Answers to Go

Q. Fall season has begun and I’m in the mood for a spooky read. Can you recommend some horror books?

A. According to the Horror Writers Association, “horror can deal with the mundane or the supernatural, with the fantastic or the normal. It doesn’t have to be full of ghosts, ghouls, and things that go bump in the night. Its only true requirement is that it elicit an emotional reaction that includes some aspect of fear or dread.” With that in mind, you can imagine there are many types of horror novels, so let’s talk about some of those sub-genres and book recommendations for each one.

Gothic horror is one of the oldest genres. It plays on thrills and a fear of the unknown, and places great importance on atmosphere. These stories can be written with or without supernatural elements. Many of the “classic” horror novels reside in this sub-genre, such as Frankenstein by Mary Shelley and Dracula by Bram Stoker. For a more contemporary take on gothic horror, try The Haunting of Hill House by Shirley Jackson, The Woman in Black by Susan Hill, or The Little Stranger by Sarah Waters. Looking for something even newer? Try The Garden of Bewitchment by Catherine Cavendish, published earlier this year. This is a gothic nightmare set on the Yorkshire Moors, full of ghosts, uncertain motivations, and the creepiest board game since Jumanji.

Supernatural horror novels incorporate elements that cannot be understood by science, and often feature supernatural or paranormal elements, such as ghosts, monsters, demons, aliens, zombies, and so on. The Shining by Stephen King and The Exorcist by William Peter Blatty are two very popular novels in the supernatural horror sub-genre. If you enjoyed these, try Survivor Song by Paul Tremblay, a zombie novel about a woman trying to keep her pregnant friend alive in a rapidly crumbling society. If you want a terrifying thriller that’s part ecological, part paranormal, try The Chill by Scott Carson. This novel tells the story of a drowned village sacrificed for the “greater good” to create a dam and bring water to the millions living downstate New York. Now, the remains of that village demand their own sacrifice.

Psychological horror novels use the main character’s fears and emotional instability to build tension. Examples include Misery by Stephen King or Psycho by Thomas Bloch. For a more recent psychological horror novel, try Bird Box by Josh Malerman, set in an apocalyptic near-future world, where a mother and her two small children must make their way down a river, blindfolded. One wrong choice and they will die. If you read and enjoyed Bird Box, check out its new sequel, Malorie.

There are even more subgenres of horror, such as slasher horror and splatterpunk. You can also dive down deeper into each subgenre and get more specific, such as haunted house stories or vampire stories. For more book recommendations, call or email the library at 512-393-8200 or smpl@sanmarcostx.gov.