Here we are, yet again. The end of yet another banner year of horror fiction. While we love to say that “horror is back,” or that “horror is having a moment,” this is a genre that has never really gone away. Yet, ignoring the plethora of stories that are readily available to us readers would be a crime as there is a true wealth of horror fiction in 2024. And if you need convincing of this fact, let my reading stats of this year speak for themselves. Out of the 135 books read, approximately 90 of these reads were ARC reads which comes out to a very fun stat of 66.6667% releasing this year.
As I draft this list of *some* of my favorite reads of the year, I felt the need to lay down some ground rules for this list. The books listed here must have been released in 2024, fall into the genre of horror (or close to it), and can easily be classified as personally moving pieces of fiction (for me). Even within these confines, choosing just fifteen books felt excruciating since these things are so, so subjective. In fact, if you want to read some of the struggles I encountered when drafting this article, you can read my Substack article on “Best of” lists here. But before I get lost in my rambling thoughts on my indecisiveness, let’s get back to the main topic.
My favorite reads of 2024. Books that celebrate the human condition, that evoke the strongest of feelings and take us on a journey to learn something new about ourselves. This is not a ranked list, just a summary of what I loved in horror fiction this year. So, let’s get started.
Horror Movie – Paul Tremblay
Trying to talk about Tremblay’s Horror Movie feels a bit daunting as this is a movie within a story in the hands of an unreliable narrator as a book. I know, this sounds perplexing, but Paul Tremblay takes us on one unfathomable ride that breaks many conventions of the “cursed movie” subgenre of horror. And really, that is what Tremblay does best: taking something we think we know like the back of our hand and transforming these ideas into something nuanced, foreign, and haunting. I love the places this book goes, the mean nature by which we learn the reality (or is it?) of the Thin Kid’s story. Horror Movie is a mean novel that twists and turns in your very hands, transforming into a creature that bites by the final five pages. I don’t know that I’ve ever been so stunned by an ending that with this one. Darkness festers, bleeds, and burns under Tremblay’s direction, a truly astonishing feat of the genre.
My full review here.
Kill Your Darling – Clay McLeod Chapman
Perhaps my favorite thing I’ve read from Clay McLeod Chapman, Kill Your Darling is a novella that manages to eloquently and painstakingly examine so much of what it means to be alive, to grieve, and to create. Glenn is a 70-year-old man whose son was murdered when he was a teen. Unfortunately, the passing years have never provided an answer for who would do such a thing to Glenn’s son, a fact that is not readily surrendered in Glenn’s now wrinkly hands. Reluctant to let this go, Glenn’s wife signs him up for a writing class in an effort to move on from this lasting, lingering tragedy. Glenn finds himself examining his son’s life in a new light, one that is harsher than anticipated and rife with the poignancy of humanity. Chapman’s writing is undeniably raw, painfully beautiful and laced with a sadness that commands attention. It may just be the most unconventional murder-mystery I have ever read for all of the best reasons as Chapman has more to say about death and loss. In fact, a great deal of real estate is allotted to exploring what it means to write, craft, and create. It may sound like many contrasting ideas, but under Chapman’s skillful pen, these reflections flow with ease to tell a truly lasting story.
My full review here.
A Sunny Place for Shady People – Mariana Enríquez
I read Our Share of Night at the beginning of this year and was equally haunted and blown away by Mariana Enríquez’s craft, a tragic poeticism laced within nearly every line. Naturally, seeing that this collection was releasing later in the year elicited a great deal of excitement on my part, and I had every right to feel such a way. A Sunny Place for Shady People is a collection comprised of stunning stories that cover a wide array of societal issues, trauma, and problems without readily apparent solutions. One story in particular, Facsimile of Disgrace, stands out among the rest as the weight of familial trauma, secrets, and digression is examined at length. There is so much to love about Enríquez’s writing, but perhaps her desire to explore the parts of this life that we would rather avoid speaks the loudest. A Sunny Place for Shady People is a bold collection that feels incredibly timely in today’s social landscape.
My full review here.
