Mother Horror’s Guide to Dark & Disturbing Fiction in 2025 

Release date: January 2025, 495 pages 

A story about a home in Florida in the 1970s that accepts teen girls in a crisis pregnancy to facilitate their prenatal care, room, and board, assist in childbirth, and help find an adoptive family for the baby. 

The girls are abandoned by their families, left to fend for themselves during a time in their lives when they need to be supported the most. Grady Hendrix draws the reader in with high stakes and emotional investment right away. 

Through humorous and clever dialogue, Hendrix brings the characters to life on the page. 

Readers should know that the horror of this story isn’t in the form of supernatural monsters under the bed or ancient evil spirits—it's in the harrowing day-to-day struggle of young girls weighed down by overwhelming burdens and responsibilities they should never have to face alone. 

But girls and women survive by their instincts and resiliency, so the satisfaction of reading this book is in the journey of not just surviving, but thriving.  

Release date: January 2025, 352 pages 

A taut, psychological thriller centered around new mothers and/or pregnancy, with paranormal/supernatural elements and an intimate exposure behind the closed door of a marriage. 

Oh! And an unreliable, unlikable narrator; all of this with, Clever Little Thing.  

The most entertaining and compelling aspect of this book was that even though I had a sense of where the story was headed, I never once expected exactly how it would get there. 

Things go off the rails. The main character is exhausting in the way she leaps to wild conclusions for no reason, but it was fun. 

I had a good time putting this one together, and the author was great at keeping all the important cards close to her chest while allowing a few clues to reveal just enough to keep me hooked. 

If you enjoy creepy kids, paranoid first-time parents, juicy drama, and unexpected twists and turns, this is for you. 

Release date: January 2025, 178 pages 

I speak directly to horror fans who have previously read Eric LaRocca's work and are familiar with recurring themes of human depravity, disordered thinking, obsession/possession, love and pain, grief and loss, and toxic relationships...this is the definitive book marking a serious evolution—I can see the stretch marks of growth and skill. 

Honestly, I feel like everything that has come before this book, served as neon signs that point to At Dark, I Become Loathsome. I'm excited for future books! 

Release date: January 2025, 208 pages 

This is the story of a female psychopath who is completely void of empathy—casually cruel with a blood lust. 

Like all quality horror stories, the author brings the characters to life on the page so that the stakes feel high. This isn't just a serial killer slashing through a body count. 

There is substance and weight behind every action, coupled with a sharp wit and dark humor. I was completely entertained as a fly on the wall in this estate, watching Winifred slither through every situation like a poisonous snake in the grass. 

The pages fly by, and it's over way too quickly. I enjoyed every moment.

I will warn you: this story is pretty extreme. 

The reader knows what is going to ultimately happen, there are clues dropped here and there. The narrator breaks the 4th wall and talks directly to you a few times. 

So just know what you're getting into before diving in too deep. 

Release Date: February 2025, 400 pages 

Violet Zennor, a highly-skilled assassin, is thrust onto the fabled Crimson Road—a place steeped in myth and magic—against her will. 

She is a weapon forged by her father since childhood, not just in skill, but in purpose to do her father’s bidding as a deadly assassin. For readers drawn to dark fantasy with a heavy dose of horror, The Crimson Road is essential. 

Slatter’s signature storytelling never disappoints—it delivers everything I crave when I open a book hoping to fall in love. 

A female protagonist who is flawed yet relatable, who takes no shit but does no harm. Terrifying, gruesome antagonists.

Plus, a touch of romance and storytelling that keeps the pages turning. 

I am the exact target audience for Slatter's Sourdough Universe; standalone novels and stories connected by the same world and recurring characters. 

Her female leads are clever, capable, and captivating—impossible not to invest in. The Crimson Road checks all the boxes for fans of gothic, dark fantasy, and horror. 

Slatter’s prose is both lush and inviting, wrapping readers in a masterfully crafted world of witches, vampires, and iconic folkloric creatures. 

Release date: February 2025, 128 pages 

This was a strange read.

At times, I considered not finishing, but something kept pulling me back. I couldn’t let go. 

The spider element proved to be too much for this arachnophobe. Tarantulas being eaten or handled? No, thank you. 

But the monster, Anatema (a spider-like humanoid) was both alarming and fascinating. 

The author’s vivid descriptions of her features and movements were unsettling in the best way. There’s a whimsical, dark fantasy vibe that reminded me of Coraline or James and the Giant Peach. 

I could easily picture this story as a stop-motion film, rich with eerie, vibrant details. For readers who enjoy the strange and peculiar, this book delivers.  

If you can embrace the bizarre, you’ll find something uniquely captivating here. 

I may not have been the perfect audience, but I know this book will find its people. 

Release date: January 2025, 336 pages 

Alright horror readers, Mask of the Deer Hunter is a genre-blending debut where “gritty crime thriller” meets “eco-horror” meets” indigenous folklore,” with unflinching social commentary and a protagonist you’re not always sure you should root for. 

