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Horror June 2018 “I expect it's hard for witches ... now that most people work in shops and factories, and haven't any crops to ruin. They must be terribly sad, those witches, to have to go from blighting wheat fields to blighting houseplants.” ― Mallory Ortberg, The Merry Spinster: Tales of Everyday Horror
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| Glimpse by Jonathan MaberryWhat it's about: Recovering addict Rain borrows a cracked pair of glasses en route to a job interview and begins seeing a child who looks like the long dead ex-boyfriend she still mourns.
Why you might like it: A heady mix of reality and illusion ups the stakes in this chilling supernatural thriller.
Reviewers say: "A bold new direction for one of the giants of the horror genre, and one that could extend his already enormous audience" (Booklist). |
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| Unbury Carol by Josh MalermanWhat it is: Half weird Western, half horror, this unusual novel stars a wealthy woman who falls into comas so deep she's mistaken for dead -- which is exactly why her greedy husband is rushing her into the grave.
Who will rescue her? While Carol struggles to wake up, her former love -- an outlaw legend -- rides toward her, hunted by a horrifying hit man.
About the author: Josh Malerman is the Bram Stoker Award-nominated author of Bird Box. |
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| The Merry Spinster: Tales of Everyday Horror by Mallory OrtbergWhat it is: a witty collection of folk and fairy tale retellings tinged with surreal, satirical horror.
Don't miss: "The Rabbit," which re-imagines the plush bunny of The Velveteen Rabbit as a sinister schemer whose desire to become real manifests itself through possession rather than love.
Try this next: Angela Carter's The Bloody Chamber, another violent and darkly humorous adaptation of classic fairy tales. |
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| The Silent Companions by Laura PurcellWhat it's about: In 1865 rural England, pregnant widow Elsie Bainbridge travels to her husband's ancestral home, where she encounters suspicious villagers, frightened servants, and mysterious 17th-century wooden figures that seem eerily alive.
What sets it apart: The Silent Companions features a parallel narrative structure that keeps readers one step ahead of Elsie -- but plenty of suspense will leave them guessing how the story ends.
For fans of: Gothic fiction mainstays Shirley Jackson and Daphne du Maurier. |
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| The Motion of Puppets by Keith DonohueWhat it's about: Newly arrived in Quebec, Kay is chased into an unusual toy shop, where she is transformed into a puppet. Her husband Theo desperately searches for clues to her disappearance.
Pulling the strings: Author Keith Donohue deftly blends psychological horror, mystery, and magical realism in this engaging love story.
Did you know? The Motion of Puppets is an adaptation of the Orpheus and Eurydice myth. |
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Check out: The tale of a boy's obsession with a doll in the aftermath of a cousin's leukemia-related death and a teen's confrontation with an intruder while housesitting for her teacher.
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| The Winter People by Jennifer McMahonWhat it's about: After her mother goes missing, 19-year-old Ruthie discovers the diary of Sara Harrison Shea, a woman whose flayed body was found at Ruthie's Vermont farmhouse in 1908 after the death of her young daughter. As Ruthie sets out to find her mother, using the diary for clues, she fears her mother's fate may be linked to Sara -- and that history is repeating itself.
Try this next: Karen Novak's Five Mile House, another small-town New England thriller featuring a centuries-old mystery. |
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The fifth doll by Charlie N. HolmbergWhat it's about: Matrona lives in an isolated village, where her life is centered on pleasing her parents. She's diligent in her chores and has agreed to marry a man of their choosing. But a visit to Slava, the local tradesman, threatens to upend her entire life. Entering his empty house, Matrona discovers a strange collection of painted nesting dolls -- one for every villager. Why you might like it: Things change when each doll is opened.But nothing can prepare he for the profound secret hiding inside the fifth doll.
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Contact your librarian for more great books!
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Prince George's County Memorial Library System 9601 Capital Lane Largo, Maryland 20774 301-699-3500www.pgcmls.info/ |
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