Top new horror books in May 2022
Last updated:
May 31, 2022
May 2022 featuring new releases by Adrian McKinty, Josh Malerman, Ramsey Campbell, Ann Leary, Andrew Pyper, Joshua Jackson, Elena Collins, Maria Adelmann, Sarai Walker, R.M. Romero, Holly Black, Jessica Goodman and many more.
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The Island by Adrian McKinty
IT WAS JUST SUPPOSED TO BE A FAMILY VACATION.A TERRIBLE ACCIDENT CHANGED EVERYTHING.YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT YOU'RE CAPABLE OF UNTIL THEY COME FOR YOUR FAMILY.After moving from a small country town to Seattle, Heather Baxter marries Tom, a widowed doctor with a young son and teenage daughter... -
![Dark Stars: New Tales of Darkest Horror by Josh Malerman, Ramsey Campbell, Stephen Graham Jones, Priya Sharma]()
Dark Stars: New Tales of Darkest Horror by Josh Malerman, Ramsey Campbell, Stephen Graham Jones, Priya Sharma
'DARK STARS' is a tribute to horror’s longstanding short fiction legacy, featuring 12 terrifying original stories from today's most noteworthy authors, with an introduction by best-selling author Josh Malerman ('Bird Box') and an afterword by Ramsey Campbell... -
![The Foundling by Ann Leary]()
The Foundling by Ann Leary
From the New York Times bestselling author of The Good House, the “harrowing, gripping, and beautiful” (Laura Dave, New York Times bestselling author) story of two friends, raised in the same orphanage, whose loyalty is put to the ultimate test when they meet years later at an institution—based on a shocking and little-known piece of American history...historical-fiction · fiction · historical · mystery · mental-illness · audiobook · suspense · abuse · horror · social-commentary -
![Oracle 2 The Dreamland Murders by Andrew Pyper, Joshua Jackson, Devon Bostick, Humberly Gonzalez]()
audiobook · mystery · supernatural · paranormal · fiction · horror · crime · suspense · witches-wizards · family -
![The Witch's Tree by Elena Collins]()
The Witch's Tree by Elena Collins
A tale as old as time. A spirit that has never rested.Present dayAs a love affair comes to an end, and with it her dreams for her future, artist Selena needs a retreat. The picture-postcard Sloe Cottage in the Somerset village of Ashcombe promises to be the perfect place to forget her problems, and Selena settles into her new home as spring arrives...adult · audiobook · book · fiction · ghosts · gothic · historical · historical-fiction · horror · mystery -
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![How to Be Eaten by Maria Adelmann]()
How to Be Eaten by Maria Adelmann
This darkly funny and provocative novel reimagines classic fairy tale characters as modern women in a support group for trauma.In present-day New York City, five women meet in a basement support group to process their traumas. Bernice grapples with the fallout of dating a psychopathic, blue-bearded billionaire. Ruby, once devoured by a wolf, now wears him as a coat...fantasy · fiction · retellings · horror · contemporary · magical-realism · feminism · audiobook · literary-fiction · fairy-tale -
![The Cherry Robbers by Sarai Walker]()
The Cherry Robbers by Sarai Walker
Sarai Walker has done it again. With The Cherry Robbers she upends the Gothic ghost story with a fiery feminist zeal. --Maria SempleThe highly anticipated second novel from Sarai Walker, following her "slyly subversive" (EW) cult-hit Dietland--a feminist gothic about the lone survivor of a cursed family of sisters, whose time may finally be up... -
![The Ghosts of Rose Hill by R.M. Romero]()
The Ghosts of Rose Hill by R.M. Romero
"A must-read for lost souls everywhere." — Kirkus Reviews, Starred ReviewWith spellbinding verse prose, R.M. Romero channels the spirit of myth into a brilliantly original tale, inspired by her experiences restoring Jewish cemeteries in Eastern Europe.Magic will burn you up...europe · western-central-europe · czechia · urban · romance · fantasy · young-adult · magical-realism · historical-fiction · paranormal -
![Book of Night by Holly Black]()
Book of Night by Holly Black
#1 New York Times bestselling author Holly Black makes her stunning adult debut with Book of Night, a modern dark fantasy of shadowy thieves and secret societies in the vein of Ninth House and The Night CircusIn Charlie Hall’s world, shadows can be altered, for entertainment and cosmetic preferences—but also to increase power and influence...book · contemporary · crime · dark · dark-academia · dark-fantasy · female-author · fiction · ghosts · horror -
![The Counselors by Jessica Goodman]()
The Counselors by Jessica Goodman
From bestselling author Jessica Goodman comes a twisty new thriller about three best friends, one elite summer camp, and the dark secrets that lead to a body in the lake. Sisters by choice. That’s how Goldie and her best friends, Ava and Imogen, define their friendship, which formed years ago at Camp Alpine Lake...mystery · young-adult · audiobook · fiction · contemporary · horror · suspense · crime · season-summer · thriller -
