Scream-worthy New Summer Reads

I wrote a whole newsletter on seaweed-ish horror, and another on ocean horror books. If you’ve been around long enough, you’ve probably figured out: I’m more than a little obsessed with the sea. So when Poisoned Pen Press said “Hey, this is queer saltwater horror, do you want it?” I made some very loud noises that they apparently accepted as a “yes.” Monroe’s They Drown Our Daughters is the perfect Pacific Northwest Gothic to accompany you on your next trip to the beach. Though you might have second thoughts about actually getting in the water, because in this dark tale of mothers, motherhood, generational trauma, ghosts, and red-lanterned lighthouses, the waters of Cape Disappointment are more than a little haunted.

It’s finally time! If you’ve been waiting to get your hands on Sylvia Moreno-Garcia’s newest Gothic novel, inspired by the strange tale of The Island of Doctor Moreau, publication day is nearly upon us. Carlota Moreau lives a safe but sheltered life. Her whole world is the isolated confines of her father’s estate. But beneath that idyllic surface lies the reality of her mad (or genius) father’s work. The fruits of his labors, the hybrids, linger in the estates shadows, blindly obedient to the man who created them, funded by the unknown whims of his rich patrons, the Lizaldes. When their son, Eduardo Lizaldes, suddenly appears at Moreau’s gates, his presence proves the unknown variable that threatens to upend Carlota’s tranquil life, and bring the only world she’s know crashing down around her.

One of the best parts about my decision to read only queer fiction this year is that it’s really reignited my love of graphic novels. Blackwater ticks all the boxes, because not only is it queer, it’s queer horror AND it’s set in Maine! (Yes, I am predictable. I know.) I’m so excited for my copy to get here! Blackwater is about two boys – Tony Price, a popular athlete desperate for his father’s approval, and Eli Hirsch, whose quiet nature along with the strain placed on his health and social life by his autoimmune disorder have left him isolated. The two unexpectedly become first friends and then something more as they navigate life in their spooky little town.

If you’re a fan of anthologies like I am, and you’re tired of getting hyped up about a new anthology only to realize that its TOC is as white as a stick of chalk and twice as straight, you definitely need to preorder for Other Terrors. Drawing on a blend of authors both established and up-and-coming, Other Terrors celebrates narratives of “otherness” and the fear that the idea of the “other” often provokes. Whether of a different culture, race, sexuality, religion, or gender, these stories center the outsider, who’s very existence is perceived as a threat to “normal” society. There are so many well-known horror writers contributing to this anthology whose new stories I can’t wait to read, and so many upcoming authors whose work I am excited to get better acquainted with.

This book broke my brain a little bit, I won’t lie. It’s incredible, and incredibly dark. A bit gross. Very disturbing. And strangely cathartic? I don’t know if I should admit to that, but yes it was definitely cathartic in a way, as Vera finally came to terms with her disturbed childhood and her own dark needs. She returns to her childhood home – the home that her father built – at the behest of her dying mother. But any hopes Vera might have had of a loving, tearful reconciliation are dashed soon after she arrives. Her mother is as caustic and distant as ever, and her serial killer father’s ghost lurks around every corner. Possibly literally. Add to that the artist with avaristic intent – and an almost lascivious interest in Vera’s bloody past – who is currently squatting in the converted garden shed in the backyard, and is it any wonder that all Vera’s most horrific memories are coming home to roost?

It is impossible to have too much witchy horror in your life. Particularly when the synopsis throws out tantalizing promises like “Hellmouth”, “witchtown”, and “deathwitch.” Honestly, though. If you’re looking for something to fill that magic school-shaped hole in your heart, left by a certain nightmare personage, but you want it a whole lot darker, you definitely need to preorder The Witchery by S. Isabelle. Logan arrives in Haelsford, Florida, to attend the Mesmortes Coven Academy. Haelsford is a peculiar town, where humans and witches maintain a tenuous truth constantly imperiled by fear and prejudice. A cursed town where Wolves rise form the swamp to devour the inhabitants. Soon after she arrives, Logan falls in with a trio of powerful Mesmortes witches who want to break the curse and free Haelsford from the Wolves. But at what cost?