Carrie is complicated, messy, and grieving the loss of her daughter. As the new tribal marshal, Starr is navigating the familiar tensions of trying to belong to her father's Native community, law enforcement, and battling townspeople with oil interests. 

The novel’s examination of systemic failures is razor-sharp, though at times, Carrie’s haunted past and addiction struggles slow the momentum. 

Carrie's visions—are they the work of a vengeful spirit or just trauma bleeding through reality? 

The novel keeps you guessing, sometimes to its detriment, but I can’t help but hope for a sequel to flesh out those secondary characters. 

If you love rural, small-town dynamics, social commentary on issues Indigenous people face, flawed, morally gray, capable, female protagonists, and a deeply layered mystery involving eco-related horrors and folklore/legends—this is your book! 

Release date: February 2025, 336 pages

Recommended for readers who enjoy getting their brains dirty for the sake of a well-told horror story. 

It's gruesome and graphic, heart-wrenching and haunting. A masterpiece of psychological horror and raw emotion, The Lamb is a daring look at the darkest manifestations of love and longing. 

The vibes linger long after the final page. Rose’s storytelling is hypnotic, wrapping the reader in a sticky, sensory world that pulses with dread. 

The prose is lush and succulent, I was hanging on every word. It’s also disturbing as hell, but more importantly, utterly devastating and soul-crushing.

I felt breathless while I read the final chapters. 

Truly terrifying. Real horror.

A solid contender for best 2025 

Release date: February 2025, 337 pages 

Once again, Barnett masterfully plays with the outsider dynamic: newcomers to this insular community stumble into what appears to be an idyllic coastal town, only to realize that something is very, very wrong beneath the surface. 

Like Withered Hill, Scuttler’s Cove is steeped in tension and dread, weaving traditional folk horror tropes into a unique, modern story. 

Eerie, rural small village vibes with hidden secrets are exposed slowly as the story progresses. 

While the creeping tension is deliciously unsettling, the pacing does drag in certain sections. Some moments feel overly drawn out, making the build-up more frustrating than suspenseful. 

Still, when Scuttler’s Cove picks up speed, it delivers in all the ways folk horror fans crave—atmosphere, strange traditions, and a lingering sense of unease. 

 If Withered Hill was your jam, Scuttler’s Cove would scratch that same itch.  

Release date: February 2025, 352 pages 

What makes Listen to Your Sister such a compelling debut is its refusal to be boxed in. It’s terrifying and hilarious, familiar yet strange. 

Viel’s writing style feels like a slippery thing through my fingers—I couldn't quite get my hands around it. I felt disoriented and a little lost, but at the same time, I had an understanding that this was deliberate.  

I was not supposed to "get it" or “figure it all out.” This is horror that understands its power.  

Highly recommend to horror fans who are craving unique storytelling voices that are not afraid to flip horror tropes and story constructs on their head. 

This is for readers who love horror and comedy and people who enjoy flawed, realistic characters that make mistakes but try to do the right thing. 

Prepare to give your hearts away to this family. 

Release date: January 2025, 368 pages 

Recently orphaned sisters are picked up by their wealthy aunt who has terrible secrets. The girls each have distinct paranormal gifts which threaten their aunt's ability to hide her secrets and maintain her lifestyle. 

The setup starts well enough: the author establishes multiple POVs between all three main characters, and we get to know them very well. 

The development of the story is a little slow (not yummy Gothic slow, just slow, slow). 

Aunt Clara is over-the-top selfish and villainous. She reminded me of Cruella DeVille, which is fine, but it did affect the level of investment. 

The two girls are quite entertaining as young, inexperienced mediums/witches learning to use their powers. After moving into their aunt’s house, they quickly realize it’s haunted by menacing spirits (who are a bit scary at times). 

The ghosts reveal secrets that lead to some startling revelations. Perfect for readers who prefer spooky over scary. Great lighthearted, campy, psychological suspense, and ghostly vibes for Spooky Season. 

Characters you love to hate, family drama, and just desserts. 

Release date: February 2025, 368 pages 

In the same vein as Beloved by Toni Morrison, Junie is a haunting ghost story rooted in historical horror. 

Erin Crosby Eckstine pulls readers into a past confronting the brutality of pre-Civil War America, where history itself is the most terrifying threat of all. 

At its heart, Junie is a coming-of-age ghost story. The main protagonist, sixteen-year-old Junie, is a housemaid for a teen girl of the same age named Violet. 

Junie's whole family lives on Bellereine Plantation in Alabama. Just recently, Junie lost her older sister, Minnie, to some kind of health complication after she rescued Junie from drowning. 

Minnie's ghost calls to Junie from the woods, insisting that three tasks be completed before it’s too late.

What makes Junie especially difficult is its unflinching portrayal of the period. There is no way to soften the realities of racism and violence against enslaved people, or the cruelty that thrives in a society built on oppression and subjugation.  

Domestic abuse against women and enslaved people is woven into the fabric of daily life...and yet, through all the trauma, there are moments of care, love, and quiet resilience.