There was no shortage of great newhorrorbooks in 2024, andthe best of them successfully delivered scares and broached important subjectsat the same time. Horror is often used to unpack unsettling elements of the real world, and on that front, 2024’s releases don’t disappoint. The genre’s best new novels tackle everything from religious extremism to harmful Hollywood tropes, so there’s a lot to be gained from picking them up.
2024’s best horror books also put unique spins on common tropes and narratives, revamping everything from hauntings to slasher stories. A few also continued or wrapped series, with Stephen Graham Jones and Keith Rosson both delivering highly anticipated finales this year. 2024’s offerings encompass such a wide range of concepts, themes, and characters, there really is something for every type of horror reader. Those who love the genre have had an absolute feast of new releases to enjoy over the last 12 months.
15What Feasts At Night
By T. Kingfisher
T. Kingfisher had an impressive 2024, releasing one of thebest fantasy books of the yearwithA Sorceress Comes to Call, as well as one of the biggest new horror releases.What Feasts at Night isthe second installment in the author’sSworn Soldier series, andit lives up to the heights ofWhat Moves the Dead.The novella is every bit as eerie as it should be, using Kingfisher’s atmospheric prose to weave a masterful follow-up to the 2022 story, this time involving a hunting lodge in Gallacia.
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What Stalks the Deep
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Odd incidents begin to unfold from the moment Alex Easton steps foot into the lodge, and they soon find themselves wrapped up in a horror story on par with their last adventure. Alex’s character is so compelling, it’s impossible not to follow them down Kingfisher’s latest rabbit hole.It’s no wonder thatWhat Feasts at Nightwas nominated for aGoodreads Choice Awardin the horror category, and it’s really just its slow build-up and short length that prevent it from reaching the heights of some of 2024’s bigger horror releases. Fortunately, we’ll get more of Alex in a third book.
14Model Home
By Rivers Solomon
Rivers Solomon’sModel Homeis a standout horror book from 2024, and not just because of its eye-catching green cover. Using the author’s lyrical prose to impressive effect,Model Homesees three siblings returning to their old house — a place they’d never wanted to set foot in again — after the deaths of their parents.Model Homemay seem like a haunted house story on the surface, but its narrative uses this to raise conversations about trauma, racism, and grief. Its takeaways are fittingly haunting, making it a 2024 must-read.
Model Homemasterfully threads its themes into its plot, and it never feels like it’s sacrificing one in favor of the other.
Model Homemasterfully threads its themes into its plot, and it never feels like it’s sacrificing one in favor of the other. While it gets off to a slow start — and could definitely go a bit longer once things start moving — Solomon’s latest continues the author’s trend of effectively using horror stories to drive home poignant and necessary messages. It’s a needed spin on the haunted house subgenre and certainly among the best the category had to offer in 2024.
13I Was A Teenage Slasher
By Stephen Graham Jones
Stephen Graham Jones is the author behind two of 2024’s best horror books, one of them beingI Was a Teenager Slasher.One of themost-anticipated horror books of summer 2024,I Was a Teenage Slasherdelivers on its promise to put a fresh and fun spin on the slasher genre. It’s the sort of story that grips readers from the very beginning, then keeps them turning the pages with its surprisingly compelling characters and relationships. The book’s memoir format sets it apart, and its ending secures its place among the best horror books of 2024.
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I Was a Teenage Slasherproperly pays homage to the slasher category, and it more than earns its Goodreads Choice Awards nomination for Readers' Favorite Horror. It’s comical and creative, albeit a bit outlandish at times. It may not tackle critical themes as deeply as some of the year’s other horror releases, but it delivers on the fun and thrilling ride its premise teases.
12Diavola
By Jennifer Thorne
Jennifer Thorne’sDiavolatakes a family vacation narrative and turns it on its head, delivering a physical manifestation of the horror so many feel at the thought of family gatherings. And as its premise suggests, this gothic horror book goes beyond scares. Anna’s trip to a haunted villa in Italy offers the perfect mash-up of familial drama and supernatural suspense, keeping the tensions high on multiple fronts. It makes for an extremely fun ride, but one that has deeper discussions about family dynamics at its core.
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Diavolais fast-paced and suspenseful, but its greatest strength comes from the book being so relatable. The characters may not be likable, but that’s exactly the point — and most readers will concede to knowing someone who matches their portrayal, even if they aren’t family. The supernatural aspects ofDiavolacould be stronger, and the novel takes some time to get into. But the end result will leave readers wanting more like it, and its Goodreads Choice Awards nomination highlights how much it’s resonating with readers.
11House Of Bone And Rain
By Gabino Iglesias
Gabino Iglesias is a go-to horror author, and 2024’sHouse of Bone and Raindrives that point home. Another nominee in the Goodreads Choice Awards' horror category,House of Bone and Rainis a gorgeously written and heartbreaking taleabout five friends in Puerto Rico whose lives and connections are shaped by loss and trauma. One of them sets out on a quest for vengeance, which coincides with a massive hurricane that is thought to leave evil spirits and horrors in its wake.
House of Bone and Rainis an emotional roller-coaster of a novel, and its characters are at the heart of its success.
House of Bone and Rainis an emotional roller-coaster of a novel, and its characters are at the heart of its success. Of course,Iglesias does an impressive job of blending the central revenge narrative with the book’s supernatural elements, just as the author infuses what’s mostly a bleak story with poignant moments and revelations that keep readers engaged. The violence and darkness of this story may not be for everyone, but these qualities are what make it such a memorable 2024 release.
