I’m sure you all are aware that there’s… a lot… going on in the world right now. So much, in fact, that it is quite possible to scroll yourself into a pit of despair at any point of the day. Some of you might use reading as a reprieve from the onslaught of horrors we’re faced with every day, while the rest of you might feel compelled to watch and witness. After all, we dug ourselves this grave, didn’t we? And it’s at this intersection between escapism and attentiveness where many will find horror.

Horror has always been one of the most fascinating genres of storytelling. Many folks way smarter than me, have written about the horror phenomenon–Sadie Hartman (MotherHorror) being a personal favorite author/creator–but the quickest way to summarize is that horror allows us a safe way to confront the darkest parts of our world and ourselves. And that confrontation can feel simultaneously both exhilarating and cathartic.

So, in response to the truly asinine executive order that populated many of our brains and screens, here are some trans & nonbinary horror novels to help you escape the horrors.

Starting with some general recommendations for four trans/nonbinary authors:

Lee Mandelo (He/Him):

Lee Mandelo is the author of several incredible pieces of queer speculative fiction and horror–most of which focus on southern/Appalachian experiences. His debut novel, Summer Sons, is a queer Southern Gothic, but my favorite is his most recent novella, The Woods All Black. A monstrous tale, The Woods All Black is about a trans man working as a frontier nurse in a rural, sinister town and a young man he hopes to save.

Andrew Joseph White (he/him):

Another southern trans horror author! Andrew has written three truly horrifying YA novels and his adult debut is published this fall. All of his novels explore trans identity, as well as neurodivergence. Start with Hell Followed With Us and work your way through his backlist.

Rivers Solomon (fae/faer or they/them):

Rivers Solomon is a nonbinary author of queer fantasy, speculative, and horror fiction. They are one of the most gifted authors of the last decade and are constantly pushing the boundaries of what fiction can mean. Their book Sorrowland is one of my all time favorite books and one of the best monster tales of all time. Their most recent book Model Home was so horrific, I had to put it down for months after the election.

Eric LaRocca (he/they):

Eric LaRocca is a nonbinary author of “queer transgressive horror”. To be perfectly honest with you all, I have never read one of his book, nor will I probably every read his books, because I’m actually a scaredy cat at my core. However, he is absolutely beloved by many of my closest friends and horror fans. He also just released a new book, At Dark I Become Loathsome, this week!

Now on to some individual book recs:

Deephaven by Ethan Aldridge (Middle Grade, Horror)

I have never seen my husband gush over a book as much as he gushed over this one. Deephaven is a middle grade novel about a non-binary student at a boarding school where something is lurking in the shadows. For a middle grade novel, it’s surprisingly spooky, especially the illustrations throughout. Plus, the sequels came out this fall, so there now even more story to love.

Old Wounds by Logan-Ashley Kisner (Young Adult, Horror)

This is a new book on my shelves and I cannot wait to read it. Old Wounds is about two trans teens stranded in a rural town where they townsfolk hope to sacrifice them to a creature in the woods. Logan-Ashley Kisner is a trans and queer author who also writes about gender and sexuality in film.

Lockjaw by Matteo L. Cerilli (Young Adult, Horror)

This cover gives me so much nostalgia for stories like Paper Girls, Stranger Things, and It. Described as a “small town ghost story” about childhood best friends who must work together to take down a monster under their town. It’s a friendship focused story about queer rage and systemic injustice.

Leech by Hiron Ennes (Adult, Gothic)

Okay, this one is actually more gothic/sci-fi, but in including it because I think it has crossover appeal. Hiron Ennes is a pathologist who has written one of the strangest, most fascinating gothic novels ever published. It’s literally told from the perspective of a parasite trying to solve the mysterious death of its former host.

Sundown in San Ojuela by M.M. Olivas (Adult, Horror)

This is another new-to-me title. I had never heard of this one before I picked it up at a bookstore a few weeks ago. I was immediately sold, because I love a good desert horror. But, then I read the author's description of the novel: gothic spaghetti western that follows Aztec Vampires in California’s Inland Empire. Immediate purchase. M.M. Olivas is a trans, first-generation Chicana author. This is her debut novel.

All the Hearts You Eat by Hailey Piper (Adult, Horror)

Another small-town vampire story! And this one is told through the perspective of not 1, but 4 trans main characters. I have not read this one yet, because I heard a rumor that this would be the Evernight quarterly box, but the internet lied t0 me. I did get the audiobook though, so I will be listening soon!

The Salt Grows Heavy by Cassandra Khaw (Adult, Dark Fantasy)

This is another one with cross-over appeal. I would technically consider this one dark fantasy, but it's got enough viscera at times that I can see why some would find it to lean towards horror. Khaw has written two other horror novels over, which I haven't read, but I can wholeheartedly recommend this one to you. The short-description of The Salt Grows Heavy is a mermaid and a nonbinary plague doctor stumble into a Lord-of-the-Flies-esque town full of creepy-ass children doing creepy-ass things.

Withered by A.G.A Wilmot (Adult, Horror)

I will never forgive the horror folks who come into our bookstore and do not buy this novel. Like, it's literally perfect. Let me just (metaphorically) read the first sentence of the publisher's blurb to you: A queer paranormal psychological horror novel, in the style of showrunner Mike Flannagan. Yes, a queer horror novel with Mike Flannagan vibes. And it has the coolest cover. Someone explain this book's lack of fame. The math doesn't add.

What Moves the Dead by T. Kingfisher (Adult, Gothic)

You all know my undying love for T. Kingfisher and her Gothic duology, What Moves the Dead and What Feasts at Night, is another one I recommend to folks who want horror vibes without some of the more extreme moments. What Moves the Dead features a nonbinary protagonist and also has a lot to say about language and individual participation within the constructs of that language.

PS: This list is in no way comprehensive of the incredible trans/nonbinary authors and stories that are out there. It is simply comprised of ones that I have encountered through my own reading or that of my spouse and close friends. I undoubtedly missed some and others were purposely left out, but I'll leave you to do your own internet research.