Stay Scared: New Horror Book Releases for November

Horror lovers who love puzzle books or unique reads like House of Leaves will want to dive into this paperback original.

Alex is an ethical hacker, and she and her colleague Jay discover a mysterious game by a creator known only as The Helmsman. Alex and Jay are hooked, solving increasingly weird puzzles. Together, they discover The Helmsman’s strange manifesto and become targeted by a group known as XXX XXXXXXX XXXXXX. XXX XXXXXXX XXXXXX doesn’t want Alex and Jay to uncover the Basilisk, a cognitive weapon that drives those who understand it to lose their minds.

Alex and Jay are close to uncovering the Basilisk when Jay disappears. Now Alex must find out what happened to him while also working quickly to solve the Helmsman’s final puzzle.

Davila’s short story collection is being described as “Gothic, dark, surrealist, atmospheric,” filled with stories that skirt the lines between “sanity and madness.” Readers who love stories about obsession will want this translated collection on their to-read list. It’s a short book, too, coming in at just over 100 pages, and Davila’s profile continues to rise in Mexico as a master of the short story.

Mara and Soren are the latest couple to discover the old manor nestled on the side of a mountain and deep in the woods. Something is wrong with the house, but the very broke and very in love couple needs to live somewhere. This will work.

It takes little time before Soren begins getting messages from an entity he names The Great Other. He wants Soren to do two things: invite more people to the house and then relieve them of their sorrow.

Mara begins to hear the voice, too. The Great Other promises her solace if she’s brave enough to explore the manor. Soon, other wanderers have shown up at the manor, pulled in by Soren and his magnetism.

The manor will soon do what it needs to do–it is a deeply wounded space, drawing in those who, too, carry deep wounds.

Speaking of short story collections, Mitchell’s speculative collection explores themes of love, betrayal, and more, drawing on Caribbean and African myths and cultures. Each story plays with the ideas of Death–be it of self, of others, and sometimes both. For readers looking to expand their ideas about horror, especially about what it can look like in contemporary life, this is a must-read.

Miriam was found in a vandalized apartment, and she has no memory of who she is, what happened, or how she got there. She’s whisked away to a home with a couple who claim to be her parents, and while she cannot remember whether they are, they seem to have her best interests in mind. They, as do the people in the community, claim to know exactly who Miriam is.

Besides being in a room that seems to be frozen in time with Miriam’s history, her amnesia is causing her to sleepwalk, to hear strange noises throughout the house, and experience hallucinations. She’s not well at all. What’s worse is that while the neighbors all gather around the house, leaving gifts for Miriam because they’re thrilled she’s back, none of them seem to know–or care–she’s getting much, much worse.

But until Miriam leaves the home, the community, and the people claiming to be her parents, she’ll never be able to understand what happened or who she really is.

This one’s for fans of small-town and folk horror.

If you love the classic tale “The Yellow Wallpaper,” this one belongs on your TBR.

Cadie McIntyre is at her fiancé’s family estate, and she believes it’s the perfect place for her to finally heal. It’s above the coastline, it’s remote, and it’s huge. It’s the opposite of the chaotic world she’s been living in. She also believes she’ll be safe, thanks to the promise from a brilliant doctor, Oliver Wright. He says he’ll make sure she is protected.

The longer Cadie is in the mansion, though, the more claustrophobic it becomes. Beyond the shifting hallways, the whispers, and the lingering shadows, there are the generations of secrets, and Cadie’s beginning to suspect that her fiancé’s care is much more like control.

As it becomes clear that something–or someone–in the manor wants Cadie silent, she must decide whether or not Oliver is doing her far more harm than good.