My Top 10 Horror Reads of 2022

The 10 best horror books I read this year:
The Terror by Dan Simmons
A Head Full of Ghosts by Paul Tremblay
The Color Out of Space by HP Lovecraft
Blackwater by Michael McDowell
The Dream Quest of Vellitt Bo by Kij Johnson
Frankenstein by Mary Shelley
Halloween Slaughter by Sergio Gomez
Thor by Wayne Smith
The Omen Series by David Seltzer, Joseph Howard and Gordon McGill
The Cellar by Richard Laymon
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[@craigpartain]

Horns is my favorite of Hill's books. His short story collection 20th Century Ghosts is another one I'd highly recommend.

[@baxtersmom279]

I loved”Horns”. Probably one of my very favorite “horror” novels.

[@troytradup]

The audiobook has a great, kinda sad narrator -- perfect for the story.

[@CriminOllyBlog]

Awesome! Thanks for the recommendation

[@XX-nm3kv]

I appreciate that you are recommending books that are not published in the last year. I was unaware of THOR before this video, and after reading the reviews, I've now ordered it. There's too many good books which to not get discussed because they are "old" on KZbin, and I'm always looking for channels which plumb the depths of literature. Keep up the good work Olly.

[@CriminOllyBlog]

Thank you! I’m much more drawn to older books for some reason. And agree there are so many great ones that just don’t get talked about

[@fullwom7]

I've seen the 1996 movie version Bad Moon but didn't know about the book. Loved the plot but the movie was a bit cheesy lol Can't wait to read the book

[@CriminOllyBlog]

@@fullwom7 hope you enjoy it!

[@floogelhornzzz4770]

Why don't you try Ghost Story_ or Shadowland_ both by Peter Straub. They are both i

[@paulaj7860]

I'd recommend Heart Shaped Box from Joe Hill before Horns. They're both good, but I liked the former better.

[@CriminOllyBlog]

Thanks! I do have that one too!

[@scp240]

First on my list for this year is a short story by Guy de Maupassant, Le Horla, from 1887. In this classic tale, a supernatural being takes over the narrator and causes physical and metal anguish to lead him ultimately to question his sanity, and eventually to lose it. Maupassant was a great writer of short stories and although I prefer some of his work in other genres, he was a pioneer of horror and influenced Lovecraft and many other writers who came later. I read this in the Norton Critical Edition of Maupassant's Selected Works, which contains several other works of the supernatural as well as other tales.

[@CriminOllyBlog]

I've only read one of his stories, which I now completely forget the name of, but which was very effective. I should check out more!

[@shanewhitley7770]

Excellent list! As many stated in the comments, it's refreshing to see a list that isn't just a sizzle reel of books published in 2022.

[@CriminOllyBlog]

Thank you! Glad you enjoyed it!

[@anotherbooktubechannel]

So glad you enjoyed A Head Full of Ghosts! Definitely check out Survivor Song by Paul Tremblay, as well as Cabin at the End of the World. Incredible books

[@CriminOllyBlog]

I definitely will at some point

[@TheBookubus]

Great to hear about your favourites! One of mine ended up being Flowers in the Attic which I read for GarbAugust so thanks for giving me the push to finally pick it up!

[@CriminOllyBlog]

Such an enjoyably messed up book. Cheers Alex!

[@burnout40k]

One of Dan Simons’ less well known books “The Song of Kali” is a good, creepy horror novel that I highly recommend if you can find a copy.

[@CriminOllyBlog]

Yes, I read that one back in the 90s - enjoyed it!

[@apolloniusbeitsman5444]

I heard this book drags a lot

[@MriInterocitor]

@@apolloniusbeitsman5444 I found it pretty relentlessly intense.

[@burnout40k]

@@apolloniusbeitsman5444 I read it in the 90’s as well, I don’t remember it dragging on though.

[@TheLightningScience]

I tried reading the Song of Kali earlier this year but I found it too racist to continue. I'm now reading the Terror and enjoying it quite a bit.

[@igaelvahgelt9890]

Love love love the terror. Just for this I will read again. Currently reading ghost story by peter straub. Thanks for all the videos I love your channel so many books I haven't heard of.

[@CriminOllyBlog]

Thank you so much! Really glad you're enjoying the channel

[@mikellecallahan516]

Ghost Story is excellent. One of my favs.

[@mindysbookjourney]

I love these kind of end of the year videos. I am reading The Terror right now and it is great. Frankenstein is a favorite of mine. Great list.

[@CriminOllyBlog]

The Terror is so good!

