It’s been a good year for horror novels. In 2023, I read a lot more new books than usual. Shockingly, I read enough new books to make a list of the best horror novels from 2023. I haven’t read every horror novel that came out in 2023. There are quite a few that are on other people’s lists that I haven’t gotten to yet, but I thought I could still give you a list of the ones I did read and enjoy in 2023. These are listed in no particular order.
Black Sheep by Rachel Harrison
This book is a fun ramp that didn’t end up going where I thought it was. It was surprising, fun, and even a bit ridiculous, but I loved it. Here’s the sypnosis.
Vesper Wright left her staunchly religious family at eighteen, never expecting to return. However, when she receives a wedding invitation for her cousin Rosie, she faces a dilemma. Is it a sweet gesture or a trap? Despite the toxic past, Vesper feels compelled to attend, only to unearth a terrifying family secret. This sinister novel delves into the complexities of family ties and the struggle to find one’s place in the world.
Camp Damascus by Chuck Tingle
Chuck Tingle is legendary among self-published authors. I’ve never read his other books, but when I heard he was coming out with a horror novel I was fascinated. Let’s just say it didn’t disappoint. I loved the imagery in this one.
Step into Neverton, Montana, a haven of God-fearing residents with hearts of gold. Up in the mountains lies Camp Damascus, proudly touting itself as the nation’s “most effective” gay conversion camp. Behind the facade of a sin-free life lurks an unholy secret, ready to scare you straight to hell.
Tell Me I’m Worthless by Alison Rumfitt
Allison Rumfitt weaves a haunting story full of mystery in Tell Me that I’m Worthless. This brutal social commentary is about peeling back the layers of memories to find the truth. It sucked me in, and I couldn’t put it down.
Three years ago, Alice’s life unraveled after a haunting night in an abandoned house with friends Ila and Hannah. Now, asked by Ila to return and confront the horrors within, Alice must rescue Hannah from the clutches of the malevolent force. “Tell Me I’m Worthless” is a poignant work of trans fiction delving into trauma’s impact and the destructive nature of fascism.
Pinata by Leopoldo Gout
I love a good possession story, and Pinata delivers. This book is full of indigenous Mexican mythology.
It was supposed to be the perfect summer. Carmen Sanchez oversees an abbey renovation in Mexico with her daughters, Izel and Luna. An accident unearths ancient artifacts, costing Carmen her job and cutting their trip short. Yet, a malevolent force follows them to New York, foretelling a looming catastrophe. As the Sanchez family is stalked by the unexplainable, it may be too late to escape what’s been awakened. From forgotten worshippers to an imminent awakening, the threat is real.
Lone Woman by Victor LaValle
I’ve enjoyed all of the horror novels I’ve read by Victor LaValle. Lone Woman paints a vivid picture of the rugged individual who settled in the American west.
In 1915, Adelaide Henry carries a locked steamer trunk containing a sinister secret that makes people disappear when opened. Fleeing California after a tragedy, she heads to Montana as a homesteader, dragging the trunk. Amidst the harsh terrain, Adelaide, not truly alone, grapples with a past she’s desperate to bury or redeem. “Lone Women,” a tale of horror, sisterhood, and redemption in early-twentieth-century America, weaves shimmering prose and an unforgettable cast into a gripping narrative.
Monstrilio by Gerado Samano Cordova
This story about parental grief and the evolution of a monster is creative and gut wrenching. It is definitely worth checking out.
Grieving mother Magos cuts out a piece of her deceased son Santiago’s lung, nurturing it until it becomes a sentient Monstrilio hidden in their decaying Mexico City estate. Resembling Santiago, Monstrilio’s impulses threaten their second chance at life. In this thought-provoking meditation on grief and love, Gerardo Sámano Córdova weaves imagination and emotional depth across four acts spanning from Brooklyn to Berlin. “Monstrilio” offers a cathartic portrait of humanity, exploring acceptance and the monstrous sides of love and loyalty.
Mister Magic by Kiersten White
The fact that Kiersten White is an ex-Mormon like me might make me a bit biased on this one. I got partway through the book and recognized the commentary about Mormonism in it. Immediately I had to find a bio of hers and find out if she indeed was. Anyway, this book paints a picture of the sinister picture of how children’s media can influence society.
Three decades post the tragic halt of the children’s show “Mister Magic,” the surviving Circle of Friends cast members strive to move on. Dedicated fans hold onto the show’s lessons, mirroring the cast’s quest for past happiness, friendship, and the protection of Mister Magic. With no surviving videos or records, memories are all they have. A twist of fate reunites them at the remote desert filming compound, revealing a long-awaited convergence. As they reclaim their past, the Circle of Friends, holding the show’s secrets, questions if they are here by choice or if they’ve fallen into a trap.
Everything the Darkness Eats by Eric LaRocca
Everything the Darkness Eats is one of the horror novels I read in 2023 that I can’t get out of my head. I love Eric LaRocca’s writing style. Some of the imagines in the book are tattooed in my mind. The story has problems though, problems that I’m guilty of myself as a writer. The core idea of the story is so fascinating to me though that despite those problems, I loved the book.
In a small Connecticut town plagued by disappearances, a grieving widower harboring a dark secret becomes entangled in a perilous ritual of dark magic led by the enigmatic Heart Crowley. Simultaneously, a local law enforcement member investigating the disappearances uncovers a hidden undercurrent of unbridled hatred beneath the town’s seemingly idyllic facade. This hatred, once unleashed, will irreversibly alter the lives of those who once sought peace in the tranquil town of Henley’s Edge.
The Reformatory by Tananarive Due
Tananarive Due is one of my favorite authors. When The Reformatory came out, I couldn’t wait to read it. This book combines the horrors of racism with a ghost story. Due does such an amazing job at taking you back in time. I wish I could write like this.
Twelve-year-old Robbie Stephens, Jr., faces six months at Gracetown School for Boys for defending his sister. As he navigates the terrors of the Jim Crow South and The Reformatory, Robbie’s ability to see ghosts reveals the grim reality within. Boys disappear while forced to work for their so-called crimes, and the haints hint at darker secrets. With friends Redbone and Blue, Robbie learns the rules of survival. Simultaneously, Gloria rallies family and connections in Florida to secure Robbie’s release before it’s too late.
Silver Nitrate by Silvia Moreno-Garcia
I have a weakness for horror novels about cursed films and the occult. This book pulls all of my interests together. It is a slow, brooding story that digs deeply into the lives of the characters. I enjoyed it thoroughly.
Montserrat, a talented sound editor, is overlooked in the ’90s Mexico City film industry dominated by a boys’ club. Unseen by her childhood crush, soap opera star Tristán, she becomes entangled in a surreal opportunity when Tristán’s new neighbor, cult horror director Abel Urueta, claims he can change their lives. Urueta seeks their help to shoot a missing scene from a cursed film, promising to lift the curse. However, Montserrat senses a dark presence, and Tristán begins seeing his ex-girlfriend’s ghost. Together, they unravel the mystery of the film and the occultist who once haunted their city, discovering that sorcery and magic extend beyond the realm of movies.