US/EN
A Women's History of Horror
By Ladies of Horror Fiction
By Ladies of Horror Fiction
March is the month that we commemorate Women's History. So over at Ladies of Horror Fiction, we're celebrating the LOHF way by highlighting books written by (and books that feature) women who pioneered the horror, sci-fi, and other speculative genres. We hope you find some new authors to enjoy. Happy reading!
Monster, She Wrote: The Women Who Pioneered Horror and Speculative Fiction
Lisa Kröger and Melanie R. Anderson
$19.99 $18.59If you're looking for a book to get you started on the history of women and the horror genre, this is it! Get ready for your TBR to explode. The speculative genres would not exist without the innovative women who built it. This book explores these women and their works, a fascinating deep-dive into the horror genre. Also be sure to check out Valancourt's "Monster, She Wrote" series, featuring some books discussed in these pages!
The Mysteries of Udolpho
Ann Ward Radcliffe
$13.95 $12.97This Gothic romance was a huge inspiration to writers such as Edgar Allen Poe. And don't let the word "romance" fool you, this work offers a spooky atmosphere and delves into psychological terror.
The Last Man
Mary Shelley
$13.95 $12.97OK, so you probably expected FRANKENSTEIN to be on this list, and there's no doubt that Mary Shelley is a pioneer of horror. But did you know that she also wrote a post-apocalyptic tale about a plague that wipes out humans? Yep, she was before her time in so many ways.
Women's Weird: Strange Stories by Women, 1890-1940
$17.99 $16.73
Here's another compilation of early women writing horror to whet your whistle. This volume focuses on Gothic tales.
A Phantom Lover: And Other Dark Tales by Vernon Lee
Vernon Lee
$15.95 $14.83Violet Paget (whose pen name was Vernon Lee) is best remembered for her supernatural fiction and in her writing often explored lesbian relationships—quite a feat in the Victorian era.
The Yellow Wall-Paper and Other Writings
Charlotte Perkins Gilman
$14.00 $13.02Gilman was a proponent of social reform, but what tends to be swept under the rug today were her strongly held racist and xenophobist views—the more you know. Though she isn't necessarily known for horror, the title story of this collection is a shocking indictment of the "rest-cure" that was frequently prescribed for postpartum depression.
Of One Blood: Or, the Hidden Self
Pauline Hopkins
$14.99 $13.94I couldn't be more excited about this new edition of Pauline Hopkins's uncanny tale! Hopkins in many ways laid the groundwork for other Black women writing speculative fiction with her combination of the supernatural with hard truths about reality and racism.
The Demon Lover
Dion Fortune
$21.95Published the same year as Lovecraft's THE CALL OF CTHULHU, Fortune's tale focuses on ritual magic and cultish secret societies. She not only wrote fiction about the occult but was also a pioneer of esoteric thought, eventually founding The Society of the Inner Light.
The Ghost Stories of Edith Wharton
Edith Wharton
$7.99 $7.43A master of the ghost story, Wharton's supernatural stylings are not to be missed. She was also the first woman to win the Pulitzer Prize for fiction.
The Uninvited
Dorothy Macardle
$15.95 $14.83The basis for the 1944 movie of the same title, this little-known debut novel is without a doubt spookier on the page, and it should really be a classic of the haunted house genre.
The Bird's Nest
Shirley Jackson
$17.00 $15.81There is no question that Jackson's THE HAUNTING OF HILL HOUSE laid the groundwork for the modern haunted house novel. But lesser known are her non-Gothic works, such as this tale of a woman's terrifying downward spiral as she splits into four distinct and self-destructive personalities. Jackson's quick wit and blend of humor and darkness are on full display in this character-driven novel.
Killing Mr. Griffin
Lois Duncan
$10.99 $10.22Lois Duncan is a pioneering figure in YA horror and suspense thrillers. She is perhaps most well-known for I KNOW WHAT YOU DID LAST SUMMER (yes, the movie is based on it), but this tale of kids taking on a strict English teacher is worth a read.