So Thirsty – Rachel Harrison
Another stunning contribution from Harrison, So Thirsty is not your mother’s vampire novel. What Rachel Harrison manages to say about the female experience from complicated friendships, guilt, glutton, punishment, complacency, and change is nothing short of remarkable. Sloane Parker is a woman who doesn’t like to rock the boat; yet, one weekend with her best friend Naomi changes everything, forcing Sloane to confront what she wants, what she needs, and more importantly, what she desires. I’m sure you all are probably exhausted from hearing me repeatedly say how much Rachel Harrison sees me, sees the female experience, as evidenced by her deeply impactful books, but it is just so freakin’ true. I’m so fortunate to live a life in which I can read the words of authors who understand the complexities of this existence, who make this world feel so much less lonely. As emotionally moving as this novel is, So Thirsty is equally entertaining, action-packed, sexy, humorous, and timely. It is just everything.
My full review here.
The Dissonance – Shaun Hamill
The Dissonance by Shaun Hamill may fall closer to the genre lines of dark fantasy, but regardless of how you classify this book, the feeling of true magic found within these pages cannot be denied. The dissonance is a magic system that can be found in some of the more unconventional places of this life, maybe from unhappiness, uncomfortableness, and quite frankly humanness. For a group of friends schooled in this magic as kids, life looks a hell of a lot different than they thought it would now as adult. Yet, something is calling them back to the place they learned of this magic, the place in which their bonds were cemented, and where so much pain was born as the past never stays quiet. Hamill manages to craft a story that evokes the same homey obsession that reading the stories of my youth did. I can’t explain how much you come to care for these flawed, nuanced, human characters who are faced with some unthinkable circumstances. Additionally, this magic system and world building is executed so effortlessly, coming to understand the rules of this world felt as easy as breathing. The Dissonance is a true accomplishment from Shaun Hamill, and I would give a kidney for a sequel.
My full review here.
The Devil by Name – Keith Rosson
This is the stunning conclusion to the Fever House duology, and holy shit Keith, my guy, you went there. I wrote last year about how much I loved how insane Fever House was with its severed hands, shadowy government agencies, and unhinged bloodshed. This year, we were gifted the conclusion to this story that did not disappoint in the slightest. These books are the very definition of punk rock, pedal-to-the-metal horror, all-gas-no-brakes. The Devil by Name specifically opens years after the events of Fever House with quite the apocalyptic landscape. We are privy to various character perspectives, some familiar, some new, as the chaos of these stories reaches an absolute deafening crescendo. Keith Rosson writes with a level of unabashed confidence that highlights some of the best aspects of apocalyptic horror, character growth, and sheer terror (if you’ve read the “dipping” scene, you know what I’m talkin’ about). It’s just a bloody good time.
My full review here.
Incidents Around the House – Josh Malerman
If you’ve ever contemplated whether or not a jump scare can be written, look no further. Josh Malerman’s Incidents Around the House is an unrelenting possession story of unconventional means. Eight-year-old Bela seems like a normal kid who lives with her mom and dad, except there is something that seems to be living in her closet, an entity known as Other Mommy. And Other Mommy has one request for Bela. Can she go inside her heart? I’m sorry but if you don’t think that is one of the most bone-chilling things a child could say, I really don’t know what to tell you. Incidents is a book that is written with fear, vulnerability, terror, and anxiety injected into every single line. Malerman perfectly captures the essence of childhood confusion, innocence, and fear in the face of a very real monster. Moreover, Malerman holds a microscope to the stereotypical family unit, how much they can endure when forced to contend with a persistent pursuit such as Other Mommy. Incidents Around the House is a completely new lens in which we view the typical possession story complete with heart-shuddering jump scares and existential dread to spare.
My review here.
Diavola – Jennifer Thorne
In what just may be the most fun reading experience of the year, Diavola by Jennifer Thorne feels like the best (most horrendous) family drama matched with the eerie nature of haunted houses. Anna and her family travel to Italy for vacation, deciding to stay in one house for optimal togetherness. Yet, Anna doesn’t feel so close with her family these days for soon to be revealed valid reasons. Literally, everyone is awful. Just sheer nastiness all around. But there’s more going wrong than just the family dynamics as something begins to make itself known within the villa. It may sound a bit strange to say but Diavola is by far one of the most darkly humorous horror books I have ever encountered. Thorne writes these characters in ways that feel so true to life, so realistically terrible, that you simply cannot look away as the Pace family is torn to shreds. This is a novel that more than earns its comp to shows like The White Lotus with superb drama and unrelenting terror. Diavola is an all-around terrible good time, I love it dearly.
My review here.
