February is a great time to find a new horror book to love, and the second month of the year usually highlights a lot of new or lesser-known authors. The best books of February 2024 include historical horror, apocalyptic stories, and some good old magic.
Next of Kin, Elton Skelter, February 14
Serial killers need love, too. Jake has operated as a serial killer in New York City for years, racking up a huge kill count and always evading capture. Though he loves that life, he feels empty. That changes for him when he receives a mysterious call from a hospital stating that a patient has Jake listed as their emergency contact. But is Nathan out to find love with Jake, or could he be setting out to ruin him?
The publisher describes Next of Kin as “American Psycho meets Romeo and Juliet.” What better way can you think of to celebrate Valentine’s Day? Next of Kin is that kind of story that gets you rooting for the bad guy and explores the need for connection that we all have.
The Bad Ones, Melissa Albert, February 20
As one cold winter night progresses, four people disappear. There are no leads; they’re gone without a trace. Becca is one of those missing, but she has left clues scattered for her friend Nora to find. The clues and messages lead Nora to an important part of their childhood together, but can she put the pieces together in time?
The Bad Ones is a nice mix of dark fantasy and horror. If you like a little magic and a supernatural twist to your scares, then The Bad Ones, one of the best horror books coming in February 2024, should move its way up your reading list.
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Eynhallow, Tim McGregor, February 27
It’s 1797, and Agnes Tulloch is unhappy in Eynhallow. She was promised that the Orkney Islands would be much more of a paradise than they were when she married her husband. Years later, she now has four children and anything but the life she’s always wanted.
Then, a wealthy stranger arrives on the island. He is filled with mystery and has all the island residents gossiping with curiosity. Agnes’s husband hires her out to the stranger to be his maid, and Agnes begins to befriend the man. When she learns his name – Frankenstein – she learns that he has motives that are frightening and ominous for everyone.
King Nyx, Kirsten Bakis, February 27
Another one of the best horror books coming in February 2024, King Nyx retells the life of Anna Filing Fort. Her husband, Charles Hoy Fort, is a leading anomalist and brings his wife to stay on the same island as the mansion of the bizarre millionaire Claude Arkel in 1918. The Forts are quarantined far from the mansion, and Anna starts observing strange things occurring on the island.
The revelation that three girls have gone missing from the mansion over the years sparks Anna’s curiosity. She sets out to find out what happened to the girls and why she keeps seeing her estranged friend, Mary, in the woods.
Tomorrow’s Children, Daniel Polansky, February 27
After a noxious cloud descends on Manhattan, the island is separated from the rest of the world. Devastating effects on the people of Manhattan occur, and the effects are felt through generations. Decades after the initial event, the island has descended into a state of chaos compared to what we know today.
The populations communicate in emojis, and each neighborhood is its own fiefdom. Weapons are primitive, and clothing is decades old. The peace is tenuous at best, but when a mysterious stranger arrives on the island, everything could change.
And those are the best horror books coming in February 2024.
