It’s the last full month of summer, and if you’re the kind of person who uses that time to catch up on your reading, I’ve got some bad news: Your TBR pile is about to get a little longer.
August brings dozens of new horror releases from rising stars and big names, and it was extremely hard to pick just 10 to headline this list.
That said, these are the books we absolutely can’t wait to read this month, from a couple of compelling hauntings to two tales of demonic influence to a novel that wants to take us into the New French Extremity film territory.
The Unknown by Riley Sager (August 4)
Riley Sager‘s books, whether they’re supernatural thrillers or pieces of grounded suspense, always move as they run on jet fuel. His stories are immaculately paced and engrossing, making him the perfect horror author for summer. In The Unknown, Sager takes us to an island in Vermont, where a struggling actress may have just landed a career-making role with a hot director. To prepare, she and the rest of the cast take a research trip to live at the site of the legendary disappearances that inspired the film. But when the disappearances begin again, the stranded filmmakers have to wonder: Were the stories true? I got an early look at this one, and I’m pleased to report it’s a ball.
Penitents by Madeline Blondeau (August 11)
Indie publisher Ghoulish Books is always a great place to look for exciting, transgressive voices, and we might have another one with Madeline Blondeau‘s Penitents. Described as a debut novel from a new trans writer that blends New French Extremity with ’70s grindhouse, the book follows a writer’s encounter with a “violent” family across one weekend in Astoria, Oregon. The title alone makes me think of Martyrs, and I can’t wait to read where this one takes me.
Midwestern Chrome by Michael Bettendorf (August 11)
Speaking of indie publishers I always trust to show me something exciting, we’ve got Tenebrous, and the latest from Trve Cvlt author Michael Bettendorf. This one isn’t necessarily all-out horror, but neither is it all-out sci-fi or apocalyptic fiction. It’s, well…Midwestern Detective Android Cyberpunk Mystery Noir? Maybe. But this one just sounds too wild to pass up, particularly if you like when horror intersects with other genres.
Devil Inside by Clay McLeod Chapman (August 11)
Clay McLeod Chapman has a knack for creative stretching, and he commits to it in book after book. After conquering the young adult space with Shiny Happy People, Chapman turns his eyes to horror-romance with the story of a man recovering from a near-death experience and a woman who might not be entirely human. You can probably guess where some of this is going based on the title alone, but Chapman books always pack emotional, devastating surprises, so don’t miss this one.
Lights! Camera! Frendo! Clown in a Cornfield 4 by Adam Cesare (August 18)
Adam Cesare‘s wildly popular Clown in a Cornfield books are fun for a lot of reasons, but my favorite is the way they keep playing with the perception of the story they’re telling. Now, after telling stories of alt-right Frendo conspiracies and full-on cults, Cesare’s taking Frendo to the only place he could go after he got a film adaptation: Hollywood. That’s right, the Kettle Springs Massacre movie is happening, the cast and crew are in Missouri, and the lead actress just might be the next victim in a fresh string of murders. Sounds like a blast.
Marla by Jonathan Janz (August 18)
Technically, this edition of Marla is a nice upgraded reprint, but its arrival offers a fresh chance for readers to get to know its rising star author, Jonathan Janz. A veteran of the indie horror scene, Janz’s presence has been building through books like Children of the Dark and Veil. Now, Marla – with its story of a title character who transforms her small town in ways big, small, and frightening – is back for a wider audience, ready to help make Janz’s mark on the horror world even deeper in the years to come.
The Minimalist by Kailee Pedersen (August 18)
With Sacrificial Animals, Kailee Pedersen delivered one of my favorite horror debuts of the last decade. Now, she returns with her sophomore novel, a tale of creative obsession in the classical music community. The Minimalist of the tale might be a legendary, recently deceased composer, or it might be that composer’s favorite student, who’s just inherited his entire estate. Working in the shadow of her own issues, and tasked with the burden of finishing her mentor’s last composition, Mia Voss will dive headlong into the most personal work of her entire career, and it just might change her forever. I got a very, very early peek at this one, and it’s got all the lyrical beauty of Sacrificial Animals, with an even deeper horror bite.
These Walls Remember by Del Sandeen (August 18)
With her fierce debut This Cursed House, Del Sandeen announced herself as one of our foremost modern haunted house architects. Now, she returns with another novel of dark family secrets, strange transformations, and houses with a life of their own. This time around, Sandeen brings us the tale of two sisters, both trying to clean up and sell off a house they’ve just inherited in Savannah. But as the home’s history starts to come to light, one sister gets a little too close to the house itself, while the other will be forced to pull her sibling back out the door. One of our finest rising horror stars is back at it, so keep an eye on this one.
The Calamities by Chuck Wendig (August 18)
Through books like The Book of Accidents and Black River Orchard, Chuck Wendig has built each of his new horror novels into an event, and The Calamities feels especially potent in that regard, because it’s launching a new series. A blend of horror and dark fantasy, the book follows the half-demon Mayne family, one of the world’s most powerful bloodlines, as their reluctant heir is forced to come back home. Succession with demons by Chuck Wendig? I’m already there.
The Devil Knows Her Name by C.N. Vair (August 25)
Some subgenres just pull you in right away, and for me one of those subgenres is Appalachian Folk Horror. So, I was especially interested to read about this debut novel, set in a rural community where a woman with a witchy lineage has built a sanctuary for herself and the wildlife she cares for. But when that balance is disrupted by the arrival of a strange creature, she must confront a decades-old deal with the devil dating back three generations, and find a way to survive her own dark bargains. Reads like something I’m ready to devour in a single sitting.