10 Best Horror Books 2023 | UK Literarian Reviewed

Mexican Gothic is a slow-burning and atmospheric masterpiece that won "Best Horror" at the Goodreads Choice Awards 2020. It gradually becomes gorier as you turn the pages, with some seriously shocking scenes that will shake you to your very core! We particularly love that Silvia Moreno-Garcia draws influence from Mexican folklore, injecting fresh blood into the classic Gothic formula.

Set in the 1950s, the novel follows socialite Noemí Taboada, who receives a letter from her cousin Catalina. Catalina makes disturbing claims about her new husband and his family home, so Noemí visits them to investigate. During her stay, the dark secrets of High Place slowly unfold - but will Noemí be able to escape this grotesque nightmare? A genuinely terrifying read that'll keep you up all night!

In the hilariously named Hold Me Closer, Necromancer, we meet Sam - an ordinary guy working in a fast-food restaurant. He might not lead the most exciting life, but things are going alright. That is until one prank at work catches the attention of Douglas, a creepy customer with a violent streak. 

When Douglas reveals that he's a necromancer who raises the dead for cash and wants to join forces with Sam, the story takes a wacky turn - our protagonist is going to need all the help he can get! With lively characters and a light-hearted approach to horror, this book is perfect for teens and younger readers seeking something that's not too scary.

Shirley Jackson is known for writing some of the most petrifying tales of all time, and The Haunting of Hill House is her pièce de résistance. This spine-tingling story has inspired everyone from Neil Gaiman to Stephen King and was recently adapted into a Netflix series.

The novel follows a group of thrill-seekers who are invited to spend time in a haunted house to check out the ghostly goings-on. However, the characters are unaware that the house itself is alive and gathering its powers - soon, it will decide which visitor to trap inside forever...

Those familiar with Stephen Graham Jones' work will be incredibly excited to hear us rave about his latest novel. With Jones, you can always guarantee an engaging plot, a host of damaged characters, and a whole lot of weirdness. The Only Good Indians delivers on all of these fronts!

The story follows four Native American friends whose teenage hunting trip haunts them for the next ten years. Hair-raising paranormal elements and moments of brutal violence aside, Jones' shocking tale gets the reader thinking about cultural identity, tradition, and the price of revenge. 

For adventurer Auric Manteo, the days of diving into forbidden ruins searching for dark wisdom and treasure are over. He's happily retired, living in the countryside with the fruits of his labour. Then, he begins to have endless nightmares urging him back to his old ways to save his only daughter, and he's plunged into a dangerous world of monstrous creatures, a deadly plague, and a bloodthirsty god.

This gore-tastic dark fantasy novel is the first in the Iconoclasts trilogy from Mike Shel, an RPG adventure designer with an unrivalled imagination. The second instalment has already been published, so if you like the sound of this twisted world, what are you waiting for?

Following the lives of Jackie and her crush Ann, this book examines the extreme measures that people will take to hold onto their loved ones. Jackie still sees the ghost of her mother, who died of cancer, while Ann's family members have turned into violent creatures that need to be chained to the basement and fed living animals. 

Although zombies and a headless ghost are featured in this tongue-in-cheek tale, the real focus is on the romance between the two female protagonists. There are still plenty of gruesome scenes, though, making this a story that's heartwarming, hysterical, and horrifying in equal measure. 

While The Trial may not be the first novel that springs to mind when you think of classic horror, we think it's absolutely terrifying! Respectable bank worker Josef K is accused of a crime he did not commit, yet no one will tell him what he is being charged with. As the story progresses, the protagonist becomes increasingly paranoid about his fate, further accelerating his eventual downfall.

This bleak, nightmarish novel wasn't published until 1925 (a year after Kafka's death), but it's one of his best works, in our humble opinion. It's part existential crisis and part prophecy, exploring how bureaucracy and totalitarianism affect humanity - a theme that still rings true to this day. 

Cherie Priest is the author of the enormously successful sci-fi novel Boneshaker, which won her plenty of awards. The Family Plot, which sees her delve into the horror genre, is a gloriously gothic ghost story with plenty of chills and Southern spookiness.

The book follows Dahlia, who is sent by her father to oversee a family estate in Tennessee that his company has bought to sell on. While the empty property seems in good shape, it's anything but abandoned - and something is lurking in the overgrown cemetery! 

Grady Hendrix is famous for his comically creepy novels, and this particular tale provides a humorous take on the classic haunted house story. When stock at a furniture store keeps being destroyed, but nothing shows up on the security cameras, three employees stay overnight to patrol the showroom floor. However, they soon learn that something much more sinister is at work!

The added twist? Horrorstör is set inside a Scandinavian-style superstore that you're probably very familiar with, and the book actually resembles their distinctive catalogue. With detailed, colourful photographs and a softcover binding, this is one that we recommend picking a physical copy of! 

Dan Simmons' notoriously nasty novel is based in Calcutta, and this backdrop is so fleshed out that it feels like a central character - rife with iniquity, corruption, and squalor. It's surprising that the author only spent a reported two and a half days in the city before writing this book, as he really captures its spirit in remarkable detail. 

Song of Kali follows Robert Luzack, who travels to India to write an article about a renowned local poet named M. Das. Believed to be dead, the poet has mysteriously reappeared, and there are rumours that a grisly human sacrifice ceremony is behind his return. As Robert digs deeper, he faces cult worship, kidnapping, and other truly horrifying practices. Not one for the faint-hearted!