I want an... aquatic horror
An eerie horror/thriller (more thriller than horror) set around a crumbling reservoir in upstate New York where generations ago a village was flooded so New York City could have drinking water. An engineer possessed by the ghost of villagers past, the sheriff's son on a path to redemption and a young police woman hoping to find answers to some family secrets get caught up in the dam's explosive path. This suspenseful thriller, with its well-developed characters and expertly crafted tension, will keep you on the edge of your seat until the explosive climax.
Competitive swimmer Ren Yu is a Chinese-American girl fixated on becoming a mermaid. Driven by relentless pressure from her immigrant mother and a predatory coach, Ren's obsession blurs the lines between aspiration and delusion. Song crafts a visceral coming-of-age story where the desire for liberation takes a dark and unsettling turn, questioning the cost of escaping societal constraints.
Our Wives Under the Sea by Julia Armfield
When Leah returns from a deep sea science mission irrevocably changed, her body and mind echoing the abyss, her wife Miri struggles to hold their relationship and her own sanity together. The writing is exquisite, painting vivid scenes and while the narrative unfolds at a gentle pace – a lot happens, yet it carries a certain quietude – the final pages deliver a powerful emotional punch, leaving you with a sense of grief, love, and profound loss.
Biologist Billy Harrow is dragged into the salty London underworld of squid worshippers, sentient tattoos, and magical gangs. Miéville's signature "New Weird" style blends urban fantasy with the grotesque and absurd, crafting a narrative that is both darkly humorous and unsettling. Expect a wild ride through a city teeming with the strange and the marvelous, where belief shapes reality in terrifying and hilarious ways.
The Luminous Dead by Caitlin Starling
As caver Gyre Price plunges into a treacherous alien cave system with only her remote handler, Em, for support, the environment and Em's increasingly manipulative behavior blur the lines between reality and hallucination. The complex and unsettling relationship between Gyre and Em drives the narrative, making it a compelling blend of sci-fi survival and psychological horror for fans of The Martian and The Southern Reach trilogy.
Read The Luminous Dead on the Libby app.
The Route of Ice and Salt by José Luis Zárate Herrera
Herrera reimagines Dracula's voyage to England from the perspective of the Demeter's captain. Told through his intimate diary entries, the novella reveals his homoerotic desires for his crew alongside the growing dread of an unseen entity stalking the ship. Herrera masterfully blends gothic imagery with queer desire, creating a tense and sensual atmosphere, offering aunique and unsettling take on a familiar tale, focusing on the doomed captain's internal struggle and the mounting horror of their journey. It's a compelling exploration of hidden desires and the monstrous, set against a backdrop of increasing maritime terror.
In a near-future Scotland ravaged by rising sea levels, the isolated island of Toll Mòr faces imminent submersion. The close-knit community fiercely resists forced relocation, clinging to their traditions and the enigmatic "water witch" myths surrounding their land. Told through multiple perspectives, the novel blends suspenseful eco-thriller elements with folklore and a palpable sense of impending doom, building tension as strange occurrences and disappearances coincide with the rising tide, leaving the reader questioning the true nature of the threat facing Toll Mòr.
The Woman in Cabin 10 by Ruth Ware
When travel journalist Lo Blacklock witnesses a possible murder in the cabin next to hers during a luxurious cruise on the Norwegian fjords, she grapples with her own anxieties and the unsettling reality of what she believes she saw. Confined to the ship and doubted by the crew who claim no one occupies the cabin, Lo comes to believe she is trapped onboard with a potential killer. Ruth Ware is one of our most popular thriller authors and will appeal to readers of Paula Hawkins, Fiona Barton and Simone St. James.