10The Black Girl Survives In This One
By Multiple Authors
Sometimes, the best horror books are compilations of stories focused on a single theme, andThe Black Girl Survives in This Oneproves as much. Edited by Desiree S. Evans and Saraciea J. Fennell,The Black Girl Survives in This Oneis a horror anthology that deserves far more attention in the conversation surrounding 2024’s new releases. This collection upends the unfortunately common and harmful trope that Black people, and especially women, die early in horror stories. To challenge it,The Black Girl Survives in This Oneintroduces readers to a range of kickass Black final girls.
Featuring authors like Justina Ireland and L.L. McKinney,The Black Girl Survives in This Oneallows its heroines to shine in a variety of horror narratives.
Featuring authors like Justina Ireland and L.L. McKinney,The Black Girl Survives in This Oneallows its heroines to shine in a variety of horror narratives, encompassing everything from supernatural terrors tohorror and sci-fi blends.The collection is one of the most impressive (and important) additions to 2024’s horror lineup, and its 4.06Goodreadsrating speaks to that. As is the case with any anthology, some stories stand out more than others. However, all of them will leave readers wanting more groundbreaking narratives like the ones within the collection’s pages.
9The Angel Of Indian Lake
Stephen Graham Jones' second book to land among 2024’s best horror releases,The Angel of Indian Lakebrings the author’sIndian Lake Trilogyto a thrilling and satisfying close. Set four years afterDon’t Fear the Reaper,The Angel of Indian Lakesees Jade Daniels returning to Proofrock, Idaho and grappling with one last killing spree. Jade has grown a lot throughout the previous books, and that’s clear as day in this final installment. Also clear is how much love Graham Jones has for the character, the story, and the genre overall; it shines through in his gripping finale.
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The Angel of Indian Lake
The Angel of Indian Lakedoesn’t waste time jumping into Jade’s final adventure, nor does it fail to tie this story back to the previous installments. Those who love Graham Jones' series will undoubtedly be happy with its conclusion, which is the highest-rated of the three books, boasting a 4.17 averageGoodreadsscore. It also snagged a Goodreads Choice Awards nomination for Readers' Favorite Horror, which is no surprise given how beloved the entire trilogy has been. It does read more thriller than horror at times, but that doesn’t prevent it from delivering on the suspense.
8Incidents Around The House
By Josh Malerman
Josh Malerman’sIncidents Around the Househas gotten a lot of attention in 2024, with the consensus being that the author’s newest novel will keep even seasoned horror readers up at night. Centered on an eight-year-old girl who’s being haunted by a supernatural being called Other Mommy,Incidents Around the Househas all the right ingredients for a terrifying time. The choice to tell this story from a child’s perspective is one that calls back to some of the scariest horror movies, and Other Mommy’s depiction is not for the faint of heart.
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Malerman’s latest does exactly what any good horror book should strive to: it keeps readers glancing over their shoulders and staying up far later than they should. While it doesn’t necessarily go into deeper conversations or feature lyrical prose, its straightforward approach to horror is refreshing. That’s why so many readers are raving about it, and it’s earned it a Goodreads Choice Awards nomination for Readers' Favorite Horror. With any luck,Incidents Around the Housewill get picked up for a film adaptation, as it lends itself well to one.
7Not A Speck Of Light: Stories
By Laird Barron
Award-winning author Laird Barron returned with a new story collection in 2024, andNot a Speck of Lightis one of the greatest horror releases of the year. Pitched as “a mosaic of the bloody and the macabre,“Not a Speck of Lightis a reminder of what makes Barron’s work shine. Its narratives feel like a return to form for the author, embracing his signature style while bringing something undeniably fresh to the table. As always, the prose is immaculate, and the stories deliver on the promise of the dark and bizarre.
There’s such a wide range of stories inNot a Speck of Lightthat it’s impossible to get bored, and “Tiptoe” will certainly go down as one of the author’s most memorable works. That said, not every story reaches the heights of the book’s best ones, and the collection overall isn’t the best Barron has to offer. That’s saying something, asNot a Speck of Lightis still a stunning and worthwhile read, especially for those who like their horror a little strange.
6Bury Your Gays
By Chuck Tingle
Chuck Tingle may have kicked off his writing career with outlandish erotic romances, but theCamp Damascusauthor has found his stride in the horror category over the past few years.Bury Your Gaysis a testament to that, proving Tingle’s best addition to the genre yet. Taking onHollywood’s problematic “bury you gays” trope, along with how it relates greedy business practices and LGBTQ+ representation in media,Bury Your Gaysis as important as it is gripping. It perfectly balances its central narrative with its commentary, making it a well-rounded and engaging read.
Bury Your Gaysis just as much a love letter to storytelling as it is a critique of Hollywood, challenging the ways we’ve let money and technology corrupt it.
Bury Your Gaysisn’t as scary as some of the other novels to hit shelves in 2024, but its engaging plot, compelling main character, and central themes make up for that. The book’s 4.18 averageGoodreadsscore and nomination for a Goodreads Choice Award highlight its strengths, which extend beyond its social commentary.Bury Your Gaysis just as much a love letter to storytelling as it is a critique of Hollywood, challenging the ways we’ve let money and technology corrupt this critical part of the human experience.