[@GardnerGoldsmith]

A great, great list! Thank you!! I just ordered Thor last week! Perfect timing!

[@CriminOllyBlog]

Thor is SO GOOD! Hope you enjoy it

[@fiberartsyreads]

Great list Olly! You’ve read some great horror this year. Thor was so good, he’s such a good boy. 🐕

[@CriminOllyBlog]

He is! 😊

[@billcann5151]

“The Terror” remains one of my all time favorite horror novels too. I don’t reread many books, but this may make the list in 2023. The TV series was very good too, but not quite as good as the novel.

[@CriminOllyBlog]

Yes agree re the TV series. I thought the casting and acting were superb

[@books-on-a-wire]

I've had the audiobooks of The Omen and Blackwater for awhile now, so looks like those will be my picks for you in my KZbin Picks My TBR challenge. Such a great list!

[@CriminOllyBlog]

Hope you enjoy them!

[@jackiemack3734]

“A Winter Haunting” by Dan Simmons was one of my favourite reads this year. Also high on my great reads list this year was “The Cabin At The End Of The World” by Paul Tremblay (a very tense & emotional read) and “The Ruins” by Scott Smith. I though his writing was mediocre but the horror elements are spectacular!

[@CriminOllyBlog]

Yeah The Ruins is incredibly bleak and horrifying! I need to read both the Tremblay and the Simmons! Sounds like you had a good horror year!

[@erinmaggio5620]

That was about the ending of the world. I loved The Ruins last year. Trying to find movie out there.

[@myrarucker7953]

Horns is really good Heart shaped box is really good. It’s about an old rocker dude who collects interesting object d’art and his secretary who finds this interesting old suit on line. Then there’s The Fireman. Boy howdy!! Great writing and story telling is brilliant. Characters are sublime. Joe Hill short stories are really good,too. Read them all. They’re all super!! Cross my heart!! Adios,amigo. ✌🏻🤠

[@CriminOllyBlog]

Thanks for the recommendations, Myra! And thanks for being such a regular viewer and commenter, it really is appreciated.

[@eriebeverly]

I knew Thor was going to show up one this list. Michael McDowell is, I think, the only author to really scare me with something supernatural as an adult reader. Marcela Bolivar did a beautiful set of illustrations for a reissue of Blackwater which are well worth an internet search.

[@CriminOllyBlog]

Oooh I will look those up, thank you!

[@Themrjoliveira]

Love love these kind of lists !! Hopefully you’ll make a crime and western as well !!!

[@CriminOllyBlog]

Definitely doing a crime one!

[@fullwom7]

Great List Olly! I've really been enjoying your videos and picked up several good recommendations. My favorite horror this year was Empire of the Vampire by Jay Kristoff. It does have a bit of an fantasy feel as as well but it's definitely worth a look if you can find room on your ever expanding TBR lol Thanks!

[@CriminOllyBlog]

Thanks Matthew! Yeah I've heard good things about that one!

[@mattsouter3929]

Great picks! I need to read the cellar! You should definitely check out Cabin at the end of the world, by Paul Tremblay, fantastic book!

[@CriminOllyBlog]

I definitely will! Cheers!

[@wadejohnston4305]

Thanks for the upload brother. I really enjoy this channel

[@CriminOllyBlog]

Thanks, Wade!

[@KaiTheAssassin]

Great list Olly, i've added some of your recommendations to my kindle library. I recently read "A Head Full of Ghosts" and loved it. One other I have read this year is "Home Before Dark" by Riley Sagar. It is a great haunted house story, very well drawn characters and a thoroughly good story!

[@CriminOllyBlog]

Thank you! Really glad you found the list useful! Ive heard good things about that Riley Sagar book

[@BookwormAdventureGirl]

A great list, Olly. I’ve already put The Terror on my TBR because of a prior video of yours. I also have a Paul Tremblay on my shelf that I need to get to. 😊💙

[@BigDog366]

Cabin at the End of the World by Paul Tremblay is superb too. Absolutely unique concept, which is pretty rate for a book really.

[@BookwormAdventureGirl]

@@BigDog366 Glad to hear. That's the one on my shelf. 😉

[@CriminOllyBlog]

I really do think you'll like The Terror. It's not a million miles away from Lonesome Dove in fact

[@BookwormAdventureGirl]

@@CriminOllyBlog Ohhhh, that's interesting.

