Category Archives: Horror

Inspection

INSPECTION
By Josh Malerman
Del Rey, March 2019

Two schools. One starting out with 26 boys, the other with 26 girls. All being raised and educated from infancy with no knowledge or awareness of the opposite sex. J and his brothers are expected to excel in the arts, sciences, and athletics without the distraction that girls would provide. K and her sisters are expected to do the same, without the distraction of boys. As the students approach the “delicate years” of age 12 and 13, can the twisted brains behind this increasingly disastrous experiment really control their wards’ budding sexuality and their increasing desire to find out what lies beyond the wooded boundary of their compound?
Josh Malerman is masterful at building suspense, developing complex characters, and walloping his readers with his heart stopping endings. Hold onto your hat and enjoy this ride. ~SB

Josh Malerman is also the author of BIRD BOX, another staff favorite which was recently made into a Netflix movie starring Sandra Bullock. You can place a hold on the book here.

For more information, or to place a hold on INSPECTION, please click here.

The Hatching

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Title: The Hatching

Author: Ezekiel Boone

Publisher: Atria, 7/2016

Summary/Review: Would you prefer death by a swarm of flesh eating spiders, or death by an exploding spider egg sac laid within your body? It seems like those might be your only choices, unless you have a spacious underground bunker that can sustain you for five years. Even then, who knows what will await you when you finally resurface?

The Hatching, book one in The Hatching series, is an apocalyptic novel that preys upon our fear of those creepy, crawly, and in this case carnivorous, monsters we call spiders. The first sign of danger comes when China “accidentally” drops a nuclear bomb within its own border. Was it really an accident, as they claim, or a futile attempt to stop the rampaging arachnids? Then news footage from India shows a panic in New Delhi, but what exactly are they fleeing from? The rest of the world soon finds out as the creatures make their way to other continents. Who, if anyone, will survive this plague? This was a great book. It was highly entertaining and hair-raising at the same time, fast paced and addictive. I can’t wait for book two in the series.

Who will like this book?: If you have a fear of creepy-crawlers, you may want to stay away – unless of course that’s what you’re looking for!  Someone looking for a new fast-paced series that will keep your heart racing.

If you like this, try this: Spiders aren’t typically covered in horror, and this is Boone’s debut: however, there are plenty of fast-paced creepy horror stories out there to choose from.  Try our “horror” category of the blog!

Recommended by: Sue B, Circulation Coordinator

If this looks like something you’d like to read, visit the Fairfield Public Library catalog to see if it’s available and/or to place a hold! [This book comes out in July, but we’ve already pre-ordered it!]

Night Sister

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Title: The Night Sister

Author: Jennifer McMahon

Publisher: Doubleday, August 2015

Summary/Review: “Do you believe in monsters?” You might after reading the creepy new novel by Jennifer McMahon. And by creepy I mean awesome.

Growing up in and around the decrepit Tower Motel in London, Vermont wasn’t all bad for friends Amy, Piper and Margot, at least not until they found the suitcase hidden in the tower. Why was the suitcase, hidden for two decades, not taken by Amy’s aunt Sylvie when she left town in 1955? The discovery only leads to more questions and eventually the dissolution of the friendship between Amy, Piper and Margot.

Fast forward to present day and the discovery of an unspeakable crime, allegedly committed by Amy at the Tower Motel. Sisters Piper and Margot struggle to find answers but everything leads back to the discovery of the suitcase so many years ago. Don’t bother asking Piper and Margot if they believe in monsters. I can tell you, the answer will be “yes”.

Who will like this book?: Someone looking for a VERY creepy read.  Someone who’s interested in a thriller/mystery that will leave you feeling haunted.

If you like this, try this: Jennifer McMahon has written other novels, including the well-received “Winter People” and “Promise Not to Tell”.  This book is reminiscent of “Help for the Haunted” by John Searles, although darker.  Tana French is also brought to mind.

Recommended by:  Sue B, Circulation Coordinator

If this looks like something you’d like to read, visit the Fairfield Public Library catalog to see if it’s available and/or to place a hold!

Cabinet of Curiosities

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Title: Cabinet of Curiosities: 36 Tales Brief & Sinister

Authors: Stefan Bachmann, Emma Trevayne, Katherine Catmull, & Claire Legrand

Published:  Greenwillow Books, 2014

Summary/Review:  This book of short stories is presented by four outstanding children’s/YA authors.  Asked to collect their most horrifying stories, the authors have formed a “cabinet” to share amongst themselves and with the public the tales of terror they have found across the world. The tales are divided between themed sections including fairies, magic, music, and more.  The tales range between slightly creepy and odd to downright scary, many leaving the reader guessing about the future.  (Some of the less-satisfying endings are brought to a conclusion in the final chapter of the book, where the “curators” revisit some of the characters they have found.)  Adults will easily recognize the fine writing of the book, which does not rely heavily upon gore and shock factors, but instead relies on the quality of both the prose and the stories themselves.

This book would make a great read-aloud for parents (who may want to read the stories ahead of time, lest some of them are too scary for their children) but would also serve wonderfully for those busy children that can’t devote a ton of time to their pleasure reading.  Clocking in between 5 and 25 pages each (for the most part), children could skip around and find the story that suits their time limit.

Who will like this book?:  Someone looking for a creepy read.  While the book itself is over 400 pages, the actual stories themselves are short – so they could work well for a child who is pressed for time or who doesn’t have the patience to sit through 400 pages of the same story.

