And so we come to the end of another year in horror. Time to look back at the best that 2023 has had to offer, as determined by three of the best in the business.My trusted horror chancellor, Emily Hughes joins me ­– alongside C.J. Leede, the author of this year’s gloriously transgressive Maeve Fly, and the maestro of the macabre himself, Victor Lavalle. Together we cover the year’s freshest nightmares in the macro and the micro, looking at wider trends and picking our own favourite horror fiction from this year’s epic crop. This is a blast. We laugh, we yell, and we declare that the nation is strong, and good, and frightening.  Enjoy! Books Picked:Our Share of Night (2023), by Mariana EnriquezBoys Weekend (2023), by Mattie LubchanskyBlack Sheep (2023), by Rachel HarrisonThe Reformatory (2023), by Tananarive Due Out There Screaming: An Anthology of New Black Horror (2023), ed. Jordan Peele and John Joseph AdamsFever House (2023), by Keith RossonNever Whistle at Night: An Indigenous Dark Fiction Anthology (2023) ed. Shane Hawk and Theodore C. Van Alst Jr.Red Rabbit (2023), by Alex GrecianWhalefall (2023), by Daniel Kraus Books Anticipated:Horror For Weenies: Everything You Need to Know About the Films You’re Too Scared to Watch (2024), by Emily HughesAmerican Rapture (2024), by C.J. LeedeGhost Roots (2024), by Pemi AgudaA Mask of Flies (2024), by Matthew LyonsThe Z Word (2024), by Lindsay King-MillerYour Shadow Half Remains (2024), by Sunny MoraineFirst Light (2024), by Liz KerinBury Your Gays (2024), by Chuck TingleI Was a Teenage Slasher (2024), by Stephen Graham JonesThe House of Last Resort (2024), by Christopher GoldenThe Book of Love (2024), by Kelly LinkKing Nyx (2024), by Kirsten BakisMoon of the Turning Leaves (2024), by Waubgeshig RiceIn the Valley of the Headless Men (2024), by L.P. HernandezIsland Witch (2024), by Amanda JayatissaThe Haunting of Velkwood (2024), Gwendolyne KisteThe Redemption of Morgan Bright (2024), by Chris PanatierHorror Movie (2024), by Paul TremblayYou Like It Darker (2024), by Stephen King Support Talking Scared on PatreonVisit the Talking Scared siteCome talk books on Twitter @talkscaredpod, on Instagram, or email direct to talkingscaredpod@gmail.com Support the show