The Auctioneer (Valancourt 20th Century Classics)
Joan Samson
$20.39A mix of the thematic hivemind and gothic tones of "The Lottery" with the small town Americana and charismatic villain of NEEDFUL THINGS, this superb book shows that Joan Samson was an amazing talent. We are so lucky to have gotten this, her only published work, from her before she passed away suddenly from brain cancer soon after its publication in 1976.
Kindred
Octavia E. Butler
$16.00 $14.88Butler is a sci-fi queen, but her books have dark edges. This story of a Black woman who uncontrollably time travels from the 1970s to the antebellum South is a classic, inviting discussion of difficult but important topics like racism, slavery, privilege, and how our past threads through to the present in ways visible and invisible.
Flowers in the Attic: 40th Anniversary Editionvolume 1
V. C. Andrews
$16.99 $15.80We would be remiss to leave off V.C. Andrews, the writer who may have been many a reader's introduction to horror in their teen years. This was her debut novel.
The Bloody Chamber: And Other Stories: 75th-Anniversary Edition (Penguin Classics Deluxe Edition)
Angela Carter
$17.00 $15.81A true "storytelling sorceress," Angela Carter paved the way for many purveyors of the modern supernatural. This collection of de- and reconstructed fairy tales offers dark, subversive, feminist retellings of familiar tales like Bluebeard, Red Riding Hood, and more.
The Graveyard Apartment
Mariko Koike
$34.99 $32.54Originally published in 1986, this book by one of Japan's most popular modern writers has only been available in English for 5 years. A disquieting tale about a young family who moves into an apartment building overlooking a graveyard—it's a good deal, until you realize what might be in the basement.
Beloved
Toni Morrison
$17.00 $15.81This Pulitzer Prize winner has experienced a bit of a renaissance for genre fans happily claiming it as horror. After all, it is a story with a haunted house and ghosts—though the terror extends far beyond that.
The Witching Hour
Anne Rice
$9.99 $9.29Anne Rice is best known for her series of (sexy) vampire novels, but she has also written about ghosts, werewolves, and witches.
The Face on the Milk Carton
Caroline B. Cooney
$9.99 $9.29Caroline B. Cooney is one of the many Point Horror authors, a series of YA horror novels from the late 80s and 90s. Many of these books are out of print now, but look for Cooney along with Diane Hoh, L.J. Smith, Carol Ellis, and more in used bookstores.
The Gilda Stories
Jewelle Gomez
$16.95 $15.76Described as "a very lesbian American odyssey," this is an oft-overlooked vampire classic from activist and author Jewelle Gomez. It chronicles Gilda's 200-year journey after she escapes from slavery and looks for a community to call her own.
The Between: Novel, a
Tananarive Due
$14.99 $13.94Though you can only do right by reading any of Tananarive Due's work, this novel in particular transcends the genre. Due takes the very human fear about death and creates a world of “what if.” What if near-death is really just escape through another door, another reality? A UCLA professor and executive producer of HORROR NOIRE, Due also offers an online course called The Sunken Place, all about the history and power of Black horror.
White as Snow
Tanith Lee
$23.99 $22.31A true legend, with over 90 books and 300 short stories, it is difficult to just pick one Tanith Lee book. From dark fairytales to romantic vampires, Lee often showcased LGBTQ+ characters in her novels. Find her short story collections if you can!
Women Make Horror: Filmmaking, Feminism, Genre
$29.95
BONUS READ: With essays from women filmmakers, critics, and academics, this collection looks at everything from experimental to mainstream film all over the world, asking us to turn a critical eye on our perception of women filmmakers and genre.
The Science of Women in Horror: The Special Effects, Stunts, and True Stories Behind Your Favorite Fright Films
Kelly Florence and Meg Hafdahl
$14.99 $13.94BONUS READ: This is a passionate and beautiful book delving into tropes found in horror movies, tv shows, and literature. Of particular interest might be the interviews from a diverse group of industry professionals.
Though this list isn't meant to be exhaustive, please let us know if we're missing any pioneering women of horror and we'll add them to the list!