Are you a horror enthusiast looking for some of the best books to add to your reading list?  Look no further!  We have compiled a list of the best horror books of 2023 sure to keep your spine tingling and pages turning all year round.  Whether you’re searching for spooky tales, gripping tales of suspense, or modern takes on the genre, this lineup has something in store for every fan.  So keep reading to learn more about our selection of best horror novels of 2023 that are ready to chill and thrill you!

The Best Horror Books of 2023

1. Bad Cree by Jessica Johns
2. All Hallows by Christopher Golden
3. Don’t Fear the Reaper by Stephen Graham Jones
4. Our Share of Night by Mariana Enriquez, Translated by Megan McDowell
5. The Spite House by Johnny Compton
6. A House With Good Bones by T. Kingfisher
7. Sisters of the Lost Nation by Nick Medina
8. The Salt Grows Heavy by Cassandra Khaw
9. The Haunting of Alejandra by V. Castro
10. Maeve Fly by CJ Leede
11. The Militia House by John Milas
12. Silver Nitrate by Silvia Moreno-Garcia
13. Burn the Negative by Josh Winning
14. Black Sheep by Rachel Harrison
15. Never Whistle at Night Edited by Shane Hawk, Theodore C. Van Alst Jr.
16. The Night House by Jo Nesbo, Translated by Neil Smith
17. Last to Leave the Room by Caitlin Starling

Bad Cree by Jessica Johns

In this gripping, horror-laced debut, a young Cree woman’s dreams lead her on a perilous journey of self-discovery that ultimately forces her to confront the toll of a legacy of violence on her family, her community, and the land they call home.

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All Hallows by Christopher Golden

It’s Halloween night, 1984, in Coventry, Massachusetts, and two families are unraveling.  Up and down the street, secrets are being revealed, and all the while, mixed in with the trick-or-treaters of all ages, four children who do not belong are walking door to door, merging with the kids of Parmenter Road.  They seem terrified and beg the neighborhood kids to hide them away, to keep them safe from The Cunning Man.

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Don’t Fear the Reaper by Stephen Graham Jones

December 12th, 2019, Jade returns to the rural lake town of Proofrock the same day as convicted Indigenous serial killer Dark Mill South escapes into town to complete his revenge killings.

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Our Share of Night by Mariana Enriquez, Translated by Megan McDowell

A woman’s mysterious death puts her husband and son on a collision course with her demonic family.

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The Spite House by Johnny Compton

Eric Ross is on the run from a mysterious past with his two daughters in tow. Having left his wife, his house, his whole life behind in Maryland, he’s desperate for money–it’s not easy to find steady, safe work when you can’t provide references, you can’t stay in one place for long, and you’re paranoid that your past is creeping back up on you.

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A House With Good Bones by T. Kingfisher

A haunting Southern Gothic that explores the dark, twisted roots lurking just beneath the veneer of a perfect home and family.

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Sisters of the Lost Nation by Nick Medina

A young Native girl’s hunt for answers about the women mysteriously disappearing from her tribe’s reservation leads her to delve into the myths and stories of her people, all while being haunted herself, in this atmospheric and stunningly poignant debut.

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The Salt Grows Heavy by Cassandra Khaw

With Khaw’s signature creeping dread and delicious gore, The Salt Grows Heavy takes the mythology of mermaids and twists it into something sharp, dangerous, and hungry.

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You can listen to Cassandra share their book on the podcast here.

The Haunting of Alejandra by V. Castro

A woman is haunted by the Mexican folk demon La Llorona as she unravels the dark secrets of her family history in this ravishing and provocative horror novel.

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Maeve Fly by CJ Leede

A provocative debut that is both a blood-soaked love letter to Los Angeles and a gleeful send-up to iconic horror villains, Maeve Fly will thrill fans of Stephen Graham Jones’ My Heart is a Chainsaw and Caroline Kepnes’ You series.

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The Militia House by John Milas

The Militia House is a gripping and brilliant exploration of the unceasing horrors of war that’s no more easily shaken than the militia house itself.

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Silver Nitrate by Silvia Moreno-Garcia

From the New York Times bestselling author of The Daughter of Doctor Moreau and Mexican Gothic comes a fabulous meld of Mexican horror movies and Nazi occultism: a dark thriller about a curse that haunts a legendary lost film–and awakens one woman’s hidden powers.

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Burn the Negative by Josh Winning

In this incendiary mash-up of horror and suspense, a notorious slasher film is remade…and the curse that haunted it is reawakened.

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Black Sheep by Rachel Harrison

A cynical twentysomething must confront her unconventional family’s dark secrets in this fiery, irreverent horror novel from the author of Such Sharp Teeth and Cackle.

You can listen to Rachel share her book on the podcast here.

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Never Whistle at Night Edited by Shane Hawk, Theodore C. Van Alst Jr.

A bold, clever, and sublimely sinister collection of horror, fantasy, science fiction, and gritty crime by both new and established Indigenous authors that dares to ask the question: “Are you ready to be un-settled?”

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The Night House by Jo Nesbo, Translated by Neil Smith

After the tragic deaths of his parents, fourteen-year-old Richard is sent to live with his aunt and uncle in the remote town of Ballantyne. As he becomes an outcast and a classmate goes missing, Richard must navigate a world of dark magic and prove his innocence.

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Last to Leave the Room by Caitlin Starling

In the sinking city of San Siroco, Dr. Tamsin Rivers discovers a mysterious door that leads to an exact copy of herself. As she becomes increasingly obsessed with her doppelgänger, Tamsin must unravel the mystery while fighting to hold onto her own sanity.

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What do you think about this list of best horror books of 2023?

Have you read any books from this list?  What are your favorite horror books of 2023?  What books would you add to the list?  Let’s talk about the best horror books in the comments below.