Beyond Crystal Lake: Horror Books for Summer Reading

While some people associate horror with dark Autumn nights, summer might instead remind you of ghost stories told over a campfire, scary movies at slumber parties, and ripping through Fear Street books during school break. Whether you're headed to a haunted campground, trekking through the Maine landscapes Stephen King calls home, or simply looking to get lost in a terrifying book, make sure to check out these recommended titles from NYPL's newly formed Horror Book Committee.

My Best Friend's Exorcismby Grady Hendrix

If you liked The Final Girl Support Group, you'll love this cheeky love letter to '80s horror. Rightfully pitched as The Exorcism meets Mean Girls, we follow Gretchen and Abby as their childhood friendship is threatened by peer pressure, high school drama, and demonic possession. This book has genuinely unsettling moments of horror, a rich mystery, and a healthy dose of humor. (As an added plus the e-book is absolutely stunning!) — Estefania Velez, Woodlawn Heights Library

'Salem's Lot by Stephen King

A writer (of course) visits the quiet Maine town of Jerusalem’s Lot—or ‘Salem’s Lot for short—and finds himself face to face with a bunch of vampires! In my opinion, this is King’s best work. An important factor of the horror novel is the location, and this town is so well drawn out with its brisk Maine landscape and authentic characters that it is no wonder Stephen King would continue to be the Master of Horror he is today. — Rachel Kahn, Sedgwick Library

Dreadful Sorryby Kathryn Reiss

Molly has always had an irrational fear of the water, despite the support and, sometimes overwhelming, encouragement from her mother and swim instructor. After an incident where she almost drowns at a pool party, Molly decides it's best to spend the summer visiting her father and stepmother in Maine as they convert an old house into a bed and breakfast. Soon, Molly is seeing visions of the past and tugging on the threads of a mystery that might help her solve an old disappearance and her fear of the water. I loved this book when I first read it as a teenager and reread it last summer to see if it still held up. It's wonderfully spooky and atmospheric, with the bonus of a love story. It's the perfect read for the beach, pool, or hiding inside from the sun and your relatives at a barbecue. — Angela Switzer, Riverdale Library

Ghost Summer Stories by Tananarive Due

An impressive array of short stories, in settings ranging from the antebellum past to the distant future to summer in present-day Florida. Tananarive Due excels at creating characters you will root for after just a few pages, and delivering subtle scares that go straight for the heart.— Isaiah Pittmann, Inwood Library

The Salt Line by Holly Goddard Jones

A line of scorched earth is all that protects citizens from monster ticks. However, an intrepid few breach the safety of their town to explore the outer-zone known as Ruby City. This novel begins firmly in horror territory, but as we begin to learn more about these explorers and their world, it enters dystopian fiction territory peppered with stories of survival. — Jenny Baum, Jefferson Market Library

Cujo by Stephen King

In the town of Castle Rock, Maine, summer means long, hot, lazy days, family vacations, and children playing outside. But it only takes one rabid animal’s bite to set off a dire chain of events that will leave two families gruesomely intertwined and irrevocably altered. This gleeful little shocker from the Master of Horror boasts vividly-etched characters, tangible drama, razor-wire suspense, even a touch of grim humor. Pet owners beware: you will never look at a big, friendly dog quite the same way!— Isaiah Pittmann, Inwood Library

Final Girls by Riley Sager

Though more of a thriller than the title suggests, this novel is hard to put down. Quincy Carpenter must move past traumatic memories if she wants to help her friends in the present. — Jenny Baum, Jefferson Market Library

A Touch of Jen by Beth Morgan

Alicia and Remy are miserable people in a miserable relationship founded on a shared obsession: cyberstalking a beautiful girl on Instagram. This book had me hooked from the first page. Beautifully written, effectively bizarre, and centered around a cast of comically insufferable characters, the novel is a fine-tuned inspection of obsession, consumerism, social media, and parasocial relationships. No matter where you think this story's heading, you'll never see the last quarter of this book coming. — Estefania Velez, Woodlawn Heights Library

The Beautiful Thing that Awaits Us All And Other Stories by Laird Barron

At first glance, Laird Barron’s particular brand of cosmic horror may not seem to go well with sun, surf, and sand. However, I have fond memories of reading this collection of weird yarns at the beach. There are all types of tales in here, from punchy horror-noir to forlorn ghost stories, all bearing Barron’s trademark hardboiled prose and far-reaching imagination. The first story, in particular, is one of the finest dark tales I have ever read: a hunting party of the damned, like Agatha Christie meets Stephen King.— Isaiah Pittmann, Inwood Library

The Hellbound Heartby Clive Barker

This story is best known for its film counterpart Hellraiser. It’s a short book that manages to present a bold and frightening concept which draws you in despite its length. Barker is wonderful at creating vivid scenes, terrifying scenarios, and characters that really bring you into the story. Meet Frank Cotton, a man whose sole intent is to seek pleasure and often in very dark places. When he discovers the Lemarchand puzzle box, he expects to discover life's ultimate pleasure. Instead he unleashes something beyond this world and finds death instead. When Frank's brother and his wife Julia (who Frank had an affair with) move into the house, Julia inadvertently contacts Frank and brings him back from the otherside. But the beings who took Frank, called Cenobites, are not willing to give him up so easily. A must for horror fans and casual readers alike. — Chasity Moreno, Epiphany Library

World War Z: An Oral History of the Zombie War by Max Brooks

Let's set the record straight—this book is nothing at all like the movie starring Brad Pitt. One of the most unconventional zombie titles ever written, this book doesn't follow a main character or narrative structure. Instead, the author presents a history of a zombie outbreak, beginning with underserved patients in a rural land and spreading across the world. While the events are horrifying, Brooks' dry tone and careful speculations about the effect zombies would have on the world as it is make it as intriguing (and even humorously satirical) as it is disturbing. The books is more mockumentary than monster mash. Though it may not sound like a page turner, for readers who enjoy world-building and speculative fiction in their horror, the scope of Brooks' zombie apocalypse and how the zombie outbreak meets the push and pull of human politics can be a thrilling read—with possibly even more to consider now than at its time of publication. — J.C. Shapiro, Spuyten Duyvil Library