People have been scaring each other to death since the dawn of time with tales of terror and the paranormal. Nearly every culture that has ever lived contains stories intended to arouse terror in its people, from tortured spirits to soul-eating monsters and everything in between.
With this in mind, as well as the approaching scary season, now is the ideal moment to pick up a book that will make the hair rise on the back of your neck. To assist, we’ve reviewed some of the chilling books that have ever been published in the horror genre.
Best Horror Novels 2022
There is a lot of disagreement over what constitutes “horror.” there are countless fantastic novels with all kinds of subjects and genres (techno-horror or femslash anyone?). Our collection is by no means comprehensive.
For our purposes, every book we’ve selected—all but one—includes a supernatural component, be it witchcraft or ghosts. To reach as many people as possible, we also made an effort to include works from a variety of genres. In other words, if the book gave us the creeps, we’ve thought about it.
Not every horror book is made equally. We have turned countless pages searching for books that kept us interested in the tale from beginning to end without resorting to clichés or sloppy storytelling. Most importantly, though, we looked for stories that made us feel really uneasy after reading them—in a good way!
Read on to learn about the best horror novels :
Patricia Wants to Cuddle by Samantha Allen
Key Features
- Publisher: Zando (June 28, 2022)
- Language: English
- Hardcover: 256 Pages
- Weight: 14.4 Ounces
Overview
How would you sum up “Patricia Wants to Cuddle” in the shortest amount of words? The vapid cast and crew of a reality show similar to “The Bachelor” are being followed by an unknown beast in the woods.
The last four contestants for a distant, rather sleazy bachelor prepare for another week of acute sleep deprivation, intrusive interviews, and, of course, the vivid drama-hungry spectators across the country tune in to consume when they travel on a remote island in the Pacific Northwest. Each lady entered The Catch for a different reason—brand sponsorships, fans, and yes, even love—and they are all obsessed with their respective winnings.
Patricia, a volatile and grossly misunderstood local who lives alone in the shadowy, lush woods and yearns for connection, enters the scene. The self-absorbed cast and cynical crew meet one other atop the island’s tallest and most desolate peak through twists that are as surprising as they are tremendously amusing, finding themselves at the center of an action-packed drama that is far from scripted—and only a handful will make the cut.
Patricia Wants to Cuddle is a whirlwind romp careening toward a last-girl-standing conclusion as well as a scathing indictment of modern American media culture. It is also a love story about star-crossed lesbians who overcome their conservative town, a deeply conflicted woman and her burgeoning self-actualization, and a group of misfit islanders who overcome all obstacles to form a community.
The Night Shift by Alex Finlay
Key Features
- Publisher: Minotaur Books (March 1, 2022)
- Language: English
- Hardcover: 320 Pages
- Weight: 1.08 Pounds
Overview
It’s 1999 on New Year’s Eve. Planes are predicted to crash from the sky, elevators to collapse to the ground, and markets to crash at the end of the year 2000. Digital doomsday. All of that doesn’t occur. However, four adults who were working late at a Blockbuster Video in New Jersey were attacked. Police soon identify the lover of one of the victims as a suspect, but he runs away and is never seen again. Unexpectedly, only one life.
Another ice cream shop employs teenagers in the same town, and another attack occurs fifteen years later. This time, only one employee survives.
The Blockbuster massacre survivor, who is forced to relive the horrors of her tragedy, the brother of the wanted criminal, who believes the police have the wrong suspect, and FBI agent Sarah Keller, who must delve into the secrets of both nights—reviving memories of teen love and lies—to learn the truth about murders committed while working the night shift.
The Night Shift is a narrative about the effects of tragedy and how the shattered might recover. It is twisty, sad, and redemptive and establishes Finlay as one of the new leading voices in the thriller genre.
Manhunt by Gretchen Felker-Martin
Key Features
- Publisher: Tor Trade (February 22, 2022)
- Language: English
- Paperback: 304 Pages
- Weight: 10.6 Ounces
Overview
The first thing you should know about Gretchen Felker-Manhunt Martin is that it dives straight in with action so intense in the opening chapter that I questioned how the author could possibly maintain the pace as the story progressed. But she goes above and beyond.
The second thing to bear in mind is that this horror novel has a ton of thought-provoking themes at work, ranging from straightforward morality and good vs. evil issues to the emergence of TERFs to what it means to be a woman, and the list goes on and on. It’s best to jump right in and lose yourself in Felker-grim, Martin’s ruthless portrayal of the future.
Hidden Pictures by Jason Rekulak
Key Features
- Publisher: Flatiron Books (May 10, 2022)
- Language: English
- Hardcover: 382 Pages
- Weight: 1.63 Pounds
Overview
When Mallory Quinn accepts a job as Ted and Caroline Maxwell’s babysitter, she has recently completed treatment. Teddy, their five-year-old son, will be in her care.
Mallory takes to it right away. She has a place of her own, goes for evening runs, and has the stability she needs. Teddy is a nice, bashful youngster who is never without his notebook and pencil, and she genuinely bonds with one another. The typical drawing subjects he uses include trees, rabbits, and balloons. But one day, he sketches a completely different image: a man dragging a woman’s dead body through a forest.
After that, Teddy’s drawings became gloomier, and his stick figures quickly developed into lifelike designs that were much beyond the capabilities of any five-year-old. Mallory starts to wonder if these are glimmers of a murder that has gone unsolved for a long time, perhaps relayed by a paranormal power.
Despite being aware of how silly everything sounds, Mallory sets out to interpret the visions and save Teddy before it’s too late.