Rest Stop – Nat Cassidy
You would think there are only a few avenues of exploration an author could take with a story set in a locked gas station bathroom. And you would probably be right unless you’re talking about Nat Cassidy in which case you are horribly wrong as his novella Rest Stop spirals into horrifically expansive territory. Abe is a guy who’s on the road late at night on his way to see an ailing relative when he decides to make a rest stop. Once he crosses the threshold of that gas station bathroom, Abe’s life as he knew it before is effectively over as the events of that night prove to be earth shattering. Stuck in such a place with no way out, Cassidy sets the stage for claustrophobic terror on a physical level and mind-splitting crisis on a psychological level. I cannot impart how impressive Rest Stop is, not only as a story, but for the directions in which Nat Cassidy is willing to explore with such effortlessness. This is a nasty little novel filled with creepy crawlies, bloodshed, and nearly cosmic reckonings. Moreover, Rest Stop is the perfect example of where the horror genre can take us as readers, from the familiar landscape of a gas station bathroom to a much grander, otherworldly plane of existence, in less than 200 pages. Extraordinary.
My review here.
First Light – Liz Kerin
Similar to The Devil By Name, we have been gifted the conclusion to yet another duology this year. First Light by Liz Kerin marks the end of Mia’s story that began in my favorite book of last year, Night’s Edge. It’s a little hard to discuss the plot of First Light without giving away the ending of Night’s Edge so I’ll speak in broad strokes here. On the whole, these books feel like an in-depth character study of Mia, a girl who is coming into her own as a young woman amid a backdrop of everchanging circumstances. The world that Liz Kerin has created with these books is nothing short of phenomenal as vampires exist, parents can’t always be relied upon, and danger truly does lurk around every corner. With First Light in particular, we see Mia working to cope with the tatters of her life that remain. As she tries to understand how things came to be, we’re riding shotgun through her anger, her denial, her grief, and her pain. These books are incredibly emotional works of horror fiction tapping into the darkest recesses of human connection and closure. Liz Kerin handles these delicate topics with immense care and sensitivity, writing stories that mean so, so much. To boot, despite the heaviness described, Kerin gives us a little hope for a better tomorrow. In short, Mia’s story is one paved in pain yet proves to be a thing of heart rendering beauty.
My review here.
Bury Your Gays – Chuck Tingle
One of the smartest, most emotionally intelligent stories of the year, Chuck Tingle’s Bury Your Gays is a blood-soaked romp through the entertainment industry, detailing the horrors of exclusion and erasure. Misha Byrne is a successful scriptwriter by all accounts given his awards eligibility for his show Travelers. Yet, he is forced with an ultimatum by the studio higher-ups: kill off your queer characters or write them straight. Of course, Misha resists such a request, but threats begin to emerge in interesting forms that hold the promise of bodily harm if not death. Chuck Tingle exhibits such mastery with Bury Your Gays, showcasing an immense understanding of meta fiction, cleverly inserted nods to popular franchises, and how to feel in a world that is moving towards a vacuum of such a thing. This is a wildly entertaining novel that could not have been released at a better time as the need for humanity cannot be overstated. And, again, Tingle proves love is real, something we could all be reminded of.
My review here.
American Rapture – CJ Leede
Where to even begin with this novel. In many ways, I feel as though CJ Leede has reached deep within my soul to write parts of this novel, a story of guilt, shame, reckoning, redemption, growth, and death. American Rapture is a heavy, heavy book, as it should be. Don’t let the cheeky tagline on the cover fool you, Leede pens Sophie’s story with earnest nuance, giving words to feelings and experiences that have felt so elusive for so long. A plague is sweeping the nation in which everyday folks are turned into sex-crazed, violent beings set on devouring one another in every sense of that meaning. We view this disastrous occurrence through the most unique narrator, Sophie, an incredibly sheltered, Catholic teen girl who has little knowledge of the world outside of her parents’ and school’s grasp works. Thus, she is forced to learn the truth of the “real” world while it falls to pieces with violence, hate, and death lurking around every turn. CJ Leede writes this story with so much painful relatability despite what reads as outlandish conditions. Sophie is a girl who struggles to remain afloat in a sea of guilt about merely existing, wrestling with complex feelings surrounding attraction, friendship, and acceptance. For as much hurt and loss that we experience in reading American Rapture, those feelings are only made possible through the love and kindness imparted along the way. There is never a time I talk about this book and don’t get chills. CJ Leede is a very, very talented writer, her prowess unmatched.
