Episode 216 continues the Best of… series with a deep dive into the horror genre. Meredith Monday Schwartz of the Currently Reading podcast joins the show to discuss her all-time Top Ten favorite horror books, along with a few buzzy titles that didn't quite work for her. Meredith also talks about how she came to the genre and the wide range of reading experiences horror has to offer.

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CLICK HERE for the full episode Show Notes on the blog.

Highlights

How Meredith defines the horror genre — and where she draws the lines
Subgenres of horror that don't get talked about as much
Meredith's personal relationship with reading horror
What draws her to the genre and how she approaches her horror TBR
The role of women in horror, both as authors and within its themes

Meredith's All-Time Top Ten Horror: Ranked [18:47]

10) Daphne by Josh Malerman (2022) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [19:33]
9) How to Sell a Haunted House by Grady Hendrix (2023) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [22:10]
8) The Ruins by Scott Smith (2006) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [24:42]
7) Near the Bone by Christina Henry (2021) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [27:02]
6) Diavola by Jennifer Thorne (2024) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [29:19]
5) We Used to Live Here by Marcus Kliewer (2024) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [31:44]
4) Slewfoot by Brom (2021) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [34:01]
3) The Sun Down Motel by Simone St. James (2020) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [37:40]
2) The Stand by Stephen King (1978) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [39:46]
1) I'm Thinking of Ending Things by Iain Reid (2016) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [44:50]

High-Profile Horror She Didn't Love [49:39]

The September House by Carissa Orlando (2023) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [50:03]
The Last House on Needless Street by Catriona Ward (2021) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [50:55]
Incidents Around the House by Josh Malerman (2024) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [52:34]

Other Books Mentioned

The Amityville Horror by Jay Anson (1977) [9:57]
101 Horror Books to Read Before You're Murdered by Sadie Hartmann (2023) [13:25]
Feral and Hysterical by Sadie Hartmann (2025) [13:37]
Sandwich by Catherine Newman (2024) [22:47]
The Autumn Springs Retirement Home Massacre by Philip Fracassi (2025) [28:33]
Psycho by Robert Bloch (1959) [31:01]
The Caretaker by Marcus Kliewer (April 21, 2026) [33:29]
Krampus by Brom (2012) [36:42]
The Haunting of Maddy Clare by Simone St. James (2012) [39:07]
The Book of Cold Cases by Simone St. James (2022) [39:23]
11/22/63 by Stephen King (2011) [43:13]
Foe by Iain Reid (2018) [49:00]
Bird Box by Josh Malerman (2014) [52:39]