As we enter the latter half of the year, we’ve compiled a painstakingly-difficult-to-curate list of 25 horror novels – one for each remaining week – that we feel map a genre in constant flux, always breaking new ground and upending expectations. Though we haven’t cracked open all of them just yet, this list spans a wide spectrum of obsessions: from the intimate, ghostly echoes of grief and identity to searing examinations of social fractures, trauma, and the uncanny. Together, they gesture toward horror’s enduring power — not just to scare, but to expose the shadowy complexities lurking beneath human experience. We hope this lineup sparks curiosity and invites readers to wrestle with the tensions that haunt both page and reality — a quiet reckoning with the fears we carry and the stories whispered in the dark.
How to Survive a Horror Story by Mallory Arnold (July 8)
Seven authors invited to the reading of horror legend Mortimer Queen’s will are trapped in his haunted manor. To survive, they must solve riddles and navigate deadly rooms — or risk being claimed by the house itself.
Why We’re Excited: The premise brilliantly fuses locked-room puzzles with spine-chilling ghostly horror, while the meta-fictional twist—set inside the twisted mind of a horror author—adds a wicked layer of intrigue that’ll have genre fans hooked from the off.
The Unkillable Frank Lightning by Josh Rountree (July 15)
In a reimagining of Frankenstein set in the Wild West, Dr. Catherine Coldbridge resurrects her late husband Frank, who returns soulless and violent. Now known as the Unkillable Frank Lightning, he tours with a Wild West show, while Catherine hunts him down with hired killers in a desperate quest for redemption.
Why We’re Excited: With its moody mix of gothic horror and rugged Western vibes, this novel channels the ghost of McCarthy and the spirit of Shelley, crafting a darkly atmospheric dive into love, loss, and the monstrous unknown.
One Yellow Eye by Leigh Radford (July 15)
After a devastating epidemic ravages London, scientist Kesta Shelley hides her undead husband, Tim, defying government protocols. As Tim’s condition worsens and Kesta descends into obsession and isolation, whispers of a secret cure offer a fragile hope — but discovery could trigger disaster.
Why We’re Excited: This fresh twist on the zombie mythos — all about love and moral grey areas — is turning heads with its raw emotional depth and a bold, original spin on apocalypse horror.
Angel Down by Daniel Kraus (July 29)
From the critically acclaimed author of Whalefall, Angel Down is an immersive, cinematic novel set amid the hellscape of World War I. Five soldiers are sent into No Man’s Land on a deadly mission only to discover a fallen angel, shot down by artillery fire. This celestial being could be the key to ending the war — if the men can suppress jealousy, greed, and paranoia tearing them apart.
Why We’re Excited: Kraus is known for weaving relentless historical grit with chilling supernatural threads, so we’re certain his latest promises a haunting saga of survival, moral turmoil, and spectral mystery that cuts deep into the savage heart of war.
Black Flame by Gretchen Felker-Martin (August 5)
Archivist Ellen Kramer discovers a long-lost, cursed Nazi-era exploitation film. As she restores it, the film’s dark desires and occult horrors begin to consume her, blurring the line between reality and madness.
Why We’re Excited: Exploring queer identity through the lens of occult horror, and riding the wave of Felker-Martin’s rising star, Black Flame is sure to blaze as one of 2025’s most provocative and unsettling horror novels.
Tantrum by Rachel Eve Moulton (August 5)
Thea’s third child, Lucia, is born a monster—teeth, a devilish glint, and an insatiable hunger. As Lucia grows, so do dark memories from Thea’s past, forcing her to confront what motherhood really means when your child is a threat to the world.
Why We’re Excited: Already praised for its sharp dark humor and bold originality, Tantrum flips family drama through a twisted horror lens, delivering a provocative exploration of familial debt, duty, and the darker side of motherhood.
A Game in Yellow by Hailey Piper (August 12)
When Blanca finds a mysterious play tied to madness, Carmen becomes obsessed with the euphoria and horror it induces. As the couple’s quest to spice up their relationship leads them to the edge of reality, Carmen must confront terrifying truths lurking in the shadows.
Why We’re Excited: Bram Stoker Award-winner Piper’s masterful blend of horror, erotica, and psychological thriller promises a haunting, unforgettable journey through desire and madness
Lucky Day by Chuck Tingle (August 12)
In this wildly imaginative new novel, Tingle tackles fate and catastrophe in a world where luck turns deadly. After a bizarre disaster kills close to eight million people in unimaginable ways, statistician Vera joins forces with an FBI agent to investigate a casino whose improbable success may be tied to ongoing mysterious deaths.
