Why am I passionate about this?

I've been writing spooky stories for the better half of my life. Reading and writing horror has always been a strangely therapeutic endeavor. It's a way to process the things that keep me up at night and force them into a somewhat manageable form. After all, tangible words on the page are less worrisome than swirling thoughts in the mind. And a surprising number of people seem to agree. As absurd as that may sound, many of us troubled souls find comfort in the horror genre.


I wrote...

We Used to Live Here

By Marcus Kliewer,

Book cover of We Used to Live Here

What is my book about?

As a young couple who flip houses, Charlie and Eve can’t believe the killer deal they’ve just gotten on an…

Shepherd is reader supported. When you buy books, we may earn an affiliate commission.

The books I picked & why

Book cover of A Short Stay in Hell

Marcus Kliewer Why did I love this book?

"There is a despair that goes deeper than existence; it runs to the marrow of consciousness, to the seat of the soul."

In this brief but brilliant masterpiece, the afterlife is a (nearly) infinite library. That doesn't sound so bad, right? Just wait. With each page turn, I found myself sinking deeper and deeper into a state of existential dread. Immersive, heartbreaking, and profound, I would've been happy to stay in this hell a good while longer.

By Steven L. Peck,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked A Short Stay in Hell as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

An ordinary family man, geologist, and Mormon, Soren Johansson has always believed he’ll be reunited with his loved ones after death in an eternal hereafter. Then, he dies. Soren wakes to find himself cast by a God he has never heard of into a Hell whose dimensions he can barely grasp: a vast library he can only escape from by finding the book that contains the story of his life.


Book cover of Out There Screaming: An Anthology of New Black Horror

Marcus Kliewer Why did I love this book?

Whether it's a Stephen King classic or a brand-new Netflix show, I've always been a huge fan of horror anthologies; Out There Screaming ranks among the finest. Featuring everything from washed-up monster hunters to real-world terrors, this is a must-read for fans of thought-provoking horror.

By Jordan Peele (editor),

Why should I read it?

3 authors picked Out There Screaming as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

The New York Times Bestseller

Jordan Peele, the visionary writer and director of Get Out, Us and Nope, curates this anthology of brand new stories of Black horror, exploring not only the terrors of the supernatural but also the chilling reality of injustice that haunts our world.

'A glorious showcase of Black American horror' - Guardian

Featuring an introduction by Jordan Peele and an all-star roster of beloved writers and new voices, Out There Screaming is a masterclass in horror, and - like his spine-chilling films - its stories prey on everything we think we know about our world, and…


Book cover of I'm Thinking of Ending Things

Marcus Kliewer Why did I love this book?

Few books have gotten under my skin like this one. Every page brims with eerie trepidation and a growing sense of dread. As soon as I finished, I wanted to read it again.

"Sometimes a thought is closer to truth, to reality, than an action. You can say anything, you can do anything, but you can't fake a thought."

During a trip to meet her boyfriend's parents, a young woman considers ending the relationship. The anxiety of meeting a partner's family is universally relatable, but Reid's debut novel takes this fear to a whole new level. Every page brims with a growing sense that something is terribly, terribly wrong. A surreal and hypnotic nightmare.

By Iain Reid,

Why should I read it?

5 authors picked I'm Thinking of Ending Things as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

NOW A NETFLIX ORIGINAL FILM DIRECTED BY CHARLIE KAUFMAN
AN NPR BEST BOOK OF THE YEAR 2016

“I’m Thinking of Ending Things is one of the best debut novels I’ve ever read. Iain Reid has crafted a tight, ferocious little book, with a persistent tenor of suspense that tightens and mounts toward its visionary, harrowing final pages” (Scott Heim, award-winning author of Mysterious Skin and We Disappear).

I’m thinking of ending things. Once this thought arrives, it stays. It sticks. It lingers. It’s always there. Always.

Jake once said, “Sometimes a thought is closer to truth, to reality, than an…


Book cover of Your Shadow Half Remains

Marcus Kliewer Why did I love this book?

"No faces, no eyes. Not if you want to survive."