My review here.
I Was a Teenage Slasher – Stephen Graham Jones
Listen, you may think you know what you’re getting into when you pick up a book titled, I Was a Teenage Slasher. But under Stephen Graham Jones’s influence, I can assure you that you do not. Set in small town Lamesa, TX, Tolly Driver doesn’t know where his life is headed on the other side of seventeen. What he does know is that he’s got a best friend named Amber who he cares for immensely and the rest, he will take as it comes. One night, something unthinkable heads his way resulting in his status as a teenage slasher. Through the gory kills and blood-soaked confusion, the gravity of the situation dawns on Tolly as he grapples with this new identity and will do anything to save those he loves. Much like Stephen King writing a secret romance with 11/22/63, I firmly believe I Was a Teenage Slasher is Stephen Graham Jones’s most unexpected, heartbreaking tragedy. While still hitting every beat of the traditional slasher, SGJ manages to have you rooting for a slasher, begging for a pardon from this violent affliction. This all culminates in an emotionally volatile conclusion that still brings a tear to my eye today. It’s magical stuff that SGJ pulls off here, a juxtaposed love story of the upmost sincerity.
My review here.
Lost Man’s Lane – Scott Carson
A book that took me by complete surprise, Scott Carson’s Lost Man’s Lane is another equally emotional contribution to the horror genre. We all love a good coming-of-age story, but something about this one stands apart from the rest as we follow Marshall, a teen boy who lives with his single mom in Bloomington, Indiana. He’s a good kid who doesn’t want to make things harder, but he sometimes can’t quite stay out of trouble despite his best friend and ultra smart girl, Kerry’s, guidance. Marshall finds himself pulled over by a cop one day, an officer with a girl in the backseat who stands out to Marshall. At first, he can’t place why she’s so important until he realizes she has been reported missing. Trying to be a good kid, he reports what he saw. Yet, this amounts to nothing. Marshall tries to move on with his life, but he just can’t let that girl go, leading him to intern with a private investigator. What he doesn’t realize is how much these events will change everything, his life never being quite the same. Carson writes with a notable romanticism for the mundanity of everyday existence. It’s hard to say what exactly makes everything in this novel work so well together, but Lost Man’s Lane is undoubtably one of the best books I’ve read about growing up, what it looks like to not know who you are in the face of change, and to consider who will be by your side through it all.
My review here.
The Queen – Nick Cutter
Last but certainly not least, Nick Cutter’s The Queen absolutely had to be on this list for its shared DNA with King’s Carrie. There is so much about this novel that Cutter just gets while never once spinning out of control or into unmanageable space. Margaret Carpenter wakes up to find a cell phone on her doorstep, one that is sending messages from her best friend, Charity. The kicker is that Charity has been missing for weeks, no one knowing, or seeming to care, that she is nowhere to be found. The rest of the book (just about) spans the next 24 hours as Margaret is sent on a scavenger hunt from hell to find out what really happened to Charity. Despite the books length at 384 pages, I read this in a single sitting. I literally could not put this book down. Cutter writes with such propulsion that stopping reading for even a second seems detrimental to locating Charity as we are just as invested as Margaret. Also, Nick Cutter deserves all of the flowers for his depiction of teenagers, teenage girls to be exact, as the complexity of Charity and Margaret’s friendship is displayed in full force. This may sound like an anxious coming-of-age tale, and it partially is, but it is also a Nick Cutter novel, meaning there is lots of body horror, bugs, and bleakness. The Queen is a truly fascinating story, one brimming with intrigue and unique perspective as Cutter comments on classism, ego, and revenge. This is a book that accomplishes so much with a degree of ease that is hard to ignore.
My review here.
And, we have reached the end. If you’ve stuck with me for this long, holy cow, you’re a real one. Or even if you just scrolled around and landed on this conclusion, thank you for reading. 2024 has been a big year for me personally. I took a large leap out of my comfort zone to start conducting author interviews, met a whole bunch of amazing folks, and have been afforded some truly amazing opportunities all through the horror community. I have nothing but gratitude to express to absolutely everyone I have encountered this year, for all of the incredible stories I have discovered, and all of the things I’ve learned. Yes, this is a special year, but I say, let’s do it again next year. Until 2025!
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