Why We’re Excited: Chuck Tingle’s one-of-a-kind mix of existential dread and wicked dark humor turns this into a wildly unpredictable ride—part The X-Files, part Final Destination, all tangled up in a mind-bending dance between fate and chaos.
The Unseen by Ania Ahlborn (August 19)
From bestselling #HorrorBookTok sensation Ania Ahlborn, The Unseen tells the haunting story of Isla Hansen, a mother coping with loss when a mysterious orphaned child appears on their secluded Colorado property. Strange anomalies grow, threatening the fabric of reality and unsettling the entire family.
Why We’re Excited: Ahlborn’s reputation for shattering horror’s boundaries shines through in this novel—a deeply eerie, psychologically charged journey that twists the familiar into something thrillingly unknown, and will literally leave you looking over your shoulder.
8114 by Joshua Hull (August 26)
Podcaster Paul returns to his hometown after the shocking suicide of an old friend in the ruins of his childhood home. As he interviews locals and unearths long-buried secrets, Paul finds himself drawn into a terrifying spiral of hauntings, trauma, and past horrors that refuse to stay buried.
Why We’re Excited: Drawing on a screenwriting pedigree, Hull crafts a hauntingly cinematic horror experience—where simmering psychological dread meets spectral mystery, pulling you deep into a world you won’t soon escape.
Breathe In, Bleed Out by Brian McAuley (September 2)
Set at a remote spiritual retreat in Joshua Tree, this blood-soaked thriller follows Hannah, haunted by the mysterious death of her fiancé. As healing practices give way to gruesome killings, Hannah must confront her dark past to survive a relentless killer.
Why We’re Excited: Praised by Stephen Graham Jones, McAuley’s latest is a razor-sharp, gory slasher set deep within the eerie calm of a well-being retreat — a tense, atmospheric thriller that blends ritualistic horror with gut-wrenching suspense and raw emotional depth.
Acquired Taste by Clay McLeod Chapman (September 9)
This collection of 25 short stories explores addiction, trauma, and political division through a terrifying and often darkly humorous lens. From ghost boyfriends to salamander-worshipping nuns, Chapman turns universal fears into uniquely unsettling tales.
Why We’re Excited: Often compared to Richard Matheson, Chapman’s sharp, timely stories are packed with humanity and creeping dread, making this collection a must-read for fans of modern horror short fiction.
Coffin Moon by Keith Rosson (September 9)
Vietnam vet Duane Minor is a bartender trying to stay sober and keep his family together — until a vampire who slaughtered his family walks into his life. Driven by vengeance, Duane and his niece Julia embark on a relentless hunt across the Pacific Northwest, facing monsters, silver bullet casters, and broken souls along the way.
Why We’re Excited: Backed by nods from horror legends Stephen King and Cassandra Khaw, Rosson’s Coffin Moon tears into the vampire genre with raw, unflinching grit — a savage, emotional rollercoaster drenched in grief and revenge that refuses to play by the rules.
Play Nice by Rachel Harrison (September 9)
Clio Louise Barnes tries to flip her childhood home, only to discover that her mother’s claims of demonic possession might be true. As sinister forces emerge, Clio must face haunting truths that threaten her carefully constructed life.
Why We’re Excited: Harrison flips the haunted house trope on its head with a sharp, mind-bending blend of psychological tension and creeping supernatural menace. Packed with cutting commentary on family, grief, and the dark side of influencer culture, this fresh, gripping horror doubles as a brutal metaphor for the inner demons we all wrestle with
We Are Always Tender with Our Dead by Eric LaRocca (September 9)
Set in the isolated New England town of Burnt Sparrow, this visceral queer horror novel follows the fallout of a brutal Christmas massacre, exploring pain, retribution, and dark secrets within the community.
Why We’re Excited: LaRocca is synonymous with intense, razor-sharp prose and a wild fusion of literary finesse and splatterpunk chaos. This first installment in their debut saga dives headfirst into a haunting, unforgettable journey of trauma and vengeance.
You Weren’t Meant to Be Human by Andrew Joseph White (September 9)
In rural Appalachia, a hive-like cult offers salvation and transformation in exchange for loyalty—and a terrifying sacrifice. When one man’s attempt to escape the hive’s demands spirals into bloodshed, the novel unravels themes of identity, survival, and belonging in a hostile world.
Why We’re Excited: With the creeping dread of Alien and the unsettling beauty of Midsommar, White delivers a visceral, boundary-pushing horror that’s fiercely tuned into marginalized voices — a story that unpacks the complicated truth of human transformation.