[@teatimewithtraceyandcrew]

Great list out of them all I have on read The Terror the beginning of this year i think. I have read a few others of Dan Simmons too (Children of the Night, A winter haunting and Summer of Night) and loved them all. I will have to check out Druid for sure. Thanks for sharing, i absolutely love your videos you always mention books I haven't heard of...& makes my tbr list so much longer . Lol. ~ Tracey

[@CriminOllyBlog]

Thanks so much Tracey! I definitely need to read some more Simmons.

[@SynsBookNook]

Halloween Slaughter sounds fun. I haven’t read Frankenstein in ages, that’s one I should revisit at some point. I need to read A Head Full of Ghosts, that’s been on my tbr for a while. Great video! ☺️📚

[@CriminOllyBlog]

Cheers Syn! You should definitely read Halloween Slaughter

[@georgebennett1242]

Horns is my favourite Joe Hill (I've read all of them). It's more black comedy than out and our horror and it works really well.

[@CriminOllyBlog]

Cool! look forward to reading it

[@Harbottle64]

Excellent video, Olly. I've been aware of Richard Laymon for years, but never got around to reading any of his works. After your heads up, I found the whole Beast House Chronicles (4 books) on Amazon for 99p for the Kindle. Looked like a good deal to me. I tried reading Paul Tremblay's Disappearance at Devil’s Rock awhile back, but couldn't get into it. A Head Full of Ghosts sounds a lot better.

[@CriminOllyBlog]

Ah cool! Hope you enjoy the Cellar!

[@Harbottle64]

@@CriminOllyBlog Thanks mate! 🍻

[@paulcurtis2866]

Enjoyed the video, Olly. My favourite horror read of 2022 is the novella "What Moves the Dead" by T Kingfisher. It's a fantastic retelling of "The Fall of the House of Usher". Well worth a read.

[@CriminOllyBlog]

I've heard great things about that one

[@badrad9226]

These are my favorite videos! Yay 😁 but of course all your videos are amazing but when it comes to horror reads ! Ahhhhh I love it !

[@CriminOllyBlog]

Thank you so much! 😊😊

[@badrad9226]

@@CriminOllyBlog yes of course. I watched your introvert video I found it very helpful because I can relate so much .

[@CriminOllyBlog]

@@badrad9226 ah great!

[@badrad9226]

@@CriminOllyBlog 🙂 I have ghost of heads book , I’m so glad you liked it . I need to read it soon .

[@katrinabrown]

Halloween Slaughter was amazing 👏 I've loved every Micheal McDowell I've read this year! Reading Blackwater in 2023 and I'm so excited! Awesome top ten!

[@CriminOllyBlog]

So good! Hope you like Blackwater!

[@catarinathebookworm]

I just got a second hand copy of the cellar so now I cannot wait to pick that one up!

[@CriminOllyBlog]

Enjoy, it’s bonkers!

[@euthimiag.5489]

I have only read the song of Kali by Dan Simmons, ages ago, but I do remember I enjoyed it. I will definitely check out the terror. Thank you! ☺

[@CriminOllyBlog]

It’s excellent! Simmons has so many great books

[@KitsuneCool]

I’m so happy you loved “Thor”! It’s one of my favorite books, I read it every year. ❤

[@CriminOllyBlog]

It was wonderful!

[@BigDog366]

Fantastic vid. I'd not heard of Blackwater, so that's on my kindle now, also the Lovecraft. I'm ashamed to say I've never read a single of his stories/novels, so that novella you rec'd sounded a good start. That's on the kindle too! Thor was already on, so I must get round to reading that one (love dogs). I really enjoyed Head Full of Ghosts too and Terror is one of my favourite books ever (although unlike you I didn't really like the TV adaptation). Have you read Michelle Paver's Dark Matter novella? It's my top horror story ever. Highly recommend it.

[@CriminOllyBlog]

Thank you! Hope you enjoy Blackwater and the Lovecraft. I have read Dark Matter and really liked it. Paver's books Thin Air is very good too, if you haven't read that

[@Priscilla_Bettis]

It's hard to pick favorites because I like different books for different reasons, but I'll go with Popsicle by Christa Wojciechowski. It's the first cyberpunk horror that I truly enjoyed, fabulous read!

[@CriminOllyBlog]

That looks interesting! Cheers Priscilla

[@nc9726]

Paul Tremblay’s latest THE PALLBEARER’S CLUB was one of my faves this year, along with THE DEVIL TAKES YOU HOME by Gabino Iglesias. Both are superb.

[@CriminOllyBlog]

I have The Pallbearer's Club to read soon. Have heard great things about The Devil Takes You Home

[@dkropelnicki9819]

Thor seems something I'd be into. Adding that one to the list. Horns I've read awhile ago now, I remember really enjoying it. Warrants a reread for me. The movie wasn't bad either.

