Tag: horror

100 Favorite Horror Books: October 2026 Edition

Hawksmoor, by Peter Ackroyd (1989)
Dark Entries, by Robert Aickman (1964)
We Are Here to Hurt Each Other, by Paula D. Ashe (2022)
This Mortal Coil, by Cynthia Asquith (1947)
The Damnation Game, by Clive Barker (1985)
Tender is the Flesh, by Agustina Bazterrica (2017; 2020 translation by Sarah Moses)
The Listener and Other Stories, by Algernon Blackwood (1907)
The Scarf, by Robert Bloch (1947/1966)
Something Wicked This Way Comes, by Ray Bradbury (1962)
Wieland; or, The Transformation: An American Tale, by Charles Brockden Brown (1798)
Ancient Images, by Ramsey Campbell (1989)
The King in Yellow, by Robert W. Chambers (1895)
The Ghost Stories of Wilkie Collins, by Wilkie Collins (2024, edited by Xavier Aldana Reyes)
The Juniper Tree, by Barbara Comyns (1985)
The Breaking Point, by Daphne Du Maurier (1959)
Don’t Look Now, by Daphne Du Maurier (1971)
The Between, by Tananarive Due (1995)
The Pines, by Robert Dunbar (1989)
American Psycho, by Bret Easton Ellis (1991)
I Have No Mouth & I Must Scream, by Harlan Ellison (1967)
The Collector, by John Fowles (1963)
Aura, by Carlos Fuentes (1962; 1986 translation by Lysander Kemp)
Something Stirs, by Charles L. Grant (1991)
Red Dragon, by Thomas Harris (1981)
Twice-Told Tales, by Nathaniel Hawthorne (1837)
The House of the Seven Gables, by Nathaniel Hawthorne (1851)
Children of the Black Sabbath, by Anne Hébert (1975; 1977 translation by Carol Dunlop-Hébert)
The Woman in Black, by Susan Hill (1983)
The House on the Borderland, by William Hope Hodgson (1908)
The Private Memoirs and Confessions of a Justified Sinner, by James Hogg (1824)
The Damned, by Joris-Karl Huysmans (1891)
Uzumaki, by Junji Ito (2000; 2013 translation by Yuji Oniki)
Hangsaman, by Shirley Jackson (1951)
The Sundial, by Shirley Jackson (1958)
The Haunting of Hill House, by Shirley Jackson (1959)
We Have Always Lived in the Castle, by Shirley Jackson (1962)
Ghost Stories of Henry James, by Henry James (2008, edited by Martin Schofield)
Ghost Stories of an Antiquary, by M. R. James (1904)
The Red Tree, by Caitlín R. Kiernan (2009)
Carrie, by Stephen King (1974)
Salem’s Lot, by Stephen King (1975)
The Shining, by Stephen King (1977)
Cujo, by Stephen King (1981)
Pet Sematary, by Stephen King (1983)
It, by Stephen King (1986)
And Her Smile Will Untether the Universe, by Gwendolyn Kiste (2017)
The Ceremonies, by T. E. D. Klein (1984)
The Cipher, by Kathe Koja (1991)
Bad Brains, by Kathe Koja (1992)
Skin, by Kathe Koja (1993)
Strange Angels, by Kathe Koja (1994)
Conjure Wife, by Fritz Leiber (1943)
The Fifth Child, by Doris Lessing (1988)
Rosemary’s Baby, by Ira Levin (1967)
The Stepford Wives, by Ira Levin (1972)
The Monk: A Romance, by Matthew Gregory Lewis (1796)
Songs of a Dead Dreamer and Grimscribe, by Thomas Ligotti (2015)
The Hounds of Tindalos, by Frank Belknap Long (1946)
Tales of H. P. Lovecraft, by H. P. Lovecraft (2007, edited by Joyce Carol Oates)
The House of Souls, by Arthur Machen (1906)
Burnt Offerings, by Robert Marasco (1973)
I Am Legend, by Richard Matheson (1954)
Shock!, by Richard Matheson (1961)
Melmoth the Wanderer, by Charles Robert Maturin (1820)
Child of God, by Cormac McCarthy (1973)
Toplin, by Michael McDowell, (1985)
Heartbreaker, by Maryse Meijer (2016)
The Seventh Mansion, by Maryse Meijer (2020)
Strange is the Night, by S. P. Miskowski (2017)
Beloved, by Toni Morrison (1987)
Zombie, by Joyce Carol Oates (1995)
The Accursed, by Joyce Carol Oates (2013)
Jack of Spades, by Joyce Carol Oates (2015)
Widdershins, by Oliver Onions (1911)
Selected Writings of Edgar Allan Poe, by Edgar Allan Poe (1956, edited by Edward H. Davidson)
The Mysteries of Udolpho, by Ann Radcliffe (1794)
Interview with the Vampire, by Anne Rice (1976)
Traplines, by Eden Robinson (1996)
Helpmeet, by Naben Ruthnum (2022)
The Subjugated Beast, by R. R. Ryan (1938)
Fever Dream, by Samanta Schweblin (2014; 2017 translation by Megan McDowell)
The Demon, by Hubert Selby Jr. (1976)
New Stories from the Twilight Zone, by Rod Serling (1965)
Frankenstein; or, the Modern Prometheus, by Mary Shelley (1818)
The House Next Door, by Anne Rivers Siddons (1978)
The Dark Eidolon and Other Fantasies, by Clark Ashton Smith (2014, edited by S. T. Joshi)
Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, by Robert Louis Stevenson (1886)
Dracula, by Bram Stoker (1897)
Julia, by Peter Straub (1975)
Ghost Story, by Peter Straub (1979)
Floating Dragon, by Peter Straub (1982)
Koko, by Peter Straub (1988)
Houses without Doors, by Peter Straub (1990)
Fog Heart, by Thomas Tessier (1997)
The Other, by Thomas Tryon (1971)
Ghosts, by Edith Wharton (1937)
The Picture of Dorian Gray, by Oscar Wilde (1890)
The Island of Doctor Moreau, by H. G. Wells (1896)
The Invisible Man, by H. G. Wells (1897)
The Sailor Who Fell from Grace with the Sea, by Yukio Mishima (1963)

