By Paul Goat Allen
As part of BlueInk’s ongoing Unearthing Forgotten Masterworks series, we’ve reached the point in our search through the thousands of titles our reviewers have read and picked the very best indie horror releases. And just to clarify—these aren’t just books that received rave reviews, many are towering masterpieces that have withstood the brutal test of time. And while some of these titles may officially be out of print, we’ve included them in hopes that you can find them somewhere in the wild—it’ll be like stumbling across an invaluable dark literary gem, trust me!
These five diverse titles exemplify just how wildly creative, and thematically powerful, horror can be. Every single one of these titles are certified dark masterpieces.
Eutopia by David Nickle (2011)
When Eutopia was first released more than a decade ago, Nickle was widely compared to a young Stephen King—for good reason. This novel was, and still is, absolutely unforgettable. I described it as “an entrancing amalgam of historical thriller, dark fantasy and weird fiction… an utterly creepy, bladder-loosening, storytelling tour de force.” Set in remote locales of early 20th century Idaho and Montana and revolving around the fanatical philosophies of the father of the American eugenics movement, Charles Davenport, the story begins cloaked as an intriguing, richly described historical fiction novel. Doctor Andrew Waggoner—a black physician trained at a prestigious Paris medical school by some of the finest surgeons in the world—finds himself working in a hospital in an Idaho mill town called Eliada. The town, established in part by philanthropist Garrison Harper and, secretly, by Davenport’s own Eugenics Records Office, is a Utopian dream come true in the “stern Paradise” of northern Idaho. But unbeknownst to Waggoner, something sinister is going on inside of the very hospital he works in, behind the locked doors of the quarantine ward…
High Lonesome Sound by Jaye Wells (2018)
A gothic horror set in the heart of Appalachia; Wells’ High Lonesome Sound is a master class in storytelling.
When struggling horror novelist Peter West rents a cabin in a remote place called Moon Hollow for a few weeks, his goal is to find the seed of a new story—instead he finds an ancient evil hidden in the hollers of southern Virginia. Fueled by rich description and sublime imagery, the author’s use of dichotomy throughout was outstanding, particularly the play between the fire and brimstone of the town’s religious leader Deacon Fry and the mountain magic of Granny Maypearl. In this sequence, far below the earth in a mineshaft, Wells again uses dichotomy brilliantly: “Inside the main tunnel, support beams reinforced the rock walls and ceiling. Christ the Redeemer Church had a vaulted ceiling, too. But in the mines, instead of the Lord’s Supper, the worshippers took coal as communion. Like those tasteless wafers Reverend Peale handed out, each lump of coal promised future salvation in exchange for their sacrifices.”
A word of caution: reading this novel may compel readers to seek out and consume copious amounts of apple pie moonshine.
Pocket Full of Teeth by Aimee Hardy (2024)
Hardy’s debut novel was a stand-up-and-applaud kind of read—and a great example of not only how horror has expanded and evolved over the years but also where horror is headed in the very near future. A highly palatable blend of gothic horror, supernatural fiction, and mystery, the novel is essentially three storylines braided together that deal with women struggling to come to grips with loss.
But the element that makes this novel so readable is Hardy’s literary, and lyrical, writing style. It’s simultaneously poetic and profound. Here she brilliantly describes a library: “The walls were packed edge to edge with cracked spines and curling pages from floor to ceiling. The musty smell of aged paper the texture of moth’s wings filled the air. Books towered over me, weaving themselves into a wall that protected me from the world. My fingers ran down their bindings, the velvets, the cloths, and the sewn pages all whispered their mysteries in words that I couldn’t quite catch.”
A beautifully written and ingeniously twisted read that readers will not soon forget.
NightWhere by John Everson (2012)
Originally published in 2012 by Samhain, Everson’s novel—about an adventurous married couple living in Chicago that have an “open relationship” and have experimented extensively with bondage and domination/discipline—blew me away. Still to this day, one of the creepiest, most twisted, nightmare-inducing novels that I have ever read—a dark, decadent, and disturbing masterpiece.
The Damp Chamber: And Other Bad Places by Frank Chigas (2004)
Originally released way back in 2004, I need to include this hardcover collection of short stories on this list because it’s one of the most memorable indie releases I’ve ever had the pleasure of reading. Not only were the horror stories exceptional—I described the collection as having “the stylish storytelling prowess of Stephen King, the audacious gruesomeness of H.P. Lovecraft… and the cerebral machinations of Algernon Blackwood”—but the book itself was lovingly produced, from the stunning cover design to the inner illustrations to the story layout to the font selection. A collector’s item if there ever was one…
Paul Goat Allen has been reviewing books for almost three decades. In addition to BlueInk Review, his work has appeared with BarnesandNoble.com, The Chicago Tribune, Publishers Weekly, Kirkus, and more. He also teaches in Seton Hill University’s Writing Popular Fiction graduate writing program.