“When the Wolf Comes Home” by Nat Cassidy (now available from Tor Nightfire) — With raves from both Stephen King and his son Joe Hill, Nat Cassidy’s latest work is slim but emotionally rich, following a woman and a young runaway trying to evade the boy’s abusive father. With fresh prose and nonstop movement, it’s hard to put down “When the Wolf Comes Home.”
“Polybius” by Collin Armstrong (now available from Gallery Books) — Brimming with nostalgia for ‘80s babies, “Polybius” is the story of a video game that causes a rage virus to break out in a small town. Taking life from an urban legend about a government-created title, it’s a great beach read for horror fans who are activated by the phrase “deadly video game.”
“The Night Birds” by Christopher Golden (Coming out on May 6 from St. Martin’s Press) — “The Night Birds” has a delightfully bonkers concept: A man living on a half-sunk freighter takes in his ex, a woman and a child who claim they are being pursued by a coven full of witches. Golden’s clean narrative keeps the mystery moving right along, with some compelling twists and turns along the way.
“Going Home in the Dark” by Dean Koontz (Coming out on May 20 from Thomas & Mercer) — The prolific thriller author returns with the story of old friends reuniting in their hometown to battle secret evil forces they long thought dormant. Although the premise recalls “It,” the story goes down different dark pathways, mining plenty of fear alongside compelling explorations of memory and friendship.
“Feeders” by Matt Serafini (Coming out on May 20 from Gallery Books) — A wannabe influencer gets wrapped up in a toxic world of social media in “Feeders.” No, it’s not about the decline of Twitter after Elon Musk bought it, but rather MonoLife, a shadowy platform that encourages bad behavior and gets our protagonist, Kylie Bennington, caught up in its deadly path. It’s a fast, fun title from the writer of cult hits such as “Feral” and “Under the Blade.”
“Never Flinch” by Stephen King (Coming out on May 27 from Scribner) — The master returns with another Holly Gibney story, this time a crime tale following his fictional muse as she’s hired to be a bodyguard for an outspoken women’s rights activist, as well as asked to help stop a mass killing before it happens. While it’s not directly horror, it’s a dark, fast read, and will keep King fans turning the pages.
“Lake Yellowwood Slaughter” by Alejandro Arbona and Gavin Guidry (Coming soon via Goats Flying Press) — This 90-page graphic novel is close to the finish line via Kickstarter. A love letter to giallo, “Slaughter” purports to be the adaptation of the never-existed 1983 slasher of the same name. The art looks great so far and the influences — from “Blood and Black Lace” to “Deep Red” — are spot-on.
