Rachel Harrison has absolutely exploded onto the scene with a fresh brand of horror that blends feminism, friendship, complex relationships, self-reflection, issues and concepts of social norms, and destiny, all while examining long-established horror devices and tropes—witches, werewolves, the devil and cults, vampires, cursed objects, and more.
Harrison’s work certainly fills a space in the horror realm that, as an avid reader and watcher of all things horror, I don’t feel has been effectively executed and filled before until her entrance.
Horror author Mort Castle once said, “one can determine what is a longstanding and effective horror story if you pull out all of the horror pieces.” If the story can still stand on its own as a strong work of fiction, of art, then that is a successful piece of work.
With all of Harrison’s writing, that is the key – the gem of her narratives – if you were to subtract all of the horror elements in her stories you would still have a fiercely powerful story about human connection, belonging, and identity. Harrison’s works feature vivid characters, exceptional dialogue that makes you feel like you’re watching close friends engaged in conversation, and vivid imagery that immerses you in the story.
Following are quick overviews of all of Harrison’s works. If you have not read any of her short fiction or novels, I would strongly recommend you start now, because horror has been in need of a voice like this for a very long time, we finally have it, and her star is only going to continue to climb.
The Return
Rachel Harrison’s debut begins with a missing person’s case, but like many of her works, there is an early twist that lets the reader know there is a great distortion in reality.
Julie has gone missing in Acadia National Park, and after two years have passed without answers to her whereabouts, and a memorial held in her honor…Jules returns with no memory as to where she’s been and what’s happened.
Her best friends, Mae, Molly, and Elise, are curious yet relieved all the same, and after some time plan a reunion at a boutique hotel in upstate New York, in the hopes of reconnecting (and perhaps gathering some answers as to where their friend was this entire time).
Relief turns to terror as the Jules that’s returned is unlike who they remember, she’s gaunt, emits a fetid odor, and her overall behavior is strange and upsetting. While the drama plays out in a hotel, the novel exudes a sense of claustrophobia that’s often experienced in tightly paced locked room mysteries.
The creeping dread escalates against the atmospheric qualities of an unfamiliar place, with…a now unfamiliar friend.
Highlighting group dynamics of complex friendships, with a longing to regain what was once there, the horrors here lie in that we likely never really and truly know who are friends are.
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Cackle
Harrison returns with Cackle, and now what’s becoming a part of her unique, fresh signature, focused attention to detail of settings, place, and people that plays out in a polished cinematic way driven by textured dialogue-driven scenes.
Cackle is an autumn chill, pumpkin spice, warm apple pie, and of course, what do we need sometimes to get us to make a massive life change? An utterly devastating heartbreak.
Annie’s boyfriend Sam breaks up with her (that jerk), and after a farewell with a distant coworker that involves a palm-reading and some eerie vibes, Annie finds herself in a new town, complete with strange citizens, a new apartment (with a delightful spider infestation), and a new life.
In the chaos and uncertainty of change, she also finds a new friend, the electric and alluring Sophie. It’s Sophie who helps with Annie’s transformation.
This is the perfect novel for autumnal vibes, for embracing change, and accepting our true power is within.
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The Veil
If you’re looking for a quick audio story (47 minutes!), Harrison’s The Veil was released by Audible in 2021 and narrated by Louisa Krause.
In this story, Sally is married to her high school sweetheart, and in her spare time she volunteers where else of course—a museum teaching visitors about Victorian funerary practices.
When Sally falls asleep one day, her dreams show her a message she’s long know was there. This story is moody, and intense, with a bit of time travel and the glimmer and glow of enlightenment at the end.
Such Sharp Teeth
Many of us long for a transformation, and in Such Sharp Teeth, Rory finds one. Fine, maybe not quite the transformation she was expecting, but it happens nonetheless.
Rory returns to her small town to support her twin sister, Scarlett, who is very pregnant and is now on her own. After a night out at a local bar, Rory gets into a car accident and is attacked by a … bear? Something else? Definitely something else.
This is a horror novel after all. Rory is gripped with physical changes, life changes, and the terror that her body is no longer her body when she starts to crave meat.
There is a good amount of body horror in this, which compliments her external environment. The relationship between the sisters is so palpable, as we explore issues of trust, trauma, and the fear of what is next.
This novel is sweetly chaotic, fun, and endearing.
Bad Dolls
Do you like short horror stories? Of course you like short horror stories—and this short fiction collection is a great introduction to Harrison’s work if you’re unsure of where to start.
Bad Dolls is a quick read of four short stories, “Reply Hazel, Try Again,” “Bachelorette,” “Goblin,” and “Bad Dolls.”
In just a few stories, Harrison is able to explore a range of issues, grappling with identity (where does one belong, and with whom?), feelings of exclusion and the shifts and changes of friendships over time, body perception issues, and grief and trauma.
This is a quick and delightful read.
Black Sheep
Oh, family issues. I feel like we all have them. We’ve all got to, right?
In Black Sheep, Harrison shows us that oh no, you’re not the only one with deep and complex family struggles—trust her, because Vesper has got some major family drama.
One day after getting fired from her waitressing job (already not a great day) she receives a wedding invitation to her cousin Rosemary’s wedding to…Brody, Vesper’s first kiss and first love…not fun.
There’s anger, there’s betrayal, and there’s returning home to the wildly religious family she left behind a long time ago.
Gripped tight by family tension and secrets, we follow as Vesper unravels those stories for a shocking, yet devilishly fun, unveiling.
So Thirsty
Available September 10, 2024, Harrison’s latest novel, So Thirsty is a much-needed girl’s trip.
Sloane’s husband is trash, trust me, he is, but she thankfully has her best friend Naomi. Sloane and Naomi attend an absolutely wild party that shifts the trajectory of their lives forever.
So Thirsty explores the issues and questions one confronts as they inch toward mid-life, and beyond. Where are we supposed to be? With whom? Who are we supposed to be and how are we supposed to live out each of our days? Doing what?
The narrative here is powerful and strong, and very thoughtful and sophisticated as Harrison explores characters that are a few years older than in her previous works, such questions of humanity, aging, and the unknown that many of us grapple with—our inevitable death.
