February is nearly up which means we’re coming to the end of Women in Horror month. 

But not before I’ve had chance to share the second part of my fierce, female horror authors list with you. After all, everyone needs a little horror looming sinisterly on their bookshelves, wending it’s way to your eyeballs in the dead of night, crawling under your eyelids while you sleep to nest behind your brain. 

*Ahem* 

Catch up on the first instalment of the list here if you missed it. And fair warning horror fiends, these ladies will keep you up at night. 

Alma Katsu: Making the list for The Hunger 

Katsu brings us a bit of historical horror with her tale based on the Donner Party wagon train.  It’s a tense, eerie trip across the Midwest. Katsu cleverly combines the historical tale with fictional elements, with a range of characters to draw you in and invest you in the story.  Although you might know where it’s going, you don’t know how it gets there. And it gets there with an added dose of horror. Katsu’s take on the Titanic comes out later this year, and The Deep is totally heading straight onto my to-be-read pile. 

Mira Grant: Making the list for The Newsflesh Trilogy 

The Newsflesh Trilogy is perhaps some of the most fun I’ve had between the pages of a book(s). Grant (aka Seanan McGuire) writes a snappy, zombie infested adventure, with sassy characters and enough action to burn some calories. Zombies, journalism, political intrigue, what more could you possibly want? 

Margaret Atwood: Making the list for The Handmaid’s Tale 

Y’all are probably pretty familiar with The Handmaid’s Tale – book version or television version or both. I’m going ahead and calling this horror because gee-boy-have-you-read-it? If it ain’t horror then I’m not sure what is. It’s the sort of horror that is only ever a step away from us, from what we know. Atwood’s novel is pure dystopian nightmare, and somehow, disappointingly, still relevant in today’s world. 

Stephanie Ellis: Making the list for Bottled 

Ellis’s novella brings you a tasty morsel of modern day gothic horror. Claustrophic and atmospheric, she builds up the image of a house until it becomes a character in its own right. Spookiness reigns, with plenty of skin crawling frights along the way.

Find out more about why this book is such a spookfest on my review earlier this month.

More, more, feed me more horror. Who’s your favourite female horror author? Which female writers give you nightmares? Which ladies give you your go-to scares and shots of bookish adrenaline?