“The clown made me do it.”
2022 Was a good year for horror fans. Book lovers were treated to a flurry of releases from experienced veterans, as well as a whole host of new names looking to breathe new life into the genre. And the abundance of writers active in the scene has helped more and more facets of the genre to flourish. With all of that in mind, check out the 11 best horror books from 2022 here at What We Reading!
Hidden Pictures – Jason Rekulak
A fresh and original supernatural horror book from the author of The Impossible Fortress, Hidden Pictures follows a woman working as a nanny for a boy with supernatural powers.
Mallory Quinn is a nanny fresh out of rehab who takes a job in an affluent suburb looking after five-year-old Teddy Maxwell. Teddy is a shy and sweet boy with a keen passion for drawing but, starting with a sketch of a man dragging a woman’s lifeless body into a forest, he begins to amass a collection of works that become altogether more life-like. Rekulak masterfully paints a tension-packed read that follows Mallory as she battles the sinister forces at play to save Teddy, whilst facing the demons from her past the investigation digs up.
Gwendy’s Final Task – Stephen King And Richard Chizmar
The final entry in the New York Times bestselling series from two of the best horror writers of their time, Gwendy’s Final Task is a finale where the best has definitely been saved for last. This 2022 horror book does work as a standalone title as well, making it a supernatural tale anyone can enjoy.
Both King and Chizmar are master storytellers, and their chemistry together is spellbinding in Gwendy’s Final Task. The story follows Senator Gwendy Peterson as she attempts to keep the world-shattering Button Box out of the hands of malevolent forces looking to do harm. It’s a horror book that dabbles in the fantastical, transporting readers from Maine to the MF-1 space station.
The Violence – Delilah S. Dawson
Nominated for Best Horror (2022) in the Goodreads Choice Awards, Delilah S. Dawson’s The Violence is the story of Chelsea Martin, a suburban housewife living in a prison-like state at the hands of her abusive husband.
The book details how a mysterious plague is sweeping across the country, causing people to sudden fits of rabid rage, turning even the most docile of people to flip instantly. But, in the chaos and under the cover of this illness, an opportunity to rid herself of her abuser might just present itself. A thought-provoking about identity, cycles of abuse, and hope, Dawson’s powerful approach makes this one of the most memorable reads of the year. It also boasts one of the coolest covers we’ve seen across 2022.
The Children On The Hill – Jennifer McMahon
With shades of Mary Shelley and the classic gothic era of horror history, Jennifer McMahon delivers one of the most chilling 2022 books in The Children on the Hill.
And, in the same shade as the likes of Frankenstein, the book is a tale of how evil and monsters lurk within us all. The Children on the Hill is split into two storylines, with one set in 1978 in and around an eerie treatment centre in Vermont, and the other in 2019 where protagonist Lizzy Shelley returns to the state following reports of missing children being abducted in the area. McMahon combines suspense and mystery to fashion together one of the most enthralling tales any horror fanatic could hope to pick up this year.
Gallows Hill – Darcy Coates
USA Today Bestselling author of Hunted and The Haunting of Ashburn House, Darcy Coates’ Gallows Hill is one terrifying horror book from 2022. The story is set in the Gallows Hill Winery and follows the Hull family, owners of the house who go to bed one evening and turn up dead in the morning.
Being built on the grounds that hold the bodies of hundreds of dead convicts, Margot Hull wants nothing to do with the business. Rumours of the building being haunted have littered its history, but it is only when Margot returns to her childhood bedroom that she begins to realise that specific forces in the shadows might have their eyes turned toward her.
Such Sharp Teeth – Rachel Harrison
A darkly comedic tale of vulnerability, rage and the effect of trauma, Such Sharp Teeth is a 2022 paranormal tale from Rachel Harrison, the Bram Stoker Award-nominated author of The Return and Cackle.
Rory Morris is less than enthused about returning to her hometown but does move back following the announcement of her sister’s pregnancy. However, after hitting a large animal whilst driving out one night, she begins to notice some strange goings-on with her physical appearance. An unnatural strength, aversion to silver and a sudden affinity with the full moon – Such Sharp Teeth follows Rory as she is forced to face whether these changes are turning her into a monster, and a very real threat to her closest loved ones.
The Devil Takes You Home – Gabino Iglesias
Faced with the mounting debts from his daughter’s illness, The Devil Takes You Home follows Mario as he takes up a job as a hitman. He agrees to take one last job: hijacking a cartel’s package before it reaches Mexico in a near-suicidal mission that will either result in a bullet to the head or a $200,000 reward.
Exploring supernatural horrors and those that come with real-life violence, guilt and racism, Bram Stoker and Locus Award-winning author Gabino Iglesias presents a pulsating story of one man’s desperate efforts to save his family. With homages to the noir subgenre of the horror world, Iglesias’ master craftsmanship and storytelling are at their best here.
Just Like Mother – Anne Heltzel
Maeve and her cousin Andrea haven’t seen each other since escaping the cult they had been raised in. Twenty years on following Andrea’s sudden reappearance, the two cousins find themselves spending more and more time with one another. But, in the depths of Andrea’s remote estate, the repressed memories from their dark past will surface into entirely new nightmares.
Starting off with a slow-building cult-based opening, Anna Heltzel’s Just Like Mother is a chilling look at female empowerment and control. One of the most creepy horror books from 2022, it is a perfect entry point for those who wouldn’t typically skirt towards the genre.
And Then I Woke Up – Malcolm Devlin
Malcolm Devlin’s And Then I Woke Up is a multi-layered chilling horror book that tackles the issue of false narratives and the damage they can deal.
This dystopian story opens with a premise of monsters lurking in the urban areas whilst the survivors continue the fighting in the countryside. At least that’s the story told to people. Spence is living in a rehabilitation centre when he’s asked to help his roommate find their own crew. But, knowing that he can no longer trust his own perceptions of reality around him, redemption from the horrors of his past might be out of his reach.
Mary: An Awakening Of Terror – Nat Cassidy
Mary is a typical middle-aged woman, perfectly content with being invisible to most of her peers. However, following strange aches and subtle voices inside her head telling her to do the most unspeakable acts, she begins to realise things are starting to change.
Nat Cassidy’s Mary: An Awakening of Terror is a deliciously dark look at how even the most unassuming of people can be capable of the unimaginable. With the spirit of a bloody serial killer living through her, Mary is a powerful look at societal beauty standards and wider expectations of women, especially of a certain age.
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Ghost Eaters – Clay McLeod Chapman
In Clay McLeod Chapman’s Ghost Eaters, readers are introduced to protagonist Erin, a woman reeling from the loss of her ex-boyfriend after refusing to pick him up from rehab. After being told about a new drug that will allow her to speak with the dead, she gives in to her feelings and hunts for closure.
A classic supernatural tale about loss, addiction and separation, Chapman constructs a truly haunting tale that comes at readers from all angles.
Part-time reader, part-time rambler, and full-time Horror enthusiast, James has been writing for What We Reading since 2022. His earliest reading memories involved Historical Fiction, Fantasy and Horror tales, which he has continued to take with him to this day. James’ favourite books include The Last (Hanna Jameson), The Troop (Nick Cutter) and Chasing The Boogeyman (Richard Chizmar).
