory goodness, but this is more likely to spark feelings of paranoia than it is to scare the bejeezus out of you. Christa and a group of tourists are forced to take shelter in a cabin when a snowstorm stops their bus in its tracks. Christa is convinced the old hunting cabin will keep them safe from the wrath of the rocky mountains outside- but there is a far more imminent danger.. a killer is amongst them.

Recommendation #6: Scratches- Joshua Marsella

 At 130 pages, and on kindle unlimited, there is no excuse not to pick up Scratches. In my humble opinion, this killer haunted house story is criminally underrated, very readable and a great read for those still easing themselves into the genre. Connor and his mother move into his recently deceased Grandfather's house, but something is very wrong. In an attempt to escape the relentless July heatwave, Connor sets up his bedroom in the basement- but even with posters and a night light, he doesn't feel at home. Perhaps this is because of the sudden change in scenery, or perhaps it's the shadowy figure he sees at night... and the scratches on the wall.

Recommendation #7: Those We Left Behind, and Other Sacrifices- Brandon Applegate

Horror is not only a daunting genre in terms of fear factor, it's also incredibly vast- YOU WILL NOT LIKE EVERYTHING YOU READ. I can only recommend sampling a few different sub-genres and figuring out your own preferences. To do so, I would highly recommend this short story collection. It's not only very short, very fun and free on kindle unlimited, but it's incredibly eclectic and offers an impressively wide range of horror. From sci-fi to fantasy, to stories that will scare you to stories that will make you want to cry- it has everything. When I recommend this book, I like to describe it as "Horror Tapas," where you have the opportunity to sample a bit of everything.

Recommendation #8: Blindsighted by Karin Slaughter 

"oOoUeW, but this isn't even horror,"- I can hear it already. It may be true that "Blindsighted," isn't a horror novel, it's a thriller- but it is dark. This is brutal and gory and mysterious, and whilst no, it's not generally viewed as horror, Karin uses lots of horror elements. One of my new favourites, this thriller is heart-pounding, and in my opinion... scarier than some of the other books I've placed on this list. Sara Linton, paediatrician and coroner's breakfast goes pear-shaped when she discovers the mutilated body of Sybil Adams in the ladies toilets. This recommendation is more for thriller readers looking to segue into horror (and vice versa)- if you give this a go, please ensure you check trigger warnings.

Recommendation #9: 101 Horror Books To Read Before You're Murdered- Sadie Hartmann

Congratulations, you're now ready to delve into the genre! I am fully aware, that a measly 8 recommendations from me isn't gonna cut it. So before we wrap it up.. let me put you onto this... the BIBLE of horror books. Motherhorror, AKA Sadie Hartmann is one of my favourite reviewers, and I will read almost anything she recommends. PICK THIS UP- you will be sorted for the rest of the year.

Thank you for joining me, and I hope this is mildly helpful. I'd like to reiterate, whilst lots of these books are mild compared to others in the genre:

1) They are still horror- especially if you're new to the genre, PLEASE check your trigger warnings before going into these.. reading is for pleasure, do not feel obliged to start or finish ANY of these books.

2)They are amazing books regardless of whether you have experience with horror or not, you should read these books.. I hope you enjoy them as much as I did.