Recs if you like The Flood ...
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.❗️
Southern Gothic
It came from the deep 🌊
...or the shallow. But either way, don't go near the water.
Aquatic horror
gab smolders 2025 (horror) book talk
what gab smolders read in 2025 as per her book talk video! horror + in tier order from most to least liked by her:
★ S TIER: from "night shoot" to "old country"
★ A TIER: from "what stalks the deep" to "listen to your sister"
★ B TIER: from "the long walk" to "the gathering"
★ C TIER: from "banquet for the damned" to "model home"
★ D TIER: from "3 streets" to "my darling dreadful thing"
★ F TIER: from "basilisk" to "survivor song"
cover is covering
when the cover is absolutely doing its job correctly
(gorgeous, funny, and uniquely fitting covers, all in one)
Strange happenings in a small town
There might be something sinister or odd going on in these small towns.
Gothic and Romantic From Paperbacks From Hell
Books from chapter six Gothic and Romantic of Paperbacks from Hell by Grady Hendrix. Each chapter has its own list see my other lists for books from his other chapters. All are paperbacks from the 70s and 80s. To quote Grady Hendrix’s definition of horror “Gothic horror was domestic horror in which affairs of the heart were as important as affairs of the flesh. Is subject matter was families, marriage, houses, children, insanity, and secrets.” (147, Paperbacks from Hell by Grady Hendrix).
Humid Horror: Spooky Tales from the Lizard State
Horror books that either primarily or exclusively take place in Alabama. Tried to stick to horror and not venture out into thriller territory!
The Burtonesque Bookshelf
Being the Tim Burton fan that I am, I take great pleasure in finding, in certain books, that unmistakable atmosphere so characteristic of his films.
I have therefore put together a selection of books marked by a gothic aesthetic, a touch of “fantastique”, a certain allure of death, heroes on the margins of society, a tenderness for monsters, and places where nostalgia mingles with a sense of unease.
Several of these books directly inspired Tim Burton films.
© 2025 Pagebound