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New story in Uncertainties VIII (edited by Naben Ruthnum, Swan River Press)

Mike Thorn’s new story, “Soirée,” is included in Uncertainties VIII, edited by Naben Ruthnum for Swan River Press.

Pre-order now.

Uncertainties is an anthology series—featuring authors from Canada, England, and the United States—each exploring the concept of increasingly fragmented senses of reality. These types of short stories were termed “strange tales” by Robert Aickman, called “tales of the unexpected” by Roald Dahl, and known to Shakespeare’s ill-fated Prince Mamillius as “winter’s tales”. But these are no mere ghost stories. These tales of the uncanny grapple with existential epiphanies of the modern day, when otherwise familiar landscapes become sinister and something decidedly less than certain . . .

Contents

“Foreword” – Naben Ruthnum

“A Curio” – R. Ostermeier

“Îkwatin // Freeze Up” – Jessica Johns

“Next of Kin” – Miriam Richer

“Taking Possession” – Rebecca Campbell

“All the Little Machines” – Rebecca Kuder

“Vanquisher” – Andrew F. Sullivan

“Soirée” – Mike Thorn

“Caretakers” – Michael Kelly

“Goodnight, Grandma Maggie” – Erica McKeen

“The Poet and the Jaguar and the Poet” – Quentin S. Crisp

“Monumental Horror Image” – Michael Wehunt

“The Theatre of Higher Judgements” – Matthew Holness

“Contributor Notes”

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New essay on Night Terrors (Tobe Hooper, 1993) in Vinegar Syndrome 4K/Blu-ray booklet

Vinegar Syndrome is re-releasing Night Terrors in two gorgeous limited edition cases.

Both special limited edition sets come with spot gloss hard slipcases + slipcover combos and include 40-page perfect bound books). Only available on the Vinegar Syndrome website and select indie retailers.

A criminally underseen later work from master of horror Tobe Hooper (The Texas Chain Saw Massacre, Poltergeist), 1993’s NIGHT TERRORS (aka Tobe Hooper’s Nightmare) sees the legendary director reunited with his Eaten Alive stars Robert Englund (A Nightmare on Elm Street, The Mangler) and William Finley (Sisters, The Phantom of the Paradise), with the former turning in an incredible dual performance as Paul Chevalier and the Marquis de Sade himself in a series of atmospheric flashbacks. Packed full of erotic scenes, surreal visuals, and sadomasochistic set pieces, Vinegar Syndrome is thrilled to present this too-long-neglected opus from one of the horror genre’s most revered craftsmen, painstakingly restored in 4K for its disc debut and served up with lashings of newly-produced bonus features.