[@CriminOllyBlog]

Hope you enjoy Thor! It's pretty great

[@ITCamefromthePage]

ONLY 3 of these Olly? I am Milking my top tens for allll of January lol....okay wait I actually think I only have 4. I honestly think you should do a top ten Trashy reads list. I would love to hear your favourite 3 star reads of the year haha. Although I guess with Laymon making this list we already have some bleedover here haha. YES Halloween Slaughter. I need to get to Blackwater soon. I need to get to the Tremblay book as well. The Terror is good stuff.

[@CriminOllyBlog]

A 3 star reads list is a great idea! And I've read so many!

[@cleverkrowbooks13]

A Head Full of Ghosts was my favorite horror read of the year. It was such an interesting tale. I loved the complexity of the family stress, and how effectively Tremblay wrote from a child's perspective. Solid read.

[@CriminOllyBlog]

Yeah, he managed to weave a hell of a lot into quite a short book

[@rmss6315]

I really enjoy watching your channel and I am glad you recommended Thor by Wayne Smith earlier this year. It was so good, I took a chance on an author I had never heard of until your video and bought Nightlife as well. FYI, it was as good if not better than Thor! It starts off with a "bang" & doesn't let up;) Why isn't author Wayne Smith a household name?

[@CriminOllyBlog]

Ah that's great to hear! I haven't read Nightlife yet but will need to check it out!

[@jacktorrenc3140]

Joe Hill's short story collection, 20th Century Ghosts, is one of my favorite ss collections. The first story, Best New Horror, is one of the best I've ever read. The Black Phone, recently made into a movie (excellent), is also in the book.

[@bigaldoesbooktube1097]

The Terror sounds excellent. Going straight on the TBR pile that one.

[@CriminOllyBlog]

It's really great

[@jimsbooksreadingandstuff]

I didn't read much horror this year, just three books (out of 72 read) of these the best was Crota by Owl GoingBack, a Native American writer with a monster horror, an earthquake in Missouri wakes up an ancient monster the Crota who lives in a cave system in which there is a lost city comparable to Macchu Pichu. The local police are mostly incompetent and need the services of a Native American warden and a very old medicine man to tackle the monster... eerie and intriguing with an impressive body count.

[@CriminOllyBlog]

That does sound good! I think I've read one thing by her, a short story perhaps, but I forget what it was now!

[@jimsbooksreadingandstuff]

@@CriminOllyBlog Owl Goingback is a man, his novels (all in the horror genre): Crota (1996) Eagle feathers (1997) The Gift (1997) Shaman Moon (1997) Darker Than Night (1999) Evil Whispers (2001) Breed (2002) Coyote Rage (2019). Crota and Coyote Rage both received Bram Stoker Awards.

[@josephperkins6625]

I've read some great horror this year. Tender is the flesh, the ruins, the troop amd head full of ghosts. I'm not even gonna mention the steven king books I have read/reread. I also finally picked up necroscope. Can't wait to read it.

[@CriminOllyBlog]

Those are all great books! Hope you enjoy Necroscope!

[@michellesmelancholia]

Reading Michael McDowell is probably my best reading moment of the year. I can't wait to get to Blackwater! I'm starting to accept I will read The Terror which I've been avoiding because of its length!

[@CriminOllyBlog]

McDowell is great, and so is The Terror! Hope you like it when you do read it

[@rustypatch9543]

Read Blackwater and loved it and everything by this author. I love Southern Gothic Horror and McDowell was the master of it. He died too young. Read The Terror. Excellent book as well.

[@CriminOllyBlog]

Yeah McDowell’s early death was really tragic

[@MJDawson231970]

I think Blackwater Saga is one of the most underrated books. I always recommend it.

[@CriminOllyBlog]

Yeah really great!

[@thisbirdhasflown2554]

Great list! I really enjoyed Marigold by Sara Gran, which is an Audible original podcast, done as a series of interviews by a paranormal researcher with a young woman who has a special relationship with her odd house. I thought it was different and very entertaining, with just the right level of creepiness

[@CriminOllyBlog]

That sounds very interesting. I hadn't heard of it but might have to check it out!

[@markrickert6592]

The terror is indeed fantastic. Simmons' the Drood is equally good.

[@CriminOllyBlog]

Yes, both really excellent

[@richiearkarich]

BLACKWATER!!! Read the entire series couple of years ago, still can't get it out of my head. The ending was heartbreaking.

