Episode Description
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
- 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]
- 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]
- 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]
- Sadie Hartmann (@Mother.Horror) on Instagram
- Talking Scared with Neil McRobert
- Slow Read: The Stand with Sarah Stewart Holland & Laura Tremaine