Library Journal Best Horror 2020

Below is the Library Journal 2020 Best Horror list. As you can see below in the byline, I was on the committee to pick these books. While, I have the entire list of LJ's 2020 titles in all categories on the main blog here, I wanted to accomplish 2 things on the horror blog today. First, I wanted to make sure the full list appeared here so that each entry was searchable by title here on the blog. 

But second, and more importantly, I wanted to spend a few moments explaining how these lists are built because when you make a best list for a library magazine, it is way more complicated than simply listing your favorite books. [That is a completely different exercise and is not appropriate for a major publication.]

For example, I loved Survivor Song by Paul Tremblay, but when push came to shove we decided to use that space for another small press title that was excellent, one you might not know about without us. You don't need LJ to tell you that Survivor Song is awesome and you should order it. But you might not know about Crossroads or Cirque Berserk without us. And you probably forgot about The Boatman's Daughter since it came out in February just as the pandemic was beginning. In the end, a title like the Tremblay was up against the Kraus or Hendrix for 2 out of those 3 making it. In the end, the Hendrix is more important for libraries because it is also about book clubs and would make an excellent book club selection and the Kraus is paired with the Romero legacy. All three got stars from me. All three are excellent must buys and will appeal to a wide audience, but when push comes to shove, the other two had reasons besides being awesome to be included. We don't help anyone by only having bestselling titles on the list. 

Here's the point I want to make with this explanation on how this all works. This best list is for libraries and library workers. We went out of our way to include different types of horror. There is bloody stuff here as well as fairly tame. We have titles that came out early in the year, that others have forgotten about, and titles that are too important to the story of the genre to sleep on. There are books by up and comers and books by old standbys. Every title that was included is there for a reason just as those which were left off have reasons they almost made it. I used Tremblay as the example, but there are at least 5 or 6 more titles that we seriously considered. 

This is a list to be taken in its entirety. There are books I liked just as much as these titles which could have made it, but taken as a grouping of 10, this list represents HORROR right at this moment. And making this list was a group effort, 100%. Our team of three worked together to build this list. We only had a few must includes and then we listened to each other to build out the rest. I am so proud of us, how we worked together, and the list we made as a result.

Remember that as you encounter best lists everywhere. Remember the mission of the list builders. For LJ it is to give you a broad and representative list of the very best for each category. We are trying to help you help build your collections and make suggestions to the public, and we take that responsibility very seriously.

Best Horror of 2020

by Cody Daigle-Orians, Stephanie Klose, Becky Spratford

Clark, P. Djèlí. Ring Shout. Tor.com. ISBN 9781250767028.

This story of Black female power honors the Black American experience in all its complexity, yet also delivers Lovecraftian delight. Readers will gasp at the visceral horrors, both real and otherworldly, cringe at the destruction and carnage, and ultimately cheer for Maryse to keep fighting for herself and her people.

Danforth, Emily M. Plain Bad Heroines. Morrow. ISBN 9780062942852.

Danforth asks readers to contemplate how stories are told. Which horrors are real, which are imagined, and which are consciously constructed? The story, set at the cursed Brookhants School for Girls, unfolds across time in three linked story lines. It features a pointed female focus, an unease seeping in from the perimeter, spiking to fear at key moments, and vividly drawn characters.

Davidson, Andy. The Boatman’s Daughter. Farrar. ISBN 9780374538552.

Miranda earns her living running contraband while trying to survive monsters, both human and supernatural. The restrained narrative doles out the tension, expertly pulling readers in as the novel embraces its horror genre affinities while also confidently fitting among Southern gothic classics of the 21st century.

Guess, Jessica. Cirque Berserk. Unnerving. ISBN 9781989206362.

This celebration of the slasher story also turns out to be a love story, a tale of survival, and an ode to the power of family. Guess shows this through a demented fun house mirror, taking love and devotion to their darkest extremes.

Hendrix, Grady. The Southern Book Club’s Guide to Slaying Vampires. Quirk. ISBN 9781683691433.

Hendrix blends the disaffected Southern housewife story with a terrifying vampire tale. The anxiety and tension are palpable as a book club shifts from discussing true crime to battling societal stereotypes and demeaning husbands, as well as an intensely evil, centuries-old vampire, to save their children from very real harm.

Hightower, Laurel. Crossroads. Off Limits. ISBN 9780578723563.

Hightower is writing at the sharpest edges of grief. Her portrait of a mother’s pursuit to undo the unthinkable loss of her son is relentless, muscular, and emotionally fearless. It’s a novella about grief that turns into obsession, and it’s unforgettable.

Jones, Stephen Graham. The Only Good Indians. Saga: S. & S. ISBN 9781982136451.

This classic tale of revenge horror oscillates among eerie moments, violent action, and an overarching sense of dread. It is also an achingly beautiful story about hope and survival, grappling with themes of cultural identity, family, and traditions. Fully entrenched within the genre, the book’s well-developed cast, lyrical language, and heightened suspense will have broad appeal.

Kiste, Gwendolyn. Boneset & Feathers. Broken Eye. ISBN 9781940372594.

Kiste’s writing style moves fluidly back and forth through time with lyrical language describing awful things. Readers will hang on every word, cringe and cheer through the action, and passionately root for Odette, the last of the witches, who has banished herself to a magic-free life of isolation. Kiste casts a spell with this original and suspenseful horror story, which offers more than meets the eye.

Moreno-Garcia, Silvia. Mexican Gothic. Del Rey. ISBN 9780525620785.

Featuring a feisty, whip-smart protagonist, a perfectly rendered setting, exquisite supernatural details, and an escalating sense of dread that jumps off the page, effortlessly pulling both the protagonist and the reader through a range of emotions from unease to panic, and finally, to breathless terror. This is not your mother’s gothic tale.

Romero, George A. & Daniel Kraus. The Living Dead. Tor. ISBN 9781250305121.

The zombies are terrifyingly realistic, but it is the well-developed human characters that readers will appreciate, particularly Etta Hoffmann, autistic researcher and archivist of the apocalypse. This is a rare gem of a story, one that pays homage to its varied source material while also standing on its own merits.