The British Fantasy Awards - Best Horror Nominees

Helloooo!

This week I’m looking at the BFS Best Horror Novel (The August Derleth Award) nominees with winner to be announced at Fantasycon next week. We have a big mix of types of horrors in this group.

This week we have

A House With Good Bones by T Kingfisher – fits within the fascinating blend of comedy and horror featuring family curses, vulture and a great positive mother daughter relationship and knows when to get creepy.

Boys In the Valley by Philip Fracassi – here we move into historical horror. A harsh boys orphanage gets visited by a possessed man. Atmospheric and very much playing with the classic vibes. Perhaps a little too old school to offer surprises in the genre

Don't Fear The Reaper by Stephen Graham Jones – a very fine sequel to Jones’ My Heart is A Chainsaw with a cursed town, a rebellious horror movie fan and death and chaos all striking at once. I really enjoyed this but not entirely sure it stands on its own tow feet as the bridge of a trilogy.

How To Sell A Haunted House by Grady Hendrix – This is a beautiful story with two feuding and grieving siblings dealing with their parent’s house and lets throw in creepy puppets into the mix. Funny, scary and heartfelt it’s a wonderful mix of storytelling.

Looking Glass Sound by Catriona Ward – A deceptively simple book that explores the differences in reality and storytelling as we look at various character’s views on the events of their youth in a strange little coastal town. A story full of hidden razor blades for to be wary of.

One Life Left by David Green at the much milder end of the horror spectrum this was for me more quite an old school urban fantasy story that sadly didn’t leave much of an impression.

If you threaten me with losing all my books my favourites that I think are doing something fresh and different are How To sell A Haunted House and Looking Glass Sound. We’ll find out who wins next Saturday!