Good and Evil and Other Stories by Samanta Schweblin, trans. Megan McDowell (September 16)
A collection of stories that delve into the uncanny moments when ordinary life meets the eerie and unsettling. Schweblin’s prose masterfully balances light and darkness, exploring vulnerability, guilt, and the monsters lurking close to home.
Why We’re Excited: Schweblin’s mastery of psychological horror and razor-edge literary tension promises stories where everyday life takes a wild, twisted turn into the strange and shocking.
Fiend by Alma Katsu (September 16)
A powerful family’s empire is fueled by an ancient, dark force that seems to bend fate in their favor—until the curse begins to unravel their grip on power. Set against the backdrop of ruthless ambition and supernatural influence, this story probes how far people will go to protect their legacy.
Why We’re Excited: Alma Katsu’s deft blend of historical horror and contemporary menace promises a layered exploration of wealth, family loyalty, and the unseen evils lurking beneath the surface of privilege.
Spread Me by Sarah Gailey (September 23)
Kinsey leads a remote research station in the desert until her team discovers a mysterious specimen that unsettles their isolation. As temptation and horror creep in, Kinsey must face the terrifying cost of harboring an unknown presence.
Why We’re Excited: From a bestselling author who weaves speculative fiction and horror into fresh, unforgettable narratives, Spread Me strikes like a raw, razor-edged pulse — a fierce, unexpected jolt of survival and temptation.
The Autumn Springs Retirement Home Massacre by Philip Fracassi (September 30)
Rose DuBois, a spirited senior resident, investigates a series of suspicious deaths at her retirement home, uncovering a sinister killer stalking the elderly community.
Why We’re Excited: With a razor wit and a fresh slash through the genre, Fracassi’s novel bares his soul. Calling it his most earnest and personal to date, he invites you into a chilling tale where horror meets heart, surprising the reader with every twisted page.
The October Film Haunt by Michael Wehunt (September 30)
Jorie Stroud’s past obsession with a cult horror film erupts anew when a mysterious videotape arrives, pulling her into a dangerous world of fandom, obsession, and supernatural terror.
Why We’re Excited: Wehunt’s novel blends horror fandom culture with supernatural suspense to craft a layered, emotional thriller — a gripping exploration of obsession, identity, and the fight to survive.
Good Boy by Neil McRobert (October 9)
A supernatural horror story reminiscent of IT and The Fisherman, centered on a mysterious disappearance in a small Northern town and a man digging a grave at the site. As the town’s dark past unfolds, chilling secrets begin to surface.
Why We’re Excited: McRobert’s debut promises an atmospheric blend of mystery and horror, steeped in small-town nostalgia and sinister folklore. Inspired by his own dog — who even stars on the cover — Good Boy looks set to serve up a haunting exploration of the secrets lurking just beneath the surface.
King Sorrow by Joe Hill (October 21)
Six friends dabble in the occult to save a friend, accidentally summoning a dragon-like entity that demands annual human sacrifices. Set against a backdrop of dark academia, friendship, and dangerous magic, the story explores the cost of revenge and the supernatural.
Why We’re Excited: Joe Hill’s reputation for weaving suspense and the supernatural into shadowy, gripping tales — this one promising a Faustian twist, complex characters, and a chilling dive into modern-world dangers, dark academia’s twisted depths, and the explosive consequences of revenge.
A Play about a Curse by Caroline Macon Fleischer (October 21)
When a young playwright’s mentor betrays her, she unleashes a curse that intertwines their fates in a deadly, supernatural struggle. Part psychological horror, part theatrical fever dream, this novel follows ambition and revenge from Dallas to Chicago’s theatre world.
Why We’re Excited: Fleischer’s literary horror, dripping with that signature cinematic A24 vibe, promises a psychologically charged, stylistically bold journey into power, obsession, and the supernatural.
Darker Days by Thomas Olde Heuvelt (October 28)
In the peaceful town of Lock Haven, residents of Bird Street enjoy a charmed life—except for the “Darker Days” in November when a centuries-old sacrifice must be made to maintain their fortune. This year, things go terribly wrong.
Why We’re Excited: From the author of HEX, this novel twists the Faustian bargain into something fresh and fierce, soaked in atmospheric tension and moral complexity — a must-read for anyone who loves unsettling, character-driven horror. And with filmmaker extraordinaire, Mike Flanagan calling it “a wicked, fascinating, chilling tale, expertly balancing the supernatural with the horrors inherent in human nature,” you know you’re in for something truly special.
