By Joanne Spence Thomas, Briony Viele and Laurence Wise
With Frankfurt Book Fair hosting agents, publishers and editors from across the globe, this annual event is an excellent opportunity to learn what trends are dominating the industry and what we can expect moving forwards. This year, amongst the resounding romantasy buzz, a growing appetite for horror titles in the commercial sphere has come to the foreground. With the spooky season well underway, this article will take a look at the increasing popularity of the horror genre.
According to The Bookseller, the Frankfurt Book Fair saw a “renewed interest” in horror from editors – in large part thanks to horror’s ability to span a range of genres, thereby appealing to a wide readership base. Whether in fantasy, literary or even feel-good novels – seemingly wholesome titles taking on a dark twist – horror is increasingly sought after across an array of genres. Furthermore, horror is able to appeal to different age groups, thus spanning an even wider pool of readers. In an interview with Publishers Weekly, Ginger Clark noted, “I’m seeing continued interest, both on the kids and YA side and adult.” It’s truly making a resurgence for all.
The genre seems to tap into an overall wider trend of escapism and a sense of reliability that readers are now seeking, offering a vicarious thrill amid the turbulence and stresses of everyday life. Horror arguably offers a sense of removal from reality in its often dramatic and suspenseful nature. As the data suggests, this kind of reading experience is in demand.
In April 2024, The Guardian reported that, according to the Nielsen BookScan, sales in horror were 34% higher in value in the first three months of 2024 compared to that of 2023. Horror novels published in 2024 include Stephen King’s You Like It Darker, Josh Malerman’s Incidents Around the House and Sofia Ajram’s debut novel Coup de Grâce – the latter of which is a unique, visceral and experimental horror about a young man trapped in an infinite Montreal subway station – and a large number of titles coming from international, independent publishers.
New horror stories offering a strong feminist element include Necrology by Meg Ripley, published by Creature Publishing, which is a Virginia-based publisher that specialises in “feminist horror, dark speculative fiction, women-driven thrillers, spooky fantastical fiction, literary fiction and the like.” There’s also Kill Your Darling by Clay McLeod Chapman, which is a story about a father haunted by loss and a worthy title to add to your TBR (to be read) list. Chapman’s book is published by Bad Hand Books, an independent publisher based in South Dakota with a vision to “revolutionize independent genre publishing” and bring readers “the best independent horror, crime and dark-fantasy fiction.”
Other successful horror novels of 2024 include Hidden Cave by Armand Rosamilia, published by Severed Press, which is a “leading independent publisher of horror and science fiction” based in Australia. Another title is The Bog Wife by Kay Chronister, published by Counterpoint Press in New York, which is an atmospheric Appalachian Gothic. And at the end of the year fans of Dark Academia can look forward to The Resurrectionist by A. Rae Dunlap, which Kensington Publishing Corp. is due to publish in December. Dunlap’s book is a much-anticipated body snatching horror.
Alongside this array of exciting new titles, recent chart data from The Bookseller suggests a resurgence of backlist titles in the Horror & Ghost Stories genre. Taking sixth and seventh place in the 2024 bestseller list are Bram Stoker and Mary Shelley’s 19th century classics Dracula and Frankenstein, while William Peter Blatty’s 1971 thriller The Exorcist claims the second spot. Stephen King, the undisputed Master of Horror, still reigns supreme with established bestsellers like Holly, The Shining and It accounting for one in every five books sold in the category. King’s success is bolstered in the American and Western markets by the numerous film adaptations of his novels – each stirring renewed interest in both his work and the genre as a whole.
This growing appetite for horror is one that has stretched beyond English-speaking territories too, with the Japanese and Korean markets sharing in the trend. According to The Bookseller, 2023 was a “monster year” for manga. Spearheaded by legendary creators such as Junji Ito – whose work explores themes of “body horror, supernatural terrors, societal cruelty and spiraling insanity,” as The Japan Times notes - horror manga is enjoying particular success. Furthermore, while much has been made of cosy Japanese and Korean fiction, Madeleine Millburn has noted “taste is skewing darker and crossing into horror further.”
With the unsettled condition of our present political climate – and the threats now facing women, migrants and minorities in the wake of recent international shifts – it feels fitting that horror “is moving back into the spotlight,” as Ella Creamer noted for The Guardian. Now, more than ever, as we pack away the fancy dress and pumpkins for another year, we must hold the uncanny mirror of horror up to the chaos unfolding around us. It offers a medium through which truth and healing can be found.