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Horror

Meddling Kids

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Meddling Kids by Edgar Cantero
Format: eBook, Book
Who it’s for: Adults

In 1977, a group of precocious kid detectives and their dog solved the case of the Sleepy Lake monster. The culprit turned out to be, as was common in their cases, an old man in a mask. He would have gotten away with it too, if it wasn’t for those meddling kids!

Years later the “Blyton Summer Detective Club” are all grown up, but only barely functioning. One committed suicide, one is a college drop out, one has been in and out of jail, and one has been in and out of psychiatric wards. Turns out they’ve all been haunted by the Sleepy Lake monster case. The truth is: they didn’t actually solve it. Yes, there was a masked man in the abandoned mansion on Deboen Isle, but there were also real live monsters that permanently unsettled them, and they’ve had enough. They are reuniting to solve the case once and for all.

When they return to their charming hometown in the Pacific Northwest they find it’s not as idyllic as their childhood memories. Otherworldly horror lurks around every corner, and only they, and their loyal dog (twice removed from their original dog), can stop it.

This book is basically Scooby-Doo meets H.P. Lovecraft meets Twin Peaks and I thought it was great. The writing style is unique, laden with meta references to popular kid detective and classic sci-fi tropes. If you love stories about young detectives, Lovecraftian horror, or small towns where things are not as they seem, you should definitely check this out from the library, or electronically on OverDrive, today!

Every Heart a Doorway

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Every Heart a Doorway by Seanan McGuire
Format: Book
Who it’s for: Adults, Teens

There are a lot of stories about children unexpectedly finding doorways to other worlds, like Alice in Wonderland, or the Chronicles of Narnia. There are also a lot of stories, sad stories in the news occasionally, about children who disappear without a trace, never to be seen again. What if there was a correlation between these stories? What if children really were stumbling through magical doorways all the time? What if some never return from those worlds, and those that do come back with such fantastic tales, they can only be accepted as fiction?

For those who return from their magical lands, our world, the “real” world, is difficult to re-acclimate to, and for them there is a special school, Eleanor West’s Home for Wayward Children, where they can process what happened to them. This is where 17 year old Nancy Whitman finds herself upon returning from the Halls of the Dead. She longs to go back, where the Lord and Lady of the Dead rule over their underworld wisely and justly, while she serves them stilly and silently. She’s not alone in hoping to one day find another doorway leading back “home.” Though Nancy’s found kindred spirits at her new school, all is not well, and when a fellow student turns up dead, an incredible mystery begins to unfold.

I would recommend this to adult or teen readers interested in fantasy, horror, or mystery, but preferably all three, and if you like it, there are more books in the “Wayward Children” series. See Every Heart a Doorway in our catalog.

The Lamb Will Slaughter the Lion

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The Lamb Will Slaughter the Lion by Margaret Killjoy
Format: Book
Who it’s for: Adults

Danielle Cain’s best friend has suddenly, and without explanation, killed himself. She’s distraught, and she wants answers. She travels to her friend’s last known whereabouts: Freedom, Iowa, to discover a commune of individuals like herself: free spirits, artists, outcasts, punks… and spell casters?

It appears the residents of Freedom have summoned an otherworldly being, a red deer with three antlers, to protect their home, but now it’s turned upon them, with deadly consequences. Magic is real, people are in danger, and somewhere in all of this may lie the answers to Danielle’s questions about her friend’s suicide.

This book is filled with mystery, suspense, and interesting characters. I found it intriguing and difficult to put down, having never read anything like it before. I recommend it to adult or mature teen readers who are looking for something unique to read, and if you like it there is a sequel! Find this book in our catalog

Sawkill Girls

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Sawkill Girls by Claire Legrand
Format: Book
Who it’s For: Teens

“Beware of the woods and the dark, dank deep. He’ll follow you home and won’t let you sleep…”

23 girls have disappeared from Sawkill Rock when Marion moves to the island with her mother and beautiful sister. 23 girls, and no one has any idea what happened to Zoey’s best friend Thora. 23 girls, and Val is hiding a nasty secret that could tear her apart from the inside out.

This young adult horror story follows three girls as they discover the terrifying secrets that are hidden on their island and if there is truth to Sawkill’s whispered ghost stories.

Sawkill Girls is a great book for those who want a dark, creepy read without the threat of nightmares afterward. Legrand merges the horror and fantasy genres seamlessly to create a story that is absolutely mesmerizing from beginning to end. The story twists from average high school drama, to a complete nightmare, and then back again in a mesmerizing way. She pushes you to the brink of terror and then pulls you back before it becomes too much to handle.

Marion, Zoey and Val are three imperfect, sometimes unlikable, characters that portray strength and ferocity in the face of loss and terror. The idea that strong female friendships can conquer even the most disturbing events is present throughout and creates a fierce girl power message that elevates the book from a good horror story to an inspiring and timely novel.

Find it in the catalog!

Locke and Key

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Locke and Key Vol. 1: Welcome to Lovecraft by Joe Hill and Gabriel Rodríguez
Format: Graphic Novel
Who it’s for: Adults

The Locke family are keepers of magic keys that can do amazing things. The keys are kept safe in the Locke ancestral home of Keyhouse, by a rule that only innocent children can discover their magic, and forget it once they become corruptible adults. A malevolent creature called Dodge seeks the keys for nefarious purposes and the only thing standing between Dodge and those evil machinations are the current Locke children: teenagers Tyler and Kinsey, and their younger sibling Bode.

This is just the beginning of a six volume saga that is part horror, part fantasy, and part family drama. The Locke and Key series is great for any fans of Stranger Things, It, Twin Peaks, or H.P. Lovecraft. The books do feature scenes of violence, gore, abuse, and addiction, so I would only recommend them to adults, or mature teens. The series is also available on audio, with a stellar cast of voice actors, sound effects, and a haunting score. Find Locke and Key in our catalog

Contagion

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Contagion by Erin Bowman

Publication Date: July 24, 2018

Who it’s for: Teens

 

Are you a fan of the Alien and Outbreak movies? If so, then this first of two books is for you.

In this science fiction/ thriller/ horror novel, an ordinary search and rescue mission on a hostile planet turns into a fight for survival for two teen girls. Althea, a microbiology intern, and Nova, a pilot, are sent with a rescue group to respond to a distress signal received from a drilling base on Achlys. When they arrive they find a disturbing video and a cryptic note left by a dead engineer, leading them on a search for survivors and answers to what happened to the inhabitants. They soon learn that something was lurking below the surface and experience first-hand what went wrong on this fringe planet.

Find it in the catalog.