The Spooky Western
October 20, 2023
Why did the western cross the road? To get to the other genre. These books will have you feeling the grit of westerns with the suspense, spooks, and shrieks of horror. Saddle up on these arid plains and see what wild monsters lurk in the shadows.
Lone Women by Victor LaValle
Adelaide Henry moves west to Montana to start a homestead and acquire land, but the dark secrets of her past have a way of catching up with her. Set in 1915, this new title plays with conventions in horror and western genres in an innovative way that discusses what it’s like to be on the fringes of society.
Blood Meridian by Cormac McCarthy
Set in Texas in the 1850s, this story follows a Tennessean teenager, “the kid”, in a harrowing tale of a gang involved in torture and carnage. Considered one of McCarthy’s best works, this is a great read for anyone interested in the unsettling aspects of the western and how we characterize the humanity of “heroes” and “villains”.
In the Valley of the Sun by Andy Davidson
Travis Stillwell preys on the women of the honky-tonks until one strange encounter leaves him bloody and with no memory of the previous night. Annabelle Gaskin and her son ask that Travis to do maintenance of the motel Annabelle owns and quickly discover that Travis is not what he seems. Fans of Joe Hill and Anne Rice will enjoy this supernatural thriller set in West Texas.
The Only Good Indians by Stephen Graham Jones
From New York Times bestselling author Stephen Graham Jones comes a chilling horror novel for fans of Jordan Peele. The story follows four Blackfeet Nation friends who are haunted by an illegal elk hunt ten years ago. The disturbance from the hunt eventually leads to violence and a struggle for each friend’s survival.
Valley of Shadows by Rudy Ruiz
Set in the late 1800s on the Texas/Mexico border, this novel plays with many genres: western, magical realism, horror, and mystery. Solitario Cisneros, a grieving, retired lawman, is confronted with murders and kidnappings in his town, Olvido, TX, and is compelled to fight the darkness devouring his community and himself.
When the Night Bells Ring by Jo Kaplan
Modern-day climate refugees, Mads and Waynoka, are making their way east crossing the Nevada dessert when they decide to explore an abandoned cave to find water. When the ladder breaks, they find themselves trapped with only their flashlight and a mysterious 1860s diary of Lavinia Cain. This fast-paced novel set in the western dessert is psychologically captivating and disturbing.
The Gunslinger by Stephen King
The first book in King’s Dark Tower series, The Gunslinger combines fantasy with the classic western quest and imagery in a battle of good and evil between the gunslinger and the man in black. Looking for a suspenseful western that is on the lighter, adventurous side? Try out one of King’s best-loved series.
The Hunger by Alma Katsu
An occult reimaging of the iconic, true story of the cannibal Donner Party, the novel follows a wagon train party as they face a string of misfortunes and mysterious tragedies. Paranormal and witchcraft set the stage for a suspenseful retelling of the journey west to California in 1846. A perfect novel for fans of historical fiction, the supernatural, and horror.
Unbury Carol by Josh Malerman
For fans of Stephen King and Cormac McCarthy, this novel has all the hallmarks of weird western horror: a quest, a rescuer, suspense, and unexplained phenomena that results in an intense fight to not being buried alive. This atmospheric, creepy novel will have you on the edge of your seat in an old-fashioned, wild West race against time!