![Crown of Crimson by Karina Halle]()
Crown of Crimson by Karina Halle
The next thrilling instalment in the Underworld Gods series. Perfect for readers who want high steam Hades/Persephone and Beauty and the Beast vibes with a dark Nordic folklore twist.All Hanna Heikkinen wants is to be reunited with her father again. After all, that's why she ventured into the dark and dangerous fantasy world of Tuonela, the Land of the Dead, in order to save his life...action-adventure · adult · book · dark · enemies-to-lovers · europe · fiction · historical · horror · medieval -
![Two Truths and a Lie by April Henry]()
Two Truths and a Lie by April Henry
A group of teens are trapped in an old motel with a murderer in this chilling YA mystery by New York Times bestselling author April Henry.Nell has always wanted to be an actor, but doubts her ability. As a member of her school’s theater program, she prefers working backstage. On the way to a contest, an unexpected blizzard strands her acting troupe in a creepy motel...young-adult · mystery · fiction · horror · contemporary · suspense · audiobook · murder · crime · killer -
![War of Dragons by Jessica Cluess]()
War of Dragons by Jessica Cluess
The dragon throne has been claimed, but at what cost? Chaos bleeds across the fractured Empire, and the five royal houses feel the unease of destiny denied. The stunning sequel to House of Dragons, this is Three Dark Crowns meets The Breakfast Club with dragons. The Emperor’s Trial is over. The dragon throne has been claimed—yet there is no peace to be had...action-adventure · book · children-books · dragons · epic · fiction · high-fantasy · horror · paranormal · royalty -
![The Sceptic by Lily Morton]()
The Sceptic by Lily Morton
As the best friend of a psychic, Will Buchanan can’t help but believe in the dead. It’s the living that he finds to be problematic. However, after a spate of betrayals, he finally has the chance of a new life within his grasp, and he’s not going to risk it for anyone or anything. Staying safe is the name of Will’s game.Jem Dawson defines the word temporary... -
![Dead End Girls by Wendy Heard]()
Dead End Girls by Wendy Heard
In one week, Maude will be dead. At least, that’s what she wants everyone to think. After years of research, Maude has decided to fake her own death. She’s figured out the how, the when, the where, and who will help her unsuspectingly.The why is complex: revenge, partly. Her terrible parents deserve this...young-adult · mystery · lgbtq · wlw · contemporary · fiction · horror · audiobook · romantic-love · lesbian-mc -
![Sky on Fire by Lindsay Buroker]()
Sky on Fire by Lindsay Buroker
The dragons of eld, once benevolent allies to mankind, have been infested by a magical parasite that makes them cruel and aggressive. They’ve flown through the ancient portal to invade Torvil and plan to kill or enslave all of humanity...adult · book · dark · epic · fiction · high-fantasy · historical · horror · industrial-era · steampunk -
![Hidden Pictures by Jason Rekulak]()
Hidden Pictures by Jason Rekulak
From Jason Rekulak, Edgar-nominated author of The Impossible Fortress, comes a wildly inventive spin on the classic horror story in Hidden Pictures, a creepy and warm-hearted mystery about a woman working as a nanny for a young boy with strange and disturbing secrets... -
![Blackwater: Two Stories by Christian Galacar]()
Blackwater: Two Stories by Christian Galacar
BLACKWATER is a collection of two tales of horror and dark fantasy. In "Mercury Rain" a soldier fighting a new enemy learns the importance of holding on to his memories... -
![Turning The Tide: A Mystery, Thriller, Sci-Fi, and Urban Fantasy Charity Anthology for Ukraine by Jonathan Maberry, Nick Thacker, D.N. Erikson, Anthony M. Strong]()
Turning The Tide: A Mystery, Thriller, Sci-Fi, and Urban Fantasy Charity Anthology for Ukraine by Jonathan Maberry, Nick Thacker, D.N. Erikson, Anthony M. Strong
Authors coming together to help Ukraine...adult · anthologies · crime · fiction · horror · literary-fiction · mystery · suspense · urban-fantasy · sci-fi -
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![Defeating Nightmares by M. Sinclair]()
Defeating Nightmares by M. Sinclair
I would remind the humans why they feared the dark…and why I loved it. Our home is under threat, and I was across the country being threatened by a god terror in the Oceanic Forest. To say our situation is far from ideal is an understatement… So when Hate threatens my mates, something is unleashed in me that none of us could have expected... -
![Howls from the Dark Ages by Brian Evenson, Cody Goodfellow, Christopher Buehlman, Hailey Piper]()
Howls from the Dark Ages by Brian Evenson, Cody Goodfellow, Christopher Buehlman, Hailey Piper