[@CriminOllyBlog]

It's such a great book!

[@morebirdsandroses]

I was lucky enough to be haunting the bookstore monthly for it. You're right about the ending 100%. Really special.

[@richiearkarich]

@@morebirdsandroses I haven't read anything of Michael Mcdowell that's bad , till now.

[@morebirdsandroses]

@@richiearkarich There just might not be anything bad of his. 😊🎄Glad we agree!

[@richiearkarich]

@@morebirdsandroses I'm yet to finish his bibliography so fingers crossed!

[@apolloniusbeitsman5444]

Have you read Adam Nevill yet? I think he's a really strong writer. Very atmospheric books, dripping with dread and hopelessness.

[@CriminOllyBlog]

I haven't yet, but I do have a couple of his on the TBR

[@troytradup]

Michael K. Vaughan's recent top ten prompted me to look at my own 2022 top ten and I was shocked to find an even split between fiction and nonfiction -- with the top spot going to a graphic novel (Saga). I think my list is trying to tell me something about why I've been so resistant to reading this year: I think I'm reading the wrong stuff! As for your own list: yay, Blackwater finally getting some love in the world again!

[@CriminOllyBlog]

Sounds like you are! I need to read Saga!

[@deadend68]

TOP 10 HORROR! (read this year) HUNGER - Alma Hatsu THE WATCHERS - A.M. Shine PINE - Francine Toon THE PATH - Richard M. Person BONE WHITE - Ronald Malfi THE APPARITION PHASE - Will Maclean STARVE ACRE - Andrew M. Hurley THE ONLY GOOD INDIANS - Stephen G. Jones BLINDNESS - Saramago THE LAST DAYS OF JACK SPARKS - Jason Arnopp

[@CriminOllyBlog]

Good list! I have a quite a few of those to read

[@BookMaven9]

Frankestein is my favorite book ever! the terror was unforgettable. Loved those the most.

[@CriminOllyBlog]

Both absolutely great. I suspect The Terror will be considered a classic in the future

[@BookMaven9]

@@CriminOllyBlog the terror absolutely should be considered a classic. Couldn’t agree more

[@lyndaslittlelibrary]

A Head Full of Ghosts and The Terror are two of my all time favourites, love the short story and recent movie adaptation of The Color out of Space as well. I tried reading The Cabin at the End of the World by Paul Tremblay and didn't like it at all, couldn't even bother finishing it so I don't know where to go with him now. I haven't read Blackwater yet, but can wholeheartedly recommend The Elementals by Michael McDowell.

[@kevsplitterskull3209]

How far did you get in Cabin? I thought it was great. I know there is a moment that can be make or break for a lot of people, just asking if that was the last straw or something else.

[@kevsplitterskull3209]

Every other thing you mentioned are much loved by me, so just curious.

[@lyndaslittlelibrary]

@@kevsplitterskull3209 Maybe like a third of the way through? I gave up and read a summary so I know what part you're talking about and it wasn't that. I liked Andrew, Eric and Wen well enough, but I found the antagonists (Leonard was okay, but the others) irritating and felt like the same conversation was being had over and over and just got bored. I thought A Head Full of Ghosts was genuinely scary, but this one I found to be a slog. I thought it was just the audiobook narration, which in my opinion was terrible, but still couldn't get into it when I switched to the physical book.

[@morebirdsandroses]

The Elementals! I've read that 4or 5 times and it never gets old. You might like The Amulet of his too. 😱🎄

[@lyndaslittlelibrary]

@@morebirdsandroses Haven't gotten to it yet, but it is sitting on my shelf next to Blackwater 😆

[@AliceandtheGiantBookshelf]

Haven’t read any of these 😬 but they all sound so good!

[@CriminOllyBlog]

They are, but they're spooooky

[@rjrocket3757]

The novel Thor by Wayne Smith is the source material for the 1996 horror movie called Bad Moon.

[@CriminOllyBlog]

I need to check that out!

[@rosannavitale9922]

Thank you. I, and surely many others, would be very interested in listening to your thoughts on the subtilty/nuance of horror in Salò.

[@CriminOllyBlog]

Thank you!

[@jimsbooksreadingandstuff]

Black Water and The terror sound intriguing. I've only read Frankenstein from the books you talk about.

[@CriminOllyBlog]

I think you'd really like The Terror

[@jimsbooksreadingandstuff]

@@CriminOllyBlog I'm more interested in Drood as I've been working my way through Dickens oeuvre.

[@M-J]

Great list! 👏🏻👏🏻 Happy to see The Cellar (my first Laymon) make the list. 👏🏻👏🏻 What a bonkers ending. There’s the Tremblay again. Man, I need to read that. I have Thor purchased and will get to it soon. What, no love for Moon Dance? 🤭😂 - 📚MJ

[@CriminOllyBlog]

Thanks MJ! You do need to read the Tremblay. And Moon Dance nearly made it!

[@apolloniusbeitsman5444]

The Cellar is such good fun

[@M-J]

@@CriminOllyBlog Moon Dance for the Top 10 Mediocre Horror Reads of 2022. 🐺💦

[@M-J]

@@apolloniusbeitsman5444 bonkers, right? I’m on Book 3 of the series now.

[@CriminOllyBlog]

@@M-J 😂😂

[@teatimewithtraceyandcrew]

Oh a horror that come to might first thing in the morning that I resently reas is Devils Creek by Todd Keisling. Really enjoyed it.

[@CriminOllyBlog]

Ah I've not read that one!

[@heidifogelberg3544]

Re: Head Full of Ghosts, which I just finished. In it, Tremblay mentions The Haunting of Hill House, and the author bio notes that he has served as president of the board for the Shirley Jackson Award. Nowhere is We Have Always Lived In the Castle, with its protagonist named Merricat and her tragic family mentioned. They aren't the same story. But man oh man, talk about a book full of ghosts from one title to another ...

[@CriminOllyBlog]

Yeah the similarities really were striking

[@Ichithix]

Best horror novel I read this year was "The Lesser Dead", it was one of those books I just kept thinking about after I finished.

[@CriminOllyBlog]

I've not heard of that one! Will have to look it up

[@the_eerie_faerie_tales]

I'm reading A Head Full of Ghosts right now!

[@morebirdsandroses]

The Terror is one of my favorites. Especially good for the directions it took; a real saga. Must read Drood! Head Full of Ghosts too. It also took that path of "bet you weren't expecting that, like The Terror.

[@CriminOllyBlog]

You should definitely read Drood! It has a very similar feel to The Terror

[@morebirdsandroses]

@@CriminOllyBlog That definitely sounds must-read. Ooh!

[@parlabaneisback]

Best horror read for me this year was 'Suckers' by Anne Billson, and I've just finished 'Spirits of the Season: Christmas Hauntings' edited by Tanya Kirk (one of the British Library Tales of the Weird collection) which had some excellent stories.

[@CriminOllyBlog]

Suckers is such great fun!

[@johndrayton8728]

Have you read Last Days by Adam Nevill? It's absolutely fantastic. I keep hoping for a sequel, because the characters are excellent.

[@CriminOllyBlog]

I haven't! Not read any Nevill yet but am conscious I need to!

[@loudrockmusic1]

A paperback copy of Thor goes for around $300 on Amazon US! Free for Kindle though!

[@CriminOllyBlog]

Yeah I went the Kindle route!!!

[@anotherbibliophilereads]

I knew The Terror would be #1. The Song of Kali is another great horror novel. My top horror reads this year are rereads: Frankenstein, Off Season, The Slugs, and The Rats. A surprisingly good book was The Monk by Lewis. Old and dated, but enjoyable.

[@CriminOllyBlog]

I need to read The Monk - have read all the rest and loved them

[@speedotheguido1014]

Head Full of Ghosts was sooo good. That scene towards the end almost made me cry 😢 not easy for a book to accomplish

[@CriminOllyBlog]

Yeah it really is brilliantly done

[@markrickert6592]

I started reading this one but put it down. I thought it was too close to the exorcist. But now I feel like maybe I should have stuck with it.

[@CriminOllyBlog]

@@markrickert6592 There are definitely similarities, but it's an interesting modern take

[@markrickert6592]

Have you tried Nick Curtter? The Deep had a very Clive Barker-esque feel to it. And I hear his The Troop is really good...

[@CriminOllyBlog]

Yes, I've read The Troop and enjoyed it. Have The Deep on my shelves but haven't got to it yet

[@pandittroublejr]

Thank you...🙏🏾❤️

[@johnnythepillpopper1974]

Heart shaped box by JHill is also very good

[@CriminOllyBlog]

Great - I have that one too!

