Incidents Around the House by Josh Malerman

CW: death, murder, gore, violence, car accident

This is a striking horror story with clever narrative choices that elevate this haunted house tale into something that will stick with you long after the final page. Some of these scenes are genuinely terrifying. I read this in chunks and firmly avoiding just before I went to bed.

Full review here.

The Wycherleys by Annalise Avery

⭐️🏳️‍🌈🧠

CW: death, murder, violence, bullying, grief

This was an incredibly fun read with a gripping story and intriguing world-building. Think Bridgerton with witches and a mystery to solve. It had that perfect balance of action, characterisation and romance.

Full review here.

They Had It Coming by Nikki Smith

🧠

CW: death, murder, violence, drug use, drowning, manipulation, infidelity, sexual assault, rape, drugging

This was a compulsively readable and highly entertaining thriller with plenty of twists and turns. Once again, Smith peels back the curtain on the life of luxury to expose the rotting heart beneath. Such a fantastic ending as well.

Full review here.

The Lamb by Lucy Rose

🏳️‍🌈🧠

CW: murder, death, graphic violence, cannibalism, blood, gore, body horror, neglect, abuse

This was the type of horror that settles under your skin – disquieting, chilling and haunting. It is such an impressive debut. I will not be able to get this out of my head for quite some time.

Kill Creatures by Rory Power

⭐️🏳️‍🌈🧠

CW: death, murder, drowning, infidelity, abusive relationship, stalking, violence, animal cruelty, gore, blood, alcoholism

This is going to be one of the YA books of the summer. It builds on its phenomenal premise to deliver a taut and thrilling read that keeps you in its clutches until the final page.

Full review to come.

Eat the Ones You Love by Sarah Maria Griffin

🏳️‍🌈🧠

CW: death, violence, murder, grief, depression

This was a bizarre, twisted and terrific story of obsession that I adored. It is uniquely entrancing – kind of a postmodern Little Shop of Horrors esque tale.

Full review here.

The Summer I Ate the Rich by Maika Moulite and Maritza Moulite

⭐️🏳️‍🌈🧠💙

CW: murder, death, cannibalism, violence, abusive relationship, gaslighting, manipulation, racism, misogny, classism, ableism

Eat the rich done right in this well-executed, sharply satricial YA horror. This has such an arresting voice at its centre and a wonderful balance of the complex elements it is exploring. One to devour.

Full review here.

Traumaland by Josh Silver

🏳️‍🌈🧠

CW: violence, gaslighting, manipulation, injury, blood

As I’ve come to expect from Silver’s work, this was compelling and thought-provoking. It reminded me of Black Mirror with the thematic exploration of technology and the exploitation of trauma, as well as an ending that leaves you desperate for more.

Full review here.

Sunrise on the Reaping by Suzanne Collins

⭐️🧠

CW: murder, death, graphic violence, child death, gore, violence, child death, torture, fire, poisoning

This is one of the most hotly anticipated books of the year and it more than delivers. It is brilliantly woven together and incredibly timely with our political climate, with plenty of gut punches. There is a lot to be said about the tragedy of inevitability in this book and how it aligns with readers pre-conceptions going in, a la media like Hadestown.

When the Bones Sing by Ginny Myers Sain

🧠

CW: murder, death, mutilation, bodies, injury, grief

Another sensational speculative YA thriller from Ginn Myers Sain. Dovie is a fantastic protagonist – she cares so deeply but has had to face the horrors of the world. Her powers are such an interesting concept but also a deeply unnerving one.

Full review here.

The Silence Project by Carole Hailey

⭐️🧠

CW: death, murder, fire, grief, traumatic flashbacks, eugenics, euthanasia, suicide, racism, misogny

This was a wonderfully complex look at trauma and its continuing ripple effects through the lens of true crime and the exploitation of tragedy. As with Scenes from a Tragedy, Hailey captures your attention fully and makes you think.

This Story is a Lie by Benjamin Dean

⭐️🏳️‍🌈

CW: cheating, violence

This YA thriller novella was a fun little story with a nasty twist. I enjoy Dean’s work in this space thoroughly and will be picking up his next YA book later this year.

Rabbit Hole by Kate Brody

🧠

CW: death, suicide, animal death, violence, shooting, disappearance, addiction, grief

I enjoyed the exploration of true crime obsession and the titular rabbit holes of theories, but this is primarily a book about grief and grappling with unresolved trauma. The ending was not my favourite – lacking a little something for me.

Secrets From the Agatha Christie Archives by Jared Cade

This was an interesting and comprehensive bibliography of Christie’s work with some occasional fascinating titbits of trivia. While I appreciate the dedication and work that went into this, I was hoping for more of that trivia and insights.

I Am The Dark That Answers When You Call by Jamison Shea

⭐️🏳️‍🌈🧠

CW: death, murder, graphic violence, gore, injury, blood, traumatic flashbacks, grief, body horror

This is a fantastic follow-up to I Feed Her to the Beast and the Beast is Me. The writing is wonderful and Shea is not afraid to really dig into the blood and guts and gore. This is mirrored in the layered and deftly handled exploration of Laure’s trauma and her repositioning of herself.