By Amy Blay, Rhys Wright, Jodie Walls, Shan Heyworth and Lexie Knight
It’s that special time of year again when jack-o’-lanterns adorn the streets and skeletons are hanging in every other window. To get you into the spooky spirit, we’d like to recommend some chilling horror books that focus on LGBTQIA+ stories.
Into the Drowning Deep by Mira Grant
Seven years ago, the Atargatis set off on a voyage to discover the mysteries of the deep sea. They never returned. But evidence shows they found what they were looking for – and it was far from what they expected.
Scientist Victoria “Tory” Stewart is haunted by the death of her sister, Anne, who was onboard the Atargatis when it disappeared on its mission to film a “mockumentary” about legendary sea creatures. Driven by ambition and the need to avenge her sister, Tory joins the crew of a second expedition, determined to uncover the truth.
Following on from Grant’s 2015 novella Rolling in the Deep, which tells the story of the Atargatis, Into the Drowning Deep is a novel that can be read as a standalone book. Whilst it centres on Tory’s story and her anguish surrounding her sister’s fate, the new crew diving into the sea’s murky depths is a fascinating, diverse ensemble cast, with multiple POV characters that fully immerse readers into the story.
Grant masterfully distorts readers’ views on mermaids, portraying them as bloodthirsty apex predators, with tense narration sure to keep you on the edge of your seat. And amidst the horror and gore, is a budding sapphic romance between two of the crew.
Hell Followed with Us by Andrew Joseph Whit
If you’re looking for some hair-raising chills this spooky season, Hell Followed with Us is packed with YA (young adult) horror that will be sure to leave you wanting more.
In an America ravaged by a virus called the Flood, a trans boy named Benji is on the run from the Angels, the cult who engineered the Flood. After escaping the Angels and fighting to live as a trans man, he takes refuge with an LGBTQIA+ resistance group. All the while, he’s forced to hide and suppress a mutation that could give him the power to control the virus.
Replete with gore and religious trauma, Hell Followed with Us strikes a balance between visceral horror and emotional horror. It pairs creative worldbuilding and eclectic characters with an affirming story of embracing trans identity.
It also takes the familiar tropes of a fundamentalist dystopia and a plague-ridden post-apocalypse and looks at them with an intersectional view of marginalisation. White carefully considers the role transphobia, homophobia and white supremacy play within fascist movements and how individuals can fight back.
For anyone eager for some spine-tingling horror that leaves an emotional impact, then this is one to add to your TBR (to be read) list.
Summer Sons by Lee Mandelo
Andrew and Eddie, his best friend and adoptive brother, did everything together until Eddie left to start his graduate programme at Vanderbilt. Six months later, right before Andrew is meant to join him, Eddie dies by a supposed suicide.
Andrew is left to try and find out what actually happened to Eddie and uncovers the lies and secrets left behind by the person he thought he knew, with help from Eddie’s roommate, friends and a phantom.
Mandelo’s debut, which was a Goodreads Choice Award nominee in 2021 for Best Horror, deals with themes such as grief, guilt, homophobia and toxic masculinity. Summer Sons is a gripping queer Southern Gothic that combines elements of dark academia and street racing with an unexpected romance.
This is the perfect book this Halloween for anyone who enjoys horror that includes paranormal elements combined with societal commentary.
Unspeakable: A Queer Gothic Anthology edited by Celine Frohn
Queerness is “intrinsically connected to the historical development of Gothic literature throughout the centuries”, as editor Celine Frohn expresses in the introduction to this anthology. It comes as no surprise then that several of the short stories draw upon classic themes, motifs and characters. However, the nineteen authors each bring something fresh and unique, the definitions of “queer” and “Gothic” were left up to interpretation, leading to a wide range of explorations of the queer Gothic.
Unspeakable has something for everyone, with a wide range of stories and diverse queer experiences represented, from queer joy to chilling horror. Explore haunted houses, meet sapphic ghosts, or even encounter S. T. Gibson’s vampires, who would later reappear in her novel A Dowry of Blood.
Originally published in 2020 by Nyx Publishing, run by Frohn herself, a new edition of Unspeakable was released by independent queer horror publishing house Haunt Publishing in 2022, along with a second anthology called Unthinkable. This collection is a great Halloween read for anyone looking to explore a wide range of contemporary queer Gothic writing.
Eyes Guts Throat Bones by Moïra Fowley
Known for her three successful YA novels, Fowley broke into the world of short stories with a terrifying and insightful bang. Eyes Guts Throat Bones details the lives of queer women at the end of the world, pushing boundaries with gut-wrenching, beautifully curated body horror and touching on the terrifying tropes that we love from the genre. Gorgeous and passionate, this is certainly one to add to your spooky reading list.
To pick just one of Fowley’s selections, What Would You Give For A Treat Like Me, is a terrifyingly realistic twist on Hansel and Gretel, set at the end of the world. Pinpointing the push and pull of choice to have children between two queer women, the body-horror-infused fairytale offers a fresh perspective on “hunger”. Hunger for motherhood, for your partner and hunger for the treats that your friends may turn into at the end of the world.
With such a talent for horrifying metaphors and representation of real, queer life, Fowley displays a length of understanding that is certainly unique. Not only does she handle the genre delicately and with immense skill, but she manages to take emotion and turn it into something terrifying. What’s better for Halloween than a collection that will leave you questioning doomsday and everything that you feel?