Scream-Worthy New Horror Books Coming Out in April 2026

Sixty-six-year-old Winston Kemper seems harmless enough. He works as a janitor and groundskeeper at a local church, and for the most part, he keeps to himself. People barely pay attention to him. But when Winston is not at work, he retreats to his small apartment to concentrate on a sadistic art project. He kidnaps and murders “forgotten” women and steals their voices, creating a collage of images and words that he sees as his “magnum opus”. But what happens when the spirits of those women refuse to be silenced?

Carter Keene’s debut film centers on Lucy “Lou” Moore, a woman who works a soul-crushing office job in which she essentially sells multi-level marketing self-improvement products. But Lou is determined to earn enough money to help her family, so she accepts an assignment in rural Ohio. From there, everything goes horribly wrong. Lou’s truck is vandalized by the locals, and suddenly, she finds herself stranded in the middle of the Appalachian forests. What’s worse, something inhuman is stalking her and it’s hungry.

This psychological horror novel is the adult debut of a renowned author of young readers. Maggie Wang is a young Asian American writer struggling to earn enough money to support her parents. Then he’s offered a financial lifeline. If she agrees to participate in an experimental health procedure, an elderly white Hollywood producer named Ingrid will pay her three million dollars: ten blood transfusions meant to reverse the signs of aging. But as Ingrid gets to know Maggie, she sees an opportunity to get back at the industry that has sidelined her and taken so much from her.

Set in Japan at two different times, Japanese Gothic Follows two heroes. In the present day, Lee has fled New York and is hiding at his father’s house in Japan. He knows there is something wrong with him and that he has committed a crime, but he cannot remember the details. In 1877, Sen, a female samurai, hides from imperial soldiers and attempts to protect her family. As the two find themselves communicating with each other over time, they realize that they are living in the same house, a house built on deep secrets.

If you’re looking for a fresh reimagining Wuthering Heights For those who lean toward the supernatural, check out this YA horror novel. Katie East is a 17-year-old girl who lives at her family’s historic estate, the Heights, and enjoys spending time alone in the woods. Hunter then moves into the cottage on the estate with his scientist father. Katy immediately feels a strange obsession with Hunter and his ability to resurrect the dead.

Marcus Cleaver’s latest is getting a lot of buzz, and there’s already an adaptation in the works. Desperate for money to support herself and her younger sister, Macy Mullins accepts a job as caretaker at a remote home on the Oregon coast. She’s only there for three days, but Maisie quickly becomes clear that what’s expected of her goes far beyond her normal role as a caregiver. There is something evil lurking outside the house, and now it has become his job to keep it away.