Fear is the Rider by Kenneth Cook
Key Features
- Publisher: Text Publishing Company; 1st Edition (January 10, 2017)
- Language: English
- Paperback: 208 Pages
- Weight: 6 Ounces
Overview
A young man on his way for work from Sydney to Adelaide chooses to make a brief detour into the desert. He begins his drive on a famously risky road that cuts through desolate flats covered in stone. A person could pass away in a matter of hours out there in the hot sun.
He hasn’t gone very far when a distressed young woman stumbles out of the underbrush and flags him down. She is a Sydney journalist who has just escaped the grasp of a strange, scary beast.
Now that she has her jeep, this desert monster is ready. Its axe and her scent.
Fear Is the Rider is a heart-pounding chase through the Australian outback toward the demon hiding there. The 1980s novella’s unpublished manuscript was recently uncovered in Kenneth Cook’s files.
The movie version of Wake in Fright, which came out in 1971, is considered the best Australian production to date. The picture, which had been lost for many years, was found after being restored, and it was shown in 2009 at Cannes and the New York Film Forum to great acclaim. The “greatest and most horrifying film about Australia in existence,” according to Nick Cave.
Not Good for Maidens by Tori Bovalino
Key Features
- Publisher: Page Street Kids (June 21, 2022)
- Language: English
- Hardcover: 352 Pages
- Weight: 1 Pound
Overview
The Wickett women, the witch family that caters to the goblin market’s victims, are summoned under York’s streets. They have used their sorcery to protect the ancient cobblestone streets for generations. Knowing the risks, they avoided going to the market—that is, until May Wickett developed feelings for a goblin girl, accepted her invitation, and developed an unbreakable connection to the world her family had been trying to shield her from. The goblins knew her name even after she and her sister fled to Boston from York to avoid the market.
Lou, May’s niece, is unaware of her magical heritage or the perverse alleyways, delicious fruits, and amazing jewels of the goblin market 17 years later. But like her aunt before her, she hears a curse’s echoes calling to her from the market, an affliction that won’t let go of her family. Lou also learns how real and dangerous the market is when her younger aunt, Neela, is abducted by goblins.
May and Lou will have to face their family’s past and what occurred all those years ago to save her. However, everything is a haunting temptation for any human who tries to get inside, from the food and goods to the goblins themselves. Lou might also lose herself to the market if she isn’t careful.
The Book of Cold Cases by Simone St. James
Key Features
- Publisher: Barkley (March 15, 2022)
- Language: English
- Hardcover: 352 Pages
- Weight: 1.27 Pounds
Overview
The Lady Killer Murders, which occurred in 1977 in Claire Lake, Oregon, shocked the community. Two men were killed with the same gun, seemingly randomly, and bizarre notes were left behind. Beth Greer, a wealthy and quirky 23-year-old woman who was seen escaping from one of the crimes, was the ideal suspect. But after being exonerated, she withdrew to her mansion’s seclusion.
2017 in Oregon, Shea Collins works as a receptionist by day. Still, at night she manages the Book of Cold Cases, a website dedicated to true crime, a passion sparked by the attempted kidnapping she narrowly escaped as a youngster. Shea approaches Beth for an interview after meeting her by coincidence. Beth responds positively, surprising Shea.
Shea is never at ease at Beth’s mansion, where they frequently meet. Things move when she isn’t looking, and she is certain she has seen a girl outside the window. It’s hard to resist the pull of finding out the truth about the case from the witty, endearing Beth, but even as they get closer, Shea has a bad feeling. Is she befriending a cunning murderer, or are there more threats hiding in the Greer house’s shadows?
A Certain Hunger by Chelsea G. Summers
Key Features
- Publisher: The Unnamed Press (October 18, 2021)
- Language: English
- Paperback: 256 Pages
- Weight: 8 Ounces
Overview
Dorothy Daniels, a food critic, enjoys what she does. It’s probable that Dorothy, who has a clear understanding of the culinary arts and is discerning, precise, and quite intelligent, could create a more creative dish than any of the chefs she writes about on any given night. While Dorothy has had difficulty finding a long-term spouse who can keep up with her, she still makes the most of her single life by frequently flying from Manhattan to Italy for a taste of both. Dorothy loves sex as much as she loves food.
However, Dorothy does possess something that sets her apart from everyone else, and after long enough of repressing it, she begins to appreciate the terrifyingly distinct aspects of her identity. The story of Dorothy Daniels’ life, which ranges from a seemingly perfect farm-to-table childhood through the pinnacles of her professional life to the moment she stabs a man in the throat on Fire Island, demonstrates what happens when a woman finally accepts her supremacy.
A Certain Hunger by Chelsea G. Summers introduces us to the most endearing psychopath in the food business as well as a fascinating new voice in fiction. It also serves as a satire of early foodieism, a critique of how gender is constituted, and a demonstration of masterful storytelling.
Final Words
Here we have reviewed the best horror novels to buy and read . You can check the reviews and get the book that suits your taste well. All the novels mentioned in this list are great and offer readers a great experience. Buy a novel that attracts and fulfills your reading needs. Keep reading our blogs to learn about the best tips and tricks for book readers and the best review about different books
FAQ
What Makes a Horror Novel?
A horror story is one in which the main goal is to arouse fear. These legends have a long history and comprise a large portion of folk literature. They can deal with more grounded psychological phobias or incorporate supernatural elements like ghosts, witches, or vampires.
What Makes a Horror Novel Good?
What Characterizes a Great Horror Story? Many horror stories locate their male protagonists in familiar places like new homes, summer camps, sleepovers, hotels, and camping trips. The best horror stories combine the commonplace with the shocking, the bizarre, and the ugly in order to appeal to our fears.