Riley lives in a lonely world where a single look drives people into frenzied violence. Stay alive by staying away from people. This state of affairs has become routine to her: "It's horrifying. Then it's weird. Then it's just inconvenient."

But she considers risking it all when a new neighbor moves in down the street. Your Shadow Half Remains is a beautifully written meditation on love, isolation, paranoia, and so much more. I couldn't put this one down.

By Sunny Moraine,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Your Shadow Half Remains as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

ONE LOOK CAN KILL.

Riley has not seen a single human face in longer than she can reckon. No faces, no eyes. Not if you want to survive.

But when a new neighbour moves in down the road, Riley's overwhelming need for human contact makes her throw caution to the wind. Somehow, in this world where other people can mean a gruesome, bloody death, Ellis makes her feel safe. As they grow closer, Riley's grip on reality begins to slip and she can no longer fight her deepest desires.

All Riley wants to do is look.


Book cover of House of Leaves

Marcus Kliewer Why did I love this book?

Years ago, when House of Leaves was first being passed around, it was nothing more than a badly bundled heap of paper, parts of which would occasionally surface on the internet. No one could have anticipated the small but devoted cult following this terrifying story would soon command. So describes the dust jacket of Mark Z. Danielewski's infamous masterpiece.

A mind-bending collection of found documents, snarky citations, and secret codes. It's been said: you don't read House of Leaves, House of Leaves reads you -- and I couldn't agree more. This book literally made me question reality.

By Mark Z. Danielewski,

Why should I read it?

22 authors picked House of Leaves as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

“A novelistic mosaic that simultaneously reads like a thriller and like a strange, dreamlike excursion into the subconscious.” —The New York Times

Years ago, when House of Leaves was first being passed around, it was nothing more than a badly bundled heap of paper, parts of which would occasionally surface on the Internet. No one could have anticipated the small but devoted following this terrifying story would soon command. Starting with an odd assortment of marginalized youth -- musicians, tattoo artists, programmers, strippers, environmentalists, and adrenaline junkies -- the book eventually made its way into the hands of older generations,…


Don't forget about my book 😀

We Used to Live Here

By Marcus Kliewer,

Book cover of We Used to Live Here

What is my book about?

As a young couple who flip houses, Charlie and Eve can’t believe the killer deal they’ve just gotten on an old house in a picturesque neighborhood. As they’re working in the house one day, there’s a knock on the door. A man stands there with his family, claiming to have lived there years before and asking if it would be alright if he showed his kids around.

As soon as the strangers enter their home, uncanny and inexplicable things start happening. And the family can’t seem to take the hint that their visit should be over. When Charlie suddenly vanishes, Eve slowly loses her grip on reality. Something is terribly wrong with the house and with the visiting family—or is Eve just imagining things?

You might also like...

The Flower Queen: A 1970's Suspense Romance

By Kay Freeman,

Book cover of The Flower Queen: A 1970's Suspense Romance

Kay Freeman Author Of Hitman's Honey

New book alert!

Why am I passionate about this?

Author Retired art professor Tequila aficionado Weightlifter Owned by Standard Poodle Blues lover

Kay's 3 favorite reads in 2023

What is my book about?

It began with a dying husband, and it ended in a dynasty.

It took away her husband’s pain on his deathbed, kept her from losing the family farm, gave her the power to build a thriving business, but it’s illegal to grow in every state in the country in 1978.

It even brings her first love from high school back; the only problem is that he works for the FBI. Will their occupations implode their romance, or will the opposite happen?

A second chance at love, opposites attract, rags to riches heroine trope story.

The Flower Queen: A 1970's Suspense Romance

By Kay Freeman,

What is this book about?

It began with a dying husband and it ended in a dynasty.

It took away her husband’s pain on his deathbed, kept her from losing the family farm, gave her the power to build a thriving business, but it’s illegal to grow in every state in the country in 1978. It even brings her first love from high school back; the only problem he works for the FBI. Will their occupations implode their romance or will the opposite happen? A second chance at love, opposites attract , rags to riches heroine trope story.


5 book lists we think you will like!

Interested in violence, torture, and African American authors?

Violence 94 books
Torture 41 books