261 — The State of the Horror Nation 2025, with Emily Hughes, Anna Dupre & George Dunn

Welcome to the now sixth annual State of the Horror Nation.   This is the mega-episode, in which I gather a darkly-inclined supergroup of horror fans and commentators—a horror cabinet, if you will—to cast their informed eyes and minds over the year’s best horror.   We talk trends, generation gaps, terrifying moments, and pick what they consider to be their favourite scary books of 2025.   I am just a bystander and the man with the edit button. Bringing the talent and the opinion are Emily Hughes, Anna Dupre and George Dunn. Together they present a tapestry of horror in red and black and other hideous colours.   Suffer your TBR piles.   Enjoy.   Books Picked   Angel Down (2025), by Daniel Kraus Black Flame (2025), by Gretchen Felker Martin Futility (2025), Nuzo Ozoh One Yellow Eye (2025), by Leigh Radford Play Nice (2025), by Rachel Harrison Spread Me (2025), by Sarah Gailey Veil (2025), by Jonathan Janz When the Wolf Comes Home (2025), by Nat Cassidy What Hunger (2025), by Catherine Dang   Books Anticipated   Cruelty Free (2026), by Caroline Glenn Daytide (2026), by Chris Panatier Femme Feral (2026), by Sam Bessinger For Human Use (2026), by Sarah G. Pierce Headlights (2026), by C.J. Leede Itch (2025), by Gemma Amor Japanese Gothic (2026), by Kylie Lee Baker Kiss Slay Replay (2026), by Rachel Harrison I Know a Place: Rest Stop and Other Dark Detours (2026), by Nat Cassidy Molka (2026), by Monika Kim Nothing Tastes as Good (2026), by Luke Dumas Nowhere Burning (2026), by Catriona Ward On Sunday’s She Picked Flowers (2026), by Yah Yah Schofield Our Cut of Salt (2026), by Deena Helm Persona (2026), by Aiofe Josie Clements The Children (2026), by Melissa Albert The Curse of Hester Gardens (2026), by Tamika Thompson The Fourth Wife (2026), by Linda Hamilton The Hive (2026), by Ronald Malfi The Last Story of Jamie Gunn (TBC), by Thomas Olde Heuvelt The Red Sacrament (2026), by Sara Hinkley Spoiled Milk (2026), by Avery Curran Trad Wife (2026), by Sarah Langan Worry Box (2026), by Chris Panatier Wretch (2026), by Eric LaRocca   Other Books Mentioned   Come Knocking (2025), by Mike Bockoven Old Soul (2025), by Susan Barker Rekt (2025), by Alex Gonzalez The Lamb (2025), by Lucy Rose The Starving Saints (2025), by Caitlin Starling Bat Eater, and Other Names for Cora Zeng (2025), by Kylie Lee Baker Greedy (2026) by Callie Kazumi The Eyes Are the Best Part (2024), by Monika Kim Wake Up and Open Your Eyes (2025), by Clay McLeod Chapman The Unworthy (2025), by Augustina Bazterrica     Support Talking Scared on Patreon Emily Hughes Patreon link is here   Check out the Talking Scared Merch line – at VoidMerch   Come talk books on Bluesky @talkscaredpod.bsky.social on Instagram/Threads, or email direct to [email protected] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices