Books by Stephen Graham Jones
“The Only Good Indians is one of those books that does so much. It blends horror with social commentary in the absolute best way. It follows four American Indian men after this event in their youth tips everything upside down. They are each tracked down by a supernatural being that seeks to get revenge on them. There’s a character called elk woman who is so filled with rage and not fully human. Again, there’s the element of metaphor that’s really strong, and the femaleness of this vengeful entity is striking.” Read more...
“This fictional confession set in smalltown Texas, 1989, presents a stream-of-consciousness thriller through the eyes of a teen serial killer. Tolly Driver is a good kid—or at least he was. Now, with the help of his best friend Amber, a film buff with enough knowledge to guide him through the gore, he might just have a chance of getting away with it.” Read more...
Don't Fear the Reaper
by Stephen Graham Jones
☆ Shortlisted for the Bram Stoker Award for Superior Achievement in a Novel
Horror superstar Stephen Graham Jones returns with Don't Fear the Reaper, a terrifying (and very gory) homage to slasher flicks. In the second book in the Indian Lake Trilogy, Jade Daniels—freshly released following her wrongful imprisonment—returns home, just as the revenge-seeking serial killer Dark Mill South makes his own, illicit escape. Locus Online said it was "bloody and violent and utterly riveting". We recommend reading the whole trilogy in order: start with My Heart is a Chainsaw, followed by Don't Fear the Reaper, then finally The Angel of Indian Lake.
“This is an interesting example of how historical fiction can dovetail with other genres that you might not consider it to have much of a relationship with—in this particular case, with horror. And this book has a wild experimental structure; it’s very fragmented. Part of it is a contemporary drama set on a Blackfeet reservation in Montana; that’s mixed with a braid of epistolary fiction set in the 1880s on the same reserve. This book is amazing. It’s got multiple time frames and points of view. It’s in the first person, the second person. It’s got the modern setting, it’s got this historical setting, and all the spaces in between. And despite its complicated structure, it’s really gripping.” Read more...
Five of the Best Literary Historical Novels
Paul Carlucci, Novelist
“It’s a road novel. The primary character, Pidgin, whose mother died, is trying to find his father. But the plot is almost like a hallucination. This quest takes him to a rodeo, where he trips out on an anti-spongiform drug that they feed to the cows. The plot goes into these weird funhouse tunnels filled with strange twists and playful references.” Read more...
The Best Native American Literature
Megan Tusler, Literary Scholar
Interviews where books by Stephen Graham Jones were recommended
The Best Native American Literature, recommended by Megan Tusler
“There’s a lot more diversity within Native American literature than many imagine,” according to Megan Tusler. The University of Chicago academic and cohost of the Better Read than Dead podcast recommends five fantastic novels which avoid “the authenticity shuffle” and demonstrate the range of literary production by American Indians.
Five of the Best Literary Historical Novels, recommended by Paul Carlucci
Writers approach historical fiction from many different angles, explains the novelist Paul Carlucci—whose new, evocative novel is set in colonial-era Canada. Here, he recommends five of his favourite literary historical novels that manipulate form, character and setting in interesting ways while simultaneously summoning the atmosphere of the past.
The Best Horror Novels: The 2024 Bram Stoker Awards, recommended by The Horror Writers Association
It’s not too late to discover your favourite book of the year. Here, we offer a round-up of the horror novels garlanded at the Horror Writers Association’s annual Bram Stoker Awards in 2024, which offers everything from haunted houses to slasher homages: a perfectly curated selection for those who prefer their books to scare them senseless.
The Best Horror Novels: The 2025 Bram Stoker Awards, recommended by The Horror Writers Association
It’s that time of year again. If you love to read horror books but find it hard to keep up with what’s new, then the annual shortlists for the Bram Stoker Awards are an excellent place to find your next favourite read. Here’s their latest shortlist of the best new horror novels, released in early 2025.
The Best Gothic Fantasy Novels, recommended by C.J. Cooke
Gothic fantasy helps us explore what is hidden, disturbing and liminal in our own lives, explains author C.J. Cooke. She introduces her top five gloriously Gothic novels, featuring haunted houses, attic prisons, carrion crows, and ghost children – and an underlying exploration of personal and collective traumas.
The best books on Mythical Creatures, recommended by Katherine Arden
Many classic fantasies revolve around mythical creatures – slaying them, bonding with them, or even transforming into them. Bestselling author Katherine Arden talks us through her five favourites, from childhood classics to modern innovations, and the rich worlds these legendary creatures open up.
The Best Sci-Fi & Fantasy Novels: The 2026 Nebula Awards, recommended by Sylvia Bishop
The Nebula Awards finalists for best novel are an annual must for fantasy and sci fi fans. We asked our fantasy and sci fi editor Sylvia Bishop to give us a round-up of the seven titles in the running – a particularly hot contest this year, packed with award-winning names and fresh ideas. The winner will be announced on June 6th.