If you like this, try this:  If you’re looking for more creepy stories, try the Alan Schwartz “Scary Stories” series.  While those illustrations are far scarier than those found in “Cabinet”, the stories are the same caliber of scary (with slightly more gore).  The four authors of “Cabinet” are prominent children’s and YA authors, so if you like a particular writer’s stories, there’s plenty more from them available.  If you’re looking into more short stories, Jon Scieszka has a series of “Guy Reads” books, including one titled “Thrillers”.  And as always, these are NOT just for guys!

Recommended by:  Lauren O, Library staff

If this looks like a book you’d like to read, visit the Fairfield Public Library catalog to see if it’s available and/or to place a hold

Breed, Chase Novak

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Title: Breed

Author: Chase Novak

Publisher: Mulholland Books, 2012

Summary/Review: Desperate to have a child of their own, a New York couple travels to Slovenia for a radical procedure which has horrifying results.

Alex and Leslie Twisden have tried just about everything to conceive a child but nothing has worked and they are running out of options. When former members of their infertility support group end up pregnant, Alex insists on knowing the secret to their success. This information and the Twisden’s desire to conceive lead them to Slovenia and the mysterious Dr. Kis. After undergoing a barbaric procedure, Leslie winds up pregnant and eventually gives birth to two healthy children, Adam and Alice.

When hormones can no longer be blamed for the new, strange and depraved thoughts and desires of Alex and Leslie, the true horror of Dr. Kis’ fertility treatment is discovered. Will it be in time to save their children?

Truly creepy and not for the squeamish, this novel is a wild ride. Fast paced and well written, you’ll be talking about this one for a while. 

Who will like this book? If you like horror and are looking for something a little different, this book is for you.

 If you like this, try this: “The Devil in Silver” by Victor LaValle has similar themes and creepiness, though his takes place in a mental institution.  If you’re interested in branching out into horror, Stephen King is always a safe (and popular) bet, as well as Dean Koontz – and for the classics lovers out there, “Frankenstein”, “Dracula”, and Edgar Allen Poe are also worth a try!

Recommended by: Sue B, Circulation Coordinator

If this looks like a book you would like to try, visit the Fairfield Public Library catalog to see if it’s available and/or place a hold!

NOS4A2

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Title: NOS4A2

Author: Joe Hill

Publisher: Harper Collins, 2013

Summary/Review: This story begins with a very young Victoria McQueen, a bike, and her encounter with a magic bridge. We are then introduced to a man named Bing Partridge who befriends a monstrous, evil, and hideous child abductor named Charles Talent Manx, who drives a magical 1938 Rolls Royce Wraith.

Their paths first collide when Victoria, at 17, avoids being kidnapped by Manx and taken to a make believe location called Christmasland, a place where all children never have any pain and where it is Christmas every day. Unfortunately, the children change while they are there; becoming creatures with razor sharp teeth and kill adults by playing the game “SCISSORS-FOR-THE-DRIFTERS”. Manx claims the children’s souls allowing him to live eternally.

Then, as an adult, Vic loses her own child, Bruce Wayne Carmody, to Manx. Her dangerous journey continues, trying to rescue her son with the help of Wayne’s dad Lou, and a stuttering librarian named Maggie, who seems to possess powers of her own.

This life and death tale of a mother’s love will keep you the edge of your seat for all 686 pages. This is one of my favorite novels of the year.

Who will like this book: If you are in the mood for horror, suspense, and adventure, then you will enjoy this story.

If you like this, try this: The Shining, Salem’s Lot, or It all by Stephen King, who happens to be Joe Hill’s father.

Recommended by: K.C. Davis, Circulation Assistant

Does this look like a book you’d like to read?  Visit the Fairfield Public Library catalog to see if it’s available and/or place a hold!

These Children Who Come At You With Knives

Title: These Children Who Come At You With Knives and Other Fairy Tales

Author: Jim Knipfel

Publisher: Simon & Schuster, June 2010

Summary: Fractured fairy tales have long been a popular genre in youth literature, and in this wicked, inspired collection, the grown-ups finally get their own twisted takes on ‘happily ever after.’ If you are expecting a modern-day Cinderella or Little Mermaid story, this is not the book for you.

Instead, you will meet a chicken who is too smart for her own good, a demented gnome bent on world domination, and a gossipy houseplant that would give Audrey II from Little Shop of Horrors a run for her (it’s?) money. And it’s not giving too much away by saying that none of the stories has the traditional fairy tale ending. This bold collection will make you laugh and squirm at the same time.

Who will like this book?: Fans of satire. Cynics. People who think to themselves, ‘if Cinderella’s slippers were really made of glass, wouldn’t she cut up her feet?’

If you like this, read this: Another great (albeit less brutal) take on fairy tales for grown-ups, the Fables graphic novel series by Bill Willingham.

Recommended by: Nicole, Teen Librarian

Adam

Title: Adam

Author: Ted Dekker

Summary:  FBI agent Daniel Clarke is obsessed with finding the serial killer known as Eve. Eve has killed at least 16 women and shows no sign of stopping. Daniel’s obsession has already cost him his marriage and now it has cost him his life. Or has it? After being shot by Eve, Daniel is clinically dead for 20 minutes. He is resuscitated but now the face of Eve is hidden somewhere in Daniel’s memory. When Eve kidnaps Daniel’s ex-wife Heather, Daniels knows his best chance of catching Eve before Heather is hurt is to die again so he can recover his memory. What he doesn’t realize is that Eve has a plan of his own for Daniel- to make Daniel his first “Adam”.

If I had to use one word to describe this novel I would say “intense”. On a scale of 1-10, 10 being the creepiest, I would give Adam an 8. If you like like horror and have a few sleepless nights to spare, you should definitely read this one.

Recommended by: Sue, Circulation Coordinator