Bonus content:

  • Commentary track with film writer Scout Tafoya
  • “Femme Fatale” (16 min) – an interview with actress Alona Kimhi
  • “Writing Pains” (20 min) – an interview with co-writer Daniel Matmor
  • “Dressed for Excess” (19 min) – an interview with costume designer Rona Doron
  • “Sounds Alarming” (17 min) – an interview with supervising sound editor Gregory King
  • “Not Holding Back” (27 min) – an interview with critic and author Kim Newman
  • Trailer
  • 40-page perfect-bound book (limited edition only) with writing by Steven Thrower, Mike Thorn, and Fred Barrett
  • Reversible cover artwork

Pre-order here.

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New essay on The Mangler in Vinegar Syndrome Limited Edition 4K booklet

Order The Mangler (Vinegar Syndrome Limited Edition 4K).

From the minds of horror master Tobe Hooper (The Texas Chain Saw Massacre, Poltergeist) and writer Stephen King (The Shining) comes a terrifying and darkly comedic vision of technology gone mad: THE MANGLER (1995). Starring horror legend Robert Englund (A Nightmare on Elm Street), along with Ted Levine (The Silence of the Lambs), and voice work by actor Jim Cummings (Winnie the Pooh). Packed with outrageously gory and bizarre set pieces along with impressive visual effects, Vinegar Syndrome is excited to present the UHD debut of this supremely strange and entertaining 90s horror classic, presented in a stunning new 4K restoration of its original 35mm camera negative, in its extra gruesome unrated version, and loaded with extras including an extended new making-of documentary featuring interviews with cast and crew.

directed by: Tobe Hooper
starring: Robert Englund, Ted Levine, Daniel Matmor, Jeremy Crutchley, Vanessa Pike
1995 / 106 min / 1.85:1 / English 5.1 Surround + 2.0 Stereo

Additional info:

  • 2-disc Set: 4K Ultra HD / Region A Blu-ray
  • 4K UHD presented in Dolby Vision High-Dynamic-Range
  • Newly scanned & restored in 4K from its 35mm original camera negative
  • New commentary track with editor David Heitner and film critic Alison Foreman
  • New commentary track with film critic Scout Tafoya
  • “Waking a Brutal Beast” (46 min) – a brand new making-of documentary featuring interviews with writer Stephen David Brooks, actors Robert Englund and Jeremy Crutchley, and special effects team Scott Coulter, Scott Wheeler, and Todd Masters
  • Behind-the-scenes footage
  • Still gallery
  • Theatrical trailer
  • TV spot
  • 40-page perfect-bound book with writing by Mike Thorn, Chris Cabin, and Ariel Esteban Cayer (limited edition only)
  • Reversible sleeve artwork
  • English SDH subtitles
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Craftwork Episode 32: Gothic Spaces, Familial Secrets, & Diasporic Perspectives w/ Dania Idriss

Listen to Craftwork Episode 32: Gothic Spaces, Familial Secrets, & Diasporic Perspectives w/ Dania Idriss

In this interview, we chat with Dania Idriss about representing human cruelty, finding creative nourishment in academic conferences, spending time in “writing jail”, and so much more.  

Dania Idriss (she/her) is a Lebanese-Canadian author and a doctoral candidate in the Department of English at the University of Calgary. She (currently) gratefully lives and works on the traditional territory of Treaty 7, with her writing focusing on global literatures, particularly Arabic speculative fiction. Her first book, a collection of horror stories titled Tales of the Mountains and the Sea, was released by Freehand Books in May 2026. Dania teaches speculative fiction and global literatures at the Alberta University of the Arts and the University of Calgary. She enjoys all things spooky, warm sweaters, and spending time with her bunny, Arlo.  

Books and stories mentioned in this episode: 

  • Human Sacrifices — María Fernanda Ampuero  
  • American War; One Day, Everyone Will Have Always Been Against This — Omar El Akkad 
  • The Woman in White — Wilkie Collins 
  • David Copperfield; Great Expectations; The Old Curiosity Shop — Charles Dickens 
  • The Haunting of Hill House; The Sundial; We Have Always Lived in the Castle — Shirley Jackson 
  • The Monk — Matthew Gregory Lewis 
  • Forgotten Journey; Thus Were Their Faces — Silvina Ocampo 
  • “Brokeback Mountain” — Annie Proulx 
  • Harry Potter series — J. K. Rowling 
  • Frankenstein — Mary Shelley 
  • Dracula — Bram Stoker 
  • “Hair” — Mike Thorn 
  • The Castle of Otranto — Horace Walpole 
  • Lolly Willowes — Sylvia Townsend Warner 
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Craftwork Episode 31: Shakespearean Themes, Wang WPS Mishaps, & Stephen King’s Revisions w/ Caroline Bicks

Listen to Craftwork Episode 31: Shakespearean Themes, Wang WPS Mishaps, & Stephen King’s Revisions w/ Caroline Bicks.

