I may not know what you did last summer, but if you’re looking for good books in the horror genre for June 2023, you’re in luck. Before many of the biggest names in horror writing take center stage later this year, summer is a great time to discover a new author or story. Luckily, there are a lot of good ones to choose from.
June is Pride Month, and there are several LGBTQ+ authors and stories highlighted among the new releases this month. Among a zombie tale, a campground slasher reminiscent of Friday the 13th, and a story set in the world of 1920s silent films in Hollywood, you’ll find something that gives you chills on the upcoming warm summer nights.
Here are a few of the best new horror books coming in June 2023.
Horror Books to Watch in June 2023
All the Sinners Bleed – S.A. Cosby, June 6
All the Sinners Bleed is a mix of a thriller and a horror story. Titus Crown is the first Black sheriff in Charon County, Virginia, and despite his background as an FBI agent, he isn’t accepted by everyone in the Southern town. A series of murders occurs one year into his term as sheriff, and Titus soon realizes he has a serial killer on his hands. As the town becomes more and more uneasy, the threats of the present collide with the town’s history as Titus tries to solve the murders while concealing events from his own past. On top of it all, the events in the town give rise to far-right groups taking more action, forcing Titus and his family to confront multiple demons at once.
The Only Safe Place Left Is the Dark – Warren Wagner, June 6 [Update: August 29]
You’d think trying to survive during the zombie apocalypse is enough of a crisis. However, in The Only Safe Place Left Is the Dark, that’s just the story’s beginning. The protagonist is an HIV-positive gay man who is out of the medication he needs to stay alive. To survive, he must leave the safety of his cabin in the woods to brave the hordes of zombies who want him dead — all so he doesn’t suffer a premature death.
This book is also available as part of the 2023 Ghoulish membership book bundle, a great way to meet some incredible new horror authors.
The Devil’s Playground – Craig Russell, June 20
When The Devil’s Playground was made in 1927, it was one of the most terrifying horror films ever made. The truth was even more frightening, though. Rumors had abounded for years that the film created a curse that affected all involved in the production, and the death of star actor Norma Carlton sets Mary Rourke, a Hollywood studio fixer, on a path to discover the truth behind the events surrounding the film. The Devil’s Playground also takes place in 1967, when journalist Paul Conway is pursuing the rumored lost copy of the film. Will what he finds be more than he ever wished for?
Everything the Darkness Eats – Eric LaRocca, June 20
If you’ve read Things Have Gotten Worse Since We Last Spoke, you know Eric LaRocca can deliver great stories in the horror genre. His debut novel, Everything the Darkness Eats, is a tale that combines the forces of prejudice and trauma in a Connecticut town where a series of disappearances have been happening. While a grieving widow turns to dark magic, other elements of the town allow their long history of hate and prejudice to rise to the surface. When everything boils over and each of these elements collides, the town and its citizens are forced to confront who they are and what the evil really is.
You’re Not Supposed to Die Tonight – Kalynn Bayron, June 20
We all had that one friend who had the really cool summer job. Charity is that friend in You’re Not Supposed to Die Tonight. She has scored her dream gig as the “final girl” at Camp Mirror Lake, where guests come experience recreations of scenes from the slasher film The Curse of Camp Mirror Lake. Everything is going great for Charity and her new friends until the final weekend of the season. Her coworkers start disappearing, and when one turns up dead, Charity is thrust into a tale where she might be the “final girl” — for real. As she tries to survive the night with her girlfriend Bezi, she discovers that there is a lot more to Camp Mirror Lake than she thought.
Let us know which horror books in June 2023 sound like a frightful good time to you.
