Emily has a PhD in English from the University of Southern Mississippi, MS, and she has an MFA in Creative Writing from GCSU in Milledgeville, GA, home of Flannery O’Connor. She spends her free time reading, watching horror movies and musicals, cuddling cats, Instagramming pictures of cats, and blogging/podcasting about books with the ladies over at #BookSquadGoals (www.booksquadgoals.com). She can be reached at emily.ecm@gmail.com.
Halloween might be over, but there’s still plenty to be afraid of in November. November 2024 is turning out to be Spooky Season Part II with these new horror book releases. This month, we’re getting some frightening new adult titles, YA novels that will give you nightmares, a book in translation full of thrills and chills, and a sequel that’s even scarier than its predecessor. So, if you’ve been dreaming of staying spooky through the last months of 2024, don’t worry. We’ve got you covered!
The Swarm by Andy Marino (Redhook, November 5)
Bugs creep me out sooooo much, so Andy Marino’s The Swarm is guaranteed to give me goosebumps. If the sounds of chirping cicadas also put you on edge, beware! The troubles in The Swarm start off with a bunch of cicadas who appear outside of their normal 17-year cycle. While Detective Vicky Paterson investigates a mysterious homicide and a pair of hired guns are assigned to save a young woman from a cult, cicadas begin swarming by the millions, heralding the coming of the apocalypse.
Of Beasts and Fowls by Pilar Adón (Open Letter, November 5)
This horror novel, first published in Spanish in 2022, is now being published in English, translated by Katie Whittemore. Coro is an artist who is afraid to uncover the true meaning of the strange things she paints. Hoping to escape it all, she gets in her car and finds herself driving straight to a strange house in the middle of nowhere. What’s stranger, the women who live there seem to know who she is.
Dead Girls Don’t Dream by Nino Cipri (Henry Holt, November 12)
In this queer horror novel, Riley Walcott knows better than to wander into Voynich Woods, a place where people go missing all the time. But her little sister Sam lets her curiosity get the better of her, and when Riley Walcott goes after her, she meets a tragic fate. Meanwhile, Madelyn has lived in the woods all her life, forbidden from leaving her home and using her magic. When she sees what happened to Riley, she risks it all to cast a resurrection spell.
I Am the Dark that Answers When You Call by Jamison Shea (Henry Holt, November 12)
November is also giving readers the highly anticipated sequel to Jamison Shea’s I Feed Her to the Beast and the Beast is Me. Following the incident at the Palais Garnier a few months ago, Laure decides to set her ballet shoes aside and put the past behind her. But now Laure is just spiraling. The only thing that gives her any solace is going out, partying, and drowning out her memories and feelings of despair. Then one night when Laure is out drinking, she stumbles across a dead body, and she realizes she won’t be able to just leave the past behind.
The Fright Stuff Newsletter
Ready for some thrills and chills? Sign up to receive the latest and greatest from the world of horror.
Thank you for signing up! Keep an eye on your inbox.
Sundown in San Ojuela by M.M. Olivas (Laternfish, November 19)
This next one is an exciting debut from M.M. Olivas. Liz Remolina has no desire to return to San Ojuela, but the death of her aunt means it’s time for Liz to confront old ghosts in her small desert hometown—quite literally. A horrible childhood accident left Liz with the ability to see beyond the veil and communicate with the dead. Confronting her past trauma fills Liz with dread, but it might also be the only thing that can save her.
Perfect Girl by Tracy Banghart (Feiwel & Friends, November 19)
This YA horror/thriller follows Jessa, who was raised to always be the “perfect” girl. She never asks questions, she never rocks the boat, and she always does as she’s told. She’s completely happy being exactly the kind of girl her parents expect her to be. But then a freak storm leads to a power outage that changes everything. Now a killer is targeting Jessa, and she might have to finally act out if she plans on making it through the night alive.
When Mimi Went Missing by Suja Sukumar (Soho Teen, November 19)
What’s more terrifying than losing your memory and having no recollection of the things you did the night before? Losing someone you care about and not being able to remember how it happened. Tanvi and Mimi are cousins, but they’ve always thought of each other as sisters. Then one morning, Tanvi wakes up with a bump on her head and no memory of what happened the night before, and yes, her cousin is missing. Now to uncover the truth, Mimi must unbury whatever dark secrets are hiding in her forgotten past.
Darkly by Marisha Pessl (Delacorte Press, November 26)
If, like me, you’re completely obsessed with Marish Pessl’s Night Film, you have to read her latest. Dia is obsessed with game designer Louisiana Veda, so when the Louisiana Veda Foundation offers up an internship, Dia (and every other high schooler in the world) rushes to apply. With so much competition, Dia is delighted (and shocked) when she is offered an internship along with six other kids. But who is Louisiana Veda really? And why was Dia chosen?
Wondering what horror books you might have missed in October? Check out our list! And be sure to come back next month for more exciting new horror releases!
English (US) · 