[@stumerac]

Thanks for the list, I think I will add Frankenstein, Dream Quest of Vellitt Bo, Head Full of Ghosts, and The Cellar to my tbr. I didn't read much horror this year, but I did read the short story "The Footfalls Within" by Robert E Howard. It was a nice short story where Solomon Kane investigates the haunting of the short route to the next village. It wasn't spetacular, but it was short and well worth reading. In comics I read, "The Me You Love in the Dark." The art is dark and beautiful and the first four issues built a wonderful suspense. It's the story of an artist who rents a house in a small town to get work done, and find she has a supernatural roommate. I didn't really care for the ending, but worth it for the art and suspense. I absolutely loved _Horns_, one of the better things I've read from Joe Hill. Very engaging.

[@CriminOllyBlog]

I have a big book of Robert E Howard horror stories I need to get soon!

[@jean-marieboucherit4518]

My first and much loved horror book is Swan Song.

[@CriminOllyBlog]

An excellent book!

[@jean-marieboucherit4518]

@@CriminOllyBlog i can hard,y finish it,i’m so scared for the heroes and they’re all dying😱

[@williamwright9446]

Read The Terror before the series came out...its a slow burn but when it gets going

[@CriminOllyBlog]

Yeah, so good!

[@kerrymoore5146]

I’m going to read Halloween Laughter when I’ve finished Drood (may be some time as I’m a painfully slow reader). I just hope it’s better than Camp slaughter, as that book annoyed me on so many levels 😝

[@CriminOllyBlog]

Oh no! Sorry Camp Slaughter didn't work for you!

[@TangibleReads]

Can't go wrong with The Omen. Sergio Gomez has a fun vibe. Reading another book by him this month:The Visitor

[@CriminOllyBlog]

I need to read The Visitor. I read his book The Chaos a while back and liked that. Thanks Courtney!

[@Zozette27]

I think if the supernatural theme were taken out of The Terror it still would have been a very good book. The characters were so well portrayed and the historical novel side of the book was so intriguing that the supernatural aspects became secondary to me. I also love The Terror series. It was very close to the book. The Mr Blanky scene (I think you will know what scene I was talking about) was far more suspenseful in the book than on the screen.

[@CriminOllyBlog]

@@Zozette27I think you're probably right!

[@AnneAndersonFoxiepaws]

I read the Omen years ago, all three of those. I feel the same about Richard Laymon it hit or complete miss with me too. Frankenstein is one of my favourites too, he, the creature is sad, its brilliant. I am not a fan of the Chthulu mythos as I just can't find octopuses (octopi) scary. I think the Colur Out of Space is about the only one I liked. I have listened to the audio of Head Full of Ghosts, I don't seem to remember audiobooks the same as physically reading, oh yeah Drood was good and the Terror was great too.

[@CriminOllyBlog]

The Terror really was amazing. I've thought about it so often since reading it

[@apolloniusbeitsman5444]

My favourite horror books of the year: -Some will not sleep by Adam Nevill - Alone with the horrors by Ramsey Campbell -Island & The Cellar by Richard Laymon - Slewfoot by Brom -Trenchmouth by Christine Morgan

[@adriennelee26]

Alone with the Horrors is a great collection.

[@DreamJeanne1111]

In my opinion, Joe Hill's best book is Heart-Shaped Box. I much prefer it over any of his other books.

[@CriminOllyBlog]

I have that one as well

[@CriminOllyBlog]

I keep hearing great things about Slewfoot

[@Kikilang60]

Thanks

[@elizabethmcfadden466]

I am starting The Terror because of your review. I’m nervous. Summer of Night is now one of my favorite books of all time. I dunno if he can top that one.

[@morebirdsandroses]

Maybe not a "topper" but I don't think you'll be disappointed. 😊

[@CriminOllyBlog]

I really need to reread Summer of Night

[@chimneydriptray2439]

If you enjoy a good Christmas ghost story …Don’t Play Games With The Builder.. is up there with the classics , just finished reading it and could not put the book down.

[@CriminOllyBlog]

Thanks for the recommendation!

[@lewiscarty5517]

I had read Shaun Hutson's 'Erebus' this year as you know, and after reading it, I couldn't believe how nasty it was to read, and there were some parts where I felt really sick reading it and other scenes where I had nightmares of having vampires coming out on the streets and attacking people and the scenes with guns firing in a public place and I had trouble sleeping for a while, but at least it wasn't forever.

[@CriminOllyBlog]

It is a pretty extreme book!

[@jesserodriguez7680]

I don't read a lot of horror because I'm a big scaredy-cat, but Helpmeet by Naben Ruthnum was a tightly coiled little novella.

[@CriminOllyBlog]

I've not heard of that one! Thanks for the recommendation

[@christine7956]

Currently reading The Tenant again. (Roland Topor) Such a messed up book and the movie is very good as well.

