December is a month of gift-giving, but perhaps it's not Santa's offerings we should be looking forward to, but rather Satan's…
Just because the holiday season is typically filled with joy and good tidings doesn't mean you can't find some good screams under all those twinkling lights. In fact, this month's horror offerings are a great way to end the year.
From unsettling short story collections to long-form Appalachian horrors, we've got everything your Christmas list has been missing.
Here are four of our most anticipated horror books from indie and small presses this December!
Heartache and Hellfire
Silfer is a devil who has grown tired of the endless torture and depravity of Hell. Even the succubus sisters aren't enough to quell his boredom—or his longing.
Human Mara's life on Earth is an endless slog of restoring antique books and dealing with her nauseatingly trendy neighbors. She dreams of something bigger—or at least more exciting—than the life she's made for herself.
She gets her wish when she receives a shipment of old books from a far-off church. Amidst the collection is a pile of loose pages made from what looks like calfskin—lost pages from the Codex Infernalis Futuatoris, a horrific book from Hell.
Not that Mara knows that. But as Silfer hunts down the missing pages, their lonely hearts collide and ignite an unlikely and all-consuming love.
A love that may just mean the end of the world.
This book is available now from Swann + Bedlam!
All Your Friends are Here
Lovers of New Weird tales rejoice: M. Shaw has delivered a grippingly unnerving collection for you to devour. From car vampires to fascist deer to memory-eating tree gods, you'll be hooked from beginning to end.
These provocative stories will ensure you never feel alone again. For better or worse…
This book is now available for pre-order, and will be released on December 5th by Tenebrous Press!
Red Hill Paradise
Elliot and Erica have just had their first baby. As wonderful as the new addition is, the new stressors and responsibilities have begun to take their toll.
To carve out a little slice of peace, the newly expanded family decides to take a trip up into the Appalachian Mountains. They rent a cabin online called the Red Hill Paradise that looks like a gorgeous retreat.
Most importantly, it's cozy and remote—far away from any bothers.
However, when they arrive, they notice that while the neighbors that have been in these parts for decades are nice enough, they're also strange. Stranger still are the noises coming from the trees…
This book is now available for pre-order, and will be released on December 6th by Wicked House Publishing!
Sing Me A Death Song
In this Splatter Western, Blue receives word that his family ranch has been taken over by marauders, but by the time he arrives back at in Plateau, there's something even more sinister afoot. Three musicians have been terrorizing the locals with death songs.
Those who are able to run get out of town, but some hang around due to pride. By the morning, all who remain are dead.
Blue seeks guidance from his old flame, Louise, a psychic. But the darkness in La Plateau is formidable, and to overcome it Blue must conquer the town's fears alongside unexpected allies.
This book is now available for pre-order, and will be released on December 10th by Death's Head Press!
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Featured image: Scott Webb/Unsplash