Uncover the secret annals of untold history in these eighteen medieval manuscripts. Each tortured scribe will bring you face to face with ancient horrors lurking in cursed castles, wild woodlands, haunted hamlets, and mysterious monasteries...horror · historical-fiction · fiction · fantasy · anthologies · medieval · historical · cosmic-horror · folk-horror · rural -
![The Ambitious Guest by Nathaniel Hawthorne, B.J. Harrison]()
The Ambitious Guest by Nathaniel Hawthorne, B.J. Harrison
"The Ambitious Guest" is a short story by Nathaniel Hawthorne. First published in The New-England Magazine in June 1835, it was republished in the second volume of Twice-Told Tales in 1841... -
![The Haar by David Sodergren]()
The Haar by David Sodergren
“I don’t fear death... but they do.”Muriel McAuley has lived in the Scottish fishing village of Witchaven all her life. She was born there, and she intends to die there.But when an overseas property developer threatens to evict the residents from their homes and raze Witchaven to the ground in the name of progress, all seems lost… until the day a mysterious fog bank creeps inland...romance · horror · fiction · fantasy · sci-fi · paranormal · supernatural · folk-horror · rural · spooky -
![The Ghost and the Medium by Bobbi Holmes, Anna J McIntyre, Elizabeth Mackey]()
The Ghost and the Medium by Bobbi Holmes, Anna J McIntyre, Elizabeth Mackey
When Marlow House reopens as a bed and breakfast, one of its first guests is Danielle’s former mother-in-law, who Danielle has not talked to since moving to Oregon.The mother-in-law brings with her one of the country’s top mediums. Or as Danielle calls him, one of the country’s top con-men... -
![Just Like Mother by Anne Heltzel]()
Just Like Mother by Anne Heltzel
A girl would be such a blessing...The last time Maeve saw her cousin was the night she escaped the cult they were raised in. For the past two decades, Maeve has worked hard to build a normal life in New York City, where she keeps everything—and everyone—at a safe distance.When Andrea suddenly reappears, Maeve regains the only true friend she’s ever had...adult · audiobook · book · classics · contemporary · cults · family · female-author · female-mc · fiction -
![Helpmeet by Naben Ruthnum]()
Helpmeet by Naben Ruthnum
It's 1900, and Louise Wilk is taking her dying husband from Manhattan to the upstate orchard estate where he grew up. Dr. Edward Wilk is wasting away from a mysterious affliction acquired in a strange encounter: but Louise soon realizes that her husband's worsening condition may not be a disease at all, but a transformative phase of existence that will draw her in as much more than a witness...new-york-state · horror · gothic · historical-fiction · fiction · historical · spooky · fantasy · mystery · dark -
![Hide by Kiersten White]()
Hide by Kiersten White
The challenge: spend a week hiding in an abandoned amusement park and don't get caught.The prize: enough money to change everything.Even though everyone is desperate to win--to seize their dream futures or escape their haunting pasts--Mack feels sure that she can beat her competitors. All she has to do is hide, and she's an expert at that.It's the reason she's alive, and her family isn't... -
![Decimate by Christopher Rice]()
Decimate by Christopher Rice
A desperate family confronts the mysteries that lie between life and death in this soul-gripping novel of supernatural suspense by Amazon Charts and New York Times bestselling author Christopher Rice.Claire Huntley and her brother, Poe, were on a midnight hike in Montana when the woods went wild... -
![No alpha by G. Bailey]()
No alpha by G. Bailey
A wolf with no claim. A disgrace to the wolves’ society. Never fit to be a mate for any wolf… Trash.Elodie Masters knows she is too weak to escape her life as a pack slave, a wolf with no claim and overall blight to the wolves’ precious society.When her pack is attacked, Elodie should have run, but instead she is kept by the Alpha Brothers.Ruthless. Cruel... -
![A Brief History of Living Forever by Jaroslav Kalfar]()
A Brief History of Living Forever by Jaroslav Kalfar
In a nativist near-future America obsessed with eternal life and under the increasing threat of technological surveillance, a long-lost brother and sister risk everything to reclaim their mother from oblivion.When Adéla contracts a terminal illness, her thoughts turn to Tereza, the daughter she gave up at birth, forty years earlier...adult · book · dystopia · family · fiction · historical · historical-fiction · horror · post-apocalyptic · supernatural -
![When Blood Lies: A Post Apocalypse EMP Thriller by Jack Hunt]()
When Blood Lies: A Post Apocalypse EMP Thriller by Jack Hunt
