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In this Issue
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Chilling Reads for Hot Days Check out some of these intriguing new horror titles on the shelves this month at Durham County Library. Whether your taste in creepiness runs to the satirical and quirky or the mysterious and hallucinatory, there's something for everyone this month. And if you thought Magic by William Goldman was scary, take a peek at some of these discomfiting successors to the puppet horror throne in this month's theme.
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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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| The Small Hand and Dolly: Two Novels by Susan HillWhat it is: a complementary pair of classically inspired novellas exploring childhood malevolence and otherworldly vengeance.
Want a taste? "And as I stood I felt a small hand creep into my right one, as if a child had come up beside me in the dimness and taken hold of it. It felt cool and its fingers curled themselves trustingly into my palm."
Reviewers say: "These poetic and emotionally painful nightmares lay waste to the claim that the ghost story is dead and buried" (Publishers Weekly). |
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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. |
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| The House of Small Shadows by Adam NevillWhat it's about: Antiques appraiser Catherine is called to the famous Red House, an English country estate housing the collection of eccentric artist M.H. Mason. When a servant passes her a note telling her to leave, Catherine suspects something creepy is afoot.
Don't go in there! Among the estate's many bizarre "treasures" are taxidermied rat soldiers, marionettes tucked into beds, and leering dolls. Why you might like it: Author Adam Nevill's formal prose, reminiscent of the Victorian era, conveys the atmospheric dread enshrined in Red House. |
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For personalized reading recommendations from Durham County librarians, try My Next 5! Simply complete an online form to tell us a little about what genres, books, and authors you like (or dislike). A DCL librarian will review your submission and reply with a list of the next five books you should read -- all ages of readers welcome!
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Want to keep up-to-date on new books at the library? on everything from Horror to Home & Garden!
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NoveList Plus is a comprehensive database of fiction and nonfiction titles for all ages, including recommendations, articles, and lists for your fiction and nonfiction needs. DCL cardholders can access NoveList Plus from any computer.
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Check out the library's top ten checkouts! Lists include top tens for adult fiction and nonfiction, movies, young adults fiction, picture books and kids' fiction.
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