[@CriminOllyBlog]

I think I read that years and years ago. I've definitely seen the movie!

[@vintagehorrorlibrary]

My Dad read The Cellar by Richard Laymon 20 or so years ago. He hated it. He hated it so much. Now, about 15 years after that he began to read Laymon again. But then he read The Woods are Dark. And now he hates him again. Whenever I mention Laymon my Dad always says “rump” or “breasts” or “dark nipple”. I always laugh at that. And according to Laymon’s family and friends, he was much different than the stuff he wrote about. Great video, Olly!

[@CriminOllyBlog]

Ha! Yeah Laymon is certainly one of a kind. Fortunately lol

[@vintagehorrorlibrary]

@@CriminOllyBlog the funny thing is that I am a writer and my dad compares me to Laymon all the time hahaha.

[@DDB168]

Hmmm I may need to raise a point of order here. It sounds to me like Drood should be in this list. More deserving than The Cellar, surely. Hmmm 🤔🤔 My best horro read of the year was probably Warlock 🤭

[@CriminOllyBlog]

Well I kind of included Drood. It is definitely better than The Cellar!

[@TheJericho1123]

Thor was made into the movie Bad Moon; the paperback is very hard to find.

[@CriminOllyBlog]

Yeah, I went the kindle route!

[@rebeccamann9655]

I read The Cellar earlier this year, it was the first Richard Laymon book I have read and the first book I have given 1 star rating on Goodreads! I read Summer Of Night by Dan Simmons this year and enjoyed it. I want to read The Terror. The only other book I have read by him is Carrion Comfort, but also have Hyperion on my Kindle. I read The Colour Out of Space recently too and thought it was a very good story. N0S4R2 is my favourite by Joe Hill, I didn't enjoy The Fireman so much either. Thought the story had a lot of potential but it just didn't work for me.

[@CriminOllyBlog]

Ha! Yeah The Cellar (and Laymon in general) is definitely an acquired taste!. I read Summer of Night back in the 90s and remember loving it

[@rebeccamann9655]

@@CriminOllyBlog I was thinking it might be because it was his first book and he might have improved! I've had a couple of his books in the Abominable Box, the sequel, The Beast House and After Midnight.

[@CriminOllyBlog]

@@rebeccamann9655 LOL he's really all over the place - he can be fun though

[@williamwright9446]

I recommend Hunter by James Byron Huggins ..and for sci go Cains Blood..very Boys from Brazil like

[@CriminOllyBlog]

Thanks for the recommendations!

[@fabiwilliams4644]

Tropic of night by Michael Gruber is an excellent novel that borders between horror & thriller. It deals with voodoo & a man's quest for immortality through cannibalism. It's written from his wife's perspective as an anthropologists that has studied this religion

[@CriminOllyBlog]

Not heard of that but it sounds really interesting! Thanks for the recommendation!

[@patlockwood6207]

I made a note of several books today. I usually don't read books about or including dogs. I do not want to cry. So, is Thor in anyway sad? It sounds so interesting, but I am cautious.

[@CriminOllyBlog]

It’s hard to answer that without leaving a spoiler which everyone can see! Can you email me or something?

[@wadejohnston4305]

I've been wanting to read Thir. The movie is okay but you don't get Thors perspective in the movie which is what makes me want to read it that much more.

[@CriminOllyBlog]

Hope you enjoy it!

[@GirLWhoLaughsAtFunerals]

The Omen 😍

[@CriminOllyBlog]

So good!

[@mahtoliyaplays]

Hlo dear pls recommend me one bear horror book i just started reading book waiting for that first book to read pls suggest me best

[@toddbutler3341]

My Heart is a Chainsaw by Stephen Graham Jones. I thought Horns was great and a passable movie.

[@CriminOllyBlog]

Yeah My Heart is a Chainsaw was great!

[@nonowannabe]

15

[@AnaMoShoshin]

I'm surprised Villet Boe made it to your top ten, but I'm very surprised you put it in horror and not sci fi? Did you find it horrific?

[@CriminOllyBlog]

That's a fair comment. It's certainly not horrific, and I guess really it's more dark fantasy than horror.

[@AnaMoShoshin]

@@CriminOllyBlog I was just wondering if you did classify it as horror, as I have also been thinking about what makes a horror novel. It was great to see your new video on the subject!!

[@Elly510]

hello bro...I'm a horror story lover, and my content is also horror story content this week...it's really fun to be able to listen to your content, I hope my content develops quickly greetings from Indonesia, bro

[@CriminOllyBlog]

Thanks! Good luck with your channel!