A month after an EMP obliterates the power grid, a family from South Dakota is pushed to the edge to survive. After a harrowing journey home, the worst is not over. When Tommy Sheridan learns about the death of an old flame, he can’t believe the United States Patriots are responsible. Offering to investigate, John warns him to leave it be. But walking away is hard for a gambling man...action-adventure · adult · book · crime · disaster · dystopia · fiction · hard-sci-fi · horror · male-mc -
![Summer's Edge by Dana Mele]()
Summer's Edge by Dana Mele
I Know What You Did Last Summer meets The Haunting of Hill House in this atmospheric, eerie teen thriller following an estranged group of friends being haunted by their friend who died last summer.Emily Joiner was once part of an inseparable group—she was a sister, a best friend, a lover, and a rival. Summers without Emily were unthinkable...book · contemporary · fiction · friendship · horror · lesbian-mc · lgbtq · mystery · paranormal · romantic-love -
![Sound of Darkness by Heather Graham]()
Sound of Darkness by Heather Graham
The cries of the dead are deafeningWomen are being taken in Virginia, and FBI agent Mark Frampton is determined to put a stop to it. Certain he’s closing in on the killer known as The Embracer, Mark is less than thrilled when he’s partnered with rookie agent Colleen Law, worried she’s a liability when there’s so much at stake... -
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![The Merciless Ones by Namina Forna]()
The Merciless Ones by Namina Forna
Fans of The Gilded Ones and Children of Blood and Bone will love the second book in an epic fantasy series about a girl who is the key to saving the empire--or its greatest threat.It's been six months since Deka has freed the goddesses and discovered who she really is. There are now wars waging across the kingdom. Otereans now think jatu are traitors to the nation. Deka is called a monster...action-adventure · book · children-books · dark · epic · female-author · feminism · fiction · high-fantasy · horror -
![Wicked Conjuring by Sarah Piper]()
Wicked Conjuring by Sarah Piper
My father sold me to a demon prince… but the monsters who rescued me are even deadlier.For a witch without magic, marrying into a prominent coven was supposed be my greatest honor—and the only way to clear my father’s massive debt. But when my groom turns out to be a demon in disguise, I stab him at the altar and flee…Straight into the arms of New York’s most notorious mobsters...paranormal · fantasy · revenge · age-gap · fae · forced-proximity · demons · witches-wizards · shapeshifters · magic -
![Ravaged by Monsters by Katie May, Ann Denton]()
Ravaged by Monsters by Katie May, Ann Denton
Monsters own the world. And now, they own me.There are two roles for a human—either you’re a monster’s pet or you’re dead.When I’m ripped from my family and the resistance at the age of eighteen, I think my life is over.One second, I’m fighting against the monsters who enslaved us for years, and the next, I’m on a stage, waiting to be bid on by the very beasts I hunted and killed... -
![Of Rain and Wrath by Katie May]()
Of Rain and Wrath by Katie May
I was born under the shadow of death, and my life since has been intricately entwined with that of the Grim Reaper. They call me the Death Whisperer.One hand fixes; the other breaks.All I have ever known is a life full of pain and suffering, because what the legends don’t tell you about my power…is that there’s always a price.And I’m the one who has to pay it... -
![Arise: Alpha: A Dark LitRPG Adventure by Jez Cajiao]()
Arise: Alpha: A Dark LitRPG Adventure by Jez Cajiao
When you steal a hundred grand from some very bad people, the best way to survive is to stay small and quiet...Possibly its not to save a pair of drowning girls, not go 'viral' on social media and certainly not to let the local police take your passport, trapping you on a small 'party' island in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea... -
![The Gone & the Forgotten by Clare Whitfield]()
The Gone & the Forgotten by Clare Whitfield
Summer, 1993. In the aftermath of her mother's suicide attempt, 16-year-old Prue must spend the summer holidays on a remote island in the Shetlands with her favourite Aunt Ruth and Uncle Archie, a man she's barely met since her aunt married him...book · coming-of-age · contemporary · crime · drama · family · fiction · historical-fiction · horror · murder -
![Orphans of Bliss: Tales of Addiction Horror by Cassandra Khaw, Josh Malerman, Kathe Koja, S.A. Cosby]()
Orphans of Bliss: Tales of Addiction Horror by Cassandra Khaw, Josh Malerman, Kathe Koja, S.A. Cosby
"My soul's bliss kills my body, but does not satisfy itself." ~Emily BronteAddiction is the perpetual epidemic, where swarms of human moths flutter to the flames of hell. Because that warm blanket of a heroin high, that joyful intoxication of a pint of vodka, that electric energy from a line of cocaine, over time leaves you with a cold loneliness and a bitter heart...