In this interview, we chat with Caroline Bicks about combatting AI in the classroom, words clanging on readers’ ears, the uniquely portable magic of fiction, and so much more.

Caroline Bicks is the author of several academic books, including Cognition and Girlhood in Shakespeare’s World and Midwiving Subjects in Shakespeare’s England. After she was named the University of Maine’s inaugural Stephen E. King Chair in Literature, she became the first scholar to be granted extended access by Stephen King to his private archive. In her most recent book, Monsters in the Archives: My Year of Fear with Stephen King, Bicks documents her exploration of King’s early drafts and hand-written revisions, and her conversations with King about those changes. Her popular writing has appeared in the Modern Love column of the New York Times and McSweeney’s Internet Tendency. She is the co-host of the Everyday Shakespeare podcast.

Books, plays, stories, and poems mentioned in this episode:

  • The Wizard of Oz — L. Frank Baum  
  • I Know a Place: Rest Stop and Other Dark Detours — Nat Cassidy 
  • “Cherrylog Road” — James Dickey  
  • “The Boogeyman”; Carrie; Cell; “Children of the Corn”; Christine; Cujo; Danse Macabre; “The Dark Man”; The Dead Zone; Insomnia; It; “Jerusalem’s Lot”; Lisey’s Story; The Long Walk; Misery; Night Shift;  “Night Surf”; On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft; Pet Sematary; Rage; ‘Salem’s Lot; The Shining; The Stand; “Strawberry Spring” — Stephen King 
  • Bird by Bird: Some Instructions on Writing and Life — Anne Lamott 
  • Edward II — Christopher Marlowe 
  • North Woods — Daniel Mason 
  • A Swim in the Pond in the Rain — George Saunders 
  • Hamlet; Henry IV, Part I; Henry IV; Part II; Henry V; Henry VI, Part I; Henry VI, Part II; Henry VI, Part III; Macbeth; Richard II; Richard III; Romeo and Juliet — William Shakespeare 
  • Charlotte’s Web — E. B. White 
  • Our Town — Thornton Wilder 
  • How Fiction Works — James Wood 
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Craftwork Episode 28: Earthy Language, Scary Cupids, & Lunar Portrayals w/ Michael Wehunt

Listen to Craftwork Episode 28: Earthy Language, Scary Cupids, & Lunar Portrayals w/ Michael Wehunt.

In this interview, we chat with Michael Wehunt about the administrative side of professional writing, the unanticipated weirdness of public selfhood, the “moment before the moment”, and so much more.   

Michael Wehunt has been a finalist for the Bram Stoker Award, multiple Shirley Jackson Awards, and the International Association for the Fantastic in the Arts’ Crawford Award. In Spain, his translated works have garnered nominations for the Premio Ignotus and Premio Amaltea, winning the latter. He haunts the woods of Decatur, Georgia, with his partner and their dog. Together, they hold the horrors at bay. Most recently, he is the author of the novels The October Film Haunt and Nightjars.  

Books and poems mentioned in this episode:   

  • Ancient Images; The Grin of the Dark; Incarnate — Ramsey Campbell 
  • Generation X: Tales for an Accelerated Culture — Douglas Coupland 
  • Poems 1962-2020 — Louise Glück 
  • Carrie — Stephen King 
  • Beings — Ilana Masad 
  • The God of the Woods; Long Bright River — Liz Moore 
  • Ghost Wall; Ripeness — Sarah Moss 
  • The Violent Bear it Away — Flannery O’Connor 
  • “Archaic Torso of Apollo” — Rainer Maria Rilke
  • Coffin Moon — Keith Rosson 
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New essay, “Plumbing the Depths: Haunted Writers and Haunted Writings,” in Nightmare Magazine

“I propose that horror literature, by definition, hinges on this vexed dialectic, between the affective destruction of thought and the creative process of thought (specifically, of cognizing the incognizable: the supernatural, the numinous, the unseen, the illegible). Within this dialectic, the horror writer oscillates between helpless prey to horror and the creative agent of horror.”

Read the full essay.

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