Recs if you like Rootwork...
Southern Gothic Fiction
A selection of contemporary Southern Gothic titles exploring the decay, despair, and trauma of the reconstructed American South. Come for the palpably atmospheric settings and descriptions, stay for the literary commentary on the legacy of the South's oft-romanticized past.
As a note: I did not include the most well known writers in the genre, e.g. Truman Capote, Harper Lee, William Faulkner, etc. as the list is more focused on the resurgence of Southern Gothic in contemporary literature.
Where the Willows Weep: Horror in the Deep South
It’s hot and humid, the cicadas are buzzing, and there’s violence in the air.
Horror books and short stories set in the Deep South.
Think: swamps, bayous, bullfrogs, Spanish moss, hauntings, haints, voodoo/hoodoo, monsters hidden in plain sight, structural violence, and the oppressive weight of history.
Comps: True Detective S1; Sinners; South of Midnight
❗️Some of the these books are classified as extreme horror/splatterpunk. PLEASE protect yourself, and check all trigger warnings.❗️
Feral and Hysterical: Works by Women
List of recommendations included in Sadie Hartmann's Feral and Hysterical: Mother Horror’s Ultimate Reading Guide to Dark and Disturbing Fiction by Women.
Pairs with 50 States, 50 Books by Women list.
Indie books by Black authors
PLEASE drop your recs!! This is a work in progress and I'm not an expert, just upset that i couldnt find any preexisting pagebound lists highlighting indie books by Black authors
horror by black authors
Devil Down Yonder - Southern Gothic Horror Reads
recommendations welcomed
Women in Horror Book Bingo Card
These books are from @fromthemixedupdesk's bingo card on Bindery and Instagram. Of 191 works nominated for the Bram Stoker award, only 26 authors are women.
Scream Queens
A reading list celebrating the women who know exactly how to get under your skin! Thankful for the gurlies!!!
Sun Bleached Flies
God loves you, but not enough to save you from these stories. Ethel Cain & Preacher’s Daughter vibes/inspired fiction
books like ethel cain
southern gothic; religious horror; intergenerational trauma; dysfunctional families; obsessive love; cannibalism; rot and decay in a small town
Spooky books by black authors
8 oz. Pumpkin Spice Latte, Please (Short Horror)
Is October a busy season for you? These books are short and sinister. Short fiction is the perfect format for horror - the tight word count allows for the tension to hold taut for the entirety of the story instead of that slow-burning dread. Tuck one in here or there between novels or before bed to break a reading slump or cleanse the palate.
southern gothic summer
for haunted hotties
Humid Horror: Spooky Tales from the Bayou State
Horror books that either primarily or exclusively take place in Louisiana. Tried to stick to horror and not venture out into thriller territory!
Black Gothic Collection
Gothic books written by Black authors, compiled by Amelie West! Please lmk if you have suggestions :)
Feral and Hysterical
This is a list of horror books written by women, as recommended by Sadie Hartmann (Mother Horror) in her book Feral and Hysterical. I highly recommend that you pick up a copy of Feral and Hysterical because it is so much more than a list of books. There are more lists of books, but also thoughtful essays by women writers. It's worth spending some time with Feral and Hysterical.
"Women are overqualified to write fictional horror. Period." -- Sadie Hartmann
© 2025 Pagebound